Warrior Cats; Smokeskull's Revenge [ 1 ]

Chapter 15

The next morning, Smokekit glanced out the entranceway. The sun was peeking at her through a slit and it painted the forest with a light morning glow. She smiles and purrs against her sisters warmth beside her. Smokekit's eyes start to close again when the dappled she-cat he had seen last night with Coalstorm woke him with a small lap on the head. Her tongue was rough and she smelt like fresh kill, not eaten, but caught.
"Wake up, Smokekit." A soft voice purred.
Smokekit opened her eyes again and looked up at the warrior. "What is it?" She snapped furiously, remembering that she had kept a secret from all the innocent kits.
"I have been sent by Skystar to wake both you and Willowkit." The warrior purred, ignoring Smokekit's reckless tone.
Smokekit looks up at her with one eye, keeping the other one shut. "Why you?" Smokekit tried to get this disrespectful she-cat to tell her that she is lying to the whole nursery. "Why couldn't Skystar send Bluesong?" Smokekit opens both eyes and glares ignorantly at the she-cat warrior.
"Because Bluesong has been sent on a mission recently, you know that. He will be back shortly." The she-cat smiled nervously at the kit.
With bent brows, Smokekit got up, arching her back for a second to stretch. "I know the Clan's secret." Smokekit whispered and sprung off to find Skystar, leaving the she-cat to wonder.
Willowkit met Smokekit at the mossy entrance to Skystar's den. The door was round and strung with bright pink weeping willows.
"Skystar is waiting for us inside." Willowkit mewed with a smile. Her tail folded neatly over top of her paws.
Smokekit nodded to her and continued walking until she was inside.
"Greetings." Skystar puts down the paw she was licking and flicked her tail in greeting. "I shalt speak with you today on the matter of you both reaching the age of 6 moons. It is time for you to start apprenticing." A smile spread her furry white face. "Your apprentice ceremony will take place soon enough."
Willowkit nodded. She hid her excitement well, but Smokekit uncovered it. Her eyes clouded with many emotions; Excitement, worry, anxiety, and more.
Skystar turned her eyes to Smokekit, she wasn't smiling nor showing any emotion. A heartbeat passed and her eyes looked back at Willowkit. With a flick of her tail, Willowkit got up and trotted out.
"Sunpool has brought it to my attention that you know the Clan's secret." Skystar's expression went blank. Smokekit could tell she had a lot of practice at hiding her emotions.
Smokekit nodded. "Bluesong is dead." She tried hiding her emotion as well, but it clouded endlessly in her green eyes.
It had finally reached sunhigh and Skystar sat patiently and silently. Her face was stolen of emotion. She finally spoke before Smokekit was able to explain, "I'm surprised a kit like you could be able to find out a secret like that." Skystar nods in approval that is was okay she found out. Smokekit let her muscles loose. "Coalstorm said she saw you running away after her and Sunpool had finished talking about the new deputy.
"It is true. I ran off to tell my sister. She deserves better than to be lied to by a bunch of cats she loves and cares about." Despise ran wildly through her crackling voice.
Skystar whipped her tail back and forth. "And I am truly sorry that we had to lie to you. We were trying to spare all kits of the heartache." She explains with a depressed face as the leader looked as her paws. "I know how much you care about your sister. It means a lot to me, and your mother, that she has you to protect her from any danger." Skystar bowed at the thoughtfulness of Smokekit being there for Willowkit.
Is it true that I care for her that much? I know it is, but how does Skystar know? She's onto me and I don't like it. Smokekit's thoughts pulled at her for a second, then returned to reality. "I'm glad you agree." Smokekit nodded thankfully at her leader.
"That is why I am very sad to inform you that Willowkit will be assigned to the apprenticing of the CloudClan medicine cat, Echoleaf." Skystar stood still. Her whiskers twitched as she watched Smokekit take it on. The grey kit was very upset she could not grow up apprenticing with her sister like she had during kithood.
Then, Smokekit's head bobbed up. "Why is that?" She asked politely. Her tail thumped the ground every two or three seconds as Smokekit blinked patiently.
"I am assigning her this apprentice group because I think you two will be closer then, than now." Skystar's wise words come out slowly as her focus tightened on Smokekit who curiously stared back into her crystal blue eyes.
"What do you mean?" Smokekit sat calmly, but still wondered how this could be true. Her tail flapped against the ground again like a freshly caught fish.
Skystar looked at the kit with a well centered view. "I have observed how well you and your sister getting along, and our Clan is in very bad need of a new medicine cat since Echoleaf is getting older. She will take on Willowkit as her apprentice. I will privilege you both to be able to go together on border patrols once or twice a moon." The white leader dipped her head and gave the kit a smile.
"So," Smokekit started with a small frown. "my sister and I will not be apprenticing together?" She gazed up at the leader with sad eyes. "I guess I can handle it if its for the safety of the Clan. The Clan comes first, right?" Smokekit puts on a fake smile, opening her eyes just a sliver, only to detect Skystar was gazing back at her with a small smirk in return.
The leader finally got up and padded over to the grey kit. "Go get ready, I'm going to call the Clan for you and Willowkit's apprentice ceremony." Skystar touched noses with Smokekit then bounded out of the den with Smokekit behind to follow.
Smokekit strolled quickly over to the nursery. To her surprise, Willowkit wasn't there. The grey kit's eyes open widely in search for her sister. "Willowkit?" Smokekit whispers, marching down the hall of a couple other sleeping kits.
Suddenly, Willowkit popped into the doorway. "Hello Smokekit! What's the matter? You look sad." Excitement flooded her voice. Willowkit padded up to her and asked again. "Smokekit, what's the matter?" Her voice was drowned out by Skystar's yowl.
The two kits looked out the nursery entrance. "We have to go, or we'll be late for our ceremony!" Smokekit touched her sister's nose with her nuzzle then rushes out the doorway with Willowkit close behind.
"Smokekit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Smokepaw. Your mentor will be Lionstripe. I hope this loyal warrior will pass down all he knows on to you." Skystar smiled gracefully as Smokekit hopped up onto the rock with her. The two touch noses and Lionstripe sat beside her, smiling at his new grey apprentice. Smokekit looked gratefully at him with her shiny green eyes.
Echoleaf stood up and walked to the edge of the Highrock. Her eyes glittered with happiness. "Cats of CloudClan," She started formally, "As you know, I will not be around forever. So it's time I took an apprentice. I have chosen a cat who has shown loyalty, honesty, and generosity in this Clan for 6 moons now. Your next medicine cat will be Willowkit." She gave the cats a moment to cheer.
"Willowkit, do you accept the post of apprentice to Echoleaf?" Skystar smiled at the young kit and then looked at Echoleaf who's eyes sparkled like diamonds.
"I do." Willowkit mewed.
"Then at the half-moon, you must travel to the Moonpool to be accepted by StarClan before the other medicine cats." Echoleaf purred at the apprentice.
"The good wishes of all CloudClan will go with you." Skystar gazed at the new apprentices. Echoleaf sat beside Willowkit smiling, Willowkit stood up and touches noses with Skystar. Then she turns to Echoleaf and rubs her muzzle into the medicine cat's neck.
Smokekit looked at the ground. Willowkit's eyes are dragged to her dreading sister in sorrow for her. She knew how much she cares. She knew how much being together during apprentice moons meant to her. Know they weren't able to be together at all while apprenticing.