Shinestar's Story

The gray cat padded through the forest loking almost siver in the moonlight. She peered through the darkness, green-gold eyes glinting. This night was so like the one many moons ago. She gazed up at the full moon, remembering...

Stripekit looked up at her Father, Fangheart who was visiting her in the Sharpclan nursery. Fangheart had an ugly battle scar that stretched across his face and down his neck. He had never been kind to her. Her mother, Fernshadow had died in that same battle in which Fangheart had received his scar. Stripekit always tried to imagine what it wouldve been like if her mother was alive. Perhapse she wouldn't have been so cruel. Leafstep, the queen that had raised her had never cared about her the same amount as her own kits. They'd always gotten the better spots to sleep, and when they where old enough, the better fresh kill. The other kits had always hated her, and since she had no brother or sister she'd grown up alone. Just then Fangheart spoke interupting her train of thought.
"well i guess its time for your apprentiship" he growled it out like it wasa personal insult. "well perhaps your mentor will make you obedient, you miserable scrap of fur"
Although she was used to her father talking to her like this it still hurt. She padded out of the nursery head hung low. Almost everyone in the clan was disfigured with all the battles that theyd been in. But Clawstar was the most disfuigured of all. Muliple scars ran down his sides twisted and knotted like the bark of an oak tree, and his entire ear was torn off. He was blind in one eye and his legs were so misshapen that he could barely walk. His favorite pastime was to tell stories of his father Brokenstar. They were stories of blood and betrayal and yet all the other clanmates loved them.
''All those old enough to fight join beneath the Rotting log for a clan meeting!'' he rasped.
But in the time it had taken him to climb the log, all the cats were already gathered.
''It is time for this small kit to become an apprentice. She will earn her own battle scars in time. Do you, Stripekit, promiss to fight for your clan till the point of death?"
At those words Stripekit became uneasy. But not wanting to disapoint her father more than he already was, voice quavering she mewed "I do."
"Then from this day forth you shall be know as Stripepaw. Your mentor will be my son, Raggedtooth. Teach her your fighting skills"
At that he hobbled down the log and back into his den. Amid the cheering of "Stripepaw! Stripepaw! Stripepaw!" Stripepaw was unhappy Oh no she thought in dismay, He's almost as bad as Clawstar! For Raggedtooth was the best fighter in the clanand shared his fathers beliefs.
The rest of the day was a blur. She remembered rushing thtough the forest, always stumbling ansd falling since Raggedtooth was going much to fast. Then the training in the clearing. She'd emerged bloody, as the practice had been claws unsheathed and she hadent learnt anything yet. Then Raggedtooth said that since she haden't landed a blow she couldn't have anyfresh kill. Despair clawed at her belly along with the hunger. She had never imagined that apprenticeship could be worse than being a kit! She curled into a miserable ball in the apprentices den, thinking about how bleak the future was.
The next day, it was much the same, but worse on unhealed wounds. As was the next one. And the next. And still Stripepaw hadn't learnt a thing. Then after seemingly endless moons, in the middle of the night Raggedtooth, and her father, Fangheart came to her. They pulled her from the den and took her into the middle of the forest. Exhausted, she lay down on the mossy forrest floor. "you are weak!" Raggedtooth thundered. "weakness is not tolerated in Sharpclan." Fangheart nodded. "And what do you think happens to those that are weak?" Raggedtooth continued "They die." Stripepaw looked up at them uncomprending. Then it hit her. These cats where going to kill her!
Icy teror flooded through her. She couldn't take on another apprentice, let alone 2 warriors! Then without pausing to think, she ran. Faster than she ever had. And as she ran her old life slipped away. She was no longer Stripepaw, scared apprentice. She would create her own clan. One where good overuled evil. As she ran she glanced up at the shinning full moon. Moonclan. Shinestar of Moonclan. It sounded nice. These thoughts comforted her as she ran into a new beginning.