Sticks and Stones

By: Honeyrose34

Note: Do to this being copied and pasted from Word, the font and spacing is a bit off. If it looks like I didn't indent, you're wrong. I did, but again Word is funky and may have screwed it up. Please take my word for it. :) Thanks!

1
               ''Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never harm me. ''

Toadpaw scoffed at that stupid phrase. Of course words could hurt. They were the true daggers of pain.

He looked at his reflection in a puddle of water; it was ugly. Just like his mother told him. Why else would he be named, Toadpaw?

Then there were those other cats in the Clan that had pretty names like, Sunkit, and Dapplekit, and Rainkit. Those were pretty. Even his sister’s name was Fawnkit, but his mother left his name ugly and stupid. Just like that phrase.

2
               Elliot lay on her back, letting the sun warm her belly. It was Greenleaf and all of the birds and bugs had come out to play in the warm. It was a perfect day.

The sound of some other cat clearing their throat startled Elliot. She turned to face Posy, a kittypet.

“Oh, hello, Posy,” meowed Elliot has she got onto her paws. “How are you enjoying this fine weather?”

Posy rolled her eyes. “Stop it with the chit-chat, Elliot. If my Twolegs catch you in their yard again, they’ll call for the Cutter to take you away.”

“I know, but I love your yard!”

Posy padded over to her friend and looked her sternly in the eyes. “Please, leave.”

Elliot sighed as she jumped up onto the wooden fence surrounding the yard. “Bye, Posy.”

Her ginger friend meowed goodbye too before going through the cat-hole in the Twoleg nest.

The creamy tabby just jumped from yard-to-yard then, avoiding barking dogs and fat kittypets who thought they could beat her up.

              Elliot finally reached the abandoned Twoleg nest. She lived here in sweet solitude, no mate, no siblings, and no kits. Just Elliot. Sometimes she regrets leaving her home and her life behind, but if anyone had found out…

No. Elliot shouldn’t think like that. She left and now her mate is safe.

3
“Honeyrose? Can you take your apprentice out for some training? He’s close to his assessment.”

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Honeyrose looked up from her half-eaten squirrel. “Sure,” she mumbled with food still in her mouth.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Toadpaw flattened his ears against his head and ducked from the oncoming spray of food. “Really?”

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“Sorry,” grinned Honeyrose. She may be his mentor, but she more like his really fun friend. Well, that’s what Honeyrose thought.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">She brushed off the scraps of food off of her pelt and stood up, gesturing towards the thorn barrier. “Come on, Toadpaw.”

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">The two walked in silence for a while until Toadpaw spoke.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“So…”

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“Yeah?”

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“Do you think-no that’s stupid.”

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Honeyrose glanced at her apprentice sideways. “What’s stupid?”

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Toadpaw shook his head.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“Tell me!” she ordered with a slight twinkle in her voice. She loved gossip.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Toadpaw stopped walking and looked at his paws. “Do you think I’m ugly?” he whispered.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">She frowned. “Of course not. Do you see how many she-cats are waiting for you to be a warrior?”

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">The brownish-black tom looked away. “No. You’re lying. My mother named me Toadpaw.”

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“So?”

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“What do you mean ‘So?’? I’m ugly. Mother even told me.”

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Honeyrose sighed. His mother, Ravensong, could come off as a bit rude. Well, okay, really rude, but she still had a big heart. She could see how Toadpaw could spot the harshness in every breath she took, but that was how she was.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“Ravensong…Ravensong can go eat a cloud,” declared Honeyrose, flicking her tail.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Toadpaw’s eyes got really big until a smile crept up on his lips, then a bubble of laughter.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Honeyrose laughed alongside her apprentice before she laid her tail on his shoulders. “Come on, pretty tom. Let’s go.”

