Authors note: Happy Holidays to everyone! Hope you all had a peaceful December. Thank you Rainstorm, Leoparddrop and Ashwhisker luvr for reviewing! There's a lemon in this chapter, so if you don't want to read it I'll tell you when it starts and you can skip that part.
Chapter Ten: Bonding
"This is what clan life is?" Sassy scoffed, looking around the busy camp.
"What do you mean?" Skystorm mewed, settling down next to her.
She waved her tail around in the air, motioning towards the cats walking around. "All those two old cats do all day is sit and eat. They yell at that Oak she-cat and her brother who doesn't say anything. Your leader stays in her den and the deputy bosses cats around."
Skystorm frowned. "When you put it that way it's bland, yes."
"Then why should I stay? I would be better off with Felix again."
Skystorm jumped up. "No."
Sassy recoiled back by the instant hostility. "Why?"
"Because-" Skystorm sighed, his shoulders slumping. This was mothers work, not his. But Sassy's mother wasn't there for her when she was a kit. "You need to look at the clan as a family. Those two cats are our elders, Greymist and Crowbeak, are the last bond with our ancestors. They keep the history of Riverclan in our minds and us proud of our past. Those apprentices are your brother and sister. They're names are Oakpaw and Beechpaw, and if you had fleas in your fur you would yell at them too. Beechpaw doesn't talk much because he's been hurt many times but will learn to trust you if you try. Our leader is Redstar; she is the base of this clan and keeps us together in our hardest times. Our deputy, Bramblethorn, makes sure the clan has food and shelter and that our borders are secure and we are safe from attackers. "
Silence.
"As you learn the warrior code, it will become a part of you, and this won't be boring, but a home where new things are always happening. New kits, new warriors, deaths, recuses. You've been here two days and have sulked. Give it time."
Sassy still looked at him. "You don't understand." Frustrated and his fur bristling, Skystorm walked away. It would not be a good idea to start ranting about loyalty and how your clan is always there. He thought back to Mystic Moon. It sent shivers down his spine.
That was not a clan; it was a lump of battle-hungry cats. He remember back when him and Smokepaw had joined. How many meals had they fought for? Making their way to a position of respect where they weren't eye-balled and sent to the cold edges of the clearing. Skystorm thought back to when Smokepaw had saved his life in Mystic Moon. A shiver passed through his fur.
She's gone now and with Shadowclan. Sitting at the edges of camp, Skystorm lied down in a pile of soft moss, closing his eyes and sleeping.
By the time he had woken up, he felt fur brush his and he looked up, seeing the white pelt of Sassy right next to him. Skystorm almost purred of seeing her there. He had almost thought he had scared the white she-cat away.
Sassy opened her eyes, glancing towards Skystorm. "I thought about what you had said…" she started.
"Good." Skystorm nudged the she-cat up.
She flicked her tail towards the nursery. "I want to meet my family."
Skystorm paused, and then nodded. They made their way across camp and came up to the thick brambles that protected the nursery. Steams were woven between the branches, closing any air holes that would come during the time of Leaf-bare.
"Nighteyes?" Skystorm mewed, peering into the nursery to see Oakpaw and Beechpaw in the den. "Am I interrupting something?"
Nighteyes looked up. "Skystorm!" she gasped. "No, Oakpaw and Beechpaw were just meeting the kits."
"I'm going to train them to fight like tigers!" Oakpaw yowled.
"I will be the best!" Cougarkit yowled, jumping forward on Sootkit's small tawny tail. Sootkit wailed, whacking her brother on the nose. Cougarkit cried out in pain, running behind Nighteyes' tail. "Mom!" he yowled.
"Stop, both of you." Nighteyes scolded.
Skystorm purred, and then turned to Sassy.
"Why is she here?" Oakpaw hissed.
"I came to meet my family." Sassy mewed; meeting Oakpaw's glaring eyes with her own.
Nighteyes like out a small mew of surprise. "Of course." Standing up she went over to Sassy, and licked her ears. Sassy frowned, but leaned into her kin's touch. "Oakpaw, Beechpaw, this is Sassy. She's your littermate and part of our kin."
"We know that." Oakpaw scoffed.
Cougarkit looked up at Oakpaw, scoffing like she did.
"She is your kin! If she had stayed in the clan then you would be as loyal to her as you are Beechpaw." Nighteyes yowled.
Oakpaw looked over to her brother. Beechpaw looked towards Oakpaw and then to Sassy, his eyes wary.
Please let them accept her. Skystorm thought. Beechpaw shrugged, and went over to stand by Sassy. "Hello." His mew was quiet, but made Sassy's eyes brighten.
