Rising Hope

Revolution A story by Stormy for Ginger's contest.

Prologue
You can never know about those shy, quiet types.

Sometimes they seem sweet, other times just antisocial and rude.

But other times, you can't tell at all. They are surrounded by a veil of mystery, a veil that no one dares to break. Irispaw was one of those cats.

Despite being the daughter of the leader, Birchstar, she was much avoided. No one knew her, no one cared to know her. She was the shy type that everyone stayed away from, because they had no idea what she was capable of.

Yet what she didn't know, is every time they talked behind her back, every time they excluded her, every time cats made a wide circle around her, it was like a splinter being jabbed into her heart.

Irispaw was alone in the world and she knew it.

That would all change, due to the revolution.

Chapter One
I was aware of all the gazes burning into my pelt. It made my heart pump faster, until I was sure that the corners of my vision were going to go fuzzy. Their presence around me was almost overwhelming.

I couldn't take it.

Well, the truth was, that I was only trying to catch prey for a hunting test. It was greenleaf in DarkClan, and snagging a mouse should be as easy as walking and talking. Maybe I was being overdramatic.

But, as socially inept as I was, it still bothered me.

With a lightning fast leap, I darted towards a mouse nibbling a nut under a root. It was all over in a matter of a few seconds.

"Nice catch, Irispaw," my mentor Brackenleaf said, obviously impressed. Despite his praise, he still took a step back.

''That's right. Just because I'm so terrifying.''

Sandclaw came up behind me. I nearly jumped a tail length into the air with surprise. "You'll be the talk of the Clan, with hunting skills like yours," she commented.

I sniffed. "I suppose so. Maybe being gossiped about by lazy nursery queens is considered an honor in this forest." Sandclaw went stiff with surprise.

There was also that issue too.

A cat comes to talk to me. I panic. Then I would almost unconsciously verbally attack them.

The truth was, I hated myself.

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To Be Continued