Chapter 2:
It had been four moons since Duskpelt was banished from Pineclan and, ever since that, Stormpaw had found life to be quite boring. She was only a moon off from her warrior's assessment and Ace was supposed to be having his own today.
Ever since Duskpelt was banished, life in the clans had become routine. It was get up, do a patrol or go out hunting. Some days she would train with Shadowpaw and Ace, other days she would train with just Lionpelt by herself. When she wasn't doing any of that, she was training with Ace to control her powers which, she was glad to say, were perfectly controlled now.
Shadowpaw had also helped her train with her eye injury as she was now permanently blind in her left eye. It had been annoying at first but eventually, she'd gotten used to it.
Stormpaw hated Duskpelt for giving her the injury, how could he half blind his own kit? The thought of the ex-Pineclan deputy made her shudder, he was her and Shadowpaw's father and she hated that. But, after betraying Violetstar, he had been banished along with any of his loyal followers. But the grey apprentice had remained cautious, constantly checking for signs that any of the rogues had returned to the territory. She wouldn't put it past Duskpelt.
"Hey!" A voice made her jump.
Stormpaw looked up, shaking herself a little.
"Nice to have you back, Stormpaw," the new cat snorted, "I've been trying to get to you for ages."
She shoved past him, "yeah, yeah. I thought you had your assessment, Ace. Better not be wasting time with little old me."
Her eyes narrowed on a large, black bird in a tree, that would be good prey in the middle of leaf bare.
Ace sighed exasperated, "I'm not wasting time, you missed the ceremony."
She shot up from her crouched position noisily, scaring the bird.
"I missed it?" She huffed before turning away, "whoops."
"What are you even doing out here?" He padded alongside her, "it doesn't look like much hunting is being done."
"I have!" She argued, "my prey is buried somewhere else and it's not my fault I missed the ceremony, Lionpelt has me hunting all day!"
"Well you didn't look like you were doing much to me," he remarked, "you were just standing there."
"I was thinking."
"About what?"
"About how much I would like to claw your fur off if you don't clear off!"
Ace flicked an ear and his whiskers twitched in amusement. "I was only dropping by to say hello," he said, "but also to tell you that Lionpelt wants you back."
"You could've said that in the first place!" She let out a huff of annoyance before padding in the opposite direction, "whilst you're here, you might as well help me carry my prey."
Ace swept his tail against the floor in acknowledgement and let Stormpaw lead him towards where she had buried her prey. Once all of it had been uncovered, they picked it up in their jaws and padded towards the sky oak where Lionpelt was waiting.
"Ace?" The golden warrior questioned, "haven't you got your assessment today?"
"I've done it already," he stretched, flexing his claws, "you just missed my ceremony."
Stormpaw's mentor stood there for a moment before dipping his head, "well I'm sorry that I did. Nice work, Stormpaw, we should be heading back to camp."
Lionpelt took the lead, allowing both Ace and Stormpaw to drop behind.
"You have your vigil tonight," she muttered to him "you'll miss the gathering."
"It's fine," he shrugged, "I went to the last one."
"It'll be a cold one," she glanced around her, "I'm surprised it hasn't snowed yet."
"It will," he said grumpily, "I wish it wouldn't, though."
She nodded in agreement but didn't say anything else as the group headed back to the camp.
Stormpaw had met Ace by the lake on her first day out as an apprentice, that was also when she'd discovered she was Cursed. At first, she'd been horrified but she had slowly gotten used to it and had learnt how to fully control her powers, thanks to Ace.
They pushed their way through the bramble entrance, emerging in the middle of Lightningclan camp. The moment she appeared, three kits came bounding up to her.
"Did you catch all that yourself?" Questioned Sandkit, standing on the tips of her paws to peer at the prey.
"Of course she did!" Scoffed Birdkit, "she's the best hunter in the whole forest."
Birdkit was much younger than Sandkit, only being born around three moons ago. She and her brother, Applekit, were Blueheart and Stonepelt's kits and had the energy to match that of Brownkit's and Sandkit's combined.