Oakpaw sighed, her paws shuffled. "I guess you're right." She looked up and purred. "Welcome to Riverclan, Sassy."
Skystorm sighed, letting out a large breath he didn't know he had been holding. Nighteye's three kits all yowled in unison and tumbled between Sassy's legs, tumbling her over. Oakpaw joined in, screeching as she jumped onto Beechpaw. Beechpaw wailed and batted at his sister to get her off.
Nighteyes purred. "Take this outside the nursery!"
"C'mon Sassy, if you're going to be a warrior, then I have a new move to show you!" Oakpaw mewed, and the two she-cats raced off. Beechpaw followed behind to watch.
"Thank you, Skystorm." Nighteye's purred, rubbing her cheek against his.
"It had to be done." He mewed, and slipped away from the chaos of play-fighting. Making his way over to the fresh-kill pile, Skystorm paused to let the sun sink into his fur. Purring, he clawed contently at the grass under his paws and grabbed a small fish, going to the small stone by the warriors den, feeling the heat radiate off it is hard surface. Heaving himself to the top Skystorm ate his prey, feeling it settle in his belly.
His thought traveled back to Smokepaw, and her soft white fur, the brown stripe running down her back and to her tail. How he loved the feeling when their tails had curled together, the warm of her shoulder against his back when they had stayed at Mystic Moon. Her soft voice when she wasn't acting tough. Skystorm decided tonight he would go by the Shadowclan border to look for her. His paws longed to run over there now, but at night he could sneak away easier.
"Skystorm?"
"Yes, Redstar?" He mewed, standing up to meet his leader, dipping his head in respect.
Redstar sat down, looking over to where Sassy and her kin were fighting as she did so. "You think Sassy could be a valuable warrior?" she asked. "Look at her; she has the skills of a warrior."
Skystorm followed Redstar's gaze. Sassy leapt on Oakpaw, who squealed and twisted on his back, kicking at Sassy's stomach. Sassy jumped off quickly, waiting for Oakpaw to get up before pouncing, swiping the she-cat's feet out from under her. Oakpaw fell and Sassy made her move, holding Oakpaw down.
"That is true." Skystorm looked around, seeing Snakefang sitting by the fresh-kill pile, a water vole tucked by his side. "Snakefang!"
When the warrior walked over, Redstar stepped forward. "We were discussing about Sassy, and wanted your opinion on her joining Riverclan, seeing how she is a Riverclan cat to start with.
Snakefang looked to where his kits were fighting. He narrowed his eyes at Sassy. "She is not my daughter, do whatever you want with her." He hissed, lashing his tail before walking briskly across camp and out of the entrance.
Redstar sighed. "Sometimes I wish Krestrelstar was still here to help. Let me think about what to do with Sassy. But for now, just start with apprentice duties. If she is going to stay here she will help the clan."
Skystorm nodded as his leader padded away, slinking quietly into her den.
-x-
The day slipped slowly into night, and Skystorm had sent Sassy with Bluepaw to learn how to clean out the elder's den and with Beechpaw to fetch wet moss for Nighteye's and Dirtspot. She seemed to be getting along well with the cats, though Snakefang didn't go near her, and even Littlestep and Mouseclaw were wary of her being in Riverclan.
Skystorm padded into the warriors den, taking his spot by Bramblethorn and Sparrowtail.
"I feel like my paws might fall off. I did two border patrols today and went hunting with Rabbitfoot." Sparrowtail laughed, rubbing her cheek against Stormstirke. He purred and swatted her ear lightly.
Skystorm laughed, watching cats enter the warriors den one-by-one and curl up, their breathing becoming slower. He waited until he was sure that the cats were asleep, before quietly leaving the den. He murmured some excuse about not sleeping to Snakefang, who was guarding the entrance.
Once out in the fresh air, Skystorm felt himself relax. He hoped Smokepaw was up, let along by this part of the forest. Making his way across the river he trotted to the edge of Riverclan territory, glancing over to Shadowclan territory, hoping to get a glimpse of sandy-white fur.
"What are you doing on Shadowclan territory?" a voice hissed behind him.
Skystorm jumped around, and looked down, seeing he had traveled on Shadowclan territory. Looking up he saw who had spoken. "Smokepaw." He purred.
The she-cat laughed, and pushed Skystorm back off of the border line. "You should know it's no longer Smokepaw." She growled. "Smokeclaw."
Skystorm laughed. "It fits such a hard-headed she-cat like you."
Smokeclaw sat down. "What you doing by Shadowclan territory so late?"
