~~ Hi! I hope you're enjoying the story so far. I've worked really hard on each chapter, so I hope you all really enjoy. Anyhow, please give me your critiques and rate/review!! Thanks! ^v^ Well, enjoy Chapter 2!!~~
Chapter 2
Frustrated, Swiftpaw peeled of the chewy skin of the green frog and swallowed the flesh whole. It was delicious, and tasted like fish mixed with a little rabbit. She hated RiverClan cats, let alone that blue-gray apprentice. Swiftpaw had never been beaten in harassing other cats. But that RiverClan apprentice did it. Swiftpaw could not say anything after her words. It was odd. That gray cat had some kind of peculiar tension that made Swiftpaw freeze. You can't expect any cat to stay calm when the apprentice meowed calmly, "Because we are worth respecting, unlike you." How could she stay so calm when she was shooting insults at cats? Whenever Swiftpaw attempted to insult a cat, she would sneer even if she did not intend to. Was that her characteristic? No!
After the delectable fresh-kill, Swiftpaw rubbed her belly with her warm pink tongue. Then she raced off towards the apprentice's den to chat with her friend Starlingpaw. He was a unique small black-and-white tom with gray splotches and bright green eyes. Starlingpaw was easily frightened, the opposite of Swiftpaw! She was always bold and fierce and eager to prove herself, as she was not pure ShadowClan. But in her heart she was. If any cat from another Clan gave her one look, they'd think she was a pure ShadowClan cat! It didn't matter if she did not know who her parents were or if she was Clanborn or not. She held a firm heart in ShadowClan, and that would never change. Swiftpaw could never forget her apprentice naming ceremony. Darkpool was the cat who found Swiftpaw as a kit near the ThunderClan border. Because it was a part of the warrior code to never neglect kits, even kits you do not know of, Darkpool brought Swiftpaw to ShadowClan. At first, Blackstar was edgy about Swiftkit, but when she started to get good at fighting moves and proved that she had somewhat of a ShadowClan blood deep inside her, Blackstar was proud of her.
But in her naming ceremony, he had told Darkpool, "You brought her in, so it is naturally your responsibility to mentor her." The dark gray she-cat had dipped her head. Finally, Swiftpaw found a pair of unblinking green eyes between two bushes of ferns. Playfully, she pounced onto the dark cat she thought was Starlingpaw. Oops! It was Murkheart, Starlingpaw's mother. The black she-cat scolded, "Can't you tell the difference between the scent of Starlingpaw and me?" Swiftpaw shook her head dismissively, and then meowed, "Hmm… yes, I can, since you have a much thicker stench of grouchiness!" Fleetly she sprang away, but bumped into a black, white, and gray apprentice. "Starlingpaw!"
The small apprentice's emerald eyes were shimmering with sorrow. "Don't mess around with my mother, please; she's extra grumpy these days, because Stripefur got ran over by a monster." Nodding sadly, Swiftpaw meowed, "It was horrific… the way he died!" Stripefur was Starlingpaw's father, and Murkheart's beloved mate. The pale gray tom with black stripes was killed by a nasty yellow monster two days ago, and Murkheart was gloomy ever since. What was it like to lose someone precious? Swiftpaw didn't dare imagine. And anyways, no cat was precious to her! Just maybe Starlingpaw or Darkpool.
"But anyways," Starlingpaw began thoughtfully, "You looked grim. Did anything bad happen?" A smile twisted Swiftpaw's gaze. Her best friend always understood her… He always knew when to encourage her and when to scold her. Amber eyes met green, and Swiftpaw mewed, "Oh, a shrewd RiverClan apprentice got me. I was attempting to harass her… but I lost." Amusement flickered in the jade-colored gaze of the black-and-white apprentice. Then he questioned suspiciously, "Are you lying?"
"Why should I lie about this?!" snapped Swiftpaw glumly. "She was so calm; I could not find the right words to match hers!" Furiously she knocked her paws at the muddy earth. Once again, astonishment shimmered in Starlingpaw's eyes. Seriously! Swiftpaw yelled silently. Why is he actually snickering? Why was Starlingpaw not being appreciative? Blinking, Swiftpaw glared at him. "Why are you chuckling, Starlingpaw?" The small apprentice shrugged brightly, and then mewed, "I have no idea why losing in harassing cats sticks so tightly onto your nerves, Swiftpaw."
Puzzled, the ginger apprentice asked, "What do you mean?" Cheerily the black-and-white tom replied, "You know, not being able to harass back isn't as if the sky was falling down or what. Swiftpaw, you don't have to take it so seriously." Fury flamed inside Swiftpaw. She thought he would understand how essential it was to her! To her, her sharp tongue was the strongest connection she had with ShadowClan. The way she talked sounded like ShadowClan… couldn't Starlingpaw just understand? …No… it was impossible, Swiftpaw concluded. Starlingpaw may have lost his father, but he was pure Clanborn. Swiftpaw came… from nowhere. How could Starlingpaw understand? But she let her rage control her.
"You don't understand!" wailed Swiftpaw. She merely barked at him. Then she raced off bleakly with her eyes watery with fear of Starlingpaw hating her, hate for being not Clanborn, desire to prove herself… and ferocity to revenge the blue-gray RiverClan apprentice who had caused all this. Cursing RiverClan silently, she went to sleep.
Swiftpaw had a dream after she barked at Starlingpaw that night. In the night, the moon was bright and round, full and bloated with moonlight. A clear stream flowed on the moon… And then a pale, silvery shape of a cat emerged. Dark blue eyes glittered in the murk ghostly. Then a blue-gray figure appeared, sitting beside Swiftpaw, with light blue eyes glimmering with fear. When the gray cat's shape developed from the shadows, Swiftpaw felt a peculiar tinge of a familiar feeling. Why did that cat seem familiar? She could just recognize the cat……
The RiverClan apprentice.
What's she doing here in my dreams? Swiftpaw thought furiously. A strong slash of a tail struck on Swiftpaw's pelt. Suddenly everything went black, and Swiftpaw could see no more. With horror, she sprang upward, bumping into warm furs of brown and white. Frogpaw sprang up, annoyed. "Let me sleep once in a while, Swiftpaw!" Quickly she retorted, "You're the mouse-brain who slapped me with your fat tail!" Then she sighed. It was so much easier to insult Frogpaw. The white tom with brown paws and green eyes was Starlingpaw's brother. Although Frogpaw was annoying and mean, he was a friend of Swiftpaw's. But right now, Swiftpaw hated Frogpaw. The dream had to mean something… But what was it about when the apprentice appeared?
She had to find out.