I woke up abruptly as a clump of snow fell on my nose. I gasped and shook the snow from my nose. I looked up in the corner of the den, and saw a hole where the snow must have slipped through. I stepped outside, and was glad it was only sunhigh. I hadn't slept for too long. And lucky for me Pebbleclaw was just about to send out a hunting patrol.
"Okay Quailfeather you can lead the patrol. Take Brackenclaw, Windflight, and Lightningblaze with you," Pebbleclaw ordered.
Quailfeather nodded and I walked over to walk next to Windflight.
"So how does it feel to finally be a warrior?" Windflight asked.
"Amazing. I never thought it would feel this good," I sighed.
"I thought the same thing. And just to let you know, the warriors den is much more warm than the apprentices den!" she added.
"Not this morning it wasn't. Snow was seeping through a hole in the roof," I informed her.
"Oh no! You should have told Goosestar," Windflight suggested.
"By the time we get back to camp some other cat would have already told him," I shrugged.
Windflight nodded, agreeing with what I said.
"Now everyone stay quiet and be on high alert. Any prey that hasn't already burrowed again will be on high senses and we need as much prey as we can get right now," Quailfeather hissed just loud enough for us to hear her.
We all nodded and sort of split up. I headed down to the Riverclan border like usual, keeping my senses on alert. I made sure not to get too close to the border, so Moonstar wouldn't accuse me of trespassing again.
I scented the air, and caught a whiff of rabbit. I scanned the area and spotted it nibbling on a weed behind some frosted ferns. I crept forward and then pounced, The rabbit ran straight towards the border line, and I raced after it. Hoping to catch it before it crossed the border, I leaped forward. But the rabbit raced off into Riverclan territory and I landed right before stepping over the border. Sighing heavily, I turned around and headed back to join the others.
"Here," a voice meowed behind me.
I turned around and saw Robinflight sitting on the border, the dead rabbit at her paws.
"It's yours," she nodded her head at me to take it.
"No. It was killed on Riverclan territory. It's your prey," I protested.
"But if there was no border here you would have killed it. Therefore it is yours," Robinflight meowed.
"Your clan needs it more," I argued.
"No yours does. Look how skinny you are! If it wasn't for your muscles, your bones would stick out branches on a tree," Robinflight snapped.
"Just take it okay?" I said.
"No Lightningpaw, I will not," she said stubbornly.
"Lightningpaw is not here anymore. Lightningblaze is who you are talking to," I remarked.
"You're a warrior already?" she gasped.
"Goosestar said he wanted more warriors in the clan, and he decided I was ready. I had learned everything I could from my mentor, Sparrowtail. I have been as strong as any warrior since I became an apprentice. If you compared my strengths and skills as though to a warrior, I was just as good. Goosestar would have made a warrior a moon ago, but I was much too small. But in the past moon I have grown tremendously. I am nearly as big as you. So now in size, I can finally pass as a warrior," I explained.
"Oh Lightningblaze that's great! I just wish I could see you more often…" Robinflight sighed.
"What about in three nights? We can meet every few nights or so," I suggested.
"That sounds great! In three nights it is then," Robinflight said.
I nodded.
"I better get going. Lionfang is probably waiting for me," Robinflight said.
"Who's Lionfang? I've never heard of him," I asked.
"Oh he's a really good friend. We've grown up together. He's sort of in love with me though," Robinflight sighed.
"And are you in love with him?" I asked.
"I really don't know. I mean he's pretty handsome. You've probably seen him. He's this big golden brown tabby tom with amber eyes and he has muscles like you and Brambleberry always moons over him," Robinflight replied.
"Well all I can say is follow your heart, and see what your destiny holds for you," I suggested.
"Thanks Lightningblaze. You're the best," Robinflight purred as we nuzzled.
She then ran into the reeds, leaving me with the rabbit. I picked it up and began to walk back to where Quailfeather had told us to meet. The rabbit was small and thin, but it was better then nothing. I saw the other cats had already gathered back at the meeting place. All of them were empty-pawed except Brackenclaw was holding a mouse that seemed about the same size as his paw.
"There you are! We were wondering where you had gone," Windflight said.
