Warriors of the Lake - Falling Apart

This is the sequel to Warriors of the Lake- The Four Powers. If you haven't read that yet, read it first! It's got some valuable information in it! Look at my user page for information about the story!

Chapter 1

 * Thunderpaw leaped. He felt the warm body of a mouse between his paws, and he bit down quickly to kill it, so the mouse wouldn't make a sound.


 * Brushpath mewed, "Good job! it won't be long until you become a warrior!"


 * Thunderpaw felt a surge of pride flow through him. Even though Brushpath almost always complimented him, he always liked to hear it. "Thank you," he mewed.


 * Brushpath dipped her head. "You know," she mewed, "I got trained by Foreststar himself."


 * "Really?" Thunderpaw mewed, surprised. "You never told me that."


 * "Your father is a great cat," Brushpath mewed. "I wish I could bear his kits."


 * Thunderpaw blinked. "Okay," he mewed. "Great."


 * "But your mother, Olivepelt, got to him first." Brushpath sat down. "She's lucky."


 * Thunderpaw sighed. "It's okay, Brushpath."


 * Brushpath looked away. "It's about time we get back to camp," she whispered. "You can go ahead."


 * Thunderpaw blinked. "Okay," he mewed quietly. He walked ahead of her, but close enough to listen to her mutter under her breath.


 * The two cats arrived at the camp. They were un-noticed by their Clan mates, who were sharing tongues.


 * The only cat who noticed them was Foreststar, who was talking to Creampaw, the medicine cat apprentice. Foreststar looked up and nodded politely to the two cats before resuming. Thunderpaw heard him ask, "Are you sure, Creampaw?"


 * Thunderpaw turned away. He hoped it wasn't anything bad.


 * His sister, Bouncepaw, ran up to him. "Hi, Thunderpaw!" she mewed happily. "Why are you so sad?"


 * "No reason," Thunderpaw whispered.


 * "Hey, I just realized something!" Bouncepaw exclaimed.


 * Thunderpaw sighed. "What, Bouncepaw?" he asked politely.


 * "Your name is Thunderpaw, and you live in ThunderClan!" Bouncepaw announced.


 * The cats around the pair stared. Waterfoot, the deputy, mewed, "Obviously, mouse-brain."


 * Bouncepaw hissed and walked away.


 * Thunderpaw's brother, Stickpaw, emerged from the apprentices' den. "What was that all about?"


 * Thunderpaw's other brother, Treepaw, was right behind him. "Bouncepaw almost never gets mad," he mewed, astonished.


 * "I'm just tired, okay?" Thunderpaw pushed his way past his brothers and into the den. "I want to sleep," he muttered.


 * Treepaw's eyes widened. "Okay, then," he mewed. "Be like that." He stalked off to the fresh-kill pile.


 * Stickpaw stayed where he was. "What's the matter, Thunderpaw?" he asked.


 * "I just wonder if our warrior ceremony will ever come," Thunderpaw sighed.


 * "Me, too." Stickpaw paced around the den, ducking inside and outside every once in a while. "I wonder if I'll ever be known as something other than Stickpaw."


 * Thunderpaw sat up. "Maybe we can ask Foreststar how he thinks we're doing," he suggested.


 * Stickpaw shook his head. "Our father doesn't want to be bothered with, 'When will be be warriors, Foreststar?'"


 * Thunderpaw blinked. "You're right," he sighed.


 * "What are you two talking about?" Volepaw, Creampaw's brother, stuck his head in the den.


 * "Becoming warriors, finally," Thunderpaw told him.


 * "My ceremony's tomorrow," Volepaw told them. "I like being an apprentice, though. I won't have any good friends as a warrior."


 * "We can still be friends, we just won't see each other so much.," Stickpaw mewed.


 * Volepaw dipped his head. "You're right."


 * Thunderpaw was suddenly overcome with exhaustion. "Listen, I'm tired," he mewed. "I'm going to sleep now."


 * "But it's only sunhigh!" Stickpaw protested. "How are you tired already?"


 * But Thunderpaw didn't answer. He had already drifted off into a deep sleep...

