== Prolouge ==
WARNING: Story contains strong language. Unfinished.
Flaresong padded up the windy mountain. She had two cats behind her, Lostecho and Silverheart. "Are we there yet...?" Said Lostecho, who was impatient. "No, not even close," growled Flaresong. The cats behind her looked at each other, shivering.
"You shouldn't do this to us," said Silverheart. "I can and I will." Replied Flaresong. "Come on, our leader doesn't even know we're gone!" Said Lostecho. "Who cares," snarled Flaresong.
The two other cats looked surprised at Flaresong's reaction. "I'm turning back!" Said Lostecho. Silverheart nodded. Flaresong was on her own.
== Chapter 1: Just a Myth ==
"Then those cats disappeared that day," finished a dappled she-cat. Two kits hid behind their mother. "Don't worry, it's fake." Said the queen. "Dapplesong, you scared them," hissed a red queen. Dapplesong looked startled. Then she calmed down. "Oh, Swiftflower, don't be so sensitive." Said Dapplesong.
Swiftflower had to hold back a hiss, but she said nothing and walked away. One kit, Songkit, looked worried. "Will the evil spirit of Flaresong come to get us?" Said Songkit. "Nah," said Swiftflower. Songkit looked relived. She went back to the nursery. After all, she was a mature kit. She knew better then to listen.
But that tale just seemed so real. Lots of detail. "Songkit, your suppoused to look happy, not worried." Teased Beechkit, her sister. "Beechkit, you know your not mature or old, like me," said Songkit, using her wise words. Beechkit snorted.
Songkit snorted back. Beechkit deserved to be snorted at. The Clan lived on the mountains, where the tale happened. Flaresong had made a stream. Songkit wanted to go there, but she could not without warriors. Kits never got to do anything in StreamClan.
Beechkit had walked away. ''Good, ''thought Songkit. She could have alone time. "Hey, Songkit, come do me a favor!" Said Swiftflower. Maybe not. "Coming, Mom," said Songkit. She trotted out of the nursery. Then, something caught her eye. She saw a patch of berries.
"Be careful, those are deathberries," said the voice of the medicine cat, Hollytail. "Oh..." Meowed Songkit. Songkit wanted to taste berries, but she knew better. The berries seemed to call. Songkit's instinct was to eat them, and she drew herself forward. But before she could reach them, she was picked up by the scruff.
== Chapter 2: Wisdom Gone ==
Songkit was in the medicine cats' den. "Songkit... You look so tiny," meowed Reedkit. "Stand back, Reedkit." Said Hollytail. Songkit was looking up. She had no idea what she was doing here. "Hollytail, what's wrong with me?" Said Songkit. "I think your not the wisest kit anymore," sighed Hollytail.
Songkit gasped. But what did this call going to the medicine den for? "You fell asleep when I said deathberries," said Hollytail. ''So the rest of it was just a dream? ''Thought Songkit, still unsure. "How long was I out?" She asked. "About three minutes." Meowed Hollytail. Songkit sighed in relief.
She was still the wise kit, though. She knew that. "Go back to the nursery," said Hollytail. Songkit did as told.
When she got back, she saw the thing she had never wanted to see. A wiser kit. It snarled at her, thinking she was dumb, going for those deathberries. "Hello, I see you are new. I am Songkit, the mature kit around here." Songkit meowed, using her wise words. "I am Oakkit. The new mature, wise, kit." Said the new kit. Oakkit smirked.+
Songkit gulped. Was she going to have to deal with being bossed around like a newborn kit? "Now, Songkit, I'll call you Dumbkit." Giggled Oakkit. "That's not mature, to be wise like me." Hissed Songkit in disgust. This kit was not mature, she was stupid. "Your not mature, your DUMB," said Songkit. Oakkit looked taken aback.
"Hah, what a dummy," meowed Oakkit. With that, she turned around and walked away. Songkit would not take a new kit in the nursery as wise as her. She had to do something. "Mom, can I go down to the springs?" Asked Songkit. "Yes, honey. Just take a warrior," said Swiftflower.
Songkit did not want to take a warrior. Not those fighting weirdos! "Ok," lied Songkit. She pretended to talk to a warrior then she went down to the springs. "Flaresong, tell me if I am wise anymore." She meowed.
== Chapter 3: Flaresong and Songkit ==
"Your still wise, just get rid of Oakkit." Said Flaresong's voice, suprisingly enough. "I thought you were a myth," huffed Songkit. "Heh, every tale queens tell their kits is a so-called myth these days," said Flaresong. Her shimmering body appeared on the water.
"Oakkit as a weakness below her wise word voice," whispered Flaresong. Songkit perked her ears. She knew. "Thank you Flaresong!" She yowled over her shoulder. Flaresong nodded. Songkit arrived unseen. "Oakkit, I've come to make up. Want to play?" Said Songkit, hoping Oakkit would tumble out of the cave and fall.
