He open his eyes to darkness, wondering exactly where he was. Last thing he remembered was falling asleep in his nest. He start to walk around when he heard a pained mew coming from behind him. His fur bristling as he turn around, seeing his brother laying on his side in a pool of blood. He try to speak but realize his voice was gone. Rushing to his side, he heard his brother asking him if he forgot him already. Of course not he mouthed the words. His brother got up, begin to poke him over and over with his paw.
"Nightpaw! Wake up!" Brownpaw's mew woke him from his nightmare. It was his paw that was poking him. He quickly jump up, with his fur brushing out. Brownpaw's eyes widen at his fear scent before he calms down.
It was just a nightmare. Nightpaw look around and saw that Gullpaw, Turtlepaw and Mousepaw was still sleeping. The other nests are empty. He quickly groom himself as Brownpaw told him that Badgerfang was waiting for him. Thanking him, he rush out the den, nearly running into Ratscar.
"Watch it Kittypet!" He snarl before whipping his tail across Nightpaw's face. Nightpaw's claws slid out as he let out a hiss, arching his back. Brownpaw knock him aside to stop him from attacking. Ratscar gave a smug smile, seeing his reaction.
"We don't attack our clanmates!" He softly hiss before Ratscar walk away, heading to the pale ginger queen that he saw last night. He sat next to her, whispering in her ear, their tails twinning as he did so. Nightpaw knew he shouldn't let Ratscar get to him but he gets under his fur so easily. This is bad for a second impression. He took deep breaths to calm down, something he learnt when he was in his house. The twoleg kits just want a reaction and when he doesn't react, they leave him alone faster. He must remember this for dealing with Ratscar.
Nodding at Brownpaw to thank him for stopping him, he look around, hoping Badgerfang didn't see that display. He wince as he saw Badgerfang's amber eyes narrow on him. His fur bristle as he sharply flick his tail at him. Brownpaw left him to go to Stumpytail and they left the camp together. Nightpaw quickly pad to him, knowing he messed up. As he sat down, he saw that Badgerfang wasn't the only one that saw him lose his temper. He is sitting with the other mentors and the tom with the scarred hind leg.
"What was that?" Badgerfang's tone is grim, making him realize just how big he messed up. Maybe they are going to realize it useless to teach him and just toss him out the clan. Maybe the ones who was against his joining is right. It's not like they didn't see Ratscar's action but of course he the one in trouble. They didn't get that the tail slap in the face is a huge disrespect in the twolegplace. The only action is to fight it out and make the other submit. It what he did to Barry and now they are friends.
"Ratscar slap my face with his tail so I just want to leave a mark. Would have made me feel better." He said in a small growl.
"That the problem! You need to control your temper." Badgerfang start when Hopeheart interrupt him.
"What made you think that clawing a warrior just for a tail slap to be ok?" She asks as she stare at him. That when he realize that she at least is trying to understand.
"In Twolegplace, when a cat slap your face with their tail, it a sign of disrespect. Talking will lead you nowhere so the only choice is to fight it out and make them submit. If you win, you become good friends but if you lose...well you can't step near their place ever again. That and the fact you lose respect. All a cat has to do is get the cat that beat you to force you away. I realize that this isn't Twolegplace so I guess you are kicking me out now. Just show me the way and I be on my way." He saw the mentors' eyes widen when he finished speaking.
"We don't kick cats out just for one mistake. Ratscar always been a bad tempered cat. But he good to have on your side in battles. Name is Volewhisper. Welcome to Shadowclan. You can ask about my leg. It is ok." Volewhisper gave a friendly flick with his tail.
"What volewhisper said is correct. When you stay with us long enough, you will understand. Just don't do it again. Anyway, you already met Fernshade, Hopeheart, Applefur, and Mossclaw. The molly next to Ratscar is Dawncloud. Unlike Ratscar, she is kind yet stern." Badgerfang begin to show him around the camp and just finished when the other apprentices got up.
"Why are you still here?" Turtlepaw asks when she saw him grabbing a frog from the prey plie.
"Turtlepaw! Be nice to your clanmate." Mossclaw said, shock at how rude she was being.
"But he not part of Shadowclan. He's a kittypet pretending to be one of us. It not like he grew up here." Turtlepaw argued as she grab a mouse while the other apprentices look at her in shock.
"Turtlepaw! It not his fault he was born in the Twolegplace. Never been this rude before. Forgive my sister. She still mad because you overshadow our apprentice ceremony." Gullpaw gave her a look of disgust as she got a lizard before walking fast so she won't walk with her. She gave him a shy smile as his fur was bristling.
