(Outdated) Warriors: Clouded Skies #2 - Frost

Chapter Four

It was still dark, with the sun barely lighting the sky orange when Blossompaw was woken from sleep. At first, she didn't know what had woken her, and she tiredly curled closer to Jaypaw and Willowpaw, still feeling sore from her training session the day before with her father. On her first day as an apprentice to her father, he had forced her to spend the entire day cleaning out the apprentices' den, nursery, and elders' den with him watching, then the next day they had gone hunting from sunrise to sunset with barely any breaks.

Since she had returned she had been sleeping peacefully, but now she was struggling to go back to sleep. She almost went back into the dream where she was chasing a plump mouse, then something sounded again. It was her name, coming from a deep, strong voice outside the den. After a moment, she recognized it as her father's and forced herself from the nest, groaning as her muscles screeched in protest.

Climbing out from the den, she stood next to Boulderclaw, shaking out her fur. "What do you want?" she growled, "I worked all day yesterday, I'm tired."

"A true warrior doesn't act that way," Boulderclaw said instantly, shaking out his recently-groomed fur. "They are always willing to help their Clan at whatever time. You are a true warrior, aren't you? Because you always seem like you think you are." Boulderclaw didn't give her a chance to reply. "Now, let's head out." He turned and padded confidently towards the forest camp entrance.

"I want to eat first!" she growled, stalking over to the fresh-kill pile and grabbing a mouse. She was ready to take a bite out of it, but it was swiped away from under her jaws by her father, who swallowed it in two quick bites.

"I'm famished!" he decided. licking his jaws clean. "Thanks for grabbing that for me. Since you haven't hunted yet, you can't have anything to eat. So we better get going." Boulderclaw turned around and trotted confidently to the camp entrance. Blossompaw felt a growing rage inside of her but forced herself to follow, trying to ignore the twisting hunger in her stomach. She had been so tired yesterday she hadn't eaten, and now she regretted it. Once she caught something, she would eat that, then she would find something else to give to the cats who were too lazy to hunt themselves.

Like her brother.

A sudden pain of sadness and regret filled her heart as she pictured Ravenpaw's bright, shining yellow eyes. She remembered when they used to play together as young kits, and for a long moment, she wished times were that simple.

You're weak, a soft voice said inside her head, and Blossompaw flicked an ear, trying to rid herself of it as she followed her father into the forest.

She still cares about her brother, another voice whispered softly from another part of her mind.

She cares about the weakling who can't hunt for himself, the first voice said again.

No, I don't! Blossompaw argued with herself silently. She didn't care about Ravenpaw—she didn't! She pushed the painful memories of her brother away and focused on following her new mentor, clenching her teeth tightly to distract herself from the conversation that was happening in her head. Luckily, the voices went quiet for a few moments.

Suddenly, Boulderclaw stopped in front of a thick-trunked oak tree and turned to look at his daughter with an unreadable, memorizing green gaze. "Climb," he ordered firmly. When she hesitated, her muscles groaning in protest at the thought of climbing the tree, he added, "unless you're scared."

"I'm not scared!" she hissed, unsheathing her claws, and she went to the tree, digging her young claws into the bark and pulling herself up. She went up slowly, her body loathing the exercise so early in the morning, and fire ran through her muscles. But she continued to climb up, gasping for breath, until she reached the lowest branch, where she crawled out and held on tightly.