Wait For It | ▪︎ Tigerclaw

BOOK 1: 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒖𝒆

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𝗕LUESTAR APPROACHED BOTH Rusty and his sister, Star, and placed the shredded collars on the ground in front of them. She then touched their ears gently with her nose. "You look like a brand of fire in this sunlight," she said to Rusty before looking at his younger sister, "And you look like a shining white star."

Her eyes flashed briefly as if her words had more meaning than Star knew. "You fought well." Bluestar then turned to her clan and announced, "From this day forward, until they have earned their warrior names, these apprentices shall be called Firepaw and Whitepaw, in honour of their vibrant coats."

She stepped back and, with the other cats, waited silently for their next move. Whitepaw looked at her brother and they nodded to each other. Without hesitating, they turned and kicked dust and grass over their collars as though burying their dirt.

Longtail, who fought them both, limped out of the clearing toward a fern-shaded corner. The cat's om the clearing split into groups, murmuring to each other excitedly.

"Hey, Firepaw! Whitepaw!" Graypaw, Midnightpaw and the medicine cat apprentice, Redpaw, had bounded up to them. "Great fight," Graypaw said. "Especially for kittypet's! Longtail is a warrior, although he only finished his training two moons ago. That scar you left on his ear, Firepaw, won't let him forget you in a hurry. You've spoiled his good looks that's for sure!"

"Thanks, Graypaw," Firepaw replied and Whitepaw shrugged. "He put up a good fight, it was tough and... scary..." She shuffled her soft paws and Midnightpaw nudged her gently. "Don't worry, you both won!"

"Yeah," Redpaw said, agreeing with her older sister. "And you are kittypet's with no warrior training, I find that needs a gold medal!"

"Golden medal?" Firepaw cocked his head to the side.

"Don't worry about Redpaw," Midnightpaw huffed. "She's a medicine cat because she knows some crazy things about other species, mostly twoleg's though."

"Humans!"

"Whatever, they're the same thing!" Midnightpaw snapped and Redpaw snorted. "And a chicken has two legs, are they the same thing, too?"

"Shut up!" Midnightpaw cuffed her ear with claws sheathed. "You're such a know-it-all."

"At least I'm smart."

"Hey! What're you implying?"

"Oh, big word, don't hurt yourself!" Redpaw snickered and Whitepaw giggled, "You're funny, Redpaw."

Redpaw puffed out her chest proudly and Midnightpaw rolled her amber eyes. Graypaw turned back to Firepaw and began speaking with him.

Redpaw left to assist Spottedleaf and Midnightpaw went off to find her mentor, Mousefur. Whitepaw shivered when she felt a presence behind her and gulped when she saw a large black tabby tom with glowing golden eyes.

"Darkstripe," Graypaw mewed, dipping his head respectfully.

Whitepaw was born very small, like another kit in her father's other litter, but she was a bit smaller than Tiny. So, she was half the size of her brother, and everyone looked intimidating to her. She looked down at her paws and nervously shuffled them in the grass. And this cat is intimidating...

The sleek tom only glanced at Firepaw before he glared straight at Whitepaw, scenting her weakness. "Lucky your collars snapped when they did. Longtail is a young warrior, but I can't imagine him being beaten by kittypet's!" He spat the word Kittypet scornfully, then turned and stalked off.

"Now Darkstripe," He looked at both the former house-cats. "Is neither young nor pretty..."

Whitepaw couldn't agree with the grey apprentice, Darkstripe looked young and had a lovely thick tabby coat. But he wasn't the kindest cat she's met.

A warning yowl came from the side of the clearing and Graypaw stood immediately, "Smallear smells trouble!"

Whitepaw turned to the entrance just to see a young cat crash through it. He was skinny and—apart from the white tip, thin tail—jet black from head to tail.

Whitepaw heard Graypaw whisper to Firepaw, "That's Ravenpaw! Why is he alone? Where's Tigerclaw?"

Now that name sounded really terrifying. She shuddered and wondered what kind of cat that one would be.

Ravenpaw staggered across the floor of the clearing. He was panting heavily. His coat was ruffled and dusty, and his green eyes were wild with fear.

"Who are Ravenpaw and Tigerclaw?" Firepaw asked Graypaw who replied. "Ravenpaw's an apprentice like us, Tigerclaw is his mentor."

Then who is our mentor? Whitepaw asked herself, she was going to ask, but she decided to leave her brother and Graypaw speak for now. Whitepaw stared, concerned for the small tom who was trembling in terror.

"What has happened?" Bluestar jumped onto Highrock and looked down at the apprentice. "Speak, Ravenpaw!"

Ravenpaw was still struggling for breath, and his sides heaved fitfully while the dust around him turned red with blood, but still, he managed to climb up onto Highrock and stand beside Bluestar. He turned to the crowd of eager faces that surrounded him and summoned enough breath to declare. "Redtail is dead!"

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