Challenge!
I have a challenge for you all! The first step is to make a page titled: Jade and *Pick the name of her mate: Sparrowpaw or Turtlepaw* and then your nickname in ( ). Jadepaw and/or her mate has to admit to either Sparrowpaw or Turtlepaw that she's mates with one of them. You pick. Lastly, follow the Wiki's rules and these bellow:
- Sparrowpaw, Turtlepaw, and Jadepaw have to be included
- Have fun!
The rewards for first place are: You get to name Jadepaw's and ___'s kits. You also get to decide on Jadepaw's, Sparrowpaw's, and Turtlepaw's warrior names! And you also get to have your entry part of the story, too! HAVE FUN!
I will give you as much time as needed, everyone who participates will get a reward, and I won't go any more than five days past the due date whenever that is. ^^
Main Characters:
Jadepaw- gray and white she cat with dazzling blue eyes and white tail
Turtlepaw- dark gray tabby with a brown patch on his tail and green eyes
Sparrowpaw- night black tom with shimmering amber eyes and three ghost-like spots on his foreleg
(Read to the end to receive a challenge with an awesome reward if you win!)
~Chapter One~
Jadepaw woke in a dream, gazing around at the empty space that enclosed her. "Where am I?" She asked, though it came out as a whisper. A bright blinding light flashed from ahead of her and she felt herself gliding towards it, though she wasn't moving. "What's going on?!" She yelled, because it felt so real. Suddenly she was falling, falling down into darkness.
"Jadepaw!" A concern-filled mew sounded from outside of her closed eyelids. Jadepaw woke with a start, shooting up and out of her nest so fast that she toppled backwards onto her rump. "Are you okay, Jadepaw?" The ruffled apprentice raised her head to look at the figure in front of her. It was Turtlepaw, her best friend. "It was just a nightmare. Don't worry about me, Turtlepaw." Jadepaw said, gathering her strength to look like the tough she-cat she always was. "Don't worry?! How can I not worry about you when your thrashing and twisting in your nest like your a fish that just got snatched from the river?" Turtlepaw pressed, his tail lashing.
"Would you quiet down?! Some cats want to sleep around here!" Lightningpaw murmured, his whiskers twitching in annoyance. "Sorry, Lightningpaw." Jadepaw said, while eyeing Turtlepaw with a slight glare. "I'm going to go to the dirtplace." Jadepaw padded forward, only to almost collapse when her legs gave way, still shaky from the dream. Turtlepaw caught Jadepaw just as she was about to fall with his shoulder and foreleg. When she looked up, Turtlepaw's muzzle was inches from her own, nearly touching. His green eyes glimmered in the moonlight, and Jadepaw found kindness and affection there.
Jadepaw turned away, her face turning hot from embarrassment. "Th-thanks for catching me." Jadepaw murmured, hurrying out of the apprentices den before Turtlepaw could reply. She could tell he liked her more than just a friend. But he wanted the best for Jadepaw and nothing more and nothing less. That's what a good friend did for the other.
Whatever happened to staying tough? Jadepaw thought as she slipped into the dirtplace tunnel. Well... you can't be tough all the time, Jadepaw. Remember what Emeraldheart told you. Jadepaw walked into the dirtplace to be confronted by a horrible smell. Jadepaw wrinkled her nose. She had come to the dirtplace to get away from everything, but instead was bathing in an unbearable stench. Jadepaw's dazzling blue gaze sliced through the shadows for a way out of the Rain Clan camp.
Jadepaw stopped her looking and placed her gaze on a loose bramble in the corner of the dirtplace. Jadepaw squeezed her way through and winced as a large thorn scraped her ear. Jadepaw blocked out the pain and raced through the familiar territory, avoiding the path the night patrol had took.
When the rushing sound of the river came into earshot, Jadepaw sprinted faster towards the lovely sound. The out-of-breath apprentice came to a stop at the bank and sat down with a sigh, gazing at the gurgling water. This river was the border line between Night Clan and Rain Clan. It reflected the shimmer of the stars which light Jadepaw basked in, along with the glimmering moon that was nearly full. The Gathering will be tomorrow night. Jadepaw realized.
She looked up to the stars and sighed deeply. This was the greatest peace she had ever had since... since Emeraldheart was still alive... "If only you could see how I'm doing now, Emeraldheart. I did all you said." She whispered into the night, hoping and wishing that her dear older sister's spirit could hear her from Moon Clan.
