[X] Cogito Ergo Sum

[Mysteryfaith]

Title: Cogito Ergo Sum.
Author: Mysteryfaith.
Chapters: ?
Pairing: ?
Summary: In a time far from our own, warriors have progressed to be more civilized than some would like - especially a strange young cat named Carpepaw.
Editor: ?
Cover: ?

First Notes: 'Cogito Ergo Sum' means 'I think, therefore I am' in Latin, and 'Carpe' means life/live.
Last Notes: I'll edit this once I've finished the story ;3

[Mysteryfaith]

Prologue

"de mortuis nil nisi bonum,
ab uno disce omnes,
audi! bene!
mihi nomen est Carpe!"

The deep, swirling browns of Carpepaw's pelt glistened in the moonlight as the words slipped from his tongue, broken and unsteady. Around him, moonlight caressed the small area of forest located in WindClan, filling every cranny with silvery shimmers.

"Good, Carpe, but you could do better." The deep voice of his mentor scolded him gently. "It's more like, 'de mortu-ees', though, and you're missing a few of the vowel sounds." Noticing the sadness and desperation on his apprentice's face, Crowlight stroked the young tom's flank with his tail. "It's okay, Carpe - you'll soon grasp it."

"But I won't, Crowlight. I'm not like you, or the other warriors. This language makes no sense to me, and you know it." The brown youth's green eyes sparkled with hatred. "These exercises are pointless!"

"Carpe, please." Crowlight's soothing amber eyes swept over the apprentice. "You need to know this for your warrior ceremony - everybody has to say it, remember? You won't be on your own."

"But why? I hate learning this stupid language!" Carpe's tail lashed with frustration. Around him, the calm forest breathed gently, a vivid contrast to his wild emotions. "Whisper didn't have to learn this."

Crowlight sighed. "How many times do I have to tell you? Whisper is a warrior, and once he too was alive like us, but just because he visits you in your sleep does not make him authority or a good influence! Now, go back to your den - we'll talk about this tomorrow."

Carpepaw nodded before disappearing into the bushes, eyes bright with confusion. Crowlight could say what he liked, but Whisper was still his kin and best friend - even if he was dead. He was his confidante and his only companion in the darkest of days. If only he could be real, to fight beside him...

Carpe shook his head. What was he talking about? Whisper was alive, in StarClan. He would know what to do.

***

Oh, Carpepaw - your dreams do exceed you!

Tied up in your ambitions and your lies. Dear, dear,

How much you resist the tide of change!

When will you give in to fate's cold, deadly fingers?

When will you release the hungry feline within?

Quid vis?

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[Mysteryfaith]

Chapter One

Carpepaw blinked as sunlight flooded his den. Around him, his brothers slept - clearly they were not as troubled as he.

Well, of course not, he thought to himself. Heronpaw was nearly ready for his final assesment at just ten moons, and Dacepaw was close friends with the leader of WindClan, Fallowstar. Neither of them struggled with Human, the language recently declared as essential for the Clans.

"How did we even pick it up, anyway?" he muttered to himself, stretching in his nest and letting the light warm his soft belly fur. There were still tufts of gold from his kittenhood peeping out from the deep browns - reminders that he was still young and naive, not yet ready to grasp a warrior's life.

"Some clever kittypets and a few very brave warriors." The dream-like voice that often meowed in his head piped up. He shut his eyes, and replied: "What do you mean?"

"That's how we picked up Human - some kittypets who lived near two-legs and managed to put together their strands of speech, and three cats who ventured into twolegplace to learn it. They stayed with the kittypets for five moons before returning to the Clans and teaching everyone Human."

Carpepaw silently thanked the voice - belonging to a StarClan cat he'd grown to recognise as Whisper, who he talked with in dreams. The black and white warrior, once a loyal deputy of WindClan, featured in almost every adventure he had, advising him from his head or padding beside him at night.

"Where's Crowlight? He probably wants to train." Whisper's intelligent meow made Carpepaw's heart sink. Of course - his mentor always wanted him to train. It was either learning Human, or practicing battle moves, or just hunting for the elders. When will it ever stop?

"I don't want to train today," Carpe whispered to the StarClan warrior. "Can't we just hide in the forest, or go to the medicine cat with bellyache?"

Whisper grunted with disapproval. "A good warrior never hides from the cats who want to help them - and Pineleaf is far too clever to fall for your excuses. You have to find him."

Frowning, Carpe reluctantly got to his paws and licked away a few pieces of stray moss on his pelt. Around him, Heronpaw stretched, and spotted him leaving. "Going so soon?" the muscular tabby called.

"Yes, unfortunately," Carpe replied. "Crow wants me to do some training - we have our third assesment coming up, you know." He flicked his ear, feeling an irritating flea clinging to his flesh. "Doesn't your mentor want you?"

Heronpaw shook his head, blue eyes sparkling. "She told me to rest today - tomorrow we're going to travel to twolegplace, to see what's new from the kittypets." He purred with pride. "It's a really important mission, she says."

Carpepaw nodded, hiding his burning jealousy. "Great," he muttered, pretending not to be interested by the great honour bestowed upon his brother.