lalala! It is RAINING! Fun fact: I ABSOLUTELY ADORE THE RAIN! Everything about it just drives me to new heights of utter euphoria! The smell, the feel, the taste, the sight, everything! Rain is God's gift from above, I swear! And aren't I awesome? Two chappies in one day...pretty good xD review answers!
Darkfang of DeathClan: holla! *sad face* I am so so so so so so so sorry for your loss! I have a dog, who I believe is God's gift to me...and I know that if she died, I would be heart broken! I hope you feel better! Just remember, Obsidian is waiting by that Rainbow Bridge for you to join him. :')
gusgus0222: isn't it? xD
Wildfur of WindClan: aha, LA girl/guy! I was born there ya' know. Now, I live about an hour away, but I still got familia there :) I, personally, don't really like it there, but it's my roots, so I stay in touch xD get some pants! They are life savers!
Cloneguin: hehe, can't wait to catch up on your story! This gon be guudd!
Sun on the Horizon Sun: wow...how many times did you hit the post button? ahaha, anywhooo, here is the nextt chappiee!
Hawkpaw44: you review at last! yeah, I saw you put me on alert, don't think you got away with it ;) Thank you for your amazing compliments :) Merciless does indeed seem accurate xD there is coddling in my stories! (okay, maybe a little, but besides the point!) keep reviewing!
CONTINUING!
Chapter 2
Feather wound her way gracefully through the twoleg rubbish cans, dark blue eyes fixed straight ahead. Her mother followed close behind, ears twitching nervously.
They had been summoned.
Of course, Feather was used to it. She was summoned almost every day. She was his weapon, the ultimate killer. When he needed a job done, she was the first called, and she always got it done. It had been that way since she had taken her first steps.
Feather had come to be feared among the group. Cats shrank back from her, fear in their eyes. And she had come to relish it. She loved the fact that she was feared, respected. If they didn't fear her, she wasn't doing her job right. And doing her job right kept her mother alive.
They arrived at last to the shadowy corner, Leaf's tail twitching, her breath short. His sentries gave cold nods to the two she-cats, showing no emotion. Feather cast one a careless glare, and he shuffled back a step, tail twitching nervously. She snickered under her breath. Coward.
Shadowfur slipped from the den, eyes glinting, claws unsheathed. Leaf flinched, dipping her head shakily. Feather gave him a cool nod. It was no surprise cats feared him.
He was a formidable cat. His hard muscles pounded beneath his dark fur, his claws were thorn sharp, his teeth white, and his eyes always had a hint of darkness to them. Shadowfur was every cat's worst nightmare. And Feather's father.
"You came," he meowed, voice deep and strong. Both she-cats nodded and sat. He gazed at them fearlessly and began to pace in front of them. Feather watched him carefully, noting everything, the tenseness of his muscles, the look in his eyes. She had learned early in life that if she watched these near invisible cues, she could guess the danger of her job. From her observations, this was the most dangerous one yet. And the most pricey.
"What must I do?" she asked, voice soft and careful. Leaf remained silent, trying not to tremble. Shadowfur stopped and faced them.
"The Clans. It's time," he responded, gaze flicking between the two she-cats. Leaf drew in a sharp breath.
"So soon?" her mother mewed, eyes widening. Shadowfur gave an impatient nod.
"She's almost six moons, Leaf. Feather, you know what you must do. And what will happen if you don't," Shadowfur growled, eyes narrowing. Feather nodded, refusing to break eye contact.
"Good. You will report to Spot every half moon from now on, got it? You leave in two days' time. With that, my dear, here is your final test," her father meowed, flicking his tail.
A shivering, trembling, skinny black she-cat came tumbling into the box, eyes dilated with fear. She took one look at Feather and visibly relaxed.
"Feather, it's just you. Please, tell them I didn't do anything!" the little she-cat whispered painfully, voice shaking. Feather cast a glance at her father and gave a little wince at the look in his eyes. She had to do this.
"I'm sorry Bat. I really am," she mewed, approaching her friend. The she-cat's amber eyes widened as she realized what was happening.
"No, no please! Please Feather!" she wailed, crouching, eyes wide with a pathetic look in them. Feather raised her ivory claws, ignoring the voices inside, yelling at her to stop.
"I have to," Feather whispered before bringing her claws down and slicing Bat's throat open. She closed her eyes as her old friend convulsed, scarlet blood pouring from her throat. Bat gave her one last look, eyes filled with pity.
"I am…sorry for you," she choked out before falling silent. Feather stood there, paws coated with blood, claws red. At first, grief filled her. But she pushed it away, replacing it instead with derision. Shadowfur approached, breath hot and sticky against her ear.
"She…she was weak. She needed to die," Feather meowed, squaring her shoulders. Shadowfur nodded.
"Good, good. You pass, Feather. Now, go prepare yourself while I get your mother…comfortable." His voice sent shivers down Feather's spine. The young she-cat padded up to her mother, who was staring, horrified, at the bloody scene in front of her.
"I'll see you soon, okay? I'll miss you, moon," she whispered to her mother, pushing her nose into her warm fur. Leaf let out a rusty purr.
"I'll miss you, star," she responded, voice warm and strong. Feather nodded and watched as her mother was escorted away, heart giving a painful tug. It was dangerous to form affections and ties in this group. She never knew who she would kill next. But she had allowed herself to love her mother. And Bat.
Feather padded away slowly, eyes deep and thoughtful. Memories of Bat flashed through her, but she pushed them away. Memories only caused trouble, which she didn't need. Soon, she was racing, racing out into the forest. Shadowfur had told her where to go, what to do. She felt as though she had been born in those woods. She knew she had two days to leave, but she wanted to get started.
And so she ran. Ready to begin a new adventure, a new mission.
She ran.
Thornkit
Thornkit stepped outside, shivering. Leaf-bare was on it's way, and he could feel it. The cold, icy wind pierced his thick fur as he looked around.
The trees were differing shades of red and orange, shedding their leaves carelessly. The sky above was a soft blue, and the sun shone brightly, contradicting the cold temperature. Not a cloud lay in sight, and it promised to be a beautiful day. As soon as it warmed up.
A rustle behind him told him Rosekit had also slipped out, and she too gave a shiver. He turned his head, refusing to look at her, still angry with her for running away. An awkward silence ensued, during which Thornkit shuffled his paws, attempting to keep them from freezing off. Finally, Rosekit broke the silence.
"I'm sorry, Thornkit. I really am," she mumbled, ears flat. Thornkit looked at her.
"No, your just sorry you have to apologize. Don't say sorry unless you mean it, Rosekit," he snapped. Anger filled him again, and he clawed the earth, sending up puffs of dirt.
Thornkit knew it wasn't anger at his sister that was driving him crazy. It was anger at himself. He should have seen her leave, should have known she would do something like that. How was he supposed to protect her if he didn't know these things? Frustration filled him.
"You don't understand how frustrating it is, Rosekit. I want to protect you, take care of you, help you, and you don't let me. Why?" he whispered, muscles tense. His sister brushed up against him, fur warm against his.
"Because I need others to see that I can care for myself," she murmured, voice uncharacteristically soft. He gazed into her pale green eyes, feeling as though she was looking into his heart, seeing all his fears and worries. Thornkit sighed.
"I know that. I know," he responded, straightening. Rosekit nuzzled his shoulder before stepping back. Her eyes glinted playfully and suddenly her paw snaked out and hit his shoulder. Laughing, she dashed away, tail waving behind her. Chuckling, Thornkit raced after his sister.
They chased each other happily, care free and worry free. Rosekit suddenly stumbled and fell, remaining on the ground. Gasping, Thornkit dashed over to her.
"Rosekit?" he mewed, voice trembling. Her eyes were closed, her breath quick and shallow. He put his nose near her face, searching for signs of life. Suddenly, her eyes snapped open and her legs kicked out, shoving her brother off.
