Keep Your Hopes Up High and Your Head Down Low: Part 2

Chapter 5
I raced to the thorn tunnel, but was stopped by a sharp tug on his tail.

"What are you doing?" Liontail mewed angrily.

"Going to fight!" I argued, neck fur bristling. The sounds of battling cats filled my ears, and I was dying to just get in there and fight.

"Fight?" Liontail laughed, "Stonepaw, Blackpaw, Icepaw, and all the mentors, go to battle, now!" He sidestepped as the cats he named rushed into the deafening sounds of war. "Badgerpaw, you've barely started your apprenticeship, and now you want to fight against ShadowClan? I think you've gone crazy!"

"I'm not crazy, Liontail," I grumbled, "I just want to protect my clan. Even if it means Frostwing." That must've proved to Liontail how much I wanted to fight, because he sighed and flicked his tail.

"Fine," He growled, "But don't do anything stupid or heroic."

My eyes brightened, and I dashed off into the thorn tunnel, heart pounding with excitement. I stumbled upon Stonepaw by accident, not noticing the large dark gray tom.

"Watch it!" He snapped, scanning the battlefield for a worthy opponent.

"Sorry," I mewed, "Hey, who do I go for?"

Stonepaw took a moment, then finally answered, "Go for anyone who looks like a younger warrior or apprentice, and is a little slow. Right now, you know no battle moves, which means you need a-oh hang on." He was cut off from a snarl beside him as a dark ginger tom rushed towards us.

Stonepaw met him head on, and I could hear the clash of muscles as they both collapsed to the ground in a writhing ball of fur and claws. I backed away, and eventually stumbled upon a spitting black she-cat who looked my age.

"Looking for someone to fight? Well you've picked the wrong cat, squirrel-breath, because you won't even have time to fight me before you're dead!" She snarled.

Trying not to burst with laughter, I stared her down. Then before I could blink, my vision was a rush of black as she leaped on me. Her claws pierced my shoulders as she rolled me onto the ground, one forepaw pinning me by the chest.

"Told ya," She smirked.

Frustrated and embarrassed, I surged up, throwing her off-balance.

"Hollypaw!" A dark tabby tom looked over from where he swiped at Adderstorm. From the looks of it, this cat was the black she-cat's--er Hollypaw's-- father.

"Hawkeye, I'm fine!" Hollypaw hissed as the tom raced over to her side, "I can fight my own battles!" I was too busy watching them argue, I didn't notice Hawkeye coming at me. His long claws hooked my ear and ripped it. The blood ran down my face, blurring my vision until I couldn't see. Stumbling around, I tripped over Hollypaw where she was still dazed from her being thrown off me.

Hawkeye padded forward and placed his long, intimidating claws on my throat, "If you ever dare to set paws on my kit, or any ShadowClan cat again, I will rip your throat out!"

I gulped, and it felt like swallowing large thorns. Then my savior came. He was a dark gray blur as he swept Hawkeye off of his paws and started wrestling him to the ground.

"Stonepaw!" I yowled happily, my voice shaking from Hawkeye's threat.

After just a few heartbeats, Stonepaw had sent Hawkeye rolling across the ground with a powerful blow. He snapped at Hollypaw, and she yelped and ran after her clanmates.

"Next time, pick a fight with somebody you can beat, or don't fight at all. That way I won't have to come to your rescue every time there's a battle, got it?" Stonepaw growled. I could tell he didn't mean it, his dark blue eyes were glowing with amusement.

"Yes," I mumbled.

"Good. Now I suggest you go back with Stormpaw and Rainpaw and the others outside of camp where Brackenstripe and Frostwing are watching the apprentices," Stonepaw mewed. His ear flicked before he bounded back off into the thick of the fighting.

Still shaken, I made my way through the fighting cats. I preferred not to go outside of camp with Frostwing, but if it meant me being able to live, then I'm in. My muscles relaxed as I reached the thorn tunnel, and I dashed through it, not caring about the thorns that pricked at my pelt.

