"To name the heavens" - LMK AU Prologue
This is an AU created by @your-average-art-dealer combining Lego Monkie Kid and Warrior Cats. This chapter takes place before the main story of LMK WC and details the day LittleCloud (MK) got his warrior name. This is my first ever fic so please keep that in mind while reading!
LittlePaw was terrified. It wasn’t hard to tell- from his fidgeting paws to his quick breaths, he was a bundle of nerves from head to tail. This wasn’t without reason, of course, at sunset he would be receiving his warrior name!
Except… he wasn’t a warrior, not even close. Cicada, one of his dads caregivers, had told him stories of the abandoned cities and mystic realms beyond the walls of their Twoleg’s noodle shop. The tales of great protectors, powerful factions, cosmic powers beyond the wildest imaginations, and the noble origins behind a warrior’s name.
Ever since LittlePaw could remember, Cicada has made it clear that he wanted LittlePaw to follow standard naming traditions, ensuring that he would first possess the suffixes “Kit” then “Paw” and finally he would be given an extension to his name worthy of his accomplishments and skill!- when he was ready…
He wasn’t ready. He would never be ready. He would never be worthy. He wasn’t smart, or powerful, or charismatic, or-
LittlePaw jumped and swiftly turned to look at the owner of the voice. It was PigBelly. Of course, it was. He could always tell when LittlePaw was worried or sick or any state of being that wasn’t his normal ‘laid-back goofball’ self, and today was no exception.
Pigbelly jumped up onto the stone wall, sitting next to Littlepaw. “You doin’ alright, kit?”
No. “Yup! Why do you ask?” He lied, flashing a big smile at his guardian. He hoped it would be enough to fool him, but PigBelly only looked at him with concern.
“Y’know you can talk to me, right? it’s not a bad thing… to ask for help when you’re nervous—”
“I’m not nervous!” LittlePaw retorted.
PigBelly let out a heavy sigh and continued “I know you’ve built the whole ‘warrior name’ thing up in your head cuz of the way Cicada talks about how ‘important’ it is,” he rolled his eyes “But it doesn’t really matter- it doesn’t!”
LittlePaw looked down at his paws. “Doesn’t it though? Isn’t your warrior name supposed to mean something? To tell others what makes you special? To define who you are—”
“Nobody gets to tell you who you are, LittlePaw. Nobody. Not other cats, not the universe, and definitely not some name.”
LittlePaw let a small smile creep onto his face, trying to ignore how wet his eyes felt.
PigBelly looked at him and smiled “And if anyone EVER tries to tell you who you are-” he chuckled a bit “I’ll make sure they won’t be able to say anything ever again!”
“What?! Pigbelly!” LittlePaw laughed.
“I’m just sayin’!” he turned back to the view beyond the wall “You startin’ to feel better?”
LittlePaw blinked away the wetness in his eyes and sniffed “Yeah…” he looked back at the noodle shop behind them and then back down at his paws “Still though… What if I don’t get a name I like? I wouldn’t want to be called something I don’t like forever…”
“Then we’ll call you something you do like, how’s that sound?”
“Perfect! Now come on, the ceremony’s about to start.” he jumped off the wall and started toward the noodle shop before turning back to LittlePaw. “Come on, you wouldn’t want to keep the other kits gettin’ their names tonight waiting do ya?”
LittlePaw looked back up beyond the concrete at the sunlit grass and the orange and yellow hues of the clouds that he held so dear to his heart, the heart which was so heavy at this moment in time. He wished the clouds would just wrap around him and lift the weight off of his soul the same way they lifted the sun. He took a deep breath, he didn’t want his father to worry, and so he laughed “No, I guess not!” taking one last look past the wall, he jumped down towards the shop’s back door where PigBelly was waiting for him.
The sun was going down when they arrived at the ceremony, and LittlePaw had noted that almost every cat in the city that still followed warrior traditions was there. Most he recognized, but some he did not. PigBelly led him to where two other kits were waiting to get their names and then left to sit with CicadaWing, who had arrived before the other two.
LittlePaw knew that today could change his life forever, for better or for worse, but he knew there was nothing he could do to get out of this, so he decided to strike up a conversation with the other two kits next to him.
“So… what do you guys think your names will be?”
The smaller of the two spoke first. “I think my name will be something epic! Like… like HawkTalon! Or HawkStrike! Or—”
“HawkTalon is NOT a cool name! Besides mine will be SO much better than yours!” The taller of the two said.
“Yup!” he continued “It’ll be something majestic! Maybe something like GoldenLeaf! Yeah, that sounds good!
“That name is NOT cooler than my names!” she screeched
Judging by what LittlePaw heard, he guessed that their names were HawkPaw and GoldenPaw—
Something in the back of his mind interjected- “Not for long though! Just like me…”
He tried to push that thought farther back in his mind as he continued to listen to the two bicker for what felt like an eternity- until the ceremony leader, whose name he definitely learned and definitely remembered, called the kits to stand before him.
He began by stating how important of a day it was for the three kits in front of him, which made LittlePaw feel sick to his stomach, and then going on to explain the order they would be called upon and given their names.
HawkPaw was up first. LittlePaw wasn’t really able to hear them very well over his beating heart but he tried to pick up as much as he could:
“HawkPaw, for your bravery, strength, and-” his voice was fading in and out “For your intensity and spirit-” Why was everything blurry? “your title from here until the end of time-” LittlePaw’s head shot up “will be HawkHeart!”
HawkHeart beamed and started to jump up and down, saying her name over and over again like she wouldn’t want to say anything else ever again. She was told to take her place back in line and GoldenPaw was called to step forward next.
LittlePaw started to feel a little better seeing HawkHeart so ecstatic about her name. He thought if HawkHeart got a name she loved so much, why wouldn’t he? He began to get lost in the possibilities about what kind of name he might get when—
The leader’s voice cut through his thoughts, causing him to jump. LittlePaw looked up to see GoldenPool looking quite happy with his new name (or at least looking decently smug about it) and he stepped back to take his place back in line with the others.
LittlePaw’s newfound excitement was starting to dissolve his worry as he was called up to receive his name.
The leader looked at LittlePaw with an unreadable expression and began:
“LittlePaw, from the moment I or anyone else in attendance is concerned, you have made it very clear to us exactly who you are since the very beginning-”
LittlePaw looked up at him with a smile, which quickly turned to a look of horror at the disdain written all over the leader’s face.
“You, LittlePaw, are scatterbrained-”
“Because of this, your new name-”
“From now until the end of time-”
And that's the prologue! hope you enjoyed it, or at least felt irreparable damage to your soul afterward!
Any questions related to the AU or this specific work can be sent to the Askbox (which is always open!) so please don't hesitate to send something over there!
Also if you're wondering how the name LittleCloud relates to being dumb and impulsive, I was referencing when people say your "head is in the clouds" or "your mind is cloudy" just those general things :)
