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Chapter Text

Ravenpaw crouched, hidden in the shadows of the undergrowth, the early morning sun just showing it's first rays. His heart beat so loud in his ears he could barely hear the birdsong, pressing himself even closer to the ground to hide his shaking paws. He warily glanced up at his mentor from the corner of his eye, the massive brown tabby adorning his usual scowl as he stared unblinkingly ahead.

There, on the pile of flat rocks situated on the bank of the river, half a dozen cats milled around lazily. Some were stretched out on the stones, awaiting the warmth of the waking sun. Some were sitting by the water's edge, swiping their paws into the cold depths and plucking out fish before throwing them onto the bank, blissfully unaware of the four cats watching.

The patrol of forest cats only grew more agitated as the river rippled and spat out even more intruders arriving on the bank, shaking water droplets off their sleek pelts.

Ravenpaw ceased the nervous flicking of his tail tip and subtly held his breath as he felt the warrior beside him stiffen, the faintest of growls escaping his clenched jaws. The massive tom unsheathed his long claws and dug them in the ground, but before he could pounce, a flick of the ear from the calico a few tail-lenghts from them stopped the tabby in his tracks.

Crouching lower underneath the ferns, his frown deepening, Ravenpaw's mentor, Tigerclaw, silently stalked towards the calico. After a moment's hesitation, Ravenpaw carefully trotted after him. As soon as they reached the ginger-tailed tom, Tigerclaw let out a quiet hiss. "What are we doing, hiding like scared mice? They're trespassing, we need to drive them out!" Redtail leveled the tabby with a calm look, "We can't just run in there like foxes in a fit. They greatly outnumber us, we wouldn't win this fight. We need to get back to camp and inform Bluestar about this."

Tigerclaw glared at the deputy as he growled, "We can't let them get away with this! We can't let them think that they can just stroll into our territory whenever they want without consequences! If we leave now instead of chasing them out, not only will they think that we're too weak to defend our borders, but we all know that Bluestar will not do anything about this until the next gathering 𝘢𝘵 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘵! She's been going easy on Riverclan for seasons now! I'm sick of it."

Before Redtail could do more than widen his eyes in shocked realization, Tigerclaw let out a loud caterwaul before hurtling out of the undergrowth and towards the surprised Riverclan cats. The deputy cursed silently before following after the tabby, the rest of their patrol hot on his heels.

Ravenpaw could see his mentor fighting two cats at once, the black tom and gray she-cat barely keeping up with the speed of the formidable Thunderclan warrior. He caught a glance of Mousefur leaping at a spotted she-cat before he was bowled over by a snarling white tom.

Ravenpaw felt a flash of panic before he forced himself to remember the training he had recieved from one of Thunderclan's strongest warriors. While he could recall the theory of unbalancing his opponent, he had never tried it with his claws unsheathed, having never been in an actual battle before. So, swallowing his fear and praying to Starclan, he gathered all of his strenght into his hind legs and kicked out hard into the white tom's belly.

The Riverclanner let out a huff of air and staggered slightly, but still managed to keep his grip on the black apprentice's shoulders. Ravenpaw fought back desperation as he tried the same thing again, only for the white warrior to arch his back, putting his belly out of reach. Now full on panicking, Ravenpaw swung his forelegs wildly, hoping to scratch at the tom's face, shoulders, 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨, but before he could land a hit he felt teeth dig painfully into his throat.

He froze, resignation slowly creeping over him. 'This is it,' he thought, 'this is where I go join Starclan.'

Through the blood churning in his ears he heard a nearby yowl before the weight was suddenly lifted off of him. Registering the release of his shoulders, he rolled onto his belly, trembling and breathing harshly in the middle of the battlefield. When his panic subsided a bit he glanced around, noting the white tom, now with a bleeding flank, fleeing towards the river, a bloodied Mousefur glaring after him.

On the other side of the clearing, he could make out Redtail wrestling with Oakheart, the Riverclan deputy, near the top of the Sunningrocks, Tigerclaw trying to keep most of the other trespassing cats from interfering with the deputies' fight.

Ravenpaw got up on shaky legs, intending on going over to his mentor to help, when he was intercepted by Mousefur stepping into his path. "Ravenpaw, we have to run back to camp and get backup, we have no chance of winning this battle as it is." Her voice was firm, but the apprentice could see the urgency in her eyes. As much as he wanted to stay and fight for his clan, he knew she was right, and his paws were still shaking badly. With a nod to the young warrior, they turned and together started for the cover of the undergrowth, in the direction of camp.

He was just about to start sprinting after Mousefur when sudden yowling and clattering of rocks made him halt in his tracks. He hesitated, considering ignoring it and catching up to Mousefur, but ultimately gave in to his curiosity, stalking back to the sandy bank and peeking out from under the brambles. He did not want his clanmates to find him disobeying Mousefur's orders.

Gathered around the base of Sunningrocks, Riverclan and Thunderclan warriors alike stood still in shocked silence, staring at a pile of stones that had seemingly fallen off the top. For a solid few heartbeats no cat said anything, the tension growing over the clearing.

Finally, a gray Riverclan tom called out in a dumbfounded, shaking voice, "Riverclan, let's retreat."

The cats lappsed into silence once more as the Riverclan warriors slid numbly into the river and disappeared among the waves.

Ravenpaw watched, confused, as his clanmates stood still for a moment longer before Redtail seemed to order Tigerclaw to return to camp. As the warriors began to stalk closer, Ravenpaw made to turn and run ahead, still not wanting to get caught, when he saw something that made his heart drop.

Tigerclaw, who had been trailing after Redtail, suddenly leaped onto the deputy's back and sank his teeth into his scruff. The calico yowled in pain and surprise as he went falling to the ground, Tigerclaw making deep clawmarks into the other's back.

Ravenpaw watched, frozen in horror, before mentally kicking himself and bursting from the shadows, towards the fighting pair. He had always been afraid of his mentor, of his aggressive approach in training and general gruffness, but he would have never guessed him to be a traitor.

Fueled by betrayal and rage and 𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘳 he let out a feral caterwaul as he leaped on the massive tabby. He did not do any significant damage, what with his small claws, minimal experience and Tigerclaw's thick fur, but he did manage to distract him long enough for Redtail to recover from the shock and get to his paws before turning on the traitor and burying his teeth in the delicate flesh of his throat.

The tabby let out a gurgled sound, blood already pooling in his growling jaws, but he would not give up that easily. Not when he's been planning his moves for so long. With Redtail's teeth still in his neck, Tigerclaw swung his massive forepaws, catching the deputy's ear and creating a deep wound where his neck met the shoulder.

Ravenpaw, noticing the calico losing his advantage, barely had to think before crawling on top of the tabby's head and mercilessly running his claws over the warrior's eyes.

Tigerclaw let out a screech so loud that it startled Redtail into releasing his grip on the other's throat. Not even realizing that he's been let go, Tigerclaw wildly swiped his paws over his face, fruitlessly trying to get the blood out of his eyes.

While the tabby writhed on the ground, Redtail slowly got his bearings and warily approached the mentor and apprentice, the latter already having gotten off of the tom.

The deputy stood over the whimpering warrior, a cold glare on his face even though he knew the other couldn't see it. "What was that, Tigerclaw?" his calm voice held a hint of confusion, anger and sorrow, "why would you attack your deputy, your 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦?"

Tigerclaw was silent for a few heartbeats before letting out a low growl. "You don't deserve the title, neither you or Bluestar. You're weak, cowardly, running with your tails between your legs when the other leaders make claims on what is rightfully ours instead of defending it like the warrior code tells us to do! Your soft-hearted leadership is leading our clan to ruin so of course I took it upon myself to make things right. To make Thunderclan strong and respected again!"

"You're delusional." Redtail snarled, poking the tabby's shoulder with a paw, claws unsheathed, "Get up, we're going back to camp where you can answer to Bluestar directly."

The calico shot Ravenpaw a grateful glance before turning away and leading the slightly stumbling Tigerclaw into the woods.