4
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">               Toadpaw lay awake that night in the apprentices’ den. Next to him, Fawnpaw slept soundly. He didn’t dare wake her up. He just needed somebody to talk to.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Sure the talk with Honeyrose was nice and comforting, but Toadpaw still felt uncertain. He knew there really weren’t she-cats waiting for him. Most she-cats in SnowClan were already taken or too young or old. Honeyrose probably just made it up, to make him feel better.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Toadpaw stared at the top of the bramble thicket that made up the den. He could almost see the sky through the small holes that the warriors have yet to fix. A single star shined down through one hole. Its white hot light brought a gleam to his eyes. Maybe he was ugly. Maybe he wasn’t. But Toadpaw knew that he had to be the greatest warrior SnowClan has ever seen.

5
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Claws slashed near the warrior’s throat, missing it by less than a whisker. Elliot gulped.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">She backed away, waiting for the tom to strike. He didn’t move though, he just sat there. Elliot gasped as his amber eyes slowly changed to blue. His dark coat turned light.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“Yellowleaf?” Elliot whispered. Her heart almost stopped. How could it be?

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Yellowleaf stared back at the creamy tabby, not saying a word. Behind him, a small golden tabby she-kit appeared.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“My kit,” sobbed Elliot. “I’m sorry!”

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Her kit didn’t look at her. She turned her back on her mother.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“Please!”

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“Please forgive me!” hollered Elliot. She opened her eyes, expecting to still be in that clearing. She looked around. She was no longer in that clearing fighting that tom. She was in the abandoned Twoleg nest. Alone.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“Oh, StarClan!”

6
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">A silver tabby tom approached Honeyrose. His blue eyes were friendly.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“At least I’m not in trouble,” she thought, relieved.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“Honeyrose? Jaystar wants to speak with you,” Rainfoot said.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">She smiled. “Thanks, Rainfoot.”

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Rainfoot shrugged like it was nothing and went over to Speckledheart, his mate. She was expecting their kits. Honeyrose sighed in jealousy as she went to Jaystar’s den.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">The den was just a hollowed out log at the edge of camp. The recent rain turned the log an odd brownish-black color. It was close to Toadpaw’s fur color.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“No wonder why he thinks he’s ugly,” commented Honeyrose.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">The golden tabby called out a quick greeting to her leader inside his den. She wondered if she should bother grooming herself, but her spiked fur will stay the same anyway.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“Come in, Honeyrose,” greeted the leader. His head peeked out from the end of the log.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">She followed Jaystar to the back of the den where his nest was. While he made himself comfortable, Honeyrose thought of all of the good things he could be talking to her about. She hadn’t really done much.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Jaystar must have read her mind when he said, “I know it must be hard to figure out what you’ve done lately, huh?”

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">This is why she liked Jaystar. He was always kind and understanding, no matter the situation. Even when she had spilled some of the medicine cat’s herbs, he never hollered or got mad. He was just calm.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Honeyrose nodded for him to continue. Now she was anxious to see what this was about.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“Well, I think that Toadpaw is ready to become a warrior. He has passed all of his assessments lately and he trained hard last night, no?”

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">''“Oh! That’s all this is,''” thought Honeyrose. Out loud she said, “Oh, yes. He works hard and I don’t think he will let us down.”

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“Good, good,” commented Jaystar. “I’ll have his and his sister’s ceremony before dusk.”

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Honeyrose dipped her head respectfully as she exited the den. “Thank you, Jaystar. I’ll go tell Toadpaw the good news.”

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">***

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“I’m going to be a warrior before dusk!?” exclaimed Toadpaw.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">As soon as she spotted her apprentice, Honeyrose had blurted the news out like there was no tomorrow.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Honeyrose jumped up and down with Toadpaw. She was ecstatic. This was her first apprentice and now he was going to be a warrior. She couldn’t believe that she could change one cat’s life so easily.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“Thank you so much,” Toadpaw purred as he buried his muzzle in her flank. “Thank you.”