Chapter 2

 * Riverpaw walked to the RiverClan camp, where her mother, Birdstar, was waiting. Riverpaw had moss that she needed for her den, and Birdstar obviously wasn't going to sleep on nasty, dirty moss. Riverpaw's brother, Reedpaw, had a similar load of moss on one side. Her other brother, Fishpaw, was carrying prey that her mother had requested.


 * "Birdstar needs more kits," Reedpaw grumbled.


 * "She has one- Willowpaw," Riverpaw pointed out. "Willowpaw's just sick."


 * "Every cat knows she's not," Fishpaw began, "but no cat can tell her if she has aches in her belly or is tired or not. All Mooneye can do is deal with it."


 * Riverpaw sighed. "I still think she should help."


 * "I wonder what Mosspaw thinks of her," Reedpaw wondered aloud.


 * Mosspaw was the new medicine cat apprentice, apprenticed only yesterday. She seemed very excited about finally being able to do something for RiverClan, instead of playing with her siblings, Streampaw and Weedpaw.


 * "She's probably fed up with being a medicine cat," Fishpaw replied. "I would be."


 * "But what if Willowpaw really is sick?" Riverpaw asked.


 * "If she is sick, it's because Mooneye gave her too many herbs." Reedpaw set down the ball of moss he was carrying so he could get a better hold of it. "I mean, she complains all the time during training. I've seen her at it. And she always manages to find a way out of talking to Birdstar."


 * Fishpaw nodded in agreement. "She needs to eat something bad for her, so she likes training more."


 * "Maybe she just isn't fit to be a Clan cat," Riverpaw suggested.


 * All three cats were quiet. Every Clan cat had heard of the ThunderClan cat, Ravenpaw, and how he had left the Clans because he was afraid that another cat, Tigerstar, would murder him because he knew a horrible secret. No other Clan but ThunderClan knew what the secret was, however, and they were too proud to let any other Clan know.


 * "Willowpaw is good at fighting, though," Fishpaw countered.


 * "And, she would never betray RiverClan for her own needs," Reedpaw added.


 * Riverpaw and Fishpaw stared at Reedpaw. "You really think that?" Riverpaw asked.


 * Reedpaw lowered his head. "No," he mumbled. "I don't."


 * "Let's get back to camp," Riverpaw mewed.


 * "Because I'm waiting for you?" Birdstar asked behind them.


 * Fishpaw jumped. "No, because it was g-getting l-late," he stammered to his mother.


 * Riverpaw lowered her belly to the ground and backed away from her mother, dropping the moss. She could feel the cool grass beneath her, and she longed to lay down on it.


 * "I don't appreciate you three talking about my daughter like that," Birdstar snarled. "It's not her fault she has problems with her health."


 * "She's a burden to RiverClan!" Fishpaw retorted. "I don't see why we can't just tell her to live with it!


 * "Willowpaw can't," Birdstar growled. "She doesn't want to."


 * "Fishpaw, be quiet," Reedpaw hissed. "Birdstar is your mother and your Clan leader, just let her do what she wants to do."


 * "Why should I?" Fishpaw hissed back.


 * "Because all of her decisions are made for the good of the Clan," Riverpaw hissed.


 * "Who asked you?" Fishpaw snarled quietly. He obviously didn't want Birdstar to hear this argument, even though he was always the first cat to speak up against his mother.


 * Riverpaw didn't answer Fishpaw's question.


 * Birdstar suddenly was looming over the three siblings, growling angrily. "How dare you talk about me like that!" she snarled.


 * She had overheard.

Chapter 3

 * Shadowpaw yowled in anger, and leaped into battle. His black pelt bristled as he swiped a paw at his Clan mate and sister, Greenpaw.


 * He was battling his sister in battle training. He had been training long and hard for this moment. I'm going to beat her once and for all! he encouraged himself.


 * Shadowpaw's mentor, Trailstar, was standing a short distance away, flicking his tail proudly. His brother, Oakpelt, who was also Greenpaw's mentor, was standing next to him, snarling. The ShadowClan deputy's fur was bristling along his spine.


