Creating Warrior Cat Names: A Simple + Amazing Guide

Chapter Two

            Jayfeather cast an alarmed look at Cinderpelt, who just glanced back. "No," he answered truthfully. Half Moon lived seasons ago, and they could never be together. The truth made his heart heavy.

            "Liar," Yellowfang spat out.

            Jayfeather blinked. How could she know?

            "Now focus on that love. Does it not bring you unimaginable pain?" she edged forward, her blazing face just a whisker away. Jayfeather wrinkled his nose at the stench coming out of her mouth. "Now, how can you expect someone to just ignore it?"

            "That really is enough, Yellowfang," Cinderpelt interrupted.

            Yellowfang blinked, surprised that she was being told off, then sheathed her claws and sprang away. Jayfeather stared at them both, amazed. Yellowfang never listened to someone before.

            Yellowfang glanced at her former apprentice. "I requested you because of a prophecy. You doubtlessly heard it before: Fire and tiger and will destroy the Clan."

            "Of course I do," Cinderpelt snapped. "I am the one who predicted it. And since I saw it completed moons before Jayfeather was born, you should not be pestering him about it."

            "I was not -” Yellowfang began.

            "Yes you were. And you even told Littlecloud about it." The two medicine cats faced each other. Judging from their hostility and shock toward one another, they rarely argued.

            "It was necessary," Yellowfang hissed. "I knew Jayfeather would not listen to me, and so I had to warn at least one other."

            "Littlecloud in in ShadowClan," Cinderpelt reminded her. "You are in ThunderClan, or so you have always told me. Jayfeather is a perfectly able medicine cat, and so why are your loyalties swaying?"

            "Loyalties?" Yellowfang laughed. "In StarClan there are no Clans! I am loyal to StarClan alone! And besides, I know where I belong. I died in ThunderClan; I will always be in ThunderClan."

            "Lies," Cinderpelt remarked softly, tension steadily building in her frame. "When StarClan divided only one moon ago, you belonged to no Clan. I was even afraid that you were receding to the Darkness."

            Yellowfang stared at Cinderpelt, her chest swelling with fury. "Well -” She seemed to have lost her tongue for the first time. "I'll just - go." She disappeared into the trees behind her.

            Cinderpelt let out a heavy sigh when her former mentor left. "She was not always like this, you know."

            "She wasn't?" Jayfeather questioned. He had pictured Yellowkit as a grumpy ball of fur scratching her siblings in the nursery. "Is this all because of Brokenstar?" Yellowfang always reeked fear and pain whenever she encountered him in the Dark Forest.

            Cinderpelt nodded. "You might have met him in our battle last moon. Saw what a monster he was. Heard the stories about him."

            Even though Brokenstar's memory had been permanently destroyed, it still gave him shivers to recall how he was attacked at the Moonpool.

            "I know she's a grouchy old cat, but you have to have more empathy for her, Jayfeather. Brokenstar destroyed everything: her Clan, her kin, her life."

            Jayfeather had heard the stories of Brokenstar made her an outcast.

            "But recently she has become worse."

            "Why?" Jayfeather demanded.

            Cinderpelt gazed at him for a long time. "You are the reason."

            "What?" gasped Jayfeather. He had always known the furbag despised him, but never knew why. "Why?" he asked again, rage pricking at his pelt like thorns.

            Cinderpelt paused, collecting together her thoughts. "You have to understand," she said slowly, "that medicine cats that have kits are cursed. Yellowfang was no exception. I do not think there can be a greater punishment than having Brokenstar as your son. But... when Leafpool gave birth to you and your siblings, she was not punished. She was too beloved by StarClan for them to hurt her. Do not mistake me, she has endured pain for her decisions," she said, cutting Jayfeather off, "But compared to Yellowfang she has experienced nothing. Nothing."

            "Then, should she not be angry at Leafpool instead," Jayfeather asked, confused. "What does she have against me?"

            "She has nothing against you, other than your attitude," she answered him, amusement in her voice. "But she is envious of your mother yes," she adds, her eyes darkening. "And she is jealous that Leafpool was lucky enough to have you as her apprentice."

            Lucky? Jayfeather snorted to himself. Lucky that I was born blind, you mean. The forest paled as the dream began to fade. "To whom does the prophecy refer to?" Jayfeather shouted, realizing that his time was running out.

            "Bramblestar and Squirrelflight," Jayfeather now only saw her placid blue eyes. "They completed the prophecy when they convinced the Clans to leave the Old Forest and come to the Lake."

            He blinked one more time and Cinderpelt disappeared.