darkstar's love

Chapter 12

Darkpaw saw Tigerpaw climbing a tree jumping from branch to branch. Darkpaw looked around before crossing the border. Darkpaw moved silently and sat beside the tree to admire Tigerpaw.

Darkpaw watched Tigerpaw's pelt glow a beautiful silver in the moonlight as she sat in the tree. "Darkpaw stalked to the tree and sat next to it.

Tigerpaw looked down to see Darkpaw zoned out. She figet her paws as she decided to climb down the tree and meet Darkpaw. She climbed the tree quietly.

Tigerpaw jumped from the tree gracefully before sitting beside Darkpaw. "It's quite rude to stare." Darkpaw looked beside himself to see the silver apprentice.

Darkpaw felt his tail intertwine with Tigerpaw's "Well I couldn't help myself." Darkpaw felt Tigerpaw's gaze pierce his fur. "Darkpaw looked at Tigerpaw and watched her blue eyes.

Tigerpaw nuzzled Darkpaw, and Darkpaw felt his fur get hot. Maybe woodpaw was right. Maybe he was in love with this ThunderClan apprentice.

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Darkpaw woke up in the apprentice den. He remembered that the sun came up and both him and Tigerpaw parted ways. He got up from his nest and trotted to Lionstar's den.

Maplenose was sitting outside of his den with defeat glowing in her eyes. Darkpaw looked at maplenose with fear for his leader. "Lionstar lost two lives. It became redcough, and now he's on 2 lives."

Darkpaw felt his blood run cold. Lionstar could possibly die. Suddenly, violent coughing could be heard from Lionstar's den. Darkpaw left and saw Shrewleaf with Applepaw.

"Hello Darkpaw, would you like to join us for training?" Darkpaw looked at Applepaw and decided to say yes. Shrewleaf nodded, and all three cats left.

Training was quick, and Applepaw still accused Darkpaw of being jealous. Darkpaw and Applepaw were both in front of the apprentice den play fighting while the rest of the apprentices prepared for leafbare.

Maplenose came running out of her den yowling. "Morningheart!" Morningheart was talking with blackpelt, and she stopped immediately after maplenose called.

Maplenose whispered something to Morningheart, and Morningheart was soon running across the clearing to Lionstar's den.

Soon, Morningheart came out of the den with fear running in her eyes. She climbed the pinebranch and yowled. "Cats old enough to catch their own prey join under the pinebranch for a meeting."

ShadowClan cats all gathered to see what was going on. "Cats of ShadowClan. I didn't expect redcough to be so bad. Lionstar lost all his lives. I shall head to the moonpool with maplenose so I can receive my nine lives."

Some cats yowled for morningheart, but some remained silent. Morningheart and maplenose both left the camp at sunset. Every cat went to their dens.

Frostpaw was talking with Applepaw as they both settled in to sleep. Woodpaw was curled into a ball as she slept. Beetlepaw was sleeping in a strange position.

Raccoonpaw was nesting by the far side of the camp with his tail covering him. Darkpaw went to his nest and put his nose into his paws for warmth.

Darkpaw soon felt the sun as it lit up the den. He saw beetlepaw passing by with some moss with water, probably for Hazelflower or Nutfur.

Darkpaw exited the den to see morningheart padding towards the pinebranch. "Cats of ShadowClan. Starclan has approved me for the new leader. My deputy shall be Chippedclaw."

Cats were yowling in approval for Morningstar. Soon, cats were congratulating Chippedclaw. Darkpaw and Applepaw both felt jealousy for Raccoonpaw, who was Chippedclaw's apprentice.

Morningstar waited for her clan to quiet down. "Darkpaw, you were Lionstar's apprentice. From here on out, you shall continue your training with Mousecoal."

The dark grey she cat looked at darkpaw and padded towards him to touch noses. "I'll train you to be an amazing warrior." Darkpaw nodded at Mousecoal's words

(For people curious about who gave Morningstar her lives)

-Lionstar
-toadpool
-petalkit
-redkit
-Vineflight
-marshstar (leader before Lionstar)
-thrushwing (her father)
-beedusk (her mother)
-brakenpaw

(Back to story)

Mousecoal padded out of camp with Darkpaw looking around for prey. He spotted a lizard but waited for Mousecoal's signal. Mousecoal nodded, and soon darkpaw went into the hunters crouch.

Darkpaw leaped but felt the lizard dash from his paws. He missed it by a tail length. "Mouse dung." Mousecoal watched with an observing glare.

"You jumped too far. Let's practice that first, then we can hunt for prey." Darkpaw nodded and padded towards Mousecoal. Camp soon came into view as darkpaw's scrawny frog was limp in his jaws.

He went straight to the nursery to give Hazelflower the prey. "Hey Hazelflower, you should eat." Hazelflower looked up from the three sleeping she kits.

Hazelflower took a bite but told Darkpaw to take the rest to Nutfur. Nutfur accepted the frog with thanks from starclan and ate it in a few hungry bites.

Darkpaw then left the elders den and went to check on the apprentice den to see blackpelt. With stones weighing down his paws, he stopped, but blackpelt padded towards him.

"So you're almost a warrior." Darkpaw felt his littermates stares growing from across the camp. "Yes, so?" Blackpelt growled then touched Darkpaw's shoulder with his tail tip.

"Well, you need to aim for deputy." Darkpaw looked at blackpelt with anger. "I don't want to aim for deputy. I just want to be a strong warrior."

Blackpelt's fur bristled. "My father was deputy and then leader, I expect you to at least want to be the leader."  Darkpaw lashed his tail as his claws unsheathed.

"I wanted to be leader before, but now I want to just be a warrior!" Blackpelt sneered. "And what about Cloudfur? How would you avenge her?"

Darkpaw glared at his father. "Cloudfur died as a warrior. I would rather live like that than out live my kin as leader." Blackpelt's tail lashed.

"You have failed Cloudfur and me. ShadowClan will be crushed under Morningstar's leadership. Your path was there, but you denied it."

Darkpaw stared at his father fury, burning in his pelt. "Cloudfur was proud of me since the day I opened my eyes. You denied me as your kit. I won't become a leader just for you."