Skyleaf's Tale (DISCONTINUED)

Chapter 3

        "Great catch!"

        It had been a few sunrises since Skypaw had been made an apprentice. He enjoyed it at first, liking how his mentor praised him every now and then. But now, as Silverfog complimented him again, Skypaw felt a little annoyed now, seeing as his mentor had praised him for basically everything. He wasn't even sure if he meant the words anymore.

        And doing chores in the elders' den is horrible, he thought. Cleaning the bedding, checking for ticks, and even the stories are horrible. "What's wrong?" he asked. 

        "Nothing," Skypaw lied.

        They kept on hunting for a while. After they dropped their prey on the fresh-kill pile, Silverfog asked Skypaw to check the elders for ticks. Skypaw had to stop himself from asking his mentor why?

        Sighing inwardly, Skypaw went to the elders' den. No other apprentice was in there. I bet Cloudpaw is having a lot more fun, he thought, with a hint of jealousy. "Hi there, Skypaw!" Skypaw heard the hoarse voice of Blackstreak. 

        Skypaw didn't reply. "So what do you need?" he asked grumpily. 

        Blackstreak didn't seem to notice the tone in his voice. "Well I think that I could do with a few less ticks."

        "I'll go get the mouse bile." Grabbing the bile and moss, he padded back towards the Blackstreak. It's getting dark, he noticed. Skypaw quickly found the first tick, and put the bile on it. 

        "Do you want to hear a story?" Blackstreak's voice startled him.

        "No," Skypaw replied. But Blackstreak spoke anyway.

       "A long, long time ago, there was a cat named Mudst-" 

        Not wanting to hear any dumb story, Skypaw lied, "I need to get some more mouse bile," and whisked out before Blackstreak could say anything. Now what?

        Suddenly he felt that he couldn't stay in the camp anymore. I have to get out! Looking around to make sure that no one was watching him, he ran out into the forest as fast as he could toward the ShadowClan border. He kept running and running. He was nearing the border now. He stopped and tasted the air.

        There's someone here! Cautiously moving forward, he tried to find where the scent was coming from. It isn't a clan cat, that's for sure. Brushing past a clump of bracken, he was confronted with a white she-cat.

        "Hi," the stranger meowed. 

        Skypaw's claws slid out. "Who are you?" he growled. The she-cat was strangely calm, and her blue gaze seemed hypnotizing. "That's not important. Just follow me." Not waiting to see if he was coming or not, she padded past.

        Skypaw followed her white pelt, shining in the sunset. "Where are you taking me?" The cat looked back at him. Without warning, she suddenly she sprang at him. Run! he thought. But his legs wouldn't move. Skypaw braced for the impact. Nothing came. He looked up to see the cat retreating, and two broad-shouldered cats stood in front of him; a silver and black tom, and a smaller gray-blue tabby.

        "Y-you sav-" Skypaw was interrupted. 

        "Kits shouldn't be out alone," the bigger tom hissed. 

        "I'm not a k-" He was interrupted again. 

        "We'll take you back to your camp. Doesn't RiverClan teach their kits not to cross borders or to go out alone?" Skypaw hadn't realized that he had crossed the border. Head down, he walked with them.

        The she-cat walked over to him, sympathy in her eyes. "It's okay," she meowed. "Moonwing isn't usually this grumpy. What's your name? Mine's Silverpaw." 

        Everything seemed to be happening so quick. "My names S-Skypaw," he stammered.

        She smiled. "So what were you doing here?" she asked. 

        "Er...." Skypaw looked down at his paws. I can't tell a cat from another clan that I was sneaking away!  "Hey look! We're near the camp now!" Skypaw was surprised at how little time that it had taken to get to the camp.

        Silverpaw leaned closer to him, and whispered, "Let's talk tomorrow night. At the border." 

        Skypaw's blue-gray fur fluffed up. "Isn't that against the warrior code?" Moonwing's meow interrupted their conversation. 

        "We're at the camp now." Silverpaw hissed to him, "Just meet me there, okay?" before padding back to Moonwing.

        "Skypaw! Where in the name of StarClan have you been? You had me so worried!" That was Silverfog. 

        "I'm not your son, you know," he replied breezily. 

        "That may be so, but that doesn't mean that I don't have the right to worry about you!"

        Skypaw almost wished that he hadn't come home. Nothing was better than before. 

        "Skypaw!" That was Froststorm this time. "You've come back!" It wasn't that long! Why does everyone have to fuss over me?

        "We found this apprentice right on our side of the border," Moonwing told the cats gathering around. Well at least he called me an apprentice this time, instead of a kit! 

        "Thank you," Silverfog replied to the silver and black tom. "We'll make sure that nothing like this happens ever again."

        "Make sure that you do." Moonwing turned and walked away, followed by Silverpaw. 

        When they were out of earshot, Silverfog yowled, "Skypaw! What were you doing over by the ShadowClan border? Go finish the job that you were doing when you left!"

        Pelt pricking with embarrassment, Skypaw went over the elders' den and did as he was told. Well at least I have one thing to look forward to, he thought miserably, thinking of Silverpaw.