Warriors: The Broken Path (Warriors FanFiction)

Chapter 7

The moon was a sliver in the blood-dark sky as Brokenpaw pressed against Wolfpaw in the center of ThunderClan camp, staring at the neatened-up body of their older brother as they sat a silent vigil over his horrible death. Brokenpaw whimpered and buried her face into her younger brother's shoulder fur, and Wolfpaw drew her close by wrapping his black and white tail around his sister.

Bramblestar and Thornclaw had carried Bloodpaw's body back to the camp. Brokenpaw had followed slowly, her tail dragging over the grass and her head hung low. Wolfpaw pressed against his sister as the ThunderClan cats took them back to camp, where the two young apprentices would remain from now on. Frigidpaw sulked on Brokenpaw's other side, constantly glancing at the black she-cat and asking if she was okay. Wolfpaw still wasn't even sane enough to explain what had actually happened. So the cats had cleaned up Bloodpaw's body and rubbed him with herbs like rosemary and thyme.

Bramblestar and Frigidpaw sat on the opposite side of Bloodpaw's body, resuming the traditional vigil as if Bloodpaw had always belonged to the clan.

Brokenpaw lifted her head slightly at the sound of approaching pawsteps and saw a pale ginger she-cat with striking green eyes standing before them. "Bramblestar, has he spoken of anything yet?" The she-cat questioned innocently, nodding toward Wolfpaw. Bramblestar shook his broad head, his amber eyes sorrowful.

"No Squirrelflight. We just need to give him some time." The dark tabby tom rumbled patiently, and the lighter tabby gave a small snort of irritance. But she said nothing, turning away and plodding gently back to the warriors' den.

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The sun crept up from behind the horizon when the elders emerged from their den to take Bloodpaw to be buried. Bramblestar had addressed the three frailing cats as Dustpelt, Brackenfur and Purdy. "I don't want you two following them. You've grieved enough." Bramblestar meowed softly, his amber eyes sincere.

"Grab something from the fresh-kill pile and I'll get a patrol together so you can see all of the territory. Wolfpaw, you don't have to tell us what happened until you're absolutely sure you're ready to." He assured comfortingly, and the small black and white tom nodded slowly, ears drooping in the fresh sorrow.

"C'mon, Wolfpaw." Brokenpaw nudged her little brother to his paws and led him over to the mound of prey in the center of the camp. Wolfpaw was very mute and shakey as he walked, stumbling after every few pawsteps. Brokenpaw picked out a plump vole for Wolfpaw, and a nice mouse for herself. The two littermates settled back down and picked at their food they had both eaten about half of it.

"We... We should give the rest to Bramblestar..." Wolfpaw finally mewed hoarsely, glancing at his fluffy black sibling with sad icy blue eyes. "Since... Ya know. He's letting us join ThunderClan."

Brokenpaw murmured in agreement, spotting the clan leader chatting with Squirrelflight near the high ledge. "Let's go, then." She heaved herself back up to her paws and grabbed her half-eaten mouse, trotting briskly over to Bramblestar. Wolfpaw followed more slowly, and they both dropped their food before the leader, who stared at them quizzically.

"What's this?" He asked dumbfoundedly, looking at the morsels of food at his big paws. Brokenpaw shuffled the dirt with her paws nervously.

"We wanted to share with you. We are very greatful for you taking us into the care of ThunderClan. We want to show you that we will be the most loyal cats ThunderClan has ever seen!" Brokenpaw told the tabby tom timidly, feeling her brother brush up against her flank. Bramblestar gazed at her warmly, determination flooding through his limbs. Without saying another word, he climbed to the top of the rocks and yowled out, his deep voice echoing off of the walls of the stone hollow.

"Let all those old enough to catch their own prey join me for a very important clan meeting!"

Brokenpaw was amazed at the swarm of cats, young and old- that emerged from the many dens. They curiously crowded together beneath the mountain of rubble and watched their leader intently for his news. Once everyone had gathered in the clearing, Bramblestar leapt back down from the high ledge and stood before his clan.