Ravenpaw followed after the two warriors, a feeling of pride welling up in his chest despite the circumstances. Finally, he had done something right! Even if he hadn't been of much help in the battle against Riverclan, he had saved Redtail's life from his treacherous mentor! Surely that had more significance than a border scuffle. For so long he had been trying to make his mentor proud, only to end up disappointing the tabby as well as himself. But now, now he didn't need to worry about what Tigerclaw thought, the warrior had lost all of Ravenpaw's respect. What mattered is that he knew Redtail was proud of him, and certainly his clanmates would be as well. Who knows what tragedies could have stricken his clan if the traitor hadn't been stopped when he was.

With his head and tail held high, he trotted through the undergrowth, his confidence rising for the first time in moons.

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Not long after did they meet up with Mousefur and the patrol of warriors she had brought along. Runningwind, Whitestorm, Darkstripe, Brindleface and Dustpaw all followed after the brown she-cat with varying expressions of anger on their faces. They halted their quickened trot as they came upon the smaller patrol, panting slightly. "What happened?" asked Mousefur as soon as she caught her breath, "Did we lose? Did Riverclan-" she cut herself off as she took in the state of the returning cats. Her gaze lingered on Tigerclaw's wounded eyes and throat. Darkstripe noticed as well, dashing forward and pressing himself into the tabby's flank. "What happened?" the dark warrior echoed, not taking his eyes off of his friend.

"Let's get back to camp first." said Redtail, gently brushing off a worried Runningwind as he pushed through the gathered cats and led Tigerclaw through the trees, Darkstripe on the tabby's other side. The going was slow, Tigerclaw continuously tripping over roots and brambles with his impaired sight.

Finally they reached the ravine, the massive tabby gracelessly stumbling down the slope and into the brambles. He was barely given time to stand up before the deputy pushed him through the thorny tunnel, unbothered by the tufts of fur left behind. The rest of the patrol followed, all sans Ravenpaw puzzled by Redtail's treatment of the wounded warrior.

Cats were already gathered in the clearing, awaiting an update on the situation after hearing Mousefur's distraught cry for help. Spottedleaf made to approach Tigerclaw, a bundle of herbs in her jaws, but was stopped by Redtail's warning growl. The medicine cat, as well as those of their clanmates who were in close enough vicinity to hear, took a cautious step back, utterly confused.

The crowd parted as Redtail and Darkstripe led Tigerclaw towards the Highrock, Bluestar already seated outside of her den, tail neatly wrapped around her paws. She spoke as soon as her deputy stopped before her. "What happened, Redtail?"

The calico tom then went on explaining everything, from how their patrol discovered the intruders at Sunningrocks, to the outcome of the battle, where Ravenpaw finally found out why the skirmish had ended so suddenly. 'Poor Oakheart,' the apprentice thought sullenly, 'what a terrible way for a warrior to die.'

Their observing clanmates let out exclamations of shock and indignation as Redtail got to the part where Tigerclaw attacked him, and it took Bluestar's lifted tail and cold glare to quiet them down again. Runningwind once again plastered himself against his mate's side, as if to protect him from any further attacks. When the deputy was done giving his report, the clearing was tensely silent. Bluestar stood still for several heartbeats, whether in shock or deep thought Ravenpaw could not tell. When her gaze sharpened again, she slowly turned her head to look at Tigerclaw, her expression betraying nothing. "Is this true, Tigerclaw?" Her voice was calm, but it would not fool the tabby.

He spat out blood and snarled, baring his stained teeth, the blood from his squinted eyes trailing down his muzzle and dripping from his whiskers. "I don't have to answer to you." he sneered. "Ever since Sunstar died- no. Ever since Pinestar became leader this clan has been doomed to rot. You and all the leaders before you have made Thunderclan look weak, like we're a bunch of kittypets! The other clans no longer respect us, stepping on our tails whenever they feel like it, and you let them! You grovel at their paws and beg them for mercy. It makes me sick. We deserve some dignity, Bluestar! I'm only doing what has to be done."

By the time he finished his little spiel, the Thunderclan cats had gone from shocked to disbelieving to indignant and angry. They snarled and hissed, though held their tongues when they saw the look on their leader's face.

Bluestar, for her part, had widened her eyes for only a moment before schooling her expression back to an unreadable mask. She drew up her shoulders and looked down on Tigerclaw, her glare hard.

"Tigerclaw, with your attempt to murder your own deputy and clanmate, you have defiled the code of our warrior ancestors, and therefore are not worthy of bearing their gifts any longer. From this moment on this cat will be known as Tiger, not bound to a clan nor our way of life. Tiger, you are hereby exiled from Thunderclan. If you are found on our territory past sundown, you will be killed on the spot."

Tiger stood frozen for a heartbeat, his shocked expression clear despite his eyes clenched shut. Then he got up and turned, blindly making his way to the bramble entrance, tail held high. Just before he ducked out of the clearing, he snarled one last time. "If you want to live like cowards for the rest of your lives, feel free to rot here with the soft-hearts. A 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘦 warrior would recognize that things need to change." And with that he walked out of the hollow, clambering up the rocky slope and disappearing into the undergrowth.

The camp below was still and silent up untill a certain black tabby moved. Darkstripe wordlessly stalked after Tiger, climbing up and over the clifftop, out of sight.

Bluestar stared after him and muttered the words of the same ceremony she had performed for Tiger, now dubbing the black-pelted warrior Dark.

When it was clear that none of the exiles would be coming back, Ravenpaw allowed himself a sigh of relief. Despite it being close to sunhigh, he felt as though he could sleep for a season or two. He turned towards the apprentices' den, intent on passing out immediately, when he finally noticed the strange tom standing near the ferns. He was sticking out like a blackbird in the snow, his bright ginger pelt not blending in with the shaded undergrowth at all.

The black-pelted apprentice could not do much more than stare, utterly perplexed by the stranger's sudden appearance, and weirdly yet, his clanmates' lack of a reaction. Luckily, he was saved from his internal dilemma by his friend, Graypaw, waving him over with his tail. Ravenpaw noted that the gray tom was standing by the newcomer's side. 'How odd.'

As soon as he came closer, however, all of his questions were answered by an enthusiastic Graypaw.

"Ravenpaw, you're back! This is Firepaw, he's new here. He actually joined while you were on that patrol. Hey, is your throat alright? You should get Spottedleaf to check that. Anyway, Firepaw here is going to be training with us from now on. Isn't that exciting? You may be thinking that as a kittypet- sorry, 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘳 kittypet he wouldn't have a lot of experience or drive, but you'd be surprised! He's pretty brave, and could hold his own in a fight against me! Did you know that I'm the first clan cat he's ever spoken to? Yeah, you could say that I'm pretty much the whole reason he is even here. You're welcome. Hey, do you guys want to get something to eat? I'm 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨! If we hurry up we might snatch up a juicy vole or something."

And then he was off, leaving the two toms to stare after him. Ravenpaw hurriedly meowed a quiet "hi" to Firepaw before quickly following after his best friend.

"Hey, were you listening when Redtail was giving his report?" he asked hopefully, standing over Graypaw, who already had his face stuffed in a mouse. The gray apprentice didn't bother swallowing before he replied, "Yeh, why?" Ravenpaw kneaded his paws nervously, "Well, it's just- you know... I helped Redtail fight off Tigercl- err Tiger, right?" "Uh hmm." "Well... I'm just wondering what would have happened if I hadn't been there, y'know? Like... I was the one to distract him so that Redtail could defend himself, so..." he trailed off, hoping his friend would get what he was saying.

Unfortunately, he didn't. "Well, I'm sure it still would've been fine. I mean, Redtail's deputy for a reason, right? He can take care of himself. And anyway, you were there, so you don't need to worry about it anymore."

Ravenpaw stared, disappointment creeping over him, as his friend continued his meal. He searched for words, desperately wanting his best friend to understand him, to be proud with him, 𝘰𝘧 him, but ultimately gave up. He gave Graypaw a half-hearted meow of goodbye before trotting back towards the apprentices' den, having lost his appetite.

