Poolstar's Destiny

Chapter 13

Sun sparkled on the snow piled at the edge of the camp.
Poolpaw blinked against the brightness, her head fuzzy with sleep.

"You missed the fresh-kill," Darkcloud called. The warrior was sitting in the morning sunshine with Rainpelt, Stormclaw and Dawnstripe.
Stormclaw was lapping gently at his fur. He paused and glanced up. "The dawn patrol found a gang of starlings and brought some home."
"A thaw's coming," Dawnstripe promised. "The wind smells less of SmokeClan pines and more of DawnClan. It'll bring rain before long."
Darkcloud tucked his tail more lightly under his paws. "Let's hope we don't have ice puddles in camp."

Poolpaw jumped as a bundle of fur tumbled toward her and skidded to a clumsy halt at her paws.
Icepaw.
The white apprentice straightened up, her fur ruffled, as Ravenbird and Amberpaw caught up to her.
Amberpaw's whiskers were twitching. "Nice battle move," she teased.

Poolpaw looked up sharply as she heard paw steps beyond the tunnel. Briarfang and Bluefeather trotted into the clearing, with Blackpaw and Snowheart at their heels. Their heads were high and their eyes bright; each cat held two small but plumb mice in their jaws.
Prey!
Poolpaw's belly growled again.
Blackpaw dropped his catch. "Briarfang uncovered a whole nest!"

The nursery had a scraping noise as Featherpaw slid out. Old pieces of bracken and moss were piled at the entrance and more clung to her fur.
"That's clean enough." Her eyes brightened when she spotted Blackpaw, and then the fresh-kill. "I haven't seen this many mice in a moon!" She raced across the clearing and nuzzled Blackpaw's cheek.
Blackpaw fluffed out his chest. "I caught three of them."

Flowertail wandered from the tunnel, nose twitching. "I smell mice." She picked one from the pile and gobbled it down.

"Hello Poolpaw."
Icefrost's mew made Poolpaw jump.
"Eat something," she meowed. "I'll take you out later for training."
She picked up a sparrow from the fresh-kill pile and carried it over to the nettle patch. Huddling in a crouch, she took a bite.

As she sat and waited for the flavors to seep over her tongue, she heard her sister's meow from the other side of the nettles.
"Get off!" Featherpaw was purring with amusement. "It tickles!"
Poolpaw prickled her ears.
A muted reply answered Featherpaw. "What do you expect if you sit on frozen burrs?"
"I didn't sit on any burrs!"
Poolpaw swallowed her mouthful, stood up, and started to creep around the side of the nettles.
"Well, how come your pelt's full of them?"
"It's not!"
"Sit still while I pull this one out." The other mew was hard to recognize, muffled by something.
"Ow!" Featherpaw squeaked.
"Got it!" The muffled mew broke into a purr. "Now you look ready to go on patrol."

Poolpaw sprang around the corner, knocking frost from the quivering nettles. Featherpaw spun to face her, her eyes wide.
"Oh...hi!"
Poolpaw was shocked. Blackpaw was sitting close to her sister with a tuft of white fur caught in his whiskers.
"Blackpaw was helping me groom my pelt," Featherpaw explained.

Poolpaw tilted her head left, signaling she wanted to talk to Featherpaw alone.
Featherpaw shifted her paws. "Why don't you check to see if the queens need you to gather some fresh moss?"
They exchanged a knowing look.

The moment Blackpaw had left, Poolpaw stared at her sister in shock. "So.. how long have you..?"
Featherpaw shrugged. "A few weeks."
"What's so special about him?"
"He makes me purr," Featherpaw meowed.
"I can see that!" Poolpaw purred.

Featherpaw's ears flicked. "Why are you so shocked?"
Poolpaw shrugged. "I guess.. I didn't really see you as the type of cat to fall in love."
Featherpaw purred. "He's just so dreamy."
Poolpaw did her best not to roll her eyes. Blackpaw is totally the defintion of dreamy..
Poolpaw purred. "Well, I'm happy for you, sis!"