This is for Nighty's contest. Hope you like it!
Chapter One
Heronpaw stretched and blinked in the early sunlight pouring into the apprentice's den. Getting out of his nest, he made his way out into the camp, where warriors were already hurrying about busily.
"Good morning Heronpaw," called his father, Oakswoop. The large reddish brown tom was helping repair RainClan's nursery, which had been partially destroyed in the last flood. He was working with Heronpaw's mother, a pretty, jovial ginger she-cat named Cherrybeam. The two of them were laughing and talking as they worked like old friends.
Waving his tail in greeting at both of his parents, Heronpaw walked over to the fresh-kill pile, where his best friend Eaglepaw was devouring a shrew. "Can I have some?" he said, sitting beside his friend.
Eaglepaw gobbled the last few bites. "No."
"Fine then," Heronpaw laughed, selecting his own mouse. "We have fight-training together today, don't we?"
Eaglepaw nodded. Then he nudged Heronpaw, a cocky smile blooming on his face. "Look who it is."
Heronpaw raised his head and immediately his fur grew hot. Willowpaw had just emerged from the den. "So?" he muttered, nudging Eaglepaw back.
Eaglepaw watched as Willowpaw, along with her pretty sister Robinpaw walked towards them. Then he sauntered over, a regular ladies cat. "Hello," he purred with that crooked smile that always flipped their hearts.
Heronpaw turned away before he was sick. He was less then graceful with she-cats, and tended to trip over his tongue and his paws. Then he felt a rush of sweetly-scented air, and Willowpaw was standing in front of him, her green eyes bright. "Hi Heronpaw."
"Oh, um, hi Willowpaw. It's going how? I mean-"
She let out a tinkling laugh. "You're so funny."
"Right." He wanted to slap himself, but decided it would only make him look more crazy. Meanwhile, Eaglepaw and Robinpaw were laughing and play-fighting dizzily. StarClan help me.
"Willowpaw!" Her mentor, Duskfall, emerged from the warrior's den. "There you are! Come on, we have to gather rushes and grass to patch the nursery. We're going down to the banks."
"Okay," Willowpaw meowed. She flicked her tail lightly against Heronpaw's shoulder lightly, giving him another glorious whiff of her perfume. "Bye Heronpaw!"
"Bye," he called several seconds later, when her slender gray shape had already vanished.
Eaglepaw was at his side instantly, laughing hysterically. Heronpaw felt himself growing irritated, but he let his friend have his fun. "Wow," Eaglepaw said when he could breathe. "You're really a charmer Heronpaw."
"Thanks," Heronpaw said glumly.
The apprentices huddled together as they watched the rain pour down in buckets.
"Well," meowed Robinpaw after a few minutes of silence. "No one can say our clan doesn't live up to our name."
Willowpaw gave a faint smile, a fleeting light illuminating her pretty, daintily-featured face. For some reason, Heronpaw felt a need to see her smile, laugh, be happy. It gave him a pleasant feeling inside. "Those evil rogues that live down by the marsh will find a way to blame us for it, you can bet."
Instantly the light was snuffed out of Willowpaw's eyes. "I don't like them. They're up to no good."
"As if," snorted Eaglepaw. "You just worry too much."
Willowpaw frowned. "There's a difference between worrying and knowing."
Wanting to change the subject, Heronpaw meowed, "Well, maybe it will clear up soon and we can go outside. Who wants to go for a walk by the lake?"
Robinpaw wrinkled her nose. "In this weather?"
"Sure, why not?" Eaglepaw nudged her playfully. She smiled, then gave an exaggerated sigh.
"Fine. But if we all get sick, I'm not responsible."
"Willowpaw?" Heronpaw said, then felt his fur grow hot as he realized how childish and hopeful he sounded.
Luckily, she didn't seem to notice. "I'm in. I love the world after it rains, it's so pretty and mystic. I wouldn't want to live anywhere but RainClan."
"Yeah," Heronpaw agreed. Robinpaw purred, and glanced at Eaglepaw, but the brown tom seemed suddenly lost in thought, his eyes focused on something else.
Finally the steady drum of rain outside slowed, then stopped. The four apprentices crowded out of the den and stretched their legs. Oakswoop stepped outside the warrior's den, listening good-naturedly to his friend Badgerstripe's complaints about the wetness.
"Let's go," mewed Willowpaw. She headed down the thickly-planted slope that led up to RainClan's camp, which was on a little penisula that jutted out from the mainland. The big lake stretched out endlessly all around them, it's water smooth and gray-blue. They entered the thick, leafy woods.
The air was fresh and moist, a mist-enchanced breeze blowing cool vapor into their faces. The ground was soft and spongy underpaw. Droplets of water slid off fat dark green leaves and onto the cat's fur. Willowpaw turned her face up, her green eyes starry and filled with wonder. "It's so beautiful," she said, her face bathed in the emerald light filtering down through the thick forest canopy.
