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Post by Deleted on Oct 2, 2017 22:51:27 GMT -5
Ravenkit sat grumpily beside Bonekit, looking up at her grandmother Shadowstep. Blackbird had convinced Palegaze to leave camp with him to stretch her legs and have a hunt after being cooped up in the nursery for several moons and her mother had insisted that Ravenkit go spend time with the elders while she was away. Bonekit had come along, trying be encouraging, but Ravenkit didn't want anything to do with the stinky old elders and their dumb stories.
Shadowstep's amber eyes glittered knowingly and she lowered her head conspiratorially, “I know what you want, Ravenkit. You want a story that only apprentices get to hear, don't you?”
Ravenkit's ears perked with interest, “There are stories only apprentices get to hear?”
Shadowstep purred, amused, “Of course. Some stories are far too scary to be telling kits. We elders aren't fond of queens yelling at us.”
“Tell me!” she demanded, on her paws, long black and white fur fluffed out and making her look like a giant puff ball with eyes. Bonekit's whiskers twitched with amusement, but he remained seated quietly beside her.
“Oh, I don't know... I wouldn't want Palegaze angry with me...,” Shadowstep considered, feigning hesitance.
Ravenkit hissed impatiently, “Who cares!? I want to hear an apprentice story!”
The old warrioress tried to keep the amusement from her tone, “Are you sure you'll be able to handle it?”
Ravenkit nodded emphatically, “Of course I can!” Her pale amber gaze dared her grandmother to suggest otherwise.
Shadowstep lowered her head, even closer, until her nose hovered before Ravenkit's face, “First, you must promise not to tell Palegaze I told you this story.”
The black and white kit fluffed up once more, “I promise, I promise!”
“Good,” Shadowstep withdrew, making herself comfortable, “Now, which story should I tell you....” Ravenkit fidgeted as Shadowstep thought and Bonekit watched the old cat curiously. “Ah... the legend of Leechfang.”
Ravenkit tilted her head, “Leechfang?”
“Hush, little one. If you interrupt again I won't finish the story,” Shadowstep warned, giving her granddaughter a stern look. Ravenkit clamped her jaws closed and Shadowstep gave her an approving nod before beginning the story, taking on a hushed tone that forced the two kits before her to lean in and listen closely, “Many seasons ago, shortly after the Clans first came to the valley, there was a NightClan warrior named Leechfang. His pelt was black as night, his eyes were red as blood, and he was as big as Demon himself. His claws and fangs were so large they could not be concealed. He was the fiercest warrior in all the Clans... but you know, a cat that large needs to eat quite a lot of prey.”
Here her eyes glittered with mischief and Ravenkit looked over at Bonekit, wondering just where her grandmother was going with this, “There came a leaf-bare that lasted as long as the four seasons combined. Prey became near impossible to find and many cats starved. Desperate, Leechfang decided one day to eat one of his dead Clanmates.” Ravenkit's fur fluffed out in alarm and Bonekit pressed close to her, “Leechfang grew to enjoy the taste of other cats so much, after the long leaf-bare ended, he started killing cats as his prey!”
She chuckled at the wide eyed stares the two kits were giving her, “At first he only killed loners and rogues... but they became too hard to find. So he started killing warriors from the other Clans. This brought war to NightClan, as the other Clans in valley came to avenge their dead. NightClan's leader at the time, having learned of Leechfang's crimes, was going to offer him up to the other Clans to do with as they saw fit, but Leechfang escaped.”
She paused dramatically and leaned closer to the two, “He was never seen again... but every so often, during particularly terrible leaf-bares, a cat will go missing from one of the Clans, leaving behind only the faintest NightClan scent and pawprints big as a normal cat's head. It's thought that Leechfang consumed more than just a cat's flesh, but also their very souls, giving him eternal life, and that he continues to hunt the valley to this very day.”
Bonekit's fur stuck out as well at this point, and he shook his head in denial, “Th-that... that isn't a true story....”
Shadowstep laid back and began to groom herself nonchalantly, “Just wait for your first harsh leaf-bare and see.”
Ravenkit stood defiantly, her fur still fluffed out as much as possible, “I'm not afraid of some dumb old cateater! He'll never eat ME!”
Shadowstep purred, amused, “Oh, don't worry, Ravenkit... you wouldn't be any more than a mouthful for big ol' Leechfang. He only hunts the biggest cats, with the most meat on their bones.”
The black and white kit's fur began to lie flat, “... Really?” For once, being small didn't seem like such a bad thing.
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