Emeraldheart was the closest cat she had back then before... the accident. The beautiful tortoiseshell had taught Jadepaw to stay tough. Emeraldheart was even tougher than Jadepaw, and always knew what to do when something was up. Her sister was the brightest memory in Jadepaw's mind, and she would never let that warm flame go out.
Just thinking of her sister so fondly and having all of the memories flood her head at once made Jadepaw tear up. She shed silent tears as the water flowed calmly by and the moon rose higher into the night sky.
Suddenly, Jadepaw lifted her head, her ears pricked, to a sound that rose above the gentle river's lapping at the shore. Jadepaw lept behind the nearest bush as a running shape that looked like a cat rushed to the opposite bank, its head low and body shaking. Jadepaw wondered for a moment what the cat was doing and why its body was convulsing. Jadepaw felt a ping of pity and a little guilt appear in her heart as she realized what the sound was over the rumble of the river. The Night Clan cat was weeping uncontrollably, its frail body trembling. It rested on the nettles on the other side of the river and cried.
Jadepaw had to do something. Even though this cat was from Night Clan, she had to comfort it... it's what Emeraldheart would do. Emeraldheart had the largest heart and the most caring attitude. Surely this is what she would have wanted.
Jadepaw sucked in a breath and padded out from the bush, to the edge of the river where she could see the cat more clearly. It was a night black tom with three ghost-like splotches on his foreleg. "Are you okay?" Jadepaw asked in the most comforting voice she could muster. The tom lifted his head to gaze at her with wide shimmering amber eyes. Jadepaw realized that this tom was only an apprentice like herself.
"A-are y-you an angel from Moon Clan?" The tom sniffed, his eyes growing wider. Jadepaw tried hard to stifle an amused purr. In the eerie glow of the moonlight, it must of looked like stars were shimmering on her gray and white splotched fur. "No, I only want to help." Jadepaw replied with a kind flick of her ears. The tom looked away and Jadepaw could tell he was avoiding her gaze to hide his emotions. "It-it's nothing. None of your business." He murmured. Jadepaw could tell his heart was broken. She had felt it before at loosing her sister.
Jadepaw made the decision of leaping into the river and silently wading across to the other side. When the tom turned around again was when Jadepaw was climbing onto the bank, shaking her fur from the little streams running through her pelt. "What are you doing?!" The tom exclaimed in surprise, but didn't move from where he was collapsed. "I want to help you. It's always best to talk to someone to get things off your mind, it helped me." Jadepaw remembered her sister doing the same thing when she needed to get something that was bringing her down off her mind. Emeraldheart tactics are the best.
The tom suddenly broke down, his sides heaving. "Shh, shh," Jadepaw soothed, walking over to the cat. She sat down beside him now in the shelter of the pines and curled her tail protectively around him like a mother and a kit. "Now, tell me what happened." Jadepaw whispered into his ear. The she-cat was almost surprised when the tom began spilling out what he was fussing about nearly right away.
First, he slowed his breathing and stopped crying. I felt a little proud of him at him doing that. Next, he looked me in the eyes and studied me long and good, as if to see I was a good cat. I knew I was.
"My name is Sparrowpaw. I was in camp, thinking about admitting my true feelings to the cat I love, Shimmerpaw. When I did a moment or two later, she hissed at me and snarled that no one could love a scum, mouse-brained cat like me. That broke my heart immediately and I hurried out of camp, and now I'm here. And just recently, my mother died from fever and infection." He finished with a sniff and averted his gaze.
Jadepaw didn't know what to say to that. That... was probably the most horrible thing she had ever heard in all her moons living. "Well... Sparrowpaw... my name is Jadepaw, and I think you should forget her. If she treats you like that, then she doesn't deserve to have you. I'm sure you are a kindhearted cat, and there's some other kindhearted cat out there that will treat you better. You don't love a cat on her looks, but on her heart. I'm very sorry that your mother died. I know exactly how that feels..." Jadepaw looked away from Sparrowpaw, her eyes filling with tears.
"Thank you, Jadepaw. I...I don't know what to say..." Sparrowpaw murmured, and Jadepaw turned so their eyes met, amber and blue. "You don't have to say anything. Just rest your mind and let everything go. Breathe..." She said, looking to the moon. She felt Sparrowpaw relax beside her and she smiled at the stars. "Emeraldheart... thank you..."
