Slypaw sits down in a large nest, curled around her new friend Tinystripe. "So your mentor was your real mother?" Slypaw asks the brown and orange cat, who simply nods.
"My mother had barely become a warrior when she began expecting kits with Streamclaw. She was young, only 12 moons, when she gave birth to her first litter. Saddly, Pinefur, the medicine cat, had to tell my mother that all but one of her kits had died. Silverheart was the only living kit left. For many moons after that, mother only cared about taking care of Silverheart. She taught her everything it ment to be a warrior, a leader, a mother, and a medicine cat. Silverheart was able to do it all. The only cat ever to become a warrior without first having a mentor.
So, when Silverheart got pregnant with Windwhisker's kits, mother was so proud. She praised her daughter for being a magnificent warrior and still being able to be a faithful mate and a helpful member of the clan. Other cats didn't know that my mother was also pregnant.
Mother wasn't pregnant with Streamclaw's kits, like he should have been. My mother was pregnant with Pinefur's kits. My mother had disobeyed the warrior code, along with Pinefur, and were going to have kits together. But Pinefur never lived long enough to meet me. Meet his only living kit. He died shortly after, that following leafbare, from greencough. My mother took his place and, not long after, had me. And once again, only one kit survived.
Mother pretended to have found me on the edge of the territory. When she brought me to Lightstar, she begged to keep me as her own, raise me as her apprentice from kitthood to warriorhood. Hesitantly, Lightstar agreed, and my mother had tought me everything she knew, just like she had done with Silverheart. As I grew, I learned more and more, applying myself more and more and, before I knew it, I was an apprentice at 5 moons. My mother, however, began then rejecting me. I was growing and maturing and she kept on calling me Pinefur. I reminded her so much of her dead mate, that one day, she ate a death berry. I found her the next morning in the back cave. She was dead. I was only 8 moons."
Slypaw used her tail to gently whipe a tear out of her whiskers. Tinystripe's story was so terribly sad! "I'm so sorry that it had to be you. You are too nice of a cat to have to go through something like that." For a while, Slypaw and Tinystripe sat in silence, curled around eachother in comfort.
After a few moments, Tinystripe seemed to cheer up a bit. "So what about you? Lightstar told me you came alone. Where was your family?"
Now it was time for Slypaw's story.
"My parents left me alone in a housefolk garden 6 moons ago." Slypaw said shortly.
When Slypaw didn't continue, Tinystripe prodded her gently with one orange paw. "Well? I just poured my heart out. Isn't it only fair to hear yours too?"
Slypaw smiled a bit. "Well, It's really not so bad. My parents didn't really intend on having kits. I was kind of an accident. My father, when he was still around, was always running off to do some things, but I can't really remember much. He left my mother and me alone alot, and he never came back as healthy as he left. And one day, he didn't come back at all. My mother began running off, leaving me in the housefolk garden alone. Six moos ago, she told me to stay in the garden until she or my father came back, but neither ever did. I waited there for a few nights before I began catching my own food in the garden. I never left, but I was getting hungry. One day, a really big bird came into the garden, but when I tried to catch it, I lost it. That was when Black showed up. He caught it for me, and introduced himself. He has been taking care of me ever since."
"Wait, wait, wait. Who's 'Black'?" Tinystripe asked and Slypaw purred in amusement.
"Black was one of the cats that lived in the housefolk den next to the garden. He is huge and pitch black. He was kind of like my father for the last few moons."
"Oh, okay. Go on." Tinystripe purred.
Slypaw purred as well. "Well, Black and Honey- I mean Honeyclaw- used to take care of me for a long time." Slypaw said, correcting herself on Honeyclaw's REAL name. "They taught me to hunt and fight and heal wounds." She said with a smile. Maybe I can help you in here! I may not know the names of all the plants and things that heal, but I know some and it might be helpful!"
Tinystripe jumped up happily. Yeah! That would be great! I get so tired helping cats after a big battle, it gets tough."
"A battle?" Slypaw asked. Windwhisker said nothing about battling anyone.
Tinystripe looked at her new friend. "Well, yes. We fight the other cland for territory and prey. But not every day." She said and curled back down in the large nest. "Usually, its for the peace of the clans. We never fight unless we have to, and we NEVER kill if there is a chance for peace without sending a cat to Starclan.
"Sounds violent." Slypaw murmered, looking away.
Tinystripe brushed her tail down Slypaw's slightly ruffled pelt. "Don't worry. If they make you fight, I won't let you get hurt, okay?"
Slypaw looked at the small brown cat next to her. This cat, barely older than an apprentice, was promising to keep her safe. She had found a friend already. And a good one at that! Slypaw jumped to her fet. "And I will do everything I can to help you!" She purred.
Tinystripe's expression went from suprised at Slypaw's outburst, to pure hapiness. "Careful; I might hold you up to that!"
Slypaw purred and hopped out of the nest. "So can you answer something for me?" She asked Tinystripe, who nodded. "What is Starclan?"
For a moment, Tinystripe just sat in silence, watching Slypaw like she had a second tail.