"Badgerpaw!" Mistpaw yowled happily.

"Yeah, hi," I grumbled.

"What's wrong?" Mistpaw asked.

"Nothing." I could see Frostwing glaring at me, and Stormpaw sat beside her grooming his pelt.

"What happened to you?" Mistpaw asked again, gazing over my wounds.

"Well, incase you didn't know, our camp is full of ShadowClan cats!" I retorted, tail lashing. I turned to lick a bleeding cut on my shoulder, and was surprised when Mistpaw began cleaning the blood on my nicked ear. I flinched, feeling like clawing her pelt off, but decided it wasn't best to do it around Frostwing or Leopardpaw.

We sat in silence the rest of the time, for what felt like ages, until ShadowClan cats began fleeing out of our camp. Adderstorm, Cloudstripe, Smokestorm and Brambleflame were nipping at their paws, making sure they reached their border. Then Liontail came out of the thorn tunnel as well.

"It's safe to come back in now, but don't speak to Birdfeather. Firekit was...well, his life was taken by Ravenflight," Liontail mewed, eyes darkening.

Frostwing gasped.

''Liar! Like you care about anyone else's kits, you don't even care about me!'' I thought to myself, careful to be sure the words weren't spat out. But I truly felt sorrow for Birdfeather. Firekit, her and Foxflame's son, was an amusing kit, one who always lightened the clan up.

I crept back into camp behind Mistpaw, ears flattened. I wasn't prepared to see a kit's dead body and blood splattered over the ground.

Chapter 6
Three moons later.

"Hey Badgerpaw, want to come hunting with me and Leopardpaw?" Mistpaw's voice woke me from a light sleep.

Blinking my eyes to take away the drowsiness, I mumbled, "Huh?"

"I said-do you want to come hunting with me and Leopardpaw?" Mistpaw repeated. I looked up and saw her standing in the entrance to the apprentice's den.

"Oh yeah, sure." I yawned, rising from my nest, "Did your mentor say it was okay?"

"Who, Brambleflame? Yeah he said it's fine, as long as we don't go too far," Mistpaw mewed.

"Fine by me," I mewed, following the two she-cats as Mistpaw led us out the thorn tunnel. It almost annoyed me how much the sisters were always together, wherever Mistpaw was, Leopardpaw followed.

As I sprinted through the forest, pain still was in my wounds from the battle, though they had mostly healed. The thing I took most pride in was the nick in my ear. It clearly showed, and the cats at the Gathering noticed it, though ShadowClan just threw their noses in the air like the snobs they are.

"I'm going this way," Mistpaw interrupted my thoughts, "I smell a squirrel. Let's meet up by the clearing."

I nodded, and was a bit surprised when Leopardpaw took off in the direction of the RiverClan border. I continued padding forward, towards the WindClan border. I was lost in such deep thought, I hadn't realized I was nearing the border-stream.

There was a sleek brown tabby she-cat drinking from it, and she looked up at me when she heard my pawsteps. "What are you doing this close to WindClan's border?" She questioned.

"Sorry, I didn't even realize how close I was here," I mewed, knowing it sounded foolish.

"Well I guess I should've know. You know it's a typical ThunderClan cat when they don't even know where they're putting their paws!" She teased, "I'm Ryepaw."

"Badgerpaw," I mewed, turning to go the other way.

"Wait," She called.

"What?" I snapped, getting impatient with this rabbit-eater.

"If I do you a favor, would you do me one as well?" Ryepaw asked.

"Uh...Sure," I hesitated to answer, but I was curious so I did.

"Since I know it takes a while to get back to your camp, here," She reached behind her and picked up a mouse, "If I give this to you, will you tell Amberblaze something for me?"

"Amberblaze? What do you need her for?" I growled, "She's Thunderclan, not WindClan!"

"I think I know that!" Ryepaw growled back, "Well...She's actually my mother, not Sorrelsong."

"What?" I mewed in surprise, "But Amberblaze has never had a mate or kits, and I don't even think she wants either. Plus her apprentice is Tigerpaw."

