Lies, Secrets, and the Storm | Book One of the LSatS Trilogy

Chapter Four

Stormpaw awoke, lifting her head in confusion. When she had fallen asleep, she had been in the apprentices' den with Coalpaw. Now, she was soaked as rain pelted her body. She was in an unfamiliar forest terrain.

Movement caught her eye and she quickly turned her head to see a brown tabby cat fly past her and into the bushes. Stormpaw hauled herself to her paws, quickly darting after the mysterious cat.

Who is that cat? She wondered as she continued on. A voice flooded into Stormpaw's head, as if some cat were whispering into her ear.

"With one more leap, I'll be there. My mission cannot wait any longer. After tonight, my quest very well may be completed."

Who said that? Stormpaw asked herself, her adrenaline beginning to pump. She skidded to a halt as the mysterious cat prepared to leap over a riverbank. Stormpaw's heart skipped a beat as lightning illuminated the sky. The cat's hind paw slipped on a pile of leaves. It's balance was thrown off as it crashed into the river.

"No!" Stormpaw yowled. She jerked forward, panting heavily, as she found herself in the apprentices' den once more. Coalpaw's nest was empty. Morning light filtered into the den. Stormpaw attempted to get her breathing under control. Was it all... just a dream? She asked herself. Who was that cat? I hope they were okay, whoever they were.

"Stormpaw," a voice called into the den, snapping her from her thoughts. She turned her head and saw Foxspots standing in the entry way. "Good. You're awake. Come on out and grab some fresh kill. We have battle training to do."

"O-Okay," Stormpaw stammered. Foxspots flicked his ear, concern flashing in his green eyes.

"Are you alright?" he asked. Stormpaw quickly nodded. 

"Yes, I just had a strange dream, that's all," she replied. Foxspots nodded with understanding.

"Alright. I'll be waiting outside," he meowed, walking away. Stormpaw took a deep breath, getting up and beginning to groom her unkept pelt. Thoughts about the dream began to haunt her. Why in StarClan did I have have that dream? Stormpaw wondered as she groomed. Quickly, she finished and tried to push the dream to the back of her head. She had training to do, and that's what she was going to do.

Stormpaw padded out of the apprentices' den to see two bundles of fur running towards her. Stormpaw recognized them as Hawkkit and Skykit, the kits in Ivyfrost's litter.

"Stormpaw! Stormpaw!" the red tabby, Hawkkit, squealed.

"It's our sixth moon tomorrow!" Skykit meowed happily. Hawkkit whipped around.

"Skykit!" he whined. "I was going to tell her!"

"Well, too bad," she mewed, raising her head up high. Stormpaw felt amusement bubble inside of her at Skykit's sassiness.

"I'm going to get-"

"Hawkkit! Skykit!" an angry voice cut off Hawkkit. Ivyfrost raced forward. "Stop pestering Stormpaw! Oh, I'm sorry, Stormpaw," the queen fretted as she moved her kits aside.

"No, no, it's alright," she meowed. Ivyfrost smiled.

"You're a good cat. I'm glad you could join our Clan!" she purred. "I'll see you again soon."

"I will. Thank you," Stormpaw called after as the queen ushered her kits to the nursery. The thought of having more den mates filled Stormpaw with apprehension as she picked a shrew from the fresh kill pile and sat down. They could either be good company or annoying late-talkers. Stormpaw hoped they weren't late-talkers; she happened to like her sleep.

"Ready?" Foxspots' voice broke through Stormpaw's thoughts as she finished eating her shrew. She nodded, quickly burying the bones that the shrew had left. She got up and followed Foxspots out of camp. They padded through the thorn barrier and walked forward before veering off path and pushing through some ferns. Inside was a sandy, hollowed clearing.

"This is the training hollow," Foxspots announced as he half walked half slid down the side of the hollow. Stormpaw followed, flicking her paw in discomfort as sand lodged itself in between her claws and toes. "You'll get used to it," Foxspots smiled to her. "Now, attack me."

"What?" Stormpaw meowed in surprise.

"Keep your claws sheathed and attack me," Foxspots meowed. Stormpaw swallowed hard, getting into a fighting stance. She focused on Foxspots' right side before darting towards it, her paw angled to strike. Foxspots sidestepped quickly to the left and hooked his paw under her hind paws, swiping them out under her. Stormpaw gasped as she tumbled through the sand.

"Try again," he ordered. "This time, don't give away where you're attacking. I could tell by your eyes."

Stormpaw puffed, getting to her paws. She got back into a fighting stance, narrowing her eyes in focus. She she was focusing on a spot, Foxspots suddenly dissapeared from her view. Immediately after, weight was thrown into her back, causing her legs to collapse underneath her and resulted her on her belly. Stormpaw quickly looked up to see Foxspots sitting on her.

"Too slow," he commented, not moving as he spoke. "In a real battle, the opponent won't give you time to react."

"Okay," Stormpaw groaned. "Can you get off of me now?"

"Nope," he chuckled. "You'll have to get me off yourself."

Stormpaw hissed in irritation. She turned her head and grabbed a hold of his tail.

"Gef off orf yourf failf fetf if," Stormpaw threatened, not with anger but more of a dare. Her voice was hardly audible from between all of his fur.

Foxspots looked down at her, challenge bright in his eyes. Stormpaw narrowed her eyes and chomped. A screech erupted from Foxspots and the weight disappeared. Stormpaw began to stand when the ferns rustled and two warriors burst through. Stormpaw knew the first cat, a large black tom, to be Blackstrike. The cat beside him was Ivyfrost. The look on the queen's face was pure worry.

"Foxspots, are you alright?" Blackstrike asked, his green orbs wide with shock. Ivyfrost rushed forward, nuzzling him.

"Yes I'm fine," he chuckled. "Just harassing my apprentice, that's all. First apprentice in moons who actually fought back, and it took me off guard."

"Great StarClan," Ivyfrost rolled her eyes, batting him playfully with a paw. "Foxspots, why you do that is beyond me."

"Okay, well, let's get back onto our border patrol," Blackstrike meowed. Stormpaw could tell that the black tom was relieved. "We'll see you back at camp, alright you two?"

Stormpaw's pelt prickled in surprise at the fact she was acknowledged by the senior warrior.

"O-Okay," she meowed back.

"Alright, shall we try again?" Foxspots asked as the two cats padded off. Stormpaw nodded, ready to go. She wouldn't let Foxspots get the upper paw on her this time!