Warriors Super Edition: Redtail's Path

Chapter Ten

Nivek321 of Howrse, or BlueJayCanuck here on Wattpad, made this beautiful cover. Please don't take it as she put a lot of effort into it. Thanks! :)

Chapter 10 is here! This is the minimum amount of chapters for the contest, but Redpaw is still not a warrior! This book will have an estimated 14 chapters. Credit to Erin Hunter! Enjoy!

Chapter Ten

"Tigerclaw! Tigerclaw!" The Clan yowled in unison. The newly-named tabby smirked, drinking in all the praise. 

"Tigerclaw... Tigerclaw..." Redpaw muttered his old friend's warrior name with less enthusiasm. It had been another two moons since his talk with Spottedpaw and Willowpaw, and he still hasn't heard from Solsticepaw, or StarClan at all, for that matter. He scanned the crowd of excited cats and saw Thisleclaw, Tigerclaw's previous mentor, staring up at Highrock with jealousy in his gaze. Redpaw narrowed his eyes.  What's that all about? He wondered. 

After the Clan dispersed, Redpaw padded over to the fresh-kill pile. He had been on a hunting patrol earlier that morning, and he grabbed a thrush from the medium-sized pile. With leaf-fall getting ever closer, prey was beginning to get scarce. Redpaw watched as Tigerclaw sauntered past and grabbed two voles and a mouse from the fresh-kill pile. Redpaw stared at him in astonishment. The tabby's amber eyes met his as he padded off towards the elders' den. Tigerclaw set down the prey for the retired cats. Redpaw sighed with relief. Goosefeather hissed angrily at Tigerclaw and backed away from the prey like it was poisoned. Tigerclaw narrowed his eyes and went to whisper in the old cat's ear, and Redpaw pricked his own to listen. 

"You never liked me, did you?" He snarled. "Well, you're lucky I'm in a good mood today, fox dung, because if I wasn't, you wouldn't have a pelt by the time I left this den!" 

Goosefeather unsheathed his claws and batted the young warrior away, his eyes wild with rage. Tigerclaw growled contemptuously and stalked away. 

Redpaw tried not to yowl angrily at Tigerclaw as he headed to the camp's entrance for his silent vigil. The tabby warrior had just broken the warrior code by speaking before his vigil was complete! Not only that, but the disrespect and hostility he had shown towards Goosefeather could easily get him doing apprentice duties for his whole life. 

He padded over to the elders. "Goosefeather, are you all right?"  

The old medicine cat nodded. "He'll be the end of this Clan," he muttered, his eyes clouding. "You watch out for him. His ambition is unusually strong," he added silently. 

Redpaw felt that familiar chill run through him. Solsticepaw's eyes flashed behind Goosefeather, and he staggered. 

"Redpaw," Goosefeather continued, "we must talk." 

The apprentice nodded and let the elder lead him outside of the elders' den. He felt Larksong's worried gaze follow them as they exited. Goosefeather looked around, wary, and slipped out of camp, beckoning Redpaw. Redpaw followed hesitantly, unsure of what was going on. He found Goosefeather in a small clearing a good amount of tail-lengths from the elders' den, his back facing him. 

"Goosefeather...?" Redpaw began, but the elderly cat held up his tail to silence him. 

"There isn't much time," he said, turning around to look Redpaw in the eyes. "StarClan has spoken to you, have they not?" 

Redpaw felt confused. The old, ragged, previous medicine cat no longer looked insane, but instead extremely wise. "How did you-" 

"-I was a medicine cat, remember? Just because I retired from my duties, it doesn't mean I've lost the ability to interpret signs and communicate with StarClan," he snapped. "It is my understanding that you have received the prophecy?"