"Yeah." Heronpaw tried to focus on the splendor around him instead of her.
"Are you two soft-hearts done?" crowed Eaglepaw from up ahead. "Come on! Hurry up, will you?"
"Coming," Heronpaw said. But Willowpaw didn't budge. "Willowpaw?"
"Sorry," she said, shaking few raindrops off her whiskers. "But Eaglepaw's too bossy. I want to just enjoy this day."
Heronpaw paused, glancing at the place where Eaglepaw and Robinpaw had disappeared into. "Then let's walk on our own," he offered.
She beamed at him. "Sure," she meowed. "Can we go down to the Moonlight Meadow? We can hunt there too."
"Okay, race you!" Heronpaw took off into the woods. Seconds later she was at his side, matching each stride. He had to admit she was fast, but his pride wouldn't let her overtake him. They both galloped out onto the meadow and skidded to a stop on the slippery grass, panting.
The Moonlight Meadow was called that because of it's silver appearance during the night of the full moon. Since there were no other clans nearby, RainClan didn't attend any Gatherings, but they did go to the meadow every full moon and have their own event. Today, the lush green grass was springy and bright, thriving on the rain that new-leaf had brought. Wildflowers dotted the emerald ocean, nodding buttercups, smiling daisies, and clumps of bluebells.
The two apprentices sat next to each other and gazed out over the fields contentedly for several minutes. Then they slowly made their way back to camp.
"Hey guys," Robinpaw said as they entered. "Want to share this rabbit with me?"
"Where's Eaglepaw?" asked Heronpaw as they joined her.
She shrugged, looking puzzled. "He went off on his own, so I headed back. I thought he was going to find you."
"He'll probably be back soon," said Willowpaw, taking a bite.
"Right," Heronpaw said, but he was a bit unsure. It wasn't like Eaglepaw to not find them, even in the rain. He knew Heronpaw would be likely to go the Moonlight Meadow; they were best friends and knew everything about each other. Maybe something else had come up.
With a shrug, Heronpaw began to eat. At least he had gotten some alone-time with Willowpaw. They hadn't said much, but what could be better then that?
Chapter Two
Heronpaw was wandering through a shadowy woods. Voices came from somewhere in it's depths, cold and low. As he got closer, he realized that one voice was very familiar. Eaglepaw?
He finally spotted the cats standing in a small clearing, and crouched behind a bush. Something told him this was not the time for a happy reunion with his friend.
"We will strike soon Eaglepaw. You will join us?"
"I will."
The other cat, a black tom with golden eyes, gave a curt nod of approval. "Good. Exactly what I'd expect to hear from my son."
"You have taught me well Father."
Heronpaw's mind reeled. Father? How could this strange cat be Eaglepaw's father? His friend had come to RainClan as a little kit without any trace of family. How had his "Father" located him? How long had Eaglepaw known?
The cat was speaking again. "We will do away with the clans and their nonsense. It is time for a new era. RainClan is only one clan, bound by the silly notions of a warrior code. We shall overtake them easily. From there, we can extend our territory into Twolegplace. We'll be all set. And you can be my deputy son, if you play your cards right."
Eaglepaw didn't even flinch at his father's words. His face was grim and set, completely unlike the friend Heronpaw had always known.
"Sad isn't it?" Heronpaw jumped as a misty tortoishell she-cat appeared beside him. She flicked her tail and suddenly they were both transported to a sunny meadow. Far in the distance, ghostly cats played and frolicked together.
"T-this is StarClan." Heronpaw took a step back.
"No. I wasn't a clan cat, so I could never go there. But... something along that line, yes." The tortoishell sat down. "I suppose I should introduce myself. I am Eaglepaw's mother, Sweetpea. I died when he was only a few days old, of sickness. The marsh was really a terrible place to live. But before I died, I took my kit to your borders. I hoped he'd be safe there, safe from his father. I thought that a clan was just what I wanted for my son, something I had never had. I was wrong."
"Why are you telling me this?" Heronpaw asked.
"Because I truly believe that you're the only one who can help him."
"What should I do?" he asked. But Sweetpea was disappearing into the mist, leaving only a trace of her scent behind.
"Got it!" Eaglepaw's head emerged from the bush, a mouse dangling from his jaws.
Heronpaw stared at him. He couldn't get the image of his friend talking with the strange tom. His father.
"What?" Eaglepaw asked, blinking curiously.
Heronpaw shook himself. "Nothing. Great catch."
"Okay then. Let's get back to the camp."
