Warrior Cats; Smokeskull's Revenge [ 1 ]

Chapter 16

When the ceremony was over, Willowpaw rushed to Smokepaw's side. "You're going to be a warrior!" She mewed. Her eyes glued to Smokepaw's expression. When Smokepaw finally opened her muzzle to talk, the words got caught in her throat and she fell silent.
"I'm sorry we can't hang out like we used to be able to." Smokepaw finally stopped walking. She came to a halt in front of the nursery as if that's where she was to sleep.
Willowpaw's facial emotion shot silent. "I know, but at least we can still be together sometimes!" She flapped her tail against the ground hard so her sister would snap out of it.
Smokepaw looks up at her with gloomy eyes. "I guess. Skystar said she would let us go on patrols together when you nor I am on apprentice duty." She smiled weakly.
"That's better." Willowpaw smiled and licked Smokepaw's cheek. Her tongue was soft but scratchy. "It'll be okay, I promise. I wouldn't ever leave you. Not for any cat or any clan."
The grey apprentice smiles at Willowpaw at once, this time for real. "I'm so glad you're here as my sister," Smokepaw purred. "I would be so lost without you." Her purr spread and Willowpaw started as well. The two pushed up against eachother in loving sisterhood.

Lionstripe and Echoleaf padded over to them. Lionstripe's paws were so big you could hear the pounding of his paws on the soil. "I guess you will be having to come with me, Smokepaw." He spoke loudly and firm, but he smiled.
"And Willowpaw, you'll have to come with me." Echoleaf echoed Lionstripe's words clearly. The medicine cat waited for them to quickly share tongues and say their goodbyes for the night.
Willowpaw licked Smokepaw's cheek again. "See you at dawn." She whispered so quietly, the cats in front of them probably couldn't even hear her.
Smokepaw nodded. "Okay. Goodnight sister."
In a moment, Echoleaf and Willowpaw were padding off to the medicine cat den. Their tails faded off into the distance.
Suddenly, Lionstripe stomped his paw in front of the new apprentice. She looked up into his emerald green eyes and shrank on the spot. The warrior seemed to be chuckling. Smokepaw's eyebrow shot up as he giggled down at her.
"What's so funny?" She snapped.
The warrior nudged her playfully and turned away, padding along the sidelines of CloudClan camp. "I was playing with you, don't you have a sense of humour?" He chuckles again.
"Of course I do!" The grey apprentice growled. Then her frown turned to an embarrassed smile. "You just, um... scared me." Smokepaw giggled with red cheeks along with her new mentor.
Lionstripe shook his head with a smile and led the way over to the apprentice den. When they arrived, Lionstripe peered inside. "Pinepaw," croaked Smokepaw's mentor.
In a second, the apprentice that had brought Smokepaw and Willowpaw a vole when they were kits appeared out of the clean hole in the fogged ground.
When she came out, Smokepaw got a good glance at the inside of the apprentice den. It was outlined with moss as a comfortable bed. The ground looked soft with beach soil, and it was an open area inside but it was sheltered with hungover trees that drooped over. It must be there to cover them from rain. The new apprentice assumed.
"Pinepaw, I want you and Dustpaw to show Smokepaw around camp. Her mother Coalstorm didn't let her out of the nursery since the incident with MapleClan." Lionstripe kept strong during the sad silence. "Can you do that?" He broke into it.
Pinepaw nodded, flicking her tail to guide Smokepaw into the den with her. A flash of excitement flooded Smokepaw. I can't wait for this! It will be so exciting! She smiled to herself and bounced over to Pinepaw's side.
Inside, the scent was mingled with other cat scents. "Dustpaw, Lionstripe has informed me that Smokepaw needs a guide around camp. Can you come with me and make sure we don't miss anything?" Pinepaw was looking at a greyish brown cat that was laying in a place in the moss.
The cats ears pricked up, ready for a guide. "Yes, mam!" He hauled himself up and yawned to himself. His back arched as he stretched for a small moment. "Where to first?"

When the cats returned to the apprentice den, it had reached moonhigh already. Pinepaw was already drifting off to sleep in her steps around the camp, and Dustpaw was hauling himself up every two seconds to move a fox-length of each stop. Smokepaw knew these two were tuckered out and they needed their rest.
She sat down beside Dustpaw. He was fallen asleep already. Pinepaw's was drowned out too. Their breathes were low and light. Smokepaw knew she had to get some rest too, but she couldn't stop thinking about her sister. The fading purring as the two sisters fell asleep. There was no longer someone to cuddle with. No longer anyone to say goodnight too.
Suddenly, Pinepaw's ears pricked up. Smokepaw's small sobbing must have waken her. "Sorry," She apologized quickly. "I didn't mean to wake you." Smokepaw heard her own sorrow in her own voice tone.
"What's the matter?" Pinepaw licked her paw and wiped it across her face gently.
Smokepaw sighed. "I can't sleep." A breeze blew over her dark furred head. "I'm used to sleeping beside my sister." She added.
Pinepaw smiled peacefully and flicked her tail in encouragement to come lay beside her. Although it was very thoughtful, the apprentice's kind gesture wasn't enough. Smokepaw still thought of her sister and what she is doing now.
The whole camp was quiet now. The only sound came from small crickets that hide safely in the leaves. Then, a low mutter came from across camp. Smokepaw's ears shot up. She listened carefully for the noise again.
"Smokepaw?" The low voiced sound came from near the entranceway to the apprentice den.
A familiar scent flooded the room. "Echoleaf?" The medicine cat scent was all over now. Until a shape appeared in a small silhouette in the doorway. The shadow crept across the floor in the basking moonlight. "Willowpaw?" She blinked, full of hope.
The scent of the medicine cat and Willowpaw mingled together now and spread the room. The sick smell of herbs came with it. "Smokepaw, it's me, Willowpaw." She whispered from the doorway.
Smokepaw rose to her paws in a second and crawled silently over to her sister. "Thank StarClan you're here," She started. "I can't sleep. I'm so used to you being there, beside me." Smokepaw began to plead. "Please, stay with me tonight... Only tonight. It will be our last night together, please. It hasn't even been a full sunrise and I already miss you." She nuzzles her sisters neck, curling her tail around her.
Willowpaw looked at her paws and sat down. "Actually, I came here for the same reason. I'm so glad you're wake. If one of the other apprentices saw me there, I probably would have gotten in trouble." mewed Willowpaw, giving her sister a friendly lick.
"I know a place we can go. You won't get in trouble there at all. They won't even find us. Pinepaw showed it to me at moonrise." Smokepaw smiled and lept up, guiding her sister to a hollow tree trunk where a fox used to live.
The place was in sight when a small call came from the nursery, "What are you doing out there?" called the old cat from the elders den.
"Follow my lead." Smokepaw crouched down like a rabbit. Her ears went flat as she hopped away into the forest bushes with her sister closely behind.
"Darn rabbits! Stay outta our territory!" croaked the cat.
Willowpaw giggled excitedly and followed Smokepaw to the tree. "Let's settle here. We'll get up before dawn and head back to our dens before any trouble happens." Smokepaw climbs inside and helps Willowpaw inside by pulling her scruff.
"You're an awesome sister." Willowpaw whispers, crouching down and huddling beside Smokepaw.
The sisters purred and Smokepaw replied with a mew, "I would be lost without you..."