"Not with you, D-" she was cut off when she tripped at the entrance. "Oh, sorry, Stupidkit," said Songkit. Oakkit snarled at her. But it was to late, her littermates were giggling at her. "Not so wise now, Stupidkit!" Said her brother, Thistlekit. Oakkit was surrounded by giggles and laughs.
"SONGKIT!" She stormed over to the she-kit. "Bet ya can't catch meee!" Said Songkit, running to Oakkit's trap. Oakkit stumbled on the wet grass. "Ugh!" She snarled. Songkit was letting the whole camp see her now. The camp burst into giggles. Oakkit growled. "Revenge will come one day," she hissed.
Songkit went to the medicine cats' den. "Wise enough?" She asked. Hollytail turned at her. "Oh, what? I didn't see," she meowed. Songkit poured out the story. "There is room for two wise cats in the nursery, you know," growled Hollytail. "Go easy on her!" Yowled Swiftflower.
"She's only a kit," she breathed. Hollytail calmed herself. "Very well, you are," said Hollytail. Songkit smiled. And Flaresong, the cat she thought was evil, had taught her this glory.
== Chapter 4: Wiser ==
"Songkit!" Said a sing-song voice. Songkit opened her eyes to see Oakkit. "What do you want?" She snarled. "Uh... I'm sorry for calling you Dumbkit. Come outside to make up for it," she meowed. "I know what a trick is," hissed Songkit. "Yeah, Oakkit, your Stupidkit anyway," piped her brother, Thistlekit.
"Thistlekit, I don't need you in this," snarled Oakkit. Songkit giggled at the way she could not control her brother. "Hey, having trouble?" She giggled. Oakkit growled. Songkit walked out of the nursery to get fresh-kill. She picked a vole and went to share with Reedkit.
It was the next morning, and Songkit had been woken by Oakkit. "Reedkit, I have prey to share!" Said Songkit. Reedkit looked at her. "Ok," she replied. Songkit and Reedkit found a shady spot under the trees. "I wish it wasn't so blazing hot," whined Reedkit. "Yeah," agreed Songkit.
Oakkit was always challenging her, anyway. "Songkit, something is on your mind," said Reedkit. "Oakkit," snarled Songkit, her voice full of hostility toward the kit. "Oh." Whispered Reedkit. "You really hate her, don't you?" She asked. "Yeah," replied Songkit.
"I heard that," growled Oakkit. "Oh no," whispered Songkit. Oakkit came charging to them. They dodged to the side, making Oakkit run into the tree. "See, she's wiser!" Said Reedkit. "Is not," snarled Oakkit. "Is to," said Reedkit. "Oh, Songkit, to dumb to stop this?" Said Oakkit.
"Nah, that's you," replied Songkit. She was truly wise; wiser then Oakkit. She just had to understand someday life did not work that way. But she never did.
== Chapter 5: Battle of The Wise ==
"So, I've brought you all here to commend the battle of the wise," meowed a StarClan cat. Songkit knew this was a dream; apart from Oakkit, Reedkit, and Thistlekit being there. "Oakkit, Songkit is wiser," teased Thistlekit. Oakkit shot him a glare and he sat back down.
"What are the rules?" Asked Songkit. "No fighting, clawing each other, biting each other, and that's all," meowed the cat. "So we fight with ''words?''" Hissed Oakkit. "Hey, wise one, that's rude," meowed Songkit. "Don't say that to yours truly, Wisekit." Meowed Oakkit.
"More like Dumbkit," snarled Songkit. Oakkit growled. "Hey, not so wise now!" Jeered Thistlekit. The cat, Echoheart, shot him a glance to be quiet. Thistlekit growled but did nothing more.
"Don't try me; I've got more wise in store for you." Snarled Songkit.
"Nope. I have MORE."
"Think that."
Songkit was glad to be cheered for more then pitiful Oakkit. She wasn't even wise! Soon, Hollytail's voice echoed in her dream. "Songkit, Oakkit has more wits then you," she meowed teasingly. ''That's just to fire me up, ''thought Songkit. "She's right, give up," said Oakkit.
"Nope," replied Songkit simply. Oakkit reeled back, surprised of how simple she was going. "Simply? Heh, your weaker then I thought." Said Oakkit. "Simple is for the wise," said Songkit.
Oakkit glared at her, defeated. "The winner is Songkit, now, you must punish Oakkit." Meowed Echoheart.
"Sleep in the drenched, wet, dewy grass for a MOON!" Said Songkit.
"It has been decided. Oakkit, you must do it or StarClan will punish you."
"Yes, Echoheart."