"I can defend myself." He grumbled as he torn a leg from the frog. Looking at the others, he saw Mousepaw and Gingerpaw sitting with Turtlepaw. Which means the only friend he got is Gullpaw.
Seeing her looking downcast gave him a feeling of guilt so he apologize while laying his fur flat. He didn't respond and just decides to ignore Turtlepaw. He wasn't a picky eater so he enjoy the rubbery texture as he finish the frog. He watch as Ratscar rub cheeks with both Mousepaw and Gingerpaw so that answers why they agree with Turtlepaw. Dawncloud also chat with them, telling them to listen to their mentors and to be nice. He saw gullpaw get up to ran to a black tom with white chest and paws, purring as he talk to her. Another molly went up to Turtlepaw, purring as she told her not to be rude to her mentor. He overheard her saying yes Wishflame and I will make you and Whitethroat proud.
While watching them with their family, he begin to wonder about his brother. He hope Charlie is ok. He is a bit suspicious of Gullpaw but considering she the only one who giving him a chance, he decides to give her a chance.
"Ok now let go explore the territory. Turtlepaw, since you been so rude, we are going to explore by ourselves until you learnt to be nice." Mossclaw said sternly as they walk towards the thorn tunnel.
"So I don't have to be around the kittypet? Sounds good to me. Can Mousepaw and Gingerpaw come?" She asks with a bounce in her step.
"No. So you are going to be alone." Mossclaw said as he lead her away from the others.
"Alone?" For once, Nightpaw can hear a bit of panic in her voice. Seems she can't stand being alone. After seeing them walk away in the opposite direction, he start to breathe easier. As if a weight was lifted from his shoulders.
"Nightpaw, you are blocking the entrance. Come on." Gingerpaw call out as she saw him standing there. He ran to catch up to the others as they begin to walk through the forest. He love how the sun filter through the trees, giving it a mysterious feeling to it. Badgerfang is standing next to him, watching his expression light up at the scenery around them.
"So you can smile." Badgerfang teased as Nightpaw quickly stop. His tail tip twitch as they walk behind the others. He knew Badgerfang means well but showing emotions always got him in trouble before. His ear flick as he heard the others asks questions and their mentors answer. Looking down, he can see the paw prints made from the clan cats so knew this must be a normal path that they use a lot.
As they walk, the trees begin to thin out, replaced by bushes and reeds with feathery tops that rattled together in the breeze. The ground begin to become marshy and wet. He jump back to dry ground, shaking the mud from his paws. He isn't going to get stuck in the mud again. A tail brush his flank, and he knew Badgerfang was showing him the way so he won't get stuck again.
"Not all the marsh is the deep part that you fell into. It was night and you didn't know our territory so of course you couldn't see clearly." Badgerfang reassured him as they walk. Nightpaw's fur was bush out and he knew he was going to get tease later but he didn't care. They didn't know what it felt like, thinking you was going to die and struggling did nothing. He was powerless. A feeling he come to hate. He pant heavily as he sat next to Mousepaw as the mentors stop them at the end of the marsh. Mousepaw roll her eyes as she move so a tail length was between them.
"We catch frogs here. Anyone know what the best way to catch frogs?" Applefur asks as everyone sat down.
"Jump on them?" Gullpaw asks. Nightpaw took deep breaths to calm down so he can listen and learn.
"We swipe them with our claws." Gingerpaw said as she gave a swipe with her left paw.
"We pierce their legs so they can't hop?" Nightpaw asks as he look at the others.
"I agree with Gullpaw." Mousepaw mew as they wait for the answer.
"You are only half right. We do jump on them and all the other stuff but you are missing the key component. Teamwork. What good is jumping on a frog if they can just head back to the marsh. You need to learn how to work together, one to pounce and the other to stop it from going back. We will work on that later." Hopeheart meow as she lead the way.
They walk through a belt of pine trees when she raise her tail to stop them. Nightpaw's ears perk forward til he caught what she heard. His eyes widen as he heard a familiar yowl. That was Charlie! He shot off towards the yowling sound, not listening when he heard Badgerfang and the others calling him back. He didn't notice the trees growing more sparsely and reddish. He knew he made it back to the Twolegplace when he saw the houses and fences that surround each den. That when he saw his brother, surrounded by three cats, two which was wearing spiked collars clawing at him. He lunged at the black and white tortoiseshell tom, landing on his back, clawing him good.