"Gotcha!" she crowed, bouncing up and down.
Thornkit laughed so hard his sides ached, not even bothering to get up. It was strange, how good Rosekit was at all these games. She almost always won. Sometimes, Thornkit wondered if her blindness actually helped her.
"Cut it out!" Whitefoot snapped at Rosekit, tail twitching irritably. She had accidentally stepped on his paw, and she now stepped off it gingerly, eyes wide.
"I'm sorry, Whitefoot! I didn't know you were there!" she gasped, backing up a bit. Whitefoot glared at her.
"Of course you didn't, useless kit," he snarled. At that, Thornkit was up and running, fury pounding in his ears. He shoved his sister behind him, ignoring her indignant meow.
"That's my sister your talking to, and it wasn't her fault. Watch where you're going next time," he growled, ears flat as he glared a challenge at the older tom. The warrior just cast him another glare before turning around and stalking away. Thornkit turned to face his sister, whose eyes couldn't quite hide the hurt.
"You're not useless," he meowed, voice firm. He began to pad in the direction of the nursery, his sister trotting beside him. He glanced at her, from her ruffled white fur to her clear green eyes. She was beautiful, and it didn't take a cat with eyes to see it.
"Mother!" Thornkit called as soon as they were inside, hoping she might be there. Most of the time, she was out and about, doing patrols or organizing them. His mother was deputy, a rare position for an active queen.
Her sleek black head popped up, eyes wide.
"What is it?" she called, sitting up. Thornkit weaved his way through the nests, Rosekit right behind him. His anger had simmered down a little, but nevertheless, he was still angry. And Thornkit rarely got this angry.
"It's Whitefoot. Again! And this time, it's just because she stepped on his foot! It wasn't even her fault, but she said she was sorry, and he still snapped. He's such a-a-a fox-hearted mouse-brain!" the little tom growled, eyes flashing furiously. His sister remained silent, keeping her gaze fixed on the ground. Ravenwing stroked her son with her tail, calming him down.
"I'll talk to him. Calm down, and what did I say about that kind of language?" she meowed sternly, narrowing her eyes. Thornfur sighed, resisting the urge to roll his eyes.
"That just because Dad says it, doesn't mean I can say it," he recited. Ravenwing nodded, then reached across and gave Rosekit a lick between the ears.
"Now, you two go back out and run around. Remember, you promised Crowpelt you'd visit today at sun set! Also, some good news for you two. Leafstar has said she will hold your ceremony tomorrow, at sun high. Be ready," their mother purred before slipping away, leaving two very excited kits.
"I wonder who are our mentors will be," Thornkit whispered excitedly, glancing at his sister. Rosekit nodded, shrugging.
"Guess we'll find out tomorrow. I'm going to find a mouse for Crowpelt," she meowed, a nervous edge to her voice. Thornkit nodded, deciding it was better not to pursue the topic. They weren't even sure if she would become an apprentice.
"I'll stay here, where it's warm. I'm going to take a nap," he responded, curling up. Rosekit nodded before padding away, tail drooping. Worry for his sister filled him for a moment, almost choking him, before he pushed it away. She would be fine. She had to be fine.
Rosekit
Rosekit sat beside the prey pile, nosing her way through it. Why was it so hard to find a decent mouse? Sighing with frustration, she dug her way deeper, mouth open to pick out the scent of a mouse. Suddenly, a foul stench hit her scent glands. Gagging, she gripped a squirrel in her teeth and drew back, spitting it out. Bile rose in her throat as she swiped her tongue around her muzzle, trying to rid it of the disgusting taste.
"Nice job. You caught a rotten squirrel," a voice murmured in her ear, causing her to jump. Glaring, she caught scent of Gingerpaw, who had snuck up on her.
"Don't do that, mouse-brain!" she snapped, turning her back to him. The tom immediately stepped in front of her.