 * Shadowpaw was suddenly pinned down to the ground; he could see his sister leaning down to bite him...


 * The black apprentice let himself go limp. He knew how dangerous it was, but he knew Greenpaw hadn't learned this move, so it was his only chance.


 * Greenpaw purred with satisfaction as she felt her brother go limp. She kept on leaning down...


 * Now! Shadowpaw told himself. He pushed up with all the power that his legs could muster. Greenpaw was thrown away, skidding to a stop right in front of Oakpelt.


 * Shadowpaw stood up and gazed at the three cats near him. Only Trailstar was looking at him; Oakpelt was furiously hissing in Greenpaw's ear. Greepaw had a defiant look on her face, and she sat down at couple of tail-lengths away from her mentor so he couldn't claw her unless he moved closer to her.


 * Trailstar padded over to Shadowpaw. "Good job," he mewed. "I'm sure that Greenpaw won't be falling for that for a while."


 * Shadowpaw imagined his sister, as a warrior, standing, tense, over a dead warrior, waiting for them to strike. He twitched his whiskers in amusement.


 * Oakpelt and Greenpaw were suddenly beside the two cats. "Good fighting," Greenpaw mewed, pushing her nose into Shadowpaw's fur. "I guess you two get to choose our fresh-kill."


 * Shadowpaw nodded. "I guess we do," he agreed.


 * Oakpelt and Trailstar were traveling just behind the two apprentices. They seemed to be arguing quietly about something. Shadowpaw heard his mentor hiss angrily, "I'm Clan leader, and it's final!" Shadowpaw flinched. He wondered what could be so important for the two brothers to argue about.


 * Greenpaw had heard, too. "Meet me in the apprentices den," she hissed in Shadowpaw's ear.


 * Shadowpaw quickly covered up her message by meowing, "I can't believe I finally beat you!"


 * Greenpaw looked like she understood Shadowpaw's intentions, because she nodded quickly to him, not meeting his eyes. Glancing at him, she mewed, "It was luck, Shadowpaw. Don't expect it again."


 * "Oh yeah?" Shadowpaw hissed playfully. "Well, take this!" He leaped on his sister once more, claws sheathed.


 * Greenpaw hissed with amusement. "Hey!" she mewed. "I know you didn't expect this, but..." She rolled over, taking Shadowpaw with her, and she batted his ears. "There!"


 * "Okay, you two," Trailstar mewed from somewhere close to Shadowpaw's head. "It's time to break it up, now. Shadowpaw's already won."


 * Oakpelt hissed angrily as Greenpaw got off of her brother. "Why did you get off of him?" he asked.


 * "We were just play-fighting," Greenpaw mewed desperately. "I wasn't trying to claim my title, okay?"


 * "You should have," Oakpelt growled, and he walked away, weaving between the trees like a snake.


 * "What's his problem?" Greenpaw asked quietly.


 * "I've beaten him again." Trailstar sat down on the leaves scattered across the ground. "I've beaten him at being leader of ShadowClan..." Trailstar trailed off.


 * "But that's not your fault," Shadowpaw mewed.


 * "I've always been better than him," Trailstar continued, ignoring his son. "I was an apprentice a quarter-moon before him, even though he's older than me, and, in the battle before we became warriors, I wasn't hurt to the point that I was a limp sack of fur. I even had a better warrior name than him. I was part of one of the largest prophecies in the histories of the Clans, and now I'm Clan leader."


 * "Wow," Greenpaw whispered.


 * "What was your warrior name?" Shadowpaw asked.


 * "My warrior name was..." Trailstar suddenly trailed off. "I can't remember!" he exclaimed.


 * Greenpaw's eyes widened in surprise. "But you've been called by it! A lot!"


 * Trailstar lowered his head in shame. "I know," he whispered. "But I don't know."


 * He sounds so sad, but I can't do anything to help him, Shadowpaw told himself.


 * "Let's get back to camp," Greenpaw whispered in Shadowpaw's ear. "I'm sure Trailstar is just tired."


 * Shadowpaw nodded. "Okay," he agreed. "Lead the way, and I'll walk next to Trailstar."