However, neither of them could hold anything against Brightkit.
"Stormpaw isn't the best hunter in all the forest!" Exclaimed the black and white kit, "I am!"
"Don't be silly!" Argued Birdkit, "you've never been hunting before!"
"That's what you think!" She shoved her nose in the air, "I caught something once."
'Yes,' thought Stormpaw as she dropped her fresh kill on the pile, 'when you snuck out of camp and ended up in Heatherclan territory.'
Brightkit had a personality and determination that definitely rivalled that of Stormpaw and her brother when they'd been kits.
The silver-grey apprentice looked round camp. Lionpelt had padded to the the warrior's den to join Reddust and Greynose who were discussing something with one another. On top of the high ledge, both Ivyheart and Brackenstar were also deep in conversation about something that Stormpaw couldn't hear. From the brambles emerged Flamefern, Breezecloud and Patchfur, all laughing together. The three littermates had only been made warriors a couple of moons after the battle with Pineclan.
So, with Ace and the siblings now sleeping in the warrior's den, only left Shadowpaw and herself in the apprentice's den and Brightkit and her littermates were still an entire moon away from being apprenticed.
"Hey," her brother greeted as she sat next to him outside the apprentice's den.
"Hi," she responded lazily, "how's your day been?"
Shadowpaw shrugged, "well, I've had to listen to Gingerpool all day so not great."
Stormpaw let out a purr of amusement, he had always hated his mentor.
"Do you know whose going to the gathering?" She asked.
He shook his head, "no but it looks like Brackenstar's about to say."
Just like Shadowpaw had said, the golden brown leader had climbed to the top of the high ledge, ready to make an announcement.
As he made the call, the siblings got up and padded beneath the ledge, Stormpaw plonking down beside Ace who acknowledged her presence with a short flick of the ear.
"Tonight, I will be taking Lionpelt, Gingerpool, Breezecloud, Patchfur, Spottedclaw, Burntpelt, Shadowpaw and Stormpaw to the gathering. Ace will keep guard whilst on his vigil and I'll leave Reddust in charge of the camp."
Stormpaw, whilst happy that she was picked, noticed that quite a few cats were staying behind, was Brackenstar still worried about the threat of rogues.
"Come on," muttered Shadowpaw, "let's get some sleep before we go."
Stormpaw nodded in agreement and followed her brother inside. The den felt a larger and emptier without Ace inside, but she wasn't about to say anything.
She settled down in her nest that was beside Ace's old one, and fell asleep quicker than she expected.
Stormpaw was woken up by the sound of shuffling paws outside the den. It was dark out, so she quickly woke up her brother with a swift kick to his side. He groaned loudly at the violent awakening.
"What was that for?" He asked sleepily.
"We have to go," she got up, tipping her head towards the clearing, "hurry up."
Shadowpaw pushed himself upwards, quickly smoothing down his brown, tabby pelt with a couple swift licks and followed Stormpaw outside. The rest of the cats were gathered at the entrance, a couple finishing off some fresh kill. Patchfur beckoned her over and let her have the rest of his pidgeon. She grunted tiredly in thanks and quickly finished it all up.
Once everyone was ready, Brackenstar nodded to himself and beckoned everyone to leave with his tail. Stormpaw gave a quick smile to an annoyed looking Ace who was guarding the entrance.
Stormpaw padded beside Shadowpaw with heavy legs as they made their way across Lightningclan territory and into Heatherclan territory, intent on getting to the island.
When they finally arrived, both Rainclan and Pineclan were already there. Stormpaw readied herself to find the small group of apprentices she usually sat with to only be interrupted by a small, black shape jumping in front of her.
It was a small, lithe she-cat with ginger markings over her body and burning amber eyes.
"Starlingkit?" Questioned the silver apprentice.
"It's Starlingpaw, now," the younger cat pointed out, "I was made an apprentice."
"Really? When."