"I know! I know what I'm talking about Badgerpaw, just tell her I said hi for me, okay?" Ryepaw mewed. I felt bad, seeing the sorrow creep in her amber eyes. I've led a way worse life than her with Frostwing, but I know it must be terrible to be half-clan, so I did. I took the mouse from her and made my way to the clearing. -

"There's Badgerpaw!" Leopardpaw pointed me out to Mistpaw, who was sitting with a plump squirrel between her paws.

"Finally! We've waited ages!" Mistpaw complained.

"Oh I'm sure you didn't wait that long!" I mewed, "Then you'd be an elder by now." I flicked her ear with my tail.

"Okay, you two can act all lovey-dovey once I'm gone, but please not here!" Leopardpaw growled.

"Lovey-dovey?" I repeated, "We don't even like each other!"

"Maybe you don't," Leopardpaw mewed, picking up her thrush, "But Mistpaw told me she does." She bounded away, laughing, and I could see Mistpaw's embarrassed expression.

"Guess you can't always trust siblings with your secrets, huh?" I mewed as we padded after Leopardpaw.

"Guess not!" Mistpaw mumbled through the squirrel's bushy tail. I began to pick up the pace, anxious to get to Amberblaze. A patrol was crashing through the forest, obviously on the tail of something, but I ignored it, knowing they could handle it. Once the thorn tunnel was in sight, I began to slow, finding it more difficult to breathe through the mouse's fur. I padded in, and dropped my prey on the fresh-kill pile and looked for the small, golden tabby she-cat, until I spotted her sharing-tongues with Blossomlight under the Highledge.

"Hey Amberblaze," I started, trotting up to the two she-cats.

"Yes?" Amberblaze looked up from where she was resting her eyes.

"Can I speak to you?" I asked, "Alone?"

Amberblaze cast a glance at Blossomlight, obviously confused. Then she nodded and rose to her paws. "Okay, what's this about?" She asked me once we were in a secluded corner in camp.

"Um..." ''How do I start this? "I met Ryepaw today, she was near the border," I began.

"Ryepaw?" Amberblaze perked her eyes, then she relaxed, as if thinking her behaviour was suspicious.

"Yeah...She told me-"

"Told you what?" Amberblaze cut me off, tail lashing.

"That you were her...mother." I mewed. I hadn't realized how tense I was until I let lose the last word.

Amberblaze was silent for a moment, then her ears flattened and her tail began lashing again, "Yes, I am. But if you ever tell anyone that, I will feed you to the foxes! And you can trust me to keep my word on that!"

I nodded, and hurried away, uncomfortable. I avoided Frostwing, but then Ashclaw approached me. It made for an awkward moment, since Ashclaw has never really done anything with me in the past.

"Can we talk?" Ashclaw asked me.

"About what?"

"About Snowkit."

Chapter 7
"Make it fast!" I snapped. Sometimes, I forgot that Ashclaw was even my father as he ignored me so much. Not like Frostwing, but he just ignored me. Frostwing must've got into his head or something.

"Frostwing told me about Snowkit, the truth. Before, I'd always thought he'd had a sickness, but now I know you fed him a deathberry." Ashclaw gazed at me, but there was no hatred in his smoky-blue eyes.

---Flashback---

"Hi Snowkit!" I called to the white tom, who was batting a damp mossball near the nursery.

"Oh hi Badgerkit," Snowkit mewed, looking up from his game, "Want to join?"

"No thanks," I said, bounding away as I spotted a tiny red thing on the ground.

What's this? I hooked it up on a tiny claw, and padded over to where Frostwing was sitting at the entrance to the nursery.

"What is this?" I asked her. She didn't turn her head, her eyes were all for Snowkit, her favorite kit, I knew. "What is this?" I repeated, louder. Frostwing turned and disappeared into the nursery to check on Stormkit and Rainkit.

"Hey, Snowkit. What's this?" I asked, turning to my brother.

The white kit stopped his game and looked at the tiny berry hanging from my claw. "I don't know, maybe we should eat it!"

