WARRIOR: BEARCLAW

Bearclaw wasn't born in ThunderClan but was born and raised in ShadowClan. His mother, Firewing, was pregnant in leaf-fall. She was plump and the Clan including the medicine cat thought she would bare many kits because of the size. No one knew who the father was and in order to protect her kits from ridicule Firewing decided not to reveal it. Many moons before Firewing had been mates with Leaftalon. He was cruel to her and she had suffered from his abuse secretly. One day, heavily depressed Firewing went to the thunderpath. She didn't know what she would do but she was at her limits with Leaftalon. It was then she met a handsome brown and black tabby tom, a ThunderClan cat by the name of Branchstripe. He saved her life from a raging monster that swerved off the path and right to her. He knocked her off her paws and both narrowly escaped the beast as it crashed right against a tree. After that encounter Firewing and Branchstripe met regularly and she broke it off with Leaftalon.

When Firewing realized she was pregnant she met with Branchstripe and told him she was baring his kits but no more should they do this. Firewing knew she had broke the warrior code but she had loved Branchstripe. Her heart broke when Branchstripe told her she was right but that he would always love her and their unborn kits. To everyone's surprise, when Firewing gave birth there was only a single kit. Firewing too was surprised and amazed how much he looked like his father. The kit was large for a newborn and though he looked a lot like Branchstripe there were a few brown tabbies in ShadowClan so no one thought much of it. Because of the kit's exceptionally large size and brown pelt, Firewing named the kit Bearkit. And she loved him dearly.

Back then Bearkit wasn't a grump or a pessimist. He was optimist, playful and was a kind soul. When he played with other kits he was gentle with them. When ever he pounced on one of them he always kept his claws sheathed and barely put any force in those tackles. Normally Bearkit let the other kits tackle and pounce on him instead. Whenever the other kits were hurt he stayed by their side calling out for help as loud as he could. He was loyal to his friends and had such a big heart. When there were kits left out in games he would always be the first one to ask if they wanted to play. Bearkit didn't judge other kits harshly and looked passed the differences.

Though Bearkit was the only kit in the litter he thought of all the kits in the nursery as his brothers and sisters. That's just how Bearkit was and Firewing was proud of her son. When Bearkit was four moons old Bearkit had realized all the queens had mates and the fathers were in the kits lives. One day he asked his mother why his father wasn't in his life. Alone she told him the truth, about how she met Branchstripe and fell in love with him. Bearkit realized then he was part ThunderClan but to Firewing's surprise Bearkit wasn't ashamed of it. She thought he was too young to understand and maybe he didn't, but Bearkit did understand how she loved Branchstripe and didn't fault her for that.


At six moons old Bearkit was named Bearpaw and to Firewing's horror, her son was given to Leaftalon to mentor. She had never told anyone about the abuse she had gone through, not even to Branchstripe or her son. Leaftalon hated Bearpaw because he knew the kit wasn't his. Because of this he trained Bearpaw hard and without mercy. In battle training he kept his claws unsheathed and taught Bearpaw to do the same. In hunting sessions Leaftalon always gave a strict order of what prey to catch and how many. He would set those numbers high and even put a time limit. Whenever Bearpaw failed to reach this impossible task Leaftalon would tell him to do extra chores and deprive him of food or resort to extra battle training.

On Bearpaw's first gathering he was dumbfounded and awed by how many cats attended the Fourtrees and great rock. Firewing pointed out Branchstripe and brought the apprentice to meet his father for the first time. Bearpaw was amazed on how much he looked like Branchstripe. His father told him he was proud of him on how well he was growing and that ShadowClan was lucky to have him.

Quickly Bearpaw hated the fighting sessions and hated hunting even more. He quickly developed a deep hatred for Leaftalon but decided not to tell anyone. Firewing saw her son change from the kindhearted and friendly tom to a grumpy irritable cat. She knew by the wounds and him going to the medicine cats den that Leaftalon was abusing her son. Firewing went up to Loudstar and told her she wasn't happy with Leaftalon being Bearpaw's mentor. Loudstar however only saw Bearpaw sky rocketing through his training, including battle training. They decided to ask Bearpaw if he wanted to change mentors. He was nine moons old and halfway finished his training. He didn't want to seem weak so he told Loudstar he was fine with this arrangement.

