♔MapleShade's Chance♔ (AU)

Chapter 10 A New Leader

MapleShade was battle training with PatchPaw. ''Woah, I might assign you a warrior assignment.'' PatchPaw smiled, ''When?'' MapleShade huffed as she got up, ''Tomorrow. So go back to camp, eat up, and go to sleep early.'' PatchPaw smiled and ran back to camp. MapleShade stood, she heard paw steps. A small tom leapt onto her back. MapleShade, turned over and pinned the tom. She slashed his face, just not to hard. MapleShade looked closer, it was NettlePaw! ''Oh- I'm sorry NettlePaw...'' She got off the apprentice. He huffed, ''I'm lucky you only scratched me!'' NettlePaw mewed, kind of horrified. ''I'm sorry. I thought you were a Thunderclan warrior!'' MapleShade defended herself. ''Oh, well I heard PatchPaw's becoming a warrior tomorrow! So am I!'' NettlePaw smiled. ''Well, that's nice. Well you're in the reeds so you better get back on your territory.'' MapleShade chuckled. NettlePaw nodded and hopped across Suning Rocks. ''Tell PatchPaw I said hi!'' The plump apprentice smiled and emerged in the forest's trees. MapleShade padded back to camp. DarkStar nodded to MapleShade. DarkStar flicked her tail twice with a glare to MapleShade. She must be telling me she's on her last two lives! MapleShade thought to herself. The next morning, PatchPaw was up bright and early. MapleShade emerged from the warriors' den and PatchPaw bumped into her. ''Hey! So what do I have to do?'' PatchPaw was hopping paw to paw. ''Alright, catch three fish. And...'' MapleShade whispered into PatchPaw's ear. ''NettlePaw will be coming to fight you, his mentor will be there just don't let him hurt you too much. I let him know about that.'' MapleShade stopped whispering and jerked her head to the entrance. PatchPaw ran out of camp. SpikeTail looked to MapleShade. ''Where's PatchPaw going?'' ''Warrior assignment.'' SpikeTail lifted a brow. ''You're trusting him?'' MapleShade nodded. ''I've known Myler- I mean PatchPaw for a year and a half, I can surely trust him.'' SpikeTail shrugged then tried to slip away so if MapleShade remembered about patrols, he wouldn't be chosen. MapleShade smiled smugly and snatched SpikeTail by his spikey tail. He yelped and fell down. ''You and SplashFoot on a dawn patrol.'' MapleShade mewed smugly.  SpikeTail groaned and spun around to find SplashFoot. RainFall was batting LilyPaw with his tail while she tried to pin him. ''Wow, I guess you need moons of more practice.'' The gray tom teased. ''No I don't!'' LilyPaw whined.  RainFall chuckled and locked eyes with LilyPaw. ''Then you better get yourself together young one~'' He licked behind her ear and padded away. LilyPaw trotted up to MapleShade. ''Where's PatchPaw?'' The purple-gray she-cat asked innocently. MapleShade hissed under her breath, ''Warrior assignment, don't you dare bug him.'' LilyPaw noticed the hostility in MapleShade's tone and pulled back her lip to reveal her teeth. ''I bet I could win with you in a fight so don't act all tough!'' MapleShade laughed, snatched the apprentice by her scruff and dragged her out of camp. All the way to the gorge. LilyPaw cried while they were by the edge. MapleShade dropped her on land and got in crouch. ''Fight me.'' She growled. The apprentice leapt onto MapleShade. MapleShade jerked her back and the apprentice slid off even though she grabbed on with her claws. The apprentice fell into the gorge. MapleShade had deep cuts from LilyPaw's claws in her back. MapleShade thought of a lie while padding back to camp. She put a shocked expression on her face and darted into camp. Every cat noticed her, and rushed over. ''L-LilyPaw is dead!'' MapleShade panted. RainFall's eyes grew huge in shock. ''W-we were walking by the g-gorge. Something jumped on my b-back and LilyPaw attacked it. W-when she shoved it off, I-it took her alone w-with it...!'' MapleShade showed the cuts in her back. The medicine cat, CloudBerry, guided her to the medicine cat den. She lapped marigold onto the wounds. MapleShade smirked in thought of LilyPaw falling into the gorge. When her wounds were covered in cobweb, she padded out and saw PatchPaw was back. With barely any cuts and three fish. He trotted up to MapleShade, ''I caught the fish and when I fought NettlePaw, I bet him almost instantly!'' The tom smiled, dropping the fish. ''Well, I have bad news, LilyPaw is dead.'' MapleShade mewed coldly.'' PatchPaw got a sad expression, then it shifted. ''Why did you kill her?'' He whispered. ''You should know why...'' MapleShade growled. PatchPaw shrugged, ''You aren't half wrong.'' MapleShade trotted to DarkStar. ''DarkStar, PatchPaw is ready to become a warrior.'' DarkStar nodded and hopped onto wetrock. ''All cats old enough to swim in the river, gather under wetrock for a clan meeting!'' Every cat gathered around. ''Today a apprentice is becoming a warrior, PatchPaw, step up.'' The apprentice did as told. MapleShade smiled to him. ''From this day forward, you will be PatchClaw.'' DarkStar mewed. ''PatchClaw! PatchClaw!'' The clan chanted. PatchClaw smiled to MapleShade. MapleShade smiled back. Now they could act like mates, without any thing looking wrong. A moon passed, MapleShade is wondering why she hasn't had her kits yet. DarkStar's limp body is dragged into camp with SpikeTail and EelTail. ''W-What happened?!'' MapleShade mewed in shock. ''We were on our dawn patrol and DarkStar joined us. We were ambushed in the reeds, by a Thunderclan patrol. They were too many cats, DoeFeather killed her.''  MapleShade growled, OakStar told them to stay out of the reeds or there'd be punishment! MapleShade looked to her paws. PatchClaw rubbed against her, ''It's alright, you're leader now, that's all that matters.'' MapleShade smiled to him. After a long trip to the Moonstone, MapleStar plopped herself into the leader's den. PatchClaw placed a dove by her and padded away. When MapleStar woke up her ate the dove and padded outside. She already chosen her deputy, PatchClaw, of course. There was a bit of a fight because PatchClaw hasn't had a apprentice yet but a queen of Riverclan has kits that are six moons and one of them became his apprentice. Her name WillowPaw.  ShyPaw's mentor was RainFall and ApplePaw's mentor was SplashFoot. MapleStar didn't know if she hated these kits as much as she hated AppleDusk. She just had to give them a chance. MilkFur was a warrior again and happy to finally be out of the nursey. MilkFur slipped away from camp. MapleStar followed. MilkFur was talking to RavenWing! ''Tell OakStar SHE killed BeeTail and oh- she's leader know. Any idea how to kill her as quick as possible?'' That traitor! MapleShade thought. RavenWing answered, ''I can send dogs near your territory, and here.'' He pushed some death berries to the white warrior. ''Put this in any prey you give her. Put two in at lest on piece of prey, so you have a good amount to use.'' MapleStar wasn't eating any prey from MilkFur. MilkFur and RavenWing were next one her list, she didn't care if she went to the Dark Forest. She says she's justified.