shaded secrets one-shots || vol. 1

hailpaw

Hailpaw bursts from the medicine den, shaking with excitement.

He steadies himself on shaking paws, blue-green eyes flickering curiously over the scattered ShadowClan cats going about their days.

A few fox-lengths away he spots Raggedfoot, his mentor, working away at a newt beside Slightclaw, the ShadowClan deputy.

Tail whisking to and fro, Hailpaw bounces up to his mentor.

"Raggedfoot?"

The cream and black tom raises his head, expression pleasantly warmed; something volatile, something Hailpaw remains blissfully unaware of, flickers in his yellow eyes.

"Yes?"

Slightclaw, sticking to his regular withdrawn demeanor, stares disdainfully at Hailpaw and narrows his eyes instead of uttering a greeting.

"C-can I talk to you about something?" questions Hailpaw to Raggedfoot, fidgeting back and forth with the restlessness of a kit.

"...It's kinda important."

Raggedfoot looks a bit annoyed but rises to his paws regardless, murmuring something rather sharply into Slightclaw's ear.

"Fine."

Daunted by Raggedfoot's lack of enthusiasm but choosing to ignore it, Hailpaw trots after his mentor up to the bramble tunnel and out of ShadowClan camp.

-=-

"So what's this important news?" mews Raggedfoot, a challenging undertone lacing his words.

Suddenly choked up, Hailpaw stammers a little.

"Well, you know I've been learning some from Thornflight recently and all that stuff?"

"Mhm," hums Raggedfoot apathetically, yellow gaze cutting into his apprentice's as they walk.

Hailpaw twitches his tail.

"She, um...said I had StarClan's approval to train as a medicine cat," he blurts, expelling a nervous chuckle and glancing up at his mentor.

"I- I really want to, so please don't-"

"What?" snaps Raggedfoot, pupils narrowing to slits.

Altered, Hailpaw bristles and takes a step backward.

Raggedfoot stalks closer, lips curled back in a snarl.

"I risk my reputation to take you in and train you, and you want to go play with leaves?" he hisses quietly, voice cold and dangerous.

"Is that what you want?"

"I- I'm sorry," murmurs Hailpaw timidly, gripping the ground hard with his hind legs.

"If it makes you that upset I can-"

"No," murmurs Raggedfoot.

"You want to cower in the medicine den instead of committing to your training? Go ahead. See if I care."

Hailpaw sputters, backing up.

"I-I didn't-"

"I knew you were worthless," the cream and black tom continues.

"I just wanted to give you a chance. You want out of this family? Fine."

"I-I didn't say that-"

"Quiet!" snarls Raggedfoot, edging closer.

Hailpaw, panicked, lets his eyes flicker shut for a moment and breathes in, though fails to notice the glimmer of unsheathed claws in the reddening light.

Raggedfoot scoffs.

"You're no son of mine. You never were. Run off to Thornflight."

The ShadowClan warrior's yellow eyes narrow.

"Take this with you to remember me by."

Before Hailpaw can choke anything else out, Raggedfoot's claws strike across his muzzle.

Blinded by a flash of pain, he staggers back and collapses into quiet sobs on the ground.

Clutching his muzzle with shaking paws, he curls his tail around himself; blood spurts out from his wound.

Raggedfoot scoffs dismissively and turns away.

"You're a bad influence," he hisses disdainfully.

"Don't talk to my kits."

Hailpaw, too floored to fully grasp the situation, nods tremulously.

He puts his head down again and hears Raggedfoot stalk away; as soon as he knows he's alone, he breaks down into raw, pained sobs.

-=-

Hailpaw lies deliriously in the greenleaf heat, watching a bird hop around in the undergrowth through drooping eyes.

Sniffing, he paws the blood trailing down his cheek and sprawls out on the ground again.

He hears a rustle behind him and watches the bird fly off into the trees.

Hailpaw, hoping a bit shamefully that a fox has arrived to end his misery, lifts his head.

Thornflight comes bursting through a bush with Birchstorm in tow; the petite golden tabby catches sight of Hailpaw and races over to him.

"What happened?" she mews urgently, helping him up.

Hailpaw starts to say something but instead chokes out a sob and ducks his head.

"I told Raggedfoot..." he sputters, gripping the ground with his paws.

"H-he didn't...like it."

Thornflight shares a look with Birchstorm, and they both scowl.

"I swear I'm going to kill him," mutters the ShadowClan medicine cat to Birchstorm, allowing Hailpaw to lean on her.

"C'mon. We're getting you fixed up."