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THE GREATEST REVENGE IS COMPASSION
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SPARKPAW

APPRENTICE | LIGHTNINGCLAN | 6 MOONS

Dry winds howled and roared through LightningClan territory. Mixed clusters of heather and timothy whipped Sparkpaw's face like driving rain, though the skies were bright and clear. The sun beat down strong on the orange and white tom, turning his pelt fiery red in the evening light. He took a deep breath, arid air catching in the back of his throat like a fog of gnats. It was getting hot in the clans, and Sparkpaw didn't like it in the slightest. The other clans could bask in the shade of their territories, but StoneClan and LightningClan had the worst of it in Greenleaf. He was just grateful that the creek winded so conveniently through his territory, for a sip of water was never too far away. The gusts on the other hand Sparkpaw felt he could do without. It was a struggle just to walk in a straight line today. I'm walking like I'm doped up on poppy! Sparkpaw mused.

Hunting was a disaster for him that morning, and even though the winds were weaker earlier in the day, he still couldn't manage to track down any prey without the breezes changing direction, or the quarry slipping through his grasp. He had been given the evening off to do apprentice duties, but when the elder's nests were cleaned and their ticks removed, Sparkpaw sought comfort along the broad horizon of LightningClan land. The hills rolled gently, but the wind was abrasive and powerful, an unsavory fight after a long, disappointing day. In fact, the whole week he had been a complete failure at hunting. Why can't I catch anything lately? Roseflight has been a great mentor so far, and is one of LightningClan's best hunters. Why am I so awful? Sparkpaw pondered, paws scrambling for a sound place to rest step after step. The ground was dry and cracked, rough from lack of precipitation. It was hard to pinpoint a smell, and frankly, Sparkpaw had long since given up hunting for the afternoon. It's not my week for hunting anyways. He concluded, daring to swipe at a stray pebble with one of his paws.

The orange and white tabby was headed towards the Treeclan border to climb a few of the scraggly trees on the LightningClan side of the border, hoping to strengthen his claws and his muscle. He was getting good at climbing, but oftentimes got scrutinizing looks from others. LightningClan cats weren't supposed to be climbers. They weren't supposed to be adept at hunting and battle from heights.

Though Sparkpaw had a knack for it, more than the other LightningClanners did at least.

When the dark, blurred horizon sharpened into individual trees, he made a dash for the border, excitement fizzing under his pelt like electricity, conducting a dazzling burst of speed from the young apprentice. That one. He decided. It was one, two, three strides before he launched himself in the air snagged the trunk claws outstretched. It felt good sinking them into something. Battle training was always claws sheathed.

Out of no where, movement caught Sparkpaw's eye. One tree over on a huge, gnarled oak sat a fat squirrel, feasting on nuts. What the... His eyes grew big and round, and his mouth started to water. Am I...dreaming? He stumbled between real and surreal, just glaring at the squirrel as if it was a Starclan cat. After a few blinks, his heart burst with energy and desire, and in a mighty leap, he launched himself into the air to the oak tree, forgetting how vigorous the winds were. You're MINE!! He wanted to yowl out loud. His hind right leg slipped off the branch and the apprentice lurched forward dangerously, catching himself just barely in time. That was close! He noted, heart racing like the pattering feet of a fleeing vole. The squirrel had a head start because of Sparkpaw's slip up, but the prey was still within reach. Sparkpaw was throwing himself between trees after the fat squirrel, stomach growling and mouth watering. I've almost got you! He thought. Just at that moment, the squirrel darted down the tree trunk and Sparkpaw saw his chance. He calculated a stumbling jump. One moment he was airborne, and the next...

Thump!

The apprentice landed right on top of...nothing. The squirrel scampered off, leaving the apprentice completely out of breath. For a moment, Sparkpaw thought he was dreaming being surrounded by so many trees, then a wave of dread hit him like a tsunami, ripping at his heart with claws laced in fear. There were trees all around, and far, far back behind him rested LightningClan territory. A loud shuffling behind him startled the young tom, and Sparkpaw whipped around, hackles raised, and eyes wide with nervousness.

Oh no...Oh no, no, no.

What have I done?

Word Count: 819 | Tags: Fawn @kahani Taxx BlooRey DVD

Notes: xxx

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Roseflight, Warrior of Lightningclan

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The former queen was in a foul mood, she had been ever since Firestar announced that she would be mentoring Sparkpaw, the only tom kit of Palescreech and Nightstep. While he did remind the pure black feline of Nutpaw, this ginger thing  was not her son and thus, not worth her time. Roseflight was a hard feline to impress or even to get along with, she disliked most of the cats she encountered and they disliked her, it was just the way of the world and Roseflight liked it that way. 

Ebonycry was much more suited to mentoring than Roseflight was and the only basis the former queen had for mentoring was from her own apprenticeship, which she had not been out of long when she fell pregnant to her own Nutpaw and Bluepaw. However it seemed as much as she positioned herself as an unlikable and therefore unsuitable mentor, Firestar had still insisted, stating that the black queen was nevertheless a good warrior and her hardbut fair attitude would shape the young mind of Sparkpaw perfectly. 

Today, she had let him go off on his own thing, warning him to not leave the territory, however when he did not return at the estimated time, the black warrioress grew a little restless, maybe even concerned and set off after her wayward apprentice, a hard look in her brilliant blue eyes. It did not take long for her to track him to the border between them and Treeclan but as she walked, she noticed that his scent carried past the scent line and quickened her pace her ears twitching for any sound of an approaching patrol. 

Getting caught on tresspassing on another clan's territory was a punishable offence, both from the leader of the offending clam to the offender and often the cats of the other clan that caught the Tresspassers so Roseflight would had to find Sparkpaw quickly and get them both off Treeclan territory before someone caught them. 

As Sparkpaws scent grew stronger and she wandered deeper into Treeclan, Roseflight thought of ways to punish her apprentice, violence was generally frowned upon, but she could always put him to work, picking ticks of the elders or some other job that she had suffered though as an apprentice, that she knew no one liked. A scuffle was heard ahead and the scent of fear flicked through the air along with Sparkpaw's scent. 


Approaching causiously the warrioress approached her apprentice with anger in her eyes. " What do you think you are doing Sparkpaw? this is Treeclan territory, it's tresspassing now come on and let's get out of here before we get caught. I am not fighting off Treeclaners to rescue your sorry butt" she snapped harshly, but not before she checked him over for injuries, a worried look hidden in her oceanic gaze. Roseflight was not the nicest mentor to have, but hey at least she cared enough about the tom to come after him, risking her own saftey to assure his own, she was still a mother after all. 

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Words: 512
Tags: @jet ( Sparkpaw), Hellion ( Firestar reference), neversky (Bluepaw reference)