(Outdated) Warriors: Clouded Skies #1 - The First Storm

Chapter Five

Rowanpaw shook his head to clear the ringing in his ears. "Can't take it, Ratpaw?" a mocking meow called, and the solid brown tom looked up to see Carppaw facing him, crouched down with his haunches in the air.

The young apprentice licked his jaws, his amber eyes narrowing at his denmate. Carppaw was older and had gone through more battle training than he had, but he was too arrogant and too sure of his bulk, not realizing what Rowanpaw lacked in strength, he took for in speed and agility.

Quick as he could, Rowanpaw shot forward towards the older apprentice, his eyes looking to the left but his paws ready to leap to the right. Sadly, Carppaw knew the trick, but he played along for a moment. He braced his body to be attacked from his own left, but as Rowanpaw leaped into the air, the brown tom veered out of the way then quickly slammed his front paws into Rowanpaw's side, sending him flying.

He landed heavily on the hard stone ground of the camp, and dust floated up around him. His shoulder was sharp with pain and his eyes were fuzzy from the impact, but he didn't give up. He forced himself to his paws and jumped at Carppaw again. But, like the last time, the bigger apprenntice just easily moved to the side, though this time he swatted at Rowanpaw's back leg, so when he landed his body collapsed under him.

"Come on, Ratpaw, surely you can do better than that?" Carppaw sighed, sitting down. Giving up, Rowanpaw sighed and went over to sit next to him.

"I'm trying, all right?" the younger tom grumbled, scratching his sharp claws over the stone.

"You'll get better soon, I know it." Frondpaw came trotting up, her brown eyes shining. Despite her ribs showing through her coat, she kept her dark tortoiseshell fur slick and shining. Rowanpaw's stomach yowled in agony when he saw she had a wiry rat in her teeth.

She dropped it down in front of the two toms just as Blazepaw made his way over, his dark eyes rounded with hunger and saliva dripping from his narrowed muzzle. "Prey time?" he muttered, dropping down beside his brother. "Finally!"

"Who gets the first bite?" Rowanpaw wondered, trying to calm the voice in his head that was yowling, do it! Just take it!

"Since you share its name, why don't you take the first bite, Ratpaw?" Frondpaw offered. Despite his happiness to being allowed to eat first, Rowanpaw was upset about the she-cat making even more notice to his name. But, he swallowed his pride and leaned forward, taking a soft bite from the hard flesh, forcing himself to not just take the whole thing for himself.

Right as he leaned back, Frondpaw moved forward to take her share, then Carppaw and finally Blazepaw. By the time they each got two bites, there was barely scraps left, and it was given to Frondpaw because it had been her kill. The tortoiseshell stared at it for a moment, her eyes narrowed with starvation, but then she shook her head and stood up, ruffling out her fur.

"I'm going to bring this to Ashbreeze. Does anybody want to come see the kits?" She looked at the group as she picked up the remaining morsels.

"I will," Rowanpaw offered, licking any bit of blood from his jaws before standing, stretching out his legs, and following the she-cat. She seemed happy with her company, but stayed quiet and began to head across the small clearing. A few warriors were practicing their own moves, and the two apprentices had to slip along the stone camp wall to make sure they were out of the way.

They soon made it to the nursery and elders' den, a small little place surrounded by stiff dry bushes. They forced themselves through and saw Lakeshine sleeping in her nest, the bones in her haunches jutting upwards, while Ashbreeze raised a slow head to look at them.

"This is all we have to offer," Frondpaw muttered, dropping the scraps in front of the speckled gray queen.

"Thank you, Frondpaw," the she-cat whispered, then looked at Rowanpaw. "Ratpaw, would you like to meet my kits?"