Rise From Darkness {COMPLETE}

Thornstar's Terror -Chapter 8-

Thornpelt felt anger and bitterness burning in his chest as he watched SunClan's newest apprentices celebrate their new mentors. I should have one of them. He flicked his tail and suppressed his rage, his gaze meeting Flowerstar's. He made his disdain very clear and when she turned her gaze away from his, he knew she was aware. He let out a low growl and turned away, unable to stomach this ceremony anymore.

Many long seasons had passed since he murdered Falconclaw, in that time SunClan had changed drastically. Thornpelt had never been given an apprentice while those around him did, including Flowerstar. When Mallownose died during an assault from LichenClan, she was made deputy and a few short moons later, she was given her nine lives.

Thornpelt had swallowed his feelings for her, shoving them deep down and ignoring them until they faded into nothingness. When she became leader, however, he had to make sure to remind her of their deal. She was a cat of honor, but that meant she refused to make him deputy without an apprentice. To add insult to injury, she made Thornpelt's own brother, Tigertail, deputy. He had never felt so much rage before, he had to stop himself from shredding both their ears.

It didn't help that he constantly had Falconclaw in his head and in his dreams telling him to take action into his own paws, and he was heavily considering it. When three kits were born, Thornpelt was certain that he would mentor one of them. He wanted Willowkit in particular, the she-cat had so much potential, confidence and spunk. Reminding him so much himself when he was her age. Then she died, and so did his chances of an apprentice.

The surviving kits, Dawnpaw and Turtlepaw had been given to Sunstream and Rainears respectively. Three of his four siblings had all been given apprentices and each time it infuriated him more and more. He should've had an apprentice by now, and every day that passed without one was another day wasted on his path of becoming SunClan's leader.

He ventured into the forest, his pelt prickling with anger, so much so that he couldn't even focus on hunting. He simply wandered the oak forest until he neared the AshClan border. He heard movement and stiffened, instantly going on alert and ready to fight. He crouched down and peered through the brush. Through it he saw a gray tabby she-cat, she was in a hunter's crouch and moments later, caught a nearby mouse. He recognized the she-cat as Echoheart, the AshClan deputy.

Thornpelt watched her a moment, he had been interested in her before. She was the last cat any Clan expected to take the role of deputy when Lionstar became a leader. She had never done much, unlike her sister Riverstorm who was a well known warrior for her ferocity and arrogance.

While watching her Thornpelt noticed the way that Echoheart looked at her sister, her green eyes filled with resentment and malice, the same feelings that he felt for his own brother as well as Flowerstar. He watched her for a while, she was a very skilled hunter and he knew her well as a skilled fighter.

After catching another squirrel, Echoheart turned and vanished into the pine trees of AshClan's territory and Thornpelt rose to his paws. Interest tingling in his paws and an idea forming in his mind, perhaps he could recruit the help of Echoheart...a cat like her would be easy to manipulate. A cat who had always been in her sister's shadow...he could use that for his benefit, he just had to figure out how.

*****

Thornpelt was annoyed to find himself in the Dark Forest when he opened his eyes, letting out a heavy groan. He really wasn't allowed one night of peace from Falconclaw. "What do you want?" He grumbled as Falconclaw appeared from the shadows.

"I know you're planning something, you've been skulking around every since those two apprentices were named." Falconclaw flicked his tail. "And I know it's involving that AshClan cat you spoke to at the gathering."