A Dangerous Decision

[Cinder]

Stormpaw paced the riverbank, tail lashing with agitation. A storm raged inside her, as two choices battled in her heart.
Her pride still stung from the encounter with Cloudmist several days ago, when she and several others had caught the StormClan warrior stealing EmberClan prey. Heatherpaw and Rosedawn had allowed her to go without conflict, but Stormpaw still could not convince herself that it had been the best choice.
EmberClan needs prey too, she thought. Why should StormClan steal from us?
But did she dare to steal prey in retribution? It was starting to look like a good idea. She gazed angrily across the river, watching a temptingly large squirrel scamper through the branches of a tree.

[Flamey]

"Hey Stormpaw!" Rosedawn raced up to the young apprentice. "What are you ding? Want to hunt with me later?" The she cat felt a omimous feeeling in the air.
"When you cool down, I mean," she surveyed the cat. A squirrel was not far away, and Stormpaw's eyes were still half-fixed on it.
"Are you still mad with Cloudmist?" the she cat asked gently. "It will be off your heart soon. Like mine." Rosedawn licked the apprentice's ear soothingly.
"Well, I'll leave you to your careful hunting." Rosedawn regarde the prey just a few pawsteps over the StormClan border.
"I'll be back to check on you. Make sure you make.. good choices." With a resigned sigh, rosedawn dissapeared around the bend.

[Cinder]

Stormpaw watched through narrowed eyes as Rosedawn's tail vanished through the undergrowth. She clawed at the grass trying to release her frustration. She wasn't a kit anymore, and Rosedawn didn't need to treat her like one!
The squirrel had bounded out of sight, and its watcher sighed. "It will be off you heart soon." Rosedawn had said. Why couldn't she get the incident out of her head?

[[Hea]ther[/sky]]

<sub>Heatherpaw sat in the shade of the trees. She didn't just sit; she was waiting. She had seen a rabbit pass just in front of her, and through the trees towards the riverbank. Patience was Heatherpaw's game in a nutshell. Purring ever-so-slightly, she crept forward. The milky white and brown rabbit froze, whiskers twitching. The silver tabby she-cat waited for the climax, and then swooped in, darting towards the prey. It bolted, towards the riverbank. As she sped ahead, Heatherpaw spotted Stormpaw just ahead. "Hey!" She meowed, still chasing the rabbit, but she accidentally crossed the border over into unfamiliar Clan territory...

((Startin' it back up again. Retaliation! =D))</sub>

[Cinder]

A silver blur flashed in the corner of Stormpaw's vision as Heatherpaw raced by. Stormpaw watched, wide-eyed, as heatherpaw chased the rabbit across the border. Leaping up, Stormpaw followed her friend.
"Heatherpaw!" Stormpaw called. "Good catch!" Just then, a squirrel, startled by her voice, leaped out of the undergrowth.
Stormpaw twitched her whiskers excitedly. This was a StormClan squirrel, just like the rabbit Cloudmist had taken had been a EmberClan rabbit. It was time for retaliation.
On silent paws, the grey apprentice began to stalk towards the squirrel. In one leap, she grabbed it with her front claws and delivered the killing bite.

[hawktalon]

Frostgaze was patrolling Stormclans border. He was feeling rather lazy today but kept his ears perked for intruders. A few days ago Cloudmist had been cornered by those astonishingly stupid EmberClan cats. It was their fault they gave in too easily! Well, it was really the cowardly Rosedawns fault. But Rosedawn was kinder then the crazy other cats! Frostgaze flexed his claws. he smelled MORE EmberClan cats.
"Perfect." he muttered sarcastically to himself. "food stealers. Little incidents are still stuck in their hollow heads." Frostgaze's paws kneaded the ground angrily. Then he stopped, seeing a cat that he could smell far away... of herbs. AND another apprentice just killed one of oUR squirrels. Frostgaze couldnt' take it anymore. he yowled a battle cry, plumeted down the rock he had been spying on, and began racing toward the two appretices at top speed.
_______

Snowleaf was hunting herself by the StormClan border. Then she saw a white cat like her racing toward Heatherpaw and Stormpaw! Snowleaf scrambld to her paws.
"If the cat dares hurt them..." she spat angrily. Snowleaf picked up speed and dodged Rosedawn stalking back from there, with a quick 'sorry! watch out! StormClan intruder!" Snowleaf gaped in horror. heatherpaw was on StormClan territory! so was Stormpaw! she wanted to help them, but Stormpaw wanted to prove her independence, she knew that. Oh well, then, too bad stormpaw. Your life is more important then your pride. With a battle yowl, she shoved the to apprentices gingerly out of the way.
"I dont care about your pride right now," she hissed quickly at them. Then she began clawing furiously at frostgaze.

