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This has been a while in the making and is about my cat that I made called Minnowclaw, blah blah blah read the series thing and that will tell you what you need to know.
Minnow walked without rest for the second moonrise since her parents were killed. She looked back to see that her littermates were falling behind her, their paws heavy with sadness. She raced back to her sister Ivy and said, “Snow wouldn’t want you to be so sad. She would want you to move on and find a new life. You know that. One day, when it is our turn to join Starclan, we will see her again.”
Ivy turned her head and Minnow turned to her oldest brother James, “You should help her, you’re the oldest.” James just looked to Ivy and turned away from both of them. Minnow turned her head and hoped that her brother Rock would have some sense and help her, but she didn’t see him. She then bumped into his sturdy leg and all of them stopped walking.
“Minnow is right guys. Snow and Spider were good cats and they are watching over us now. We are only six moons old and we need to find the clans that they told us about! Or we will join them soon.” He said, turning to Ivy who broke down in tears again. James hung his head low and pawed at the ground until he said, “Come on Ivy, we can’t live on bugs forever, we have to eat real food.”
Ivy stopped weeping and began to walk up to Rock and nuzzled him. Minnow came closer and James soon followed. They held their heads and prayed to Starclan like they did every night, but this time instead of praying for good hunting, they wished their parents would find their way to Starclan.
When they were done, Ivy picked up her head and took the lead followed by Rock with James and Minnow on the outside on watch. They weren’t getting anywhere. They had just been going in a strait line. Not knowing if they would every see the clans, but they had to keep going and believe that their parents loved them and were guiding their paw steps.
Suddenly, Ivy stopped and smelled the air, “I can smell water!” she exclaimed. They all stopped and smelled. Ivy ran forward, into a clump of fern and they soon herd her yowl. When they followed, Ivy was fine, but when they looked up, they saw a wide stretch of water and many cats around it in the pine wood, marshes, and moors, everywhere.
“The lake,” whispered Ivy.
“It’s real,” exclaimed James.
“It’s so big!’ thought Rock.
“We’re home,” said Minnow.
Chapter One[]
Minnow, Rock, James and Ivy were all running across the moors trying to get to Thunderclan before they were spotted by a Windclan patrol. Like usual, Ivy was the fastest despite her small stature. James fell a bit behind and Rock and Minnow flew in between. When they finally reached the woods, they were all panting and out of breath and relief fell over them only to be replaced by hoarer as three large cats burst from the brush and circled them.
One was a dark grey tabby tom who looked just like Rock, but had cold blue eyes and he stared down at them with accusing eyes. The second, a light brown tabby she-cat, who looked like Ivy, stared at them harshly with yellow eyes, only to be replaced by sympathy when she saw how young they were. The third was a white tom, which looked funny next to the pitch black pelt of James.
“Who are you?!” yelled the grey tabby tom. Rock hissed at him and stepped protectively in front of Minnow and Ivy, James faced the white tom with indignation and Minnow huddled around Ivy.
“Don’t yell. Can’t you see that they are only kits?” Whispered the she cat.
“Windclan kits! Go back to your parent’s kits!” yowled the tom. Ivy broke into weeping again and when Minnowkit tried to comfort her, the she cat ran over and began to lick her and murmured to her.
“Brownstripes get back here!” yowled the white tom while Minnow watched the grey tabby bristle.
“Can’t you see that they are hurt Snowstorm?” asked the she-cat, who made Ivy weep more.
Minnowkit stepped forward so that she faced the grey tabby, “My name is Minnow, these are my litter mates: James, Ivy and Rock.” She said as she gestured to each as they were named, “Our parents names were Spider and Snow. Two moonrises ago, they were killed saving us from a dog pack. They told us about the clans and we wish that you not send us away or hurt us, but that you allow us to come to your camp. We can only eat bugs because we were not told to hunt and we have no where to live. I fear for the life of my sister if we don’t find shelter and food very soon.” said Minnow.
Brownstripes stopped licking Ivy, Snowstorm stared at Minnow and they grey tom stared at Minnow with bewilderment in his eyes. The grey tom opened his mouth and said, “I am Bouldertail, the she-cat is Brownstripes, the tom is Snowstorm and we are cats of Thunderclan. It is not up to me to let you in our clan, but I think that you will be welcomed by our leader Silverstar. If you wish to join, follow me.”
Brownstripes picked up Ivy, Snowstorm carried James and Rock and Minnow followed behind. As they approached the camp, fear welled up in Minnow, What if they don’t like us?
When they burst through the camp entrance, all eyes turned to the patrol as they place the kits down at what Minnow thought was the highrock and then stepped back. Minnow looked up to see a silver she-cat standing on the rock and the whole clan had gathered.
“Who are you?” asked the silver cat and Minnow realized that she was the leader. Minnow thought about what to say and she then thought that maybe since she was in the camp, she should show bravery. At least, that’s what she thought her mother told her to do.
“Who are you?” Minnow asked the she-cat.
The she-cat smiled down at her and her litter mates and Minnow realized that she had made the right choice by being brave, “I am Silverstar, leader of Thunderclan, now I have told you who I am, who are you?”
Minnow looked at Silverstar, “I am Minnow, previous rouge.”
Silverstar then looked mad and said, “You didn’t tell me much about yourself. Who are you parents? Who are the other cats that you are with? Where did you come from? Why are you here?”
“I do believe that you must tell me what you want to know about me, about yourself before I answer you.”
“How old are you?”
“5 moons,”
“Where are your parents?”
Minnow paused, not wanting to answer that question, “They’re, they’re…”
“Dead,” finished James who came to stand next to Minnow, “We need your help or we will die. Please help us. Our youngest sister is very close to death now.” Minnow stared back at Ivy and saw that James was right. Ivy looked so tired and sick that she might drop any minute.
