Skystorm's Destiny

Chapter 1

     Skykit scrambled from underneath her mother's paws. She was yet to leave the nursery and was more excited than ever. Her mother let out a mrrow of amusement.

      "Oh great StarClan, slow down Skykit! I want you to look presentable - you are almost apprentices!" Skykit turned around to face her mother.

     "Fine." She replied tersely. Skykit padded over to her mother and sat down. Larkwing began to scrap her rough tongue against Skykit's matted fur.

      Once Larkwing was satisfied, she turned to face Skykit's brother. Rainkit, similar to herself, was all white with blue eyes. Her other brother, Grasskit, was pale brown with amber eyes. Nothing like his two other littermates, but Grasskit didn't care.

     "C'mon!" Grasskit squeaked excitedly, bouncing up and down on his paws. Skykit puffed a sigh, and turned to follow her brother as Grasskit bounded out of the nursery. Skykit followed more slowly behind her two brothers, but her paws pricked with excitement.

     She emerged out of the nursery and let out a comforted purr as the sunlight hit her fur.

     Her two brothers were batting at each other playfully and Skykit rushed over and leapt on top of Rainkit.

     "Let me go!" He protested, happiness bouncing through his eyes. Skykit purred contently.

     She got off of her brother and stretched her limbs in the sunshine. The camp was mostly empty, but some cats were sitting out in patches of light and sunning themselves in the warmth.

     Skykit stared off into the distance, and suddenly, she was balled over. She had to use all of her effort to flip her body over to face Grasskit. He had her pinned down onto the ground.

     Skykit let her body go limp and her brother stepped back for a moment. "Sorry, I didn't mean t-"

     Grasskit was cut off as Skykit jumped on top of her brother, happily. She purred with content. Skykit stepped off of Grasskit and laid herself out in the sunshine.

     Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Larkwing peep her head out of the nursery to watch her littermates tussle for a moment. Skykit could hear her purring from where she lay.

     Larkwing padded over to Skykit and she didn't even notice her mother's approach until she spoke.

     "Don't you want to play with your littermates, Skykit?" Larkwing sounded concerned.

     "I'm just enjoying the sunshine." Skykit mewed.

     "Do you mind if I stay here with you?" The way Larkwing said it, it didn't sound like it was a question. Skykit ignored her mother for a moment until Larkwing prodded her.

     "No I don't mind." Skykit answered, purring, trying to sound happy for her mother, but she couldn't help but thinking about her dream.

      Ever since the last full-moon, Skykit's sleep had been troubled. She had dreams of slaughter and death she would never wish upon anyone or anything. Skykit woke up every morning with a shriek of a tiny kit slicing through the air that rung in her ears until sunhigh.

     Skykit pushed that thought aside.

     Nothing is going to stop me from being WindClan's best warrior!

     Skykit rolled over and curled into her mother. My apprentice ceremony must be soon!

     Larkwing lifted a paw and Skykit cuddled in closer. Larkwing gently placed her paw back on top of her, and Skykit knew her mother was asleep as she began to release quiet breathes.

      Skykit untangled herself from her mother and went over to her two siblings occupying themselves with a tiny piece of moss. She waited until her littermates turned their backs and she bunched up her muscles for a huge leap.

     She was about to pounce when she was stopped by the sound of Onestar's voice.

     "Let all cats old enough to hunt gather at the Rock for a clan meeting!"

      Skykit's heart began to race with excitement. Larkwing slowly got up and rounded up Rainkit and Grasskit. Skykit slowly walked over to the Rock, trying hard not to run. Rainkit and Grasskit followed behind her.

     Larkwing broke off from her kits and weaved her way into the crowd, and Skykit could she her mother gazing at her kits proudly.

      Skykit looked through the crowd but couldn't see her father. Where is Harespring?

     Onestar began to speak once almost all of the cats gathered.

     "As all of you know," Onestar swept a gaze down on Skykit and her sibling, "the life of new kits is always good news for the Clan and today, we welcome them into the Clan as apprentices.

     "Rainkit," Onestar began, "from this day until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Rainpaw. Your mentor will be Breezepelt."

      Meows of outrage sounded from the Clan.

      "Breezepelt's betrayal is too recent!"

     "Mange-pelt!"

     Onestar flicked his tail and the Clan grew silent. "We will give Breezepelt a chance to show his worth." Onestar cast a glance down at Breezepelt and watched as Rainpaw padded over to Breezepelt and the two touched noses with each other.

     Skykit shifted her gaze from Rainpaw back up to Onestar as he continued.

     "Grasskit," Onestar meowed as Grasskit put a feeble step forward, "you shall be Grasspaw until the day you receive your warrior name. Your mentor will be Emberfoot." Emberfoot stepped out of the crowd and greeted Grasspaw quickly and the two touched noses.

      "And finally, Skykit, please come forward." Skykit's heart seemed to stop and she put a small pawstep forward and looked at Onestar. "Your name will be Skypaw until you receive your warrior name. Your mentor will be Heathertail."

       Skypaw gave a small nod and walked over to Heathertail, her paws pricking with excitement.

     Skypaw had to balance herself on the edge of her paws to meet Heathertail's eyes and touch noses with her.

      "Rainpaw! Grasspaw! Skypaw!" The Clan chanted their names, and Skypaw could feel their gazes burning into her pelt.

     As soon as the chanting stopped, Onestar continued.

     "I have one more piece of news." Onestar meowed solemnly and rested his gaze on Skypaw and her siblings. Skypaw looked over at her mother, and noticed that she was watching Onestar intently. "Harespring is dead."