At ten moons of age Bearpaw became a large tom, a lot bigger than Leaftalon. Soon he overpowered his mentor on numerous battle sessions. Leaftalon who hated the apprentice developed a deep respect for the young cat. Bearpaw could have easily changed mentors but he didn't. He decided to bear with the training and became a strong confident fighter. Gradually Leaftalon eased up on his harsh training and though the toms didn't like each other, both respected each other. And at twelve moons of age Bearpaw became a great fighter but not a really good hunter. He was still the kind and considerate tom but was also a grump and argumentative.


Bearpaw was given the name Bearclaw for his exceptional fighting skills and ferocity in battle. It was the proudest moment for Bearclaw and he had wondered about his father. Days later he went to his first gathering as a warrior and met with his father. Leaftalon saw this and suspected for the first time who Bearclaw's father was. It was then Leaftalon decided he would exact revenge on Firewing and made a plan.

For moons Bearclaw lived a content life with his Clanmates and friends. He was social and had many friends. At eighteen moons of age Leaftalon was made deputy and he was both happy for the tom yet weary. He was given his first apprentice Swallowpaw, a fiery she-cat. Bearclaw was pleased to have his first apprentice and trained her the best he could but didn't train her as harshly as Leaftalon had. He kept his claws sheathed and taught her to do the same in battle training. He taught her the importance of when to fight and when not to and wasn't so strict with the hunting sessions as Leaftalon had.

One moon later Firewing went up to her leader and told her she had mated with a ThunderClan tom and Bearclaw was the product of it. Loudstar and the entire Clan were shocked and angry at the she-cat. Bearclaw defended his mother and stood by her side as both her ridiculed. He asked Firewing why she did this and in tears she told him she was forced to. Leaftalon had come to her and threatened he would kill Bearclaw and Branchstripe if she didn't. Bearclaw told her there was no way he could get away with it and that's what she had believed until Leaftalon told her he had friends outside of the Clans that could do the job for him. Firewing was terrified of the tom and didn't want to chance losing the two toms important in her life and did as Leaftalon told her.

Bearclaw developed a deep hatred of Leaftalon after that. He went to Loudstar to report it but she didn't believe him. Bearclaw lost all his friends he knew and grew up with. Once a valued warrior he was then treated like an outcast and every move he made was regarded with suspicion. Swallowpaw's parents pleaded with Loudstar to change mentors and she did. Swallowpaw was given to a different warrior and Bearclaw's heart broke. Bearclaw changed after that. He became cynical to others and closed his heart to his Clanmates. The only good thing he had left was his mother, Firewing. She was ridiculed the most but regardless she still loved her Clan and vowed she would do anything to get their trust back. Because of this Bearclaw decided he too would fight for his Clan but would never open to his former friends who turned their back on him.

Things got better for Bearclaw and Firewing when Leaftalon left the Clan after being demoted. Bearclaw wasn't totally sure of the omen but neither did he question it. He was just relieved Leaftalon was finally gone and hopefully forever. Sadly that was not so. Moons later the tom came back with his band of rogues, his so called friends from outside the Clans. A terrible battle took place and several cats including Leaftalon lost their lives. Though Bearclaw fought his hardest in the battle he found his mother dead, killed by one of the rogues.

Depressed after that and the Clan still suspicious of him, Bearclaw came to a decision. He left the Clan and went up to Applestar of ThunderClan and joined it. He was treated with the same suspicion as in ShadowClan but with his father Bearclaw decided he would do his best to earn their trust. He was cynical about having friends however and it was hard for him. However, Bearclaw quickly realized he liked it in ThunderClan. He liked the smell of the forest, away from the pine trees and he liked the fact the ground wasn't so soggy all the time.

When badgers attacked Applestar and a patrol was to be made to drive the animals out, Bearclaw was one of the first cats to volunteer. With SkyClan's help they killed off the badgers and Bearclaw fought hard to defeat them and protect his Clanmates. After that battle when they returned to camp his Clanmates no longer was suspicious of him. That day Bearclaw was truly thought of as a true ThunderClan cat and though there were still a few who were distrustful of him he knew he was accepted. He got sick with greencough when it hit but managed to pull through.

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