"Cats of ThunderClan!" He began courageously, his striking amber eyes watching the face of every single cat, even flickering over to Wolfpaw and Brokenpaw a few times. "Not many have heard the news, but we have found two abandoned apprentices that need a home. They are clan born, but they forgot their heritage and wandered through the wilderness on their own. You all remember Sol, right?" He paused, waiting for the snarls of resentment crackling among the crowd to cease.

"Well, he tried taking them in to raise them in the ways of the clans. He wasn't bad- yet he didn't properly make them apprentices. But you all know what happened yesterday when Brokenpaw was brought to camp." Murmurs of anxiety and confusion rippled through the many cats. "We went back for Brokenpaw's brothers. Unfortunately, we arrived at a horrible scene, where her oldest brother had been murdered for some unknown reason we are still trying to figure out. Sol was no where to be found. We-" Bramblestar had to stop again because hisses of anger rose up from the clan cats.

"Sol is a cold-hearted mange-pelt!" Cried a gray tabby she-cat.

"Poor youngsters! They don't deserve that sorta treatment!" Purdy spat furiously from the back of the gathered felines.

Bramblestar silenced them with a lash of his striped tail. "But until that issue is resolved, we have clan business to take care of. Brokenpaw and Wolfpaw will be joining us as official ThunderClan apprentices!" He announced, his chest bursting with pride. But he grimaced at the protest from the tom Brokenpaw heard being called Spiderleg.

"How are we suppose to trust them!? They could betray us at any time!" He snarled challengingly, shooting a menacing glare at the two young cats. Bramblestar dug his claws into the soil to keep himself from erupting in outrage. He smoothed out his tabby pelt and breathed.

"Why in the name of StarClan would they work with Sol after he most likely is the reason their brother, Bloodpaw, is now dead!?" The leader growled coolly, and Spiderleg immediately shut up. Snorting contemptuously at the tom's arrogance, Bramblestar signaled for Brokenpaw and Wolfpaw to step forward. They both did very reluctantly, self-consiously aware of all of the strange eyes gluing onto them.

"Wolfpaw, from this day forward until you recieve your warrior name you will still be known as Wolfpaw." He paused, his eyes jumping from cat to cat in the crowd. "Cloudtail. You are a very noble and loyal warrior. I pray you will teach your skills to Wolfpaw and mold him into a brilliant warrior like yourself." Bramblestar recited the ancient ceremony, watching closely as Cloudtail approached from the mass of cats.

"I will do the best that I can, Bramblestar." He dipped his head respectfully, then turned and touched noses with his new apprentice. Wolfpaw's eyes were now glowing in delighted exhileration, seeming to have forgotten about the grief he felt for his brother.

"Brokenpaw."

The black she-cat jumped as he called out her name. Great StarClan! It's my turn! I'm going to finally be a true clan cat!

"From this day forward until you recieve your warrior name you will still be known as Brokenpaw. I will be your mentor, and I swear by StarClan I will do the best that I can to teach you the truest ways of the warrior code." He gazed deep into her crystal blue eyes as he spoke every word with intensity. Chills crawled up Brokenpaw's spine as his words caressed her ears. He means what he says! I can feel it in his tone! She thought in disbelief as the broad tom approached her. Her feathery black tail swept across the dusty camp floor as she reached up to touch noses with her new mentor. Bramblestar took a step back and called out for all to hear. "I, Bramblestar, leader of ThunderClan, now hereby declare these two apprentices official members of this clan. May StarClan bless them so, and may they prove their loyalty to their clan in the moons to come!" He concluded the ceremony and all of the clan cats started chanting the names of Brokenpaw and Wolfpaw. Their eyes glistened in exhuberance as they lifted their heads high in triumph. Brokenpaw still couldn't shake the feeling of intensity rolling off of the amber-eyed tom as he spoke to her.

My mentor is the leader of ThunderClan!