Gilafang's Resentment (Book 4)

Chapter 5

Gilapaw stared out of the apprentices den fearfully, watching his mother hiss at the clan. "Go! Leave! I have unfinished business!" She spat at everyone near her. "Go!"

The clan hurried away, not wanting to get on Morningstar's bad side. They all knew what happened then. Sunsetpaw whimpered behind Gilapaw, and he moved closer to her as they watched out the entrance of the den. Morningstar was growling at Fallingfeather's body.

Then she grabbed it, yowling in anger and shaking her head vigorously, clawing and shredding the body until nothing remained but an assorted pile of limbs and tufts of fur drenched with sticky blood. Gilapaw looked away in horror, pulling his sister away from the entrance of the den. She was shaking, staring up at Gilapaw.

"F-F-Falling-Fallingfeather... H-He just..." She couldn't finish the sentence, she was too terrified. Gilapaw licked her nose, closing his eyes and wishing this was all one horrible dream. I promise I will never think of her as my mother again. He vowed to himself, stroking Sunsetpaw's spine gently with his tail to calm her, and they stayed, huddled against each other, until they both fell asleep.

*****

Gilapaw woke to Fangscar's claws jabbing in his ribs. He grunted. "Wake up!" His mentor barked, and Gilapaw rubbed his eyes sleepily. Then Fangscar growled and sliced his cheek roughly with one single claw. "Up!"

Gilapaw shot up, yelping in pain, and stared up at Fangscar, who was obviously in a bad mood. "What?" He asked, annoyed as he rubbed his cheek. Fangscar scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"I ask you to get up, you get up. No questions should be asked!" He answered gruffly and disappeared, clearly impatient. Gilapaw got up, stretching and finally dragging himself outside. It was still dark, and the reek of his fathers blood still hadn't faded from the clearing. Gilapaw tried not to look at the extra tufts of grey tabby fur littering the middle of the clearing. He sighed.

"Fangscar, its still dark!" He pointed out, looking at the sky. Fangscar whipped around, holding up a paw as if ready to strike.

"No. Questions. Asked." He growled again, this time slower and more angry. Gilapaw shrank back, and sighed. So much for sleep...

Fangscar led him out of the camp, nodding to the night guard, Fishfang as they passed her. They weaved through the trees as the forest lightened with the hints of dawn, until they finally reached the Training Clearing.

The clearing was littered with little droplets of blood and a few tufts of fur here and there, from training. Gilapaw stood in the middle of the clearing, awaiting instructions. He curled his fluffy brown tail over his paws.

Without warning, Fangscar attacked him, knocking him over and clawing his back. He pinned Gilapaw, and, acting on instinct, Gilapaw made his hind legs kick back and fourth on Fangscar's lower belly, his claws out. Fangscar growled and bit Gilapaw's ear, and Gilapaw felt a shot of pain flash through the middle of his ear.

Gilapaw suddenly had an idea. Forcing his screaming limps to relax, he fell back, his head hanging limp in defeat. Fangscar laughed.

"Ha! You'll have to do better than that if you ever want Morningstar to make you warrior!" He taunted, sinking his claws into Gilapaw's shoulders. Gilapaw waited for him to nose his neck, and then with all his strength, he head-butted his chest, surging upward and sending Fangscar flying. He hit hard against the bark of a nearby tree with a thump.

Before his mentor got up, Gilapaw rushed over, placing a triumphant paw on Fangscar's dazed chest. "What was that for?!" Gilapaw demanded immediately, his eyes angry. Fangscar looked at him expectantly, and Gilapaw raised an eyebrow, confused.

"Your paw," he finally sighed, exasperated. Gilapaw scrambled off his mentor, mumbling an apology. When Fangscar got up, brushing himself off, he didn't look aggressive any more. "I wanted to test your instincts to see how that test should have gone," he said simply. Gilapaw gulped. Oh no. Sunsetpaw, I'm sorry!

But instead of cuffing him on the ear and dragging him away, Fangscar just stayed put. "You obviously faked your test, but I don't think Sunsetpaw did. So you will both be spared. Morningstar has told me herself." He said flatly. Gilapaw let out the breath he hadn't realized he was holding.

"Thank you, Fangscar." He gasped out, remembering his manners. "I promise I won't let you down."