Warriors: Decaying Bodies

Chapter 12

Molekit's POV

I can't believe it! It's time that my older brothers and sisters become warriors! Leopardpaw, Cherrypaw, Dawnpaw, and Nightpaw!
Sure, Rory has taken over everything, but a warrior ceremony cheers me up! My sister Mosskit thinks so too. Mom told us she might not survive leaf-bare, since it's cold and flesh-eaters are around, because she's the runt. She's way smaller than me, like super tiny.
Whatever. She's my kin, I love her no matter what.
"Leopardpaw, please step forward." Moss Fur meowed.

Oh my StarClan! It already began!
"Rainstep, do you think Leopardpaw has proven himself worthy of being a warrior?" Moss Fur asked.
Rainstep nodded slowly. "He has."
Leopardpaw growled silently, rolling his eyes.
"Leopardpaw, do you uphold the-"

"I do." Leopardpaw interrupted, looking impatient.
"Then by the power of StarClan, from this day forward you will be known as Leopardfang, we honor your strength and courage, we welcome you a full warrior of BrightClan."
Then, Nightpaw went up and his mentor, Frogcroak said he was ready. Then Nightpaw got the name Nightrunner.
I didn't listen through the whole thing. It was mostly boring because four cats were becoming warriors.
When will I become a warrior? I want to be Molestar, leader of BrightClan. I want to be just like Moss Fur, calm, caring...
The others cut my thoughts off, "Leopardfang, Nightrunner, Dawnflower, and Cherryfeather!" They chanted.
I just started as well, then stopped.
Cinderflight wrapped her tail around me. "That will be you someday." She whispered in my ear. I bounced with excitement. It will be me!
We started to settle down when I couldn't sleep. I was restless, and I needed to go somewhere. I snuck out of camp when I saw Leopardfang padded through the undergrowth.
I decided to follow him. I stalked through, trying to keep quiet. There was a point where I couldn't see him anymore.
I looked around, then saw a white boulder.
I shivered a little bit. A cold air drifted through, sending a shiver down my spine.

I just realized I wasn't hunting, I was being hunted. I gazed up with horror as Leopardfang jumped off the boulder and everything went dark for a moment.
Leopardfang nudged me. "Runt." He growled.
I opened my eyes. Wait, I could only see out of my left eye! Leopardfang blinded my right eye.
I twitched uncontrollably, and shut my eye tight.
"Don't mess with me." Leopardfang snarled.
I whimpered, shaking.

Leopardfang nudged me to my paws. "Don't follow me ever again." He snarled in my ear.
He stalked away into the bushes, his icy blue eyes sending a sharp glow before disappearing in the bushes.

I tried navigating my way back to camp. If Leopardfang found out I told on him he'll probably kill me. I decided not to say, insisting I tripped over a root and my eye was injured by a rock.
When I returned to camp after awhile dawn was already starting. I had to get back quick before Cinderflight would scold me.
I ran into the nest. I laid beside Mosskit when Cinderflight picked me up. "My kit!" She cried, running to the medicine den.
Hollowcloud padded to her. "What happened?" He asked.
"Molekit! His eye!" Cinderflight meowed.
Hollowcloud shook his head. "He won't see out of it again. How did it happen?"
I lowered my head. I didn't want to get in trouble, but I can't tell the truth. "I don't know! I woke up like this." I whimpered.
Hollowcloud put his tail around me. "You poor thing. Rest in my den for now."

"Molekit, step forward." Moss Fur stared down. I shook my fur, and stepped forward to Moss Fur. "Until you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Molepaw. Leopardfang please pass down your qualities down to your apprentice."
I gasped. Not Leopardfang! He's so fierce, and he blinded my eye!
Mosspaw was apprenticed to Nightrunner. She got the good mentor!

Leopardfang grinned. "Come with me." He said.

I followed him. Glancing around, I saw Rory standing there. "No! Don't kill me!" I cried.
Rory and Leopardfang both disappeared and a flesh-eater was coming my way. I shut my eye tight, until Leopardfang sent his claws down the cat's flank.
"Run, runt!" He hissed in my face.
I ran away as fast as I could bolting in every direction.
"Stop!" Yowled Rory as he pulled his claws hard on my muzzle.
Taking a quick breath, I spun around and tore away. I tripped on a root and my paw twisted, sending pain through my whole body. I howled with pain, as tears entered my eye.
I kept them going, so upset I failed. My muzzle stung more than anything else, the blood trickling down and dripping to my paws.
I realized I shouldn't be weak. I got to my paws, with rage burned in my face. I sent my agony and anger to the tree. I lashed my claws on it, giving the bark deep scratches. I kept giving it hard blows until I tripped over a small patch of ferns and landed in a bramble thicket.
Tears of anger dripped from my face. Heartbeats later Leopardfang came over. "Go hunt. And don't expect me to teach you."
He stomped off. I got myself out of the brambles and collapsed on the ground. Movement would only make the pain worse. I heard flesh-eaters nearby, but I couldn't get up, not if I forced myself to.
The last thing I remember was a fiery orange cat, blood around his mouth fighting fiercely in a battle to the death, killing a golden spotted tom, looking like Leopardfang. Only to be struck in the throat by a cat I could not recognize. The orange cat fell to the ground, blood gurgling from his mouth and throat then laying still, peacefully among the others that had fallen down.
After that my vision went black.

***

"That's no way to treat an apprentice!" Hollowcloud scolded Leopardfang.
"He almost gotten himself killed! And for what? Nothing!"

I awoke in a soft nest, the scent of herbs drifting through. I could smell the dew from the freshly picked herbs.
"Are you okay, Molepaw?" My mother, Cinderflight asked me.
"Yes." I murmured, laying my head back down.
"Mosspaw was so worried, she thought you got bit. The flesh-eaters almost got to you." Cinderflight broke off, and softly licked my head. "Why would your brother do this to you?"
"He hates me." I mumbled, giving death glares at Leopardfang, who only stared back in reply.
Cinderflight ignored what I said. "Anyway, you're being further treated of your wounds. You already have a scar! What a clumsy cat you are."
She doesn't know what actually happened. Rory did this.
I swiped my paw over my muzzle, feeling the bare scarred part on top of my nose. Rory did some real damage to me, and I can still feel the sting of the sharp pricks of the brambles.
"Sorry, mom. Can Mosspaw come visit?"
Cinderflight shook her head. "She's out with Nightrunner. They seem to be a good pair!" My mother purred, and flicked her tail. "Be careful from now on, alright?"
I nodded, though I'm not sure it's true. Leopardfang would probably give me more scars to think about.
Cinderflight stood up and left the den as the deputy called her for a patrol.
Hollowcloud was done speaking with Leopardfang, and he padded to me. "Eat these, they'll help you." In Hollowcloud's paw was a few poppy seeds, I lapped them from his paw and they were crushed under my teeth.
As the seeds began to ease the pain, I slowly drifted into a slumber.