Heronpaw nodded and fetched his prey, noticing how much bigger Eaglepaw's pile was. Shaking away the twinge of jealousy, he padded side by side with his friend. But something was different. Something had changed. The knowledge of what Eaglepaw had agreed to. He couldn't quite wrap his head around it yet, but he couldn't deny it. "Eaglepaw?"
Eaglepaw turned, his eyes flashing almost dangerously. "What?"
"Uh, never mind." Heronpaw gazed after his friend, who sped ahead, eager to show off his catch. He had never mistaken Eaglepaw for anything more then a little prideful. Surely the tom he had grown up with couldn't be the same one he had seen? And what could he do to stop it, like Sweetpea had suggested? No cat listened to him, much less his headstrong friend.
But how much longer would it be before Eaglepaw's secret actually hurt someone?
Chapter Three
The sky above was dark with ominous clouds. Heronpaw could hear sinister voices whispering around him, but there was no one there. Suddenly, a brown tabby emerged, his eyes cruel and relentless. "Eaglepaw..."
He was cut off when his friend pounced. "No! Stop! What are you doing?" Eaglepaw ignored Heronpaw's cries. He could feel claws embedded in his throat, blood gushing out. His vision clouded, and he felt his grip on the world fade as he tumbled into blackness...
Heronpaw sat up, panting with fear. Early morning sunlight was streaming into the apprentice's den. Eaglepaw was sitting up in bed, staring at Heronpaw with shock in his eyes. He had the same dream too, didn't he?
"I would never do that..." Eaglepaw said in a hoarse whisper. His eyes filled with fear, and he turned and raced out of the den. Heronpaw followed just in time to see him vanish out the camp exit.
"Wait!" Ignoring the cranky glares warriors coming back from the dawn patrol gave him, Heronpaw bolted after his friend. He couldn't let Eaglepaw run away like this. They had to talk. There must be some explanation.
Eaglepaw was crouched in a clearing, huddled in a lump. Needles of fear pricked Heronpaw's spine as he recognized the place. It was where he had seen him talking to his father. "Eaglepaw?"
His friend raised his head. "Heronpaw. I had the worst dream."
"I know. I had it too."
"I would never..." he trailed off, his eyes gazing into the distance. Then panic showed in his gaze. "We both had the same dream! It must mean something." A sob came from his chest, seeming to be ripped out of him. "Heronpaw, you don't understand. You died... but I killed you. My own best friend. Oh it was awful. I couldn't stop myself. I just couldn't."
Heronpaw blinked dumbly. What could he say? Contrary to what Eaglepaw might think, it was no fun getting killed either. "It's okay." He wanted to claw his own pelt off now. Of course it wasn't okay! His friend smiled wanly. Heronpaw wondered if he would confess about his meetings with his father, but he turned around and headed back to camp.
"Come on. We'll figure it out later."
"Okay," Heronpaw said hesitantly. He wondered again about Sweetpea. Would she want him to do more now? To bring up Eaglepaw's father? What was he supposed to say? It would sound like he had been following his friend, and Eaglepaw was hotheaded and independent; Heronpaw knew he would explode at that thought, no matter how bad the dream had been. Guilt would do only minor things to his spirit.
As he followed Eaglepaw back to camp, Heronpaw felt the odd sensation of being watched. Turning, he saw nothing, but was almost sure he saw a pair of golden eyes disappear from the bushes. What was going on?
Chapter Four
Heronpaw stared miserably at the mouse in front of him, making no motion to eat. Across the camp from him, Eaglepaw joked merrily with Robinpaw, every trace of guilt gone like vapors in the wind. Willowpaw padded over and sat beside him. "Hey."
"Hey," Heronpaw yelped, a bit in shock that she had joined him. She made no comment, just took a bite of her vole.
"I have training soon," she explained. "So Duskfall said I should hurry and eat before we go."
"Cool," Heronpaw said. His own mentor, Shadewind, was stretched out lazily next to Badgerstripe, sharing tongues. "Have fun," he grinned.
Her green eyes sparkled. "Thanks, I will." She got up and padded over to ger mentor, and they exited the camp. Feeling more cheerful, Heronpaw finished his mouse and got up, scanning the camp. Willowstripe was watching as Pearlkit and Sootkit played outside. As he stared at the two kits, Sootkit's ebony pelt and Pearlkit's snowy pelt seemed to glow before him. A ghostly voice whispered in his ear.
"There cannot be light without darkness. Their cannot be good without evil. And there cannot be victory without loss."
Then he blinked and everything was back to normal, with Willowstripe yelling at Sootkit for throwing mud at Scratchfur and Pearlkit biting her mother's tail. Yet, as Heronpaw looked up, he saw a large white bird fly across the sky. A heron, pure and light as could be.
An eagle's screech cut the air as the heron disappeared behind the treetops, and Heronpaw's belly clenched. This had the ring of a prophecy, one he didn't want to think about.