Silverstar thought for a second, and then said, “Sparktail, can Gracefeather take these four?”
A bright yellow tom rose to his paws, “Silverstar, that would make my mate have seven kits to take care of. She can take the two she-cats, but the toms can go with Brownstripes,” he said.
Minnow, James, Rock and Ivy clustered together, not wanting to be split up, but Brownstripes came and took James and Rock and a small grey she-cat came, picked up Ivy and had Minnow follow.
“I will think it over in my den about what will be their fate, but they must be fed and cared for until then.” Said the she-cat to her clan as she jumped off of the highrock and followed the four kits to a bramble bush which must be the nursery. When Minnow looked in, she saw three other kits curled up next to each other.
The grey she-cat woke them and the only tom ran over to them, “I’m Spadekit! Who are you? What clan are you from?” he asked. He was a darker grey than his mother, but not as dark as James.
“I’m Minnow and this is Ivy,” said Minnow.
“Not any more,” said Silverstar, “If you wish to stay with us, your names will be Minnowkit and Ivykit. That has to be one of the rules you follow.”
“Will James and Rock be Jameskit and Rockkit?” asked Minnow.
“No, Rock will be Rockkit, but James is not a clan name. If he stays he will be Sparrowkit,” explained Silverstar.
“Oh, well hi Minnowkit!” said the Spadekit, “Those other cats over there are Dustkit and Featherkit,” Spadekit motioned in turn a dark brown she-cat and a light grey she-cat, “Our mom is Gracefeather and our father is the deputy Sparktail!”
Minnowkit dipped her head to Spadekit and curled up with her sister just as a cat not much older than 6 moons dropped a mouse at her paws. Ivykit took out a small bite, and then began to eat faster as she realized how hungry she was. Minnowkit waited until Ivykit was all done and then she took the rest of the mouse. With their bellies full and Spadekit back with his sisters, Minnowkit and Ivykit slowly fell into a restful sleep.
Chapter Two[]
When Minnow woke, she saw that Ivy wasn’t next to her. She panicked and was about to call out her name when she saw her sister playing with Spadekit, Dustkit, and Featherkit. Minnow then remembered that he name was now Minnowkit and Ivy was now Ivykit, “Minnowkit you’re awake!”
“Where are Rockkit and Sparrowkit?” Minnowkit asked as she stretched her jaws in a huge yawn and stretched her mussels.
“Right hear!” yowled Rockkit as he jumped on top of Dustkit, holding her down with ease as he was a whole moon older. Minnowkit launched herself up and knocked him off of Dustkit, “Get off Rockkit! She’s too young for that type of play. We are older than them, be careful!”
Dustkit got up, shook herself off, and looked at Minnowkit, “I maybe small, but I could beat you any day!” She yowled as she launched herself on top of Minnowkit. She dug her claws into Minnowkit's back and bit down on Minnowkits’ ear.
It didn’t hurt Minnowkit, and she just rolled over on her back and Dustkit fell off, “I see that you have already made friends,” said a voice from the entrance to the nursery.
Minnowkit turned around to see Silverstar next to Gracefeather, “Come with me,” she said and she led Rockkit, Sparrowkit, Ivykit and Minnowkit all out into the camp where cats had started to gather, “You are old enough to be apprentices so we are going to give you mentors.”
“Already? But I thought that we would be kits,” asked Sparrowkit.
“Well if you don’t like it, you could always leave,” said Silverstar. Minnowkit bumped into Sparrowkit and glared at him. Unbelievable! We have been taken in so kindly and then he takes this as a right! Mousebrain. Thought Minnowkit and she walked up to the bottom of the great rock and looked up at Silverstar, who began to say the words of an apprentice ceremony. Minnowkit really didn’t pay attention until it was time to name the mentors and her and her siblings.
“Sparktail, you are a loyal deputy and you will never wrong a cat who has done nothing wrong, just because of their parents. You will be the mentor of Minnowkit,” said Silverstar. Oh no! Not the deputy! What if he doesn’t like me? She then remembered that she was supposed to touch noses with Sparktail and quickly ran up to him. He seemed surprised that she new what to do and to Minnowkit’s relief there was no hostility in his eyes, but an eerie knowing.
Silverstar repeated the ceremony for the rest of her littermates, but joined Rockpaw and Sparrowpaw with the same mentor, but Ivypaw had a mentor to herself. Maybe there just aren’t enough mentors in the clan.
When the ceremony was done, Minnowpaw looked up at her new mentor and he stared down at her, “What are we going to do?” asked Minnowpaw, really willing to do anything that would get him to stop staring at her.
“We are going to collect moss. I’ll show you how to do it the proper way,” said Sparktail. Then he nodded to the exit of the camp and motioned with his tail for her to follow. He led her to a clearing where the tree roots were covered in more moss the Minnowpaw had ever seen.
“Do you know how to get the moss?” asked Sparktail. Minnowpaw shook her head so Sparktail went on, “First you need to put your paw right on the end, extend your claws till they hurt and then rip,” he said as he knocked off a big clump of moss, “Now you try and don’t stop until this tree no longer has any moss on it,” said Sparktail and he went to sit down next to a tree and he closed his eyes.
Minnowpaw tried it and felt happy when she took off an even bigger piece than Sparktail did, “Keep going,” said Sparktail and Minnowpaw did. She kept going until she had more moss than she needed, “Is this okay?” asked Minnowpaw.
Sparktail opened his eyes and stared at the pile Minnowpaw had made, “We need more. Do the next tree,” he said. Minnowpaw turned back to the tree and went on to the next one. When she was done with that, Sparktail still said that they needed more and it went on for hours until Minnowpaw couldn’t feel her paws anymore and the pile of moss she had was four times her size.
Sparktail then got up and said, “Okay, good. Now bring all of the moss back to camp and put it under the highrock,” Minnowpaw nodded and picked up as big of a ball of moss she could and turned to Sparktail waiting for him to lead her back to camp, “You can find it yourself, don’t you remember?” he said with his eyes still closed.
