Snowpaw hurried out of the apprentice den and glared at Silverstorm. "Is there a reason we're up before any other cat?"
Snowpaw growled. "No I just know you don't like being up early" Silverstorm sneered at her.
Snowpaw scoffed and gave a smug look at Silverstorm. "You're just mad because Brackenflame won't share tongue with you anymore" Snowpaw mewed dangerously sweet. "Oh please tell me you didn't ask him to be your mate" Snowpaw meowed with amusement, letting a mrrow of laughter slip out.
Silverstorm widened her eyes and looked away quickly, her claws unsheathing. Snowpaw heard a rustling as Greypaw stepped out of the apprentice den, yawning.
"You're nothing like Spottedpelt…" Silverstorm muttered her eyes angry slits. Snowpaw froze as she heard Silverstorm and raw outrage filled her body.
"Don't you ever say that again!" Snowpaw hissed at Silverstorm. "You didn't know him as I did! You only knew him as a mentor! He was my father and he was kind hearted and loyal to ThunderClan" Snowpaw cried as she cuffed Silverstorm in the muzzle.
Snowpaw got close to Silverstorm whispering a promise in her ears "I swear on my father's life I will kill you." She hissed. Snowpaw stepped away and stood beside Greypaw. She looked up to the pale dawn sky and scented Brackenflame as he squeezed out of the warriors den.
"Just go hunting" Silverstorm spat at the apprentices and turned and padded to Brackenflame. Snowpaw began to bristle as Silverstorm began to press herself against Brackenflame.
"Hey calm down, Silverstorm can see what it does to you and she does it more." Greypaw murmured to her.
Snowpaw looked up and noticed Brackenflame pushing her away and meowing words to her and padded towards the two apprentices.
"Where are you two heading?" he asked, looking from Snowpaw to Greypaw. "We're going hunting! You and Gingerpaw should come with us!" Greypaw meowed before Snowpaw could answer.
Brackenflame nodded bounded over to the apprentice den, sticking his head in. Almost instantly he reared and Gingerpaw came running out of the apprentice den towards them.
"I finally get to hunt with you two!" he meowed excitedly as he jumped up and down. "Brackenflame always talks about you two! And you can't ever get him to shut up about Snowpaw" Gingerpaw began to babble.
Brackenflame came up from behind him and put his paw over his apprentice's mouth. Greypaw let out a chuckle and took the lead.
Snowpaw fell into step beside Brackenflame and looked up to him, his emerald blue eyes focused on their surroundings, and his ears alert for any prey scuttling in the grass.
Snowpaw waved her tail happily and started to scent for prey. She stopped when she spotted a squirrel on the ground, digging for its food.
Snowpaw got into a crouch and began to move towards it silently. She waggled her rear slightly and pounced, biting into the squirrel and killing it swiftly. She felt proud of her kill and looks to Brackenflame with pride and noticed the terror on his face. She pushed her scenting past the squirrel and smelled the stench of badger. She looked behind her and saw the horrid creature towering over her.
Snowpaw hissed with surprise and leaped back as the badger swiped at her. She quickly assessed the creature and noticed its ribs were poking out of its fur.
Snowpaw cast a quick glance to Greypaw as Brackenflame took his apprentice away towards the camp. "Attack!" she yowled as her and Greypaw lunged at the badger.
Snowpaw was on its back, clawing feverishly into its skin, making blood spray everywhere.
Greypaw was scratching at its flanks, shredding it's fur. The badger quickly batted at Greypaw, sending her tumbling into a tree.
Snowpaw let out a meow of distress before the badger rolled over, crushing the white apprentice under its weight.
Snowpaw flailed under its weight and let out a gasp as it was gone.
Greypaw had tackled it head on and was scratching and biting it. Snowpaw caught her breath and stood as the badger bit into Greypaw's front paw and tossed her aside. She screeched in agony, but was still able to run back to it.
Snowpaw leaped and dug her own fangs into its throat, tearing it out. She heard the creature shriek in pain and flail its claws as it hit the ground writhing in pain before it went still.
Snowpaw began to pant as she limped up to her sister. "How is your paw?" Snowpaw asked softly.
Greypaw glared at her "It's fine" she snapped looking to the ground.
"What's the matter?" Snowpaw asked, taken back by Greypaw's snappy attitude.
"It was reckless!" Greypaw mewed exasperated. "We shoul've waited for a patrol to help out." Greypaw continued.
"It would've followed us back to camp Greypaw!" Snowpaw spat at Greypaw, lashing her tail. Suddenly she looked away, feeling bad for arguing with her sister. "Look I'm sorry. Maybe I wanted to show off to Brackenflame and his apprentice. I mean the little tom was so excited and I couldn't let him down" Snowpaw murmured her apology.
Before Greypaw could respond to her apology Leafstar, Redfeather, Brackenflame, and Jaywing crashed through the undergrowth. They spotted the two apprentices, wounded and alive and the dead badger.
"Are you two okay?" was the first question that Leafstar asked as the other warriors began to examine the badger.
The two sisters nodded to their leader and pressed close together.
"Did you kill this badger?" she asked abruptly as she looked over the she-cats. "You two were very brave. I will make you two warriors right away!" Leafstar praised.
Snowpaw snapped her head up and looked to Greypaw who was bristling with excitement. "A-Already?" Snowpaw asked, just to make sure it wasn't a dream.
"Yes you two have been training very hard for five moons and both of you have suffered loses not many cats go through at such a young age" Leafstar informed them.
Snowpaw jumped to her paws and winced at the pain. "We should get you to the medicine cats" Leafstar chuckled, signaling Redfeather and Brackenflame to help them out.
Snowpaw leaned heavily against Brackenflame as the group continued back to the camp, chattering happily as they padded through the entrance.
Silverstorm was the first to run to Brackenflame, pushing Snowpaw out of the way. Snowpaw scowled and continued limping towards the medicine cat den.
Brackenflame tried to swerve past Silverstorm and she turned to sneer at Snowpaw. "I guess you two were so unskilled that the badger got the best of you kits and the grown warriors had to save you" she meowed mockingly.
Snowpaw pressed her ears to her skull, even though she knew the true story. "Silverstorm stop this! Stop being a bully to Snowpaw!" Brackenflame growled at the silver she-cat.
"But why?" Silverstorm whined. "Can't you see we're destined to be mates?" Silverstorm pressed. "If you mate with… with… that thing you're path will grow dark! You'll probably be in the Dark Forest with her!" Silverstorm cried out.
Snowpaw let out a cry of despair and hurtled into the medicine cat den, hearing Brackenflame's words loud and clear as he shouted at her.
"I will never be mates with you! You're a mess, tangled in your confidence!" he snarled, his voice growing softer as he continued to her. "You're unstoppable, but I think you're better off looking alone." He meowed. Being up front that no tom in the clan liked her enough to be mates with her.