Cinder

Chapter 34

    "No not like that!" Ravenclaw yowled, watching Shadepaw pin Lizardpaw to the ground.
     "I'm trying my best!" Lizardpaw wined, standing.
     "Well apparently not good enough!" Ravenclaw snarled. Jaggedclaw, who sat by the deputy, lay his tail on his shoulder.
     "Lay off on him Ravenclaw, he's trying his best." Jaggedclaw said, unusually compassionate. Ravenclaw jerked from his touch and stared at Jaggedclaw, baring his teeth. His vision started to spin, and his breathing quickened. Suddenly, he was in a different place. Paws squashed him to the ground, holding him under water. Thrashing, hoping to find air but only breathing water. The sound of battle cries splitting the air, Cindercloud's terrified face. Mudstar staring at him across the camp, threatening him. Long nights in the forest with Mudstar, where he was tortured. Mentally and physically. Scratched, clawed, half drowned. Threatening to harm his family. Turning his entire clan against him. Suddenly, Jaggedclaw was a theeat.
    Ravenclaw unsheathed his claws to keep from falling over. Jaggedclaw stared at him in concern, but Ravenclaw did not see it that way. He saw Jaggedclaw as a drooling wild animal, ready to rip Ravenclaw apart. Ravenclaw pounced, claws outstretched, and grabbed Jaggedclaw's throat, squeezing with his claws. Jaggedclaw thrashed, fear and astonishment in his gaze.
    "Ravenclaw! Stop!" He heard the voice in the distance, like a voice in the breeze hardly able to be heard. Shadepaw and Lizardpaw grabbed Ravenclaw's shoulders and hauled him off of the warrior. But Ravenclaw was easily able to break from their grip. As Jaggedclaw stood, Ravenclaw grabbed him again, flipping him onto his back and grabbing his neck with his jaws. Just as a red tide of insanity swept onto Ravenclaw, he felt a blow to his head, and he knew no more.

He woke with a start in the medicine den, his heart beating rapidly. Redwing sat beside him.
    "You're awake." He mewed.
    "What happened?" He asked groggily.
    "You nearly murdered Jaggedclaw. It was lucky Mudstar reached you when he did." Ravenclaw felt dread curl inside of him.
    "Oh no..." he muttered. A spasm of deep fear coursed through him, and he started trembling madly.
    "Calm down Ravenclaw." Redwing mewed, laying his tail on his shoulder.
     "Don't touch me!" Ravenclaw jumped to his paws and bared his teeth. Redwing stared at him sadly. Ravenclaw, not able to take it anymore, raced out of the den, wincing at the ache in his head. All eyes turned to him. Some cats shuffled away from his as he approached. Even Darkstorm shuffled away from his brother when he sat down. The only cat who would go near him was Sageleaf. She sat near him, but didn't speak. He noticed Hazelstream and Blackpelt sitting together, watching their son with sad eyes. Lizardpaw sat with Shadepaw, glancing nervously at his mentor.
    "Lizardpaw asked for a new mentor." Sageleaf murmured to Ravenclaw. He turned a cloudy gaze to her. He felt nothing inside of him at all. Maybe a hint of relief. Maybe Mudstar would not use Lizardpaw against him. He deserved a stable mentor.
     "Who will mentor him now?" He asked.
     "He wants me to." Sageleaf replied. 
     "You will be a good mentor." He said.
      "I had a good mentor." Sageleaf purred.
      "No. I'm not. You should stay away from me. Everyone should." Ravenclaw said.
      "I don't want to leave your side." Sageleaf relied. "Maybe we can co-train Lizardpaw if he feels comfortable with that." She added.
    "Maybe..." he murmured. Mudstar padded up to them and asked Ravenclaw to join him in the forest. Ravenclaw stood and followed, terrified of what would happen. His leader took him deep into the forest.
     "Are you going to punish me for what I did to Jaggedclaw?" Ravenclaw asked wearily. He started to feel panic edge into his vision.
    "Oh no Ravenclaw. I am very happy with this progress. I'm glad for what you did." Mudstar said.
    "What?" Ravenclaw felt for sure he was going nuts.
     "This is what I wanted." Mudstar murmured.
    "But why?" Ravenclaw asked. Mudstar leaned in close. Ravenclaw shuddered at the words the leader uttered into his ear, triumphant and cruel.
     "Because it means I have broken you....."

Note: this chapter is short. I wanted to show just how Mudstar's treatment of Ravenclaw has affected him.