Warriors: A Drop Of Rain

Chapter Thirteen

Sableoak trotted over to Shinefall. Shinefall was talking to Barkpaw, and Barkpaw was nodding along.

"Morningpaw wants to train with her littermates." He meowed. Shinefall grumbled.

"Very well." He gestured to Barkpaw with his tail, and the young tabby-cat walked up. Morningpaw wriggled her hindquarters and pounced on her brother, claws sheathed. Blueleg walked up, Skypaw behind her. Skypaw immediately joined the furry-frenzy, but when Sableoak cleared his throat, they popped up and sat next to their mentors.

"Let's go!" Skypaw twirled in excitement. Morningpaw glanced uneasily at her paws, and Barkpaw puffed out his chest proudly. Reedtail scurried behind the group, the small, skinny, long-limbed cat struggling to keep up. Skelotonpaw grunted behind him, the tomcat growling with every step.

"What are we practicing first?" The almost-seaweed-green cat asked. Sableoak shrugged. Shinefall smirked, and Barkpaw curled his tail neatly over his paws.

"Barkpaw said he wanted to fight first." Shinefall meowed, her creamy-long fur blowing over her tail. Skypaw dropped into a crouch, and leapt onto Blueleg's tail. Blueleg growled at her apprentice, and Skypaw shrunk back. The four warriors looked at eachother.

"It couldn't hurt to start fighting first." Reedtail pointed out. He added jokingly, "Skelotonpaw looks like he's in the mood for it."

"Then it's decided?" Sableoak asked. Shinefall looked at Morningpaw and Skypaw, and the two apprentices nodded. As if on a signal, the group rushed into the hills. The four apprentices lagged behind, but Barkpaw sped through them, ready to prove himself worthy. Sableoak skirted to a stop.

"This seems like a good place." He announced. The cats nodded in agreement.

"Let's teach separately." Shinefall suggested. The cats agreed. Sableoak turned to Morningpaw. The young she-cat's eyes gleamed in anticipation.

***

All four warriors watched their apprentices battle eachother. Skypaw with Morningpaw, and Barkpaw with Skelotonpaw. Barkpaw cantered over to the group.

"Skelotonpaw won't do anything but mope around." Complained the strong apprentice. Skelotonpaw leapt onto his brother in a way that knocked the way out of him. Barkpaw huffed as Skelotonpaw pinned him down.

"Maybe I don't want to battle a mangy fur-ball!" He hissed. Barkpaw unsheathed his claws and slashed Skelotonpaw's belly. The WindClan apprentice yowled and arched his back, slowly moving away. Barkpaw grinned with satisfaction.

"Must hurt extra with no fur." He purred. Shinefall marched to her apprentice.

"What do you think you were doing?" She hissed. Barkpaw, taken aback, pinned his ears.

"W-we're supposed to be fighting!" He fought back. Shinefall rolled her eyes.

"With your claws sheathed, you mouse-brained rat!" She spat, her tail lashing. Barkpaw glanced around uneasily. He opened his mouth to talk, but Shinefall cut him off. "That's enough for today," she meowed to her warriors. "Let's go." With a final glare at her apprentice, she lead the back to camp. Reedtail looked at Sableoak.

"S-sorry about Skelotonpaw. He's not open to be anything but bitter." He meowed. Sableoak rested his tail on the warrior's shoulder. He might've been older than Sableoak, but not by many moons.

"No need to apologize. It's not your fault." He meowed. He thought for a moment, then added, "maybe me and Morningpaw can go fetch him. Now go." He meowed to the slim cat. Morningpaw was already talking to Skelotonpaw in the new-leaf grass.

"What's wrong?" She asked her half-brother. They may have had the same mother, but their mother had multiple mates. Skelotonpaw growled.

"You guys are so close! And here I am, all different-looking with a different father!" He hissed. The bony-apprentice jumped when Sableoak walked up to him.

"Hey, nothing to be ashamed of. Y'know, I have a sister in . . ." Sableoak meowed when Skelotonpaw cut him off.

"What, in another Clan? I have multiple siblings that are rogues!" The cat growled.

Sableoak sighed and said, "No; in another Tribe. The Tribe Of Rushing Water." Skelotonpaw looked at his paws.

"Are you guys coming or not?" Blueleg yelled from all the way to the entrance of the camp. Skelotonpaw got up and ran to Reedtail after whispering in his sister's ear, "whatever, I don't care. When I'm leader of the Clan, you'll all be under my control!" In which Morningpaw replied, "What!"

Sableoak padded with his apprentice, his head stuffed with thoughts. If Skelotonpaw was this sure he'd be Clan leader, what would he do to make sure that does happen?