Skypaw's Fury

Chapter 12

"Then by the power of StarClan, I commend you a warrior in turn," Twigstar meowed. Skypaw's chest swelled with pride. She looked around camp, everyone was watching happily, and Snowpaw was beside her. When she looked back at Twigstar, she screamed. The tabby leader was towering above her, and her eyes were glowing red. "From this moment on, you will be known as Skydeath," Twigstar growled, scarlet drops flowing from her mouth. "In honor of you mother!" Twigstar started laughing. Skypaw turned to Snowpaw, who was drenched in blood, and he leaped onto his sister. He slashed his blood stained claws at her belly as she screeched in terror. Suddenly, a sharp prod made her sit up. She was back in the apprentice den. Snowpaw was next to her, worried. Grasspaw, Rosepaw, and Woodpaw were asleep. It was still dark, but she could see Snowpaw's blue eyes shining. Skypaw let out a yelp and scooted far away from him. "What are you doing?" Snowpaw whispered. "Get away from me!" Skypaw panted. Snowpaw flicked his ears irritably. "Wha...?" A groggy voice moaned. Skypaw glanced behind her and saw Grasspaw roll over in his nest, blinking open his eyes. "Nothing," Skypaw mewed quickly, shuffling her paws. Grasspaw snorted and laid his tail over his nose. Skypaw looked around and scooted towards Grasspaw, laying against him, leaving Snowpaw alone and confused.

"Skypaw, wake up! Time to train!" Skypaw sat up slowly. Woodpaw was bent over her. "Coming..." Skypaw grunted. She washed herself briefly and got to her paws. She padded a little faster when she passed Snowpaw. She gasped as she came out into the open. The sunlight made her wince. "Come on Skypaw!" Gorsetail mewed from the fresh-kill pile. "Battle training today," Skypaw shook herself excitedly and bounded towards him. "What are you two doing today?" A sweet mew came from above Skypaw. The gray she-cat looked up to see Twigstar. Skypaw yowled in surprise and jumped back, bristling. Twigstar look curiously at her. "What got up your fur?" She mewed. Gorsetail nodded in agreement. Skypaw looked at her paws. "You just scared me, that's all," She mumbled. Twigstar looked at her a moment more, then dipped her head and padded away. Gorsetail squinted at Skypaw and got to his paws. "Right, let's go," He mewed. "We'll be hunting with Snowpaw and Cedartail." Skypaw's heart dropped into her stomach. She couldn't get the image of her blood drenched brother out of her mind. Skypaw stood there, ripping grass out of the earth. "Did you and Snowpaw quarrel again?" Gorsetail questioned. Skypaw shook her head absently. A heartbeat later, Cedartail and Snowpaw padded up. Skypaw glanced up and frowned. Snowpaw's tail was dragging in the grass. Skypaw padded towards Gorsetail, keeping a few mouse-lengths away from her litter-mate.

When they arrived at the training hollow, Snowpaw walked closer to Skypaw. The gray apprenticed gasped quietly, but loud enough for Snowpaw to hear. He narrowed his eyes at her. "What is your problem?" Snowpaw hissed. Skypaw sighed heavily. "Nothing, sorry," She apologized. Snowpaw snorted and stomped away. "Okay," Gorsetail began. Skypaw pushed away Gorsetail's voice and remembered her dream. Why did I have it? She wondered. Was is a sign? Skypaw sighed. Suddenly, she was knocked over my Cedartail. The black warrior got off of her and frowned. Skypaw hissed and shook the grit off her fur. "Great StarClan, why in the world did you do that?" She spat. Gorsetail cuffed her around the ear with his paw. "You weren't listening to the instructions," He mewed impatiently. "So you had Cedartail attack me?" Skypaw growled. Snowpaw shook his head; annoyed. "No," Cedartail hissed. "Gorsetail told you to have a training fight with me." Skypaw shifted her weight. "Sorry," She grumbled. "Anyways," Gorsetail sighed. "We're wasting daylight, let's try this again." Skypaw nodded and crouched. Cedartail look at her through amber eyes. "Go!" Gorsetail instructed. All at once, Cedartail leaped at Skypaw. The gray apprentice stepped aside and Cedartail fell with a thud. Skypaw leaped onto her back, but was soon flung off. She landed neatly on all four paws. "Good, keep going," Gorsetail praised. Skypaw straitened up and leaped on the black warrior's back, and began batting her. Cedartail turned her back a bit, so that Skypaw slid off. Cedarheart put a paw softly on Skypaw's healed chest. "No fair!" Skypaw complained. "I would have clung on in battle, my claws were sheathed just then!" Gorsetail nodded, along with Snowpaw as Cedartail let her up. "True, but good job both of you,"

The sun was high in the sky when they were on their way back from training. "Nice job," Skypaw gathered her courage and padded up to Snowpaw. "Whatever," Her brother mumbled. "What?" Skypaw mewed. "I know you hate me for some reason," Snowpaw growled. "So stop it." And with that, Snowpaw stormed away. Skypaw's blue eyes were wide with astonishment.