_______

Frostgaze yelped in fury and pain.
"Stupid she cat," he hissed in her ear. "They were intruding on StormClan territory!" frostgaze heard her reply.
"Who trespassed first, huh?'' she snarled. Both cats were steaming in anger. frostgaze's cold eyes burned.
"Take them home.' he snapped. Snowleaf replied, "You go home!" Frostgaze couldnt stand that either. Another cat retorting to him? No way. Frostgaze yowled madly.
"You. Are. On. My. Territory. Get. Off. Now. Or. Else. Scarletstar. Won't. Be. Happy." Frostgaze hissed. Snowleaf didnt answer. she ket battling him furiously, yelling stuff like,
"You think you can kill two apprentices? You think we are weak? Well think again!" Snowleaf was angry, but so was Frostgaze. Frosty fur tumbled off frosty fur, and burning eyes seared into burning eyes.
"You are a disgrace to the warrior code." he snarled dangerously. "get off my territory. Unless you want to die." Frostgaze was furious.
"Now." without a second warning, he leaped on top of the she cat. Snowleaf yelped in terror, but Frostgaze didnt care. he prepared for his killing bite, when suddenly, Snowleaf wriggled him off. Frostgaze was stunned momentarily.
"no." he gasped, as Snowleaf pummeled down on top of him.
"whos scared now?" she taunted. The she cat laid her bloodstained paws on his bloody fur.
"I will leave if you keep your mouth shut." she spat vemnously.
Frostgaze hissed.
"Okay. Go." Frostgaze spat, glaring at the two still apprentices. Snowleaf glared at him a moment longer, then gave a small nod of dignity and let go, running to her own side of the border.

____

snowleaf glanced awkwardly at the apprentices.
"stormpaw, heatherpaw, I'm realy ashamed in you. You still behave like mousebrained kits!" Snowleaf's glance turned into a glare. "Blazestar will have something to say about this." Snowleaf sighed and her gaze softened.
"Do you want your own dignity? Independence? pride? You're seeking in the wrong way. Revenge doesnt have to happen. You make it happen. But not this way." Snowleaf gave out another sigh.
"Go ahead and hunt. I wont tell Blazestar."

[Flamey]

Rosedawn gasped as she watched, hopeless. Why arent I helping? I want to prove I am loyal... and not a coward. But the battle was already over when she got down. Rosedawn sighed and padded over to Snowleaf, who was stained with blood.
"Great job," she mewed, a bit scathingly. "I wish I could have helped." Rosedawn flicked her tail over one paw. Snowleaf just nodded at her.
"I think these aprentices deserve some... punishment." Rosedawn loftily walked over to Stormpaw and Heatherpaw.
"So, Stormpaw. Heatherpaw." Rosedawn began. "I hope snowleaf is ashamed of you-" Snowleaf nodded. Rosedawn winked weakly at her and continued. "Stormpaw, if you want to be independent and not be treated like a kit, you have to really behave.' Rosedawn stopped and turned to heatherpaw. "I thought you let go more easily, medicine cat aprentice." meowed Rosedawn sternly, her tail twitched. "Stonestream will be so happy to find out his apprentice stole prey from stormClan." harsh laughter escaped Rosedawns throat. "why are you all taking revenge so harshly? If you want even a glimmer of hope of becoming leader or medicine cat, he can't let small things get the best of you. Understand?" Rosedawn sighed. "Honestly, I hate treating you guys like small mousebrained kits. but somehow I cant trust you alone anymore, espicially you, Stormpaw." Rosedawn gave the apprentices a sideways glare.
"I'm deeply ashamed of you. You should be too." Rosedawn gave them a icy look.
"Come on. No more hunting today... Stormpaw, a believe you don't have a mentor? Do you? I don't remember." rosedawns voice was sarcastic.
"So. Any explaining before I penalyze you for no hunting today? I don't care about your excuses. I dont care if Blazestar sent you and said 'come back with prey or else'. You guys are going to get some fair punishment, for one, stealing prey. For two, setting bad examples. Three, being furious about small things." Rosedawn sighed. Her own heart had been ripped in half of her own desire to seek revenge.
"So, any explaining, or good reasons for stealing prey? Stormpaw. What did I say before I left? it will be off your heart soon. Apparentely not for you. And Heatherpaw," Rosedawn hated giving lectures. "you are a very important role to EmberClan. I hope you know that. Now come on, you guys can explain while we're going back to camp." Rosedawn flicked her tail again and led the way back, glancing back every so often.

