Two chapters in two days!!

Enjoy!!

Chapter Two

At least the medicine cat, Sorrelwing, had treated her wounds. The tortoishell said StarClan would be angry with her if she didn't heal Stormpaw. Sorrelwing despised her-just like everyone else in ThunderClan, she thought-but hadn't put anything in the herb poultice that would harm the apprentice.

She murmured thanks, Sorrelwing grunted, and left the den. It was past sunhigh now and the camp was nearly empty. The warm green-leaf sun warmed her fur. Stormpaw noticed Stickpaw lounging outside the apprentices' den, sharing a squirrel with his sister, Breezepaw. The black she-cat was no better than her brother. Every chance she got, she mockedStormpaw about everything. Her pelt, how she sleeps, hunts, fights. . . and what hurt the most was when she teased her about her eyes.

"Maybe if your eyes were normal, your family would still be alive. My father might still be alive. Don't you get it? Your a curse."

Stormpaw shook her head and ignored the angry look the two shot at her as she walked past them. She still hadn't eaten today, so she decided she'd go hunting to take her mind off things.

She pushed her way through the brambles that made up the camp entrance. Usually, apprentices never left camp without their mentors. Well, I don't have a mentor, so what's the point, she thought angrily. She speadup her pace until she was running, branches and leaves scraping her fur. This was the only joy she got in this life, feeling the warm wind in her fur and soft sunshine through the trees.

There was a yowl ahead, and she stopped, paws digging into the dirt. Looking up, she spotted a ginger-tabby tom with bright yellow eyes. She glanced around and realized she was at the border with ShadowClan. Ialmost crossed the border.

The tom'seyes were filled with amusement. "You should be a WindClan cat at that speed!" He laughed.

"Perhaps I should." Stormpaw snapped. It came out more forcefully than she intended to. Though she wasn't serious, she would be anywhere else but ThunderClan.

The tom's eyes were still amused. "I should be RiverClan, since I like the rain."

Her ears pricked at his tone. It wasn't full of resentment or disgust; this cat was being... friendly.

That's new. She was weary. What did he want?

"Who are you?" Stormpaw asked.

"I'm Shrewclaw." He smiled, "What's your name?"

Her suspicion grew. "What's it to you?"

His smile grew wider. "I told you mine. It's only fair that you tell me yours. Plus, it's impolite. "

She flattened her ears. Is he lecturing me?

"Stormpaw. My name is Stormpaw. "

"That's a pretty name."

Now he's flirting! This tom is weird.

"Can I ask you something?" Shrewclaw sat down with his tail over his paws.

"Go ahead."

"Where's your mentor? Apprentices aren't out by themselves away from camp."

"Er..." She didn't want to tell him, because she knew if she did she would break down in tears. "He's back at camp. I thought I would hunt. "

"And the wounds?" He glanced at the cobwebs on her pelt.

"Battle training. Can I ask you something now? "

"Why?"

"Because I answered yours and it's only fair." She smirked, repeating what he said. This is the first real conversation I've had in a while.

Shrewclaw laughed. "Ask away."

"Okay, why are you so interested in me? What do you want?" Cats didn't talk to her unless they wanted something. Like when the other apprentices had tried to be nice to her-before Owlsight died-and just ended up telling her to clean their nests. She didn't know what Shrewclaw wanted, but she certainly wasn't going to give it to him.

"Good question. To be honest, I just wanted to start a conversation. And," he gave her a look, "make sure you didn't cross the border."

"I wasn't-"

"I know. Also, you remind me of my sister." He added.

Stormpaw tipped her head to the side. "How?"

"Your eyes."

Her mouth dropped. What?

"And howyou reacted to my joke. My sister's suspicious of strangers too. " He paused, "What's with the face?"

"Um... nothing, sorry. I should go. My mentor will wonder where I've gone."

His face fell, only for a moment, before it brightened again. "Okay! Maybe I'll see you at the Gathering. "

I doubt that, Stormpaw wasn't allowed to go to the Gathering. She wasn't trusted enough. She waved her tail in farewell, needing to focus on the hunt. Walking away, Stormpaw couldn't help but feel happy. He talked to me like... there wasn't anything wrong with me.

She found a thrush picking its way through the undergrowth. She approached the bird slowly, dropping into a crouch. Leaping, she held a paw on it before it could fly away and gave it the killing bite. It went limp in a heartbeat.

Thank you, StarClan, for this prey. Seeing there was no point in taking it back to camp, she quickly ate it.

Aside from Stickpaw attacking me and Snowstar punishing me, today wasn't so bad. Purring, she buried the bones of her prey and lay down, closing her eyes. She dozed in the soft sunshine, unconsciously smiling in the process.

Oooooh has Stormpaw made a friend?????

:D