Heart Of A Fighter (Book 1): The Story Begins

Chapter 4: Unfair Punishment

"Hm, that's unlike anything I've ever seen," Aldertrail murmured as she gingerly examined her Littlepaw's face. "Will she be okay?!" Azuregale demanded, lashing his tail in worry.

"The markings under her eyes seem to have no effect on her, but the one on her throat..." The Nettle paused for a moment before saying, "I think it has a burning sensation on her throat should she strain her voice too much."

Goslingpaw nodded mutely; her throat hurt a bit after the outburst.

Azuregale was about to say something when Cougarstar's voice suddenly roared, "Every cat in BlazeClan, gather beneath the Sunrock to hear my words!"

Goslingpaw groaned. She knew this was coming, but really, it was still so humiliating! Her first day as a Littlepaw, and she was already in trouble.

Aldertrail gently nudged her forward and murmured, "Good luck," before quietly shuffling to the back where all the Nettles sat.

Goslingpaw felt shame as many pairs of eyes stared at her, judging her. She also started hearing whispers behind her back.

"Isn't that the only Littlepaw in the clan?"

"It is! Suppose she's in trouble for shouting at the royals?"

"Of course she is; those royal brats get anyone that stands up to them in more trouble than a cat biting a tiger's tail!"

"You have to admit though, she was brave for standing up to them."

"Too right, not even the boldest Claw dares to speak back to the royal nuisances!"

"For a Littlepaw, she's got more guts than all the Titanpaws in this clan, daring to yell at the royal heirs like that!"

Goslingpaw felt pride when she heard some respect in those whispers, but that feeling quickly vanished when Cougarstar stepped onto the Sunrock, his children beside him grinning smugly.

Azuregale's eyes were full of worry as he locked gazes with the young Littlepaw when he took his spot next to the Leader's Perch.

"BlazeClan, right now I have gathered you all here to publicly announce the punishment for this disgusting, deceptive, manipulative excuse for a she-cat," Cougarstar snarled, eyes blazing with fury.

Goslingpaw met his gaze evenly, her own green eyes glaring furiously back at his. She wanted to flare up her neck fur to try and appear bigger, but something told her not to.

"My own children, the royal heirs themselves, honourable and true, have said that this little liar, this pathetic waste and scum of the Earth molly-"

Goslingpaw stifled an angered growl at this comment.

"Has rudely and wrongly accused them of stealing prey, and DARES to challenge them even when she is in the wrong!"

Goslingpaw wanted to scream that it wasn't true, but before she could try, Cougarstar continued in a booming growl, "She has also manipulated our deputy, the honest and steadfast Azuregale, into taking her side!"

Goslingpaw shot a glance at her foster father, whose eyes were filled with exhaustion and anger.

She knew he hadn't told Cougarstar that he'd chosen to take her side; the Leader would believe his own children over his deputy in a heartbeat.

Anger flared up inside Goslingpaw. She had been wrongly accused!

She immediately stood up, facing the Leader and yelled back, "Your children are the deceptive liars! They're big and nasty and rude and deserve to go eat a heap of badger dung!"

Gasps of shock came from the cats watching, as they never expected a she-cat, a Littlepaw no less, to insult the royal children like that.

Lichenfrost and Beetlescar were both astonished, their jaws hung agape and their eyes looked like they would pop out of their sockets.

Cougarstar's expression was a mixture of fury and shock. He narrowed his eyes in an unmistakable rage and roared at the top of his lungs, "Unbelievable! The cheek of you to say that! Your first day as a stupid Littlepaw and you dare to insult your superiors!"

His tail lashed angrily and his claws shot out of their sheaths as his great form hunched over in attack stance.

"Well done Goslingpaw, you're dead meat," she thought, bracing herself.

Not a sound was heard from the rest of the clan as Cougarstar continued, "I sentence this disgusting rat to go and tend to the needs of the true scum of the earth, disgraces to the world of perfection! The Prickles are lowly, imperfect and revolting, so you will be perfect company. And for being a Crown Spirit forsaken eyesore because of those-"

He gestured vaguely to the strange markings that had manifested under Goslingpaw's eyes. "Things under your eyes, you can forget receiving your full name until I say so!"

The cream and brown apprentice wanted to yowl that it was unfair, but a discreet warning hiss from Aldertrail and a look from Azuregale told her to hold her tongue.

The Crown Spirits only knew what Cougarstar would do if she dared to challenge him more.

The Leader drew the meeting to an end and stormed off, his children quickly following him. The rest of the clan broke off into their respective groups, whispering to each other about what had happened.

Goslingpaw drew in a breath and forced herself to stop shaking.

She was only faintly aware of her mentor gently guiding her away with a wispy tail on her back, as Azuregale, Slatepaw and Stonepaw cast looks of worry in her direction.

As mentor and trainee were heading back to the Nettlecave, Goslingpaw heard her mother saying something to Swanpaw. She pricked her ears, and what she heard made her heart feel like it was tearing into a million pieces.

"I'm glad I raised you instead of that embarrassing clan disgrace, my beautiful swan. She's better off being a Prickle than being called my daughter and your sister."

Goslingpaw bit her lip and tried not to sob. Her mentor gazed at her in worry. "Goslingpaw, are you okay?"

The Littlepaw stared at the ground, feeling like she was crashing into the endless depths of a deep dark chasm as the words of her own mother replayed in her head.

"I'm fine."