[hawktalon]

ooc- im playing around with font and stuff guys. lol

^{Snowleaf glared at Rosedawn.
"Come on, rosedawn, don't be harsh." Snowleaf mewed. "Let them hunt." Snowleaf put her tail on Rosedawns shoulder as she caught up with her. She murmured in her ear.
"Why are you mean lately?" she asked.Snowleaf licked Rosedawns shoulder. "Dog caught your tongue?" Snowleaf felt ticked that Rosedawn was mean to the two apprentices. She sighed. okay, maybe she was a bit mean too at first.}

[Cinder]

Stormpaw dabbed at a leaf lying on the ground, unwilling to meet the two warriors' eyes. She had acted rashly, and it could harm the entire Clan if word got back to Scarletstar.
"Setting bad examples" Rosedawn had said. Who was setting a bad example? Rosedawn was continually on her case, first letting screeching at her for trying to fight the trespassing StormClan warrior, then berating her for trying to feed her Clan!
She dug her claws into the grass, vision swimming with helpless rage. All she wanted was to be a loyal EmberClan warrior. Why was everyone holding her back?!
Stormpaw felt a tail-tip brush her shoulder, and looked up to meet Heatherpaw's calm gaze. The silver apprentice's aura of calm helped steady her emotions.
The grey apprentice met Rosedawn's gaze squarely. "I will not apologize for what I did," she meowed, voice icy cold. "I believe I did the right thing. But i realize that I have dishonored my Clan , and I will accept any punishment you see fit to give me."
Then a flash of spirit returned. "You have no right to speak of bad examples, Rosedawn."
Stormpaw bowed her head, waiting for the words that would decide her fate.

[Flamey]

ooc- im not mad at Stormpaw im ROLEPLAYING, ok?

Rosedawn hissed in disgust. The she cat exploded.
"Disgrace!" she hissed, clawing into the soil. "You apprentices are impossible! This is why I never want to be a mentor!" Rosedawn spat. "Your punishment will be severe!" Rosedawn snarled, ignoring Stormpaw's icy voice. If she wanted to talk back to ROSEDAWN, she was going to pay.
"Heatherpaw, you are excused from major punishment since the clan needs you a your role as a medicine cat. But you both are not allowed to get out of the camp until the next Gathering." Rosedawn finished her speech coldly. 'Heatherpaw, I would like Stonestream's permission for herb picking and stuff like that." Rosedawn decided to continue talking.
"Stormpaw, I'm not mad at you. I'm acting like it, though, arern't I?" Rosedawn laughed harshly. "Stormpaw. I just don't want to hold your warrior naming back, I've been treating you like a helpless kit... and I seem like I'm always one pawstep behind you. I'm sure you were hunting for us, EmberClan." Rosedawn bit her jaw. "You will get your punishment, and if you serve the clan rightfully for the next moon, I promise to StarClan that I will not follow you and treat you like this. If you hold your punishment." Rosedawn's hiss became barely audible, but a tear escaped her eye for no reason.
"Come on, again." Rosedawn sighed. She gave the apprentice a frosty look.
"And don't talk back to a warrior again-" Rosedawn hesitated. "However dishonorable you think she is."

[[Hea]ther[/sky]]

<sub>It all happened so fast. Heatherpaw had started forwards, unintentionally crossing the border. A StormClan cat had attacked, and an EmberClan warrior rose to the challenge. She felt more passionate about the argument than she ever had before. Why would they do this? There was no use bloodying each other up. "STOP!" She yowled, but neither of the two regarded her. Even an apprentice had things to say, and Heatherpaw sure had a mouthful now.

Barely listening, she flung herself back to the EmberClan side of the border, taking the rabbit with her. And tossing it to the ground, prepared herself to leap into the fray, to take the side of EmberClan, unjustly wronged. But the fight was over, the two respective Clan members returned to their own territory. And a cascade of punishment ensued.