He barely acknowledged Firepaw as he pushed past him and into the den, curling up in his nest and closing his eyes. He was just about done with this day.

He didn't know how much time had passed. He could have been laying there for barely a few heartbeats, or he could have fallen asleep and not even realized. Either way, he was roused by a paw gently prodding his shoulder.

He looked up, lazily blinking sleep from his eyes, and recognized the kind face of his brother standing over him. Dustpaw settled down next to Ravenpaw and began gently lapping at the fur around his neck. "Spottedleaf wanted to see you," he said softly, "she said she didn't get to check you out after you returned." Ravenpaw let out a non-committal humm, content to just sit in his brother's company.

"I'm proud of you."

This time, Ravenpaw opened his eyes and turned to look at Dustpaw in confusion. "What?" his voice a barely audible whisper. "I'm proud of you." his brother repeated, "You saved my mentor's life. I- I don't know what I would've done if..." he trailed off, surprising Ravenpaw by the show of vulnerability in his voice.

Lost for words, he pressed his face into his brother's neck, both of them drawing comfort from the other's presence.

After a while of crouching there, fur brushing fur, Dustpaw stood up, shook out his pelt, and herded Ravenpaw out of the den and into the clearing, in the direction of the medicine cat's den.

As they walked, Ravenpaw smiled to himself. 'It's going to be okay,' he thought, ' I'm not alone, after all.'

Chapter Text

Tigerclaw, now named Tiger, trudged through the forest, not caring where his legs would take him.

His brain was mush, not able to hold on to a single thought before it flew away, and the more he tried to grasp at it the more out of reach it got. Like a mouse getting away by a whisker-lenght from his claws. It was frustrating. Nevermind that one of his first steps in his multitude of elaborate plans had failed, he couldn't even focus long enough to think of what to do next! If he wasn't so mentally and physically drained, he would claw himself over the head.

As it was, he just swiped his paws over his face until he got the now dried blood out of his eyes. He could open them a sliver, but it still hurt and everything was blurry. In any case, he could now get around without having to worry about crashing into a tree, and he took full advantage of that.

He was just about to start wondering which direction from camp had he gone, ' Please Starclan not the Riverclan border anything but- ', when he heard a rustle of leaves behind him. He spun around, bristling and claws unsheathed. If the Thunderclan cowards had decided to follow him, he would need to put up the best of fights. Despite his high confidence in himself, he couldn't say with utmost certainty that he would win that fight, what with his sight pretty much gone. He readied himself for a pounce, hearing the pawsteps get closer and closer, and upon the first sight of motion, he tackled the cat, hissing and spitting all the way.

"Wait, wait, it's me, it's me!" Upon hearing the familiar voice, Tiger stopped his attack, though kept his claws in the cat's pelt.

"Darkstripe?"

He was surprised to see one of his closest friends, especially since all of Thunderclan now knew what he had done. Eyes sharpening with suspicion, he pressed his giant paw on the other's neck, staring him down. "What are you doing out here?"

"I was looking for you!" Darkstripe meowed hurriedly, eager to dispell his friend's worries. "I- I think that what you've done- what you were trying to do -was very brave! And- and thoughtful! Yeah, I... I agree with what you said. About how Thunderclan needs to change, how 𝘢𝘭𝘭 the clans should change! So I- I want to go... with you..." he trailed off, but Tiger was still glaring at him, so he continued in a softer tone, "They wouldn't let me go back now anyway..."

Tiger was still a bit suspicious, but he could hear the sincerity in Darkstripe's voice. And in any case, he knew his friend wouldn't lie to him, they had always been loyal to each other. With a sigh, he stepped off of the black tabby, smoothing down his chest fur instead.

As Darkstripe got back up to his paws, Tiger finally decided to break the silence that had settled over them. "We should get moving," he looked up at the sky, noting the sun exactly overhead, "I don't want to deal with this Thunderclan 𝘧𝘪𝘭𝘵𝘩 any longer."

Darkstripe wordlessly got up and followed Tiger through the trees, though he spoke up again a few moments later. "Also, my name's probably Dark by now..." Tiger barely caught the quiet murmur, but he turned his head so he could look at Dark. His friend's head was bowed slightly, tail dragging on the ground. Tiger almost felt pity for him. Dark had always been the one more dedicated to the code out of the two of them. The brown tabby slowed his pace so that he was walking next to his friend, brushing against his flank in silent comfort. Dark didn't say anything, but he didn't have to.

They continued like that until the trees began to thin, revealing an expanse of smooth, black rock ahead. The thunderpath. They stared at it for a moment in mute contemplation. Dark lifted his head to gaze into the shadowed forest across, then turned to Tiger, a silent question yet clear all the same.

After barely a heartbeat of hesitation Tiger gave a single nod and, without pausing for a second, padded boldly across the hard surface and settled himself on the grass on the opposite side, waiting for his friend. Dark was a bit more wary, glancing both sides before dashing across. Once they were both out of the path of monsters they set off again, into the very heart of Shadowclan territory. Almost immediately they were stopped by a patrol, and a quite aggressive looking one at that. Two toms and a she-cat- Dark blinked a few times just to make sure he was seeing right -that looked more like a kit than an apprentice. He could still see kit-fluff behind her ears! 'Is Shadowclan really in that much need for warriors? It's newleaf!'

One of the toms, an older silver tabby, took a step forward and snarled in the two exiles' faces. "You're on our territory, Thunderclan. I suggest turning around right now if you want to keep your fur."

Tiger, unimpressed, easily disregarded the threat and in a calm voice asked his own question, "We're not here to intrude, if that's what you're worried about. We're here to speak with Brokenstar. Take us to him."

The trio of Shadowclanners growled, insulted by the implication that they would listen to an enemy warrior. Now it was the younger tom who stepped up, tail high and hackles raised on ends. "There's no way we're bringing enemy warriors into our camp without good reason. If it's really that important that you can't wait until the next gathering, then Bluestar can come herself if she wishes to speak with our leader."

"This isn't Bluestar's business, we're here on our own accord." Tiger growled, quickly losing his patience.

"Mousedung to that! You Thunderclan lot are too cowardly to go against your own leader!"

"You wanna say that again, toadface?!"

The longer the argument went on, the more unnerved Dark became. He wasn't a big fan of confrontations, and this time he knew that they were in the wrong, being on enemy territory and all. Still, it seemed like Tiger wasn't having all that much trouble, and Dark was more than happy to let him do the talking.

After a while of pointless banter, Tiger seemed to finally grow bored, thus he proposed a compromise of sorts. "Fine, then why don't you bring Brokenstar here so we can talk to him? You don't necessarily need to take us to your camp. Just get on with it."

The two Shadowclan warriors exchanged a glance, a silent conversation passing in seconds, and then turned to the young she-cat, "Snowpaw, run back to camp and get Brokenstar, will you?" The kit-apprentice nodded and took off, a white blur despite her short legs. The four warriors then sat waiting in an uneasy silence, yet no one dared to break it.

Now that he only had his own thoughts to listen to, Dark allowed himself to look over the Shadowclan cats properly. For a sunhigh patrol, two warriors and an apprentice was awfully small. Even if his theory that Shadowclan was short of warriors was true, surely they can't be suffering that badly, can they? They seemed fine at the last gathering at least, their numbers high enough. Since it's newleaf it can't be a lack of prey, and none of them looked starved. It could be a disease, or maybe a fox or a badger? The more he thought like that, the more he started to question whether sheltering with Shadowclan was the best idea. Before he could doubt himself any more though, the bracken ahead of them rustled and parted as a big dark tabby emerged, followed by the small white apprentice. Upon seeing the Shadowclan leader, Tiger got to his paws and awkwardly bowed his head, Dark hastily doing the same.

"Tigerclaw, Darkstripe," Brokenstar drawled, "What brings two Thunderclan warriors to my territory in the middle of the day?"

Instead of answering, Tiger shot a meaningful glance at the other Shadowclan cats, who were watching from a little ways off. Brokenstar followed his gaze, then turned back to Tiger. "I doubt that whatever you have to say cannot be said in front of my clanmates."

