Warriors - The Leopard's Apprentice

-Faded Memories - Smokepaw's Dream-

Smokepaw awoke to the sound of paw steps, instead of waking up in the apprentice den he looked around to see a dark treeless clearing. A rabbit ran right through him and he couldn't help but let out a shaky cough, "Where am I?" he asked although he couldn't see anyone. "Welcome Smokepaw." a voice spoke through the fog Smokepaw instantly turned to see a large grey cat walk towards him, his blue eyes like tsunamis and his grey fur bristling; he looked eerily like himself. "W-who are you?" he sputtered cursing himself for sounding so pathetic, "It's a shame your mother never mentioned me- although I guess she was waiting for me to do that... my name is Smokestorm." the grey cat; Smokestorm said with a menacing smile. "You know my real mom?" Smokepaw asked him suddenly most of his fear washing away. "Yes I know Flamestar, I was her mate." Smokestorm answered the young apprentice with a evil grin.

"Y-you what?!" Smokepaw didn't know if he heard him correct, "your my real father?!" he said with a surprised gasp Smokestorm didn't answer him but his smirk said everything Smokepaw needed to know. "Your mother told you about the lies of Forestclan, correct?" Smokestorm said dully, the apprentice nodded his head vigorously. "Great. I need to tell you something about your mentor." Smokestorm's cold blue gaze fell on Smokepaw with an amused smirk at his reaction. "L-leopardwillow?!" he asked. "Wait how do you know about Leopardwillow?! Or my name or my-" Smokepaw stopped himself taking a closer look at Smokestorm he hadn't noticed a bloody gash along the middle of his neck and the bloody claw marks littering his grey pelt, "your from the Place of No Stars aren't you?!" he said with a small gasp.

"Oh wow, we have a genius." Smokestorm said with a snort, "I was waiting for you to catch up." "Hey! It's not everyday you meet someone that's dead!" Smokepaw hissed in return. "Haha your temper reminds me of your mother." Smokestorm's laugh was cold and Smokepaw felt himself wanting to curl up into a ball and hide but knowing better he sat still. "Your mentor has let's say made a lot of mistakes in her lifetime- some I'm aware you've never heard of... Like how she got her earrings." Smokepaw shook his head vigorously "she never told me much about herself." he answered with a slight hiss. "Why i'm not surprised she got them from a two-leg den couldn't remove them and made up some lie so she would be sparred the humiliation." Smokestorm growled with a smile as if he found the thought funny.

"Y'know why don't I show you..." he said his lips curling into a sinister smile. Smokepaw thought about it for a second before nodding, Smokestorm closed his eyes and sat still the wind picked up and Smokepaw could see a memory almost like a projection. In it was Leopardwillow as an apprentice.

"Foxpaw!" Leopardpaw shouted "What?!" Foxpaw growled with annoyance. "Ugh enough talking with Branchpaw and get your ass over here!" Foxpaw groaned and flicked her tail goodbye to Branchpaw before giving her sister a deadly look. "Okay I'm here, what?!" "Your so rude you always assume I want something from you- why can't I just want to hang out with my sister." Leopardpaw said with a pretty smile. "Leopardpaw!" Foxpaw hissed batting her sister's ear, "Okay Okay! We're supposed to be heading on a raid to the Lakeclan camp Bearstar asked me to come get you..." she answered. "Why didn't he announce it?" Foxpaw asked suspiciously, "he did you were too busy with Branchpaw to notice!" Leopardpaw hissed.

"Yeesh! Okay I'm coming, this is our first battle right?" Foxpaw asked quickly changing the subject, Leopardpaw nodded with excitement as she padded over to Suntail. "Are you sure you can fight with kits on the way?" Leopardpaw asked her mentor with suspicion, "Nonsense honey I have at least three or four moons until their due- Pearleaf told me." Suntail answered with a bright smile. Leopardpaw looked around to see Foxpaw, Bearstar, Sprucethorn, Pearleaf, Dovepaw, Lilypaw, Moonfang, and Tornshadow. "Okay everyone follow me." Bearstar said. Suddenly cats streamed out of the bushes and the Forestclan cats immediately went on the defensive positions. "They must've planned on raiding us at the same time!" Suntail's frustrated meow could be heard as she was tackled by a tan she-cat. Leopardpaw went to help her but was stopped by a large grey tom his blue eyes menacingly staring into her soul. "Weak. Pathetic. Arrogant. Worthless." he spat as he pinned her to the ground.

Suddenly something in Leopardpaw's body clicked it was as if she had been holding it in since she could remember. She felt herself push the tom off her with a snarl as she immediately attacked him. The two cats rolled over each other blood spraying everywhere as they tried to get the advantage of the other, "I am not weak, I am not pathetic. I am Leopardpaw and I will do whatever I can to protect my clan from skums like you!" she roared, without realizing it her paw reached out and slashed the tom's neck. She couldn't believe how easy it had been, he stumbled for a minute before choking out blood turning to her hatred burning in his eyes. Leopardpaw was panting and only then did she realize what she did, "I-i'm sorry! Where's your medicine cat?" she panicked "May you rot in the darkest pits of Starclan" he snarled before his eyes glazed over.

"She killed you?!" Smokepaw asked sounding astounded yet also incredibly terrified, Smokestorm didn't answer at first "I was killed by an apprentice!" he snarled lunging at Smokepaw. "Your mentor ruined my life!" he spat, "I-i'm sorry!" Smokepaw said desperately. "I know you are" his velvety voice sang his tail curling around Smokepaw's head, "I wanted to ask you a favor from father to son." he said with a calm tone that made Smokepaw's fur stand on end. "W-what is it?" he asked taking a big step back. "I want you to destroy everything Leopardwillow loves, Flamestar will take care of Forestclan." he said with a small growl. "A-and if I don't?" Smokepaw asked his voice hitching at the end of his sentence, Smokestorm chuckled as if he thought what Smokepaw had said was amusing "And if you don't I'll make sure to visit Flamestar and get her help. If you have no use I see no point and telling your clan who your parents are." he answered with a snarl. Smokepaw gulped and nodded. "Well than my dear son goodnight and sweet dreams." and with that the grey tom faded from view and Smokepaw woke up. "What am I going to do!" he sobbed burying his face in his paws.