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Water dripped from the cavern ceiling due to the recent rainfall, falling onto the black and white pelt of the AsterClan Prince. His pink nose twitched and his ears swiveled at the cold touch, but he kept his amber eyes locked onto the cats scurrying throughout the camp. Knights carried in their prey from the recent hunts and feasted immediatedly, some even bickering over which prey they wanted. The irritating commotion made Hollybristle's eyes narrow, but his gaze softened at the sight of a mottled molly approaching him.

Her name was Iristuft, the daughter of AsterClan's general. She had just dismissed herself from a conversation with Wolfbite, who watched his daughter approach Hollybristle with satisfaction lining his gaze. The Prince avoided the General's lingering gaze and instead casted Iristuft a welcoming smile, the molly settling next to him.

The two remained silent until Wolfbite padded away, dispersing to converse with a few Knights. Hollybristle's ears twitched as he heard Iristuft breathe out in relief. "Finally he's off my tail," Iristuft scoffed, laying her head on her paws. "He bugs me every time I'm not around you. 'You need to constantly be with your Prince or he will find a more suitable molly' he says."

Hollybristle felt a shiver roll down his spine at her words. A few moons ago, his father and the general discussed how Hollybristle taking on Wolfbite's daughter as a mate would be an extravagant idea. Their fathers constantly spilled the idea through their ears and kept it locked in their minds, but neither of them had viewed one another romantically. Whenever they attempted to, it was uncomfortably awkward for the two of them.

Since then, the two tried their best to present themselves to AsterClan as mates. They shared the same nest, prey, and often hunted and shared tongues with one another. Thicketcrown constantly nagged the two about when their first litter of kits would arrive but they merely made excuses, imposing that they both needed more time before having kits. Neither of them were euphoric about the topic of kits, especially when they were expected to be mates and parent them together.

"There's no she-cat better than you," Hollybristle purred, a grin slipping onto his muzzle.

Iristuft huffed at her friend, lightly shoving him with a paw. "You can drop the act, fish-brain."

"I'm just being honest," Hollybristle cackled.

"What about me?"

They averted their gazes to a russet tabby approaching them. A smug grin was molded across her face and she plopped down in front of them. Her amber eyes flicked to and fro between them. "You didn't forget about me, did you?"

"No, Redfawn," Hollybristle retorted, rolling his eyes at the russet molly. "You are obviously the best molly in all of AsterClan."

"Is that sarcasm, Prince?" Redfawn snorted, her and Iristuft's gazes fixed on the black and white tom. "Perhaps if you feeble-minded toms allowed me to fight more, you would see more potential. Stars, last time I saw Oakfeather fight he just used the same tactics over and over again! You toms are something else."

Hollybristle blinked at the molly. AsterClan severely favored toms over mollies, and Hollybristle even remembered the words his father had shared with him as a kit. He described mollies as weaker and also imposed their only purpose was to raise kits for the future. Thicketcrown expected every molly under his rule to eventually bare kits, but his expectations especially did not run through Redfawn's desires for the future.

Redfawn was a skilled fighter, and most toms who recognized it whispered about the molly to others. Her own brother, Reedshiver, always seemed desperate to keep Redfawn cooped up in camp and out of trouble. Maybe it was because he wanted to keep her out of danger, but after the multiple glares Thicketcrown had casted Redfawn's way it was obvious that AsterClan was sick of the mollies intentions. Hollybristle wanted to believe it was due to them envying her tactics and intelligence which fueled them to build a plan to help keep the molly in camp.

They wanted her to bare kits and remain cooped up inside the camp like every other molly.

Hollybristle pushed away his thoughts, the tom acknowledging how Redfawn and Iristuft spoke in a light murmur to one another. The three of them had known each other since they were kits, but there was a different spark that flickered between the two she-cats. They always seemed to be staring into one anothers' eyes as if they were observing an alluring sunset and their whiskers twitched at the same pace and rythmn. It amused Hollybristle, but he knew it would only twist chaos into the webs of AsterClan.

The Prince flinched at the thought of the peril that would surround them if any cat recognized the strength of their bond. He glanced away from his friends to hide the terror that lined his widened gaze, images dancing through his mind like ashes after a forest fire. They could be exiled for all eternity, but that was only if they were lucky. His paws kneaded at the ground as anxiety nearly suffocated him. Hollybristle was apprehensive of what could happen to them, but hopefully they kept their heads and voices low.

His mind wandered to how he could alter AsterClan once he became King. So many had lived under the tiresome weight of the current rules for all their lives, but he knew there was some who would be obliged to change it. Redfawn and Iristuft constantly spoke about how they would rather be fighting to change their code and traditions instead of chasing the Guardians off. Maybe once I'm King, we can learn from and work with the Guardians, Hollybristle thought.

