Warrior Cats; Smokeskull's Revenge [ 1 ]

Chapter 38

Poppykit was tender and loving, while his sister Maplekit was hyper and kind. He was careful not to hurt her, even though she was always hurting him.
It reminded Smokeskull deeply about herself and her past. Her kits, Redkit and Sandkit, died two moons after they were born from an unexpected attack on MapleClan.
Smokeskull had made it her life goal, now, to get her revenge on CloudClan at all costs. If only she had an apprentice. Then she'd be able to train him or her to fight like her and have some cat who look over. If only Redkit and Sandkit were alive, Smokeskull growled in her head.
Looking over at the nursery, she wondered if she would be able to take on Poppykit or Maplekit when they were apprentices. Would she have been in PondClan long enough to take on Appledawn's birth-Clan's kits?
Blackwhisker walked out of the meddicine cat's den and into the clearing. His teeth were bared and his claws were unsheathed. He was clearly angry or upset about something.
"What's wrong?" Smokeskull asked, pretending to be worried.
The deputy passed her, then whirled around back to face her. His yellow eyes were wide as if just viciously defeating an enemy. "As if you don't know! You're the talk of the tongues!"
The talk of the tongues meant that was all the cats shared tongues about. The deputy obviously still didn't trust her.
"I'm sorry," Smokeskull dipped her head and turned away. She didn't want to discuss anything with him when he was like that, and she definitely didn't want to face him now. "Appledawn just had her kits, for StarClan sake! It's a joyous time!" She yowled into the sky, hoping he'd heard.
She slipped into the nursery and silently stalked over to where Appledawn made her queen nest. Smokeskull stiffened at the sight of Maplekit chewing on Poppykit's ears. They were so cute!
Appledawn lifted her head and blinked the sleep out of her eyes. "Smokeskull! It's just you." She huffed.
"Yes, I came to see you again." Smokeskull purred at Poppykit when he squealed and batted Maplekit away. They were still half asleep. "Where is Bramblefang? He hasn't been in here since they were born."
The queen bowed her head and swung it over her kits. "He has his warrior duties to uphold." She whispered.
"He's a father," meowed Smokeskull, remembering how her kits real father, Firebreeze, was so protective of his kits. "He should be in here all the time." She looked over her shoulder out to the clearing in search for the bracken-coloured warrior.
Appledawn sighed and wrapped her tail over her lithe haunches, brushing Smokeskull's paws. Maplekit piped up, but her mother nuzzled her back down towards her belly and the kit hushed. "He's not, and I respect his love for the warrior code." The queen meowed.
Smokeskull sighed, but when her gaze rested on Poppykit, she stiffened. He reminded her of how much she wanted her kits back...if only she could take one and call it hers...
The Tom-kit lifted his muzzle and cried out. Appledawn nuzzles him, but he backed away. His beautiful blue eyes blinked at Smokeskull in delicate but impatient expectancy of her reaction.
The grey warrior turned her head, but she couldn't help herself but throwing away her rejecting feelings of the his glimmering eyes. "Come on, Poppykit. Hush for your mother," Smokeskull mewed, touching her nose to his.
Obediently, Poppykit huffed, then dived back down with his sister. He snuggled up beside her and suckled quietly.
Appledawn looked from her Tom-kit to Smokeskull. "You two seem to have quite a bond, even though you've only known each other for half a quarter moon!" She purred.
Smokeskull felt a rush of passion and pride for the tiny patched kit. He was so delicate and balanced in his so-far life. She was proud to be his friend. She'd never leave him like Lionstripe did...never.
"Appledawn?" A quiet meow came from the entrance. Squirrelmist stepped out of the sun and into the nursery. "The naming ceremony has just been passed. A lot of warriors will want to see those precious little bundles soon enough!" She was purring loudly.
Smokeskull piped up. "Did your kits become apprentices?" She asked, lashing her tail, knowing Blackwhisker would never let a newcomer like her have an apprentice no matter how hard she trained.
"Yes!" squealed Squirrelmist as she started to hop up and down. "Bluepaw and Goldenpaw will be the best apprentices they can be-right girls?" She turned around.
At first, Smokeskull didn't quite know the two new apprentices were behind her. "Which one will you mentor?" She asked, politely nodding at the straight-necked Goldenpaw. Otherwise, Bluepaw was dancing around Blackwhisker behind the golden she-cat.
Nodding back to her, Goldenpaw looked up at her mother. "Can go on a border patrol?" She mewed.
"Not until you know how to fight," Squirrelmist told her, "It could be dangerous if cats attack unexpectedly and you aren't ready."
Goldenpaw dipped her head respectively. "I understand. What about Bluepaw? She won't be able to-"
"Yes she will." growled Squirrelmist.
