(✓) Warriors ▸ Shadows of the Domestic [1]

Chapter 2

"So... how are we doing as Clan cats?" the flame-colored cat asked, his curiosity piqued as they walked together through the dense underbrush.

Harepaw glanced over her shoulder at him, her blue eyes reflecting a mix of pride and resolve. "We're doing just fine. We train every single day, we get food in the wild, and are not looked after by the two-legged ones," she explained, her tone carrying a hint of disdain for the life of dependency.

Rusty blinked, the term 'two-legged ones' echoing in his mind. "You mean the house people?" he ventured, trying to grasp the Clan terminology.

Harepaw sighed, a flicker of frustration crossing her features. "House people, bipeds, or whatever, they're just here to destroy the world anyway!" Her voice was sharp, and she quickened her pace, her frustration evident.

Rusty felt a pang of guilt twist in his stomach. He didn't like that he had made Harepaw feel irritated. He barely knew this cat, yet why did he feel so bad for upsetting her? Deciding to shift the conversation, he asked, "Is it okay to be an apprentice?"

Harepaw slowed her pace slightly, turning to look at him with a more thoughtful expression. "Why don't you come see for yourself?" she suggested, a small smile playing on her lips. "It would be nice to see the rest of the Clans get along with a kitten."

Rusty's spirits lifted slightly, pleased to see that the she-cat was no longer grumpy. But soon, she stopped and turned to face him. Rusty heard the distant rumble of what he assumed was the Thunderpath, and he winked at her playfully.

"That's as far as I can go, kitty," Harepaw said, bowing her head slightly. "Hope to see you soon."

As Rusty reached out towards her, Harepaw slipped past him. "Wait!" he called out.

She paused and turned back, her expression curious. "What?"

"What's your name?" he asked, realizing he hadn't gotten her name yet.

She smiled, a genuine warmth in her gaze. "Harepaw. Yours?"

"Rusty," he replied, feeling a connection to this wild, fierce cat.

Harepaw nodded and then slipped away into the underbrush, leaving Rusty to walk home alone, his mind swirling with thoughts of Clan life and the intriguing cat named Harepaw.

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When Harepaw returned to camp, Ravenpaw hurried over to her and pushed his muzzle into her shoulder. "Please stay with me, I need someone now," he whispered into her ear. She flinched a bit but wrapped her tail around his shoulders. "Of course, lead on," she mewed back.

Ravenpaw stepped away from her and padded to the apprentices' den, laying down in his nest and showing a place for Harepaw. She curled up beside him, and he buried himself into her stomach. She smiled and began to lap her tongue over his sleek black fur.

She knew that he was being mistreated by Tigerclaw, who was his mentor. The powerful tabby tom was not a great mentor at all, and Harepaw didn't like him one bit, but she respected him; he had that at least. So, she didn't care that Ravenpaw asked her to help him overcome his traumas; she would do it in a heartbeat for anyone, but especially for him.

They lay like this until the entrance to the den rustled, and in came Spottedleaf. She smiled warmly and stepped up to the two young cats, dropping a bundle of leaf-wrapped herbs. "Here, eat up, sweetie," she said to Ravenpaw, who retracted himself from Harepaw and looked at the medicine cat.

"Hmm, what is that?" he asked, his curiosity piqued by the unfamiliar herbs.

"Strengthening herbs, sweetie," said Spottedleaf, nudging the bundle of leaves toward the black tom. "Eat. Harepaw said you would need some."

Ravenpaw frowned, his eyes flickering with a mix of surprise and reluctance. "You didn't—"

Harepaw shook her head firmly, cutting him off. "Just eat. You need it," she insisted, her voice gentle yet commanding. She then unwound her tail from around his shoulder and stood up, positioning herself in the nest so that Ravenpaw would have clear access to the strange herbs.

Her actions, though simple, spoke volumes of her care and concern for her friend, ensuring he had everything he needed to regain his strength.

His eyes wide, Ravenpaw bent down to lap at the herbs, but after only a few small licks, someone burst into the den and snarled, "What in StarClan's name are you doing in here, Spottedleaf? Is Ravenpaw being weak again?!" It was Tigerclaw, and his presence filled the small space with tension.

Harepaw stiffened at the sound of his voice, her fur bristling instinctively. Beside her, Ravenpaw shook slightly, a clear sign of his discomfort and fear. Spottedleaf's previously warm and smiling muzzle smoothed out to an indifferent expression as she turned to face the bristling tom.

Her eyes met Tigerclaw's with a calm and unyielding gaze, her stance poised and composed despite the harshness of his words. The air in the den seemed to thicken with anticipation, each cat waiting for what would come next in the confrontation.

"No, you fool, now leave him alone! He needs rest; you've been training him too hard," Spottedleaf spat, her voice sharp and unyielding as she stood her ground against Tigerclaw. Harepaw blinked in astonishment. How in StarClan's name did she have the courage to speak to Tigerclaw like that? Harepaw didn't like the tom one bit, but she had never dared to tell him so directly.

Instead, she wound around Ravenpaw, trying to calm him down, but his shaking was still strong. Tigerclaw just stared at Spottedleaf for a moment, his eyes burning with anger and disbelief. Then, with a snarl, he turned on his paw and stomped out of the den, his tail flipping out behind him as he disappeared.

"Shh, shh, look at me," Harepaw whispered in Ravenpaw's ear, trying to soothe him as Spottedleaf turned around and sighed deeply, her eyes closing momentarily.

"That tom needs to let go of his ego, or else he will be the downfall of ThunderClan," Spottedleaf murmured, her voice low but filled with a weary kind of wisdom. Her words hung in the air, a solemn warning about the dangers of pride and power unchecked.

"Why doesn't Bluestar tell him off? She knows he's mistreating his apprentices, doesn't she?" Harepaw asked, her voice filled with concern as she stroked circles on Ravenpaw's sleek black pelt. Ravenpaw looked up at the medicine cat, who shook her head gently in response.

"Bluestar is a great leader, but she is dense sometimes," Spottedleaf said, her tone carrying a hint of frustration mixed with respect for the ThunderClan leader. She flicked her tail thoughtfully. "I better get back to the medicine den. You take care of him, hmm?"

Harepaw nodded, understanding the weight of responsibility now placed upon her. Spottedleaf smiled, touching her muzzle to Harepaw's before slipping out of the den. Left alone with Ravenpaw, Harepaw felt a renewed sense of determination to support her friend, knowing the challenges he faced under Tigerclaw's harsh mentorship.

And she wouldn't let him suffer alone. Harepaw's resolve was firm, her loyalty to Ravenpaw as steadfast as the ancient oaks that stood sentinel around their camp. In the world of warriors, where strength and courage were prized above all, she knew that kindness and compassion were just as vital. She would be by Ravenpaw's side, a silent guardian and a comforting presence, no matter the storms they might face together.