Hawkstar's Clan

Chapter 1

Many moons prior...
"Alright, it's your pick, Hawkpaw. Remember: Loser has to do my duties for the rest of my apprenticeship, haha!"

He started carefully, before crouching down. Hawkpaw concentrated hard, his claws digging into the dirt underneath him. The brown tabby tom was playing a game with his fellow apprentices, specifically Skunkpaw and her sister Condorpaw. Three piles of moss were laid in front, and one contained the "lucky pebble," as Skunkpaw called it. He had to guess which moss pile had the pebble.

"I don't think our mentors would like if we had to do your duties, Skunkpaw," a Turkish Van she-cat spoke. "Especially Badgerstar. You know. Your leader? Your mom?"

"Oh my Three Clans, you're such a downer, Berrypaw," the black and white she-cat groaned. "I'm obviously not joking."

"What?"

"What?"

Hawkpaw slammed a paw down at the moss pile on the right. "That one!" he declared triumphantly.

"Are you sure?" Skunkpaw mused, whiskers twitching.

"Yes, I'm sure!"

"StarClan, you're all weird." That was Tinypaw. The Siamese tom looked unamused as always, though he hung with them.

Hawkpaw sympathized with the apprentice; just a quarter moon ago, his and Berrypaw's mother--Strawberryflower--passed for unknown reasons. They were close to their mother, and her death aggravated Tinypaw's antisocialness. Their father Addershadow tried to bond with his children, but Tinypaw distanced himself from him. He confided with the apprentices that their father never bonded with them as kits since he was too caught up in warrior duties to really spend time with him or Berrypaw.

"Ohhhhkay mommy and daddy issues aside-" Skunkpaw grabbed the pile of moss Hawkpaw chose and lifted it up. "HAHA! I WON!"

"What?!" Hawkpaw looked down and didn't see the pebble. He flopped down on his chest, his paws scrabbling the dirt. No it couldn't be! He had great eyesight! How was this possible??

"Impossible!"

"Tough luck! But it seems I won yet again."

"You cheated," Hawkpaw accused her.

"Me? A cheater! That's an insane accusation."

"Actually," Berrypaw spoke again, "you did cheat."

"Huh?" Hawkpaw and Skunkpaw said in unison.

"And what proof do you have?" Skunkpaw snarled.

"The patch of moss here--" She pointed to it. "--had been disturbed. That means during the shuffle, you managed to sneak the pebble to the pile Hawkpaw chose because you watched where his eyes were following. You made sure to do so on the down low so he wouldn't catch it. I'd know cause Hawkpaw is very well known to stick to one thing. So. Basically. He won and you lost."

All the apprentices, except her, sat in awe, their jaws wide open at the Turkish Van's testimony. Skunkpaw couldn't find the words to defend herself.

"I.. Uhm. I- Well I-" She snarled at her, her claws unsheathing.
"What are you 'paws up to now?"

They turned their heads towards a silver tabby tom with a scar over his right eye approaching them.

"Last quarter moon you lot made some ruckus with the elders and now you're doing something again."

"Twistedwish!" Hawkpaw exclaimed, bounding over to rub his brother's chest.

"Hawkpaw, hey." He looked at the other apprentices. "Shouldn't you all be with your mentors?" he questioned them.

"Another minute I spend with Addershadow is another minute of my life gone!" Skunkpaw complained, sliding out her claws. "He's so uptight on the warrior code and takes things too seriously."

"Tell me about it," Tinypaw agreed.

"The Code exists for a reason," Twistedwish said. "Our ancestors created them for us, and we follow with it until we join StarClan. It's how it keeps the Clan strong and safe."

"Yeah but- Oh why bother complaining to someone who doesn't see my level." Skunkpaw got up and headed back to the den.

Condorpaw got up. "Excuse my sister." She followed after her in a hurry.

Hawkpaw didn't look up at his brother but he felt his big brother's muscles tighten. He knew that Twistedwish was offended by that statement, and he couldn't blame him. Skunkpaw went too far. A warrior who dared disrespect the warrior code might as well have been born a rogue.
What cat would say something so awful about the Code?

Berrypaw got to her paws. "I should meet with Flowerleaf. She'll be wondering all day about me!" Before she left, she brushed her tail under Hawkpaw's chin. "See you afterwards?"

Hawkpaw's face burned. "Oh- Y-Yeah. Of course."

Berrypaw smiled at him, bounded away, and she was gone.

Tinypaw got up as well. "I guess I'll go with Ashpool." He padded off without another word.

Twistedwish looked back down at Hawkpaw. "You got any plans with your mentor? Has he been doing well?"

Hawkpaw shrugged. "Eaglesight still hasn't recovered from his infection. Crowcloud said he should be feeling fine but it seems it got worse." His mind went to the cinnamon classic tabby tom who had fended off a fox from the camp a half moon ago. No one had gotten killed thankfully (all thanks to the brave warriors of ThistleClan) but he sustained a nasty injury to his chest and belly. Falconclaw, his brother, only had a few minor scrapes and bites but he was out of the medicine den by the next morning. Feathersky and Rookpelt also had minor injuries that they recovered from a few days later. Crowcloud found no indication of rabies and attested the warrior would be back on his feet in no time. But it seemed the medicine cat underestimated the injury. It wasn't her fault though. She was doing all she can to save him.

"Then you wanna have a session with me?"

Hawkpaw's mind snapped back and he looked up at his brother with determination sparkling in his eyes. "Yes!"