== Chapter 6: Punishing and Smiling ==
Songkit woke up, while Oakkit glared at her. "You won," she growled softly. "Yeah, get outside." Hissed Songkit. Oakkit walked outside, frowning. Songkit knew she did not want to do it. "Remember, StarClan will punish you," said Songkit. Oakkit growled at her, frustrated.
Songkit smiled. She knew that Oakkit would be sleeping out there for a moon. "Hey, Oakkit, don't forget, only mousetails to eat too." Said Thistlekit. "Wait, Songkit never said that!" Meowed Oakkit. "Echoheart said since I hated you so much too, I could make a punishment," he replied.
Reedkit nodded. Oakkit yowled in embaressment. Dappleflower walked over. "What is wrong?" She meowed in her sweet tone. "Songkit, Thistlekit, Reedkit, and me had a dream. There was this StarClan cat named Echoheart, who commended the battle of the wise. Songkit won, so she got to make a punishment along with Thistlekit. She told me to sleep outside and eat only mousetails for a moon. And Echoheart said StarClan will punish me if I didn't." Oakkit sobbed.
"It's ok. Let's get you to Waveheart," meowed Dappleflower. Songkit giggled. Oakkit was groveling for mercy, but she would never get it.
Songkit was top cat now. "Songkit, I heard about your little 'game.' It's a fake," meowed Hollytail's voice. Songkit spun around. "Fake, really?" Meowed Songkit, who did not believe her. "Yes, a fake," meowed Hollytail quietly. "Do I have to repeat myself?"
"No," meowed Songkit. "But I am still keeping her punishment," added Songkit. "Very well," sighed Hollytail. Songkit smiled. The punishment was still on; that's all she cared about. Not if the game was fake. "Oakkit, where is your mousetail? You must be hungry by now," teased Songkit.
"You think any cat would be dumb enough to bring a mousetail to the fresh-kill pile?" Oakkit hissed. "Well, to bad, you'll starve." Said Songkit. Oakkit growled. Songkit knew she had done enough, but she liked this. She would soon have power over Oakkit.
== Chapter 7: Apprentice Fight ==
"It has been long enough for you to get along, so therefore, I am making you apprentices." Meowed Whitestar. "Not with this dummy," snarled Songkit to Oakkit. Oakkit hissed. "Well, your being made apprentices," meowed Whitestar. It was a week later.
"From this moment on, you will be known as Songpaw." Meowed Whitestar. "And you will be known as Oakpaw," he added. Oakpaw and Songpaw glanced at each other. They remembered that morning, when they had argued to Whitestar. Now they felt something for each other.
"Songpaw, Stormwhisker will mentor you," meowed Whitestar. Stormwhisker stepped forward and touched noses with Songpaw. They both stepped back. "Oakpaw, Woodheart will mentor you," he added. Woodheart stepped forward from the crowd. They touched noses.
"Can we train?" Meowed Songpaw. Stormwhisker nodded. Songpaw had a wise mentor. She liked that. She heard Oakpaw yowl in the distance, "Why didn't I get a wise mentor like Songpaw!?" Songpaw snickered.
"Back to training now?" Said Stormwhisker. "Oh, sorry," meowed Songpaw. "Kits these days have the attention span of a fish," murmmered Stormwhisker. "I'm not a kit," Songpaw pointed out. Stormwhisker nodded. She already had an affection for him.
Next, they returned to camp. "You had good fighting today. Get some rest," meowed Stormwhisker. Songpaw walked into her new den only to see the dry spots were already crowded. "Late?" Snickered Oakpaw. Songpaw shoved her out of the nest and settled in.
Oakpaw protested. "Hey!" She snarled. Songpaw burst into laughter. She could not stop laughing at the silliness of Oakpaw. What she had felt earlier was long gone. "Glad you didn't get a wise mentor," said Songpaw as Oakpaw sulked off to the wet spots.
The next morning Songpaw woke up. It was raining. Oakpaw was gone; Songpaw guessed she was on the dawn patrol. "Songpaw, Stormwhisker, Snowfall, you are on the sunhigh patrol," Songpaw heard the deputy, Risetail, say. She looked outside. She was not due yet.
== Chapter 8: Back to The Springs ==
She decided to slip back out. "Flaresong!" She yowled into the distance. The shimmering body appeared. "What do you want?" She hissed, in a rather rough voice. "To talk." Said Songpaw. Flaresong sat down. "What about, this early?" Hissed Flaresong.
Songpaw took a deep breath. "Get rid of Oakpaw, please," she managed to meow. "That is something I can't do." She meowed. Songpaw stared disbelievingly. "But StarClan can do anything!" She wailed. "Not everything," Flaresong soothed the apprentice.
Songpaw calmed herself; if she was wise, she would have to act like it. Not a wailing kit. "Fine." Meowed Songpaw. "You are of no help, then."
