Featherstar's Destiny

Chapter 7

"She said nothing", Smokepaw was meowing to Willowclaw. It was the day after Smokepaw had confessed his feelings to her.  The pale gray tabby was now talking to her sister. Featherpaw pricked her ears in the direction of the two siblings. She was on the other side of the clearing with her brother.

"He told you what?", Stormpaw asked with shock in his eyes.

"Smokepaw said that he really likes me", Featherpaw replied with a shrug.

Why was it such a big deal? She tried to tell herself that but knew deep down it wasn't true. Stormpaw was about to speak up when Mintnose padded out of the warriors den and called his apprentice's name. Flickerstar was beside him with an excited expression on his black-and-white face. 

'Why is our leader looking like that?'

Featherpaw thought to herself.

"What's going on?", Stormpaw asked as he raced to Mintnose's side.

"Flickerstar wants me, you, and Darkclaw to patrol the StreamClan border with him", Mintnose replied. 

"Okay," Stormpaw nodded to him. "I'll see you later Featherpaw."

Featherpaw grumbled a response and stomped to the elders den.  She grumbled under her breath.

" I don't see the sense in this. Stormpaw gets to go on patrol but I don't ", she growled to herself.

As she was finishing up with clearing out the soiled bedding, Lionfur's rumbling mew startled her.

" How about getting that energy out and going on patrol. Don't even say anything" he meowed with a paw raised.  " Meadowlark told me about your little display as she was going to get prey. I expect this to clear up while you are out. Go with Sunstrike and Stonepelt. I will know if you act like this again."

"Yes Lionfur" she meowed as brightly as she could and scampered off.

When she found the two warriors waiting beside the entrance to the camp, Stonepelt's whiskers were twitching.

"Seems like you've gotten into trouble with your mentor" he mewed with a flicker of amusement in his dark amber gaze.

Sunstrike flicked her tail for silence and led the two cats out of camp. Featherpaw fell behind them and was silent the entire time. Not even when they congratulated her for catching a particular tricky squirrel. It was then time to go back to camp. Featherpaw was trotting behind the Clan deputy when Flickerstar caught her attention. He was pacing with his tail flicking side to side. The returning patrol stopped to see what was going on.

"They crossed our border and I want two battle patrols to go and fight them.  I want Breezeclaw, Willowclaw, Silvercloud, Lionfur, Stonepelt, and Featherpaw to be on one patrol.  Mistcloud, Smokepaw, Stormpaw, and Darkclaw will on the other patrol", the leader meowed. 

"Let's go!", Stonepelt yowled to the two patrols. Before the patrols left, the remaining cats who were left to guard the camp said their goodbyes to their loved ones. 

"Be careful",  Meadowlark meowed to the cats as the left through the entrance.

Once out of the camp, Stonepelt led the two patrols across OakClan territory at top speed. When they arrived to the StreamClan border,  Featherpaw had to stop to catch her breath. Willowclaw suddenly let a hiss of anger. She turned to look and what she saw shocked her to her core.  A silver-gray StreamClan cat was hunting on the OakClan side of the stream with Mossfur and Rippleclaw.  Mossfur looked up with wide eyes when she finally spotted the patrol.