Stormcloud's Ambition

Stormcloud's Ambition Part 9

Bigclaw ran back into the camp, trying to get as far away from his younger brother as possible. Stormpaw and Sharptail watched him go, and then Sharptail faced Stormpaw.

"I remember you," Sharptail purred. "You were like a son to me. Has your mentor taught you anything?"

"He taught me a lesson though," Stormpaw mumbled.

Sharptail chuckled at the joke. "Ha, you're funny. I saw everything, from the time when he yelled at you to the time he attacked you. I will take my complaints to Marshstar and ask her to change your mentor, all right?"

Stormpaw nodded vigorously. "No problem!"

Sharptail purred again. "Cool. I hope I get you as my apprentice!" Then he turned his back and went back to camp.

Stormpaw was shaken with excitement. He silently said to himself "Yes!"

Stormpaw could finally enjoy himself. He skipped about, carefully teaching himself new scents. When he smelled a terrible stench, he knew it was ShadowClan and their hopping frogs, so he tended to avoid it.

The next day, Sharptail was assigned Stormpaw's new mentor. Sharptail showed his apprentice all around the territory, and taught him new scents. He even taught him how to fish and how to swim! Before they knew it, Stormpaw was an expert at swimming.

One late afternoon, Stormpaw got permission to hunt some fish for the fresh-kill pile. He padded to the river, and started to wait intently.

But a flash of gold caught his eyes. There was a beautiful she-cat that he had recognized. Her eyes were deep blue, and she was looking across the river and staring at him. He stared back, lost in her pretty eyes. Before he could speak, she ran away. "Wait!" he called. He swam after her.

Stormpaw raced, but wasn't fast enough. She must be a WindClan cat, he thought. She is very fast!

Stormpaw finally gave up. Looking back several times, he went back into the river and swam back into his territory. I am sure I didn't cross WindClan territory, Stormpaw thought. I am very sure. Perhaps across the river is just more RiverClan hunting grounds?

Stormpaw caught a few fish, and then returned to camp with a jawful. As he dropped the slippery fish onto the fresh-kill pile, two kits hopped around him. Stormpaw remembered that Snowfrost moved into the queen's den two moons ago. Her kits were already lively and healthy.

Emberkit sat at Stormpaw's feet. His sister, Glazekit, groomed her fur intently.

"You're the coolest cat I have ever seen!" Emberkit squealed.

"Well... thanks," Stormpaw replied, wondering why he would be special. "But why? Why am I cool?"

"Because your younger brother, Rockkit, told me that once, you were brave enough to swim across the river and chase a golden tabby out of our hunting grounds!" Emberkit meowed.

Stormpaw's breath was caught in his lungs. If Rockkit saw me chase out the WindClan cat... he wondered, then he must've saw me talk to her...!

He tried to act casual. "Yeah... thanks," he mewed. "You should be like me one day."

 "I will, I promise!"

As he padded away, Stormpaw tried to collect himself. Rockkit was spying on me? Why would he do this? Thoughts of Rockkit getting jealous at him flooded his head. Is my brother jealous of me?