Minnowpaw nodded and walked back to camp tripping over everything that you could possibly imagine and something’s that Minnowpaw didn’t even know could be tripped over. When she got back to camp, she placed her ball down near the entrance and walked back to the clearing to see that the mound of moss didn’t even look any smaller after the big ball of moss she took back.
Minnowpaw kept making trips back and fourth until there was one trip left to do. She then stopped in front off Sparktail and said, “I have but one more trip to make, would you like to come with me or should I come back for you?”
“Come back, I have to talk to you,” said Sparktail. Minnowpaw turned calmly back to the moss, but inside she was dreading coming back. Her paws ached from taking off all of the moss, falling and walking back and fourth and she was hopping that she could take a nap after this. I have done more walking today then I did when we were looking for the clans!”
Finally she arrived at camp with her ball of moss and ran back to the clearing to find Sparktail standing up and looking at her, “What do you need me to do now?” asked Minnowpaw.
“Sit,” said Sparktail. Minnowpaw sat down obediently and stared up at her mentor, barely able to keep her eyes open.
“Are you tired?” he asked. Minnowpaw nodded, “Go run a mile,” he stated flatly. Minnowpaw got up and was about to take off when Sparktail put his paw on her back and made her sit down again, “That is what we need to talk about,”
“What is what we need to talk about?” Minnowpaw asked.
“Some cats will not be happy with you and your siblings joining our clan. You are the first non pure Thunderclan cats to be let in the clan in a very long time and some cats will make sure that you are the last and that you leave,” he said.
“But I’m being good! I did everything you asked today even though I might fall on my paws on the way back to camp and I didn’t complain even once!” yowled Minnowpaw furious.
“That’s my point. All most any other cat would have yelled at me after the first tree because they knew and I bet you knew that I made you get far more moss than we really need. Some cats will tease and taunt you and your littermates, they will drive you out with words and you have to fight back!” he said.
“Are you telling me that I should attack them?”
“No, but if they something take it like you were taking what I was giving you, but if an apprentice or a new warrior wants you to do something and doesn’t say that either Silverstar or I needs you to do it you must check in with me. Don’t even come to me if it’s something like go to Riverclan and steal all of their fish.”
“So you want me to ignore teases but retaliate with ridiculous accusations or commands?”
“You have a very wide vocabulary for such a young cat. Who do you get that from?”
“My mom,” said Minnowpaw as she hung her head low.ywa
“Well come on, it’s about time we went home.”
Chapter Three[]
Minnowpaw woke and saw that it was still dark outside and the dawn patrol wouldn’t be leaving any time soon. Anyway, she got up and stretched her back. It had been a whole half moon since Sparktail had been made her mentor, Brownstripes Sparrowpaw and Rockpaw’s mentor and a cat named Maceclaw Ivypaw’s mentor.
Minnowpaw slowly picked her way out of the den and thought about what had been happening since she and her littermate’s got here. Ivypaw had been doing much better than when they first brought her half dead body to the camp, but she had been taking the most of the teasing from the other apprentices.
The other apprentices were Flypaw, Beetlepaw and Mallowpaw. Beetlepaw and Flypaw were brother and sister while Mallowpaw was the only boy that his mother had. Beetlepaw and Flypaw did all of the teasing while Mallowpaw was often kind to them, but when Beetlepaw and Flypaw were around he neither defended nor teased Minnowpaw and her littermates.
Rockpaw was getting stronger every day and any cat that didn’t know that Sparrowpaw was the oldest would think that Rockpaw. He seemed to be the cat that was looked up to by the kits and unlike the rest of the littermates the one who wasn’t looked down on. One of those reasons was that he was so used to getting up early he often relived cats from the dawn patrol which no one was found of.
Sparrowpaw was being must quieter than he usually was and Minnowpaw wondered if that was because he was too tired to complain or something else. Minnowpaw looked up at the sky and saw that many stars still lit up the night. Are you up there Mom and Dad?
Minnowpaw suddenly remembered that today was the day that Dustkit, Featherkit and Spadekit became apprentices. As if her thoughts had willed him up, Minnowpaw saw Spadekit sitting in the middle of the clearing, “Spadekit,” Minnowpaw whispered, “What are you doing up?”
Shadekit turned to her with excitement in his eyes, “We’re going to be apprentices soon! I can’t sleep!” he yowled. Minnowpaw slapped her tail to his mouth.
“It’s really early in the morning, keep your voice down or you’ll wake every one in the camp!” hissed Minnowpaw.
“Sorry,” mumbled Spadekit with Minnowpaw’s still in his mouth, “Do you often think about your mom and dad?”
The question caught Minnowpaw off guard, “Why do you ask?”
Spadekit shrugged, “We will all join Starclan one day, I wanted to see if I could have comforted you if you were sad,”
“You are right; there is a time when we will all join Starclan. Even our leaders who get nine lives from Starclan. Yes, I do thin of my parents every day,” said Minnowpaw. Spadekit laid his small tail on Minnowpaw’s shoulder to comfort her, “I think of how happy and proud they would be of us that we were able to find the clans and how we are now safe and are doing what they would have wanted.”
“She should always respect our elders, we should always do what the dead wish of us,” concluded Spadekit.
“You know you’re smart for a kit,”
“You were smarter than me when you were a kit.” Minnowpaw laughed and nudged Spadekit who then leaned on Minnowpaw’s shoulder. After many heart beats which stretched on forever, Minnowpaw got up and said, “You better be going back to the nursery. No use looking like you didn’t sleep at all at you ceremony.”
“But I didn’t sleep at all!”
