__________
    Zarathustra
___________

    It was like everything moved in slow motion. I was leaping forward, claws outstretched, Sierra's large purple eyes gleaming like two amethysts in the near-light. Then everything snapped and I landed on the dirt, she had moved so quickly.

    I felt a blow to the side of my head, and my forehead slammed against the earthen wall while I tried to get up. I pushed myself through it, my vision momentarily swinging out of focus. That would have knocked out a fourteen- year-old, but I could take a beating.

    "Traitor!" I screeched, turning to face her.

    She moved so quickly I barely had time to think, the next thing I knew I was on my back, hissing up a storm.

    "You have a lot more training to go through before you can even think about challenging a master." Sierra panted, from above me. "Now calm down right now or I'll have to knock you out.

    I have just enough strength to help you, my dear sister. Zach announced, my vision went red again.

    I heard Sierra cry out in pain, and my sight went back to normal.

    I stood onto my feet and saw her thrashing on the ground in agony, pleading for help. I bent down near her head once she quieted down.

    "When I'm Chief I'll make sure every traitor is taken care of." I spat.

    Zach spoke up, his voice was weak. Why wait until you're Chief? She's practically begging for you to relieve her.

    Sierra had started to get up weakly, I wasn't so sure of what Zach meant by that, I didn't want to kill her, only teach her a lesson. Was he possibly suggesting-

    It was in these measuring moments I forgot about her promise to knock me out.

    The last thing I saw was the earthen ground of the tunnel.

_____

    When I woke up I was in my den. There was no one around so I got up and started to head towards the doorway when my face smacked against something hard. I stepped backwards, confused, there was nothing there, but I had obviously smacked hard against something. I reached a wing out and was met with the invisible wall. Small ripples were left in the wall of where I touched it.

    "Zach?" I whispered, I needed him right now, this was scaring me.

    There was no answer, I felt surprisingly lightheaded for some reason. As I was thinking this a claw walked out of the wall. I squeaked and jumped back as half of my dad hung out of the wall. I shivered slightly as I saw how angry he was.

    "Zarathustra." He said calmly, pulling the full name card. "How dare you attack you teacher. I can't believe your behavior lately-"

    He cut off his rant suddenly, I got the feeling he wanted to say more but I was his daughter and no matter how angry you are sometimes you can't say things to some claws. His auburn tail flicked hazardously around his ankles as I waited for his fur and feathers to smooth down.

    "I'm sorry." I needed softly.

    His head whipped around to face me. "Sorry is not enough, you'll be punished this time. No more Battle-claw training for a few weeks, Jaysen will be watching you every move, and you're going to to be his student while Sierra takes a break. But first you are going straight to the Meðal Den to apologize to her, her wounds have already been attended to, even though I wish I wouldn't have to say that. You mother and I will be having a serious talk with you tonight, I cannot stress to you how disappointed I am, but I'm busy. Mordecai."

    I wondered who Mordecai was for a second before the invisible wall suddenly shimmered and dissipated. There was a tall skinny black colored he-claw standing there. I recognized him as the apprentice Magycian.

    I wonder if he's realized I've stolen that scroll yet. I thought to myself.

    He hasn't, I've cast a spell over it that renders it invisible to anyone but you, it's still in your den, tucked behind your nest. Zach spoke suddenly, and I felt dizzy for a second.

    "Meðal Den, now." Dad spat one more time, normally I would have flinched but I let a spike of anger price through my fur at his harsh tone of voice.

    "Alright, I'm not deaf." I rolled my eyes, walking away before he could punish me further.

    I almost felt assaulted when the sharp scents of leaves hit me in the face so hard my eyes started to water. I spotted the blue tabby staring off into space, looking as if he had been looking for some sort of herb before suddenly having a deep thought.

    He shivered as I approached. "What the- oh Zara. I thought you were someone else. Hm."

    He snatched a leaf real quick with his claws and put it into the small pile he had been forming.

    "My dad says you're my new teacher as my punishment." I explained.

    "Oh, forever?"

    "No birdbrain just for a few weeks."

    "Shame, I would've to flaunt my age and responsibility in your face for longer than that." He snarked at me.

    My ears flicked back in amusement as I watched him sniff at a delicate yellow flower. "Yeah, I'm definitely jealous of your position."

    Jay had been made an official Meðal-Claw a few months ago. To this day he still wouldn't shut up about it. I can't believe I entire years to go before I become a Battle-claw.

    "So are gonna make me sort some plants?" I asked, not particularly looking forward to it.

    He shrugged, reaching out with his wing to grab small pouch hanging from a tree root growing in the wall. "Nope, we're going on a walk."

    "A walk?" I asked dumbly.

    "Yep. To collect stuff, maybe talk. I'm hungry personally are you?" He started off into the tunnels.

     I followed him, shrugging onto my side another one of the satchels. I bounced down the tunnel after him. Jay and I were still close, but he had changed after I hadn't really given him an answer after he told me he loved me. I don't think he had the courage to ask me again. I wasn't sure how I felt about to be honest, I know I loved him, I just wasn't sure if it was a romantic love or a friendly love. I choose not to think about it, most things we're just easier if I didn't think about it.

    I took a sharp breath of the outside air, enjoying it for a few seconds. Jay hadn't stopped however and had continued to keep walking out across the snow. I had missed the crisp tinge in my lungs, being in a forest always made me homesick for the snow.

    "Are you okay?" Jay asked, once I had caught up to him.

    "Fine." I replied, "You move really fast."

    "No, I mean are you okay? You've changed."

    "So have you." I pointed out, snapping slightly, his questions were getting on my nerves.

    "You can trust me Zara, you're my closest friend."

    He can help us, and he is your friend Zara. I know for certain this one won't betray you. Zach pointed out, he had gotten strangely quiet when Jay and I had been conversing.

    "I've been going through something, a lot of stress." I admitted slightly.

    "I hear you've started Chieftain Training." He pointed out, stopping to dig up a small root in the snow.

    I cringed. "It's awful, every time he tries to talk about all I can think of..."

    Jay nodded in understanding. "I miss him too."

    I took a deep, shaky, breath. "Anyway, I've been looking into different remedies for stress and, other stuff. I'm trying a few things, you want to help me?"

    "Ingredients? I've got plenty of those."

    I tilted my head to the side stiffly. "Not all of it is organic, it's sort of a potion."

    There are some herbs on the list. Stuff like Yew, Henbane. Zach noted quietly.

I repeated these plants back to Jay and he stiffened.

"Those are some interesting plants to be putting into a potion." He prickled.

I felt my heart speed up as I realized he might not believe me, I knew nothing about those plants, I had been foolish to think he wouldn't either. If my parents found out what I was doing-

"I don't know where you managed to dig up that recipe, but as long as you're not making this up." He shrugged. "You ready to head back?"

I relaxed. "Yeah."

Then a bird landed in the snow not to far away. A raven with feathers as dark as night.

"Actually, just one second." I mowed, lowering myself into the snow to stalk it.

As soon as it had it's back turned I leapt forward and smacked my paws down on it's back. It started to struggle and flap it's wings, cawing up a storm. I grabbed hold of one wing and ripped a feather out, then I let the cursed thing fly away.

"You could have caught our lunch." Jay mused.

I tucked the feather into my satchel. Sometimes having a blind friend who couldn't see what you were doing was nice.

"Eh, I don't really like raven anyway." For the first time in ages, a cold smile danced soon my lips.

_____________
//Throws chapter

THerE I finISHed it

Oh and I have more art to show, I just need to find it again bc wattpad is a mean face, so if I haven't shown yours yet don't worry

I mean like there are what, three people reading this book anyway show worried should I be