ClawClan (Season 1: Episode 2-Meowder Mystery)

Chapter 3

Fangclaw prodded his apprentice with his left paw. "Wake up," he meowed to Hiddenpaw, "Do you want to miss your training? The one I promised." The leader stopped poking as he saw the black pelt of the 'paw stirring. 

"Can't we do it tomorrow? I don't feel ike it right now," the lazy Hiddenpaw said. 

Fangclaw scuffed and went off. He watched his clanmates moved around out of the dens and doing their own business. Foxwhisperer waved his tail and appointed cats to patrols. After each patrol is gone, Foxwhisperer went over to his combatants and led them to the Sand-Fortress. 

Hiddenpaw yawned startled the ginger warrior. "I'm ready for our training." Fangclaw snorted.

"You're late already, is now moonrise and is time for bed." 

"Don't lie! The sun is up and I can see it," the black and white apprentice pounced on his mentor's back. Fangclaw chuckled and fell to the ground to pretend to be dead. "That's right, lairs will die by Hiddenstar!"

Fangclaw glared at the 'paw with playful shock. "Did you left ClawClan to LeafClan and became the leader already? Could make sense; LeafClan making an apprentice their leader." His chest puffed as he chuckled at his insults. "Come on, better we train early, the better I'll announce your kit-friends' new ranks." Hiddenpaw's eyes glowed and rounded.

                                                                                           *

Fangclaw settled on the High-Stump, ready to make an announcement. "Let all who are old enough to stand on hindlegs gather around the High-Stump!" The leader waved his tail, content with his new gathering words. Soon, he will represent some new phrases for the to-be-apprentices, instead of the old ones used for Yarnmuslce (Yarnkit at that time) and Hiddenpaw (Hiddenkit).

"Do you uphold the responsibilities as an apprentice and challenge the harsh training your new mentor will give to you," --Fangclaw cast his eyes down to Hiddenkit-- "and accepted DeadClan's will?"

"I will try my best," Hiddenkit hesitated.

The scarred ginger felt like smiling at the kit's uncertain comment. "Then, by DeadClan's will, I will be your mentor and will train you to become a great warrior, Hiddenpaw."

Hiddenpaw leaned his head forward, pressed his nose on his new mentor's shoulder, and licked it. Fanglcaw nosed his apprentice's shoulder as well.

"Don't be scared, you will do well as an apprentice. You will be taught wisely while beneath my wings," the elder asserted. The two cats pulled their head away. The crowd crowed the apprentice's name, like Clan-cats.

Fangclaw beckoned Kitten to come up onto the stump with his tail. As The Messenger prepared to leap on the trunk, the leader got back down and walked into the crowd of clanmates, and stood beside Minkbounce's kits. Emptiness gripped the scarred elder, wishing his old Right-Hand Troutclaw was alive and stay beside the leader.

Kitten waved her tail, although stumpy and short. Wavekit and Brownkit left Fangclaw's side and ran up to the stump, ready to become apprentices at last, similar to Kitten who is ready to announce the ceremony. Unlike her though, the kits were jittering and bouncing; they are ready and nervous at the same time, Fangclaw thought. "DeadClan, you have gifted us two brave and talented kits who will soon become good warriors for DeadClan," Kitten started. Dull eyes glittered a little. Fangclaw left her imagination for new ceremonial phrases and could see that she picked the right words. "With your powers, help me bestow Wavekit a mentor to be trained by. Viperbite, DeadClan and I had chosen you to train your new apprentice, Wavepaw."

Wavepaw scampered away from her brother to touch the left shoulder of her new mentor.

"Brownkit." The kit watched his sister, then turned his head back to the black-and-white molly. Fangclaw could imagine the awe in the kit's brown eyes. "You have also been bestowed a mentor, as well. Fallenshadow will gladly train you as his apprentice, Brownpaw." The 'paw's nose met Fallenshadow's striped shoulder. Both mentors of the apprentices ended the ceremony by matching the gesture of their apprentices.

"Wavepaw, Brownpaw, Wavepaw, Brownpaw!" Their clanmates yowled and looked at them with praise in their eyes.

                                                                                           *

The gray-blue molly pounced on her sibling, practicing a move taught by her mentor. Brownpaw flailed their paws around, trying to get her sister off of him.  "Do not come back to ClawClan territory you fox-hearted LeafClanners!" Wavepaw hissed. Once she got pushed off, Hiddenpaw found his chance and leaped at the 'Clan-cat'.

"That's right, make like a tree and leaf," he cuffed Brownpaw's ears, claws sheathed.

"Alright, that is enough, Hiddenpaw." Fangclaw stepped out of the brambles. Pride glittered in the old-gold orbs. He watched his apprentice jumped off Fallenshadow's 'paw.

"You need practice for your leaping, Wavepaw. You were lucky your brother is inexperienced. Against a real LeafClanner, you would've been shredded to pieces," Viperbite growled, glaring down at the gray-blue 'paw.

"I will practice, Viperbite. Right after I tear the fur off this badger!" She giggled, pouncing onto her mentor's bushy tail. The warrior sighed.

"You need to also do better, Brownpaw," Fallenshadow snorted, eyeing at a playful Wavepaw.

The apprentices bundled together, boasting about how well their moves were. Brownpaw whined playfully about how he could have won if the sun didn't get in his eyes. His sister snickered and teased.

"Can we practiced together tomorrow, Fangclaw?" Hiddenpaw skipped to the elderly mentor. Fangclaw took a glance at Viperbite and Fallenshadow, both leading their apprentices back to camp. He eyed down at Hiddenpaw.

"Not tomorrow, we will be in a border patrol," Fangclaw answered. His apprentice scoffed. A scoff this time, the ginger warrior thought. He remember beckoning Hiddenpaw to go on patrols, then hear the sighs and the 'so boring!'. "Don't worry, it will be fun. I promise."

"Will we meet foxes and turn them into fresh-kill?" Hiddenpaw burrowed his invisible eyebrows and curiously looked at Fangclaw. 

"Is possible, but is more likely we will meet Moonstar again," Fangclaw chuckled. He couldn't wait to rub it in the MeadowClan leader again about how ClawClan survived and always remember the annoyance and the proudness glittered in the molly's eyes.