WARRIOR CATS: The Cursed Star - Tides of Darkness

Chapter Three

   Irispaw closed her eyes as she sat on the beach shore, letting the sea breeze brush pass her. It ruffled her fur, and just calmed her down a ton. She always did this when she had the chance. It was calming, really, listening to the waves beating upon the ocean shore. Feeling the cold water rush up and touch the tips of her paws, making her shiver. When she was here, she was able to forget about things. It was like everything just melted away into nothingness – and it was just her and the sea.

   Sadly, the peace didn't last. It never did. She sighed as she heard a voice from behind her, allowing her gold eyes to flutter open.

   "There you are, Irispaw. What are you doing out here?"

   Irispaw turned around to face a large ginger, white, and brown tom. His orange eyes gleamed in the sunlight, and he had a stoic expression on her face. Irispaw let out another gusty sigh, her gaze glancing at the sandy floor beneath her paws momentarily. "I was just...enjoying the morning, Cheatwords." The gray feline mumbled, dipping her head as her gaze flitted back up to her mentor.

   "That's all very well, but you have duties to attend to," The tom replied, pausing, before going on. "I want to get some battle training in this morning. Come along." He meowed, turning away from Irispaw with a flick of his tail. Irispaw said nothing as she followed her mentor to the training spot, keeping her head low. She really didn't want to bother with training today. Some would call her lazy, or disgraceful for not wanting to help the clan. But all she was, was tired. Cheatwords was more tough on training, which Irispaw couldn't blame him for, but it's not like she enjoyed it.

   Irispaw halted as her mentor did, taking a deep breath and lifting her head, she addressed him. "What will we work on today, Cheatwords?"

   "The belly rake. It's about time you learned it – I've heard from Dacecloud that Nettlepaw has mastered it already." Cheatwords responded gruffly, gazing down at the shorter she-cat.

   Irispaw internally scoffed. Of course Nettlepaw already mastered it. Nettlepaw was her brother and the only other apprentice currently. Well, until Driftingpetal's kits become apprentices, which would hopefully be very soon. Irispaw loved her brother, but he was so...arrogant. Irispaw was aching for new denmates, and she didn't know what she would do if cats kept comparing her to her brother. Cheatwords' voice pulled her from the depths of her thoughts, and she refocused on him once more.

   "Did you hear me, Irispaw?" He demanded, arching a brow as he waited for her reply. Irispaw felt her pelt burn with embarrassment, shaking her head slowly. Cheatwords sighed. "Honestly, Irispaw," His expression softened, just a little. "You need to focus more, that's what you need to be a good warrior. Now, what I said was about the move you will be executing today." Cheatwords went on, Irispaw now listening with mild interest.

   Irispaw nodded as Cheatwords explained the move, and then prompted her. "Come at me, and pin me." He instructed, bracing himself in a battle stance. Irispaw readied herself before springing at Cheatwords, gathering all her strength to be able to pin the large tom down. Pinning was a move she had learned early on, and luckily she already mastered using her strength to push bigger cats down. She used two paws to pin down Cheatwords' shoulders, and one back paw was planted firmly on his tail. However, without wasting any time, Cheatwords raked his back paws over Irispaw's belly, sending her reeling.

   Irispaw, winded for just a moment, took a breather before climbing back onto her paws, and shaking her pelt of sand. Her gold gaze fell upon Cheatwords, meeting his orange eyes. "There. That is how you use the move properly. Now, try on me." He demanded. Irispaw nodded and made sure to get into a battle stance before Cheatwords sprang at her. Irispaw let him pin her, and then tried to rake her back paws against the cat's stomach. However, Cheatwords didn't move, and he shook his head. He climbed off of her, watching as she climbed to her paws.

   "You hesitated and your push was weak, your opponent would've had time to shred you to mouse-dust by then," The tom said harshly, and Irispaw resisted the urge to flatten her ears at him. "You will try again." He murmured, before springing at her once again. It went the same as before, only that she didn't hesitate this time. She wasn't able to move Cheatwords with the move, and he got up again. "Still not strong enough." He said disapprovingly, tail lashing. "We will try once more." He added. Irispaw let her mentor pin her and then used all her strength in her back legs to throw him off. He barely moved.

   The two CoveClan cats got up, Cheatwords looked upon his apprentice with a disappointed look in his orange gaze. Irispaw flattened her ears this time, ducking her head as the tom scrutinized her strength again. "It is obvious that you lack strength in your back legs, which isn't ideal." He meowed, shaking his head. "We will work on that later. Battle training is over for now. Hunt on your way back to camp and then come see me." Cheatwords said, before turning tail and padding back towards CoveClan camp. Irispaw watched him go, feeling worse than she did before the training session.

