Perfection [ warriorcats fanfiction ]

iii.i

Two Enforcers
The most terrifying cats in the Clan.
Duskshade and Splashclaw.
Duskshade was strong and Splashclaw was fast. No cat could escape them.
No one tried.
They were the ones who enforced the Sixteenth Addition to the Warrior Code.
The ones who killed the imperfections.

Nightpaw woke up frightened. Where am I, she thought, looking around frantically. "Dawnpaw?" Her eyes adjusted to the dim light and realization hit her- she was in the apprentices' den, and all the other apprentices were gone.

Nightpaw blinked a few times and went outside. Her sister's pale gray pelt stood out among the dark blacks, browns, and grays of the other cats.

Nightpaw trotted over to her sister.

"Stormpetal's kits were born last night," Dawnpaw greeted.

Stormpetal was a pretty dark-gray she-cat who had moved into the nursery a few moons before Nightpaw and her sister became apprentices. Stormpetal was usually quiet and reserved, and Nightpaw hadn't thought of her as anything more than a silent shadow on one side of the nursery.

Nightpaw's twitched her ears. "And....?"

Dawnpaw bounced up and down. "They're adorable! Two toms and two she-kits!"

Puddlepaw wandered over, dropping a squirrel at Nightpaw's feet. "We can share it," he explained, noticing the question in her eyes.

"Thanks." Nightpaw took a small bite of the squirrel.

Puddlepaw leaned down towards the squirrel, his cheek brushing Nightpaw's. She jerked back, but he didn't seem to notice and continued eating.

"Storm-Stormpetal had her kits." She looked at Dawnpaw.

Blackpaw looked up from the mouse he had recently brought over. "I heard. They're the first new kits in a while. There's four of them, right?"

Dawnpaw nodded and began to ramble. "There's Leafkit, she's the oldest, and Rockykit and Marshkit, I can barely tell them apart; they're both dark brown, and Snowykit, she's my favorite, but she's so tiny, they all are, really."

Blackpaw swallowed a mouthful of mouse. "They're all okay, right? I mean, none of them are imperfections?"

Nightpaw shrugged. "Dawnpaw's the only one who saw them."

Dawnpaw grinned when the three other apprentices turned to her. "Like I said, they're all so little! But they're kits, so I guess it's okay."

"I hope it's okay," said Nightpaw darkly.

Dawnpaw waved her tail. "They're Splashclaw's kits," she said, "they're gonna be so fast, and smart, and such good hunters. More perfect than Froststar, even."

Nightpaw shuddered at the mention of Splashclaw. The younger of the two enforcers, Splashclaw was known for his no-nonsense demeanor and fierce devotion to the Warrior Code. The dark brown tom was the one who had silently threatened Dawnpaw last night, after she finished talking to Froststar. He had followed her around from a distance, the look on his yellow eyes hungrily awaiting her death, Nightpaw knew.

Every day Dawnpaw's living is borrowed time.

Nightpaw sighed and took another bite of the squirrel.

"Are we going to battle train today?" Dawnpaw twitched her ears in excitement.

"I don't think so," Puddlepaw replied, "Grayflower told me we were going to have a group hunting lesson today. Some of the older apprentices were going to show us a few things....Rosepaw was going to help out...."

"Ah, Rosepaw," said Dawnpaw, grinning at Puddlepaw, "You're looking forward to that, aren't you?"

Puddlepaw looked at his paws in what Nightpaw perceived as noticeable embarrassment. "Oh, be quiet," he muttered.

Nightpaw scowled instinctively.

"Rosepaw! Oh, Rosepaw!" Dawnpaw's voice was almost silent. "I love you so much, Rosepaw!"

"I've never said anything like that," Puddlepaw snapped indignantly.

"Oh, of course." Dawnpaw whispered, her voice heavy with sarcasm. "Rosepaw is just perfect; to me, she's the most perfect cat in the entire clan-"

"Froststar is the most perfect," said Blackpaw, his voice more quiet than usual and muffled through a bite of his mouse, "that's why she's the leader."

"What does perfect even mean?" Nightpaw asked, taking a bit of the squirrel.

Blackpaw shrugged. "She has to be, because only perfect cats are chosen by Starclan to be the leaders."

"Well, Froststar is the best hunter in the entire clan," noted Puddlepaw, talking quickly, Nightpaw noticed, probably glad they had dropped the subject of Rosepaw. "She can see birds through rain and fog and anything."

"That doesn't make her perfect," Nightpaw countered.

Puddlepaw shrugged. "I never said it did. I think that's a part of it, though- a cat can't be perfect if they can't hunt."

Nightpaw opened her mouth to reply and was cut off by Silverleaf's stern voice.

"Stop gossiping about our leader," she said to her apprentice, "We're going to battle train."

"Why just me?" Nightpaw immediately regretted her words. Silverleaf's icy blue eyes sharpened.

"Now that you mention it," Silverleaf said quietly, glancing around at the other apprentices, "Puddlepaw. Come with us. I'll notify Grayflower."

Nightpaw looked at Puddlepaw apologetically, but the other apprentice seemed quite excited.

Silverleaf stood silently, waiting for the apprentices to leave.

Nightpaw and Puddlepaw stood still.

Silverleaf's eyes narrowed in a silent command. Go.