Perfection [ warriorcats fanfiction ]

xviii.i

Two splashes
As Duskshade and Ravenstep jumped into the water.
I was afraid they had waited too long.
My sister slipped under the water, the current slow but strong, dragging her downstream.
I opened my mouth but couldn't speak.
Dawnpaw didn't move as they dragged her out of the water.
No, I almost cried.
You've made it this far.
You can't die now.
And she moved.
And Froststar's eyes froze.

"Take her back to the camp." Froststar twitched her left ear.

Duskshade roughly pushed Dawnpaw to her feet, his eyes small yellow slits.

Dawnpaw coughed.

She said nothing.

Nightpaw watched as Ravenstep and Duskshade walked beside Dawnpaw on their way back to the camp, one Enforcer on either side of her. Froststar followed behind them, and Nightpaw padded in the very back.

The walk back to the camp was too short, for Nightpaw knew what would happen when they returned.

Froststar leapt to her designated place in the front of the camp. Many cats were outside their dens, milling around, and at the sight of the Enforcers and Imperfection, murmurs spread through the crowd.

"Gather for a clan meeting!"

All cats who were not outside quickly arrived, congregating in front of their leader.

Dawnpaw stood below her, and the Enforcers left the apprentice's side to stand beside their leader.

Ravenstep stood on Froststar's right, Duskshade on her left.

"This cat is an imperfection," Froststar explained to her clan. They nodded. This was routine.

"Imperfections." Froststar spoke slowly, quietly, lazily. Dragging out her words, making the moment longer. "Imperfections aren't allowed in a clan."

A few cats yowled in agreement. Nightpaw searched for them and could not find where the noises came from.

Her eyes met Blackpaw's, and then Puddlepaw's beside him. Blackpaw looked terrified, and Puddlepaw was deeply sad.

"The Sixteenth Addition to the Warrior Code prohibits imperfections. It was a mistake of mine, and I apologize. I should not have offered training to an imperfection."

"I am not an imperfection," snapped Dawnpaw defiantly, her icy eyes fixed directly on her leader. "I have an imperfection. But that's not me." She smiled a little sadly.

"That's not who I am."

Froststar almost laughed. Cats laughed in the crowd, and Nightpaw ignored them to focus on someone else.

Nightpaw watched Ravenstep. He turned to say something to Froststar, but she ignored him.

He tried again, whispering in her right ear.

Froststar's ignoring you, Nightpaw wanted to yowl, digging her claws into the ground. You're not important.

Froststar turned towards Ravenstep, her left side facing him, and the black cat spoke to the leader, his voice too quiet for Nightpaw to hear.

Froststar replied to the Enforcer. Nightpaw saw.

Her fur bristled.

Now she knew.