Warriors: Skytail's Reckoning (COMPLETED)

Chapter 8

"Woolpaw! Fawnpaw! Woolpaw! Fawnpaw!" Cheered the cats as the newly named apprentices stood in the center of the clearing, their eyes bright and tails high above their backs.

In the moon since Bluetail's death, the Clan struggled to cope as Rippleblaze joined StarClan soon after her vigil. Skypaw felt bad for Silversong, who had just discovered she was expecting his kits and had to raise their second litter without him.

Ryeflight, RiverClan's medicine cat, had diagnosed the illness as yellowcough. It was worse than greencough but not as bad as redcough. The cure, as it turned out, was a plant called lungwort.

Since the discovery, Rabbitspring and Breezeblaze had made a full recovery and were both back on light duties. Skypaw was grateful that Breezeblaze hadn't died. For Bluepaw, she'd been freaking out non-stop when Softear left the territory and talked to Ryeflight.

Woolpaw and Fawnpaw's new mentors were Wolfleaf and Hawkpool. Inwardly, Skypaw figured that the reason the tunnelers were getting more apprentices was to even out the ratio of moor runners and tunnelers.

"Meeting dismissed." Redstar mewed and got down from the Fallen Tree and headed toward Morningshine, who was sitting outside of the nursery.

"More cats in the apprentice den," groaned Fernpaw as he looked at Woolpaw and Fawnpaw. "Just what we needed."

Skypaw nudged him playfully. "Don't be too enthusiastic," she teased. "You and Slatepaw take up over half of the den too. Woolpaw and Fawnpaw probably snore as loud as you do anyway."

"Skypaw!" Fernpaw twitched his whiskers in amusement at her before rising to his paws. "You'd better go see what Logstorm wants before he claws your pelt off." He whisked his tail under her chin and padded away to join Slatepaw and Greenpaw by the prey-heap.

Since Sloestrike had the illness the worst, he hadn't fully recovered and he had a constant wheeze and cough. He'd retired to the elder's den, and Logstorm replaced him as deputy. He was a good choice, but Redstar seemed uneasy about the replacement of the deputy.

Skypaw padded to the new deputy and flicked her tail. "You called me?" She prompted.

Logstorm nodded, angling his ears to where Redstar waited outside his den. "Redstar wants to talk to you," he mewed. "He said it was urgent and important. Best to not keep him waiting."

Skypaw nodded respectfully and she headed for the leader. As she padded up, she saw a shadow of worry and doubt on Redstar's face. "You wanted to talk to me?" She asked.

Redstar nodded and twitched his ears to his den. "Come." He commanded and padded inside, Skypaw on his heels. Once they were inside, Redstar faced her. "Are you happy in WindClan?" He asked, his voice troubled.

Skypaw flattened her ears. "Of course I am!" She meowed fervently. "I love being in a Clan!"

Her leader nodded slowly and she paused. "Are you still close with your family?" He meowed, his voice a low murmur.

Skypaw blinked in alarm at the leader and she thought back to Cherry's attack as she drove her away. She shook her head and peered up at the tom. "No." She meowed firmly.

Redstar's shoulders tensed and his yellow eyes burned into hers. "Are you sure?" He pressed and Skypaw stiffened. "Have you been seeing your family when no cat is around?"

Anger pulsed through her as she realized the tom wasn't convinced. "Of course I'm not!" She snapped harshly. "I don't know why you're suddenly questioning my loyalty to WindClan, but I would never go back to my old life in that barn!"