𝐀𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 | 𝐚 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

-Chapter Eighteen-

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You make me miss living as a whole and hate it at the same time

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Lion paw sat quietly in the apprentices den playing with a reed that had fallen off the roof. After they finished the 'conversation' with Ashstar, Lion paw had been escorted to the apprentice den whilst Appleleaf and Skyfire had been taken to the seemingly gigantic Warriors den.

At least we aren't in a prisoners den, Lion paw thought and shuddered as images of a small mud den with a leaking roof flashed through her mind.  She brushed the thoughts off her mind and drew her attention  back to the reed she was playing with. She grew bored of the reed quickly and so she pricked her ears and listened to what was happening outside of the apprentice den. She didn't hear much, the moonclan camp wasn't like the sunclan camp which always had a happy hum in the air and quiet chatter nearly everywhere the moonclan camp's air was heavy and apart from the pawsteps of a patrol returning or leaving, there was absolute silence. She was beginning to think of possible ways to escape this dreary clan when she heard something. It wasn't heavy or dreary or sad, it was cheerful happy and bright. It was laughter. 

The laughter grew louder and louder and Lion paw could hear pawsteps coming towards her. Then three gorgeous long legged she-cats came into her view. They kept coming towards her and eventually saw her. 

The first one bounded towards her. Her pelt was white and dark ginger whilst her first companions fur was white and yellow, and her second companion's fur was white and grey and they all had the same face shape and paw shape. Lion paw could clearly see they were sisters. 

"You're the Sunclan cat, aren't you?!" The first cat meowed excitedly her face very close to Lion paw's own.  Lion paw face flushed and she weakly nodded. "I'm Rosepaw! This is Daisypaw," she gestured to the yellow she cat beside her "And this-" 

"Violetpaw." The third she-cat meowed dryly eyeing Lion paw disdainfully. The she-cat suddenly realised how shabby she looked compared to the sleek furred she-cats and licked her chest fur in embarrassment. Violetpaw shouldered her way to the back of the den where she sat down and glared at Lion paw. 

"What's you're name?" Rosepaw asked forcing Lion paw's gaze away from Violetpaw who mumbled,

"who cares what her name is?"

"Sorry about her," Daisypaw meowed sympathetically "She doesn't like change, at all." She side eyed her sister. 

"I can tell." Lion paw meowed dryly.

Rosepaw pushed forwards "I have so many questions!" She meowed circling Lion paw

"Me too!" Daisypaw squeaked struggling to push her littermate aside. 

"Go ahead, ask them." Lion paw meowed coolly meanwhile her heart was having a mini seizure inside of her.

Suddenly she was bombarded with rapid questions all of which she answered.

"Do you really live up in the mountains?"

"yes"

"Doesn't it get hard to breathe?"

"Not really"

"Is your clan really as lazy as cats say?"

"Who says that?!"

"What does an eagle look like?"

"They have strong muscular legs, powerful talons and large hooked beaks."

"Do really hunt them as well as hawks and falcons?"

"Sometimes."

"How?" Rosepaw asked her eyes wide.

"Leap, damage their wings so they can't fly away, then quickly break their necks."

She watched as Rosepaw, tried the steps on an imaginary bird. Next to Lion paw Daisypaw was looking much less enthusiastic. 

"What's wrong?" The Sunclan apprentice asked.

Daisypaw sighed "It's just I'd much rather hunt for herbs than prey."

"Then why don't you become a medicine cat?"

"It's against the Ashstar Code." 

"'The Ashstar Code'?" Lion paw asked wrinkling her nose at the unoriginal name.

Daisy paw nodded "When Ashstar became leader he made a code telling us to exile the old and weak respect the strong (him), and many other horrible rules."

"Why didn't anyone try and stop him?"

"They did. But then he brought those horrible rogues to live with us."

"Rogues?"

"They call themselves the Law and Order. Do you see the strong scary looking 'warriors' that accompany all patrols?" She paused as Lion paw nodded "They're rogues. Apparently before he became leader Ashstar created a group of rogues that are now completely loyal to him and he uses them to reinforce his code and find code breakers."

"What happens what happens to code breakers?"

Daisypaw shuddered "You don't want to know."

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"Ey ya. Sunclan 'pprentice!" A rough paw shoving her woke her up. 

"Whatisit?" She meowed groggily.

" 'Shstar said ya 'ad ta do 'pprentice tasks t'day" He snarled.

"Ugh, fine." She meowed getting up and started washing her fur.

"No time ta pretty yaself up, 'e wants ya to do it now." The rogue prodded her with his paw and she hurried forwards quickly. 

"So I'm cleaning out the nursery?" Lion paw asked.

"Yuh." He veered away from her as she made it to the nursery. She stepped inside the nursery, two piercing amber eyes glared up at her.

"Hello Flosswhisker." She meowed stiffly.

The Moonclan queen just grunted in reply so Lionpaw got to work gathering up stray twigs, reeds and leaves into a small pile outside the den. 

She was putting the latest annoying pieces of litter into the pile when  something tapped her on her shoulder. Lionpaw's fur shot up in fright and she whirled around just in time to see Rosepaw burst out laughing.

"Why did that shock you so much!" Rosepaw laughed. Lionpaw's face flushed and she looked away. 

"There's a lot more dangerous things on the mountain than here." Lion paw mumbled self-consciously. 

"Yeah right!" Rosepaw giggled and Lion paw felt her cheeks grow hotter and hotter. She saw Daisypaw and Violetpaw standing behind Rosepaw. Daisypaw was looking distractedly elsewhere but Violetpaw had been staring at her and when their eyes locked Violetpaw quickly looked away. Lion paw cocked her head, was the snarky she-cat blushing. 

"We're going on a hunting patrol with our mentors!"  Rosepaw meowed brushing Lion paw's thoughts about Violetpaw away. "Pikeshine's going to teach me how to catch birds!"

"You haven't learnt how to catch birds yet?" Lion paw asked "It's one of the first things Sunclan apprentices learn!"

"Well Moonclan apprentices focus more on catching fish and water voles because they're the most plentiful prey here." Daisypaw piped in.

Lionpaw nodded, it made sense. "Well I wouldn't want to keep you from your lesson!" She meowed warmly, "Those birds won't catch themselves!" 

Rosepaw purred and walked towards her mentor, Daisypaw followed her but Violetpaw lingered for a moment before seemingly making up her mind and following her sisters. 

Lion paw shook out her pelt against the cool leafbare wind and went back inside the nursery. 

Flosswhisker was still there but this time there was a newfound warmth and respect in her gaze. "The Reincarnation Three trust you."