eternal: primrose || warrior cats

chapter 13

snakestrike

~~~

IN SNAKESTRIKE'S HUMBLE OPINION, being a mentor was a waste of time. A good chunk of his day was spent by teaching a just out of nursery cat how to hunt and fight, and he could often feel himself holding on to his past bit of patience. It would be a different story if Whitepaw was naturally talented - as Snakestrike was when he was an apprentice - but the white tom didn't seem to know how to do anything right.

He had slow reflexes when it came to combat and always stepped in the wrong places and crouched weirdly when hunting, easily alerting prey of his presence.

Snakestrike had been so appalled that he'd even swallowed his dignity to approach Birdfrost and ask her how her apprentice, Dewpaw, was improving so much quicker than his. Maybe Whitepaw had an issue of some sort, he'd suggested.

"He's fine," Birdfrost had replied, rather impatiently. She was still vexed, it seemed, from the fact that Snakestrike had become deputy instead of her brother, Foxstorm. "It's not a natural talent or whatever, you just don't know how to teach properly."

Offended, Snakestrike had left, vowing never to go to Birdfrost for mentor help again. She clearly saw him unqualified for the role in order to suggest that Whitepaw's skill issue were Snakestrike's fault. No, no, clearly the problem lay in Whitepaw.

And Snakestrike really couldn't afford to have an apprentice like that. Every cat he associated with now would build his image, and the Clan already deeply doubted him. Did he really want them to see him with an apprentice who can barely hunt? To give him credit, though, Whitepaw was still a lot better than Viperfoot as an apprentice; Snakestrike didn't know how Sandstrike survived.

Maybe this was another test Ivorystar was giving him. Maybe she purposely knew about Whitepaw's lack of abilities and to make Snakestrike's job of proving himself to ShadowClan harder.

Well, this was another test the gray tom was determined to pass.

So this morning, after seeing the dawn patrols off, Snakestrike woke up Whitepaw and announced they were going to do some extra practice. "Training's the only way to improve," the deputy meowed firmly.

And Whitepaw, eager to improve, agreed without complaining.

The two set off, Snakestrike leading towards the Thunderpath. "There's steadier trees there," he explained, "and I want to practice your climbing." As they neared the border, Snakestrike found fresh ShadowClan scent - Good, the dawn patrol had gone by, he thought - but also an unfamiliar smell.

The ShadowClan deputy halted, muscles tense, as he parted his jaws, letting the scents bathe his tongue. Indeed, there was a new scent there. A scent that didn't belong to any Clan.

Rogues.

"Snakestrike?" came Whitepaw's tentative voice. "Why have we stopped?"

What a mousebrained question, Snakestrike thought agitatedly. Can't he smell it? The new scent?

But before Snakestrike could lecture Whitepaw about that, a panicked yowl came somewhere in the distance. Instantly, Snakestrike took off, not caring whether his apprentice could keep up with his speed. As they grew closer to the yowl, the rogue scent grew stronger, and, bursting into a clearing, Snakestrike spotted Mintberry high in a pine tree, with three rogues staring up at her with taunting smiles.

How she got up there, Snakestrike had no idea. She never trained in climbing, after all.

The rogues' attention turned onto him as he arrived, and Snakestrike lashed his tail, baring his teeth. "You are trespassing on ShadowClan's land! If you don't leave in the next few seconds, I will be forced to exert the consequences!"

Somewhere behind him, Whitepaw was bounding through the forest, his paws crunching loudly against leaves and twigs, the sound of his panting very audible. 

The rogues didn't seem very afraid - it was the three of them against a medicine cat hiding in a tree and an apprentice who can hardly duck in time to escape a blow.

The largest rogue - a brown tabby tom, who must've been at least Viperfoot's size - gave a small smile, his green eyes glittering cruelly. "So we are in ShadowClan's territory, good. We've found the right spot."

Snakestrike's fur started to spike. "You are being asked to leave. Go before I call for backup."

And of course, that was the time that Whitepaw finally burst into the clearing, panting wildly as he tried to catch his breath.

One of the rogues, a white she-cat, smiled with cold amusement. "Is that your backup?" she asked mockingly, indicating to Whitepaw with a flick of her tail.

"Whitepaw," Snakestrike mewed lowly, "go see if you can find the dawn patrol. Get them here."

Obedient as always, the white tom spun around and bounded away once more. Snakestrike winced to himself as he heard the ruckus his apprentice was causing; hopefully Whitepaw wouldn't embarrass him too badly in front of the dawn patrol.

"Well, it looks like it's three to one," the white she-cat purred lightly. "What fun."

Snakestrike braced himself for a fight, muscles tensed. He glanced up at the tree branch Mintberry was clutched on, in hopes that perhaps his sister could jump down and knock one of the rogues over or something. But, it doesn't seem like Mintberry's going to do any fighting anytime soon; though she was high enough to be away from harm, her claws were dug deeply into the wood, trembling, staring into the distance with blank eyes.

Snakestrike growled in frustration, turning back onto his opponents. He had half the mind to climb up into a tree himself. The only thing stopping him was the fact that he didn't want his Clanmates to arrive and see him cowering in the sky. He had to be brave, and prove to them he was a good deputy.

Snakestrike's face twisted into a snarl. "Bring it."

"Wait," the brown tabby tom snapped.

The white she-cat turned to him, obviously puzzled. "Aeolus? What's wrong?"

"Don't hurt them too badly," Aeolus instructed. "Don't kill both of them, at least."

The ginger-and-white tom flicked his tail. "'Both of them'?"

"Yeah. Bellona, get this one." Aeolus jerked his head at Mintberry. "Deimos, you get him." He angled his ears at Snakestrike.

Deimos's eyes lit up. "Aeolus, are you saying-?"

The brown tabby cut him off with a nod. "Yes, they look exactly like they did in my visions." His green eyes sparkled sinisterly. "What luck. Our first outing, and we've already got two out of three."

Snakestrike didn't know what in the world Aeolus was blabbing on about. All he knew was that he heard his Clanmates' paws pattering closer and closer, and that the dawn patrol would be here at any time for backup. And that when they arrived, they would see him shrinking away from the challenge instead of defending their territory gallantly.

So, Snakestrike did possibly the stupidest thing he could think of.

He charged right into Aeolus.