"It doesn't concern them." the brown tabby growled, gritting his teeth.

"What concerns me concerns all of Shadowclan." Brokenstar retorted, "Either start talking or get off my territory."

Tiger dug his claws into the earth, agitated. After a moment though he forced himself to calm down, and reluctantly said what he had come here to say.

"We're here because we want to join Shadowclan." he said bluntly, "Thunderclan has become infested with kittypets and half-clan mongrels. They're too soft to sharpen their own claws. To continue living there would be a disgrace. I'm hoping that Shadowclan still knows what it means to be a warrior."

Brokenstar didn't even register the backhanded insult, deep in thought about what the tabby before him had said. It made sense, he thought. He had always known that Bluestar was an incompetent leader, though he never bothered with it since it wasn't Shadowclan's problem. Now, though, he could see an opportunity standing before him. One of Thunderclan's strongest warriors has come to 𝘩𝘪𝘮 asking for help, all the while talking dung about his own leader. It was almost laughable. If Brokenstar was understanding this correctly, and if he wasn't he could always pull the strings, he could use Tigerclaw to make his clan even stronger. And what better way to do that than to double the size of their territory? After all, if what Tigerclaw was saying was true, then taking Thunderclan's territory would be easier than squashing a bug.

With his mind made up and a plan already forming, he flicked his tail for the two warriors to follow before setting off towards their camp.

"So, since you left your clan, I'm assuming your names have already been revoked?" The two former Thunderclan warriors nodded in confirmation. Brokenstar smirked, "Well that just won't do. Tell you what. Once we get back to camp, I'll preform the ceremony, give both of you your respective names, and in turn you will swear loyalty to Shadowclan under Starclan itself. Deal?"

While Tiger nodded once more, it was at that moment when Dark's curiosity got the better of him, and he couldn't stop himself from speaking up.

"I'm surprised you still care about what Starclan thinks, given..." he shut his jaws with an audible click, casting a nervous glance at the Shadowclan tabby. Questioning his soon-to-be leader was one of the dumbest things he could've done. 'Great job, mousebrain!'

But to his surprise, Brokenstar didn't look angry, only mildly amused. "While I do think that some of the laws of our ancestors are... outdated, I can't deny the existance of Starclan itself. I am a leader, after all. I've seen them, talked to them, recieved my nine lives from them. But, as a leader, I sometimes must listen to the needs of my clan over our ancestors' wishes. They are dead, after all." The last sentence was muttered, obviously not meant to be overheard, and Dark didn't dare open his muzzle again. Still, he couldn't help but think about what the Shadowclan leader had just said.

Was he right? Was ignoring Starclan's wishes the right thing to do sometimes? While he wanted to refuse the notion immediately, having believed in Starclan and the code his entire life, a small part of him felt doubt. After all, wasn't what Tiger and him were doing breaking the code? Tiger had tried to murder his own clanmate, the deputy no less, which was already breaking multiple laws. And while the reasoning was justified, for Dark agreed with Tiger wholeheartedly, it didn't change the fact that it was wrong. And then they left their clan to go join another. Yes, Tiger was exiled, but Dark didn't have an excuse. He had left of his own free will.

Still, despite all this, he couldn't bring himself to regret any of it. He knew it would all be worth it, in the end. The ends justify the means, and all that.

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When they reached the Shadowclan camp, the first thing Tiger noticed was how 𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘵𝘺 it was. It was barely past sunhigh, the perfect time for cats to sunbathe, share tongues or do other mundane tasks that caught no prey. As much as he detested the pointless, time-consuming traditions, it was to be expected of cats with no firm ambitions. And he refused to believe that Shadowclan had not one lazy cat.

Brokenstar must have noticed his confusion, but gave no answer as he padded towards a low, overhanging fir; a den, Tiger guessed.

"You may settle down here for now. I will make the announcements at sundown."

And then he was walking away, not giving the pair time to question or even meow affirmation. They exchanged a puzzled glance before crawling underneath the fir. It was surprisingly warm inside the den, despite the ground never seeing the sun. There was a thick, soft layer of moss underpaw and the sides were protected by brambles and ferns. Overall, it was not the worst place to sleep.

Despite 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 not wanting to fall asleep in enemy territory, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘱 of all places, Tiger figured he couldn't really pick and choose right now, especially if he was going to officially live there soon enough. Besides, he felt a bit more comfortable knowing that Dark would be right beside him.

With that thought in mind, it didn't take long for him to curl up next to his friend and fall into a restful sleep.

▫◈❖◈▫

As soon as the tails of the two ex-Thunderclan warriors disappeared into the den, Brokenstar motioned the silver tabby over.

"Boulder," he didn't take his eyes off of the den, voice low, "watch them. We don't need any rats reporting to Bluestar everything we're doing." Boulder nodded and stalked off towards the warriors' den in search of assistance. Even he needed to sleep, after all.

Brokenstar walked over to his own den, thinking over the events of today. The one thing he could say with certainty was that whatever happened next, it would undoubtedly be quite interesting. He frankly couldn't wait.

Chapter Text

"Stop fidgeting, would you? Some of us are trying to sleep here!"

A paw kicked into Kitepaw's flank as he went past, making the brown tom fall over on his side and release the tail he had accidentally stepped on.

"Sorry." Kitepaw got up, not sounding sorry at all. He shook his pelt of dust and resumed his pacing around the nests of moss, some occupied by sleeping apprentices, some empty.

Kitepaw's denmate pressed his face into his paws and groaned, "I'm so glad that I won't have to share a den with you after today."

"Hey, that's just rude! Are you trying to hurt my feelings?" Kitepaw stuck his tongue out in mock offence.

"Maybe I am." This time Kitepaw managed to dodge the kick sent his way, but he stepped away from his friend all the same.

"Whatever Webpaw, you're just jealous that it's not your turn yet. Y'know that, when I'm a warrior, you'll have to do everything I say?" Kitepaw wiggled his brows smugly, only to recieve another shove in the face.

Webpaw finally got up from his nest as his friend fell on his back, giggling. "You should be glad I'm not being made a warrior yet, unless you want an unsteady tunnel to collapse on you. Actually, don't answer that, I know you would." Webpaw sniffed, though his own whiskers were twitching.

Kitepaw noticed, because of course he did, "Nah, you would miss me too much."

"In your dreams, harebrain."

A sleepy grumble interrupted the two friends' teasing banter, "Shudup.." The toms looked over at the third apprentice before Kitepaw grinned and leaped onto the she-cat.

"Wake up you overgrown furball, we're having our assessments today!"

As soon as his paws made contact with Runningpaw's flank, the silver she-cat spun around fast as lightning and batted Kitepaw over the head, claws fortunately sheathed. Kitepaw just laughed and nudged her in return, while Webpaw crashed back into his nest, groaning once more.

"Eherm," the two soon-to-be-warriors whipped around at the sound of the new voice, immediately sobering as they were faced with the senior warrior. "Well, at least you're awake." she grumbled and turned away, a tail-flick the only indication for the two to follow.

As they made their way over to where the warriors were already waking up, Kitepaw made a silly impression of the smoky she-cat behind her back, making Runningpaw roll her eyes good-naturally.

About halfway through the camp clearing they met up with Runningpaw's mentor, Tornear, and together set out out of camp and onto the vast moors that were their territory.

Kitepaw welcomed the cool morning breeze as it ruffled his fur and breathed energy into his lungs. He looked at Runningpaw, his own excitement reflected in her chartreuse eyes. They exchanged a meaningful look before taking off and pelting ahead, running through the heather and cottonweeds, paws barely touching the ground. They could hear Ryestalk calling annoyedly after them, but they paid her no mind. This was their last day as apprentices, they wanted to have some fun.

Kitepaw threw himself into a patch of chamomile, stretching his limbs among the flowers. Runningpaw didn't have enough time to slow down and tripped over him, falling on her face. They laughed as they tussled lightly, throwing flowers at each other.

They stood up when their mentors caught up to them, pointedly ignoring their disapproving looks. When the apprentices shook the last of the white petals from their fur, it was finally deemed time for the assessment to commence.

