**OLD** Valley Cats: Of Sky and Stone 2- Poison Clouds

Chapter Four

 "Tempestpaw, your task is to locate the camp of these rogues, and identify their leaders." Smokesight commanded in his usual soft tone. 

 "Of course, sir." his apprentice said solemnly, ducking her head. After barely a heartbeat of dwelling on her mission, she whirled around with her fangs bared in a victorious sneer. "See, Palepaw? That's how easy it is to get a mission!" Behind her, Smokesight rolled his eyes at her malicious enthusiasm. He yawned dismissively, turning away to head back towards the camp.

 Palepaw looked around at the rest of the apprentices, who also had spent the afternoon in battle training together. Now that Shattersweep and Onyx-eye had left, Tempestpaw had more freedom to pick on the less-successful, namely Cyclonepaw and Palepaw. Now, she stood over the she-cat, glaring intensely.

 "I'm sure you'll get your mission sometime." Whitepaw stalked over from where they had been chatting with Graypaw and Cyclonepaw. "It'll probably be something more challenging than just spying on a band of rogues."

 "Wha- But mine is challenging!" Tempestpaw flared.

 "For you, I guess." Whitepaw shrugged, which shifted the broad white streak along their back. "I don't think you'll work up a sweat by sniffing out their camp and listening in for a bit."

 Tempestpaw said something in return, but Palepaw wasn't listening. She turned away from the two bickering cats to prick her ears towards Graypaw, who was muttering something to his friend. "Don't take it the wrong way, Cyclonepaw. Galesong just wants what's best for you. And if he can't give it to you, then this is the right decision." he was saying, in his usual boring tone. 

 "Yeah, I guess." Cyclonepaw shrugged sorrowfully. "But it's still... daunting."

 "What's daunting?" Palepaw broke in, shuffling into the conversation. She sat down next to Cyclonepaw, so that their pelts formed a perfect descent in brightness- pale gray, speckled gray, and dark gray.

 Cyclonepaw sighed, hunching his thin shoulders. "Galesong doesn't know a lot about medicine, but he's supposed to teach me how to be a healer. And since we already take so many trips to the Moonpond to ask for advice, the RockClan healers have decided to mentor me for a few moons or so. I'll be living in another Clan!"

 "That is daunting." Palepaw agreed. She searched her mind for the healers' names, as surely Galesong had told her. "And those are... Pricklepelt, Fernflitter, and Cinnamonspice?"

 "Close. It's Fernflutter and Cinnamonsweep." Cyclonepaw corrected. "Have you ever seen the other Clan healers?"

 "No, not really." Palepaw admitted. "I hardly ever go to the Moonpond. The next time I talk to a cat from another Clan might be at a Gathering, which could be years in the future."

 Cyclonepaw's tense shoulders seemed to finally relax, and his eyes sparked with interest. "Really? You've got to meet the nice healers. There's Turtleswirl and Mosscurl and Mistcloud..."

 "I've met Turtleswirl once before. And her sister, Brindleberry. They're the the DeltaClan healers.  But there's this kit in their Clan, Flowkit, who's going to become a healer someday. And the two sisters are fighting over who should mentor Flowkit! The entire Clan's divided over it!" Graypaw chuckled.

 "I wonder if those rogues have any kits." Palepaw suggested.

 "I hope Tempestpaw looks into it soon. Wasn't her mission to find out where they are and who their leaders are?" Graypaw commented. "Although I doubt it'll stay a stealth mission, if she's the one doing it. But we desperately need that information!"

 "Actually," Cyclonepaw said softly. "I was talking to her last night. I'd just treated Pebblepelt's wounds and she had just finished speaking with Quartzstar and the senior warriors. She already knew what her mission would be, and she said she'd be taking her sweet time with it."

 "Wha- Why?" Graypaw snorted. "I've had my quest for a quarter-moon, and it's taken me so long just to get basic information! I've had to talk to Brackensnap from MeadowClan just to find out who Raccoonpaw's father and mentor are!"

 "If it was me, I'd already have crossed the mountain by now!" Palepaw agreed. "By the bitter winter winds, why would she wait to fulfill her destiny?"

 "She just wants to show off." Cyclonepaw said, with a sad certainty. "To make us feel inferior. Even more so than we already feel."

 "Hey, don't drag me into this!" Graypaw scoffed. "At this rate, I'll be a warrior an entire moon before Tempestpaw is!" his tone had barely an edge of irritation, but even that soon faded as he resumed his normal, boring aura. "I wonder what my warrior name will be. Grayshade, probably.  Or maybe Graycloud or Grayspirit, if I'm going to be named after my relatives." he wondered.

 "That's it!" Palepaw said suddenly. Graypaw blinked heavily, startled out of his pondering.

 "Grayspirit? Are you sure? I was thinking, like, Grayblaze or-"

 "No, I've got an idea!" Palepaw sprang to her paws. "I know how I- I mean we- can become warriors!"

 "Really? Without a mission?" Cyclonepaw asked skeptically. He began to say something, but Palepaw cut him off.

 "You did say Tempestpaw wasn't going to complete her quest right away, right? Even thought it's really important! So, we could go over there and spy on those cats today!"

 "All three of us?" Graypaw narrowed his eyes before turning to Cyclonepaw. "When do you leave to go to RockClan?"

 The small apprentice sighed heavily, his answer barely audible. "Tomorrow morning. But I'd like to stay here until then. You know, to say goodbye to Tempestpaw and Magpiepelt and Galesong and Talonslash and Opalstone. Actually, I should go spend some time with them right now." he rose to his paws, tears visibly clouding his eyes. Cyclonepaw shied off into the rocks, leaving Graypaw and Palepaw completely alone in the clearing.

 "You think I should go with you?" Graypaw asked. He looked hopeful, but not particularly inclined to a long trek to the other side of the mountain. "I already have my mission."

 "I know, but we'd become warriors before Tempestpaw would! It'd be so awesome!" Palepaw said brightly. "All we have to do is go over there and watch them for a while. It's that easy."

 "It sounds far away." Graypaw said flatly. "And I don't see why I'm part of your plan in the first place."

 "But please!" Palepaw pleaded. "I don't want to go alone, and I need someone accountable like you to keep me on track!"

 "Oh, alright. Fine." Graypaw stood up slowly, mumbling something dark. But Palepaw didn't mind. It was going to be great. She was sure.