Venom Rising - Ch. IV A Warrior's Responsibility
Lavenderpaw stood in the middle of a ring of cats out in the clearing. His black fur was well groomed and sleek along his flanks as he stood with his chin raised proudly. His eyes were alight with determination. I'm finally going to be made a warrior. My training has finally paid off. He thought as Greystar looked down at him from atop the overhang that made the entrance to the cavern. The voices surrounding him ceased as the leader began to speak."Lavenderpaw. You have trained hard and learned well. Do you believe that you are deserving of the title, Warrior?""I do." He responded with conviction."And Hawkleap, You have overseen this apprentice's training. Has he learned all that you have to teach?"Lavenderpaw's mentor hesitated a moment as if making sure of himself before replying, "He has, Greystar."Greystar pulled his gaze off of the tan brown and white warrior to look down on the clan as a whole. "Then I, Greystar, Leader of Venomclan, name this cat Warrior by my right and authority." He once again fixed his sight on Lavenderpaw. "Lavenderpaw, from this moment on, you shall be known as Lavendertail. Your clan honors your willpower and intuition, and we welcome you as a full warrior of Venomclan." Leaping down, he laid his muzzle on his head, and Lavendertail leaned forward to lick his shoulder in response.Cheers erupted from his clanmates as they surrounded him for congratulations, "Lavendertail, Lavendertail!" Silentfang dipped his head to him, and Briarclaw brushed against his flank as Desertstorm licked his ear. Hawkleap approached him, triumph in his eyes. "That was impressive hunting on your assessment. I think you've proved yourself."His former mentor's praise warmed him through. Past the crowd, he saw Windpaw hanging back and looking away with a blush on across her muzzle. Struggling to see past Shinepaw bouncing around him and mewing her head off, he saw Windpaw's eyes meet his and then, flinching back with embarrassment, she gave him a sheepish smile. Lavendertail couldn't help smiling back at how cute she just was.Lavendertail continued scanning the crowd. There was just one other cat that he wanted to find. He located him, Fogface, sitting with his kits, Stormdapple, Koistep, and Hawkleap, with such a genuinely glad expression as he spoke to Lavendertail's former mentor that he recalled with a pang that he would never see his own father again. However, he had noticed that Fogface had been making a point out of enjoying these past few days as if they were his last. He honestly believes that he's going to die tomorrow. But Lavendertail wasn't going to let that happen. He would be keeping his vigil tonight, so if anything did happen, he would know.The clan fell curiously silent as Greystar started speaking again, "This is a fine day for the clan, not only do we have a new warrior, but a new apprentice as well. Petalkit, step
forward."The pale ginger she-kit had been watching the warrior ceremony quietly from the edge of the clearing next to Desertstorm, who now nudged her forward. She looked uneasy with all the clan watching her. Greystar's voice sounded when she stood before him, her head low. "Petalkit, you have reached your sixth moon, and it is time for you to become an apprentice. From this moment until you recieve your warrior name, you shall be known as Petalpaw. I assign you Redclaw to be your mentor."Very briefly, Redclaw touched noses with his new apprentice, more as a formality than a greeting. As the clan cheered for Petalpaw, Lavendertail noticed the differences between Redclaw and Petalpaw that might have made Greystar choose the pairing as mentor and apprentice: Petalpaw was petite and quiet, Redclaw was strong and commanding. They seemed like polar opposites to Lavendertail. Maybe Greystar was hoping that Redclaw would rub off on Petalpaw.***It was the morning after the ceremonies, and heavenly rays of light shone on Fogface's body through the entrance to the cavern where cats gathered around. Lavendertail stayed at the back, wide eyed, his claws dug into the ground, he watched in vain defiance as Snowpaw prepared the body for burial. But that's... impossible! The only explanation meant that Lavendertail would have to accept the existence of this... Starclan. How else could Fogface have foretold his own death so accurately? In his shock, he hadn't noticed Cricketpaw approach him. "Are you okay?" She asked.Snapping back into reality, Lavendertail let himself relax as he turned toward Cricketpaw. "I'm fine, just tired from my vigil, that's all.""Oh, then you should get to your nest." His younger sister mewed simply before adding, "I'll catch something tasty for you on my next hunting patrol.""Thanks, but you don't have to.""Okay then... If I catch something extra, then would you eat it?""Hmph. Alright then. Impress Frostclaw." He gave Cricketpaw a lick on her forehead. "And be careful." Only recently had he realized how little he really could protect his sister.Cricketpaw nodded before heading over to where Frostclaw waited at the Cavern entrance, and Lavendertail headed toward the apprentices' den, then realized he was a warrior now and redirected himself toward the warriors' den. Inside, he found Shinepaw fussing over one of the nests. She turned as he entered, looking flustered. "Oh, Lavendertail! I was just, I-"She looked down at the nest, then back up at Lavendertail. "I made you this nest, since you would be staying in the warriors' den now..."Lavendertail studied the nest, unsure of what to think. "Thanks." He managed, still very tired. Shinepaw shuffled her paws as Lavendertail curled up in the nest. "It's very comfortable, I'll have to repay you somehow." He said."I wanted to talk to you, if you're not too tired, that