An unnerving memory began to wiggle through his thoughts but was interrupted through yowls coming from the camp entrance. Oakfeather's patrol emerged from the water, their fur clinging to their pelts as blood still spotted their muzzles. Hollybristle shivered in horror at the sight of blood and watched as his father, Thicketcrown, slinked out of his den and approached the patrol. His ears were tucked against his head and he examined them carefully, his whiskers twitching in agitation.

"What was the reason for all that ruckus?" Thicketcrown snarled, his gaze meeting Oakfeather's.

The mackerel tabby blinked and turned to eye his apprentice, Weaselpaw. "We managed to successfully damage those Guardians thanks to Weaselpaw," Oakfeather spoke up, pride dripping from his voice like venom. "He spotted their little healer wandering too close to our border and he helped us ambush her. Thanks to him, the Guardians don't have an experienced healer anymore! We are more powerful than ever!"

Hollybristle watched as an amused grin curled onto his father's face. Weaselpaw had aided in murdering an innocent cat, and yet the cats who stood around him cheered his name as if he had saved them from a ravaging bear. Out of the corner of his gaze, he spotted Redfawn watch with hatred simmering in her eyes as Irisbite stared at her paws, uneasy and solemn.

"Good job, Knights, and especially you, Weaselpaw," Thicketcrown meowed, peering over at the cream tom. He dipped his head to him and excitement flared in the young tom's eyes. "You have served AsterClan extremely well and it is obvious that your mentor believes you have a lot of potential. I believe you have earned your position as a full Knight now."

Cats gathered around the returning patrol and the King, murmuring amongst themselves. Was Thicketcrown going to make Weaselpaw a warrior because he murdered an innocent molly who was clearly at a strong disadvantage? Hollybristle watched as Redfawn and Irisbite stood to their paws, eyes narrowed as they observed the crowd.

"I guess spilling pointless blood is what makes you a true Knight," Redfawn spat under her breath, audible enough for Hollybristle and Irisbite. "I promise I-"

Redfawn fell silent as a shadow emerged beside theirs. Dahliacrown, Hollybristle's mother and the Queen od AsterClan, stepped in between her son and his friends. The white mollies gaze flitted to and fro between them and Hollybristle watched as his friends' fur bristled at her arrival. Dahliacrown kept her jaws shut though and peered ahead at the clamor, her ears angeled forward and her eyes narrowed.

After sharing a few words with Oakfeather, Thicketcrown padded through the crowd and climbed up to High Ledge. Cats watched him carefully and turned to face him. Weaselpaw nearly squeaked out in excitement from beside his mentor as he bounced alongside him towards the front of the crowd. Blood still stained the fur around Weaselpaw's lips, and Hollybristle for a moment saw his pelt flash to a dark gray. No... He was nothing like Weaselpaw.

Hollybristle blinked when he noticed Dahliacrown had pressed closer to him, their fur brushing. Usually his mother was cooped up in her den and during a ceremony she was perched below High Ledge. Hollybristle enjoyed the warmth of her snowy pelt though, his anxiety dropping to his paws as he watched Thicketcrown begin to speak.

"Today has been a glorious victory for AsterClan!" Thicketcrown yowled out to start, his muzzle uplifting towards the cavern ceiling. "We have taken down the Guardians healer, and now they are at an extreme disadvantage. This is all thanks to Weaselpaw, and his actions will not go ignored. We are gathered now to present Weaselpaw with his Knight name!"

AsterClan burst out in a cheer for the young tom, who closed his eyes and bathed in the recognition. Hollybristle felt pressured to join but he realized how silent Redfawn, Irisbite, and even Dahliacrown were beside him. He shut his slightly gaped jaw and kept his eyes locked onto his father. Weaselpaw doesn't even have to do the trial all because he murdered their healer, Hollybristle thought, though the tom was slightly relieved by the spiral of events. At least I don't have to fight him now.

"Wait!"

The crowd was silenced by an alarmed yowl from amongst them. Hollybristle's gaze wandered to spot Ferretpaw, Weaselpaw's sister, standing with her neck fur fluffed and tail lashing vigorously behind her. He watched as she flinched when all gazes latched onto her, Thicketcrown especially seeming vexed by her interruption. She swallowed her anxiety though and began to speak her mind.

"Don't you think this is a little unfair? Every apprentice should have to pass the trial to become a Knight! Any cat could have murdered a helpless healer!" Ferretpaw stated, her voice throbbing with terror but she kept her stance straight and her eyes fixed on Thicketcrown.

Weaselpaw hissed at his sister's words. "You're just jealous!" The cream tom countered.

Hollybristle shivered as he noticed how annoyed AsterClan appeared due to Ferretpaw's outburst. Her own mentor even snarled at her from a few pawsteps away and her brother was now eyeing her as if she was an utter disappointment. Hollybristle held his breath, empathy for the apprentice restraining his ability to focus. She has no support! Unless...

