A Twisted Fate (Warrior Cats)

Chapter 4

*Unedited

~~

This is dedicated to Veralidaine (hope I spelled it right!) and lumpinbanana because they gave me the encouragement to keep writing when no one had.

Wednesday was my bff's bday! Wish her happy bday okay?

        Birdpaw stalked through the undergrowth, slinking through the ferns toward her target, an unsuspecting blackbird that was pulling out a worm a few badger-lengths away from where she was creeping up on it. Luckily, Birdpaw was downwind from her prey, so the blackbird didn't notice her. Birdpaw got closer and closer, and suddenly a rustling sound from the bracken nearby made the bird frightened. It flew, flapping and screeching into a tree and disappeared. "Mouse dung!" Birdpaw muttered. She had been so close.

     "You could have caught that, you know," a voice sounded behind her, and Birdpaw whipped around to see the source it was coming from. Falconwing, she growled at him. How dare he insult me for not catching that blackbird when he was the one who scared it away?

     "Yes, I could have caught it, but because you were so loud, strutting through the forest, you scared it away. " Birdpaw sniffed, and turned her back on him, tasting the air for more scents. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw that Falconwing's fur was bristling, and he let out a hiss of annoyance.

     "I was not strutting though the forest. In fact, I think you're the only one in the forest who's so arrogant she won't even realize her own mistakes." the tabby tom mewed coolly, sitting down and beginning to wash himself in a lazy manner.

    This angered Birdpaw. She wasn't arrogant, and she knew her mistakes. "If you're referring to the bird, then I do realize that I could have caught it. It's too bad that you're so stupid you don't even realize you're sitting on fox dung right now." she meowed in a tone that was just as cold.

    Falconwing shifted uneasily, and stood up hastily to look at the ground under him. Noticing it was bare, his fur pricked up in annoyance. "You tricked me!"

    "So I did." Birdpaw had to fight back a purr of amusement. Surely no cat would fall for this, wouldn't they?

    Falconwing marched right up to her, shoving his muzzle in her face and said, "I don't like being humiliated, especially by the most annoying cat in the entire clan."

    Birdpaw bared her teeth. "Me? The most annoying cat in the entire clan? You've got to be joking, because you're the one who keeps glaring at me whenever I do anything!"

    The dark brown tabby snorted. "That's because you act so stuck-up and annoying." he let out a hiss of annoyance, which was quickly cut short as a little cough interrupted their heated argument.

   "Well, well. What do we have here? The two most arrogant cats in the entire clan, arguing with each other like they're about to bite each other's heads off. I thought that would come sooner or later." Featherpelt had padded up to them, and was looking very amused.

    "I'm not arrogant!" Birdpaw and Falconwing protested at the same time, then glared at each other. "She's-

"He's the

"the stupidest-

"Most annoying-

"cat in the whole clan!!" they ended in unison, glaring at each other.

    "Well, we can settle that later," Featherpelt blinked warmly at each in turn, and mewed, "I came to tell you two that you are needed by the clan. " she turned to Birdpaw, "Blacktail wanted me to tell you that he wants to meet you at the camp, you're going to practice hunting." then she swung her head around to face her brother, "And you're going on a border patrol with me." The silver tabby she-cat stepped between the two, and gently nudged them away from each other. She gave Birdpaw a little prod with her tail, meowing, "Go on, Blacktail won't wait forever!" Then, she murmured something to Falconwing, who aimed a final glare at Birdpaw, then turned around and stalked off.

    Birdpaw hissed, then whipped her head around and headed back to camp, head held high and not looking back.

 Falconwing's POV: (yes yes very interesting XDXD)

     Falconwing bounded through the forest, Featherpelt at his heels, enjoying the sound of leaves crinkling under his paws and the wind whistling past his ear. He loved Shadeclan's territory, and felt that he could belong no where else. Today is the perfect day, he thought. However, he let out a small hiss of annoyance as his mind drifted to Birdpaw, the mouse-brained, arrogant little apprentice who thought she was leader of the forest. Why does she act this way? She's so thick-headed, I bet that if she crashed into a tree, it would have no effect. He suppressed a purr of amusement at that. With that thought in mind, he closed his eyes, drinking in the scent of the deep pines and the lush green ferns.

    They stopped, panting, at the base of an old oak to set their markers. As he padded back to his sister, he noticed that she was studying him, her blue eyes staring deeply at his. He cocked his head to one side, puzzled, and as if she understood his question, she answered, "It seems that you've been rather annoyed recently." When Falconwing made no comment, she continued. "It's Birdpaw, right?"

    Falconwing scoffed. "She's such a mouse-brain! She thinks she's so great, when she can't even catch a blackbird!" She was the most annoying cat ever.

   "Maybe she's a bit headstrong, but she's desperate to prove herself to the clan ever since Willowleaf perished from a rogue attack," the silver tabby mewed thoughtfully, which cast painful memories into his mind. Falconwing remembered his mother, who had also died when he and Featherpelt were just kits, leaving them alone with a father who had never loved them. He seemed oblivious to their presence. At least Birdpaw's father pays attention to her, Falconwing thought bitterly. After his mother, Skylark, had gone to Starclan, his sister was all he had. He was desperate to prove himself to the clan that he was worthy, that he had gotten over his grief for his mother, that he was a good kit to his father, to make them all proud. Maybe that was what Featherpelt meant, that he and Birdpaw were much the same? Maybe he had wronged her? No. I refuse to admit that. She was so much more arrogant than him. He was-

    A battle cry had shaken him from his thoughts. He sprung to his paws, looking around wildly at the attacker, seeing Featherpelt doing the same. He whirled around, and saw a muscular tabby tomcat snarling and spitting at him. Falconwing spat at him, and growled, "What are you doing here?"

   "To kill you," was his reply. Then the tom sprung onto Falconwing, jaws snapping at his throat. Falconwing heaved him off, and went back on his paws, ready for the next attack. Out of the corner of his eye he saw his sister fending off two she-cats fighting side by side, and yowled, "Quick! Go report to Hailstar and bring help!" She cast a worried glance at him, and said "No! I can't leave you alone here!"

   "Hurry! Or they'll kill both of us! I'll be fine, go!" Falconwing dodged another swipe, and retaliated with a swipe of his own. He saw Featherpelt cast one last look at him, and sprint away into the forest. Oh Starclan, make sure she's okay! Falconwing thought as he tried to fend off the ring of cats clustered around him, in a tight circle, cutting off his escape. He sidestepped another attack, flung a tortoiseshell she-cat against a tree, then felt a dull thud at the base of his skull. Black washed over him in gentle waves as he fainted.

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Finished~ Yay! :D I dunno when chap 5 will be posted, probably soon. :) Thx for reading, and plz comment/vote/fan/add to library!  ~cinna