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“You’re welcome,” she replied. From this moment tomorrow, she could tell Toadpaw something that’s been on her chest for a while.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“Soon,” Honeyrose promised herself. “''Soon.” ''

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">''

''

7
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">               Elliot stared at the horizon of never-ending trees. She never really knew how far the trees stretched, but the comfort of them always being there was nice. She had grown up with these trees. These pine, oak, maple, and willow trees. All of them seemed like home.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">''“They kicked me out.” ''

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">''“They never wanted me.” ''

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">''“They never loved me.” ''

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">''“But I loved him too much.” ''

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">''“Maybe it was worth it.” ''

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">''“I’m happier here. This is where I belong.” ''

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">               On and on, Elliot fought herself inside her head. The last one, was left as a battle not fought.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Was she really happy here alone? Did she really belong in an abandoned Twoleg nest? For StarClan’s sake, she had SnowClan blood! She didn’t belong in the stupid, demeaning life as a loner!

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">As the sun started to set, Elliot made her way home.

8
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“Do you, Toadpaw, apprentice of SnowClan, promise to uphold the warrior code, and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?”

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“I do,” said Toadpaw. He surprised himself; he didn’t think he would be able to speak with such a dry throat and shaky paws. He never was such a great public speaker; he had almost fainted at his apprentice naming ceremony.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“Then with the powers of StarClan, I give you your new name. From now on, Toadpaw, your name will be Toadpelt. StarClan honors your silent determination and courage and welcome you as a full warrior of SnowClan.”

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">''“Jaystar finished speaking. What do I do now?! Oh yeah!”'' thought Toadpelt.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Toadpelt licked his leader’s shoulder in respect before waiting for his leader to rest his muzzle on top of his head. He was a warrior now.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“Toadpelt! Fawnmask! Toadpelt! Fawnmask!”

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Toadpelt beamed in pride as his new name was being called. He glanced over at his sister, she wore the same expression; no cat can take me down.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Now he looked for his mother in the crowd. It didn’t take him long to find her black pelt among the lighter-colored ones. She chanted their new names loudly, but he wasn’t sure if she was just chanting his name just as loud for everyone else to hear.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">***

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">According to tradition, he and his sister must now lay in a silent vigil under the watch of their ancestors. Toadpelt nodded to his former mentor and his other Clanmates before he situated himself next to the thorn barrier.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The sun had already set, casting long shadows across the camp. No cats remained in the center of camp. All was quiet.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Fawnmask stuck to her vigil like a stubborn raindrop. She stared into the black hole center of the barrier, daring anyone to come through it. So, someone did.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The rustling of the barrier didn’t alarm Toadpelt right away. He was used to the busy lives of Clan cats, always coming and going. This was no Clan cat.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Fawnmask had already turned and ran towards Jaystar’s den, to warn him quicker than yowling for help. Toadpelt just stood there in shock as a creamy head appeared through the hole in the barrier.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">The she-cat looked at Toadpelt with alarm. “Who are you?”

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Toadpelt didn’t know how to respond. “I-I’m Toadpaw-I mean Toadpelt. I’m on my vigil. Who are you?”

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“Elliot.”

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“Intruders!” yowled Fawnmask and Jaystar, waking up every warrior available.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“Oh, and it’s my sister’s too,” replied Toadpelt.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Elliot rolled her eyes. Did she even know what a warrior ceremony was?

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“It’s me,” meowed Elliot in a really casual greeting. She stepped out of the shadow completely and into the full moonlight.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“Creamfur?” whispered Jaystar. He squinted his eyes, as if he didn’t believe what he saw.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“I thought it was Elliot,” Toadpelt replied sourly.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“That’s my loner name,” Creamfur responded as murmurs and comments spread around the camp like wildfire.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“You’re not welcome here,” said a gruff voice in the back of camp. It was Yellowleaf, the medicine cat. “Get out.”

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“Not until I see my kit,” Creamfur said stubbornly.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“Mother?” It was Honeyrose.

9
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Honeyrose stared at her mother in disbelief. She was supposed to be dead.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“You’re alive.”

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Her mother nodded. “I never was.”

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“You became an outcast, why?”

