Featherstar's Destiny

Chapter 8

"Let's eat", Smokepaw meowed.

The two apprentices were happily eating beside the apprentices den. They had finally seemed to have a chance to be alone. Featherpaw took a bite of the shrew Smokepaw got for her.

"This shrew you caught is delicious!", Featherpaw exclaimed. "How'd you know it was my favorite?"

"I'm glad that you like it", Smokepaw purred happily. " I just do." His eyes shone.

"I see that you two are getting along", Stormpaw meowed.

Featherpaw jumped. She hadn't heard her brother approaching.  He was padding up to them with a squirrel in his jaws.  Willowclaw was beside him and was looking at Smokepaw and Featherpaw with contempt.  

"You didn't even like her when she was a kit", Willowclaw meowed from beside Stormpaw.

"I like her now",  Smokepaw meowed and looked at his older sister with cold eyes. "She was a kit then and I reckon her mother wouldn't have liked me to intrude. "

"At least Stormpaw is better than her", Willowclaw said with a look at Stormpaw. A sneer was plastered across her face as she back at Featherpaw.

Smokepaw snorted and flicked his tail at Featherpaw. He seemed fed up with his sibling.

"Come on", he told her. 

Featherpaw nodded and stalked off after him.  Willowclaw stooped down to whisper into Stormpaw's ear and eyed Featherpaw with eyes like flint.

Meadowlark watched the two apprentices pad past with amusement in her green eyes.  "So, you two are together now?", she asked.

Petalfur, who was beside her, snorted with laughter while Graypelt looked at the two apprentices with an expressionless amber stare.  The gray tom suddenly began to cough.  Oakpaw, who was checking on the nursery raced to the elderly tom's side.

"What?", the elder asked with a sneeze.  "I'm not sick."

"Yes you are", Oakpaw argued.  "Now come on before I have to treat other cats because you didn't listen."   

The medicine cat apprentice dipped his head to the other elders and led Graypelt to the den. Featherpaw let out a mew of dismay and raced to the camp's entrance. She wanted to be away from the hacking coughs from the medicine den. Smokepaw was panting as he raced to her side.

Lionfur intercepted them from where he was coming from the dirt place. His amber eyes seemed to be full of concern.

"You two are coming with me for battle training", the golden tom meowed. " I can sense your worry" he flicked his ears toward the medicine cats den.

"Thanks", Featherpaw meowed and nodded for Smokepaw to follow.

                                       .................................................................

"Good session", Lionfur meowed with a dip of his head to the two apprentices. 

Once the two apprentices were told to leave,  Smokepaw flicked his tail for Featherpaw to follow him. 

"Meet me in the woods", he meowed and took off. 

Featherpaw was about to follow him when she realized that Lionfur has stopped and was looking around. Smokepaw had already left. She padded to the warrior's side and sniffed the air.

"Is that Tawnykit and Thornkit ?", she asked her mentor. 

"Come out you two", Lionfur growled. 

Tawnykit slid out of the bushes with her brother.  Her golden fur was fluffed up with anger.

"Go back until I can talk with you two", Lionfur told his kits. 

Thornkit dipped his golden-brown head and scampered off, but Tawnykit stayed where she was and glared at her father with defiance in her eyes. 

"We just wanted to show you that we can be better than dumb Featherpaw", the golden she-cat muttered as she scuffed her front paw at the ground. 

"What did you say about me?", Featherpaw asked, her silver fur bristling as she glared at the kit. 

"I didn't mean anything towards you", Tawnykit meowed when she saw Featherpaw's fur bristling. 

The she-kit had backed up now, but her eyes still gleamed with anger.  Featherpaw felt admiration towards this kit.  Even though Featherpaw looked threateningly as her, Tawnykit still held her ground. 

"What do you mean then?", Lionfur asked with a growl. 

"I wanted you to see that I can prove myself to you",  Tawnykit burst out with wide eyes.  She was now trembling as she backed up even more. 

"Go back to the camp and we'll talk later", Lionfur meowed. 

This time, the golden she-kit listened to her father. She ran in the direction that Thornkit had taken with a flick of her  tiny tail.  Lionfur watched her leave with a heavy sigh.  He turned back to Featherpaw. 

"I'm sorry that you had to witness that", Lionfur meowed apologetically.

Featherpaw was about to speak when   Smokepaw suddenly raced into the training clearing. 

"There you are!", he meowed to Featherpaw with wide eyes.   "I had waited for you, but you didn't come", the gray tom meowed. 

He dipped his head to Lionfur with respect and led Featherpaw away with his tail. Featherpaw followed after him once she had told her mentor goodbye.