AU belongs to me All art belongs to me Credits to Warriors --> Story <-- Longtail flicked his ear, annoyed. How could Tigerclaw even think to use the kittypet? Yet... It was a good idea. WELL. Maybe it was, but OBVIOUSLY THE KITTYPET SUCKED. "Longtail, Longtail, calm down." Darkstripe muttered, rolling his eyes. "Darkstripe, give him some space, and don't act as if you aren't upset, either," Tigerclaw picked at his paws, coolly. Longtail huffed. "If we're going to make him a true warrior," He paused, thinking, "We need to have a close bond with him. So one of us.." "Should be his mentor?" Darkstripe finished, quickly. "Not a half-bad idea." The gray tom nodded, approvingly. Longtail looked up at Tigerclaw. "Don't look at me, I have an apprentice." Tigerclaw said, sourly. It was obvious he disliked Ravenpaw. "I'm not mentoring anybody anytime soon," Darkstripe looked like he tasted something foul. "I'm just barely a Warrior!" Longtail said. "I can't mentor him!" Tigerclaw observed Longtail for a moment. "Actually, your crazy display this morning might be to our favor. If we tell Bluestar that it'll be a good 'learning experience' for both mentor...AND apprentice... You'll be paws-down the obvious choice." Longtail saw this. And if he mentored the kittypet... well.. Things may turn out to be in his favor. Longtail looked up. "Let's go tell Bluestar." --> Part 2 (of ch. 3) <-- Redtail sat down, watching the sun set. He was sitting next to Bluestar, who was shuddering, eyes hollow. "Bluestar," He tried to speak to her. "I killed her," Bluestar whispered. "I killed my daughter." Redtail looked down, not knowing what to do. Yes, Bluestar had trusted Redtail with her secret: she mothered kits in RiverClan. And Redtail would never violate her trust. Not now, not ever. "You had to," Redtail swished his paw across the stone floor of the leader's den. "You saved Tigerclaw." "I did?" Bluestar's eyes were cloudy. "Yes, remember?" Redtail was getting nervous. Just then, Longtail and Tigerclaw, followed by Darkstripe, walked up to the entrance of the den. Redtail stiffened. Did they hear the frail leader mourning? "Hello, Redtail, Bluestar," Tigerclaw blinked, and looked to Longtail, expecting him to speak. Longtail lifted a paw. "I wanted to know if the kittypet... Firepaw, right? Could be my apprentice." Redtail twitched. Why would Longtail want to mentor the cat he obviously already disliked? "We told him that there's nothing more important than a strong Clan, and Longtail wants to both learn and teach." Darkstripe added, from the entrance of the den. Redtail looked at Bluestar, who nodded. "Yes. More warriors are good. I'll have the ceremony now." Bluestar nodded again, distantly. She walked to the highrock, and Redtail followed. "All cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather beneath the highrock for a... Clan meeting." Bluestar called out. As the cats filled the clearing below, Bluestar beckoned for the newest apprentice to step forwards. "Firepaw," She said, "It is time for you to be assigned a mentor. I am going to assign you a mentor, and from your relationship with them both you and him will learn. Longtail," Bluestar looked over to the striped tom, "Teach Firepaw all you know. Make him the best warrior you can." The crowd below was quieter than usual, but Firepaw touched noses with Longtail, as the crowd dispersed. Still. Redtail couldn't shake the feeling that something was about to be very wrong. Next: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/505953127
