SeaClan's beginning

Twistedear and The Cliff ~ Part 3

The night was still cold, even this late in Long Dawn. Twistedpaw lay beside his sister in the apprentice's den, listening to her softly snore. It was only moons ago that he had become an apprentice, only moons ago that he had climbed the cliff. Only moons ago since he had met Copperpaw. Every gathering, as all the cats mingled with their fellow clans, Twistedpaw had gone to see her. Telling her about his nightmares of the cliff, his fear of going near it, or even under it. The dreams had almost seeped into real life, terrifying him up to a point where he would be too scared to leave the den. It had to stop.

As Twistedpaw finally heard the sounds of the camp still, he nudged his sister awake. Her blue eyes opened, and stared up at him blankly, still half awake. He led Stonepaw through the camp, and behind the large bracken bush used to for nursery. "What is wrong with you? You've been acting like a complete mouse-brain for moons!" she hissed under her breath, annoyed at being woken at this hour. "I..." the grey tom-cat started, sucking in a breath. "I can't do this anymore, Stonepaw. I can't stay beside this cliff any longer. I've told you all my dreams, and I can't get rid of them!" he mewed miserably.

Both of the cats jumped as an owl hooted nearby. "So what now? Twistedpaw, we get to become warriors tomorrow!" She meowed, starting to look more worried than mad. "Stonepaw... I need to leave Peakclan. I can't take it..." he mewed, coming close to a whimper. "You can't just leave! Where will you go? what would you do?" she said maybe a little to loudly, before quieting again. Twistedpaw wriggled around where he sat, obviously uncomfortable. "I am your sister! Why won't you tell me?" she gasped, becoming upset. The grey tom-cat managed to stutter out "I'm going to Seaclan to be with Copperpaw".

"So." Stonepaw began,"this is about Copperpaw". Twistedpaw licked his sister's ear. "Partially. I also can't stand to live so high up. I'm so, so sorry. You are my best friend, and I do love you. But I want to be with her so badly. Your fast, and you can help me. Your imagination soars like a bird, and you have a bird's free spirit. Please, Stonepaw, help me get out" he meowed desperately.

The dark grey she-cat looked at her brother. She took a deep sigh. "You need to talk to Wolfstar. If he says no, I won't help. But if you leave us, promise me you will see me every gathering. I'll miss you too much". Twistedpaw purred and licked his sister's ears, "Thank you." he said, as he headed towards the leader's den.

The den was under a rock overhang, with ivy coating the entrance. the two apprentices walked in, seeing Wolfstar and his mate, Lakewing, curled up in a brown and orange ball. As the cats padded closer, the leader of Peakclan lifted his head. "Twistedpaw? Stonepaw? what are you doing up at this time of night?" he meowed, yawning, waking his mate in the process. the light grey apprentice sat down, his feet neatly in front of him.

"Wolfstar... I need to leave Peakclan". The leader perked up his ears, and sat up, Lakewing curling up beside him, both watching the apprentice intently. "You see," he began, "I think I'm in love... with an apprentice in another clan". The Peakclan leader shook his head, and waited. "You remember what happened when I had to go down the cliff? It terrified me. I can't go a day without hating this camp. Please, let me leave here." he begged. Wolfstar sighed heavily, looking from Twistedpaw to Stonepaw. "I cannot keep you from leaving. But if Kelpstar drives you off, what then? Will you come back? Live as a rogue? What about your father, Owlbreath? or your friend, Windtalker? or your sister? Will you just leave us all?" He meowed sadly. "I love them all" Twistedpaw said as he licked his sister's ear, "But I can't stay. Please, let Stonepaw take me there. let us try to convince them".

The great leader sighed. He looked to Stonepaw, and meowed "Please, find Windtalker and ask her to get together from traveling herbs. You leave tonight". Twistedpaw purred, and then stopped as Stonepaw left the den. "I have one more request... it concerns my sister's warrior name..." he mewed. "Shes different. Shes free and she is strong willed. Heights seem to empower her." he continued. "Go on" said the great leader.

Minutes later, the three cats left the den, to find Windtalker and Stonepaw waiting, both looking sad. "Sorry, Windtalker. It was great being your friend" Twistedpaw said. The medicine cat purred, and shoved him playfully, "I'll see you at gatherings. Here, eat these." she meowed, nudging a pile of berries towards him. "Thank you" he said, sharing the berries with his sister. He licked Windtalker on the ear, and nodded respectfully towards Wolfstar and Lakewing, before heading off down the great hill with Stonepaw at his side.

Twistedpaw expected a cold, slow walk down, without talking. But instead, his sister seemed happy, jumping long, and chatting about this or that. "I want you to be happy" she mewed, "So if this is what makes you happy, I'm fine with it". And with that, they continued down the hill, as if nothing had changed. Finally, as the groves of birch trees began to thin out, the cats slowed down. The sun was beginning to rise, and the air was growing warmer.

The apprentices padded through the boarder, closer to the sandy sea. The olive trees that thrives throughout the forest glowed in the daylight, and the grass was covered in fresh dew. They stalked through Seaclan's territory, getting closer and closer to the camp. Their talking had become quieter, almost non-existent. Suddenly, Twistedpaw was barreled onto the ground, help by a large cat on top. "What are you doing here?!" Snarled a tom-cat above him. When the grey-apprentice glanced at his sister, he saw her also being held down by a fluffy brown she-cat. "Lynxfoot! Please! We only came here to talk!" Twistedpaw yelped. The she-cat nodded to whoever help him down, and the weight was lifted.

Both the apprentices scrambled up, and gazed at the faced of Lynxfoot and Smallpaw, Copperpaw's friend and brother. "What are you doing here? Is this about Coppersnout?" Smallpaw asked. "Coppersnout? Oh... you guys became warriors... a few days ago". Lynxfoot nodded towards the brown-red tom-cat, "Now hes Smallrobin". Both the apprentices bowed their heads at the new warrior. "But what ARE you doing here? really?" The new warrior asked. "Well..." started Stonepaw, "Twistedpaw wants to join Seaclan."

As the apprentices explained why all of this was happening, the warriors led them deeper into their territory, towards camp. Twistedpaw loves how flat all the ground was, and how through all the trees you could see the sea. Finally, they came up to a large, sand and grass clearing. Cats milled around it, kits played by a small cave, and the fresh-kill pile was full. When cats started to see the apprentices, their fur began to bristle. Kelpstar, noticing the scene, padded up. "What is going on here? Who are these?" He asked Lynxfoot, casting a suspicious glance over the apprentices. "They say Twistedpaw wishes to join Seaclan, Kelpstar." answered Smallrobin, standing tall to show he supported it. 

The leader glanced at the cats, and spoke roughly, "And why is it you wish to join our clan?". He sat down, tail neatly folded over his paws, claws kneading into the soft sand. Twistedpaw took a deep breath, "I am from Peakclan. I'm terrified of heights. As you can imagine that becomes a problem for a cliff-cat. But more importantly, I'm in love with one of your warriors" he meowed, his chest puffing up with pride. The leader straightened. Stonepaw leaned over to her brother, and quietly whispered "Look". Twistedpaw swept his gaze in the direction of the sea. Standing shocked, staring, was a beautiful light brown she-cat. Her muzzle seemed to blaze in its red-brown finery, and her eyes glowed a beautiful green. "Coppersnout." He breathed out. Before waiting, he bounded over to her, receiving angry growls from cats around him. As he reached her, he breathed in, and waited. She sat there, staring at him in utter shock.

And then, as Twistedpaw began to give up hope, she began to purr.