   Quietly, she began to head to the small strip of forest they had on CoveClan territory. It used to be bigger – but MistClan had recently pushed the border. As she slowly padded along, unpleasant thoughts stirred in her mind. Why wasn't she good at the basic things warrior apprentices should be good at? Her brother was way better than her, and got all the praise. Cheatwords must be disappointed that he got an apprentice like Irispaw. Did she even belong in CoveClan at this point? She was falling behind in her training – battle training, at least In a real battle, she'd probably be the weakest warrior out there – would Drizzlestar even want her to fight?

   Irispaw shook her head and tried to focus on the task at hand, scenting the air for any signs of prey. Then, she picked up the scent of a mouse. She surveyed the area and found the rodent nibbling on something. Irispaw dropped into the hunter's crouch, and slowly stalked towards the mouse. Once she was close enough, she leapt for the mouse. Unfortunately for her, she landed short. The thump alerted the mouse and it started to scramble away. Irispaw growed and leapt after it, sloppily landing with a paw on its tail. She clawed the rodent towards her and quickly put it out of its misery. With a sigh, she dropped it and slumped over.

   How did she almost lose something as simple as a small mouse? She couldn't be a poor hunter as well as a poor fighter! Irispaw dug up some earth to bury the mouse for later collection, before continuing on with her hunt. She could've just headed home after that, but there was no way she was going to let herself go back to camp with nothing but a measly mouse. As Irispaw hunted on, she managed to miss a squirrel and left the forest area, only to see a gull. Gulls were very hard to catch, alongside crabs and shellfish. But Irispaw was determined to do something to show that she was worthy of being a CoveClan cat. Despite her insecurities nagging at the back of her mind, she snuck up on the gull carefully.

   She then realized she was upwind, and the gull sensed her It was about to fly away, but Irispaw wouldn't let it. She ran quickly and sprang into the air, her claws digging into the gull's wings. She brought the thrashing, squawking bird down to the ground with her. Irispaw struggled for a moment, before giving it a killing bite. She felt the bird go limp beneath her paws, and let out a sigh of relief. Wow. She managed to actually take down a gull, mid-take-off. Irispaw smiled, her successful catch managing to quiet her insecurities, just for a little. The gray she-cat went back to collect her mouse before going to CoveClan's camp – which was in a sheltered cove, of course.

   Entering camp, the scent of her clanmates hit her. Foggywhisker, the medicine cat, was helping Appleleaf outside the medicine den. Drizzlestar, the deputy Coastalstorm, and two senior warriors, Cloudedgust and Ivydapple, were talking by the leader's rock. Nettlepaw was boasting to Emberleap and Havenfreckle about whatever feat he had done now, and Quickhare was playing with his kits, while Driftingpetal watched on. Irispaw looked around for Cheatwords, and spotted her mentor among Branchclaw, Forestfoot, Perchhollow, and Starlingbreeze. The tom noticed her and excused himself from the other warriors, padding over to meet Irispaw at the prey-pile.

   Irispaw dropped her mouse and gull into the pile, lifting her head to meet Cheatwords' gaze. "A gull," The tom rumbled, tail flicking. "I'm impressed. Good work, Irispaw." He meowed. Irispaw felt...a little happier at his praise. "Thank you." She murmured quietly. "What now?" She asked patiently, wondering what other duties he had for her. He hummed for a moment, before speaking. "Check the elders for ticks. After that, you may enjoy the rest of your day. We are on the dusk patrol tonight." He replied, waiting for a nod of confirmation from Irispaw before he hooked up a fish from the prey pile and padded away to rejoin the group he had been sitting with.

   Irispaw nodded, feeling herself filled with a bit of dread. Of course they had the dusk patrol. That would only make her even more tired. She turned tail and padded to the medicine den, sighing. Cheatwords worked her paws off – the duties he had for her seemed relentless. She ducked into the den and spotted Foggywhisker sorting herbs. Irispaw straightened up and meowed. "Foggywhisker, I need mouse-bile so I can check the elders for ticks."

   Foggywhisker lifted their head and glanced at Irispaw, nodding silently. The gray apprentice waited awkwardly in silence as the medicine cat dabbed some moss on a stick in mouse-bile, before giving it to Irispaw. Irispaw thanked them before making a beeline for the elder's den, ducking in to see that all three of the elders were awake and conversing. Herondawn glanced towards Irispaw and smiled. "Hello, Irispaw. Come to check us for ticks?" The old tom mused, making Irispaw inwardly groan. As much as she enjoyed the elder's stories, she hated tick duty. Irispaw nodded, and Sleekstag spoke up. "Wonderful. I have one on my shoulder, the stubborn little pest refuses to leave me be." She grunted. Irispaw padded over and dabbed the foul-smelling moss on the tick, in which popped off after a moment. Sleekstage visibly relaxed and thanked Irispaw.

