Flame'paw expresses her annoyance

Flame'Paw shook with excitement, the thought of becoming a warrior almost too much to bear. She eagerly sat beneath the tall'rock, looking up toward the leader with wide eyes. She had always imagined the day she would finally be trusted to become a warrior, and the thought that she was about to fulfil it was her dream come true. She flicked an ear as the leader talked about boring things like hunting patrols and border crossings, not paying attention until she finally mentioned a warriors ceremony. Flame'Paw nearly stood up in glee if it wasn't for Thistle'Paw holding firmly onto her paw, silently telling her to keep down and keep quiet. Flame'Paw listened to her friends silent advice reluctantly, instead rockin back and forth as the leader talked.

"...As these apprentices have grown, it has become obvious to everyone how much potential they have in the future. I'm sure neither I, nor the clan, would be the least bit suprised if they were as good as a leader as in the old days..."

Flame'Paw puffed out her chest with pride, knowing all the warriors and elders were looking her way. She made a point of looking at the warrior with a straight face, showing that she was not a mere kit, but a grown feline. Prepared for anything Star'Clan decided to throw at her.

"...and so, it is with great pride that I ask Cloud'Paw and Possum'Paw to step forward before Star'Clan to earn their warrior names! Cloud'Paw is a..."

Flame'Paw looked on with disbelief as the two apprentices stepped forward, their keen blue eyes looking directly into their mothers as she announced their new name to the rest of the clan. Around her she could hear soft murmurings and condolences for Thistle'Paw and herself as the elders witnesed her very obvious emotions of rage and disbelief. She struggled to stay seated, the only thing keeping her grounded being a very bored and disinterested Thistle'Paw who firmly clung onto her tail. Around her the crowd shouted out the new warriors names. She shut her eyes, imagining the smug look on the young warriors faces as they looked her way. She couldn't believe it. This had to be a joke from Star'Clan. There is no way those...kits..got to become warriors before she could.

 She looked away from the group, staring at her paws as her eyes blurred with tears. She tried quickly to wipe them away, but she found new tears easily found their way back, replacing the old ones with effieciency. She shook her head, turning her face lower toward the ground. Beside her she could feel Thistle'Paw looking at her with pity.

It all became too much. She couldn't let the clan see her like this, she refused to show any weakness to any of her clanmates. With a quick turn she managed to escape from Thistle'Paws tight claws, running out of camp toward anywhere but where the clan was. She ran over streams, rocks, tree stumps and ravines until she made it to a huge clearing. It looked to be an old pond, as the ground was covered in dried reeds and her paws sunk deep in mud. She sat down on a stone, openly crying in the pond. 

Everything was so unfair. And it always had been. And it always will be. She thought about this for a moment, her eyes finding their way up to the sky. Her body shook with sobs as she closed her eyes, relishing the thought. Nothing was going to change. Those Kits were always going to find the upperhand. Unless-

"Flame'Paw?"

Flame'Paw jumped, looking around quickly as Thistle'Paw stepped forward. She noted angrily that Thistle'Paw didn't look mad or angry or even worried, she just looked tired. She shook her head, standing. "how are you not upset about this?"

Thistle'Paw looked over with suprise, opening and closing her mouth a few times before sitting down, considering her words carefully. "Because I knew that they were going to become warriors before us"

Flame'Paw opened her mouth in outrage, prepared to throw an onslaught of insults when she was quickly interrupted by Thistle'Paw. "I don't mean that they are better then us in any way! I just mean.." she sighed laying onto her stomach and the turning to her side, her paws making circles in the mud. Flame'Paw watched her with frustrated curiosity, reluctantly keeping quiet. 

"What I mean is, we had no chance to become warriors before the others", the circles in the mud became deeper, "You know how they treat Cloud'Eye and Possum'Tail, they act like they are Star'Clan incarnate, they were always going to get priority." She moved onto her back, pushing her paws into the air. "It's just how it all works"

Flame'Paw growled in frustration, the tears threatening to make another appearance. "all my life I've only ever wanted to become a warrior like the tales the elders tell" she shook her head, "and what? You're telling me I won't get to because I'm not the leaders kits?"

"essentially yeah", Thistle'Paw muttered, flicking a paw in the air, "Why would you want to become a warrior like the old tales anyway? They all had pretty awful lies from what I could tell"

Flame'Paw stamped a foot, flicking an ear, "Because they were.. amazing! And they were chosen..and..."

They both fell silent, Flame'Paw looking at Thistle'Paw and Thistle'Paw looking at her paws as they circled in the air.

"you don't..get it" Flame'Paw whispered, looking at the she with annoyance

"sure I do, you want to become known in tales and songs like the old ones. Renowned in history as the great warriors of the past, a cat who bravely fought off the whole forest to protect her clan only to die from her own mates paws," Thistle'Paw yawned

“No Thistle’Paw you don’t understand” Flame’Paw muttered, shaking her head with frustration.  

Thistle’Paw rolled her eyes, pushing her paws in the air with boredom, “I do get it Flame’Paw, I just don’t care” 

“Well I do!” Flame’Paw hissed, stamping a foot in the mud. She pressed a claw through the brown sludge, causing a deep indent. She couldn’t believe how Thistle’Fur was acting. Surely she was just a little bit annoyed at the clan. Flame’Fur certainly was. The way that they were treated. The way that the others were treated. She scrunched her nose, pinning her ears with anger. She couldn’t deal with being treated as second best any longer. She felt like she was going insane.  

“How can you not care?! They treat us like DIRT!” She scowled, casting furious side glances toward the direction of the clan. “Just because our parents aren’t friends with the leader! We didn’t ask to be born!!” 

She kicked at the mud, causing splatters of dirt to cover Thistle’Paw who quickly covered her face with her paws. She slowly uncovered her face, not looking at Flame’Paw but instead toward the sky. 

Flame’Paw sat down, tears picking at her eyes as she tried to stop them. It was all just so unfair. She wanted more than anything to become leader of River’Clan. But she knew deep down that somehow it would be taken from her. She sniffed, turning her face away from Thistle’Paw, she wouldn’t let her friend see her cry. 

“Don’t you think your being a little…dramatic” 

Flame’Paw flicked her head around, widening her eyes at her friend. “What?” 

“I mean..it’s not like we can do anything about how we are treated, and it’s really not that bad” Thistle’Paw explained, waving her paws in the air as she spoke. Flame’Paw watched them with disbelief, her mind racing. 

“We still get enough food, and we will get the chance to be warriors one day. So what the leaders idiotic kits got to become warriors before us. We both know we are better, and that’s all that matters” she rolled onto her side, looking deep into Flame’Paws eyes. “Isn’t it?” 

Flame’Paw watched her friend with disbelief and furious anger. She spluttered for a second, unable to get any words out, before she turned and stalker off. Stomping her paws in the mud, leaving deep paw prints.  

Thistle’Paw sat up, watching the bright orange apprentice as she stalked off. She shook her head, sighing. Flame’Paw was about to do something stupid, and Thistle’Paw knew it would somehow get her in trouble.