Cinder

Chapter 25 part 1

Ravenclaw led Lizardpaw back into camp, where he apprentice dropped his mouse onto the pile. He caught the eye of Mudstar, who sat quietly watching them camp beside Switcheye. Jaggedclaw and Shadepaw were in the center of the camp. The apprentice was boasting about his fighting skills, and he had a fresh nick on his left ear, blood crusting the tip.
"He didn't back down! Jaggedclaw clipped my left ear with his claws before I pounced and forced him to the ground! It was great!" Shadepaw leapt into the air with enthusiasm. Shadepaw bounded over to his brother.
"What battle training have you gotten so far?" He asked his brother.
"Nothing yet. Ravenclaw is having me perfect my hunting!" Lizardpaw said proudly. Mudstar got up and padded toward them.
"Perhaps he should learn some battle moves. We can't have him being weak, and he is falling behind Shadepaw." The leader rumbled.
"But my hunting is great!" Lizardpaw objected.
"But in order to hunt freely, we must be able to defend ourselves. Ravenclaw, you are going to do some battle training. I am going to observe. Claws unsheathed." Mudstar said. Switcheye padded up to her mate.
"We should not train with claws unsheathed. It's not needed. We aren't savages. Remember what happened in ShadowClan when Brokenstar was leader." She said.
"They were the strongest clan in the forest back then, and now we are. Claws unsheathed. Shadepaw, you are coming too. Jaggedclaw will join. Come." Mudstar beckoned with his tail, and they had no choice but to obey. Ravenclaw felt nothing but foreboding inside of him. He noticed Switcheye had joined them. She was probably concerned about her two kits.
They soon reached the hollow. Mudstar turned to face the group of cats.
"Lizardpaw, even though you have been neglected by your mentor to learn your skills, I want to see what your instincts know. Shadepaw, you and Lizardpaw will attack each other. Show him your instincts. And this is training, not play-fighting for kits. Show your teeth and claws!" Mudstar ordered, lashing his long brown tail from side to side.
"Maybe they should keep class sheathed." Switcheye said, her eyes glittering with nervousness.
"No! Claws unsheathed. Our kits are not cowards!" Mudstar snarled, baring his teeth in his mates face. Switcheye backed away, eyes wide. "Now fight!" Mudstar yowled.
Shadepaw immediately pounced onto Lizardpaw, giving him no time to prepare himself. He let out a startled yowl as Shadepaw raked his claws down his spine.
"Wiggle away from him!" Ravenclaw cried.
"Looks like you aren't a good mentor." Jaggedclaw sneered. Ravenclaw dug his claws into the earth, fur bristling.
Lizardpaw tried his best to get out, but to no avail.
"Let him up Shadepaw!" Jaggedclaw said. Shadepaw stood and shook out his fur.
"You start the attack this time Lizardpaw." Mudstar ordered. Lizardpaw squared his shoulders and pounced. Shadepaw ducked, crawled under Lizardpaw's belly, and kicked out with his back legs, knocked Lizardpaw over, and scrambled out of the way. Lizardpaw slammed onto his side. Shadepaw didn't waste a moment. He pounced on-top of his brother. He didn't waste a moment. He clawed at him in a frenzy, fur flying in the air.
"Stop!" Switcheye screeched. She leapt forward and thrust Shadepaw off of his brother. Shadepaw retaliated by swiping at his mother, but Switcheye ducked out of the way.
"What do you think you are doing!" Mudstar howled. He stood nose to nose with Switcheye, fur bristling.
"This is going too far!" Switcheye declared. "Two apprentices should not have to shred each other to train! This is training not battle!" She argued.
"I never thought my mate and deputy would say such a thing! I thought you were okay with all of this? You were my top warrior, but not anymore. Why?"
"Because it has taken kits to see the error of my ways." Switcheye growled. Mudstar widened his eyes.
"Then you are a fool! You should want your kits to be the best fighters in the entire world of the clans! But your weak! Weakness does not deserve a place in this clan!" Mudstar took another step toward Switcheye, who stepped back, eyes wide with fear.
"My kits are my everything. I will not watch them tear each other apart. This clan has to change, and I will change it if necessary." Switcheye murmured. Mudstar narrowed his eyes. Lizardpaw crouched, shivering and moaning, blood oozing out of his scratches.
"My clan cannot afoard this weakness. Any cat who openly disagrees with my ways cannot live here. Jetclaw proved that." Ravenclaw widened his eyes, heart hammering. Did Mudstar admit to killing the elder? Before he could straighten his thoughts, Mudstar leapt onto Switcheye, who was unprepared for the attack. Mudstar pinned her down and sunk his fangs into her neck, ending it quickly.
"Mother no!!!" Lizardpaw screeched. Shadepaw watched with wide, scared eyes. Mudstar leapt off of his dead mate. Ravenclaw could do nothing but stare in shock. He felt numb all over, and nothing but numbing fear inside of him. What if Mudstar found out just how much Ravenclaw disagreed with his ways. Mudstar turned to look at the gathered cats.
"We must get this traitor back to camp." Mudstar growled, grabbing Switcheye's scruff and dragging her in the direction of camp. Ravenclaw felt an unexpected pang of grief. In the past, he would not have been too upset about the death of the deputy. But she had changed. She had been the hope of change for his clan, but now she was dead, and Mudstar was sure to pick another deputy that was as ruthless as him. He headed back to camp, tail trailing on the ground.

Gasps of astonishment filled the camp as they entered camp.
"What happened?" Spottedflower cried. She raced over to her friend and crouched over her.
"She proved to be a traitor. I could not let her taint my clan with her ways." Mudstar growled.
"You... you killed her?" Spottedflower's voice cracked.
"I had to." Mudstar explained what had transpired in the training. Lizardpaw was crouched down low and shaking. Ravenclaw crouched beside him and pressed his pelt against his apprentice in comfort. Lizardpaw looked at Ravenclaw, shocked and numb.
"My father is a monster." Lizardpaw whispered. "M-my mother..." he shut his eyes and continued to shudder.
"I noticed she was getting soft." Blazeheart sneered.
"No room for weakness!" Sorrelblaze cried. The rest of the clan took up the cry, while others exchanged nervous glanced. Ravenclaw noticed Darkstorm take up the cry, but he looked uneasy and upset.
    "I must appoint my new deputy immediately." Mudstar announced. Ravenclaw's belly curled with dread. Blazeheart looked at his leader, quivering with anticipation. What happened next was something Ravenclaw could never have guessed in a hundred life times. "I say these words before my clan, so that you may hear and approve my choice, for I know Switcheye wants nothing to do with this ceremony. Ravenclaw will be the new deputy of ThunderClan."