Warriors #2 - Attack of the Clones

Burning

The sun blazed on the skies of Tribe Dune, scorching the atmosphere and the ground.

Skypaw, however, had never felt more cold inside.

It was like his body was made of ice, blocking out the heat and excitement of the Tribe's territory.

He did not know why he felt so heavy inside, like a stone was weighing his heart down.

"Skypaw, are you okay?" Heathersun's mew brought him back to reality.

"F-Fine," he stuttered, suppressing a shiver.

Was this how Sagepelt had felt when he returned to the worst place of his memories?

"It's weird," he murmured to himself. "I mean, I have lived here half of my life, yet now I feel like an outsider."

"I guess so." Heathersun looked around the busy clearing, searching for Toadflap's store.

"Hmm... it was around here somewhere."

"Mouse dung!" a gruff hiss sounded behind them.

A Toydarian with leathery blue skin grappled with a lizard-like creature, who shrieked shrilly while thrashing to escape.

"Come on, die, you stupid creature!!!" he yowled angrily when the animal bit him on the nose.

"Yep. Found him." Skypaw snorted.

"What do you want?" Toadflap growled at them as they approached. Then his eyes widened when he saw the blue crystal on Skypaw's forehead, craning his neck to get a closer look.

"Wait... you're a Dawnclan knight," he muttered.

"Whatever it is, I haven't done anything!"

Skypaw just stared at him coldly.

"Wait."

"Skykit?" Toadflap sounded astonished as he peered closer. "Little Skykit?"

"It's Skypaw." he retorted curtly.

"I'm looking for Mistymoor."

"Mistymoor... right..." the Toydarian stared at him, spitting out the lizard tail he'd managed to salvage.

"Um... she's not mine anymore... you see, I sold her."

"You sold her?" Skypaw's hackles rose, but smoothened down when Heathersun stroked her tail down his back.

"Moons ago," Toadflap growled, folding his tattered wings on his body.

"Sorry, Skypaw, but y'know, business is business," he added nervously when the Padawan glared at him.

"I, uh, sold her to a moisture farmer named Dustfur."

"At least I think it was Dustfur," Toadflap muttered.

"What?" Skypaw hissed furiously at him, tail lashing.

"Believe it or not, I heard he freed her and married her!" Toadflap flinched and scrambled back to his paws.

"Do you know where they are now?" Heathersun asked him, giving Skypaw a warning stare when he had unsheathed his claws.

"Somewhere in the outskirts of the Tribe. Near Talonstones!" Toadflap

stared at Skypaw's Kyberclaws fearfully. He knew firsthand how much damage they could do.

"You better not be lying," Skypaw growled at him.