Odd Eye

Chapter Eleven - Frostclaw

Frostclaw knew, logically, that it had only been a couple of days in the ThunderClan camp. However, it felt like forever. The only things keeping her sane were the meetings with Crystalpaw, where Lionblaze fed her eager mouth with news and the spirited apprentice lifted her heart.

She squeezed out of the entrance, stretching and blinking in the sun. A brown tom was looking at her warily as he stood guard outside the thornbush.

"Where's Crowmist?" she asked. The black cat was her usual escort.

"Gone to train his apprentice," the brown tom said. "I'm Sharpeye, and I'll be here in his absence."

Frostclaw shrugged. "Okay."

"I'm going to the fresh-kill pile, unless you want to follow and watch me eat," she added, more dryly.

"Oh no, I'll just stay here," Sharpeye said, slightly flustered. "The warriors will make sure you don't escape."

Once she had finished eating, Frostclaw found herself pestered by two kits who demanded that she teach them all of WindClan and her own warrior skills. She flatly refused.

"Fine!" one of the kits huffed. "I bet Stormwhisker or Crowmist could beat you super easily anyway!"

"Stormwhisker's out hunting," an amused voice behind her rang. Frostclaw swivelled around and almost crashed into Crowmist. "But I'm here, and I would love to challenge Frostclaw."

Frostclaw narrowed her eyes at him.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked. "You know you're going to lose, right?"

"I wouldn't be too certain about that," he replied, eyes glinting. "Perhaps I'm better than you think."

Frostclaw snorted. "Please. I faced you and like ten other warriors of the same strength when you guys got me at the Gathering. And I almost won."

"Fight! Fight!" the same kit chanted.

"Gullkit, you're so bloodthirsty!" Berryheart, his mother scolded as she emerged from the nursery. She blinked at Frostclaw apologetically.

"Sorry about that. He's still so young."

"I'm not that young!" Gullkit squeaked. "And I want to see the good WindClan warrior fight!"

Frostclaw flicked her ears in amusement.

"Is my crushing of your favourite warrior going to become a permanent source of entertainment in this Clan?" she said.

"You're not going to crush him! It's going to be the other way around," said one of the apprentices, a black she-cat as she fetched a squirrel from the fresh-kill pile.

"Hush, Eveningpaw," Crowmist whispered loudly.

"Your apprentice is going to witness my destruction of you," Frostclaw purred.

"And her brother too," another apprentice said, settling down. Frostclaw could hear the shaking in his voice, from a mixture of terror, awe, and shock at his own boldness.

Smolderpaw, she remembered.

By then, more ThunderClan cats had gathered around in a circle, leaving a large space around Frostclaw and Crowmist. Even Nettlestar had emerged from her den, the light of laughter in her eyes.

"Well go ahead," she said. "Nothing like a good practice battle to start the day. Remember, claws sheathed!"

Crowmist looked down.

"Darn, I guess this is really happening," he muttered.

Frostclaw flicked his ear. "It's all your fault."