Super Edition - Lightstar's Wrath

Chapter 17

Newleaf was fresh upon the clans. Greencough had subsided in most of the cats. Pebbleheart was the only one with lingering symptoms, but he wasn't contagious and well enough to carry out his duties. Lightclaw watched Icepaw from afar, keeping low in the heathers as she sniffed around the Moss Cedar for prey scents. The young she-cat was determined to pass her assessment. Her ears perked up as she darted in a direction. Lightclaw peered closer as she pounced on a grouse, killing it with a swift bite to the throat.

"Good job, Icepaw!" Lightclaw called out. "Congratulations, you've passed your assessment," The tabby tom purred.

"Really? I get to be a warrior?" Icepaw asked, prancing around excitedly. "I'm gonna be a warrior!" She purred as the two of them walked back to camp. The sunhigh patrol had recently returned and the fresh-kill pile was stocked. As Lightclaw ducked under the gorse tunnel, he gave a nod to Duststar, signaling his apprentice passed her assessment. With a smile, Duststar leaped onto the Cold Rock and howled for her clan to gather.

"Today, we welcome a new warrior amongst our ranks, as an apprentice has passed her assessment," The elderly leader started. "I, Duststar, leader of IcyClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn. Icepaq, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," Icepaw shakily squeaked.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Icepaw, from this moment on you will be known as Icepelt. StarClan honors your loyalty and strength, and we welcome you as a full warrior of IcyClan." The leader concluded. The clan erupted into cheers before being quieted by a swish of Duststar's tail. "It is also time for two kits to become apprenticed." She added.

Owlkit and Rainkit squirmed out of their parents' grooming session and rushed to the Cold Rock, their eyes glistening. Lightclaw could still thoroughly remember his and Russetheart's apprentice ceremony. Speaking of Russetheart, where was she? Lightclaw didn't see his sister in camp.

"Owlkit, Rainkit, you two have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior names, you will be known as Owlpaw and Rainpaw." She began, smiling down at the kits. "Owlpaw, you have chosen the path of the medicine cat. Your mentor shall be Stormshrew. Stormshrew, you have received excellent training from Mousefire, and I expect you to pass down all you know to Owlpaw," Duststar paused to catch her breath, "Rainpaw, your mentor shall be Creekfoot. Creekfoot, you have received excellent training from Alderstrike, and I expect you to pass down all you know to Rainpaw."

The clan erupted into cheers again before Duststar dismissed the gathered cats. As Lightclaw suspected, Icepelt chose Leafwing to go on her walk. The two of them left camp with wide smiles. The dirtplace tunnel rustled, and Russetheart emerged into the clearing. Lightclaw trotted up to her, concerned.

"There you are, Russetheart!" He started. "You missed the ceremony! Icepaw became Icepelt, and Owlpaw and Rainpaw were apprenticed. Owlpaw's training as a med-" The young tabby paused. Fresh twolegplace smell was all over Russetheart's fur. "You were visiting that kittypet, weren't you?" He quietly hissed. 

"So what if I am?" Russetheart snorted. 

"I told you to stop visiting her! You know it's against the code!" Lightclaw felt the fur along his back bristle.

"I'm a warrior, I can make my own choices. And if I choose to break the code, that'll be my choice. You're not my dad, you're not my mentor, and you're not my leader. I don't have to listen to a damn thing you say!" Her tail flicked irritably before pushing past her brother. 

"But you just met her! Why would you betray your clan, your friends, and your family for a cat you just met!" Lightclaw trotted after her.

"I didn't just meet her. I've been seeing her every day for the past moon and a half, ever since we grabbed catmint from there," The ginger she-cat explained. 

"But what if you get caught? What if Duststar makes you stay in camp? Or worse, what if she exiles you?" Lightclaw's tone went from mad to worried. He couldn't bear to lose more kin.

"If Duststar keeps me in camp, I could always sneak out and become a kittypet. Same thing if she exiles me, I could stay with Crystal," Russetheart calmly explained. Her eyes seemed to light up at the idea.

"But... I'll miss you," Lightclaw solemnly admitted, his ears folding back. Russetheart drew in a sigh herself. 

"I'll miss you too, but after seeing what kittypet life is like, it seems really great. If the warrior code didn't scorn it, I'm sure every warrior would be rushing to become one," Russetheart explained. "If Snowfeather was a kittypet, you'd still love her, right?"

"I don't know," Lightclaw huffed. The tabby tom took another moment to drink in this information. "I guess there's nothing I can do to convince you otherwise. No matter what I say, you're gonna keep seeing her," He concluded. Russetheart gave a small, solemn nod. 

"I'm sorry, Lightclaw," Russetheart began, but she was cut off by Lightclaw's frustrated growls.

"So you want to leave the clan who raised you so you can be pampered by twolegs? You want to go off and get fat off of StarClan-knows-what they feed you while we practically starve when prey is scarce? You want to abandon everything for one cat?" His fur began to bristle. "You're so selfish! You want to just abandon us! Honestly, Russetheart! Do you have bees in your brain?"

"Lightclaw, stop it." Russetheart kept her tone calm, but frustration obviously pricked through her pelt.

"I can't believe you would even think to leave us! You're just going to get up, break the code, and leave! You're just like Hailshade!" The last sentence slipped out of his muzzle, which he quickly clamped shut. After a heartbeat, he chose to go with it. "Just like Hailshade, you're leaving! You might as well join her in the Dark Forest!"

"Shut up!" Russetheart spat, taking her paw and whacking Lightclaw's muzzle. "Just shut up! You can't compare me to a murderer!"

"Well, you're destroying our family, just like Hailshade did!" Lightclaw retorted with a snarl. He felt his claws unsheathe and dig into the earth. "You might as well just leave now! You selfish piece of crow-food!"

"Oh yeah, I'm selfish! At least I'm supportive of my littermate! You've barely done anything for me our whole lives, and after all the things I've done for you!" The ginger tabby hissed. "And at least I didn't destroy my mentor's family! You're an idiot, Lightclaw. You complain about losing your family, yet when things don't go your way you push us away!" Russetheart began to turn around but kept her head facing Lightclaw. "Thunderpelt would be ashamed of you," She spat.

That was the last straw for Lightclaw. He couldn't even control himself when he leaped out at Russetheart, pinning her to the ground. "You leave Thunderpelt out of this!" He snarled, batting the side of her face with his claw.

Russetheart, shocked at first, kicked out her hind legs and scraped his underbelly. Lightclaw reeled back, but the she-cat gave him no time to react. Her claws tore at his flank and legs, unbalancing him even more. Lightclaw couldn't stand for much longer. His legs gave out and he fell to the ground. Giving him one last slash to the forehead, Russetheart ran off. 

Lightclaw's thoughts were a blur to him. He couldn't even think straight. The sting of his scratches was nothing compared to the sting in his heart. He couldn't even process what just happened. Regret surged through his veins. This was not the goodbye he wanted. Now his own sister, his best friend since kithood, was gone. It hurt even worse knowing that the last memory they'd have together would be their worst. Now Lightclaw was sure Russetheart would hate him forever. She had every right to.