"Would you believe me if I said I couldn't sleep?" Skystorm asked. Smokeclaw shook her head and clawed aimlessly at the ground, the grass and dirt ripping up in her paws. "Why are you up?"
Smokeclaw licked her paws. "Shadowclan cats prefer the night. Or did your elders not tell you that?"
Skystorm shrugged. "My elders said Shadowclan cats are ruthless, with red eyes and blood-stained paws, who gnaw on bones and battle for crow-food."
Smokeclaw purred. "If I'm ruthless then I'll have to chase you away from our border!" She pounced, both of them rolling into the long Riverclan grass. Skystorm growled playfully, nipping Smokeclaw's ear.
When they both stopped at the end of a slope, Skystorm sighed. He closed his eyes, burying his nose into the softness of Smokeclaw's neck as she lay on top of him, breathing in her pine scent.
"Why did you really come here?" Smokeclaw asked.
Skystorm looked at her, licking her cheek. "For you." He mewed.
Smokeclaw nodded, as if unsure on what to say. "I'm on your territory now." She glanced at him playfully. "What you going to do about it?"
Skystorm patted at her ears and grabbed her scruff in his jaws, growling. Smokeclaw laughed and purred as she started to lick his maw. Skystorm relaxed, curling his tail with hers.
-Lemon starts here go to the next section if you want to skip it.-
Skystorm let his tail untwine from Smokeclaw's, trailing it across her belly and down her sides, brushing around her hind legs. He felt Smokeclaw shiver and his stomach twisted with unease. Brushing his tail lightly across her core, Smokeclaw gasped, and closed her eyes.
Gaining confidence, Skystorm brushed by it again, and Smokeclaw sighed, he felt her body relax above his. Getting up from under her, Skystorm made his way to her center, feeling the heat coming off it. Unsurely, he licked the softness, purring when he heard Smokeclaw hiss softly. He licked it again, smelling the sweetness that gathered and felt his body becoming excited at the thought of this happening. Smokeclaw was shifting under him, panting.
Pressing his cold nose against her heat made her cry out. He knew she was feeling was excited as he, and that he was just teasing her. His length was slipping out of its case, the cold night air surrounding it. Skystorm wanted to jump on Smokeclaw now, his body was yelling at him to do it.
Following instincts, Skystorm jumped up on Smokeclaw, slipping inside of her, his spines tearing at her walls. Smokeclaw yowled and jumped away, hissing in pain.
Skystorm stopped. "I'm sorry."
Smokeclaw shook her head. "No I was….scared. But-" she crouched down, her core reaching the air in front of him. "-go."
Skystorm jumped back on her, slipping inside slowly, feeling her walls push against him. "Are you sure?" he asked.
Smokeclaw paused. "Yes." She mewed breathlessly. Skystorm didn't wait any longer; slowly moving his hips and feeling his body take over as he moved back and forth. He grabbed her scruff to hold himself up, moving faster. He grunted, the pleasure in him rising. He heard Smokeclaw call out, but wasn't sure. Pumping fast he felt himself go over the edge, his seed filling her insides and pushing him out of her.
"Smokeclaw…" Skystorm trailed off, unsure of what to say. Smokeclaw turned around and looked at him. Her fur was fluffed up where he had been. She walked over, and rubbed her face against him, purring.
"Smokeclaw." He mewed again, twining their tails together.
-x-
Walking back to camp, Skystorm thought back again to him and Smokeclaw mating. The feelings he had for her were great, and he wanted to rush back and lie against her fur again, but he knew that it wouldn't happen.
Are we mates now? He thought as he walked back into the camp. He looked up at the sky, seeing the sun had come up for the next day. He was tired, but it was worth it. Would we be able to?
Going through the entrance, Skystorm stopped. Cats were gathered around the center of camp, whispering.
"What happened?" Skystorm mewed, rushing over to where his sister sat, her tail curled around her belly.
"It's Bramblethorn. He went out this morning to hunt, and was attacked." She gasped her voice shaky. "The dawn patrol found him."
"Move!" Spottedcloud yowled, Darkpaw following him, herbs in his mouth. He crouched down beside the hurt deputy, chewing up a pulp and pressing it against the tom's gushing wounds. There was a large scratch on his shoulder, and blood was trickling from his throat.
Darkpaw pressed cobwebs against the wounds. Rabbitfoot ran to her mate, crying out in sorrow.
Authors note: Way longer than expected, but there you go! Also, the new Warriors book; Omen of the Stars: Night Whispers came out sometime last month and I got it. It was well written, especially with a new point of view form Flametail, and Shadowclan medicine cat. It gave the books a new twist. If anyone else has read it, I would enjoy your feedback! (: