Warrior Cats: Rising Smoke

Chapter 2

"Want to share a squirrel?" Swiftshine leaned over and dropped the squirrel at Sparrowpaws feet. He looked up and frowned at Swiftshine. She and her siblings had sat vigil the night before and were enjoying their first full day as warriors of Moonclan. Bramblesun was already out on a patrol and Ivyfeather was helping reinforce the camp walls along with Thistletalon and Mouseclaw. The day was quiet overall and the warm sun brought comfort and prosperity, although Sparrowpaw did even notice.

"I can hunt for myself." he snapped.

"I didn't say you couldn't." Swiftshine looked disappointed. "I just wanted to know if you wanted to share this one with me."

"I'm not hungry." he spat, getting up from his nest in the Apprentice Den and padding out into camp. He saw Swiftshine pick up the squirrel and walk off with it sadly. Ever since they were apprentices together she had always wanted to be more than friends and Sparrowpaw found it very annoying and clingy. Multiple times he had told her to go find someone else to bug but she kept coming back to him. 

"You don't have to be so rude to her," Cloverpaw came up next to him and gave him a disapproving look. "She is insecure and wants to feel like someone cares about her. Although I don't know why she would choose you."

"One time I brought her herbs from Ivybranch when she wasn't feeling good." Sparrowpaw huffed at the memory. "Not to be nice or anything, just so she would stop sneezing and keeping me awake at night."

"Poor thing," Cloverpaw shook his head. "She's so desperate for love and a connection. I hope she finds a wonderful mate who will dote on her."

"I just hope she gets out of my hair." 

"Ready for some battle training?" 

"Only if you are ready to be beat again," Sparrowpaw gave a rare half smile towards his brother. Cloverpaw playfully batted at his ears and ran off,

"You can only beat me if you can catch me!" he called out as he sped out of camp and past their mentors who looked on helplessly. Sparrowpaw didn't hesitate and ran after his brother. As he rushed past Patchpelt he heard his mentor yell,

"I'll see you both in the training area!" but his words were whisked away by the wind. Cloverpaw was nimble and clever, always thinking a few steps ahead. He raced around stumps, jumped over branches, and slid under bushes to try and lose Sparrowpaw in their chase. Sparrowpaw was more of a brute and charge ahead knowing his weight and strength would easily take down Cloverpaw once he tired himself out with his fancy tricks. Cloverpaw tripped over a hidden root and went tumbling into the Training Area clearing. Sparrowpaw used the opportunity to leap onto his brother and pin him down. Cloverpaw was breathing hard and didn't try too hard to escape, but Sparrowpaw didn't let him get up either. The power of control he had as he held his brother down felt so good. The feeling was running through his body like fire and made his pelt stand on end with excitement.

"Get off me," Cloverpaw yelled. "You're hurting me."

"Do you think an enemy would let you up?" Sparrowpaw threatened. "Do you think they would allow you to live?"

"This isn't funny anymore." Cloverpaw wiggled wildly but Sparrowpaw didn't let up. Instead he laughed as his brother started to panic.

"Enough." Pathcpelt's stern voice broke through Sparrowpaw's focus and he gritted his teeth in anger. Who was Patchpelt to tell him what to do? He was only teaching his brother a valuable lesson that could one day save his life. Slowly he stepped off Cloverpaw who scrambled to his paws.

"Brightpaw and Fernpaw are out hunting by Mountainclan today but we will be meeting up with them to see who can catch the most prey later on. For now I want to see you two go over the moves we taught you three sunhighs ago. I want to see what you remember." Thistletalon explained. Sparrowpaw rolled his eyes because he knew the Warrior had seen him around camp practicing. They were clearly running out of things to teach him since he was so far advanced in his training, and he was annoyed they wouldn't give him his Warriors test already. It was a waste of time to be out here playing battle when he and Cloverpaw could be putting together a whole new clan. A clan he could one day lead and make the strongest in the forest.