Warrior Cats; Smokeskull's Revenge [ 1 ]

Chapter 24

The invading Adderstrike snarled and lifted his paw with unsheathed claws. He looked like an oddly- coloured badger with his size and fangs.
"Come at me!" Smokepaw yowled again, watching his paw swing at her. She ducked and raced around his hind legs, tearing her claws at the backs of his legs.
Other cats attacked as well, shaking no fear as that and Smokepaw hissed and growled in rage, the intruder's thick fur.
Sandpaw was surprisingly on Adderstrike's neck. She was reared before sinking her sharp teeth into his ear and swinging off.
Foxlight and Blackfoot were battling his sides, pushing into his stomach at the same time. Their claws ripped through Adderstrike's muscles as the rogue began to fall to his belly.
Firepaw and Owlpaw were sawing at his tail, drawing blood, snarling, and pulling him down.
The outnumbered rogue yowled as almost the whole Clan hissed and fought bravely to bring him down. His tail tried to lash back in forth and his muzzle growled in anger and fear of being beat.
Blackfoot backed up as Foxlight stepped aside. Their pelts shining with fresh blood. Firepaw and Owlpaw ran off to the side of the camp once Adderstrike's tail drooped and stopped flailing. They began to lick their fur and rid his blood.
Sandpaw hung her head at Adderstrike's face. Her sides were heavily heaving. She had done well; for she was one who did the most damage.
At his rear, Smokepaw padded around the defeated rogue. Her claws still unsheathed with Adderstrike's fur inside their slits. She sat and looked down at him with heavily-breathing sides. "Why, Adderstrike?" Smokepaw whispered, then sighed. "You hunt with the Dark Forest now."
She turned to face Sandpaw. The cream apprentice was looking at her, dazed. "Did you know him?" She whispered.
"Yes." Smokepaw replied.
"We're you close?" Sandpaw asked.
The grey apprentice put her head down and pinned her ears back. "He visited me in my dreams." Her words were quietly swept away from the air's grasp.
Sandpaw tilted her head to the side but asked no questions.
A yowl split the air, "All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Highrock."
The two apprentices turned and saw Onestar on the Highrock.
We're going to be warriors! Smokepaw thought to herself, trotting over to the Highrock to sit in the front. As she did, Sandpaw sat beside her with pride gleaming in her eyes.
"Now, I know we just had chaos pass us by, but two well-trained apprentices fought very bravely tonight and I know now they deserve their warrior names." The leader stood tall and looked down on her Clan.
Their mentors sat behind them, looking proudly down at their two successful apprentices.
"Smokepaw. Sandpaw. Step forward please." The leader called.
The two stepped forward with shining eyes.
"I, Onestar, leader of MapleClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as a warrior in their turn." Onestar looked down at the two, smiling. Smokepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"
"I do." Smokepaw nodded.
Onestar turned to the cream apprentice, "Sandpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"
"I do!" Sandpaw mewed.
"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Smokepaw, from this moment you will be known as Smokefur." -The leader took a moment to look at Halfwind taking pride in having Smokepaw as an apprentice- "StarClan honors your courage and loyalty, and we welcome you as a full warrior of MapleClan."
The Clan was silent still, and Onestar went on, "Sandpaw, by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. From this moment you will be known as Sandheart. StarClan honors your battle skills and honesty, and we welcome you as a full warrior of MapleClan."
The leader backed up and the crowd yowled, "Smokefur! Sandheart! Smokefur! Sandheart!"
Smokefur's eyes shone with amazement and glory as she glanced at Sandheart who did the same. They looked back at the warriors and other Clanmates who purred their congratulations.
I'm a warrior, and my name is Smokefur. The new warrior praised herself and her new title. She was very happy to be moving into the warriors den now-after so long of being an apprentice.
"Congratulations, Smokefur!"
A mew from behind her made her jump. Smokefur turned and smiled at the friendly face. "Thanks, Cardinalpaw." She felt bad for him. He would never get to be a warrior, or even have his own warrior ceremony.
"It must be great to have your name so quickly," The medicine cat apprentice mewed, flicking his tail back and forth.
Smokefur nodded. It definitely was worth training hard for. "So...er...what made you want to become a medicine cat?" She tried to keep her voice low, avoiding all eyes on them.
Cardinalpaw lowered his head but held his gaze. "I had a dream and was told by StarClan." He whispered, shuffling his paws. His ears pinned back against the tough wind.
"Cardinalpaw!" A shout called him back.
Smokefur glanced behind him and saw Echoleaf. Her long, black fur was waving. Cardinalpaw turned and padded back to her, swishing his tail across Smokefur's neck before disappearing into the medicine cat den.
"Hey!" Sandheart's voice sounded from behind her.
She turned her head and smiled gently back at her friend. "Hello." Smokefur purred.
"He's a medicine cat apprentice." The cream warrior pushed her paw across Smokefur's face forcefully, but not hard enough to hurt her.
"I know!" She snapped.
"Then quit being so flirtatious." Sandheart turned and pointed her muzzle at the warriors' den. "Everyone's watching, you know." She hung her head as Firepaw and Owlpaw came out of their den.
Smokefur watched Sandheart's eyes as they fell upon Firepaw's head.
"Final assessment, here we come!" Owlpaw mewed and stormed past them, racing through the exit into the moor.
Firepaw was not far behind, but he returned Sandheart's gaze and then continued. His eyes filled with an unreadable expression.