"Well I ain't eating it!" I mewled, "Here." I dropped the red berry at Snowkit's paws. He lapped it up quickly, swallowing. Within heartbeats, my most terrifying moment was when Snowkit began coughing and wheezing, collapsing to the ground. Frostwing rushed out of the nursery, Leafheart on her paws.

"Snowkit?" Frostwing mewed frantically, nudging her son. I wailed out as his icy-blue eyes rolled into the back of his head, and his writhing stopped. I padded closer, and extended one forepaw.

"Don't touch him!" Frostwing snarled, whirling on me.

"Frostwing! Take it easy," Leafheart warned.

"Take it easy?" Frostwing hissed, "My son just died in the middle of camp and you're telling me to take it easy?" She turned back to me, "This is your fault!" She snapped in my ear.

---End of Flashback---

"Okay, so now you're going to accuse me too?" I snapped, leaping to my paws, "You know, you and Frostwing weren't the only ones affected by Snowkit's death! How do you think I felt watching my brother slowly die in front of me?"

"I never said I was angry," Ashclaw mewed, "All I said was that Frostwing told me. Who could blame you? You were a kit, and Frostwing ignored your question."

"So...Who are you blaming here?" I asked, confused yet relieved.

"I'm not blaming anybody. We just have to learn to live on after someone dies. The guilt and sorrow will tear us apart if we don't, remember that." Ashclaw got to his paws and padded off.

Okay... My thoughts were cut off as a patrol crashed into camp. Forestwhisker skidded to a halt, blood flinging off his muzzle. Rainpaw barreled into him, with Foxflame, Birchshade and Icepaw behind.

"What's happened?" Mothstar asked, leaping down the Highledge.

"Foxes!" Forestwhisker yowled.

"Foxes?" Liontail repeated, perking his ears, "How many?"

"Five! We couldn't fight them all off, Mothstar. We need backup, now! I've left Adderstorm, Brackenstripe and Dawnfire down there." Forestwhisker's flanks heaved as he gasped for breath. They all looked shaken and bloody.

"There's fox cubs too," Foxflame added.

Mothstar gave a look to Liontail, which signaled for him to order out the warriors.

"Brambleflame, Mistpaw, Ashclaw, and Snowleaf, go. Ask Forestwhisker their location. Badgerpaw, come with me," Liontail ordered.

Me? My eyes lightened up and I followed the warriors out. The returning patrol flopped on the ground, cleaning their fur. I ran out into the forest. There was no sound except for the chirping of birds and rustling bushes as small creatures wandered.

"Did Forestwhisker say where they were?" I asked Liontail, panting.

"Yeah. Near the ShadowClan border. I figured that, those cold-hearted cats are always trying to find ways to mess with ThunderClan!" Liontail hissed. We picked up the pace, and the sounds of fighting and snarling echoed through the forest.

Fear flashed in my eyes at the size of the foxes. I'd never seen one before, and my first glimpse of them would be when I fought.

"Stay near me," Liontail ordered.

"I'm almost done with my training, Liontail. I can handle myself!" I growled.

"Have you ever tangled with a fox? No, you haven't. So I suggest you stick with me unless you want to get killed!" Liontail hissed. He whipped around and headed for a smaller fox, who was snarling at Brackenstripe.

I was clueless as Liontail rammed into the ginger fox, lashing at it with his long claws. He was right, going to fight one alone was like instant suicide. I didn't want to fight anymore, I would surely get torn apart. But the clan came first before my fears, and I crouched into the grass, waiting for the right moment to strike.

Once Liontail had driven the fox close enough, I nipped at its black paws. It yelped in surprise, and turned to face me.

Uh oh! I rolled to the side, and it's large paws slammed down where I had once been.

"Get on it's back!" Liontail yowled over all the commotion, "It won't be able to reach you from there!"

I nodded, and I targeted the right moment. Once the bright ginger creature had its back turned to Liontail, I leaped, landing square on its shoulders with my claws digging in.