"Around half a moon a go," she nonchalantly licked a paw, "I'm already a better hunter than Stingpaw."
"Right," Stormpaw nodded, "how's the clan?"
"It's okay, though, our old deputy, Juniperfur, died."
"Who's deputy now?" Shadowpaw joined in the conversation.
Starlingpaw seemed to barely be able to keep in her excitement, "My mom!"
"Scarletclaw's deputy?" Shadowpaw seemed to nod in approval.
"That's great," Stormpaw suddenly lowered her voice, "and no sign of Duskpelt anywhere?"
"None at all, mouse-brained tom fled with his tail between his legs."
"Yeah?" The grey apprentice registered Heatherclan's arrival, "I hope that I never see his ugly muzzle ever again."
"Same here," her brother let out a large yawn,
"How's Brightkit?" Starlingpaw asked keenly, "and Sandkit?"
"Only a moon off being made apprentices," she said, "and they're about as hyper as ever."
"I'm exhausted just watching them," Shadowpaw put in.
"What about Ace?"
"He's a warrior now," Stormpaw told the younger apprentice, noting how Shadowpaw didn't hide his contempt for the ex-rogue.
"I think they're starting." He said, looking up at the trees.
Stormpaw's yellow gaze flickered upwards to the branches where the leaders usually sat, all were on their paws, looking over their clans as they waited for them to fall silent.
When they finally did, Aspenstar was the first to speak.
"All is well in Heatherclan," the brown and white tom announced, "prey is plentiful even in though it's leafbare and we have two new apprentices, Doepaw and Stagpaw!"
"Doepaw! Stagpaw!" The clans chanted loudly.
Once they had stopped, Aspenstar nodded to an old, frosty white tom.
"The prey in Rainclan is also running just as well," Snowstar told them, "we also have been blessed with new kits in the nursery. However, we have scented a couple of rogues on our territory moving towards Pineclan."
Stormpaw watched as Violetstar's eyes narrowed in suspicion but she nodded.
"Thank you for the warning, Snowstar," the black and white she-cat dipped her head, "prey is also running well in Pineclan. However, our old deputy, Juniperfur, has died of wounds from a fight with a badger, our clan mourns her."
Stormpaw noticed a few of the cats from other clans dip their heads, she reckoned that Juniperfur must've been popular.
"However, we now have a new deputy, Scarletclaw!"
"Scarletclaw! Scarletclaw!"
The clans chanted at an overwhelmingly loud volume.
"And we also have a new apprentice, Starlingpaw!"
Stormpaw made the effort to chant her Pineclan friend's name extra loud. She noticed Starlingpaw attempting to act casual, but she could see the hint of excitement in her eyes and the way her chest puffed out in pride.
Violetstar nodded to Brackenstar, who got to his paws.
"Prey is also plentiful in Lightningclan and we have also made a new warrior who cannot be here tonight as he is holding his vigil."
There were a couple of mews of pity at the idea of holding a vigil on such a bitingly cold night and Stormpaw couldn't help but giggle at the thought of Ace shivering outside in the freezing temperatures as the rest of the clan slept peacefully.
"Also, Featherpool will be moving to the nursery with the promise of new kits!"
'Really?' The silver-grey apprentice wondered. 'I didn't know that…'
And, just like that, the gathering was over. All the clans split up, saying their final farewells to one another as one by one, they headed back over the tree bridge.
Stormpaw frowned, was this life now? Everything was so boring and repetitive.
She just wanted something to happen.
A/N: Woohoo! The chapter is over! Lil' bit of filler basically but, next chapter, I can assure you that it will be 'going down.'
Anyway, I've been thinking of writing a couple of 'spin-offs' for this series after I finish book 2 or 3. It's kind of like how Warrior's has its super editions. I have a couple of ideas for what I could do so just make some suggestions, I might get round to writing them all eventually, IDK.
I could either write:
Ivyheart's Regret
or
Violetstar's Path
or
Amber's Burden
or
Duskpelt's Power
