Damaged

Chapter One

"Wolfypaw! Wolfypaw! I've had my first ever prophecy from StarClan!" Tulippaw meowed loudly.

"Shush. We both know that StarClan isn't real." Wolfypaw scolded her sister.

"Well two cats visited me last night. One was called Yellowfang and the other was called Spottedleaf!" Tulippaw looked at her pointedly.

"They can't be real. They both died seasons ago. So I'm afraid you're losing it." Wolfypaw sighed, shaking her head.

"Can I at least tell you the prophecy?" Tulippaw asked.

"Prophecy? What are you two talking about?" A large grey Tom stalked up to them, eyes narrowing.

"Uh nothing! I-I was just informing Wolfypaw about the herbs I've learnt! Yeah." Lied Tulippaw.

"If I hear you two talking about things you shouldn't be, I'll report you to Venomstar."

"Yes Clawstone." Wolfypaw ducked her head. Clawstone stalked away.

"You need to be more careful!" Wolfypaw hissed.

"Sorry. Meet me under the giant willow?"

"Fine. Moonhigh." Wolfypaw stalked away.

"Wolfypaw! Training. Now." Her mentor, Snowydeath, stalked up to her. Normally Snowydeath was easygoing and was only strict when the leader was around. Gulping, Wolfypaw glanced around and saw her leader, Venomstar, watching her closely.

"What are we going to learn?" Wolfypaw asked, trying to ignore the leaders intimidating stare.

"Venomstar has instructed that I let you practice combat training on a weak. Come let's find you a suitable one." She flicked her tail and led her to the weak den. The weak were the lowest of the low. They only got fresh-kill once a day and barely enough bedding.

"Oi which one of you scumbags will help my apprentice practice her training?" Snowydeath hissed into the den.

Wolfypaw peered in and counted five cats in there. She remembered two of them had been severely injured in trying to fight a badger. Another had twisted their paw. The other two were caught trying to escape the camp.

Snowydeath growled. She lunged in and pulled out a Tom. He looked underfed and shivered when Snowydeath shoved him.

"Let's go." Snarled Snowydeath.

"Hey, what's your name and when is your execution?" Wolfypaw asked.

"I-Its Strangehunt." He coughed. "My execution is tomorrow at sundown. And my mates is at sundown." He looked at the floor sadly. "I thought we could escape but now were sentenced to death." He meowed quietly.

"But why did you leave the clan?" Wolfypaw asked, frowning.

"Because we wanted to have kits." Wolfypaw eyebrows rose questionably, "You don't know do you?" Strangehunt chuckled.

"Know what..." Wolfypaw asked, a sense of foreboding setting on her like a heavy mist.

"If you want to be a queen, you have to mate with the leader first and any cat can get you pregnant." He narrowed his eyes. "My mate is beautiful, I wanted her to be mine. Mine only." He hissed.

"Were here! Enough yapping come and fight." Snowydeath meowed. "Oh, and Wolfypaw you can use unsheathed claws."

Wolfypaw crouched in the middle of the sandy arena. She watched as Strangehunt mirrored her. Slowly she stalked towards him, trying to get behind him to throw him off balance.

Unfortunately he saw this coming and twisted himself as she leapt at him. Spitting, he threw her to the ground and crossed to the other side as she got up.

This time he leapt at her, landing on top of her and effectively pining him down. He lightly dug his claws into her sides. Not enough to cause a serious wound but enough to spur her on. Remembering an old fighting technique she let herself go limp, as he let out a purr of satisfaction.

Pretending to bite down on her throat she twisted suddenly and wriggled out from under him and swung herself so she was on top. He stared into her eyes, panting.

"Had enough?" She teased lightly.

"Never-"

"Actually I think we might go back." Snowydeath mewed. "Come on."

Strangehunt got off her and together they all walked back to camp. When they got back to camp, Snowydeath dismissed them.

Wolfypaw strode towards the fresh-kill pile and picked out a thrush and mouse. She walked over to Strangehunt and set the mouse down in front of him.

"Eat." She instructed.

"I-I'm not too sure..." He meowed hesitantly.

"Oh come on. You helped me train you deserve to eat." He dipped his head and devoured the mouse in famished gulps.

"I'm gonna go see my mate." He mewed.

"Wait!" She called after him. "I wanna talk to you, please."

He flattened his ears at her but came back and sat next to her. "What?"

"Well about your kits. What would you name them?" She asked.

He sighed. "I would name then Ghostkit, Bramblekit and Wingkit. Happy?" Concern for his mate made him very grouchy.

"Yeah go." She mewed.

He trotted off to the weak den and disappeared inside.

She slept for a bit until the leaders call awoke her.

"All cats, get up and come." Venomstar yowled. She got up and groggily went outside.

"We have an execution to preform." The sick leader smiled. "Bring them out!"

A beautiful grey cat with blue eyes and white markings was brought out of the Weak den, flanked by a snarling Strangehunt.

"If you touch her! I will kill you!" He snarled.

"Oh don't worry none of us will touch her." Venomstar meowed.

"Here, we have Strangehunt and Nightwhisper. They were both caught trying to escape the clan. Their punishment: death." The clan leader boomed.

"Now, Strangehunt. If you wish to live, I will give you one chance." Strangehunt perked his ears. "Kill you're pretty little mate and you will live if not, than you both die." He bargained.

Strangehunt looked at his mate. "kill me," Nightwhisper murmured, walking up to him, "I won't have us both die."

"I-I can't. I won't." He protested.

"Please, I don't want to live in this-this horrible world, please end my suffering. We'll meet again in StarClan." She purred.

"I can't, I love you, when you're sad I'm sad when you're happy I'm happy. When you die... I die." He murmured.

"Ugh enough of this soppy stuff! Kill her before I come down there and end both of you!" Venomstar snarled.

"If you ever loved me, you would kill me." Nightwhisper whispered. "Do it for us."

"I love you and I'm sorry." He mewed.

"I will forever love you and I forgive you. Now hurry up and kill me." He swiped his claws across her throat, instantly killing her.

The clan cheered as her body fell to the ground. Strangehunt stared at her body sorrow overcoming his features.

"Well done, Strangehunt. You have earned your place here in this clan. Rest you will resume normal duties in two days." With that he turned and padded away.

Wolfypaw hesitantly walked up to Strangehunt.

"Are you okay?" She asked.

"Would you be okay if you just had to kill your mate?" He asked miserably.

"I'm sorry." She murmured, bowing her head.

"It's okay. I'm just a little shaken up." She purred and licked his head.

"One day," he started, "One day, I will change this clan. One day." He promised.