Raven (A Warrior Cats based Story)

Chapter 23.

*Pic is Leafkit

Another half-moon had passed and Swiftstream would soon go back to mentoring. For the time being, she was strengthening the muscles which had gotten weak from lack of use. I was waiting for Breezestar to tell me what we were doing today when Leafkit, Goldenkit, Runningkit and Ripplekit attacked me. "HEY!" I yelped in surprise. I had been so focussed on Breezestar's den that I hadn't noticed the kits sneaking up on me. I was about to get them back when Breezestar appeared. She sighed and meowed, "I'm going to lead a patrol of warriors in search of the fox. So, I want you to stay here. The forest is not safe." Breezestar didn't give me a chance to reply when she padded off and summoned the warriors she had chosen for the patrol. I CAN'T stay here! I'll miss my training session with Griz! Or worse...I'll be late... I shivered at the memory of when I had been late to one of my meetings with Griz. That cat suffered no disobedience from anycat, and so, if he tells you to do something you better do it and when he says! Looking around camp, I saw that it was relatively empty. Perfect! I'll sneak out! Cautious, I padded to the entrance purposefully and once I had exited camp I picked up the pace, heading toward Barrier Stream. I was about to enter the water when a breeze blew, carrying four fresh cat scents that should not have been there. "Leafkit! Goldenkit! Runningkit! Ripplekit! Come out here right now!" I growled and turned toward where the four were hiding. Slowly they crept out of the undergrowth. "You all know kits aren't allowed out of camp without their mother's permission. You, Leafkit, should especially know this since you're nearly six moons old!" All the kits bowed their heads in shame, making me feel bad. I sighed and then said in a kinder voice, "Come on, let's go back to camp before your mother begins to worry." The kits dragged their paws the entire way and I tried to ignore the fact that I was now going to be late to my meeting with Griz. "My kits!" I flinched at the sound of Sandclaw's relieved voice. Barkheart, Sandclaw, and Breezestar came trotting up to us. Breezestar sent me a look saying, 'I know they were following you not the other way around'. Sandclaw was checking on all the kits one by one and I took a second look at Leafkit. I knew she wasn't actually Sandclaw's kit because she was a moon older than the other kits, but as I looked between Leafkit and Breezestar I began to wonder over the kit's real parents. Both she-cats had purple eyes! Could Breezestar be Leafkit's real mother? After Sandclaw and Barkheart had left with their kits and foster kit, Breezestar turned her stare on me. I flinched at the anger I saw there. "Well? I know you left the camp and they followed you. So what excuse do you have for disobeying an order and risking not only your life, but Leafkit's and the others' lives? Let me guess, you wanted to find the foxes and get yourself killed?" Breezestar's sarcasm proved just how upset she was with me. Normally Breezestar used her sarcasm in jest and jokes, but with certain cats or when she was angry...well you get the idea. "I'm sorry Breezestar. I have no excuse...Did...Did you find the fox?" I meowed submissively. Breezestar sighed. "Well at least you all are alright. And yes, we found the foxes." Breezestar continued when she saw my confused look. "There is a den of foxes. The one that attacked us not long after I became leader, has kits. We'll have to chase it off. I'm planning to do so tomorrow, and I want you to come with us. At least that way you won't cause trouble." Breezestar turned and left. I hung my head and padded to a hidden area of camp where there was a secret way out of camp. I would've stayed and behaved, but I feared what Griz would do to me for missing not one but two lessons. I raced to the meeting area, trying to ignore my guilt and the shame that came with knowing that Breezestar once again didn't trust me.

"So, you decided to show up." Griz's voice was deceptively calm and I knew that I would be lucky to only get an earful. "I..." I began to try and explain but Griz hissed at me, "Do you think I have the time for cats who think that what I can teach is a joke? You should not have asked me to help you if you did not wish to dedicate yourself to learning. I have already given you a second chance, why should I give you another? I shoudn't, should I? You have no respect and I'm beginning to wonder at what Mothball saw in you!" Griz glared at me and I crouched down and said quietly, "The choice for me today was to be on time and let four foolish kits die or be late and keep them alive." Griz let his fur flatten slightly but he continued glaring at me. "They broke the warrior code and followed me out of camp. If not for your training, I wouldn't have scented them, and they would have tried to swim across Barrier Steam in attempt to follow me further." I bowed my head and hoped that Griz would accept my explanation and continue to teach me. I've already learned so much from him! Please Starclan let him continue teaching me! "Last chance...you arrive late or miss a lesson and I'll stop teaching you for good." Griz meowed grudgingly, and I got the sense that he was doing this for Mothball. "Griz...Breezestar wants me to join her patrol tomorrow to chase some foxes out of the territory..." I meowed when I realised that I wouldn't be able to meet him tomorrow. Griz's eyes showed that he understood what I was saying. "Very well. I will not expect you tomorrow then. Now. If we are done postponing..." Suddenly Griz leaped at me. Startled, I ducked, causing Griz to land over me. Thinking fast as Griz had taught me, I realised several things. One: Griz was conducting a mock battle like Breezestar often did, meaning I had to fight him. Two: Griz's massive size meant that I couldn't attack him head on. Three: His massive size meant that although he was stronger, I would likely be faster and more agile. Four: My ducking instead of running meant that Griz had unwittingly exposed his soft belly to me. With the last realisation I flipped over and kicked at Griz's belly, keeping my hind claws sheathed to avoid injury. Griz leaped back and glared at me as I rolled back onto my paws, keeping low. Even though Griz was glaring at me, I saw that he was impressed and feeling prideful due to my quick realisation. I darted quickly at Griz, acting as if I was going to attack him head-on, but ducked sideways to run my paw along his flank. Griz spun around and knocked me over with one of his massive paws. My first instinct was to drop with the blow, but Griz had taught me to let a blow roll me back to my paws so that I could attack again much sooner than I would've otherwise. I flicked around Griz in this manner, landing small and, to a cat his size, insignificant blows. This manner of battle was something Griz had taught me to do if faced with a bigger or stronger opponent. The goal was to wear the other cat out with small injuries without gaining any significant ones myself. Of course, in this mock battle, no cat was actually getting hurt, but it did prove a point.

As sundown approached, Griz ended the battle. "Cats aren't the only enemies of yours that these techniques work on." Griz said as a parting and I would've puzzled over that for a while, if I didn't need to hunt to ensure that I had a good excuse for leaving camp...again. I groaned inwardly as I remembered what had happened earlier in the day and I considered not returning but knowing I would just get into more trouble if I did that, I focussed on catching something. A few scraggly mice and a very thin thrush later, I padded into camp. A few cats glanced at me, some sending sympathetic glances, which told me that I was going to be in MASSIVE amounts of trouble. Ignoring the glances, I dropped off my catch and deciding that it would probably be safe to assume I wouldn't be allowed any prey for myself, I padded to the Apprentices' Den. "Ravenpaw." I froze at how calm Breezestar's voice was. "Yes Breezestar?" I turned around and prepared myself for the worst. Breezstar was smiling at me but her eyes were as hard as the paths in Twoleg Place. "You have left camp twice today despite being told not to. Because you clearly can't obey orders, you may not become a warrior until you prove that you are worthy of being one." Breezestar spun around and left. I was staring in shock. Breezestar never trusted me and when she finally did...I broke that trust...she'll never make me a warrior. Miserable, I padded past Riverpaw, ignoring her attempts to console me and went straight to my nest. Curling up, I tucked myself into a tight ball and prayed to Starclan that they let me have a dreamless night, where I could escape from my pain.