Tornear took Runningpaw northeast in the direction of Fourtrees, while Ryestalk and Kitepaw went west, where their territory bordered unexplored forests.

Shortly after they crested a hill and lost sight of the other pair, Kitepaw spotted a flock of quail pecking obliviously at the ground.

While the tall grasses of the moor were enough to almost completely hide the birds, they would also offer Kitepaw enough cover to get close without alarming his prey. He knew he had to be careful, for one wrong step could result in the whole flock flying away in barely a heartbeat's time.

This was a part of why he preferred hunting in groups. It was always easier to catch prey that is headed straight for you, and the satisfaction of successfully driving a startled hare or a bird right into your clanmate's claws was always sweet.

Unfortunately, this was a hunting assessment, which meant that he had to do this on his own.

He dimly noted that Ryestalk had retreated a considerable distance away from him, but he quickly reminded himself to focus. If he failed at something as simple as catching a bird, he would never be able to become a warrior out of pure shame itself.

'Stop it!' he shook his head the tiniest bit, "Just focus. Focus!' He took a deep breath and narrowed his eyes, blocking out his racing thoughts and the pumping of blood in his ears and the way his pelt grew uncomfortably hot.

He knew, distantly, that he was panicking. He also knew that there was no reason to. It wasn't like he'd be exiled or something if he messed up this one time. Right? Yeah, no, that's harebrained. Why would anyone even think that? That's so stupid. No, he'd just have to try again some other time.

But his panicking mind refused to listen to reason, going into overdrive and making him lightheaded.

He hadn't even noticed that Ryestalk had come back over to him until he felt the warmth of her pelt beside him. "Are you alright?" her voice was unusually soft, worry clear in her gaze, "You should have told me if you were feeling unwell, we can do the assessment another time."

"I- I..." he tried to speak, to tell her that he had been fine, that he 𝘸𝘢𝘴 fine, but his head was spinning and he felt like he had sheep wool stuck down his throat.

He couldn't do much more as his body involuntarily slumped against Ryestalk's side, his legs unable to carry his own weight. Dark spots started obscuring his vision as Ryestalk led him back towards camp, and right before he passed out completely, one specific thought bounced around his head like an endless echo, 'I'm such a failure.'

▫◈❖◈▫

When Kitepaw woke up for the second time that day, it was with much more reluctance and a splitting headache deep in his temples. He rolled over on his side with a groan, fully intending on going back to sleep. Unfortunately, his plans were foiled.

"Oh good, ye're awake."

Kitepaw startled at the raspy voice and shot up into a sitting position, looking around. Now that he was taking in his surroundings, he recognized the dusty walls of the medicine den. He spotted the Windclan healer at the back of the den, abandoning a small pile of herbs in favor of approaching the apprentice.

"What happened?" Kitepaw tried to ask, only for his voice to come out hoarse and strained. Focused on the burning of his throat, he didn't even notice Barkface dashing off before the medicine cat was back, placing a wad of wet most at his paws. Kitepaw crouched down to lap at the moss gratefully, and when the cool water droplets ran down and soothed his aching throat, he asked his question once again.

"Yer mentor brought ya here, out cold like prey left in the snow. Lemme tell ya, I was quite concerned when she said she had no clue what had caused it. Ya didn't have any injuries, and Rye' said that ya'd been all merry and jolly just moments before. So, how 'bout 𝘺𝘰𝘶 tell this old badger what happened, an' we can fill each other in, yea? Whaddya say?"

Kitepaw hesitated, trying to recall anything he could remember from that morning- 'Was it this morning? How long have I been out for?' -but his thoughts were a jumbled mess. "I... I was supposed to have my warrior assessment... and..." he trailed off, frowning. What couldn't he remember?

But it seemed like that was good enough of an answer for Barkface, as he was nodding thoughtfully. "Well, if it wasn't anythin' physical, then 'twas most likely just stress. I know you young folk take these assessments much too seriously. Y'know it's not a big deal if ya mess up a few times, but no proper warrior works themself into passing out. This better not happen again, ya hear me?"

Kitepaw nodded obediently, and Barkface turned to go back to his herbs. The apprentice just stood there for a bit, not sure whether he could leave yet or should stay put, when the medicine cat spoke up once again. "Ah right, did ya eat anythin' before goin' out?"

Kitepaw's ears warmed in embarrassment, 'I should have thought of that.'

"Um, no, I-"

"Bah! What, you gon' tell me you young'uns are strong enough to not need to eat like us old folk? I'll have you know, when I was yer age, they wouldn't even let us out of camp without a meal first! Food is just as important to a cat as breathing! I swear to all the fleas in my pelt if you ever pull a stunt like that again I'll have you be supervised that you eat for the rest of yer life, got it?"

Kitepaw mutely nodded once more, and after Barkface gave him a one last look over, he was cleared to go. He walked out of the den, now barely even feeling any traces of his... freakout.

As soon as he stepped into the clearing he met eyes with Ryestalk, Ashfoot standing next to her. Upon noticing him, the two she-cats hurried forward to meet him, both of their gazes filled with worry and relief. His sister pressed close against him, trembling slightly, while his mentor stopped a few paces away. "I was so worried. Are you okay?" Ashfoot asked as she covered his ears with licks.

Kitepaw stepped back, pelt burning with embarrassment, though he appreciated their concern. "I'm fine! I just... overreacted."

Ryestalk let out a snort, and Kitepaw looked at her in confusion. Upon seeing his expression, the tabby she-cat said in a serious voice, "It's fine to be nervous. The final warrior assessment is a big deal to many apprentices. While it isn't such a big deal to be worth panicking about, we would never fault you for your feelings. Just tell me next time something's wrong, I'll do everything in my capability to help you."

Kitepaw was touched, truly. It was rare for his mentor to display anything other than her strict and serious demeanor, so to see this soft look in her eyes and hear her voice overflowing with sincerity, he felt slightly overwhelmed. Choked up with emotion, he could only nod his head to her, and this time both she-cats came forward to press against him, purrs vibrating in their chests.

"Kitepaw!" The brown tom looked up at the call of his name to see his best friends, Webpaw and Runningpaw, hurrying towards him, their fur standing on end. They skidded to a halt, almost crashing into the three huddling cats, and immediately started pelleting him with questions.

"Are you alright?" "What happened?" "Were you hurt?" "𝘈𝘳𝘦 you hurt?" They spoke over one another, not giving Kitepaw a heartbeat to get a word out. He took his chance to speak when they finally paused to take a breath.

"I'm fine, nothing happened. I just got a bit nervous is all."

The two apprentices gave him a flat look. "Ryestalk brought you to camp looking like a pack of dogs were chasing her and demanding Barkface to see to you immediately." Webpaw informed him. Then he got a mischievous look in his eyes and before Kitepaw could question it his gray friend was leaning over and whispering into his ear, "Maybe your euphemisms would be more believable if you didn't have such an overprotective mentor."

Kitepaw looked at Ryestalk, who had clearly heard the whisper as her ears were flattened in embarrassment and she was pointedly looking away. When she noticed her apprentice looking at her, she quickly muttered something under her breath before hurriedly padding away to do Starclan knows what.

Kitepaw felt warmed once again, more glad than anything that, while she was hard on him in training, it was clear that she cared about him. He shared a look with Ashfoot, his sister fondly rolling her eyes and following after the older she-cat.

"Seriously, don't do something like that ever again." Runningpaw berated him, playfully hitting him over the head, "I get back from my hunt to the news that you're in the medicine den, unconscious. It hasn't even been that long! I swear, you wouldn't last even a heartbeat without me around."

Kitepaw ignored the teasing as realization dawned on him. "Your assessment! How did it go? Did you pass? Sorry, it completely slipped my mind!"

His friends only have him an odd look. "You literally passed out, why is 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 what you're worried about right now?"

"Well, it's not a big deal..." the mew was low, but as he continued, his voice grew in confidence, "Anyway, I'm fine now, so how was it?"

