Crimsonpaw snapped awake with a gasp, she felt the moorland wind tugging at her pelt, but there was a strange darkness around her. She opened her eyes to see a strange cat towering above her. She gasped and jolted to her paws, scrambling away. She yelped in surprise as her hind paws slipped over the edge of the cliff, her foreclaws digging into the ground so that she didn't fall to her death. Her hind legs scrabbled against the rock wall, trying to pull herself up.

The grey she cat immediately lunged for Crimsonpaw and she let out a short cry of fear, expecting the cat to hurt her. But instead strong, firm jaws dug gently into her scruff and pulled her up, off the lip of the cliff. She was placed back down a safe distance from the great drop. The grey she cat smiled at Crimsonpaw. "Good morning."

"W-who are you?" She whimpered, her red fur bristling.

"I'm Splash." She replied, standing back as a pair of dark blue wings unfurled behind her. "I'm a descendant of your tribe."

"H-how'd you know I was a tribe cat?" She asked, her eyes glued to the beautiful feathered wings. A spark of jealousy blossomed inside of her. Why did I have to lose my wings?

"Your scent, a tribe cat has a distinct scent, even when they have lived their lives in a clan." Splash replied, grinning faintly when she saw where Crimsonpaw's gaze was. "I see you're still waiting for your wings, judging by the way you're looking at mine."

Crimsonpaw flinched and lowered her gaze, flattening her ears. "I lost them."

Splash let out a soft mew of surprise. "Oh, you poor thing!" She stepped closer to her, her wings pulling the red she cat into a hug. Crimsonpaw sank into Splash's embrace. It was warm and comfortable, even if this she cat was a complete stranger. "It must've been terrible. How did your family cope?"

"My parents don't want anything to do with me." Crimsonpaw muttered with a sigh.

"That's understandable." Splash murmured, giving her head a small lick before releasing her from the hug. "Tribe cats are really proud about their kits' wings. When a cat's wings are lost, the parents often abandon them."

Crimsonpaw dug her claws into the ground, suddenly getting angry. "That's stupid! Why can't my parents love me even without my wings?"

"That's just how things are." Splash replied, clearing her throat. "Now.. I thought you were dead and coated un blood, and now you're healed and alive.. What's up with that?"

Crimsonpaw frowned. She didn't know if she was supposed to mention Glitch or Spark to anyone. Would she get in trouble for meeting them?

After some thought, the red furred apprentice replied. "My ancestors from Starclan healed me and sent me back here to live."

"Starclan huh? Not the tribe's ancestors." Splash murmured. "Strange, they should've been the ones to greet you."

"Maybe it's because I'm a clan warrior now." Crimsonpaw shrugged.

"Yeah, I guess so." Splash shrugged as well, chuckling. "Anyway, what's your name?"

"Crimsonpaw." She replied.

"A 'paw?' You seem pretty small for an apprentice." The grey she cat murmured.

Crimsonpaw forced down a growl. Why did everyone mention her size like that? She wasn't a kit! "I'm just a small cat, shut up!"

Splash took a small step back. "Sorry, I didn't mean to offend you. I didn't realise you bothered so much about your size."

"Everyone always attacks me because of it." Crimsonpaw snarled. "Of course I'm bothered."

Splash glanced briefly in the direction on Flameclan camp. "I saw those two warriors hurt you. Did they bully you just because you are small?" A hint of anger dripped from her voice.

"Not exactly.. I also killed their brother." She sighed, baring her teeth. "But I had a good reason to."

"Did this dead brother hurt you too?" Splash guessed. Crimsonpaw's silence seemed to be sufficient as an answer. "How about I go teach those two a lesson?"

"Don't kill them please!" Crimsonpaw gasped. "I don't want their blood on my paws as well!"

Splash's lips formed a straight line, her blue eyes narrowed. A silent sigh seemed to leave her lips, and she dipped her head. "Then I'll just give them a little beating." She winked.

Crimsonpaw nodded, feeling slightly better. "Alright, I guess that works..." She didn't like hurting other cats, she didn't want to inflict pain on others just because they did that to her. Maybe that was what made her so weak, that she was too soft-hearted. But she didn't want to be mean, she didn't want others to go through the suffering she did no matter how much they deserved it. Whatever came over her the day Pebblepaw died, she hoped it never returned.

Splash was already padding away, towards camp. "Come on Crimsonpaw, let's go give these toms a big bonk in the head."

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