 * Trailstar suddenly stood up. "I hear something," he hissed.


 * Shadowpaw inhaled. He knew almost every scent of every cat in his Clan, but this wasn't a ShadowClan scent. This was a WindClan scent.


 * "Come out!" Greenpaw hissed. Her fur was bristling along her spine and her back was arched. She dropped down into a crouch, ready to pounce.


 * The WindClan scent came closer. Shadowpaw could tell that the cat was just behind the bracken in front of him. "Come out!" he echoed.


 * The bushes rustled as the cat emerged. A brown cat was coming out of the bracken. Shadowpaw knew who it was, and he was faintly embarrassed that he had defended his Clan so fiercely against one harmless cat.


 * The cat emerging from the bracken was the WindClan medicine cat apprentice, Windpaw.

Chapter 4

 * Windpaw stared at the three cats waiting to attack her. She didn't know any of them, except for Trailstar, but she knew from experience not to underestimate an enemy warrior. She arched her back, trying to make herself look bigger. But it was no use. She was the smallest cat in her litter.


 * Trailstar straightened up from where he had been poised, ready to jump. "Hi, Windpaw," he mewed. "How are you?"


 * Windpaw managed to whisper, "Fine," but she wasn't.


 * The black cat in front of her straightened up, too. "Hi," he mewed, "I'm Shadowpaw. I've seen you before, but I don't think you've met me."


 * Now that Shadowpaw had introduced himself, Windpaw remembered him. She had talked to him at her first Gathering, but briefly.


 * The other apprentice, who had Shadowpaw's green eyes, was already standing. "I'm Greenpaw," she mewed. "Sorry they're so aggressive."


 * Windpaw purred with amusement. "It's okay. I've got two toms for brothers."


 * Greenpaw's ears pricked forward. "You mean Rabbitpaw and Rushpaw?"


 * Windpaw nodded.


 * "You're Harestar's daughter, then!" Greenpaw sounded excited. "I'm Trailstar's daughter."


 * Shadowpaw scuffled the ground with his claws. "I'm her brother."


 * Is he trying to impress me? Windpaw asked herself. She ignored Shadowpaw and turned to his father. "Falconswoop sent me for some yarrow. She told me to go around the lake, but ThunderClan didn't have any."


 * "Isn't there any on your territory?" Trailstar asked.


 * Windpaw shook her head. "None at all. We think we used it all when some kit ate deathberries. There's a supply near our camp," she explained. "It's not any cat's fault they look so juicy."


 * "I'm not sure if Milkpool has any yarrow for you to borrow," Trailstar mewed. "But you can come with us, anyway."


 * Windpaw nodded. "Okay."


 * The four cats set off through ShadowClan territory. More than once, Windpaw jumped back, hissing, as she touched the marshy land by accident. They're making me go the long way on purpose, then, Windpaw realized.


 * Suddenly, an overwhelming scent of ShadowClan cats slammed Windpaw in the face. Blah, she told herself. Why can't they smell better?


 * Shadowpaw saw Windpaw's nose wrinkled in disgust and mewed, "I think you smell the same way."


 * Windpaw blinked and mewed sarcastically, "That's exactly what I wanted to hear."


 * Shadowpaw didn't hear the sarcasm, and he mewed, "Really?"


 * Windpaw blinked and hissed in exasperation. "No."


 * Shadowpaw hissed back and ran forward to travel beside his father.


 * Just then, Windpaw saw a plant- yarrow! She yowled, "Trailstar! I found yarrow!"


 * "Pick some and bring it to Milkpool," Trailstar called back. "She'll probably let you use it."


 * Greenpaw slowed to let Windpaw catch up. "Why do you need the yarrow anyway?" she asked.


 * "No reason, just to be prepared," Windpaw muttered from behind her yarrow. "After that kit, we don't want to take any chances."


 * Greenpaw nodded.


 * Trailstar ducked under a bush and crawled through, followed by Shadowpaw.


 * Windpaw paused by the bush.


 * Greenpaw beckoned politely with her tail. "Go ahead," she mewed. "It's our camp."


 * Windpaw nodded and crawled through.