Runningpaw didn't say anything for a while, only looking Kitepaw up and down a few times, as if to gauge whether he was saying the truth. Once the silver she-cat seemed satisfied enough, she allowed excitement to glow in her eyes as she recounted her hunt.

Unsurprisingly, she had done a lot better than Kitepaw, having brought down two rabbits and a pheasant. Not her greatest haul, but certainly impressive for a solo morning hunt.

Kitepaw was happy for his friend, and when that little spark of jealousy in the back of his head piped up he was quick to snuff it out. Runningpaw definitely deserved to recieve her warrior name today.

He was about to ask her some more questions, but was interrupted by an all-too-familiar voice.

"Kitepaw," the tom in question whirled around and dipped his head in a polite greeting to the Windclan leader. Upon noticing the black-and-white elder, his friends immediately scampered off with a hurriedly muttered goodbye.

Tallstar, much like every other of his clanmates, had a concerned look in his eyes as he approached, though he managed to appear calm. "Are you alright?"

"I'm... better." though he had tried to downplay it in front of his friends, he didn't dare lie to his leader. Hesitation and shame bubbled up in his chest, but he forced the words out anyway, "Did- I didn't pass, did I..."

Tallstar only gave a light chuckle, "I'm afraid that passing out in the middle of a hunt does not bring back any prey for the clan." Kitepaw flattened his ears and looked away, seeming to shrink down in front of his leader.

Noticing the brown tom's discomfort, Tallstar continued in a kinder voice, "How about we go and try again? Together?"

Kitepaw looked at the older tom with an expression of awed surprise and disbelief, "Really?"

Tallstar nodded his head, already turning towards the camp entrance, "I have a feeling that hunting in a group will suit you more than going out solo. There's no shame in preferring certain ways of hunting over others. We should nurture your skills as they are, not force a cat to be a copy of another. Now, let's go, shall we?"

Kitepaw nodded and excitedly followed his leader towards the tunnel of heather and ferns that made up the entrance of their camp, this time hopefully coming back with a decent amount of prey. On the way out, they picked up Ryestalk, along with Runningpaw who had demanded to come along, to 'make sure he doesn't do something stupid again', in her words. Finally, it was around sunhigh when the patrol of four trekked through the moors, the newleaf sun warming their pelts.

Kitepaw was surprised to find that hunting with another cat was much easier than he expected. He was sure that he'd be nervous, what with three cats watching him, one of them being his clan leader no less, but he felt strangely calm. There was no sign of the panic and doubt from before, only firm determination.

With the help of Tallstar, he brought down two hares in no time. And when he discovered the flock of quail a little ways off from where he had left it that morning, he convinced his leader to let him try alone one more time.

This time he made sure to pounce before he could overthink anything, and he luckily managed to catch on to a decent sized adult's wing, dragging it to the ground and nipping it's neck before it had a chance to struggle out of his grip.

Now, with a hunt successfully completed and his pride restored, Kitepaw, Tallstar, Ryestalk and Runningpaw set out back towards camp, each helping in carrying some of the brown apprentice's catches. Their muzzles full of prey, his friend and mentor's only way of expressing their congratulations to him was to press against him and purr as loud as they could, which is exactly what they did.

Overwhelmed with happiness once again, Kitepaw allowed himself to bask in the warm feeling, excitement bubbling under his skin. 'I did it!'

▫◈❖◈▫

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Tallrock for a clan meeting!"

Kitepaw could barely stay still, sitting right in front of his leader, Runningpaw right at his side. He could see her practically vibrating with anticipation, the same anticipation that made his paws itch to move, to run around and leap into the air from joy, but he held himself back. He had waited all his life for this moment.

After he came back to camp, their entire patrol laden with prey, he was greeted by Ashfoot, Stagleap and Wrenflight, all of them purring with pride. He had made sure to stop by the nursery before the ceremony, Morningflower having already heard everything from Ashfoot and showering him with licks and proud encouragements.

He almost regretted the moment he had to leave his older sister in order to stand in the clearing, but when she promised that she'd watch from the nursery entrance, it gave him a peace of mind and excitement flooded him once more.

Now, standing before his clan, with all of his family and friends by his side, he couldn't have asked for a better life.

He tuned back in to his surroundings as Tallstar began to speak, holding his head high with pride.

"Cats of Windclan, today we gather here to celebrate the progress of two of our clanmates. They have trained long and hard, and have proven themselves in hunt and battle both. They will be a valuable addition to our clan, and today they are to be recognized for their resoluteness. Tornear, has Runningpaw learnt the art of hunt and fight, and understood the ways of our warrior ancestors?"

Tornear's voice was loud and proud as he replied to Tallstar with zero hesitation, "She has, Tallstar."

Tallstar nodded and looked over to Ryestalk, who had calmed down significantly by now and was back to her stony, strict mask. "Ryestalk, has Kitepaw learnt the art of hunt and fight, and understood the ways of our warrior ancestors?"

"He has, Tallstar." her voice was as calm and indifferent as ever, though Kitepaw could recognize the pride deep within it. It made him just a tad bit prouder of himself.

Moving on with the ceremony, Tallstar lifted his gaze to the sky. "I, Tallstar, leader of Windclan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn."

He lowered his head and looked straight at the apprentices. "Runningpaw, Kitepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and to protect and defend this clan, even at the cost of your lives?"

"I do." they spoke in unison, trembling with excitement.

Tallstar smiled and jumped down from the Tallrock to stand before them, "Then by the powers of Starclan, I give you your warrior names. Runningpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Runningbrook. Starclan honors your wit and wisdom, and we welcome you as a full warrior of Windclan."

Kitepaw barely had a moment to marvel at how Runningbrook lit up at her name, licking her leader's shoulder as he touched his muzzle to her head, before the black-and-white tom was stepping back from the newly named warrior and turning his attention to Kitepaw.

"Kitepaw, from this moment on you will be known as Kitewhisker. Starclan honors your courage and determination, and we welcome you as a full warrior of Windclan."

Tallstar touched his nose to Kitewhisker's head, and the brown tom licked his leader's shoulder hastily. He stepped back, hardly breathing, the force of all the emotions he was feeling at that moment making his head spin in the best way possible. 'I did it!' he thought, completely elated, 'I'm a warrior! I did it!'

He was shook out of his thoughts as his clanmates started cheering for him and Runningbrook, calling out their new names so loud even the stars in Silverpelt could hear it. Kitewhisker let it all sink in, a warm feeling blooming in his chest. 'This is my home.'

▫◈❖◈▫

Bonus

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Tall Stump for a clan meeting."

Cats slinked from the shadows, their eyes glowing in the moonlight. They gathered around the stump of a fallen tree, the boulder underneath the only thing keeping it in place. There, seated on the old, peeling bark of the dead alder tree, a dark, ragged tabby watched the number of cats in the clearing increase with each passing heartbeat. His twisted tail, sticking out at a wrong angle, twitched subtly, the only sign of the tom's impatience.

Finally, satisfied by the amount of cats present, he let out a mighty shriek, splitting the silence like the teeth of a fox.

"Shadowclan!" he bellowed, looking over the clearing, "As you all know, we've had a pair of guests staying with us lately." There were some growles echoing over the clearing, but no one dared to interrupt their leader.

"I've been made aware that they wish to join our clan, and over the last few days I've deemed them worthy of joining our ranks." That got a low, displeased growl from a massive brown tabby, though he too held his tongue.

"As they have left their disgrace of a clan behind, they lack a proper name of a warrior at this very moment," Brokenstar continued with a wicked grin on his face, "Which is why I'll be officially welcoming them into our midsts, and in turn they will swear unyielding loyalty to our clan under the watch of Starclan themselves!"

This time, the leader was met with loud cheering and exclamations of approval or support. The dark tabby let the noise go on a little longer before silencing them with a wave of his tail.

"Tiger, step forward." The massive tabby from before got to his paws and shouldered his way through the crowd, halting right under Brokenstar's perch. "Tiger, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and to protect and defend Shadowclan, even at the cost of your life?"