“But they don’t need to know that,” said Minnowpaw as she pushed Spadekit into the nursery then looked back up at the sky and saw that she could see the beginning of the sun come over the mores. The dawn patrol will be leaving soon. Maybe I should go. Nah, I’ll go hunting, decided Minnowpaw and she dashed off into the forest unaware of what she had just done.
Chapter four[]
It was dawn when Minnowpaw got back with two mice and a squirrel. As she was placing her fresh kill on the fresh kill pile, she saw Sparktail come out of the warriors den and looked over to see Minnowpaw, “Good morning Sparktail!” said Minnowpaw, thankful to see another cat she could talk to who wasn’t a kit.
Sparktail padded over to Minnowpaw and asked, “What are you doing up so early?”
Minnowpaw shrugged and came up to join him, “I’m used to getting up early and listening to Mallowpaw snore is killing me,” I said jokingly.
Sparktail just looked at me, “Mallowpaw can’t help what he does in his sleep. I wish you didn’t get up so early, then we could actually work together and practice together like mentor and apprentice are supposed to do.”
Minnowpaw hung her head, “I’m sorry,”
Sparktail nudged her, making her off balance, “Don’t worry about it. I’ll just work you sooooo hard today that you’ll fall off your paws.”
“Can we do battle training?” asked Minnowpaw.
Sparktail looked like he was about to say yes when he pricked his ears and his body went tense all over, “No, but you can fight in a battle.” He said as cats poured into the camp, “AMBUSH!” he yowled and he met with a white she-cat and began to attack.
Minnowclaw saw cats pour out of their dens and leap on cats, and then she saw an apprentice from the rival clan who looked just as confused as she was and Minnowpaw sunk her claws into his back, flopping him on his belly. Minnowpaw flopped him over again and started to claw at his belly. He let out a yowl of pain and pushed Minnowpaw off.
The apprentice whorled around and slashed out with his forepaws, but Minnowpaw was too fast and head butted his stomach making him fall to the ground winded, “Minnowpaw, help!” yowled a voice.
Minnowclaw turned around to see and large, muscular tom entering to nursery, “Spadekit!” she yowled and shot off to the nursery, barley aware of a large she-cat lunging for her and missing. When Minnowpaw entered the nursery, she saw that the tom had Spadekit, Dustkit and Gracefeather cornered, but was holding Featherkit in his jaws. Minnowclaw then saw a large wound on Gracefeather's side.
The tom turned to leave and shot out with Minnowpaw hard on his paws, “I won’t let you take her!” Minnowpaw yowled as she herd the terrified yowls of Featherkit as she swayed back and fourth in the tom’s mouth.
To Minnowpaw’s horror, the tom was going faster than she was and she could feel herself slowing down, “Don’t let him kill me guys don’t let him kill me!” said Featherkit. Minnowpaw looked behind her and saw Rockpaw catching up to them.
With a new energy in her, Minnowpaw sped up and was running the fastest she ever had and she could swear that her mother and father’s paw steps were hard on hers. Minnowpaw saw the tom was slowing down and she saw her chance.
Minnowpaw let out as loud a cry that she could which probably was herd in Riverclan’s territory, and she leapt onto the toms back, pulling him on his side. Featherkit let out a yowl, but calmed down a little bit when Rockpaw took her from the toms’ mouth and leapt up a tree.
“You worthless piece of fox dung!” cried Minnowpaw as she slashed at the tom who was too out of breath to do any thing, “You take a kit from her mother! What in the name of Starclan do you think you were doing?!” she yowled again, attacking with all of her might.
“Minnowpaw that is enough! You’ll kill the cat!” called Rockpaw from the tree. Minnowpaw looked down at her victim and saw that his pelt was plastered in blood and he was panting hard. Seeing his chance at freedom, he got up and limped away.
Rockpaw came down from the tree with Featherkit in his jaws, “Are you okay?” asked Minnowpaw.
“NO! I’m not okay. I was supposed to have my apprentice ceremony and now every cat will be too busy working on the camp to even notice me! I want be like you Minnowpaw. You’re so brave! Thank you for saving me!” said Featherkit.
Rockpaw looked at Minnowpaw and whispered, “She’s okay.” Minnowpaw picked up Featherkit and she, Featherkit and Rockpaw headed back home.
* * * * * * * * * *
When Minnowpaw, Rockpaw and Featherkit arrived back at the camp, all of the cats who had fought were gone and cats were everywhere looking for a certain kit and two certain apprentices. Bouldertail was the first to find them, “There back!” he cried and Gracefeather shot out of the nursery and covered her kit in rhythmic licks then said, “Thank you so much you brave cats! You have brought my kit back and now I am forever in your debt. Thank you so much!” Then she picked up Featherkit and shot back to the nursery.
Cats were asking so many questions until Silverstar leapt up onto the high rock and said, “All cats who are old enough to catch their own prey please gather under the high ledge for a clan meeting!”
Instantly, all of the cats ran from Minnowpaw and Rockpaw and ran to the highrock, “Cats of Thunderclan, today is a grave and happy day. Today is the day that Windclan came and attacked us,” she had to paws as yowls of outrage and disapproval sprayed out from the cats bellow her.
When they were settled, she began again, “So in one moons time we will take revenge and we will destroy all of their medicine supplies!” This time, yowls of approval came from the cats, but one voice rang out from the rest, Gracefeather’s.
“But we will not take any cats right?” she asked. Silverstar nodded, and then went on to her clan, “But it is also a good day because we now know that we have two brave cats in our clan. Minnowpaw and Rockpaw,”
Minnowpaw braced herself for yowls of protest, but they never came. In stead, the clan started yowling their names, “Minnowpaw, Rockpaw, Minnowpaw, Rockpaw,” Silverstar waited for the yowls of approval died down before continuing, “As a reward, you can do what ever you like today and you will be coming to the gathering tonight. The meeting is over!” she yowled as she leapt down to her den.