"Sorry, sorry! Didn't mean to startle you," he meowed quickly. Rosekit merely glared at him again before turning back to the prey pile.
"Do you need something?" she asked, voice muffled by the mouse she had finally found. She could hear him shuffle his paws against the cold ground, could feel the embarrassment coming off of him in waves.
"Just ah, wondering what you were doing," he muttered. Rosekit rolled her eyes. How eloquent.
"Finding a mouse for Crowpelt. Now, if you really want to do me a favor, and have a chance at me forgiving you for sneaking up on me…"
"I was not sneaking!"
"…you'll throw that squirrel out for me," Rosekit continued before stalking away, irritation causing her to walk a little faster than normal. Behind her, she could sense the apprentice watching her for a second before turning to the gross squirrel.
Rosekit dropped the mouse just outside the nursery and sat down to groom. As she washed her ears carefully, a sweet scent hit her, accompanied by a whirlwind of laughter, bubbliness, and happiness. Sighing, Rosekit lowered her paws.
"Hi, Lilypaw," she mewed. The young she-cat purred a hello before smoothing the fur between Rosekit's ears flat.
"You know, if your pelt was a different color, you would look just like Ravenwing. You have her build, her legs, her tail, everything," Lilypaw mewed, voice warm. Rosekit perked up.
"You think so?"
"I know so!" Lilypaw laughed, tail swishing through the air. Grayclaw padded up, anxiety crackling off his pelt.
"H-hey Lilypaw. Want to go hunting later?" he stuttered. Even Rosekit could tell that the tom was helplessly in love with the pretty she-cat. Lilypaw, however, seemed unaware.
"Sure, Grayclaw. I'll see you at sun set!" she meowed, voice cheerful. Grayclaw nodded before trotting, practically running, away. Rosekit looked at Lilypaw incredulously.
"What?" the apprentice meowed. Rosekit just shook her head and laughed.
"The whole clan can tell he really likes you!" the kit teased her friend, tail flicking. Lilypaw let out a laugh.
"I know he likes me, but we're just friends. I don't need a mate. StarClan, I'm only an apprentice after all!" Lilypaw meowed. Rosekit couldn't help but admire her confidence and radiance. Lilypaw flicked her gently with her tail.
"Well, what about you and Gingerpaw?" she mewed, voice lilting and pleasing. Rosekit looked at her, confused.
"Oh, come on Rosekit! I can spot a crush a million miles away. You've got that tom more lovesick than a pair of doves who can't be together," Lilypaw meowed, voice shocked. Rosekit looked at her for a moment longer before bursting out laughing.
"Me…and Gingerpaw? Lilypaw, I really think you just lost all sanity left in you! Why would he like me? I'm the blind, useless kit, remember?" she meowed, not believing her friend for a second. Lilypaw snorted.
"The only cat who really thinks your useless is Whitefoot. I've seen you shut Stormpaw up with just one look. Believe me, that is very hard to do, and for that reason, I utterly worship your glaring skills. But anyway, I'm his sister, so I should know these things. And you should be happy. Believe me, he is quite the looker," Lilypaw teased gently. The two she-cats joked around for a bit longer before Lilypaw left for her sun set hunt with Grayclaw.
Rosekit slipped into the nursery, in a much better mood then when she left it. Her brother lay fast asleep, flanks rising peacefully. Rosekit padded up noiselessly, listening carefully so she got it just right. Then she pounced.
"Graahhh!" her brother yowled, jumping to his paws. Rosekit laughed helplessly while her brother glared at her.
"Wh-what was that for?" he sputtered.
"Nothing. Come one, it's sun set!" she purred, picking her mouse up again.
Rosekit spent the evening curled up beside Oakshadow's big body, listening with wide eyes as they spoke of times long ago, where the stars sang and the trees danced. She listened not to the words, but to the sound of the story. And for the first time, she could see the story.
whohoo! it is pouring! I LOVE THE RAIN! Anywhoo, another chappie coming your way soon!
~Ciao, Monkey~