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“You heard my name was Elliot now, huh?”

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“Every second,” growled Honeyrose. How dare her mother appear now! After how many moons! She was only 5 moons old when her mother ‘left’.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“Badger accident, my tail!” she thought.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Yellowleaf joined Honeyrose in the center of the clearing now. “Go to your nest. This doesn’t involve you.”

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“Yes it does!” she screeched. “That is my mother over there!” She pointed at Creamfur, making her point.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“No. It doesn’t,” he said, shaking his golden head.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“Yes it does! You’re not my father!” Her already spikey fur rose more, making a few cats murmur, “She looks like a porcupine.”

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Yellowleaf just stared at Honeyrose then, his blue eyes looked sad.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“No,” she whispered. “No no no no no.”

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“I’m so sorry!” her mother sobbed behind her. “Please, Honeyrose! I wanted to stay, I did! Your father and Blossomstar made me leave.”

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Jaystar cleared his throat. “I think he should take this outside the camp. Please?” He glanced warily around the group of cats that seemed to be eating up every word like hungry baby birds.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“No. We are almost finished with this little tale, anyway.” Yellowleaf shooed Jaystar away.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Honeyrose couldn’t believe it. She was against the warrior code in one of the harshest ways possible, being the kit of a medicine cat. A medicine cat!

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Creamfur came over to comfort her daughter, but Honeyrose backed away. She needed her mother before she left, not after. Creamfur whimpered as she saw her daughter’s reluctantness towards her.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“So, you left me alone. No father. No mother. I didn’t even have a sibling,” Honeyrose spoke, closing her eyes. She relived her kithood as she stood there. What she remembered wasn’t too pleasant.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“I couldn’t parent you. I couldn’t let any other cat know. Especially the other Clans.”

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“Because you would be exiled, you exiled my own mother,” she finished for her father. “I wasn’t even weaned off of her milk yet! It was all about you, wasn’t it? It still is.”

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Her father’s blue eyes turned ice cold in seconds. “No. Your mother volunteered.”

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Honeyrose whipped her head over to face her mother now. She waited until she broke down.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“I’m sorry! I thought I would be happy away from my disaster of a home. This really isn’t where I belong, Clan blood or not. I’m happier now and I thought you would be.”

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“Happy without a mother? Ha! You’re too funny…”

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“Fine. Be that way,” Creamfur screeched at her daughter before she let the thorn barrier swallow her.

10
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">               As Elliot left SnowClan territory, a big weight was lifted off of her shoulders. Sure, her daughter hated her now, but at least she knew. She deserved to.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">She had noticed how her daughter looked at that nice Toadpelt tom. At least she doesn’t have to worry about her breaking the warrior code too.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">               Honeyrose felt strangely calm after the whole thing. Sure, she had been lied to her entire life and sure she was an abomination to the Clans, but there was no poison in her heart anymore. No more questioning on how her mother died and who her father was. Now there was only one more thing left on her mind.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“Toadpelt, can I speak to you?” she asked her former apprentice the next day.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“Sure, what’s up?” He showed no sign of knowing what she was about to ask.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“Do you…like imagine ever finding a mate? Having kits?” Honeyrose hoped that he voice didn’t crack.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">He tilted his head. “Kinda. I mean, I would have to find a she-cat who thought I was handsome. Then get over the whole physical contact thing…” He drifted off, she was losing him.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“I thought we talked about this. You are you. Not what your stupid mother says,” Her voice had become stronger. No way would it crack now.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“I know. But is there really a she-cat that has been waiting for me to be a warrior?”

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“Yes.”

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“Who?” It’s now or never.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“Me.”

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Toadpelt’s heart had leapt when Honeyrose admitted her long-lived crush on him. It was a contradiction to what he thought he was. He was handsome.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Sticks and stones? Ha! Together, Elliot, Honeyrose, and himself had proved that the stupid “Sticks and Stones” thing was actually kind of true.

<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">“Words will never harm me,” he whispered.