She couldn't get those eyes out of her head. So blue. The blue of his river home. And his spotted fur. Gray against white. But his eyes stuck the most. They looked at her from her dreams and-
"Shimmerpaw!" Petalfoot looked annoyed. "How many times have I told you to focus today?"
"Sorry, Petalfoot," she mumbled.
Petalfoot sighed. "Well, if I'm really that boring, let's see how much you learned. You can hunt."
"SQUIRREL!" Sweetpaw's shriek startled Shimmerpaw. She fell over, all hopes of a proper hunting stance gone.
"Sweetpaw! I was hunting!" Now it was Shimmerpaw's turn to be annoyed. She glared at her sister.
"Okay, you know what?" Swiftbrook padded over to the arguing sisters.
"We're not getting anything done here. Sweetpaw just can't sit still and Shimmerpaw isn't paying attention. Let's head back." She looked to Petalfoot for approval. The she-cat nodded. As soon as they got back, Oakstar yowled a greeting from Highrock.
"All cats old enough to hunt, report to Highrock for a Clan meeting!" It wasn't long before the whole Clan was gathered below him.
"Today is a very special day for the future of our Clan!" he announced. "Four kits will become apprentices!" He nodded to Featherkit. "From this day on, you will be known as Featherpaw." Then he turned around. His gaze finally stopped. "Mothflight, you will be mentor to Featherpaw. Teach her your kindness and sympathy." Mothflight stepped forward and touched noses with her apprentice, looking proud.
"Cloverpaw, your mentor will be Shrewflight. Shrewflight, I give you this apprentice in the hope that it will soothe your grief. Teach your experience with her."
"Flamepaw, your mentor will be Stormwhisker. Stormwhisker, teach your courage and skill in battle with your apprentice." Stormwhisker touched noses with his apprentice. A gleam of hunger shone in his eyes.
"Emberpaw, do you wish to train as a medicine cat, in the ways of StarClan?"
"Yes," Emberpaw whispered.
"Then your mentor shall be Moleheart. Moleheart, teach your skills and compassion with Emberpaw so that he may grow up to be a respected medicine cat just as you are!" Oakstar finished.
"Cloverpaw! Emberpaw! Featherpaw! Flamepaw!" The Clan yowled. Cherryflight's eyes shone, and she pressed against Darkflight and twined her tail with his.
"Okay, we're doing battle training," Stormwhisker stated decisively.
"Shimmerpaw, you go with him too," Petalfoot ordered. "I'll join you when I'm done here.
Shimmerpaw followed her father, wondering how the session would go.
"Okay, Flamepaw. Attack Shimmerpaw." Stormwhisker ordered. Flamepaw leapt at Shimmerpaw, but she was ready for him. She darted aside and shoved him into the dirt. He struggled upward and tried to push her away, but she was too strong for him. She pinned his face into the dust.
"Let me up!" he stood aside and let him regain his balance. He shook the dirt from his face. Shimmerpaw felt proud. She looked to her father for approval, only to see his face darken with anger.
"Unsheathe your claws!" he growled.
"But-" Shimmerpaw interjected as Stormwhisker launched into a lecture.
"Do as I say! When you fight ShadowClan, their claws aren't going to be sheathed! You're not in the nursery! Fight like warriors. You know what, I'll show you how to do it. Flamepaw, since you don't know any moves, you watch. I'll fight Shimmerpaw."
Shimmerpaw felt a flash of fear as she circled Stormwhisker. Suddenly, the gray tom attacked. He pinned her down and landed a few stinging blows on her muzzle. Shimmerpaw tasted blood. She pushed harder and clawed Stormwhisker's belly. He stiffened with shock and hooked her paws from underneath her. He attacked her belly, placing his claws at her belly.
"Get off me! Please!" she wailed.
"I don't think begging works on the battlefield," he sneered, sinking his claws into her belly. Shimmerpaw finally found the strength to push him off. She stood up and saw Flamepaw's face light up with horror.
"That's how you do it," Stormwhisker growled. He beckoned to Shimmerpaw.
"I need to talk to you." Dread hollowed itself in her stomach.
"You need to grow up and learn how real warriors fight! No kit of mine would be so weak. In fact, you are NO LONGER MY KIT!" he spat in her face. "I owned up to my mistake. I put up with you and your sister for six moons. But this is OVER! I deserved better. You deserve worse. From this moment, you and your sister are not my kits, and I am not your father!" He slunk away and nodded to Flamepaw to follow him back to camp. She padded after him.
Why me? What did I ever do to deserve this?
I know some of you will probably be surprised, but I can explain. Stormwhisker knew that as one of the Clan's strongest and most skilled warriors, he would be expected to have kits so that he could pass his legacy down. When he was a new warrior, having just received his name, he watched all of the warrior she-cats in the Clan. He chose Blossompaw, because she was so beautiful and had an amazing figure. He knew any kits that she bore would be the same. When Blossompaw became Blossomheart, she had her first litter, Shimmerkit and Sweetkit, and their father was Stormwhisker. When Stormwhisker watched her and her sister throughout their kithood, his worst fear was always that they were too "weak". He fished them out of the bush, (if you've read Chapter 1) and kept them away from seeing Blossomheart's body when she died(Chapter 2). His fears were confirmed when Shimmerpaw instinctively sheathed her claws when she practiced with Flamepaw, and when she begged him to get off her. So that's why he disowned her.
Sorry for the long author's note, but I had to explain!
PS:Keep Blossomheart's death in mind. She was run over by a monster on the Thunderpath. This will be VERY IMPORTANT in later chapters.
QOTD: Do any of you have any ships? I know it's only chapter 7, but I HAVE to know who you guys ship so far!
Who do you think Shimmerpaw is thinking about at the beginning of this chapter?
Don't forget to READ and REVIEW!
Stormwhisker: Yeah! Or I'll claw your eyes out!
Dustpaw: AND you won't get any cookies.
Everyone: *GASPS*
Thanks!
~Lily