Flaresong looked hurt. Songpaw stormed away, she did not care what Flaresong felt. "Songpaw will be useless," she heard Oakpaw say. "Time to train fight." Meowed Stormwhisker. Songpaw nodded. They padded to the Training Hollow. "Start."
Oakpaw leaped to bite Songpaw, but she dodged. Oakpaw plummeted face-first into the dirt. Songpaw leaped on Oakpaw while she was still stunned, and clawed her back, claws seathed. Oakpaw pretended to screech in pain. Oakpaw leaped back up, knocking Songpaw off.
Songpaw landed on her feet, with balance. Oakpaw charged again, but Songpaw leaped up. Oakpaw watched in fury.
== Chapter 9: Learning ==
"You did very well today," meowed Stormwhisker. Songpaw smiled.
"Thank you."
"No problem."
Songpaw walked off into her den, Oakpaw had chosen a final nest. Songpaw carefully stepped around the dry part of the den. She found a comfy-looking nest, and curled up there. She was overwhelmed by darkness.
The next day, she felt a prod in the side. "Training," mewed Stormwhisker. Songpaw got up and stretched. They walked outside. "Beautiful day, isn't it?" meowed Stormwhisker. "Uh-huh," Songpaw replied. "Let's go get some hunting in." said Stormwhisker.
Songpaw and Stormwhisker headed off towards the best hunting spot in StreamClan.
"I see a vole," whispered Songpaw, flicking her tail. Stormwhisker nodded. "First, crouch. That's basic. Make sure your tail does not swish up the leaves. Then, silently move forward. Make sure your prey does't scent you. When the prey is right where you want it, unsuspecting, leap. Kill it with a nip to the neck." Instructed Stormwhisker.
Songpaw nodded; she already knew. She crouched down, her tail in the air. It blended in with the fern because it was brown. She stalked forward, the mouse sniffed the air, but it could not detect her. She leaped, just missing the vole by an inch. When it ran, she gave chase.
She caught up to it and nipped it on the neck. "Great job." Her mentor turned to her. The mouse was dangling limply from her jaws. "Take that to camp. I will catch more." He ordered. Songpaw nodded and ran off with it.
A few minutes later, Stormwhisker got back with two mice and a bird. He put them in the pile. "Great catch," mewed Songpaw. Stormwhisker dipped his head in reply. "Songpaw," rasped a voice. Songpaw turned, surprised. "I am Reedheart, the oldest elder in our Clan," meowed the cat.
Songpaw mewed in surprise. "Hello, Reedheart," meowed Songpaw. She dipped her head. Reedheart purred.
== Chapter 10: Reedheart's Faith ==
"Songpaw, you have a destiny."
"Really?" The apprentice stepped forward, as if she were being given her warrior name. "Not the ideal one, but you'll find it; and it was not a prophecy from StarClan." Explained Reedheart.
"I can't have a destiny not from StarClan!" Songpaw objected. "Can I tell you a story?" Reedheart purred. "Sure, make it quick," meowed Songpaw. "There was once an apprentice, who believed he had a destiny." Started Reedheart. "His Clan had fooled him, to make him think it was from StarClan. Little did he know, he never had one." Said Reedheart. "So, he set off on a quest, and fought lots of times. He soon realized the prophecy was fake; because StarClan was not helping him. He went back, to get revenge." Explained Reedheart.
Songpaw's eyes widened. "He was caught coming back, and his Clan asked him why he was back so early. He said it was fake. The Clan looked at each other- eyes wide." Mewed Reedheart. "Something horrible happened, and they were never heard of again." He finished.
Songpaw looked at him. "It's fake," breathed Songpaw. Reedheart nodded. "It's a life-" he was cut off by Songpaw. "I don't need life lessons," she said over her shoulder. "Fine!" Reedheart called back.
Songpaw went off to train, but she couldn't find Stormwhisker. "Stormwhisker!" She yowled into the setting sun. A gray shape appeared from the warriors den. Stormwhisker. He yawned. "Here I am," he meowed. "Can we train?" She asked. "Well, nothing stops apprentices." Mewed Stormwhisker. They set off to the Training Hollow.
By the time they were there, it was getting dark. "Night fighting," breathed Stormwhisker. "First, do the basic Shadow Crouch. Crouch low, in a place with shadows." Instructed Stormwhisker. Songpaw did so. "Now, stalk forward onto your prey or enemy," mewed Stormwhisker.
Songpaw saw a mouse scurry by. She was in the crouch, so she stalked up on it. It was nibbling on a nut. "Good," whispered Stormwhisker. "Next, pounce silently and swiftly." Said Stormwhisker. Songpaw swiftly pounced into the air, landing on the mouse. She nipped it's neck, and it went limp.
"Great job." Her mentor signaled for her to drop it.
Chapter 11: Training Some More[]
"That's your first lesson! You did great!" Stormwhisker's eyes shone.