First Year: Welcome the Bullies

Series
Bayclan Intermediate School

Plot Summary
In Spottedpaw's first year, the toms in her year are petrified by bullies. She's getting tired of it.

Chapter 1
Spottedpaw shook her head.

There was no way.

No way. At all. She would not share a seat with snooty Waterpaw. Not on the first day of school in the first bus ride.

The two had been together in kitergarden, and it had not been fun. All Spottedpaw remembered was Waterpaw biting Spottedpaw’s tail every time she beat the silver cat in a game of moss ball. Then Waterpaw would feel that she had the responsibility of telling every cat in the vicinity that Spottedpaw smelled like crow food. Which, she clearly didn’t, as she was even nicknamed “Minty” for her distinctive smell.

In fact, here comes a Mint-follower now.

“Hey, Minty,” sniffed Patchpaw. Spottedpaw looked up and was startled to find the bug-eyed apprentice staring at her. Starting to get creeped, Spottedpaw backed away in her bus seat. Waterpaw had seen Patchpaw and, disgusted by his presence, went to sit somewhere else, much to Spottedpaw’s relief.

“Hi, Patchpaw.”

“Did you know that I have a brother?” He sat back down in his seat, and Spottedpaw couldn’t see him anymore. She cautiously craned her neck. There, next to Patchpaw, was a cute ginger tom staring out of the window.

He felt her gaze and swiveled his head.

“Ho!”

Spottedpaw raised her eyes to the steel-covered bus ceiling. “What did you just call me?”

Flushing, he corrected, “I meant it as in hi. Not. You know.”

Spottedpaw let one foreleg dangle to the back of her seat. Pressing her chest and underbelly on the cold leather, she snorted.

“So, what’s his name?” she asked Patchpaw. Patchpaw had been goggling at Spottedpaw and didn’t listen to her question. This was the closest he was probably ever going to be with a she-cat.

“Blazingpaw,” Blazingpaw answered instead. “I see that you know my brother.”

“Well, yeah.” She blinked. “Why don’t I know you?”

The ginger tom shrugged and stared out the window again. “My mom, Cloudflower, became mates with his dad, Shadetail, yada yada. Cloudflower and I just got here from Woodclan.”

Spottedpaw nodded and got back in a sitting position on her chair. She had heard of Woodclan. Right now, they were in Bayclan, and it was about a day’s worth trip to travel to the forest. Looking out of the window herself, Spottedpaw gazed at the calm waters.

She leaned out the window and gasped. There was the Intermediate Academy!

With a rush of excitement, Spottedpaw plopped back