Warriors: Rising Storm - Book Four (Completed)

Chapter Six

Shadowkit flattened his ears. He curled his lip into a snarl and growled lightly. "You will pay." He hissed. He leaped into the air and found only blood below his paws. The scent of the blood filled his nostrils. He gasped in horror then looked up and around him. The forest became dark and he felt alone.

Shadowkit woke up with a jolt and panted hard. Frostfur stirred in her sleep but didn't wake up. Shadowkit scrambled to his paws and padded lightly out of the nursery and stopped just outside the entrance. He sat down and looked out into the distance. All was quiet. Then he looked down at his paws. There was no blood. He sighed with relief and just continued to sit in silence and watch the rising sun.

His paws itched to go exploring beyond the nursery. If he did, his apprenticeship might be postponed. He was going to stay in camp until he was an apprentice just like he should. The Clan already didn't like him because he used to be a rogue.

"Shadowkit, you're up early." It was Whitestorm who spoke.

Shadowkit slightly bristled his fur and turned to face the white warrior. "I just had a bad dream is all." He meowed.

Whitestorm lifted his muzzle curiously. "What was it about?"

"I'm not sure. I don't really remember." He lied. Shadowkit remembered it well. It felt so real to him. The scent of blood was all too real for him and he almost shuddered, but held it back, hoping Whitestorm didn't notice.

"I see. Dreams are a wonderful thing." He meowed with amusement in his voice.

Did Whitestorm suspect that he was lying? Shadowkit blinked blankly at him a few times before answering. "I guess so."

"Don't worry little one. You'll understand someday." Whitestorm purred, softly nudged his flank, then padded a few fox-lengths away back to his sitting post of the night watch.

Shadowkit bristled his fur in annoyance. What did the white warrior think? Did he think that he was some useless kit? He narrowed his eyes and looked into the distance, watching the sun finally peering through the trees.

Fireheart emerged from the den and assembled the dawn patrol. He seemed to be getting the hang of it. Darkstripe, Sandstorm and Runningwind went out first. Fernpaw, Darkstripe's apprentice, was able to go along with them. Then Whitestorm, Longtail and Willowpelt were to go on the next patrol.

Shadowkit watched as the cats emerged from their slumber. Frostfur padded out of the nursery and sat by him, wrapping her tail over her paws. "You're up early." She mewed.

"I couldn't sleep. I had a weird dream." He confessed.

Frostfur pressed her flank lightly against his. "You can tell me anything." She purred.

Shadowkit felt safe by those words. Even though Frostfur wasn't his real mother, she made sure to make him feel like she was. He rumbled out a purr and pressed his body against hers. "Thank you, Frostfur."

The day went by pretty slowly and the warriors went in and out of the camp. Shadowkit watched in silence. He gave himself some furious licks on the chest every now and then. The new-leaf's breeze fluffed out his fur and he could smell lots of prey coming into camp. New-leaf must have brought in lots of prey to eat! 

Shadowkit grabbed a small mouse for himself and ate a fox-length away from the fresh-kill pile. Thornpaw padded up the pile and jeered at Shadowkit's side. "Come on, kittypet." He hissed. "Fight me."

Shadowkit narrowed his eyes and crouched down to pounce, but hesitated. He stood straight up again. "No. Warriors don't fight for joy. I am loyal to my Clan." He meowed, cooly.

Thornpaw widened his eyes, then narrowed them to slits in anger. "You're afraid." He sneered, pulling his lip back into a snarl. 

"If you think so."

Thornpaw shook his head. Why was he being so calm? It made him even angrier. Thornpaw leaped and jabbed his flank with his paw, then quickly got out of the way. Shadowkit lunged forward, seeing that he was getting ready to leap on him, but he wasn't fast enough. His side began hurting like crazy and he shook out some loose fluffs. Every hair on his pelt was bristled and told him to fight this apprentice, but he knew he wouldn't win this fight. "I am not fighting you. It wouldn't be very fair."

Thornpaw growled, and narrowed his eyes again. "Fighting isn't supposed to be fair. You're an outsider and always will be."

Fireheart padded into the den with Sandstorm at his side. He raced over to the apprentice and gave him a hard glare, "Do I need to assign you more apprentice duties?"

Thornpaw stood up straight and softly sighed, still anger flashing in his eyes. "No." He growled, then padded away back towards the apprentice den.

Shadowkit sighed with relief. He didn't want to have to fight for his life. Thornpaw was much bigger than he was.  

Fireheart turned to Shadowkit and lightly touched his shoulder with his tail. "Not being born in the Clan is hard."

Shadowkit softly hissed at his words. "I know that already." He spat.

Fireheart flinched, not thinking the kit would talk back to him. Did he say it wrong? He shook his head, "Sorry, I just wanted to tell you that you're doing good. You stood up to an apprentice and handled it very well." He paused for a short moment. "Like a true warrior." He added softly. 

Shadowkit widened his eyes in amazement. The deputy was giving him a compliment. "Uh, thanks." He mewed, his voice cracking a tiny bit. He couldn't think of anything more to say to the great warrior. Waterlily had spoken highly of him, and him to be deputy just after a few moons of being a warrior must have been a great honor. Shadowkit felt like he could trust this cat. Fireheart is going to be a great leader when Bluestar is gone.