option one, Blizzardchaser

"I will pick Blizzardchaser. She is a great warrior with a kind heart and she always cares about everyone." Barkpaw mewed as the crowd nodded in agreement.

Falconstar grinned at Barkpaw and purred, "Just what I have thought." Barkpaw beamed like the sun and the wound on his back seemed to be less painful. The sun smiled at him warmly. He patted on his back and whispered, "I know you can do it..."

Is praise medicine to me? Barkpaw could not help but wonder. 

"I say these words before StarClan, so that the spirits of our warriors ancestors may hear and approve my choice." Falconstar glanced at the crowd confidently as his deep and clear voice echoed in the air, "The new deputy of WindClan is Blizzardchaser."

As shouts of happiness could be heard, Barkpaw's ears automatically deceived them. The rest did not matter. All that mattered in Barkpaw's heart was barely a whisper, but it impacted him like a wave of courage.

"I am proud of you, Barkpaw..."

Was he?

He was.

"Run! Covepaw, run!"

The light had blinded his eyes as the darkness slithered like a snake. It hissed and crawled closer. The sharp teeth sank into his leg. His eyes were widened, his breath became shallow. Where was he?

He did not know.

The darkness was packed with silence. Endless silence. He could not feel his pelt. Was he himself? Or was he something that he could not explain? 

Lightning cut through the dark sky. The sky was bleeding. Colours were dripped out of the deep cut and they were mixed together. Thunder roared with pain and the ground shook with boiling rage. Sparks of light were mixed with lightning, the disturbing sound of fizz and crackle shouted in his ears.

The pain started to pull back like a tide going out. It left his leg and slowly worked its way up his body. It was raining. Big raindrops laughed at him coldly, watching him suffered.

"Useless foxdung..." They whispered as they cupped his chin, "useless foxdung..."

His jaw clenched as he let the wave of anger swallow him. Resentment blossomed within him as he patted it like his pet. It obeyed as it sat quietly inside his pelt, waiting for a chance to bite... to roar...

"You can't fight back? How timid..."

He was immobilized with fury. His pet broke free from the chain to keep him sane. Breathless with fire burning inside him, he shouted, "I am not losing! I will win and I will never be the one who loses!"

The ground shook heavily in response as the darkness collapsed like tall giants that could be seen in the place where two-legs lived. One by one, they lay down on the ground with a loud "plump" and took a nap of peace. 

Dust was flying in panic, screams and shouts echoed in the darkness. The place where he could stand was becoming smaller and smaller. He was wrapped in the box, given to someone with ribbons on top.

"No," he murmured to himself, "no, impossible. Impossible."

Struggling to find his breath, fear was jumping up and down inside his stomach. Then, it magically froze his blood as his pelt went cold.

"Run," he hissed, "run. RUN!"

That was when he failed to move. Then, he knew what the real terror was.

Being abandoned by the world.

"Barkpaw?" A calm breeze touched his chin smoothly like her mother's tail. He looked up from the dark and sought for the sound. The sound that was calling him home.

Home? What was home?

Or was there a home?

"Barkpaw!" The ground shook once again, yet, another light called him and lit up a path. Eyes shining with hope, Barkpaw found his strength and energy as he followed the path. 

He was flying through all the painful memories. He burst through tears of clouds and waves of misery. The light was calling him forward and he could not disobey.

He was ready.

"BARKPAW!"

"W-what...?" Seeing from the crack of his eyes, there stood two cats, inspecting him with worriness shining in their eyes.

The small black and white she-cat leaped on Barkpaw as she mewed with delight, "YOU ARE FINALLY AWAKE!"

Barkpaw bit back his laugher as he ordered his over-excited sister Covepaw to keep quiet. Taking deep breaths, he realized that he was lying in the apprentice den, safe and sound.

The moss tickled him gently as the white tortoiseshell whispered, "B-barkpaw...? A-are you alright?"

"I am alright!" Barkpaw laughed as his stomach twitched. The sky was still dark outside that Barkpaw could barely see the two cats in front of him. Licking his fur, he asked quietly, "Why do you wake me up? The sun has not risen yet!"

"YOU FORGET?" Barkpaw swore that every cat in ThunderClan could hear Covepaw. She continued as Barkpaw and Daisypaw exchanged a knowing glance silently, "IT IS OUR FIRST GATHERING - more like yours..."

Her voice tailed away and she stared at her paws nervously. Barkpaw waved her words away with a fake grin. Yes, he told himself, what a piece of good news! Being teased in front of everyone!

Masked a smile on his face, he licked Covepaw playfully and limped to the clearing. A lot of cats were waiting for them. Stepping out of the camp as the wind made him shiver, he could hear a small voice, "I will make you pay..."

He waved the voice away causally, but he knew that it would be a long night...

~~~

"ARE WE THERE YET?" It was the fifth time when Covepaw asked. Blizzardchaser turned and responded quietly, "We will soon be there, Covepaw. Please be patient."

Seeing Barkpaw limping next to Covepaw, trying to keep up the line, Blizzardchaser added, "Barkpaw, Lilypetal wanted you to meet with the medicine cats in other clans. Be prepared for that."

Barkpaw nodded. His twisted leg was definitely grumpy as it set off the pain that made him wince. Half dragging himself, he saw a tall shadow standing in front of him. Raising his head slowly, he spotted a pair of green eyes studying at him with an expression that Barkpaw failed to explain.

"Errr..." The pair of green eyes looked around nervously, "want some help?"

The moonlight shone on his grey pelt as he stared at his paws shyly. He tail twitched in an odd shape. "W-want s-some h-help?" He asked again with a softer voice.

>> accept the offer

>> decline the offer

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