Rustpaw gagged as some dew flew on his nose:-Watch it!
Spottedpaw giggled. -It's just water!
-No, it's gross water.
They followed the warriors out of the camp, the black sky stretching out above them. It was the time of the gathering. It's been a while since Rustpaw's first one.
They sped through the leaves, slowing down as they approached the Bridge.
-Spottedpaw?- Marigold nodded to her apprentice.
-Coming!- she leaped to her mentor and they both reached the other clans' medicine cats.
Rustpaw looked around. "Only DoveClan and OakClan are here..."
A young warrior was hanging from the DoveClan tree, having a few laughs with the others: it was a small old pine that was cut and fell onto the Bridge. Twolegs would rarely come there, and that is why some would call it the Abandoned Bridge. However DoveClan would use it as a way to not trespass StormClan, even though the part of the path closer to the Bridge was considered neutral.
The apprentice looked at them nicely. "Must be great to be born with clan blood and have friends... unlike me...".
The other DoveClan apprentices were whispering to themselves, glaring at Rustpaw. Mostly because of his collar. Couldn't they just ignore it?
The apprentice wagged his tail and growled at the cats, who looked away. "They think they wouldn't lose me to a fight, huh?".
-Keep it in, now.- said Poolspring, behind him. -You know it's against the warrior code.
Rustpaw sighed, his fur relaxed on his neck:-I just want to be respected in some way. I can't stand cats who talk behind my back before they'd even know me!
-But it'd be more right to follow the rules, regardless of where you come from.- the deputy explained. -Surely you know better than any of the other clans' apprentices. Now go on, have fun before the Gathering starts.
The golden tom trotted away to a group of warriors, and Rustpaw decided to reach the DoveClan cats hanging around the trunk of the pine.
-Yes, it is I... the all mythical and powerful... The Mouse Brain. Now bow to me! Chant my name!- the red tabby tom meowed, keeping his head and tail high. -I'm your new god!
-Bow to The Mouse Brain! Bow to The Mouse Brain!- every cat yowled, exploding in laughter. The cats around them seemed mildly annoyed, but were all talking to themselves.
Rustpaw stepped in, immediately catching the eye of The Mouse Brain. -Jolly, who do we have here? You were late to our daily chant!
-I excuse myself, The Mouse Brain, but I had an important meeting with our fellow noodled brain peasants.- he meowed. -How shall I redeem myself for missing the most important time of the day?
The ginger tom laughed:-Wait a moment... my lost friend! Big Ears! We won't punish you for now, but be sure to always be welcome! Now chant our names! The Mouse Brain! Big Ears!
Rustpaw smiled as the cats around him chanted their names. He climbed up the tree and sat next to the ginger tom. -What's your name? I'm Firedusk, of DoveClan!
-I'm Rustpaw, from StormClan.- he mewed. -Nice to meet you!
They both watched from above the cats bowing to the two. They looked at each other. -So, Big Ears... jee sorry, it's the first thing that came to mind...
-It's fine, The Mouse Brain!- exclaimed Rustpaw. -We shall both rule with idiotic names, even if it kills us!
-That's a brave spirit you got there, buddy!- he mewed. -Now keep bowing to us, peasants!
YOU ARE READING
Bright Forest
Fiksi PenggemarDisclaimer: First of all, I want to make clear that this is heavily inspired by Maltose's au, but in a different setting. Also, if you're familiar with West Woods from Moss-shadow, there's a little bit of that too, especially with the name Sliversto...