Minnowpaw turned to her brother and could tell that he was as excited as her to go to the gathering and she knew that today was the day that we were really and truly taken in by the clan.
Chapter five=[]
Minnowpaw padded slowly around the lake with the rest of her clan mates, finally ready to go to the gathering and to see all of the cats from the other clans. She remembered not to talk to any of the Windclan cats and to not yowl approval for any new apprentices or warriors to the clan.
Minnowpaw wasn’t planning to any way. She knew that they would attack Windclan very soon and she didn’t want to make a friend in a clan if she was later going to try to slash their muzzle.
She was nearing the tree bridge and was very apprehensive when it came to her turn, “MOVE!” yowled Beetlepaw as her pushed Minnowpaw up to the top of the tree bridge. Minnowpaw jumped up onto the tree bridge.
Black, dark water lapped at the tree branches and looked as if the hungrily waited for her to fall in. Minnowpaw made it half way down when a fish leaped up in front and her and she fell, surely about to be plunged into the dark water. She felt the tip of her tail dip into the water when something bit into her scruff and hauled her up to safety.
“Be careful next time,” said the voice of her savior. Minnowpaw looked up and saw a handsome brown tabby tom that was exactly like Minnowpaw, but bigger and brown with a tabby brown pelt, white paws, muzzle, and tail tip. Yep just like a brown tabby version of the gray tabby Minnowpaw.
Minnowpaw padded to the end of the tree and turned back to her savior, “That you for helping me, I thought that I was going to be fish food for sure. I’m Minnowpaw of Thunderclan, who are you?”
“I am Windpaw of Windclan,” he said.
Minnowpaw stiffened and she knew that she should turn away, but something in they way that Windpaw looked at her made her stay, “You don’t look like any cats in Thunderclan that I know of. Are you a loner coming to the clan?” Windpaw asked.
Minnowpaw nodded, “Who are your parents?” he asked.
“Spider is my father and Snow is my mother,” she said.
“Why didn’t they take warrior names?” he asked.
“Because they’re dead,” Minnowpaw said, hanging her head low.
“I’m so sorry. My mom died giving birth to me and my dad was killed by a monster when I was a kit,” he said.
“I’m sorry,” said Minnowpaw.
“How were your parents killed?” he asked, a little bit wary, but Minnowpaw would answer. Windpaw offered something up of himself and it was only right to respond.
“A dog pack killed them,” Minnowpaw said. Windpaw leaned into her to comfort her and Minnowpaw herd a stern voice.
“Minnowpaw, time to go, the gathering will be starting soon,” it said. Minnowpaw turned around to see Rockpaw looking very angry at her. He had grown so much in the past half moon that he looked full grown.
“Who is that?” asked Windpaw, very loudly.
“My brother, I have to go Windpaw. Thanks for saving me!” said Minnowpaw and she ran to her brother. Rockpaw lead her away and into a bush to a large clearing. He then bent down and hissed in her ear.
“We shouldn’t be talking to Windclan cats remember?! You’re lucky that another Thunderclan cat didn’t’ see you and I did! What did you mean, ‘thanks for saving me’?” he said.
“I fell off the tree bridge and he pulled me back up before I was in the water,” said Minnowpaw, a little agitated.
Rockpaw hissed at her again and stalked off. Minnowpaw settled down next to Mallowpaw and listened as Silverstar called the gathering together and started to tell how Thunderclan was thriving and were doing the best they had in moons. Minnowpaw noticed how she said that strait to the Windclan leader Swiftstar. Swiftstar then started to talk, but Minnowpaw wasn’t paying attention. All she could think about was Windpaw…
Chapter Six[]
Minnowpaw padded back to the camp with the rest of the patrol padding in front of her. Her paws felt as light as air when she remembered what had happened after the gathering had ended, “Meet me on the edged of you territory where yours and mine meet. There’s a tree bridge there and I can teach you how not to fall,” said Windpaw as the gathering broke up.
Minnowpaw just nodded and got another hard look from Rockpaw. Minnowpaw knew that he was too far away to hear what they were saying, but she knew that he wouldn’t be happy if he knew, she couldn’t let any cat in Thunderclan ever know that she was meeting the Windclan cat.
Minnowpaw knew that she and Rockpaw would always be good friends, but would they ever be more than that?
* * * * * * * * *
It was the middle of the night and as Minnowpaw had promised, she came to the edged of Thunderclan and Windclan’s territory. Just as Windpaw had said, he was right there, waiting for her on his side of the boarder.
“Come on over!” offered Minnowpaw.
“No, I told you that I would teach you how to cross the bridge without falling. So get your tail over on my side,” said Rockpaw.
Minnowpaw backed off until she was almost out of sight from the Windclan apprentice. Then with all of her might, she ran as fast as she could. The stream and the Windclan apprentice quickly came back into her vision and in no time she was on the edge of the stream.
Minnowpaw used all of her strength and launched herself into the air. Minnowpaw loved jumping. It made her feel like she could fly, and better yet, she could stay in the air longer, jump higher, and jump farther than any other cat she ever knew, even though she didn’t know many cats.
To Minnowpaw, it felt like she was in the air for a moon, but soon she landed on the other side of the stream. The stream was a good 10 tail lengths long and Minnowpaw wasn’t on the edge, but a good 2 or 3 tail lengths a head of Rockpaw.
He looked back at her in amazement, “How did you do that?” he asked and he turned and padded over to her.
Minnowpaw shrugged, “I have always been able to do that,” she said.
“Can any of your littermates do that?” asked Windpaw.
Minnowpaw shook her head, “No, but we all have something special. I can jump really far, Ivypaw knows what’s happening to you before you even do, Rockpaw is a great fighter, and Sparrowpaw, well you have to meet him and you’ll just know that his destiny is not like everyone else,” explained Minnowpaw.
“And you never wonder why you can do this?” asked Windpaw, bewildered.