Heatherpaw, steel-gazed, met Rosedawn's. Oh, ho, she had something to say now. Mousebrained kits? Shame upon the Clan? And now, treating Stormpaw badly, playing on the fact that she had no mentor as of then! The rage build in her ribcage, like kindling on a fire she knew would burst forth soon. This was not happening. She glanced at Stormpaw, who was reluctant to meet the gaze of the older she-cat, and tried to stay calm. Stepping forwards, she reassuringly rested her tailtip on Stormpaw's shoulder. In a last attempt to retain her calm exterior, she silently agreed with Stormpaw's statement.

"YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO ACT AS THOUGH YOU ARE ALLOWED TO PENALIZE ME LIKE THIS!" The bomb had been set off, the fire had finally burst into life, roaring like a monster chasing the wind. This was just too much. Calmness had always been Heatherpaw's game, and collected composure was always what she strived for. But this was too much. "Held to the camp UNTIL THE NEXT GATHERING? What makes you think you have the authority?! I will be a full medicine cat within the next half-moon! I find this extremely terrible that you wave around your position in my and Stormpaw's faces like YOU were the Clan leader! As I recall, YOU AREN'T. I know I'm, not of rank yet. I'm no medicine cat and I'm no warrior yet, BUT WE BOTH TRY OUR BEST. You need to accept that, whether or not you want to!"

Heatherpaw was panting from the exhertion, adrenaline pouring into her nervous system. This was the angriest she had ever been. So what if she disgraced herself? So what if she never became a medicine cat? She hoped to StarClan Stonestream would not hold this against her. She respected the medicine cat, and felt almost like he was a father at times. And as though Ripplestream was her mother. Please, StarClan, let them forgive me. Please forgive me.

The silver apprentice spun and ran at an almost-lightspeed, adrenaline still fueling her movements. She wanted to be away, far away. And so she was.

((WHEW that was EMOTIONAL!!! xDD This was a great idea to rile up Clan loyalties! Yeah, hope you don't mind, it's all just roleplaying ^^ this post is 511 words long not counting these. B)))</sub>

[/sub]

[Cinder]

Stormpaw stood frozen for a second, her ears ringing with shock. The other EmberClan cats also looked stunned. She had never seen Heatherpaw shout like that before. She was usually so calm...
Her blue eyes narrowed, emotions swirling in their depths. Confined to the camp for an entire moon?! For helping the Clan?! She dug her claws into the grass, glaring at Rosedawn as the warriors words echoed in her mind.

You apprentices are impossible! This is why I never wanted to be a mentor. Your punishment will be severe!

But why did she let Heatherpaw off more lightly, just because she was a medicine cat? She was an apprentice, too. Stormpaw gritted her teeth, supressing a howl of frustration. Why did Rosedawn keep treading on her tail?
She had no hard feelings against Heatherpaw, though. The silver apprentice had stood up to Rosedawn as well.
And she was her friend.
Rosedawn had constantly been on her case since the fight at the border three nights ago. She wasn't even her mentor! She was only a warrior, there was no need for her to act like Clan leader! Did she think that because Stormpaw was part rogue she didn't understand the warrior code?
Stormpaw growled. She was sick of this. If she couldn't be herself in her own Clan, than how could she survive?
Rosedawn seemed to be about to speak, and suddenly Stormpaw had had enough. Whirling, she ran, paws pounding on the forest floor. She ran like the wind, following Heatherpaw.
She had no plan. All she wanted was to get away...

[Flamey]

Rosedawn opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. She hissed in disgust and whirled away toward camp.
"Come on, Snowleaf." she spat, not even glancing at the direction that Heatherpaw went. I will be a full medicine cat in the next half moon... She thought angriliy with frustration. I'm not a thing like a clan leader! And its not a medicine cats job to be STEALING!!!! Okay, maybe punishment was harsh. It was THEIR FAULT, though! They MADE us come over because they were TRESSPASSING!!!!!! Maybe Cloudmist started everything, but OH WELLLLLL. It was THEIR FAULT!!!! But a tear blurred one eye. Why was she so harsh to them??? They weren't kits anymore, that was for SURE. Rosedawn sighed. She wanted to apologize but DIDN'T. It was their fault.
"Whatever." she snarled to Stormpaw, lashing her tail. Then she stomped away, mad.