"You're teasing me? Firepaw is as much use as a dead fox." She shook her head, but held Sandheart's gaze.
The cream warrior looked back at her as if it were some awkward moment. "I don't like him." She started, but cut herself off, "Why don't you go help Honeywhisker find some catmint? I'm sure she'll need it, it's almost leafbare." Sandheart sniffed the air.
Smokefur felt honoured for her generous thoughts, but she was right; Cardinalpaw was going to be a medicine cat someday. Medicine cats are not aloud to have mates. She sighed. "Maybe later."
Sandheart tilted her head. "Then come, I was going to ask Onestar if we could go on a hunting patrol." She flicked her tail at the leader's den, but was interrupted by Halfwind behind them.
"Onestar is asleep. She has been very busy since Smokefur became a warrior. The CloudClan cats want her back." The deputy went on, sitting down after circling in front of the two. "But I think it is a lovely idea to go on a hunting patrol. Sandheart, will you lead?"
The warrior dipped her head.
"They want me back? Didn't you send Sunpool, Lionstripe, and Coalstorm back to CloudClan?" Smokefur's hackles raised slightly in doubt of her apprentice duties getting in the way of her being able to chase her old Clanmates off.
Halfwind held her chin high. "We did. But more keep running into our border patrols, ready to snatch you up and pull you back like a bunch of hungry badgers." She bared her fangs, staring off into the distance as if picturing the Smokefur-hungry CloudClan cats.
"Why do they want me back, anyways?" Smokefur turned her head and lapped at the back of her shoulder.
"I don't know, but I'll keep an eye out." Halfwind blinked and narrowed her eyes at Smokefur. "Blackfoot said he was attacked by some pale she-cat that kept calling your name."
Willowpaw! Smokefur got to her paws. "W-What? Did he say anything else?"
The deputy shook her head. "No, but he's in the warriors' den now-"
Smokefur hardly heard her last words, she leapt across the clearing and raced for her den. "Blackfoot?" She meowed over herself heaving for breaths.
The black-pawed warrior lifted his head from his nest and perked up his ears. "Smokefur?" He whispered.
"Yeah, it's me." She stepped forward and headed for the back of the den where Blackfoot was curled up in a spread-out sheet of moss. "Can I ask you a few questions?" Smokefur asked, laying down beside him.
"What is it?" The warrior growled, putting his head back down on his paws.
"It's about that pale she-cat you told Halfwind about...on the patrol." Smokefur leaned in and perked her ears up only to hear him rumble.
Then, Blackfoot lifted his head again and looked Smokefur in the eye. "What about her?" He murmured and narrowed his eyes.
"What exactly did she look like?" Smokefur stared back at him. If Willowpaw is still alive, I have to be on a patrol as soon as the next one leaves!
"Sand coloured fur, green eyes, probably a medicine cat by her horrible herb-scent." Blackfoot's eyes filled with sudden worry for himself. "But she had really long claws, so I don't know for sure."
Smokefur lifted her paw to her face and unsheathed her claws. Long, and sharp. "Thank you, Blackfoot." She lifted herself up and padded quickly across the clearing.
She purposely made herself run into Halfwind. "May I go on a border patrol?"
The deputy was startled. "Smokefur! Er..sure. But not by-"
"CloudClan territory, please." Smokefur lifted her chin as if knowing Halfwind knew her loyalty.
With a sigh, Halfwind nodded and flicked her tail towards the set of warriors at the entrance. Silverclaw, Tigerfrost, and Snakepaw were waiting for the deputy to lead. "Fine, you'll take my place as the lead." Halfwind turned and trotted off to the leader's den.
Smokefur stood proud and watched her go, then turned and went to the patrol team. "Halfwind made me lead, let's go."
They looked at eachother quickly, then followed, heading straight for the scent lines. No one spoke a word, just as Smokefur wanted. She only wished Willowpaw was on the next CloudClan patrol.
"What are you going to do, Smokefur?" Snakepaw broke the silence. His broad shoulders pushed past Silverclaw. He was almost bigger than her.
Smokefur huffed. "Show them not to mess with MapleClan cats."
Tigerfrost gave an amused purr.
Silverclaw pitched in, "Yeah right, she probably just wants to share tongues with her old Clanmates." She shook her head with a playful smile.
"CloudClan is weak from the fights with MapleClan" Smokefur hissed.
"That pale cat is one brave she-cat then. She's been on every border patrol since you came." Silverclaw sounded sort of worried.
Snakepaw gazed at her. "What will you do if they take you?"
"They won't."
Tigerfrost stopped. "You know? For sure?" He craned his neck and tilted his head.
"Keep moving, mousebrain!" Silverclaw pushed his rump and shouldered her way past him through the moor into the forest land.
Smokefur sighed to herself. Not really, I just have a strong hope... She replied in her head, jumping over a fallen alder tree and waiting for the patrol to be behind her.
"The border isn't far now." Snakepaw whispered in her ear, "it's not too late to turn back."
"I'm not a kittypet! Do you all think I'm not capable of handling this?" Smokefur yowled, spinning around and stepping back. "This is CloudClan we're talking about! The Clan of the old and weak. I'm not fox-hearted, I would never turn on my true Clanmates."
"S-Smokepaw?" Barely a whisper sounded behind her.
Smokefur whipped around, ready to attack with hackles raised high. "Willowpaw?!"