Minnowpaw shook her head again, “I guess we got it from our parents,”
Windpaw nodded and jumped up onto the tree bridge, “Now come one, I promised you I would teach you and that is just what I will do,”
Windpaw and Minnowpaw spent the rest of the night trying to cross the tree bridge or having jumping or running contests. After a while, both cats got tired and settled themselves under a bush together and soon, sleep engulfed them both.
Chapter Seven[]
When Minnowpaw returned to the stone hollow, she saw Sparrowpaw waiting in the middle of the clearing. For a heart beat, Minnowpaw thought that he knew where she was, but then she calmed herself as he started when she called his name so he clearly wasn’t waiting for her.
“Minnow, good I need to talk to you,” he said.
“No Sparrowpaw, I’m Minnowpaw,” corrected Minnowpaw.
“No, you are Minnow. You will always be Minnow to me, and I will always be James,” said Sparrowpaw.
“Sparrowpaw what are you,” started Minnowpaw.
Sparrowpaw slapped his tail to her mouth and said, “No Minnow, I’m James now. Clan life isn’t for me and you know that. I liked being a loner. Able to do what ever you needed to do and doing what you want when you want, but I can’t even hunt well enough to be a loner. I have found some twolegs who,” he said. James trailed off as he looked at the deep sorrow in Minnowpaw’s eyes.
“James you can’t leave me!” yowled Minnowpaw.
“You will be fine. Ivypaw and Rockpaw are staying. You know that if I stay here I will never be truly happy. Minnow, let me go, please,” asked James.
Minnowpaw stepped aside to let James go. James was about half way out of the tunnel when he turned around and bounded back to Minnowpaw.
“You know that I will always love you Minnow,” he said.
Minnowpaw turned her head away from him, then whispered, “I will always love you too James,”
“Minnow please look at me,”
Minnowpaw didn’t move at first, but then turned her head and looked at her brother. By now, the tears that Minnowpaw had tried to keep at bay were rolling down her face as fast as a water fall at the thought of losing her brother and never seeing him again.
“What?” she asked.
“Minnow, I know that your life here will be a good one. I can just tell, and you know that if I stay I will never be happy. Our family split up the moment our parents were killed. I know that you want to keep us all together, but I can feel it in Ivypaw and Rockpaw and you that this is not the last step of our destiny,” he murmed to her, hopping for a reply.
When Minnowpaw didn’t respond, he went on, “Starclan came to me the morning Snow and Spider were killed. They told me, before you are all together again, you will be apart. Torn by love, abilities and death. Before you are together it will take the death of one cat,”
Minnowpaw still didn’t respond, “Minnow, I don’t want that to be you, or Rockpaw, or Ivypaw, but I don’t care if it was me. Minnow, I just feel it in my paws that I need to go to be a kittypet before I can come back and be happy with you guys. I love you too much, and I don’t think I could live with myself if you died,”
With those final words, James nuzzled Minnowpaw of the shoulder, turned, and disappeared into the tunnel, without another word…
Chapter Eight[]
Minnowpaw was left in the middle of the clearing for what felt like another moon before Silverstar came out of her den and padded over to her, “James is gone isn’t he?” she asked.
“How did you know?” asked Minnowpaw, just barley able to stop herself from crying again.
“I knew from the moment that I saw you. I knew he would leave and then maybe more of you would leave,” stated Silverstar calmly.
“You knew!” yowled Minnowpaw in furry, “Is that why you gave him and Rockpaw the same mentor?!”
Silverstar still kept and clam face which only made Minnowpaw more infuriated and she yowled again, “Why didn’t you tell any cat!? I could have stopped it!”
“No, Minnowpaw, you couldn’t have stopped it. This is James’s destiny,” she stated, still calm.
“Yes I could have! I know James better than you do! I could have stopped him!” she yowled.
Silverstar turned to Minnowpaw and said, “Minnowpaw, it was his destiny, you will meet again and you know that I am right,”
Minnowpaw shrugged off her leader’s tail and Silverstar wrapped it around her paws, “Come on,” she said, “It is time for the apprentice ceremony, you know, the one that was interrupted by Windclan,”
Silverstar leapt up on the highrock and said the ceremony for Dustkit, Spadekit and Featherkit. Minnowpaw didn’t pay attention. After the ceremony was over, Minnowpaw saw the newly named Spadepaw and his father Sparktail padding over to her.
I can’t talk to any cat before I make sure James is okay! Minnowpaw turned and ran to the entrance to the hollow, ignoring the yowls she got from many startled cats. Instantly, Minnowpaw picked up the scent she would never forget, her brother’s.
Minnowpaw ran as fast as she could to find her brother, calling out his name then and again. I have to tell him something before he leaves! He might never talk to me again let alone see me if I leave things the way we did.
With every step that was unsuccessful to find her brother, Minnowpaw was fueled with more rage at herself and ran faster and faster. Soon, Minnowpaw stopped, completely out of breath. She realized with furry that she probably wouldn’t find her brother.
She began to weep and hung her head, “James I’m so sorry! I’m sorry! Please come back to me!” she wailed, “I don’t care about some stupid prophecy! James come back to me!”
A twig snapped and Minnowpaw turned hopeful at the thought of her brother coming back, but soon she realized that the paws were too heavy to be that paws of her brother, but they were the paws of a warrior.
Minnowpaw scented the air and with a panic she realized that she had wandered into the territory of Shadowclan and a warrior had heard her. Minnowpaw turned to run, but a muscular white she-cat with black spots erupted from the bushes and sunk her claws into Minnowpaw’s back.
“Help!” Minnowpaw yowled. Turning to face her attacker, Minnowpaw used all of her strength to thrust her attacker off of her. Minnowpaw turned to run again because she knew that if she stayed to fight the she-cat she would surly lose.
