“Would you like to come hunting with me, FalconSlayer? You are the best hunter this clan has, after all.” StoatFinder said smoothly. FerretMimic was, as always, by his side. “It’ll be fun. Just the two- sorry, three of us.”

“Yeah, it’ll be loads of fun.” FerretMimic echoed his friend

“Why thank you, StoatFinder.” FalconSlayer purred with amusement. “I may just take you up on your flattering proposal.” She said jokingly. TalonClaw, who had just returned from hunting, padded up in time to hear the exchange.

“I brought you a vole.” He said to FalconSlayer. He pushed it towards her. StarClan let her accept my offering. Let her be appeased. FalconSlayer sniffed at the vole.

“You are incredibly thoughtful, TalonClaw.” She took a bite. “This is wonderfully fresh. I guess I’ll hunt with the evening patrol. Sorry, StoatFinder. Maybe another day.”
This round goes to TalonClaw! He refrained from leaping into the air in his triumph, but he could not hide the smirk on his face. You have to do better than that to get her, StoatFinder. A lot better, because I’m protecting her. From everything…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Life in the clan proceeded thus, with StoatFinder’s attempts to woo FalconSlayer undermined by TalonClaw. It was the morn after GladeStar’s death…. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“BirchLake will make a wonderful deputy, don’t you think, TalonClaw?” FalconSlayer mused absentmindedly. When she realized what she had said, she rested her tail on his shoulder and hastily apologized. “I’m sorry. I-I didn’t mean to remind you, I-I didn’t realize!”
By StarClan, she is beautiful. He shook his head. TalonClaw, snap out of it! Your mother is dead! Don’t be mooning over a pretty she-cat! “Don’t worry about it, I’m fine. There’s no need to apologize. I’m sure RavenStar will be a great leader.”
“I am confident that he will be. You can’t give up now, TalonClaw. She wouldn’t like that. She’d hope that you’d just move on and get over it. You know that.” FalconSlayer nuzzled TalonClaw.
“You’re right, I guess. She wouldn’t want me to mope around.” TalonClaw mulled over her words. She’s right. GladeStar would rather I look to happier things.
“Hey, it’s the orphan brat! Don’t feel so tough now without your mommy to protect you, huh?” StoatFinder taunted TalonClaw. He and FerretMimic circled the dark golden brown tom, daring him to lash out at them.
“Yeah, not so scary after all, you little orphan.” FerretMimic mewed, laughing manically.
“Will you two stop it! His mother DIED! Have a bit of sympathy!” FalconSlayer roared at the pair. They both ignored her, and continued to circle, taunting and teasing him at every turn. TalonClaw had had enough.
They have no right to shame my family like this. I have to stop them. And there’s no other way. He struck StoatFinder a stunning blow to the chin. He turned to face FerretMimic. “DO YOU DARE TO FACE “THE ORPHAN BRAT” NOW, YOU COWARDS!” He yowled.
“You are going to pay for that!” StoatFinder screamed, leaping onto TalonClaw’s back. FerretMimic was about to attack TalonClaw when FalconSlayer intervened. She threw him away from TalonClaw, and held him down so he could not join in the fray. Both of them watched the match, each hoping for a different victor.
TalonClaw struck out viciously, trying to throw StoatFinder off of him. He began to tear at StoatFinder’s claws in an attempt to get him to release his hold. It worked, and within moments, StoatFinder was on the ground, his paws streaked with clawmarks.
“You filthy little brat. You will pay for this.” StoatFinder howled as he limped off towards the Medicine Cat’s den. FalconSlayer let FerretMimic up; he immediately rushed TalonClaw, who sidestepped his charge and flattened him with a single blow.
“Don’t tease me like that again, FerretMimic. It just isn’t wise.” TalonClaw’s voice was calm. I just won my first battle! Nothing can stand in my way!
Let’s get you some food, victorious warrior.” FalconSlayer purred. “You certainly deserve some.” She laughed, and TalonClaw felt on top of the world.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RavenStar was a great leader, as he had been a wonderful mentor. And things had pretty much simmered down, and StoatFinder had stopped flirting with FalconSlayer. But there was still growing tension between StoartFinder and TalonClaw. And that tension could break into a brawl at any moment. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~