The words of the ceremony felt mocking at best, but were necessary to satisfy all parties present. Tiger seemed to think so too, as he only replied with a gruff "I do". Brokenstar smirked, expression bordering on unhinged.

"Then by the powers granted to me by Starclan, I give you your rightful name. Tiger, from this moment on you will be known as Tigerclaw, as per your request. Shadowclan honors your strenght and ambition, and we welcome you as a full warrior of our clan."

The clearing reverberated with the yowls of dozens of cats, the name of the newly reappointed warrior echoing among the shadowed trees.

When the noise subsided again, Brokenstar spoke up once more, "Dark, step forward." This time, a lith, dark shape weaved through the throng of cats, coming to stand beside Tigerclaw. His black tabby pelt was sleek and groomed, his eyes shining dangerously.

"Dark, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and to protect and defend Shadowclan, even at the cost of your life?" Same as with Tigerclaw, Dark's voice carried zero note of hesitation as he replied, "I do."

It was clear by the lack of a cruel grin that Brokenstar wasn't nearly as impressed by Dark as he was with Tigerclaw, but he accepted him into his clan either way.

"Then by the powers granted to me by Starclan, I give you your rightful name. Dark, from this moment on you will be known as Darkstorm. Shadowclan honors your adaptability and efficiency, and we welcome you as a full warrior of our clan."

Darkstorm's chest swelled with pride and satisfaction, taking in the encouraging yowls of his new clanmates. Here, in this time and place, with these cats beside him, he finally felt like he truly belonged.

Chapter Text

Warm rays of sunlight seeped through the apprentices' den's roof, greeting Ravenpaw as he awoke. He stirred groggily, not yet ready to let go of the tethers of sleep as he angled his ears towards the entrance. He could dimly hear muted birdsong and the bustle of camp outside, though not enough to burst the bubble of coziness that occupied the den. The warmth of the sun on his black fur and the comfort of his nest were enough to almost lull him back to sleep.

Almost.

His moment of morning peace was shattered as a fluffy ball burst into the den, its speed too great to stop as it crashed into the back wall of brambles. Ravenpaw shot to his paws at the sudden motion, fur spiked up and eyes wide. He looked wildly around the den, searching for a sign of trouble, when his eyes finally landed on a certain gray fluffball getting to its paws.

Oh, joy.

Graypaw, ever so enthusiastic, ran right over to Ravenpaw, almost crashing into him again. While the black tom was annoyed at having been disturbed so suddenly, it was hard to stay mad at his energetic friend. Graypaw basically bounced on his toes as he circled Ravenpaw, "Come on sleepyhead, you're late for training!"

It was at that moment he belatedly realized that the den was completely deserted, and has been for a while judging by the scent.

He felt a little guilty for oversleeping, but didn't have a chance to regret as a heartbeat later he registered Graypaw's words, and a cold feeling of dread ran down his back. Panic seized him as he imagined Tigerclaw's furious face, his cold jabs, his sharp claws-

"-and Bluestar's waiting to assign you your new mentor, so get off your tail already!"

Graypaw interrupted his spiraling thoughts, clearly oblivious to his friend's distress. Ravenpaw just started at him blankly for a moment, before it finally clicked.

The events of the day prior came to Ravenpaw with a rush of relief, making him sway as Graypaw pushed him out of the den and into the clearing.

The sun was already halfway up the sky, explaining the smallish number of cats loitering around camp. He spotted Lionheart standing near the camp entrance, Firepaw lingering at his side. Ravenpaw made to join them before he remembered that he didn't have a mentor now. Hesitating, he turned to look over at the Highrock, hoping someone would come tell him what to do. That's when he met the gaze of Bluestar, who was sitting outside her den with Rosetail and Spottedleaf. Upon noticing that the black apprentice was awake at last, she gave him a slight nod, murmured something to her companions, and leaped atop the Highrock. Ravenpaw could already tell what was about to happen, and so changed course to pad towards his leader, Graypaw at his heels.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highrock for a clan meeting!"

All the cats still in camp gathered together to sit before their leader. Even Lionheart and Firepaw left their posts at the tunnel, the former crossing the clearing to sit beside his expecting mate. Firepaw, meanwhile, came to sit next to Ravenpaw and Graypaw, looking at Bluestar with such expression of intrigue on his face that Ravenpaw was reminded of a moon-old kit.

Shaking off the thought, he focused on his leader, eager to know who would be continuing his training.

"Because of yesterday's events we now have two apprentices without mentors." Bluestar began.

Ravenpaw felt a flicker of surprise as he glanced at the ginger tom. 'I would've thought he'd get a mentor along with his name.'

"Firepaw, Ravenpaw, step forward."

Both toms padded to the front of the crowd, their clanmates shifting a bit so they could get through. When they stopped underneath the Highrock, standing side-by-side, Bluestar leaped down to stand before them.

"Ravenpaw, as you have already learned the basics, I trust your new mentor to enhance what you know, as well as show what it means to be a 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘦 loyal warrior. Your new mentor will be Runningwind!" Ravenpaw registered the jab at the traitor with a twinge of petty satisfaction as he turned towards the crowd, meeting the gaze of his new mentor as the brown tom made his way towards him. They touched noses in acknowledgement before moving to sit at the edge of the gathered cats.

As the Thunderclan warriors finished congratulating Runningwind on getting his first apprentice, Bluestar turned her attention on the one remaining mentor-less apprentice. "Firepaw," the clan fell silent as she began to speak once more, "I've had a night to think on who would be a perfect match for you, and finaly I've come to a decision. Firepaw, /I/ will be your mentor, and I'll teach you all you need to know about our way of life."

Ravenpaw stared dumbfounded, much as the rest of his clanmates, as the leader and the ex-kittypet touched noses. He thought he'd feel jealous, but all that was thrumming through his veins was bewilderment.

The question of 𝘸𝘩𝘺 was running around in his mind even as the surrounding cats started to murmur to each other, commenting on the strangeness of the situation. As far as any of them knew, Bluestar has had just one apprentice since becoming a warrior, that being Ravenpaw's new mentor himself. Everyone could tell that this turn of events was somehow significant. And Ravenpaw was struggling to understand what was so special about this ginger twoleg pet.

Shaking his head to get rid of the negative thought, Ravenpaw decided to be nice and congratulate his new denmate.

As he aproached, he could clearly see that the number of cats congratulating Firepaw was significantly smaller that usual. Though, he supposed it made sense, even if he was leader's apprentice now. Of course, Graypaw was there, as well as Spottedleaf and Willowpelt. One cat he didn't expect to see there was Longtail, though as he tuned in to what the tabby was saying, it sounded more like teasing and taunting that genuine congratulation. Graypaw was trying to defend his friend, but Ravenpaw didn't bother. A little teasing never hurt anyone, and at least it'll keep Firepaw's head from growing too big.

He found the opportunity to chime in as the conversation lulled. "Hey, congratulations, Firepaw! I'm looking forward to training with you."

Firepaw stared at him, surprised at being adressed by the previously aloof tom, but a grin formed on his face soon after. "Thanks!

"Now that that's done with," Ravenpaw jumped at Bluestar's voice next to his ear, having forgotten that the leader was present, "why don't we show our newest member around our territory? You all might learn something along the way."

The five cats meowed their assent and Firepaw immediately bolted toward the bramble tunnel, Graypaw right on his tail. The mentors let out amused huffs and Ravenpaw rolled his eyes, padding along calmly with the older cats. 'Honestly, I don't know which one of them's worse.'

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Their tour began at Snakerocks, and they made their way southward along the edge of the territory. Bluestar and Lionheart walked with their apprentices at the front, describing the territory and its most important qualities to the bright-eyed Firepaw, with Graypaw throwing in random commentary every once in a while.

Runningwind, much like his apprentice, appeared to be of the quiet kind, trailing along at the back of the patrol and absentmindedly gazing at their surroundings. With Tiger, the silences that Ravenpaw was used to were tense and excruciating, the anticipation for the twig to snap causing dread to worm in his belly.

