Warrior Cats: Skyfall

Chapter 2

Daisypaw trailed after her mentor, nervously following the group as they padded confidently through the birch trees and towards the island. She had only just been made a medicine cat apprentice, and she was already going to a gathering. 

Pouncepaw, her close friend, fell in step beside her. 

"So, Daisypaw, excited for you first gathering?" She asked, grinning.

The smaller she-cat shook her head helplessly.

"All the other medicine cats will think I'm just a dumb young kit," she said gloomily. "And I'll have to sit on the crystal tree, where everyone stares at me.." 

Pouncepaw snorted, while Daisypaw looking at the tortoishell as if she had bees in her brain.

"Oh, Daisypaw, you never were one for attention, were you?" She asked, mockingly.

Daisypaw fluffed her pelt out. "What's that supposed to mean? You think it isn't scary sitting side by side with lots of important medicine cats?"

Pouncepaw, still smiling, lightly stroked the younger cats spine.

"Don't worry, you make it sound so much worse than it really is. Hardly any cats will be looking at you, they'll be focused on the clan leaders." She said, confidently, only to see Daisypaws judgemental face. "Come on, believe me! I'm sorry for earlier, that's wasn't very honourable of me."

The medicine apprentice didn't reply, instead stuck up her tail proudly with her chin in the air, and padded on, ahead of Pouncepaw.  

Soon enough, the chosen Springclan cats crossed the starlit path, and Daisypaw watched in awe as she herself crossed the water by the power of her ancestors. The bridge is glowing, its as if StarClan is holding it up!

Cautiously, Daisypaw leaped down onto the grassy grounds of the twilight island. She gasped at the softness of the ground, and how free she felt padding on it. Daisypaw instantly trotted over to Pouncepaw while they waited for the last cats cats cross over. 

"It's magical! I knew it was pretty, but I couldn't ever imagine this! And StarClan is holding up the bridge, the reflection-" 

Pouncepaw cut Daisypaw off with a playful tail to the mouth. She nudged her friend from behind, "Keep up," she murmered, "The leaders won't wait for you before they begin, and we'll have to walk in all by ourselves."

Daisypaw squeaked at the thought of it and ran after her clanmates. Pouncepaw followed in hot pursuit. 

Then the group reached the clearing, and the pale brown she-cat nervously followed Fernfoot onto the lowest branch of the crystal tree. 

For once, Daisypaw looked around and took in the spectacle. Arriving on the island with the bridge had been stunning, but this was absolutely breathtaking.

The great branches of the sycamore tree twisted above her, making more patterns than she ever thought a sturdy wooden tree could make. The clearing looked like it had been hollowed out, it was so perfect. Trees of every type imaginable lines it like a ring, with clumps of clover and ferns at the base of each tree. The stars shone down on Daisypaws pelt, and she immediately felt brighter, hope dancing across her mind that this wouldn't be as dreadful as she imagined. 

In a blur, the clans shared news, and at one point all the clans chanted her name. The thrill of it had got to her, and the pale brown medicine cat wanted nothing than to gaze at the moon forever, and admire her starry ancestors.

Suddenly a jolt nearly made he loose balance on the branch he sat in. In alarm, Daisypaw unsheathed her claws and gripped the bark. 

"Daisypaw, come on, we're leaving." Fernfoot said. She must have seen the disappointment in her apprentices eyes, because she added kindly, "we'll be back at the next full moon, don't worry."

The pale brown she-cat nodded, and trailed after her. Her face flushed red when she realised her clan was last to leave because they were waiting for her. 

Why am I so incompetent?! 

Just as Daisypaw scolded herself, she noticed the ferns rustle. A tom emerged, but clouds can covered the moon. She stood at the edge if the bridge, watching he silhouette of a cat on the twilight island. But then the smell hit her, a cold, iron scent. 

Daisypaw knew what this was, and her eyes went wide. Without looking back, she turned and fled after Fernfoot, swearing to herself she would never mention it to another cat, ever.

I'm not a coward, I'm just being safe.. How do I not know that blood was just prey blood?

But even as Daisypaw stayed close to her mentor until they got back to camp, and his her nose under her bedding, she could feel doubt prickling in her belly. It started to prickle in her paws too, and soon her whole pelt. Daisypaw knew this was a big secret she had just weighed on her shoulders, but for now, she'd have to take it.