viperpaw

~~~

EMBARRASSED WASN'T A strong enough word to describe how Viperpaw was feeling. The look Snakepaw gave him at the end of the fight hurt more than anything his brother could say.

"Hey." Frozenpaw padded up to the gray tom, sitting down and brushing her pelt lightly against his. "You did good."

"As if," Viperpaw grumbled. It was Snakepaw and Sweetpaw's fight now, and the tom was easily beating the brown-and-white she-cat. He could be going easier on her - probably should be - but it seemed as though he was trying to compensate for Viperpaw's bad performance.

Trying to keep up his reputation, Viperpaw thought.

"Really, don't be so upset," Frozenpaw implored. "Combat isn't the only thing there is to being a warrior. The Warriors Assessment is about hunting, remember?"

"Yeah, but I'm not good at that, either," Viperpaw replied. "I always trip and accidentally step on leaves and branches. Snakepaw's so much better than I am."

"Who cares about Snakepaw?" The white apprentice ruffled her fur indignantly. "You're not the same cat, and you improve and learn at different rates."

"Even Sandstrike's beginning to give up on me, and it's only been two moons," Viperpaw mumbled. "I'm going to be an apprentice forever."

"That's not true!" Frozenpaw protested. "Listen, if Snakepaw's so good, why don't you ask him for some help?"

Viperpaw shook his head. "He's embarrassed of me. He's not going to want to help me."

Frozenpaw paused, thinking. "I don't know if I'll be much help," she meowed slowly, "but I'd be happy to do some extra training sessions, if you'd like."

Viperpaw brightened. "Really?"

"Sure," Frozenpaw offered. "I know I'm younger and I haven't learned as much, but I can share some of the tips and tricks I've picked up that might help with you. Or, you know, we could just hunt and fight. Extra practice must help, right?"

Viperpaw nodded eagerly. "That'd be great, thanks!"

Foxstorm's voice brought the two apprentices' attention onto the fight, in which Snakepaw's tail was lashing triumphantly. "Congratulations, Snakepaw!"

"That was fast," Viperpaw muttered.

Frozenpaw nodded. "I'd better go check up on Sweetpaw." She bounded off to her sister as Snakepaw climbed off. 

However, instead of coming to the side to talk to Viperpaw as he normally did, Snakepaw stayed in the Muddy Dip, refusing to even look in his brother's direction.

Viperpaw shrank. I guess he really is embarrassed by me. 

"That was great work, everyone," Dawnfoot meowed cheerfully. "Let's head back to camp. I bet you guys all worked up an appetite."

The eight cats took the long way back, skirting past WindClan's border to see if they can grab any prey. As they neared, WindClan's typical rabbit scent bathed Viperpaw's tongue, but with that, a new smell: fish.

Snakepaw spoke before Viperpaw could even arrive at the conclusion. "Those mangepelts! RiverClan's marking WindClan's borders!"

A growl formed on Dawnfoot's face. "They're doing this as a warning. They're going to push into our territory."

"I'd like to see them try!" Foxstorm snapped, lashing his tail. "Those fishbreaths? As if!"

Sandstrike looked worried. "We need to report this to Ivorystar. She'll need this information to prepare."

As soon as he spoke, the undergrowth rustled, and Clearfrost appeared, Mintpaw hot on her tail. The gray tabby's pelt ruffled ever so slightly at the sight of her brothers.

"Hello, Clearfrost," Brooklight meowed politely.

Clearfrost nodded in greeting. "What are all of you doing here? Shouldn't you be training, or something?"

"We'd finished with that, and wanted to grab some prey," Sandstrike explained, "but we found something interesting."

The cream-colored tom didn't need to explain; the medicine cat sniffed the air and flicked her tail with understanding. "Ivorystar won't be pleased, especially with everything that happened at the Gathering."

"Speaking of which," Foxstorm mewed, "what's the Great Secret?"

Clearfrost stiffened, but her reaction wasn't what Viperpaw was interested in. What he was surprised about was Mintpaw's changed demeanor; her ruffled fur went to bristled, and her green eyes were widened with fear as she looked between Clearfrost and Foxstorm.

She knows, Viperpaw realized. That's what she accidentally overheard that afternoon, before her first half-moon meeting.

However, he didn't seem to be the only cat who noticed Mintpaw. Clearfrost's gaze flitted to her apprentice, a brief frown tugged over her face, before her expression returned to its normal, cold look.

"Nothing for you to worry over," the ragdoll answered curtly. "After all, it's called the Great Secret for a reason."

"I just think we have a right to know," the ginger tom protested.

Clearfrost whisked her tail. "Trust your leader and medicine cat, won't you? Go report to Ivorystar, now, she'll want to know."

Viperpaw was eager to speak to Frozenpaw about his new findings. After all, she was the one that overheard Ivorystar and Clearfrost's argument with him the afternoon after RiverClan's attack. However, he didn't get a single moment alone with the white she-cat, as Snakepaw was always there, talking about his great achievements.

Viperpaw wasn't sure why he didn't want to just tell Snakepaw, too. He told Snakepaw everything. So why not this?

He truly didn't know. All he knew was that he kept his mouth shut; it was only when his brother disappeared into the apprentices den for a nap that Viperpaw dragged Frozenpaw off to the side.

"Frozenpaw, I've got big news."

"Okay," the white-furred apprentice mewed, amber eyes alight with what might be amusement. "Go ahead."

"I think Mintpaw knows what the Great Secret is," Viperpaw explained slowly. "That's why she's been acting so scared!"

"Viperpaw, that's crazy, they'd never tell an apprentice that," Frozenpaw pointed out.

The gray tom hesitated. "I don't think they meant to tell her. I think she overheard it. And I'm not sure if you remember, but the day after, we accidentally heard Clearfrost and Ivorystar's argument. They mentioned a prophecy of some sort, I bet it's the Great Secret."

"So... the Great Secret is a prophecy," Frozenpaw mewed, trying to piece it together. "A prophecy that started a war between RiverClan and ShadowClan."

Viperpaw nodded eagerly. "And did you hear, during the Gathering, there was a chance for peace!"

"Yes, that was pretty important, and I was there," Frozenpaw teased sassily. 

"Oh, shush." Viperpaw mock rolled his eyes, flicking the white she-cat's ear affectionately with his tail. "Anyway, if we find out what the Great Secret is, we could end the war."

"I don't think it works like that," Frozenpaw answered. "Plus, it must be something crazy if Mintpaw became so afraid after hearing it. And Ivorystar won't be too happy if we probe, it sounded like she wanted to keep everything a secret."

"Maybe, but it's for the greater good. We can't lose any more lives." Viperpaw's yellow eyes blazed with determination.

He wasn't sure why he was acting like this. He told himself it was because he wanted to help his Clan. But maybe, just maybe, he was also fueled by the fact of wanting to finally have some importance to the Clan, to have Snakepaw be proud of him.

Frozenpaw hesitated. "This is insane," she meowed at last. "How do you even plan on finding what the prophecy is?"

"I don't know," Viperpaw answered, "I'll figure it out as I go. But please, Frozenpaw, will you help me? Or, at the very least, don't tell anyone?"

The white she-cat sighed, giving Viperpaw a look he knew very well. It was a look she often gave him and Snakepaw when they suggested some trouble-making things as kits, somewhere between disappointment and admiration. Either way, as soon as the toms saw the look, they knew she would join them. A gleam in her amber eyes that read: You're crazy.

"Since when have I ever refused one of your adventures?" Frozenpaw replied with a soft smile.

And at this Viperpaw beamed, happy that he could go through all this with a friend.