Final Lesson

As the heart-stricken group returned to FireClan camp the sun was already dipping below the sharp rocky horizon, turning the immediate sky into a glaring red. Yewburn trudged through all the other spectator cats, his aura commanding Rowanpaw to follow him. His huge shoulders and curt strides even cut Falconpaw off from his spirit battered sister, and he quietly helped Blindhawk take Sablefang to the infirmary. Shadows were long and exaggerated in the failing light. Yewburn waited until every cat had gone to their respectful place away from the clearing of the main camp before walking up to the Brimstone, and with a few practiced leaps climbed to the top, washing his face in the sunset. Rowanpaw hesitated at the foot of the rock, afraid that Yewburn was frightfully angry with her, but she eventually forced herself to climb the great stone, taking about five more leaps than her Maine Coon mentor needed.

Yewburn was seated almost peacefully, back straight as he closed his eyes against the warm light. It was hard to tell what he was thinking, and Rowan paw seated herself next to her mentor, but a step down. She would not approach him until he said she would or until she knew he was in a good mood.

Good mood? Rowanpaw nearly laughed at herself, You nearly just got killed by a fox with Sablefang, failing to either escape or protect yourself, as Ghostpaw successfully did, of course he's upset with you!

Yewburn waited for a few more minutes until the sun had begun to retreat, now being slightly blocked by the Brimstone. Then he finally broke the awkward silence.

"Rowanpaw, come."

Rowanpaw gulped, and crawled onto the top shelf of the Brimstone and sat next to her mentor, dwarfed by his massive size. She hung her head low in respect and shame. She did not look up to take in a view of half of FireClan's before her as she would've normally done--there were too many butterflies caught in her stomach to even blink.

Yewburn opened his eyes, and stared down at Rowanpaw. She flinched, feeling his burning amber. The deputy of FireClan's gaze softened, and he waited even longer before he spoke.

"Rowanpaw, you cheated death today," he said, almost sounding accusatory.

"I know," she mumbled.

"You nearly got killed, and disobeyed a warrior's order,"

"I know," she mumbled again, feeling tears crawling into her voice.

"Rowanpaw I'm...," Yewburn paused, making the silence weigh heavy on her shoulders, "I'm impressed."

Rowanpaw's ears, flat against her head, flicked upward and she glanced up in surprise and disbelief. Yewburn met her eyes, staring at her the entire time. Rowanpaw's mind told her to cower, but she didn't.

"Sablefang told you and Ghostpaw to run, and when Ghostpaw went to find help you stayed. Sablefang must've thought you as stupid at the time, and I did too. But that was incredibly brave of you to stay your ground. Rowanpaw, I'm proud of you,"

Straightening up in curiosity, Rowanpaw turned her full attention to Yewburn. It was a rare thing to hear Yewburn talk about such things with such pride. Yewburn turned to the sunset again.

"I'm going to tell you something that my mentor never got to tell me before he fell to the War. This will be my last advice to you. Rowanpaw, you may remain an apprentice for another moon or so to mature, but I have nothing left to teach you. You have fully grown as a warrior in my eyes, and I offer you my last lesson to you--my last slice of wisdom."

Rowanpaw tipped her head up in attention. Her little heart started to pump hot blood in her body with excited agitation and pride.

"Look at this sunset, Rowanpaw. The red light brings the Fire to FireClan, but this same sunset touches all the other Clans--Water, Zephyr, and EarthClan all share the same sun, the same moon, the same rain and snow. The territories between the Clans are only a matter for the petty needs of life. If you look carefully, borders are 'crossed' more times than they are left alone. Every cat has a life, Rowanpaw. Some lives are filled with the golden sunlight, some are filled with the darkness of the night--but they are all lives. Even the most evil of cats have a life, and all life must be respected. War is an evil thing, Rowanpaw. It takes the lives of many, and sometimes those many weren't even knowing what they were standing for. Know what you stand for, Rowanpaw. In times where it seems like there is nothing to stand for, always stand for your beliefs: Life, Balance, and Peace. Never find yourself standing for nothing. It is those that stand for nothing that fall--they are but mere puppets with no control or sight. There are times when war may be the only way--those are the darkest times of any cat's life. Listen well to my words, Rowanpaw, and take them with you far into your life. You will be a great warrior one day soon, Rowanpaw. I may not be there with you, but I will always watch you from StarClan and from within your heart."

Rowanpaw found herself marveling at the beauty of her Clan's land, the lush nourished forests surrounded completely by foreboding black spikes of rock ultimately shadowed by a great dormant firestone. Everything was transformed into a rosy red and orange with deep shadows from the fierceness of the dying sun. The beauty was overwhelming, and she only turned away from it when her fur prickled with Yewburn's eyes again. She looked away and met her mentor's gaze for the first real time, astonished at how old and wise they seemed to her now in contrast to their normal fierceness. Rowanpaw swelled up her chest with a breath before she replied.

"I understand, Yewburn. I listened well."

Yewburn didn't smile, but leaned down and touched noses with his young apprentice.

"I know you'll carry my words with you always, Rowanpaw. I believe in you, warrior."

The young cat's head burst with emotion as Yewburn withdrew from her, and she couldn't help but smile.

"Yewburn, I don't care if I become a warrior," she said softly. Yewburn looked at her, waiting for her continuation.

"You'll always be my mentor, even when you aren't here."

For the first time that Rowanpaw ever remembered, a warm smile stretched across Yewburn's muzzle, and a rumbling purr escaped him as he chuckled. He stood up.

"I suppose so, I'll always be bigger than you."

Yewburn's roaring laughter echoed throughout the camp as Rowanpaw gave a mock hiss and chased him down the rock, and soon mentor and apprentice were tumbling through the clearing, the sunset finally fading away to a faint lavender in the night sky.


Song that MUST be listened to while viewing this piece: [link]
Experimental piece in photoshop. I told you I was itching to draw kitties. Now off to more important photoshops, thanks to the two snow days in a row I'm a little more freed up to do things like this.
aggh, the sky is briiiight!


Rowanpaw and Yewburn belong to FireClan and are MY characters.
The universe that FireClan is based off of belongs to Erin Hunter.