But sure enough, the she-cat hit her on the side of the head and Minnowpaw fell on her side, out of breath and barely aware of the deep scratch that narrowly missed her eye.
The she-cat started to scratch Minnowpaw’s ears and belly. Minnowpaw tried to fight back, but the she-cat was too strong for her.
Minnowpaw was about to give up the fight and let the starry cats who she felt around her take her away to Starclan when another cat joined the battle and threw the she-cat off of Minnowpaw. Minnowpaw could hear the fight going on next to her, but had no energy left and slowly, slowly, let the cat who circled her paw steps take her away.
Chapter Nine[]
Minnowpaw felt all of her injures feel better when the cat who circled her took her away. She recognized the scent of her cat as her mothers. Soon, Minnowpaw began to smell two scents, her mothers’ and her fathers’.
“Snow! Spider!” called Minnowpaw, “Mom, Dad, I need you!” A lake began to unfold in front of her, but not the one that had many cats living around it. Two starry figures padded towards her and she saw a bright white she cat and a black tom both with blue eyes.
“Mom, Dad!” yowled Minnowpaw. The two cats met her and they stood in a purring heap of furry for what felt like a moon until the black cat stepped back and spoke to his daughter.
“Minnowpaw, you mother and I are so proud of you and your littermates,” he began, “We know that you will miss your brother, but you will meet him again and I can promise you that,” Spider swept his black tail to the lake and it showed Minnowpaw a picture of a black tom sleeping in a twoleg den and Minnowpaw realized that it was her brother.
“He is okay and he will be that way until you will have to meet him again, but you can’t and mustn’t find him,” said the white she-cat, touching her daughter on the shoulder with the tip of her tail.
“What do you mean we will meet again? What do you mean I mustn’t look for him? Aren’t I dead,” asked Minnowpaw, looking questioningly at her mother.
Both her mother and father smiled at her, but her father was the one who answered, “My daughter, your mother and I love you very much, but it is not your time to come to us,”
Minnowpaw looked down at her own paws and to her relief, she saw that her paws didn’t show to same starry sparkle her parents did.
“You would have come to join your father and I, but you had another visitor to you battle,” her mother swept her tail over the lake and it showed Windpaw licking Minnowpaw’s muzzle in the clearing where she fought the she-cat, repeating the words Minnowpaw don’t leave me. Minnowpaw please wake up.
Minnowpaw felt over whelming me happy that Windpaw had come to her rescue yet somewhat resentful that a tom had to come to her rescue and she couldn’t save herself. But what is he doing?
“But then why did you bring me to Starclan?” asked Minnowpaw puzzled.
“Because we love you and we had to tell you not to find James or stop anything else that might happen,” explained Snow.
“But_,” started Minnowpaw. Spider slapped his black tail against Minnowpaw’s mouth to silence her.
“My daughter,” he said, “Have we ever steered you wrong before? Youwill meet again and I promise you that,”
Snow and Spider started to fade, but Minnowpaw was left until the floor below her disappeared and she fell in to wakefulness.
Chapter ten[]
Moons had gone by since Minnowpaw’s encounter with the Shadowclan she-cat. Minnowpaw didn’t tell any cat what had happened and was relived to find that the she-cat hadn’t recognized her at the gathering and the Shadowclan leader Clawstar hadn’t said anything.
Minnowpaw had refused to meet with Windpaw again because she had heard the tales of Leafpool and Crowfeather, Bluestar and Oakheart, and Graystripe and Silverstream. She wasn’t as scared about what had happened to her, but she knew that Hollyleaf killed herself, Stonefur was killed for being half-clan, and Stormfur had to leave his clan and family members because he didn’t feel like he belonged to any clan.
I can’t do that to my kits.Thought Minnowpaw. The kits I have will be with a Thunderclan cat or not at all.
Never the less, Minnowpaw still felt drawn to him and she was dreading the fight that her clan had with Windclan. She was lucky that Silverstar had said that they weren’t ready for an attack and said that they were going to wait until Minnowpaw, Rockpaw and Ivypaw had gotten their warrior names.
Getting up from her nest, Minnowpaw realized with a jolt that today was the day that she got her warrior name so they would attack in a quarter moon. Minnowpaw had agreed to meet with Windpaw the next night to celebrate her being a warrior, but Minnowpaw was dreading it all the same because she could either betray her clan and tell Windpaw, or betray her friend and attack his clan without warning.
“All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather under the high ledge for a clan meeting,” yowled Silverstar’s commanding voice, not as strong as it had once been.
Cats poured from their dens and Minnowpaw padded over to where her brother and sister were bouncing up and down in excitement, but Minnowpaw couldn’t be happy. We’re missing someone. Thought Minnowpaw as she gazed at the spot where James would have been sitting.
Silverstar said the ceremony, but her voice was riddled with age and Minnowpaw knew that it wouldn’t be long until Spadepaw’s father took over the clan. Minnowpaw was the last to receive her warrior name and her ears rung with joy when she herd it, “From now on you will be known as Minnowclaw. Starclan honors you courage even at such a young age,”
Minnowpaw knew that Silverstar was referring to the time when Featherpaw (then named Featherkit) was taken by Windclan and Minnowclaw had saved her along with her brother Rockpaw.
Minnowpaw was now Minnowclaw, Rockpaw was Rocktail, Ivypaw was Ivywing, and Sparrowpaw… Minnowclaw trailed off in her thoughts, Sparrowpaw is happy, where ever he is.
Chapter Eleven[]
“Hi Minnowpaw!” said Windpaw when Minnowpaw had come to their meeting place.
“No, not Minnowpaw, Minnowclaw now Windpaw!” corrected Minnowpaw.
“No, Minnowclaw I’m now Windclaw,” said Windclaw
Minnowclaw and Windclaw screamed in excitement for each other and began to play fight, “Wait,” said Windclaw, “This isn’t what warriors do,” he said.
