First Sight

{Chapter Eight~Scarce Hope}

Violetkit forced to open her green eyes. Hoping she would be in the Dark Forest, sunlight filtered through the nursery den. "Fox dung!" She hissed. Suddenly she remembered her ceremony. "All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the High Ledge!" Quickstar called, the senior warriors gathering below the leader. Violetkit ran out of the bracken shaded nursery to stand by her leader. Beckoning his head at Violetkit, Quickstar continued. "This young cat is ready to become an apprentice and earn a mentor." he meowed. "Only born a few moons ago, Violetkit is ready to become a great apprentice. Violetkit, do you hold your promise in the warrior code, and cross your paws to StarClan to forever save your Clan?" Violetkit nodded, proud glowing in her eyes. "From this moment on, you will be known as Violetpaw." Looking amongst the crowd, Quickstar spotted Dovefeather, the strongest she-cat in SwiftClan. "Dovefeather," Quickstar meowed, "Do you promise to mentor Violetpaw, even if the Clan is on brink of death?"

Dovefeather's eyes flashed with happiness and bowed her head. "It's my honor!"

"Then the ceremony has been settled! Congratulations, Violetpaw!"

Cheers went around camp, calling "Violetpaw, Violetpaw!" in joy. "I owe it all to my Clan," she murmured. Dovefeather stepped forward to touch noses with Violetpaw. "You will be the best apprentice ever with my help," She whispered into her ear. Violetpaw rolled her eyes. I don't need your help! Hawkfrost is way better than a soft-heart like you! Violetpaw suddenly felt guilty. She couldn't be rude about this; she's been wanting a Clan mentor for ages.

Bounding over to the fresh-kill pile, she noticed Nightwing laying sleepily with a fat thrush. She poked at it with her claw. "Eat," whispered Stormflight, licking her ears. Something told her the two might be mates. "You have a litter coming, remember?" Shock and anger pulsed within Violetpaw.

The litter could either be from Stormflight or Oakleaf. Maybe even both! Sleepily taking neat bites out of her fresh-kill, Violetpaw picked a mouse out of the pile. Sitting down with it, Stormflight stood up and looked to the camp entrance. "Birdtail!" Called Reedfoot, running up to Thornpelt. Birdtail's body was hanging from his mouth. He dropped the body with a loud thud. "Birdtail was found dead in the lake. It looked like some cat had drowned her, because there was dark brown fur on a bloody gash in her neck." Instantly Violetpaw remembered Oakleaf, her former father that betrayed his Clan with Nightwing. "I'll report it at the Gathering tonight. Don't worry. Every cat, get back to your duties."

Death came to Violetpaw's mind again. "Take me to the Dark Forest, please," she whispered to herself.

Suddenly she opened her eyes, hoping to be in the murky wasteland. Although she was still sitting there, her thrush getting cold. "Fox dung!" She meowed, her claws digging into the dirt. Her mother came over to her. "Calm down," she whispered, rubbing against her chest fur. "Get away!" Violetpaw hissed, angrily backing away from her mother's grasp. "But I love -"

Violetpaw leaped into the air, twisting onto her back, then throwing herself down onto four paws with a backflip. "You never loved me," she muttered. "So I'll never love you!" Violetpaw launched herself at Nightwing. Claws unsheathed, she scraped her bare claws down the black she-cat's back, making neat, bloody cuts about to flood with flesh. Nightwing flung to the ground, frail with pain.

Quickstar bounded out in response to the scream. "Violetpaw? One moment you get your apprentice name, and the next moment you try to slaughter your mother!"

Violetpaw flung at her leader, claws stained with her mother's crimson blood. Swinging underneath him, she felt a hard paw clamp onto her chest. It was Hawkfrost. "You can't destroy your leader!" He hissed. "I haven't even trained you yet!" Quickstar still struggling, Hawkfrost dug his claws deeper into her flesh. "So I'll see you again, won't I?"

Suddenly pain surged within the apprentice. Blood spewed out of the gashes marked in Violetpaw's chest. "I thought you were diff-"

Blackness covered the gray cat's eyes. Her senses drifted away into nothing.

Violetpaw has died.