(New!) - Wings of Power - Warrior Cats

First chapter

PollenPaw stretched out in the early new-leaf sun, feeling the warm tan and white-speckled pelt of her sister next to her. She smiled, comforted by her sister's presence. PollenPaw opened her eyes and blinked away her sleepy haze. Heart falling as she saw her clanmates playing and talking together; she wished she had that confidence. Her sister must have seen her crestfallen face because she nudged PollenPaw and gave a snort of amusement. "What got in your fur?" she asked with a giggle.

"Nothing," she mumbled forlornly, closing her eyes again and curling herself back into a ball – everyone had such high expectations in WindClan when she missed prey when hunting, her mentor would watch her disapprovingly when she visited her mother and father to speak about it, they would just brush it aside. She heaved a sigh, letting her chest slowly release her sadness.

Be happy, PollenPaw, a bright chirp sounded from the dense prickles of the camp barrier, and she opened her eyes again, her ears pricked to locate who had said it, but no one spoke again after that. Did I imagen it?

"Great Starclan, anyone would think AshFur's spirit had dragged you into the moonpool!" Kiwi's bubbly mew brought her back from her thoughts. KiwiPaw's eyes glittered as her sister came up with an idea. Although she loved her sister, she could be annoying sometimes. "Let's go hunt!" she mewed gleefully. "I can ask our mentors," her sister sounded very pleased with herself, she's probably wondering if they would bump into WaspPaw, her crush, who was out on the dawn patrol. Before PollenPaw could even give her an answer, KiwiPaw bounded off towards a dark brown tom, FleetingRabbit, her mentor, and a pure white she-cat with blue eyes, GlidingIce, KiwiPaw's mentor. She watched them nod to her sister; it looked like she was going to have to go. Lifting her lithe body up off the ground, licking her pelt to smooth it while waiting for her sister to come back. She looked up again to see a tan-white freckled pelt, racing toward her. Before her sister could stop, she ran into PollenPaw, and they both fell over with a large grunt. Her clanmates around her watch in amusement, their eyes sparking as if they too remembered what it was like to be an apprentice. Although her clanmates were amused, she felt hot with embarrassment. She got up quickly and stared angrily at her sister, brushing the dirt from her white and golden pelt. But as usual, her sister didn't notice her pent-up feelings. KiwiPaw flicked her tail for PollenPaw to follow. Why don't you see! She hissed under her breath and walked with her head down.

As they trotted through the rough dry dirt of the entrance, she suddenly felt guilty at how she had reacted.

"Sorry about running into you before," her sister was staring at her feet and PollenPaw felt a rush of compassion for her sister, as they strolled after their mentors through the dry long grass of the moor.

"No," she sighed, "I am sorry." Her sister looked confused.

"Why? I ran into you," PollenPaw didn't answer, instead focused on her surroundings, watching the wind wipe the slope ahead, making the golden grass dance like a puddle that had been stepped in, the dusty-red dirt stained their light-colored paws, the pure-blue sky was interrupted as a crow sawed up high-a little black speck against it. Her sister obviously wanted to ask more questions, her tail quivering, and her eyes wide, but PollenPaw hushed her sister with a flick of her tail. She had watched GlidingIce pause, parting a gap between the grass. The dazzling white she-cats pale-blue gaze was set on something ahead of the patrol, just out of eyesight of the two sisters. FleetingRabbit signalled for them to move up. As they reached their mentors, she noticed that a rabbit was chewing some wild oats grass a bit further down in the bottom of the dry valley, nearly covered entirely by its dense grass.

"Wait here," GlidingIce mewed, her piercing blue gaze set on the rabbit's mouse-brown fur.

She and FleetingRabbit started to go around the rabbit in a wide circle, spacing out so that when PollenPaw, and KiwiPaw chased it, the rabbit would run toward one of them. FleetingRabbit took his place behind a large clump of grass, while GlidingIce hid behind a gorse bush. The sisters bunched their muscles as they waited. FleetingRabbit suddenly raised his tail in signal for the two 'paws to run at the rabbit. Excitement fizzed under her pelt; this was something she could do to help her clanmates! Then suddenly, they leaped! She matched her sister's stride for stride and let out a menacing yowl. The rabbit froze, then spotted them, its eyes rounding with fear. Blinded with terror, it shot straight toward GlidingIce's hiding spot and she felt a jolt of triumph. The rabbit ran into the bush and a loud shriek sounded before she heard a snap. GlidingIce walked out, the rabbit held in her strong jaws. She placed it down and looked up at the ocean-blue sky to give her thanks to their ancestors in Starclan. She looked down again with a pleased look on her face.

"What a catch!" GlidingIce mewed to the 'paws.

"I'm pleased with both of your progress," FleetingRabbit added, but she could tell the tom wasn't really. He was pleased with KiwiPaw, but every time he stared at his own apprentice, his eyes grew cold with a slight look of fear mingled in them, as snakes if had suddenly started seeping out of her. "But let's not get too worked up," he added quickly, catching PollenPaw's hateful eye. "I'd still like to catch some more prey before we head back. Could you burry it PollenPaw?" he glanced at her with those mistrusting eyes again, and she ducked forward quickly, picking up the rabbit to burry somewhere for when they came back. Her temper was rising, what did he see in her? What was wrong with her? Why do you hate me? The only thing I'm good at is fighting, I'm not good at stalking, I'm not good at persuading, I'm not really fast, what do you fear! Why would you ever fear me?

She scooped out a hole in the rough dirt, then she placed the plump rabbit inside. She returned to her clanmates, and they headed off again.

The rest of the day went seemed to pass by especially slowly; she only managed to catch one measly shrew. She had come close to catching a bird, but somehow it has sensed she was there before she could get close, casting her an annoyed eye as it took off. I didn't know birds had sass, she thought with a small growl. Meanwhile, her sister had caught two rabbits and a plump starling. Their mentors had even managed to take down an eagle! And as they strutted back into camp, she could feel the eyes of her clanmates turn toward them. They all looked down their noses at her prey (and her). She whimpered softly.

"No one's going hungry today," her sister mewed brightly, not seeing, once again, how her sister was feeling. As they laid their prey on the fresh-kill pile, she cast a jealous glance at her sister. They had easily been the most successful hunting patrol of the day, but PollenPaw couldn't help but feel hopeless.

"Yep," she tried to hide her sadness with a light tone, but her sister could see right past it. Kiwi's pale-yellow eyes looked sadly at her.

"Why do you lie to me?" her sister's expression suddenly seemed much older as they gazed at each other. After a long awkward silence, her sister came up and settled down next to her. PollenPaw sat down and pressed closer to her littermate. KiwiPaw began grooming her fur and she lay her head down, what was she going to do? PollenPaw began to fall into an uneasy sleep as tiredness pulled at her. She closed her eyes and let her sister's deep licking strokes guide her.