is...""Go ahead.""Well, you know how Windpaw and I feel about you, right?"That question took Lavendertail aback. It was obvious, but he had been avoiding the thought."Yeah..."She hesitated. "... We're going to miss you in the apprentice's den."A voice interrupted from outside, it was Greystar, "Shinepaw! What are you doing in there? We have training to do.""I'm coming!" Shinepaw replied. She had the honor of being the clan leader's apprentice, since he thought she may one day lead the clan.As she turned to leave, Lavendertail meowed after her, "I really do appreciate it, Shinepaw."She smiled at him over her shoulder as she left him to sleep. ***Lavendertail awoke in the early afternoon. He stood up and stretched, in an unusually good mood and once again grateful to Shinepaw for the nest. Stepping out into the cavern, he saw Cricketpaw sitting some distance away from the fresh kill pile, looking dejected without any fresh kill while every other cat around her was eating their share. As Lavendertail approached her, he felt sadness coming off of her in waves. It suites me far better to be sad like that. She's the one that has to be happy for the both of us."What's wrong?" He queried. Cricketpaw looked up at her brother, upset, only just noticing him. "I'm sorry, Lavendertail. I couldn't catch anything."That was odd. Cricketpaw was usually a decent hunter, and considering she's a fairly young apprentice, she could only get that much better. Lavendertail looked at her, bewildered. "Nothing at all?""Well... I caught a squirrel. A really fat one, too! I was going to show Frostclaw when I came across Redclaw and Petalpaw training. Redclaw made me give it to him and... Then Frostclaw scolded me for wasting time when I didn't come back with a catch.""Why didn't you explain to Frostclaw that Redclaw took your squirrel?""I... Thought that I might get Redclaw into trouble, and I don't want him to be mad at me..." She looked down at her paws, troubled. Lavendertail understood. Cricketpaw was a small, young apprentice, and Redclaw was not only a feared fighter but the new clan deputy, intimidating to say the least.Cricketpaw went on, "Then when Frostclaw and I got back to camp, Redclaw said that I shouldn't be allowed a piece of fresh kill since I didn't bring back anything and Frostclaw said that I needed to learn discipline." She hung her head lower, sulking.How unfair. Lavendertail thought. It was unfair that Redclaw would treat his sister that way and get away with it. He turned to look at Redclaw, who was eating another piece of fresh kill with the other warriors by the pile. That greedy snakeheart. I'll be watching you from now on. Regardless, he wasn't just going to leave his sister like this."Hey Cricketpaw, tell you what, let's go fishing." Cricketpaw looked up at her brother as he started
toward the Cavern entrance. "Come on, you're pretty good at it and I'm not the best. If you're not allowed a pick of fresh kill because you haven't brought any back, then let's go get our own."When she still looked a bit confused, Lavendertail explained, "It's not an official hunting patrol, so we can eat some of what we catch while we're out."Cricketpaw seemed to brighten a bit as she followed him out into the forest.***Lavendertail licked his lips, having finished eating a fish they had just caught. Cricketpaw had already finished her own, and they still had three more to take back to the clan. They had been lying on a flat rock while their fur dried as they ate and Cricketpaw was much less stressed than before."That was great!" Lavendertail meowed, hoping some enthusiasm would be appreciated."Mhm" Cricketpaw was staring at a spot further downstream, and following her gaze, he realized that that was where Icestorm had died saving her. "Cricketpaw.""Huh?""You don't need to dwell on the past.""But...""All you can do to repay him now is honor his memory.""But I see him, he's still here."Lavendertail cocked his head. "What?""He's looking at you, he wanted to thank you for taking such good care of me all this time, so that he didn't die in vain."He felt the fur on the back of his neck rise. "Stop talking nonsense.""But I'm not! He's right behind you!"Lavendertail whirled around, and for just a moment saw an image of Icestorm. He let out a sigh to calm himself. Something strange is happening. I can't just ignore what happened with Fogface like I had hoped. Not after this. I have to figure out what's going on.