Warriorcats #1: Vengeance

Chapter Two

"All cats of Stormclan, gather beneath the Tall Trunk for a clan meeting!" Cloudstar's voice rang throughout the clearing as he addressed his clan. His creamy white fur shone like silk as he gazed around. Tallpaw stumbled from the apprentice's den, slightly tired despite his early dreaming. His brothers, Snowpaw and Rabbitpaw, were sitting expectantly a few fox-lengths from the den. "Hey, Tallpaw, come over here!" Rabbitpaw called, his bright hazel eyes lit with excitement. Tallpaw smiled as he padded up to his brothers, taking a seat beside Rabbitpaw. "So, what do you think CloudStar's up to?" Snowpaw asked, his pure-white fur gleaming in the sun. Every cat in Stormclan knew that he was naturally handsome, and sometimes that happened to spark some jealousy inside the other apprentices. Tallpaw sometimes even found himself unhappy when Skypaw or Featherpaw would hang around his brother.

"I think LilyFrost's kits are going to become apprentices!" Rabbitpaw meowed, licking down some ruffled fur. Tallpaw shook his head. "Hardly likely, Rabbitpaw." He replied, flicking his tail towards the tiny kittens. "They're way too small, and we've got so many apprentices already..." He trailed off meaningfully. Snowpaw chuckled. "Yeah, our den is practically bursting with cats! Last night I was almost crushed up in the corner." Rabbitpaw smiled. "You think that was bad, try being even smaller." Tallpaw laughed. Rabbitpaw was unusally small for his age.

"As you all know, Ashclan has been quite hard on us lately." Cloudstar's voice sounded oddly shrill. Tallpaw frowned. Just one bad encounter and now we're going to hysterics? He glanced around for SkyOtter, and spotted her sitting beside BirchFeather. She seemed slightly amused. How can any of these cats be so calm about this? Tallpaw noticed with a pang of relief that his brothers weren't quite so unpredictable. Worry gleamed in Rabbitpaw's eyes as he listened, Snowpaw's body tense and ruffled. "Obviously, our past ordeals have left a wound in their flanks." CloudStar continued, shifting on his grey-blue paws. "MouseShadow believes that PebbleStar wishes to attack us." Murmurs filled the clearing as the cats began to stir, a restless canopy of bustling animals. "Now, now, calm down!" CloudStar growled, raising his tail to silence the cats. "SkyOtter and I believe there is a less direct approach to this problem!" His voice rose above the cat's, piercing through the air as the clamor was abruptly paused. Tallpaw noticed that SkyOtter was beginning to make her way to the Tall Trunk, slithering around the cats. "We believe that we should speak with PebbleStar before anything too terrible happens."

CloudStar nodded to SkyOtter, resuming a controlled posture. SkyOtter stepped forwards, her blue-gray fur almost identical to CloudStar's. "I have chosen three other cats to accompany CloudStar and I." She announced, gazing around at her clanmates. "BirchFeather, QuietOwl, and Tallpaw." HazeFang was shocked, his ears perked as he awaited another name. "You are dismissed." CloudStar concluded the meeting, leaping swiftly from the Tall Trunk. HazeFang was waiting for CloudStar, pacing around anxiously. "Why would you do that?" He asked, struggling not to speak with too much anger. "Tallpaw is my apprentice. I should go with him." CloudStar shrugged, his gaze sweeping over HazeFang's and towards the excited apprentice behind him. "I have my reasons." He replied. HazeFang let out a hiss of irritation, flexing his claws into the ground. SkyOtter stepped forwards, intercepting the conversation. "It's nothing personal. In fact, you were almost chosen." She meowed, quick to explain. "We just want Tallpaw not to hold back. With you there, he won't feel as free. He'll look up to you for the decisions we want him to make..."

HazeFang sighed, his shoulders slumping. "O-of course." He meowed. "Sorry, CloudStar." As he turned to leave, he spotted Tallpaw sitting at the camp entrance talking to the apprentices. He was practically bursting with pride. "CloudStar chose me." He was meowing. "I get to see AshClan's camp!" Featherpaw bounced slightly, her ears perked. "I want you to tell me all about it when you get back." She meowed. Tallpaw smiled. "Of course I will, Featherpaw." He replied, standing up and puffing out his chest fur. "I'm going to tell everyone."