Skie

Part 1: Apprenticed

"I name you Skiepaw. May Starclan bless your path." Yowled Dawnstar. Skiepaw bowed her head towards the great leader as the clan chanted her name. The newleaf trees sheltered the camp of Dawnclan and the great bramble wall circled around the nursery, elders' den, warriors' den, apprentices' den, and leader's den. Skiepaw's mentor, Honeywhisker, touched noses with her as they left towards the training hollow.

"Twist as you jump, Skiepaw. The enemy won't be able to scratch your belly then." Honeywhisker mewed as Skiepaw leaped onto the sandy earth. She sneezed, her tail flicking angrily. "I'm trying as hard as I can!" Skiepaw hissed at her mentor. Honeywhisker flattened her ears. "I am trying to help you, mousebrain!" Honeywhisker's hackles rose. "Well then, stop being such a foxheart and help me! Demonstrate or something!" Skiepaw yowled. Cinderfur's scent drifted into Skiepaw's nose. The young warrior was standing at the top of the sandy dip looking shocked. Honeywhisker sniffed and padded away, flicking her ears furiously.

Why do I have to work at the medicine cat's den when Honeywhisker started the fight?  Thought Skiepaw as she rubbed marigold on Meadowflower's side. She limped out into the clearing of the camp, enjoying the fresh new smell of flowers. Shadowpaw was eating a sparrow just by the apprentices' den. Grabbing a mouse of her own, Skiepaw joined him and ate the mouse in one gulp. "You're hungry today!" Shadowpaw exclaimed. "Yeah," Skiepaw mumbled through her mouse. "I have to hunt again today for the queens."

A plump rabbit dangled from Skiepaw's jaws as she hurried back to camp. The cold evening wind ruffled her fur and sticky sap stuck to her paws as she ran through the forest. It was getting dark quick, but Skiepaw had scented a rabbit and dropped into a hunting crouch. Creeping through the bramble thicket, she spotted it. Rustling around in the ferns, searching for strawberries. A terrified new came from inside a nettle bush, making Skiepaw jump. The rabbit noticed her and ran away. Skiepaw creeped towards the nettle bush, her ears pricking with curiosity.

The mewling continued. Skiepaw found a small hole under the bush, and there lay a tiny grey kit. It had a pink collar,the kit was obviously too young to be away from it's mother. It's abandoned. Skiepaw's thoughts on what to do swam around her head like frantic fish. After a long thought battle, she decided to bring the kit to camp. Gently pulling the sharp brambles away from the frightened scrap, Skiepaw picked it up by the scruff and started padding home.

"What is that?!" An elder cried. The kit had been laid down in the middle of camp, for all cats to see. Skiepaw curled protectively around it as paws tried to prod the little thing. "Is it yours?" Questioned Paperfern, a queen. "What? No! Why would it be mine?" Mewed Skiepaw, slightly shocked from the onslaught of questions. The cats circled the kit, shooting disgusted glares at it. Skiepaw realised why. It smelt like a kittypet, it looked like a kittypet, it had a kittypet collar. But Skiepaw's heart soared whenever she looked at the pale grey kit. She couldn't leave it. It would be her fault if the kit died.