The ginger apprentice was clearly taken aback. "Sorry, mama. Can we practice hunting?" Goldenpaw mewed.
Squirrelmist purred at the energy inside her kit. "Yes. Let's go Bluepaw! We're going to Tallpines in the short clearing to practice hunting and battle moves." The mother ordered, and her kits were in front of her in an instant. Squirrelmist touched noses with Blackwhisker and turned away. Although he was the deputy, all fathers had to follow their mates...not lead or control them.
Smokeskull looked over her shoulder. The apprentices and every cat was out of the camp now. The only warrior in camp was her since Bramblefang left on a hunting patrol.
Her eyes narrowed into the nursery, straining to see what was going on. Appledawn had her head down and paws folded. Her long dappled tail was tucked over her two kits.
Smokeskull bit her lip. Since she thought of the idea of stealing one of the kits, that's all she could think about. The temptation was tugging at her thick pelt hard. Poppykit would be left alone one time and Smokeskull just had to have him. He would never even remember his real mother when he was full grown...
"Now you're thinking like a real Dark Forest cat!"
Spinning around at the voice, Smokeskull saw it came from Thornclaw. She was dreaming.
"Come on, Smokeskull. That kit loves you to pieces!" Thornclaw lashed his tail and came nose-to-nose with her. He looked crossed. "Why should he have to be trapped in a tiny confined nest with another kit and his fat mother when he could be hanging around you; a true leader?"
True, Smokeskull confirmed. It was a tragedy he had to stay in that little nest with two other cats. "I love him too...as a son. Oh, Thornclaw!" She cried and fell to her haunches, "I need him! He's my last hope!"
Retracting soon after Thornclaw whipped his paw across her muzzle, Smokeskull glared at him. But he spoke first, "You're the leader of the Dark Forest! You can have whatever you want!" Thornclaw backed away from her. "Ask and you shall receive." He moved into the shadows.
Waking up like a thorn in the hip, Smokeskull raised her head and blinked sleepily. She looked around the warm room, hoping to find a cat to suck up to. But no one was inside with her. With very fewer warriors remaining in camp, Smokeskull grew stronger within each heartbeat. All of PondClan were out now, and it would be the perfect time to steal a kit or have an attack. Unfortunately, the attacking part wasn't what was on her mind. Smokeskull would steal Poppykit.
The grey warrior got to her paws and trudged across her den into the clearing. Her ears twisted back as Poppykit tumbled over his rough sister, Maplekit. Smokeskull licked her lips and padded over to them.
Maplekit was first to pipe up. She flung at Smokeskull and batted at the long fur hanging from her chest. "Hi! Mama told us you're a really nice cat, I wanna see for myself!" The tiny dappled kit gazed at the grey warrior in the eyes as Smokeskull looked down and smiled.
"Do you want me to tell you I am?" Smokeskull glanced at Appledawn from the side of her green gaze. She continued make small talk until the mother left. But Appledawn was protective of her kits, she'd never let them out of her sight.
Poppykit sat up with his ears flicking and whiskers twitching in amusement. "She's my best friend!" He meowed and pounced on Smokeskull's paws.
Looking into the nursery, Smokeskull blinked twice before noticing her beautiful Tom on her paws. "Give me a second, I'm going to see your mother."
Maplekit and Poppykit threw their heads up and cried, "Can we come?"
"You stay right here, I'll be right back." She touched Poppykit on the nose with hers, then turned and headed off to Appledawn in the doorway. "You look exhausted," Smokeskull meowed and licked the queen's shoulder. "I can take them for a while if you'd like."
Appledawn nosed her sympathetically. "Would you? That would be great, thank you." She moved back into her nest and laid down. Smokeskull watched her eyes close before she slipped out and heading back towards the kits.
Yelping, Poppykit backed away from Maplekit. He blinked rapidly before turning to look at Smokeskull. "You're back!" He mewed happily.
To take you! Smokeskull thought to herself. She had to get rid of his sister before he could be taken, though. "Maplekit," She called, and the tiny dappled kit whirled around. "If you want to be a good warrior, how about you go check on the elders? Maybe bring them a squirrel or something."
The dappled kit scrunched up her nose. "Ew!" She snorted, "I'll bring them a mouse." Maplekit croaked before hopping away from them.
I would have never left my kit's side! Smokeskull hissed in her mind. She stalked forward and licked Poppykit on the head.
He jerked away. "I wanna be a good warrior too!" The spotted Tom wined.
Smokeskull rolled her eyes, but kept calm and pulled him close to her. "Come with me, Poppykit, and you will be the best warrior any forest has ever seen."