StarClan's Wrath

Chapter 7

(A/N, Booger's name has been changed to Spade for the rest of the story due to indecision.)

The sun was barely rising when Brightpaw was woken up by Birchpad. "Wake up," he growled. "You've got training to do. We leave in a few minutes with Willowtree and Beestripe."

Brightpaw immediately shot awake. "What kind of training...?" he asked.

"Battle training."

Immediately, Brightpaw got up. "Am I finally going to become a warrior apprentice? Did Sootstar leave?" He began prancing around the den in excitement. "I get to battle train!" he mewed excitedly. No more boring herb sorting!

"Settle down, you're still a medicine cat apprentice," Birchpad hissed. "Medicine cat apprentices learn battle training so they can defend themselves whenever they are attacked or stuck in a fight that didn't provoke them to attack. Otherwise, we're peaceful at all times."

The exciting glint in Brightpaw's eyes immediately turned to disappointment. "Oh," he said with a lack of enthusiasm. Well, that was disappointing. "But I'll still get to become a warrior apprentice soon, right?" But Birchpad only shrugged. Brightpaw started to lose hope a bit. But maybe Sootstar was nearby and Birchpad wouldn't want to anger him. 

As the six cats left the camp and walked, they conversed. "So, after the Gathering tomorrow, the leaders are going on the expedition, right?" Willowtree asked. Beestripe nodded. "Wow. I can't believe it's greenleaf already. It feels like just yesterday that the apprentices saw their first snow. 'Falling clouds.' Priceless!" He let out a mrrow of laughter along with the other two cats. Brightpaw glared at the older cat. "Oh, come on. I thought they were falling clouds when I was a kit!" he purred.

Growing herbs and berries gave off a strong scent, and Brightpaw had a huge urge to try each and every one of them. However, he knew that some berries were poisonous, including deathberries. I'll stick to prey, thank you very much, me.

The cats reached the training hollow, and Beestripe ordered the cats to sit. "All right," Beestripe mewed. "The first thing I'll be teaching you all is how to shoulder drop. As you see here..." He signaled Willowtree to stand next to him, then placed his paws on his shoulders. "Grab your opponent's shoulders, and lock them on the ground." Immediately he shoved Willowtree to the earth. Willowtree didn't even yowl with fright.

The apprentices practiced on eachother for a while, gently. Stubbypaw let out a mrrow of laughter. "If I get pinned, then the enemy won't be able to grab my tail! It's so short!" He licked his one white paw and did his move on Brightpaw. However, Brightpaw fell with unease as he looked at the concerned Weedpaw. Stubbypaw looked as well. "Is something wrong, Weedpaw?"

"Nothing, it's just... what if I do have to be a warrior? I can never do the moves as well as you two," she sighed. "And... and..." She looked back at the mentors, who were all conversing. "I met that kittypet last night," she whispered.

"The one who stole my pre--" Stubbypaw was immediately hushed by Brightpaw. "Did you attack him?" he whispered.

"No," Weedpaw hissed. "I told him to stay off our territory though. But... he said something that I think we could all hear. And it's surprising to hear it from a kittypet. Of all cats!"

"What did he say?"

"You make your own decisions. Create yourself as you get older and wiser. And don't ever let anyone tell you that you can't be what you want." Weedpaw quoted. "So that means when we get older, we can change our destinies! Because I am not a warrior!"

"And I am not a medicine cat!" Brightpaw chimed in. Pride swelled through him. He wanted to meet this kittypet badly, now. He seemed like a great kind of cat, unlike the fat, lazy ones he had always heard of.

But Stubbypaw was nosy. "What was the kittypet's name?

"Spade," Weedpaw said. "It's a funny name, I know. All kittypets have funny names."

"Are you all going to keep working or are you just going to spend your time talking?" Willowtree's mew made all three apprentices jump. The mentors always seem to just pop up out of nowhere when they would talk. "You might as well show us your-- Hey!" he immediately stopped and stared at the border. ThunderClan cats were trespassing! They weren't such a perfect Clan after all. Brightpaw couldn't hear anything, but it seemed like the trespassers were giving attitude. He stepped closer to hear. "Go on, get off! We don't have to fight."

One of the cats spat. "We don't have to fight!" he mocked. Brightpaw assumed he was an apprentice too.

The cat who was the assumed mentor added on. "What happened to you, ShadowClan? You were always so arrogant and battle hungry, and now you're too weak to come fight us!" he sneered. He started stepping closer. Some more patrols emerged from the bushes. They had to be outnumbered.

Birchpad looked over. "I'll go get one of the other patrols," he mewed. But by the time he was out of sight, the patrols were charging at the three cats. Even though they had only one unfinished training session, they had no choice but to fight.