What Liontail didn't tell me was that it could squash me on the ground. And it did just so. It fell to the ground, and rolled. I began suffocating on it's thick fur, and the pressure on my stomach was enough to make me wail out.

Lucky for me, Liontail and Ashclaw were able to attack it's stomach, raking it with such ferocity. My claws dug in again once the fox had regained it's balance, and this time I felt flesh beneath the sharp-tips. It howled in pain, and I dropped to the ground, afraid it would crush me again.

I gave a yowl of victory as it ran off, leaving a trail of blood. I know Liontail did most of the work, but I helped as well. I turned to see Snowleaf, Mistpaw and Birchshade working together to beat off another fox.

"Go help Brackenstripe and Brambleflame." Liontail nudged me to the direction where the two toms were wrestling with a large dog fox. It snapped and snarled, but the warriors had more battle-training, and were able to keep a good distance. I felt more reassured with two warriors helping me fight, not just one, even if that one was deputy and my mentor.

I swiped at its tail, claws unsheathed, and hooked onto it. The fox threw Brackenstripe to the ground, then turned on me. I growled and looked it straight in the eye, and it's small eyes glared back at me. It barked and snapped at the air, only a whisker from my ear. I leaped back, and lashed out at its muzzle, spraying blood into the air.

The fox yelped loudly, and soon I saw Brambleflame on its back, biting into its neck. By the time the fox had retreated into the undergrowth in unknown territory, the others had finished off theirs.

I glanced at Liontail, who was bleeding from a bite on his foreleg. Brackenstripe was still dazed from his fall, and Mistpaw and I were the only ones that seemed unharmed. Of course, we didn't get too close to the foxes as the warriors did.

"Good fight, Badgerpaw" Liontail praised.

"Thanks, but I didn't do much." I swept my gaze over the injured warriors, then looked at me-I had not a single scratch except for when I was squished to the ground and writhing underneath the fox.

"Every scratch and bite you make to an enemy is worth the praise. For it weakens them, and it gives another warrior a chance to strike when the enemy is distracted, be it cat or another creature," Liontail mewed as we began the trek back home.

"I guess you're right." I fell into line behind Mistpaw and trotted back to camp.

Chapter 8
"Badgerpaw!" Stormpaw called out my name when we arrived in camp, "Lucky you got to go fight foxes! Did they leave? What happened?"

"Oh you wouldn't survive Stormpaw, they were the size of oaks and had claws as long as branches!" I joked. Frostwing padded up beside Stormpaw, staring me straight into the eye. I began to back off a bit, but she dismissed Stormpaw and followed me.

"What do you want?" I hissed.

"I want you to forgive me," She replied, blue eyes sparkling with hope.

"Forgive you?" I repeated in a growl, "You asked me too late for that, Frostwing. Would you forgive somebody if they constantly reminded you and blamed you for your brother's death? How would you feel if someone told you they swore they would kill you if you ever stepped in their sight? I remember it all, Frostwing!"

"Badgerpaw I'm sorry! I never mea-"

"Sorry has no effect on me, now if you were to say ' I hate myself and would spend eternity in the Dark Forest for you ', then that would help with how much I hate you," I interrupted her.

"Okay!" Frostwing sighed, "I hate myself for doing whatever I did to you, and I would spend all my afterlife in the Dark Forest just to make it up for."

''Wow, she actually said that? Well she said it, so maybe I can send her there?''

"I lied," I growled, "I'm going to put you in the Dark Forest myself!" I leaped towards Frostwing, claws outstretched and ready to pierce into skin. -

Okay that was a really short chapter but I felt like putting it there so don't hate me :( Anyways, I had the weirdest question. Has anybody else besides me heard strange humming noises coming from the sky? It fades in and out for about 30 minutes-1 hour then stops and it's really loud. Mostly at night. And I live in downtown so maybe is it something to do with like, cars and stuff...? I swear I'm not crazy because I would know it. So that was the question, anyway, there's another boring story of mine! Part 3 will be out soon.