Now, though, the air was not thick and heavy, Ravenpaw's fur wasn't fluffing up and his claws weren't itching in their sheaths. The atmosphere was warm, filled with their clanmates' chatter, beautiful birdsong and other sounds of the forest. And unlike with Tiger, when he looked into Runningwind's eyes, he could easily tell that the tabby was lost in his head, and not thinking of how to kill him. That's why Ravenpaw alowed himself to tune out the world and lose himself in his own head, feeling truly safe and content for once in a long time.

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It was close to sundown and most of the clan was back in camp, sharing tongues and enjoying the last of the day's warmth. It was a peaceful setting, but Ravenpaw found himself restless all the same. As Runningwind was busy with his mate, he sought out permission for a lone stroll through the forest. His mentor had been hesitant, insisting that he take a warrior along, but finally caved and let him go, on the condition that he'd be back before moonrise. Ravenpaw's paws prickled with excitement as he plunged into the undergrowth outside their camp, the deep shadows hiding his pelt from sight.

He wandered aimlessly, pawsteps barely making a sound. He was entranced by the beauty of the night's forest, the faint sound of crickets starting their nightly song, and the cool breeze that managed to penetrate into the thick woods, making him shiver. He could hear his heart beating in his chest, though it was different than ever before. Instead of fear, dread or foreboding, he felt excitement, joy and an odd sense of rightness.

He found it curious, but forgone dwelling on his feelings and instead focused on the scenery once more. He noticed that if he focused, the forest appeared quite silent, as if the whole world had gone to sleep. The buzzing of crickets and rustling of leaves moved to the back of his mind as his sharp hearing picked up a different kind of sound. A familiar sound, the sound of small feet on dry leaves. He turned slowly in its direction, and even though it was properly dark by now, he could just catch the barest hint of movement. Not giving himself a chance to make a mistake, he immediately pounced on his prey, neatly killing the little rodent.

'Tiger would've clawed my ears off for that' he thought with a twitch of his whiskers, burying the mouse. 'Luckily for me, I don't care what that foxheart thinks!'

He took a moment to figure out where he had ended up, remembering that he should head back to camp soon. He caught the rancid tang of monsters and gathered he was near Shadowclan territory. He scrunched up his nose but kept walking, intending to at least check the border while he was there. He didn't expect to come across anything, not this late into the day, but figured it wouldn't hurt, and it's on the way anyway.

He passed quite a chunk of the boundary and determined it a fine time to turn back, when he noticed the tiniest of flickers across the Thunderpath. He stopped and stared at the shady pine forest, ears and eyes alert. He waited again for any other movement, but nothing came. He was beginning to think that he had imagined it when, in the corner of his eye, he spotted it again. He quickly turned his head, hackles rising, and-

A pair of amber eyes stared back at him.

A familiar pair of amber eyes stared directly back at him.

Ravenpaw jerked back with a startled yelp, thrusting back into the undergrowt and bolting for camp. He no longer cared for the calmness of the night. He no longer cared to listen to the crickets' cries. His heart was beating loudly in his head, his thoughts a tangle of disbelief. Surely...

Surely Shadowclan didn't accept a traitor?

Chapter Text

Darkstorm was woken by a prodding paw, claws just barely poking his skin. He growled as he looked up, meeting the cold stare of a Shadowclan cat. Darkstorm couldn't recall his name but he also didn't really care. The nameless tom wordlessly gestured towards the den entrance before slinking out himself. For a few heartbeats he remained in his nest, staring into space, before sighing and getting to his paws. He took a long moment to stretch before slowly padding out from under the hemlock tree, into the heart of Shadowclan's camp.

Despite living as a Shadowclan cat for a number of days now, Darkstorm still found it difficult to adapt to their substantially different lifestyle. He could accept the little things, like damper dirt and lack of undergrowth, even the uncomfortable itch of pine needles in his fur. But the one thing that he was incapable of getting used to was that their schedule was the complete opposite of the other three clans'. They hunted, trained and patrolled during the night, and slept during the day.

Looking up at the sky, he could see that it was just before sunset, the violet and crimson illuminating the camp with a dim light, casting deep shadows where it could not reach. Blinking the last of sleep from his eyes, he looked around the clearing, looking for his assigned guide.

For some reason, after they had received their full names again, Brokenstar decided that they were to be assigned guides, warriors of Brokenstar's elite who would show them around the territory and help them adapt to the way of life in Shadowclan.

At least, that is what he had told them, but Darkstorm knew the real reason was to keep an eye on them, waiting for them to betray him. While annoying, Darkstorm had to begrudgingly agree that it made sense, at least from Brokenstar's point of view.

Finally he spotted Tangleburr at the other side of camp, though Tigerclaw and Boulder were nowhere to be seen. Hurrying over to the she-cat, he was immediately met with her irritated expression. "Took you long enough," she hissed, already turning away and padding out of the camp entrance, not even giving Darkstorm the chance to respond. He fell into step beside her, already familiar with their nightly routine.

"Why we even bother with you acorn-brained light-lovers," she muttered, though not quiet enough not to be heard by her shadow. Still, he said nothing, and instead asked her the more obvious question. "Where are Tigerclaw and Boulder?"

The flick of her ear was the only indication that she had heard him, not giving him an answer or even a glance. Darkstorm huffed and looked away, reluctantly letting the topic go. One thing that he had learned while staying in Shadowclan, Tangleburr could be as stubborn as ten badgers combined. While it was admirable, it was also greatly infuriating. He now knew from experience that trying to argue with her was a losing battle.

They continued walking through the trees as stars replaced the dying rays of sunlight, only the dim light of the halfmoon revealing the path ahead. Darkstorm looked up at the moon, entranced by its beauty. It was nearing a full circle, and he remarked that the Gathering would be soon. 'Wonder what Bluestar will say, seeing me and Tigerclaw with Shadowclan.'

Thinking about his old clan made an uncomfortable feeling rise inside of him, though he stubbornly pushed it away. 'They are all fools. It's not my fault they couldn't see what Tigerclaw has to offer.' There was a small hint of pride at that thought, him by the side of his friend as they achieved greatness.

Though that made him wonder, not for the first time, if Tigerclaw will try to enact his plan once more, this time on Shadowclan. Darkstorm couldn't really see why he wouldn't, it was a smart and honorable incentive, but at the same time... Brokenstar had already made Shadowclan strong and feared. What else could they offer? Their plan had always been for Thunderclan. The weak, soft Thunderclan.

'But,' he reminded himself glumly, 'you're not a Thunderclan cat anymore.'

A tail whacked him in the face, successfully dispelling all the thoughts flying around in his head. He met Tangleburr's annoyed glare, and realized that he probably should've been paying attention, as he was a few pawsteps from stepping on the Thunderpath. He backed away from the stinky stone, dipping his head in embarrassment. Tangleburr only snorted before continuing on, hunting while patrolling the borders so that they'd be back at camp by moonhigh.

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As they entered camp, carrying a few frogs and a lizard, which still made Darkstorm's lip curl, the first thing he laid eyes on was Tigerclaw, the massive tabby just as regal as Brokenstar beside him as they sat before the leader's den. Blackfoot and Boulder were with them too, and once he caught the elite's eye, he was immediately beckoned closer. Dropping their prey on the pile, Tangleburr and Darkstorm made their way towards the gathered cats, the rest of the clan watching from the shadows.

"What is it?" Tangleburr asked as soon as they were within hearing range. Darkstorm was burning with curiosity as well, but held his tongue. He had not yet earned the right to speak unless spoken to before the elite.
Though he became puzzled once he took a longer look at his friend. Tigerclaw looked bolder from where he sat, almost as if equal to Blackfoot or even Brokenstar himself. Now 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 made Darkstorm really interested.

"Tigerclaw and I have been talking," Brokenstar began, "and we've come up with a plan. A way to get more territory and prey, while at the same time teaching the other clans a lesson."

"Oh?" Tangleburr sounded skeptical, "And what's that?"

Brokenstar grinned, the ugly sight sending shivers of unease down Darkstorm's back.

'Oh Starclan, be with us.'