“Who cares!?” yowled Minnowclaw as she jumped on Windclaw’s back and clawed at his back with claws sheathed.
Windclaw rolled over and clawed at Minnowclaw. They went for what had felt like moons, before they were both so tired they curled up next to each other and fell asleep.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
It was the day of the attack on Windclan and Minnowclaw was lucky to be chosen as one of the cats to stay back at camp, but she still wanted to know what was happening at the camp.Silverstar better keep her word about not hurting any cats unless in self defense!
The plan was to go and to destroy all of the medicine in the camp, but Minnowclaw wasn’t sure how long that would hold long with some of the cats who were most furious at Windclan.
Minnowclaw stood at the entrance to the hollow and waited for any sound of approaching cats with her ears strained to hear any noise that could be a cat. Minnowclaw swung her head around at the snap of a twig, but it was only a bird grabbing a worm from the ground.
“Well you’re jumpy today Minnowclaw! Do you have ants in your pelt or what?” Minnowclaw turned her head to see her best friend Spadetail looking at her from the other side of the entrance. Spadetail had become a warrior about a moon after Minnowclaw. Thank Starclan that the attack was kept till a later time.
Minnowclaw and Spadetail had become very close in the time that the clan had taken to prepare for battle, “Minnowclaw, can I talk to you?” Minnowclaw turned around to see that her sister Ivywing was standing next to her with distress in her eyes.
“Sure,” said Minnowclaw as she padded toward her sister who led her to a small opening behind the apprentices den, “Minnowclaw, I know about Windclaw,” she said.
Minnowclaw's heart dropped, “What do you mean?” she asked, trying to sound innocent, but she knew that her sister would see right through her lie.
“Minnowclaw, I saw you guys!” She hissed. This was the maddest the Minnowclaw had every seen Ivywing, “Don’t lie to me Minnowclaw, who do you think I am?”
“Please don’t tell Silverstar!” begged Minnowclaw in a pleading whisper.
“Don’t you think some cat will notice sooner or later?”
“No, we are going to stop meeting!”
Ivywing shook her head, “You mousebrain! Didn’t you think it would ever lead to something?”
Minnowclaw shook her head and Ivywing flicked to Minnowclaw’s belly which was slightly round.
“So? It’s Greenleaf! All cats get bigger in green leaf!”
“Yeah, but not like you have Minnowclaw! Look at me!” Ivywing turned and when they were kits, Ivywing was always fatter than Minnowclaw, but now she was much skinnier.
“But I never slept with him…” Minnowclaw trailed off as a new voice spoke in her head. One moon ago, you remember. Minnowclaw hung her head and began to weep.
“Well? What are you going to do for your kits?” asked Ivywing.
“I don’t know!”
Chapter Twelve[]
It was the day after Thunderclan had attacked Windclan and Minnowclaw was slowly padding to where she and Windclaw used to meet. She was the place where she had last been with Windclaw. If only I had gone back to my own nest this never would have happened!
A twig snapped and Minnowclaw was throne on her side as a cat crashed into her, “Traitor!” it was Windclaw who had her pinned down.
“Windclaw, let me up!” demanded Minnowclaw, the weight of her kit heavy and making her clumsy.
Windclaw got up, but began to circle Minnowclaw, “Why should I have, you betrayed me!”
“Windclaw, we have a bigger problem to deal with!”
“Really what could be bigger than you betraying our friendship?” Windclaw sounded more heartbroken then sad.
“Our kits!” whispered Minnowclaw. Minnowclaw saw Windclaw’s saddens falter for a second, but it didn’t last, “You keep them, you deal with them!” he yowled.
“Punish me all you want, but what did your kits ever do to you?” asked Minnowclaw
* * * * * * * * * * * *
“One more push!” said Windclaw as Minnowclaw did her best to push out the last of her three kits. It had been many moons of good prey so all of the Thunderclan cats got very plump, but now Minnowclaw was going to have to do the hardest thing she had ever done.
Give birth, no, she had to give her kits up. Ivywing had later tolled Minnowclaw that she too had fallen in love with Windclaw and had never felt good in Thunderclan and under trees. So the plan was that Minnowclaw would give birth and then give her kits to Ivywing to take to Windclan and claim them to be hers and Windclaw.
Minnowclaw gave a yowl of pain as the last kit, a small grey tom fell onto the floor, “What beautiful kits!” said Ivywing as she looked down at her new kits.
Minnowclaw got up slowly to look at her kits, but to her hoarer two of them were not moving, the two that took the longest to push out. Minnowclaw started to lick the kits in a hope of rousing them, but her heart broke when she felt starry cats gather around her and two smaller ones with them.
“I will take good care of them, don’t worry my daughter,” said the voice of her mother in Minnowclaw’s ears.
“Minnowclaw, look at your son, he is hear and he needs you,” stated Windclaw, while Ivywing tried to rouse the kit.
“No! Just taken him away to Windclan, I don’t want to see him. He is not my son, but yours!” hissed Minnowclaw, keeping her eyes shut.
“Minnowclaw, what should we name him?” asked Windclaw who didn’t seemed to be phased at what Minnowclaw had said.
“He is yours and Ivywing, not mine!” hissed Minnowclaw again, but she was only saying this because she was trying not to get attached to her son for he would have to leave with Ivywing now. But Minnowclaw couldn’t help opening her eyes and seeing a small tom copy of herself wriggling in the dirt.
My son!Minnowclaw came to her senses and brought the kit to her to let him suckle, “Rockkit,” murmed Minnowclaw, “He shall be called Rockkit,”
After a while of Rockkit suckling, Ivywing picked up Rockkit from Minnowclaw while Windclaw tried to touch his nose to hers, but Minnowclaw turned her back on them and ran. Not to the camp, but to the moonpool. The only place where she could be alone.