Gathering Storm

Chapter Four

Lynxpaw crouched down low to the ground, hiding in the shade of a browning fern. She saw the blackbird pecking at the ground in front of her, intent to get the worm. She tensed her hindquarters and lunged forward, yowling.
    Lynxpaw sunk her claws into her prey and bit into it's neck and twisted her head, snapping the bird's neck.
    "Yes!" She shouted standing straight up, waving her tail in delight. Darkfeather would have loved to see her catch. Lynxpaw's fluffy dark brown tipped tail dropped.
    "Stupid Skyclan." She snarled after a moment. Lynxpaw dug her claws into the ground and with a yowl reared up and violently slashed a tree root. She dropped to her paws panting, and hung her head, sheathing her claws. Anger boiled through Lynxpaw, making her dig her claws into the ground.
    "Stupid Skyclan," Lynxpaw repeated, starting to pace. "If only Foxtail had given up on that rabbit, you would still be alive and we could get our warrior names today together." Lynxpaw slumped and sighed. She thought back to the battle.
    Lynxpaw shuddered as she remembered the look in Branchpaw's eyes as he attacked her unsuspecting brother and bit the back of his neck, killing him instantly. And even worse, his mentor Lionleap just watched as he did it. She swept her tail through the fallen leaves furiously. Her anger subsided a small amount. It wasn't Skyclan's fault. Only Branchpaw's.
    There was rustling above and Lynxpaw snapped her head up. Her mentor Dandelionpelt dropped from the tree. There was a look of sympathy in her eyes.
    "I remember when Ashfall died. I was much closer to her than I was to my own mother, Blazeclaw." Dandelionpelt sympathized. Lynxpaw looked up.
    "Really? I never knew Ashfall but I've heard about her." Lynxpaw murmured.
    "Yes she was your kin." Dandelionpelt remarked. Lynxpaw twitched an ear, how come she'd never heard of this cat?
    "Really? How?"
    "She was your mother's mother. She was a wonderful cat it's a shame she had to die." Dandelionpelt said seeming a little sad. Dandelionpelt shook out her yellow and brown pelt out as if trying to rid something off her. Lynxpaw frowned a bit.
    "You've made an impressive catch let's head back to camp." She said changing the subject. Lynxpaw scooped up the blackbird and followed her mentor, the thought of Darkfeather still not off her mind.
    When they reached camp with the final load of prey, Lynxpaw spotted her sister Silverpaw carrying a couple of plump looking mice by their tails.
    "Silverpaw!" Lynxpaw cried, her voice muffled by her prey. She ran over to her sister by the fresh kill pile and dropped her prey, touching noses with her sister
    "Lynxpaw!" silverpaw purred, lifting her tail. Lynxpaw waved her tail and glanced at her sister's pile of prey.
    "Looks like you did a good job hunting" Lynxpaw commented. Silverpaw nodded enthusiastically.
    "Yeah! At one point i missed a giant bird of some sort i didn't recognize." Silverpaw said disappointed, maintaining her happy attitude.
    "Too bad Darkfeather isn't here he could've helped you get it. He loved to hunt with me." Lynxpaw added somberly. Silverpaw seemed slightly uncomfortable, but sadness glimmered in her pale yellow eyes.
    "Well our warrior ceremony is today." Silverpaw said trying to lighten the mood. Lynxpaw nodded.
    "Yeah, I'm going to take the elders these mice i caught." Silverpaw said "See you later" she called as she trotted away. Lynxpaw wondered if she seas trying to get out of talking with her about Darkfeather.
    The browns and yellows and reds on the trees swished in the late afternoon breeze. Lynxpaw closed her eyes with a deep breath. She wished that her brother was here. Foxtail passed her briskly and Lynxpaw frowned. He was heading to the medicine den, probably to change the now drying polituces Kindleheart applied.
She never liked the ginger warrior Foxtail but he had caused her brothers death by crossing the border. Lynxpaw took a shuddering breath, calming herself. 'I hope for your sake I do the right thing, Darkfeather.'