RainClan's Fate; The Apprentice's Destiny | Warrior Cats Fanfiction

~Chapter 14~

A few days later, Stormpaw was pleased to find that her sore back had healed. She no longer had to curl up in her nest, the pain taking over her body and making her unable to think properly.

She woke the day before the full moon with her head buzzing. She'd just had a nightmare — more howling cats, drowning in blood. She wanted to ask Toadfeather about it, but he was busy enough with Amberpaw's training and tending to the Clan's needs. He probably didn't need her hassling him about a random dream that meant nothing.

Sighing, Stormpaw sat up in her nest and looked around. Sunlight was filtering through the opening to the apprentices's den, and through the dim light, Stormpaw could just see Mousepaw, Silkpaw and Snowpaw. Mudpaw and Flamepaw must have left for training already.

"Stormpaw?" a stern voice called. Stormpaw looked up to see Wolfstrike's head sticking into the den, calling her name. She stood up in her nest and shook the moss from her pelt.

"Coming!" she called to Wolfstrike, bouncing out of the den eagerly. "What are we doing today?"

"Hunting," RainClan's deputy replied. "Have something to eat and then meet me at the training hollow by sunhigh."

Stormpaw nodded and trotted past Flamepaw — who was sunning himself by the tree stump. His stomach rumbled hungrily as she neared the fresh-kill pile. Stormpaw flicked her tail and chose a mouse for herself, and, after a few heartbeats, a vole for Flamepaw, and then hurried back over to the apprentices's den.

Flamepaw looked up in surpirse as she dropped the vole beside him. He took it gratefully and positioned himself to eat. Stormpaw flopped down beside him.

"Thanks," Flamepaw murmured between mouthfuls. Stormpaw bit into her mouse and watched as Amberpaw came over to join them with a squirrel.

"Hi Amberpaw," Stormpaw meowed to her sister. Amberpaw waved her tail in greeting as she lay down on the ground beside Stormpaw. It was leaf-fall, and the camp was full of scattered red or orange leaves.

"Toadfeather!" Foxheart was racing across the nursery towards the medicine den. Amberpaw flicked her tail impatiently, and Foxheart disappeared into the den. Stormpaw turned back to the rest of the camp.

Riverfreckle and Ivytail were sharing a rabbit beside the warriors's den. A hunting patrol consisting of Barkstripe, Silverheart and Honeypaw entered the camp and dropped their catches on the fresh-kill pile. Silverheart exchanged a few words with Wolfstrike and then lead Honeyflower out of the camp. Cindercloud and Blackpelt were sunning themselves by the elders's den, but Misteye and Mistyflower were still in their nests. Thistlestorm, Jayflight and Daisypaw were just returning from the dawn patrol. Daisypaw headed straight for the fresh-kill pile while Thistlestorm and Jayflight talked with Wolfstrike and Burntstar, who had just exited his den. Then they hurried over to the fresh-kill pile and over to where Tigerpelt was eating a shrew by himself.

"Whitepelt!" Wolfstrike called, sticking her head into the warriors's den. "Ashtail!"

Whitepelt appeared in front of the Clan deputy and a heartbeat later Ashtail followed.

"Morning patrol," Wolfstrike ordered. Then her voice dropped to a whisper so Stormpaw had to strain her ears to listen. "And make sure to double-mark the EmberClan border. Jayflight thinks they're trying to steal a slice of our territory."

Whitepelt and Ashtail nodded.

"Shall I bring Mousepaw?" the dark grey tom asked, and Wolfstrike nodded. Ashtail bounced over to Mousepaw and told him about the patrol.

"Bye!" Mousepaw called as he trotted away with his mentor and Whitetail. Wolfstrike strode away, flicking her tail anxiously. She headed over to Burntstar, spoke to him, and then the pair padded over to Toadfeather's den. Just as they were about to enter, Foxheart and Toadfeather burst out of the den and rushed past them, Foxheart looking panicked. Toadfeather called for Amberpaw as he passed them.

"I better go," Amberpaw meowed anxiously. "I wonder what's happening?"

Stormpaw shrugged and watched as her sister finished her meal and hurried after Toadfeather to the nursery. She heard a wail from inside, and fear gripped her. Had something bad happened to Willowheart?

Within and instant, Jayflight was ducking inside the nursery after them, obviously worried about his mate. Wolfstrike and Burntstar stood outside the medicine den for a moment, puzzled, and then Burntstar spoke to his deputy and bounded across the clearing to the nursery.

A moment later Jayflight appeared. "Willowheart's having her kits!" he announced, and then hurried out of camp. Stormpaw wondered where he was going until he returned a moment later with a piece of bark. She watched as he headed back into the nursery.

"Stormpaw," Wolfstrike had appeared beside her. "Come on. We'd better go do some training. The training hollow will be empty until sunhigh, so we should take advantage of that."

Stormpaw nodded reluctantly and meowed a 'bye' to Flamepaw, who was now washing himself. He twitched his ear to show he'd heard her. Stormpaw followed her mentor out of the camp and to the sandy hollow. The trees were all coated with golden leaves that sent dappled sunlight flying across the forest. The training hollow was empty, and shaded.

"Okay," Wolfstrike turned suddenly to face Stormpaw. "We're going to practice some of the basic moves I taught you and then I'll teach you a knew one when Silverheart and Honeypaw arrive."

Stormpaw flicked her tail happily. Wolfstrike crouched.

"Try and land on my back," she ordered. "Don't let me unbalance you."

Stormpaw nodded, then pinned her eyes onto Wolfstrike's shoulders. That would be where she'd land. Certain, Stormpaw sprang. In an instant, Wolfstrike darted away, causing Stormpaw to crash onto the ground where her mentor had once been. She sat up and snorted out a mouthful of dust.

"I told you this before!" Wolfstrike muttered impatiently. "Your eyes betrayed where you were aiming. Try again."

~~~

Hey everyone, so I'm probably never going to finish this because it's not that well written and I don't have the motivation to do it anymore (hence the reason I haven't updated in years lol). But I wrote this chapter ages ago and I'm not going to finish it so y'all can read the start of it :P

Anyways I hope you liked the story. I'm just going to mark it as completed because I'm not writing it anymore (I'll put that in the description)

- Amber