"Ferretpaw is right," Hollybristle suddenly shouted, all of AsterClan turning to eye the Prince. His mother pressed closer to him as he spoke as his friends took a step back, alerted by the attention. "There has been no exceptions for the trial before, why should there be one now? I know for a fact that even if Ferretpaw was there she could have been just as successful. How does aiding the kill of a healer with little to no knowledge of battling tactics allow him to surpass the trial?"

As much as I don't want to fight Weaselpaw, I can't let Ferretpaw take all of this on her own, Hollybristle pondered. He glanced over at the molly who flashed him an appreciative smile. It's okay. If I have to fight Weaselpaw for his trial, then so be it. He's a skilled fighter and I'll just stray away from wounding him too much.

"Silence!" Thicketcrown's booming voice startled Hollybristle. His father's lip pulled back in a snarl as he glared over at him, his eyes simmering with disapproval. "My word is the law. You will never question it. I believe Weaselpaw has no need to take the trial. On the other paw, Ferretpaw still has to prove herself."

Hollybristle's ears fell to the back of his head at his father's odious glance. Weaselpaw simply glanced over his shoulder at Ferretpaw and granted her a taunting grin, to which the she-cat only turned away and huffed at. Thicketcrown then beckoned for the young tom to step forward as the crowd finally settled.

"Now without any further disruptions, Weaselpaw will be granted his Knight name," Thicketcrown started. "From this day forth under the will of your King and your Clan, Weaselpaw, you will serve as a Knight amongst us. You will now be called Weaselclaw, due to your skillful abilities in the heat of battle."

"Weaselclaw! Weaselclaw!" Hollybristle tuned out their cheering, lowering his head as shame churned in his stomach. Thicketcrown isn't going to be pleased with me taking Ferretpaw's side.

"I want my Knight name too!" AsterClan's cheering died as Ferretpaw's voice rang through the cavern. Weaselclaw and Thicketcrown glared at her, growls rumbling in their throat. "Let me take the assessment! Let me start my trial!"

"But you're not ready!" Clearstream interrupted, the tom shaking his head in disapproval at his apprentice's actions.

"I'm just as ready as Weaselclaw is to be a Knight," Ferretpaw snapped in reply at her mentor. She glanced back towards Thicketcrown and held her muzzle up, attempting to appear confident as she suppressed her nervousness. "Let me take the trial, my King, and then I will prove myself to you and make up for my actions today."

"Very well then," Thicketcrown retorted, silencing an angered Clearstream and Weaselclaw with a flick of his tail. "You shall have your trial tomorrow morning. Don't let me down, apprentice."

Ferretpaw simply dipped her head to the King as he dismissed the meeting. Hollybristle's skin crawled and he peered over at the apprentice, noticing the way he paws twitched as he gaze dropped to the ground. Don't worry, I'll go easy on, Hollybristle thought, concerned for her wellbeing. She had only been an apprentice for nearly three moons and taking the trial against her mentor's will made Hollybristle nervous. Ferretpaw wasn't ready, and even she knew so.

"Good luck tomorrow." Hollybristle was released from his thoughts at the soothing, collective voice of his mother. He glimpsed at her just as Dahliacrown turned and pressed her muzzle to his ear. "Just know that-"

"Dahliacrown!"

The Queen was interrupted by Thicketcrown calling her, the King waiting impatiently outside of their den. Hollybristle watched as his mother pulled away from him and with a heartwrenching sigh, slinked away to join her mate. He's lucky she ever chose him, Hollybristle cursed to himself, observing Dahliacrown as she padded over to his father. Hatred burned inside of the tom at the way Thicketcrown's narrowed eyes fixed on Dahliacrown. One day, I'll change this. I'll change this Clan for the better.

There was something about the way his father looked at and acted around his mother that unsettled him. Dahliacrown had little to no power within AsterClan and every time she attempted to state an opinion she was silenced by Thicketcrown. He kept her cooped up in their den all day, even when he wasn't there to rest with her. Hollybristle could only wonder if they ever chatted with they curled up together in the darkness of their den, or if he simply used her as if a decor to his nest as she anxiously twitched next to him.

As the crowd dispersed, Hollybristle turned to eye Redfawn and Iristuft beckoning him over to the prey pile. He noticed how many foxlengths now rested between the two she-cats, yet their gazes still lingered to one another with every heartbeat. Pain throbbed in Hollybristle's chest but he forced a grin onto his face as he padded over to join them.

One day, Redfawn and Iristuft will be able to live together peacefully. Dahliacrown will be able to explore and speak freely and Ferretpaw won't have to worry about proving herself, Hollybristle thought as he settled between his friends, silence like thorns lodged in their throats.

Once I'm King, my word will be law.