"I couldn't give up the hunt until I caught this sucker," I said.
"It's mostly skin and bones it seems like, but it should feed Blossomkit, Turtlekit, Hawkkit, Snowkit, and Dawnstripe," Brackenclaw said.
I nodded and picked it back up as we headed back to camp. The fresh-kill pile contained a small rabbit, and we put our prey to join it. A measly pile of prey if you ask me. I heard loud hacking come from the medicine cat den.
"Here Cloudstorm, eat some catmint," I heard Birdsong meow from inside the medicine cat den.
"Just eat it Cloudstorm. You need to stay strong," I heard Breezefur wheeze.
"Breezefur just rest. You will get better. You only have a minor case of whitecough. You will recover within the next few days. Cloudstorm you seem to have a minor case of whitecough too, but if you don't have plenty of catmint now, it could turn into greencough," Sweetflower explained.
Cloudstorm reluctantly ate the catmint and then fell asleep. I headed towards the nursery to go and visit the kits, and break the news to Dawnstripe that her mate had whitecough.
"Lightningpaw! You're here!" Jetkit squealed as he popped up from behind a clump of moss.
"Now Jetkit his name is Lightningblaze now. He is a warrior, you should show more respect, " Dawnstripe meowed.
"Sorry Lightningblaze," Jetkit squeaked as he looked shyly down at his paws and his tail swished back and forth across the moss.
"Don't worry Jetkit, it's fine. And Dawnstripe I don't know if you know this or not, but Cloudstorm is in the medicine cat den with whitecough," I informed her.
"Cloudstorm!" she wailed.
She leaped out of her nest and raced across the clearing.
"What's wrong with Daddy?" Peachkit asked.
"He's sick. But he'll be fine. He's just going to be in the medicine cat den for a couple days while he gets better," I comforted her.
Peachkit nodded, but I could still see that worry for her father lingered in her eyes. Rubblekit was too busy play-fighting with Hawkkit to be paying any attention. I prayed that the kits' thorn-sharp claws were sheathed.
I walked back out of the nursery and I decided to leave camp. I left paw steps in the snow as I walked to the meadow by the waterfall. I checked to see if any catmint was left, but all of it was black with frostbite. It still smelled good though, and was actually quite soft. I curled up in it, figuring there was no other use for it. Then suddenly pain hit me. Not physical pain, but emotional pain. It was a mix of anger and love and jealousy. It was because of Lionfang.
I had known Robinflight for only a few moons, but I already had a crush on her. She was beautiful. With her long silky reddish-brown fur, her sparkling green eyes, and her peaceful voice that could calm me down at any time. No wonder why Lionfang was in love with her.
But he didn't deserve her! Even Robinflight said he was only a friend!
But what if I'm only a friend too?
I shook the thought from my mind. She was my best friend (besides Adderfang), and I hoped she thought I was her best friend too.
I'll see her in three nights. And then I can ask her whether I am her best friend or not. I told myself.
I looked up at the sky and saw that evening was approaching. A fast day. Dark and depressing rain clouds were creeping across the sky. They seemed almost pitch-black and full of rain. I slowly walked back to camp feeling tired, angry, in love, and depressed. I wondered what color my eyes were now.
I entered camp and decided to go talk to Thrushpaw. She was sitting alone at the fresh-kill pile.
"Hey sis," I meowed.
"You don't have to act like I'm your sister you know. Ever since we became apprentices you've acted like I'm merely your denmate," Thrushpaw snapped.
"Thrushpaw, no matter what, you will always be my sister. Whether I love you or hate you, whether your dead or alive, whether I talk to you or not…you are my sister, and I love you," I said.
"Really?" she asked, a hint of forgiveness in her voice.
"Really," I replied.
"I'm sorry for being so snappy at you. It's just that I'm jealous that you are a warrior already," Thurshpaw apologized.
"And in your own time you will become a warrior as great as me. I just learned and grew stronger fast then you did. That doesn't mean I'm better than you in any way," I said.
"Okay," Thrushpaw sniffed.
I nuzzled her and then headed over to the warriors den. I curled up in my nest and fell asleep.