   Irispaw removed a tick from Pearlight before leaving the den and discarding the stick and the foul smelling moss in the dirtplace. Irispaw turned, looking around camp. Curiosity sparked in her as Drizzlestar climbed onto the leader's rock. Outside the nursery, Quickhare and Driftingpetal were quickly grooming their three kits. Irispaw then realized, this must be their apprentice ceremony! Happily, Irispaw padded forth as Drizzlestar called the clan to gather. Every cat gathered below the leader's rock, with Bunnykit, Flamekit, and Nectarkit right in the center.

   Irispaw sat, tail curling over her paws, as she listened to Drizzlestar speak. "Today we show we are strong by naming new apprentices, which is one of the proudest moments in clan history," The regal she-cat mewed, glancing down at the kits. Irispaw knew that Drizzlestar usually seemed strict, but there was a warm glow in her eyes as she addressed the kits. "Bunnykit, Flamekit, and Nectarkit. You three have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed." Drizzlestar mewed, tail flicking. The ceremonial words plunged Irispaw's mind into the past, when she was given her own apprentice ceremony alongside Nettlepaw. She had been so excited to become a warrior, and her parents, Pumapounce and Bitternbirch, were very proud. She remembered vowing to Cheatwords that she would be the best apprentice ever. She couldn't help but feel as if she wasn't making good on that promise.

   Drizzlestar continued the ceremony, which pulled Irispaw from her memories. "From this day on, until you have earned your warrior names, you will be known as Bunnypaw, Flamepaw, and Nectarpaw." Drizzlestar mewed, and Irispaw noticed how each of the new apprentices straightened up proudly. "Bunnypaw, I have chosen Sablestream to be your mentor. She is a smart and skilled cat, and deserves to be a mentor." Drizzlestar said. Irispaw watched as Bunnypaw padded to Sablestream and touched noses with the black and gray she-cat. As the ceremony went on, Flamepaw was apprenticed to Cloudedgust and Nectarpaw to Perchhollow. All great choices, Irispaw thought. As the ceremony ended and the clan broke up, Irispaw padded up to meet the newly named apprentices.

   "Welcome to being an apprentice." Irispaw meowed kindly, tail swishing. Bunnypaw smiled. "Thank you!" The she-cat squeaked. Flamepaw nodded in agreement. "We're really excited! I'm gonna be the best warrior ever." He boasted, tail swishing. Their sister, Nectarpaw, was much more calm, but thanked Irispaw. "We can make your nests in the apprentice's den, if your mentors are fine with it." Irispaw meowed, watching as the new apprentices turned to get confirmation from their mentors. When they did, Irispaw smiled. "Great! Let's get the moss – and we can get some feathers as well!" Irispaw said, feeling happiness well up in her chest as the three nodded eagerly.

   Irispaw helped Bunnypaw, Flamepaw, and Nectarpaw make their nests before parting ways with them. She lounged in camp before the sun soon started to set, and Cheatwords made his way over to Irispaw, who was sitting outside the apprentice's den, conversing and sharing prey with her brother calmly. Irispaw glanced at Cheatwords, who mewed. "Come on, we have the evening patrol,". Right, the evening patrol. Sighing, Irispaw got to her paws and shook out her fur. "You too, Nettlepaw. Dacecloud is also on the patrol and wants to bring you as well." Cheatwords stated, padding off to the clan entrance, leaving no room for argument.

   Irispaw snickered as her brother groaned, and she nudged him to his paws. "C'mon you lump, it's time to go." She teased. Nettlepaw huffed, giving his chest fur a few licks. "Oh shush Irispaw." He tried sounding annoyed, but his voice was playful. The two siblings padded over to join their mentors and Ivydapple, who was leading the patrol. "Alright, if everyone's ready, let's head out." Ivydapple mewed, leaving camp. Dacecloud followed, then Nettlepaw, with Cheatwords and finally Irispaw in tow. The sun was setting, and soon it got a little dark. The patrol chattered as they checked the WaveClan border first, which was quiet. Then, they neared the MistClan border. It was quiet as well, no sign of a disturbance, so the patrol headed home.

   However, Irispaw heard some bushes rustle, and she glanced over her shoulder, eyes a little wide and her fur bristling a little. She swore she saw a pair of gleaming eyes staring right back at her, but when she blinked, they were gone. "Irispaw?" Came Cheatwords' deep mew. Irispaw's head swung around to meet her mentor's gaze. She straightened up, her fur lying flat. "Coming, Cheatwords." She responded, watching as her mentor nodded and padded away. Irispaw couldn't help but shoot another uneasy glance over her shoulder at the MistClan border, ears pricked. When she saw and heard nothing, she quietly followed after the patrol, a feeling of unease growing within her.