(Outdated) Warriors: Clouded Skies #2 - Frost

Chapter Two

"No, no, no, Wish, you're doing it wrong." Rowanpaw looked over in interest as Brownear padded over to the ginger she-cat, once a rogue and now his Clanmate. "Your balance is way off—you look like a badger trying to hunt."

"Oh, sorry! My paw just really hurts from—" she was cut off the senior warrior.

"No excuses! You're a part of this Clan now, and you need to pull your weight. Now, give me that crouch-and-leap again. Keep steady this time!" The brown tom was shaking his head, annoyed. Rowanpaw knew he didn't like having the new cats in the Clan, which is one reason Dawnstar had told him to help with Wish's training, to get him to accept them more. He couldn't mock Wish's future warrior skills if he had taught them to her.

It wasn't fair for the she-cat, for she had injured her paw a few days before jumping from the camp entrance. She had landed awkwardly on her paw and sprained it. That didn't stop Brownear, though, and Rowanpaw assumed he was trying to push her to get her to leave the Clan. It was rude, but it would turn her into a real warrior.

Realizing he had been distracted, Rowanpaw slipped into the nursery, feeling the tough bushes tug at his fur. Inside, the den was crowded with cats, more crowded than it had been for quite a while. Lakeshine still had her nest in the corner, while Ashbreeze's had been moved farther into the back to make room for both Emberheart and Rain, who were expecting their kits before the next moon past. Both their stomachs were swollen, but still quite small. They were being fed the best though, and the thoughts made Rowanpaw's stomach growl in pain. Near them, Fern, Meadow, and Primrose were curled in their own nest, which was made small and tight to help them stay warm. Originally, it had been bigger, but Aspenheart had decided to sleep in the warriors' den instead since her kits still saw her as the cat who had left their brother and may have left them too. It was unclear if she actually would have before, but Rowanpaw had seen how quick she had given up when her kits left her side.

Emberheart, Rain, and his three sisters were sleeping, so Rowanpaw moved back to Ashbreeze, and the she-cat looked at him for a moment before moving her body so he could see her kits. Breamkit and Bluekit were both moving softly, mewling as they suckled, which they did constantly in attempts to get more milk, but Bramblekit lay still. He could've been mistaken as dead if it weren't for his sides moving ever so softly.

He looked small, smaller than he should at almost a moon old. He was skinny and weak. Ashbreeze leaned over and nudged him to her stomach with her nose, but he was too weak to even lift his head up. Ashbreeze mewled in grief and pain, knowing there was nothing she could do for the poor kit. She didn't have much milk, and because his siblings were slightly stronger, they took it all before Bramblekit could get anything, even if Ashbreeze tried to hold them back for him to feed alone. It was almost time for them to give up milk anyway, and the queen was hoping he'd survive long enough.

Rowanpaw felt a flash of fear as Bramblekit took a shuddering breath, but then he calmed himself when the small kit still breathed softly. Ashbreeze curled protectively around them, deciding they had enough open air. Rowanpaw nodded and took his leave, sniffing Emberheart for a moment to make sure she was alright on his way out.

Out in the clearing, Brownear was watching Wish practice with a lashing tail, and now Hickory had joined them and was practicing a leap-and-twist move. Rowanpaw decided to join them, knowing he needed the practice. Hazelfur, his new mentor since Emberheart went into the nursery, was assessing Rohan's progress, and Rowanpaw had decided to stay at camp then go with his mentor and face his father, who he been avoiding since they returned from their journey only half a moon before. He had been doing well so far, and even better with not seeing Aspenheart.

The she-cat was always hunting or, more likely, patrolling, staying out of camp to get away from the stares she got by most cats. Most of them sided with Rowanpaw in the fact that she was a traitor to the code and didn't deserve to return, so she took to leaving the camp to hunt and patrol in the attempt to gain back her Clanmates trust—without even speaking to them. Rowanpaw shook his head in disgust as the thoughts of the retched she-cat came to mind.