Warrior Cats; Smokeskull's Revenge [ 1 ]

Chapter 26

Cherryfeather shook her head with a smile as Smokefur turned to Sandheart.
"Now, if you'd like." The cream warrior replied.
"Yay!" Patchpaw and Skypaw dashed out of the clearing and out into the moor with Cloudpaw storming up in front of them, babbling of how he should be first, being firstborn of the litter.
Smokefur shook her head. "We better get at it." She looked over at Tigerfrost who sighed angrily.
"She needs to learn patience," He scowled.
"All of them do," Sandheart replied lovingly.
Smokefur looked at the two who stared at each other as the leader addressed the Clan from the Highrock. "All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting." She meowed formally.
She turned her head but padded out of the entrance into the moorlands.
"Smokefur, keep an eye on Cloudpaw for me, okay? I want to stay for Firepaw's warrior ceremony." Sandheart meowed and glanced over her shoulder to see Firepaw looking up at Onestar with wide, happy eyes.
"Sure," She meowed and headed out of the camp. With a sigh, Smokefur trotted after her apprentice, keeping the scent of Cloudpaw in her mind as well.
Her claws slid into the slimy earth as she prodded onwards, testing her apprentice and Sandheart's. She followed Patchpaw farther than Cloudpaw. No other cat would dare to enter this terrain. Smokefur glanced back at the light grey apprentice before going with Patchpaw. Her apprentice headed towards the Thunderpath.
Patchpaw sniffed the air. He was upwind, unable to detect Smokefur. As a monster blasted across the path, the apprentice backed up in terror. He shivered, then turned back.
In total half way through, Patchpaw gathered five huge frogs, a pawfull of minnows, two small rabbits, and birds that would stalk the fresh kill pile for moons. Overall, Smokefur was proud of him. Cloudpaw hardly caught anything. He was busy messing with Skypaw. Tigerfrost had to come out and scare him off a few times to keep him away.
Mud tracked behind Patchpaw as Smokefur trekked after him. He sniffed again, just before Smokefur realized she was downwind. The apprentice lifted his head and looked around behind him. He didn't react, but smiled, probably eager to point out her mistake afterwards.
She watched closely as Patchpaw stalked his frogs and birds. He had a different way of doing it. He hid behind a briar patch, then jumped over and grasped both very-different prey in his mouth. As for mice, he lost every one he tried to catch. His claws slid over it's fur like air and it scrambled away from him and he didn't bother to go after it.
Smokefur was confused by his way, but it worked. She followed him around dirtplace and into MapleClan's half of Tallpines. Smokefur was surprised to see him shred a squirrel on his way through.
When it was nearly over, Patchpaw gathered all his prey to one place as he muttered to himself it would make it easier to bring back home. It stored in a closed burrow under a few roots.
Smokefur leapt out of the ferns and stood in front of him. He looked startled, but tried to hide it. "Thank StarClan. I don't know if I can bring all of this prey back alone." He purred.
"You've done well." She complimented, pulling a rabbit onto his back and taking one onto hers. She grabbed a mouthful of frogs and birds and let him lead the way back to camp.
Smokefur went back out into the moor after dropping off Patchpaw's kill, realizing she'd forgotten Cloudpaw. Where was Sandheart? She trotted out into the mucky land and scented Cloudpaw right away. She followed his scent to a large oak where the light grey apprentice spun around with uncertainty.
"Hush," Smokefur looked behind him, at his stock. "Is that all you caught?" He meowed worriedly.
Cloudpaw nervously sniffed the air. "There wasn't much prey out here." He narrowed his eyes. "Why are you so interested, anyway?" He flexed his claws.
Surprised, Smokefur gritted her teeth and bit back a snarl. "I'm your assessor for today." Do you have a problem with that? She finished in her head.
"Where's Sandheart?" Cloudpaw snapped.
"She stayed behind for Firepaw's warrior ceremony." Smokefur answered with an irritated huff.
"Firebreeze." A Tom corrected from bend Smokefur. She looked over her shoulder at Sandheart and Firebreeze.
"Sandheart!" Cloudpaw glared at her, "Smokefur said you stayed behind for this sapface?" He glanced uneasily between his mentor and Firebreeze.
The new warrior stepped forward. "Sapface?" Firebreeze growled. His giant paw stomped in front of the apprentice.
"I'm not scared of some mentor-stealing mousebrain!" snapped Cloudpaw.
Firebreeze pulled his lips back in a snarl. "Me? Accusations!"
"Shut up." Smokefur muttered.
"I agree." Cloudpaw smirked a whisker away from Firebreeze's muzzle.
"You!" Sandheart growled, smacking her paw against Cloudpaw's shoulder. "Firebreeze is a warrior. I expect respect to be given." She silenced Firebreeze's winning smile right away.
His face straightened. "Thank you, Sandheart." He meowed formally.
"Hello?" Skypaw's mew made them all jump. "Tigerfrost and I are waiting for you slowpokes to get back." She hissed and disappeared back into the ferns. Her tail twisted against the stems.
Smokefur purred in amusement as Sandheart did the same. Cloudpaw rolled his eyes at his sister and raced after her, but Sandheart grabbed his tail. "Go grab that rabbit." She ordered.
Shocked of her demand, Cloudpaw turned back and grabbed the prey by the scruff. It was the biggest prey he got, and Patchpaw got triple his catch. It made Smokefur even more proud.