"Scraps!" A ginger tabby tom yell as he aim a claw at Nightpaw. Nightpaw jump off, landing next to Charlie, spitting furiously, his fur bush out to try to scare them. He didn't take his eyes off of them since he was now surrounded as well. He notice the other cat, who is a molly with one eye.
"Snag, Scraps, let show them what happens when they cross Bloodclan." The molly said with hate in her eye. They raise their claws to strike when the rest of the patrol attack them from behind.
Nightpaw watch as Hopeheart swipe at the molly, reaching down to bite her leg hard. The molly claw her flank before running away. Nightpaw jump on Scraps again, distracting him while Badgerfang aim a back kick at him. Jumping off, he claw his side, doing as much as he can. Scraps manage to tear his left ear tip before running away.
"This isn't over you forest cats!" Snag growl as he slowly back away. Nightpaw was going to attack when Badgerfang stop him with his front paw.
"Leave. You aren't welcome here." Applefur hiss as Snag finally ran after his companions.
He quickly kneel besides Charlie, licking the blood from his pelt.
"Charlie. Brother please wake up. I'm here." Nightpaw mew softly as he look him over. There was numerous wounds, so many deep cuts that it took him a moment to see that he was still breathing.
"I will go to get Runningnose." Fernshade mew as she quickly left. Applefur ran to a nearby log to grab cobwebs. She place them on the cuts, watching carefully to see some of the bleeding stop. She also put some on his ear but he didn't notice.
Nightpaw wasn't blind to her effort, making sure to say thank you before keeping his eyes on his brother. His ear perk up when he heard running coming towards them. He didn't know how long he kneel there, watching his breathing but it seems like seconds before Runningnose came up.
"Seems Fernshade wasn't exaggerating. These look like wounds from a badger instead of cats. I will do my best to save him Nightpaw." Runningnose mew as he place down a couple of leaf wraps that seem to have herbs in them.
Gingerpaw put her tail around his shoulder to lead him away so Runningnose can work. Seems like she no longer felt any animosity toward him so he let her lead him to where the others was sitting.
He explain how it is his brother and he didn't know the cats who attacked him. He didn't even know that Charlie was having trouble with Bloodclan. He hope for his brother to live so he can say goodbye. Badgerfang told him that he understood his reaction but not to do that ever again. Surprising everyone, Gingerpaw and Mousepaw spoke up in his defense, saying he couldn't let his brother die. And how brave he was to jump in there when he was clearly outnumbered. Gullpaw join in, saying that what Shadowclan do. We don't stand back to watch cats killing another.
Runningnose came towards them, saying to not get too mad at Nightpaw, for he saved his brother's life. Nightpaw saw a glimmer of respect in Runningnose's eyes as he check his ear.
"Well you won't win any beauty contest but it going to heal in time." He joke as he went back to the camp. The other mentors told their apprentice it was time to head back to camp, knowing that Nightpaw want to talk to his brother alone.
They said their goodbyes, friendlier than when they started and he went back to his brother. Charlie eyes was open though a bit pained but he still smile when he saw Nightpaw. Badgerfang wait a bit away to give them privacy.
"Thanks Black Cat. I would be dead if it wasn't for you." He mew softly.
"Name is Nightpaw now. I'm part of Shadowclan, an apprentice. Won't come back since I live with them. And this is goodbye. Don't worry about me. Just stay inside until you are healed. Charlie please do this for me. No more exploring." He brush his tail on his brother's flank, being careful not to touch the wounds.
"This was supposed to be my last day exploring. My Twolegs are taking me to the vet tomorrow. Goodbye Black...Nightpaw. Claw a few of those cats for me. I know I'm going to be as lazy as Barry when I come back." Charlie purr as he slowly got up. Nightpaw help him over the fence, purring as he watch him go inside for the last time. He let out a loud meow before heading back to Badgerfang.
"It ok if you want to stay. No one going to blame you. Being part of Shadowclan is a harsh yet rewarding life." Badgerfang mew as they walk back, seeing him look back at Charlie's house.
"I made my choice. And hey now I fit in with my new battle scar. Sorry that we couldn't explore the rest of the territory." He said as he glance at him.
"It's fine. Besides this is an interesting day. After we get our wounds look at, I can teach you some battle techniques, seem you are going to need them, the way you jump into fights." Badgerfang flick his whiskers in amusement as he saw Nightpaw smiling with his chest puff out.