~Chapter 2~
Jadepaw woke with a start, her head shooting up. It was still night and she was still beside Sparrowpaw. But what had woke her? "Jadepaw. A patrol is coming from your territory. We need to hide." The black tom whispered, his voice urgent. Jadepaw jumped up, instinct kicking in, and looked for the darkest, most hidden spot to hide. Sparrowpaw raced deeper into his territory and hid behind a large maple that was surrounded by ferns. Jadepaw followed him and when she got to his hiding place, pasted herself to the forest floor.
She could hear the faint words of her clanmates as they walked past the river, stopping to sniff the banks. Jadepaw cringed at hearing her name among the mews. When the patrol walked off, Jadepaw sat up, her body erect and her face showed concern. "I need to leave. Now." She murmured, turning to Sparrowpaw. The young tom looked almost disappointed. "I know. My clanmates would be probably be looking for me soon... but not Shimmerpaw," He suddenly lashed his tail in urgency, "Will I be able to see you again?" Sparrowpaw asked.
Jadepaw froze, considering the thought that they could meet... no. That would be against the Warrior Code. What would Emeraldheart do? Sparrowpaw dropped his gaze, seeing that Jadepaw wasn't responding. Before Jadepaw could think any longer, her heart took control and the words flew out of her mouth, "Yes, of course." Jadepaw's words were warm and kind.
Sparrowpaw smiled at her, his amber eyes shining with honesty. "Jadepaw, I've never met a cat as good and as kind as you. Thank you... for everything." He purred, smiling. Jadepaw looked away, blushing. "A-any time." She said. "Meet me at the bramble patch at the Gathering tomorrow night, okay?" Sparrowpaw asked. Jadepaw looked back at him and nodded. "I'll see you there." She purred before bounding away, her heart as light as a feather and her stomach churning with anxiety.
Will I meet him there? Will I endanger our lives and break the Warrior Code after some lonely apprentice I just met? Yes... I will.
IN CAMP THE NEXT MORNING...
Turtlepaw woke with a sigh, and turned his head to see Jadepaw snoring away in the nest beside his. He sighed, glad she was sleeping soundly. Then he shuddered, smelling something unfamiliar on the fur of his best friend. It smelled like... Shadow Clan! "What has she gotten herself into now?" Turtlepaw grumbled under his breath. He wasn't mad at her, just worried and curious about why she had Shadow Clan scent on her. It was a pretty big deal.
Turtlepaw rested his head on his paws and decided to skip volunteering for morning patrol. He would wait for his mentor to call him out. Not only that, but he wanted to ask Jadepaw some questions right after she woke.
Seeing the sleeping shape of Jadepaw made Turtlepaw sigh in contentment. He loved Jadepaw but wouldn't tell her until they were full grown Warriors. He just wished that she loved him back. Turtlepaw loved her for her kind heart, not her looks. Though she was pretty already.
Jadepaw snorted suddenly and lifted her head, blinking sleepily. Turtlepaw tried to hide his amused purr but couldn't help it. "You look like you were awake for hours last night, 'cause now your sleeping like a kit. Did the nightmare scare you that badly?" Turtlepaw asked. Jadepaw groaned, flexing her muscles and extending her claws. "No." She murmured, yawning and stretching her jaws wide. "You're beautiful." Turtlepaw let it slip out of his mouth and gasped at himself. Jadepaw widened her eyes and turned to him, now clearly awake. "Uh... thank you..." She looked embarrassed. "I'm s-sorry." Turtlepaw slurred his words, looking away, but then looked back with a questioning expression. There was something in Jadepaw's gaze... was she hiding something?! Before Turtlepaw could say anything more, Jadepaw hurried out of the den, tripping on Noonpaw's tail as she went.
"What's the big idea?" Noonpaw moaned, lifting her head to blink at Turtlepaw in confusion. That's when he noticed that Lightningpaw was gone, too. Probably on morning patrol. "Sorry. Jadepaw just went out." Turtlepaw explained. Noonpaw nodded, sitting up in her nest. "Well, I guess I'm awake now. Morning patrol left, I see." Noonpaw noticed Lightningpaw's empty nest too.