Warriors Fanfiction: Blackstripe's Legacy

Chapter 3

Dead leaves crunched under the paws of the two warriors as they walked through the forest.

"What is a warrior anyway?" Blackstripe asked curiously. All this information he had gathered was too much, so he was dying to ask questions. Cloudwhisker appeared to be one of the most patient cats he had ever met.

"A warrior is a rank a cat takes after completing apprenticeship. Warriors usually go on patrols and can train other apprentices. They have to be around sixteen moons old to become a warrior, and 12 moons to become an apprentice." she answered eagerly.

"Then explain an apprentice for me." he asked encouragingly to his new friend.

"Apprentices aren't exactly like warriors. They take on jobs such as changing the retired warriors in the Clan, the elders, bedding, cleaning their pelts, and other small jobs," she went on, "But elders, warriors, and apprentices aren't the only duties around the Clan. There's the Queens. They are the she-cats that are either nursing or expecting kits. And then the deputy, which is who I am. Usually, I organize patrols and such. Scarstar is the leader of SunClan. When a leader dies, the deputy takes their place."

"What does the leader do?" Blackstripe nagged on.

"Scarstar runs the Clan altogether and addresses us to Clan meetings." she explained, looking around to make

sure they were going the right way.

"There's also medicine cats. You may think that the leaders are the ones who receive messages from StarClan- StarClan are our warrior ancestors that have passed away," she explained before he could open his mouth to ask, "But the medicine cat is even closer to StarClan than any cat. They read signs and warnings that they give SunClan."

Blackstripe was silent for a while, then asked, "Are there other Clans?"

Cloudwhisker answered a heartbeat later, "Yes. MoonClan. They live on the other side of the woods. If Frostear had attacked you, he must have suspected you to be a new warrior from MoonClan. We're rivals, but we respect each other deeply."

Blackstripe hurtled himself through a bush and out of the forest to see Butterscotch staring at him. They ran up to each other and licked each other on the head.

"Snowball!" his old kittypet friend began, but Blackstripe corrected her.

"You mean Blackstripe, now." he said warmly.

When Butterscotch was confused, Cloudwhisker's slender figure stepped out of the bushes.

The light-ginger kittypet jumped in alarm.

"Wild cat!" she screeched. She unsheathed her claws and got into position to leap onto Cloudwhisker, but Blackstripe flew in front of her.

"No! She hasn't hurt anyone and she won't start to." he said sternly. Butterscotch sheathed her claws, but the blaze of fury burned in her eyes and her tail lashed angrily.

"Greetings," the deputy said very calmly.

"She's the deputy of SunClan." Blackstripe explained vaguely to his old friend. She flicked her ears in confusion. He quickly explained how there were Clans of wild cats in the forest.

"So you're leaving me and joining those mangy furballs?" Butterscotch gasped. A pang of hurt washed over Blackstripe. He forgot what he would leave behind: his mate.

He suddenly wasn't sure what he should do. Should he leave behind everything, or act like the woods never existed?

"I'm sorry, Butterscotch. This is a path I have to take." Blackstripe mewed in a sorrowful tone. Butterscotch's eyes became glazed with grief for the departure of her only friend.

He pressed against her chest and purred for a heartbeat.

"It's ok, the housefolk will replace me with an even better cat. One that will pay attention to you more, unlike I did." he licked her on the ear affectionately.

"And yes, I'll be fine." he purred when she opened her mouth. Blackstripe was suddenly aware of Cloudwhisker, who had been sitting in front of the bushes, the tip of her tail twitching with an emotion indescribable.

Her deep, green gaze stared at him warmly.

"Bye, Blackstripe." Butterscotch mewed quietly, and the two warriors slipped into the bushes.