Nightpaw's Envy Chapter 3
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The ground hurtled toward me. Flashing in and out of my dazed vision as I spun blindly mid-air. Fear gripped my heart as I became certain that I was going to die, or somehow injure my body beyond repair. The ground sped toward me, and at the last second, I closed my eyes, tensing my muscles to lessen the damage.
Just then when my fear peaked its highest, I jumped up in my nest, feeling fur beneath my paw. I heard a hiss and leapt off my denmate's, Lionpaw's, tail. The golden apprentice glared at me and brought his tail under himself protectively, "Watch it, Nightpaw!"
Clearing my throat, I realized my dark fur still bristled and my eyes must've been wide with fear. I mumbled a half-hearted sorry and left through the moss covered opening and into the morning sun. Quickly adapting to the light, I shook my pelt of leftover moss and sat off to the side to calm myself. I licked my paw and swiped it over my ears and where I could reach to smooth the fur.
"You seem shaken up, was it a nightmare?" I looked up alarmed and narrowed my gaze when I identified my brother, Shadetalon. His black pelt was dark against the remaining melting snow, a sign that Greenleaf would be here soon. At the sight of my annoyed expression, he sighed, "Look, Nightpaw, I'm sorry you weren't made a warrior."
I scoffed and looked passed him at Sunstar, our father, sharing a vole with our mother, Duskbreeze. They looked so happy, sharing morning tongues before the day's work. I envied their happiness and glared at them, before glaring instead at my brother. He groaned and rolled his eyes, "How long are you going to ignore me? It's not my fault you got sick."
I growled lowly, silently warning him to leave me alone. Shadetalon is the same age as me, yet was made a warrior a few days ago when I wasn't.
When we were first born, my brother was healthy and strong. But I was weak and sick from the cold of late leaf-fall with something similar to greencough, yet unknown exactly to our medicine cat, Mistfeather. After two moons of loneliness spent in the medicine den most of the time, Mistfeather finally discovered that as I aged and got stronger, coltsfoot started to ease away my symptoms. So much to the point that I could sleep with my mother and brother in the nursery again.
Although I'm healthy now, Sunstar and my mentor, Stonewhisper, were 1. Worried I might get sick again, and 2. Somehow convinced that I'm disrespectful and irresponsible. I felt the need to claw at something, but pushed down the anger, like I usually do.
Shadetalon interrupted my thoughts with a growl, "So quit being so childish, and maybe you can prove yourself to-"
I interrupted with a hiss, jumping to my paws defiantly, "Why don't you shut it, Shadetalon! I don't need your sympathy, nor your stupid help." I spat and raised my hackles a bit.
My brother hissed back, jumping up in surprise at my outburst. We stared each other down for a moment, daring the other to make a move first. I heard a stern voice growl from behind Shadetalon, "Break it up you two!"
Shadetalon visibly relaxed and grunted turning and nodding respectfully to the deputy before padding off towards a small group of warriors. I held my glare and sat down again, fur bristled again despite my grooming. Streamgaze stayed standing and sighed, "I'm truly sorry that you're a late warrior," I lifted my glare to her as she continued, "but it's important that you, as calmly as possible, find a way around these obstacles."
I pawed the ground, feeling guilty for making a scene. The blue she-cat beside me sighed and flicked her tail across my flank softly, "I was going to ask you to go on the sunhigh patrol along the Boulderclan border. If you're up for it."
I perked up, a glimmer of hope in my eyes. Maybe this is the start of how I can show Stormclan I'm worthy of being a warrior. Stream gaze smiled softly, and I then noticed how wise and old she looked. Would she be moving to the elders den, or take on being leader after Sunstar? I pushed away these thoughts, convincing myself that she's a strong warrior, and won't be gone anytime soon.
I nodded and sat tall, "Of course I'll go. Thank you, Streamgaze." The deputy nodded back and left to ask other cats about the patrol, I assumed, leaving me with my thoughts about the future. I felt a wave of anxiety and sighed outwards, stretching to relieve my sore flank that suffered from my 'fall' last night. I just hoped things would pick up, and soon, or Wolf might lose interest in me as his apprentice.
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Walking under the tall trees, I carefully stepped around leftover snow piles and cold puddles. I couldn't help but scowl at the snow. Why hasn't it melted yet? All of the clan silently pleaded with Starclan for Newleaf to come faster, yet the late Leafbare was taking its time.
"I take it you don't like snow?" I looked up to find the apprentice, Darkpaw, beside me. We had fallen behind the three other warriors leading the patrol through the forest. He was a quiet and stoic cat, and it was rare he spoke openly to anyone other than his mother, Snowdapple or his mentor, Amberstep. He was a sleek white tomcat, with black paws and ears, and black spots over his back. His green pools bore into my amber ones.
I blinked, "More like the cold in general." I shrugged and jumped over a log, Darkpaw following my path and grunting beside me. The way his slim muscles were shaped along with his pelt seemed too familiar to me. 'Who does he remind me of? I've always seen Darkpaw around camp, but at this moment more than ever, he reminds me of someone.'
"I agree, the prey is scarce and I've never heard the elders whine so much." To this I chuckled, agreeing with him and we fell into a silence that was neither awkward nor comfortable. A mouse ran off with a squeak beside me and into the undergrowth. Darkpaw stared after it and sighed, "I'd go after it, but we're already behind."
I looked ahead to see Stonewhisper looking back behind his clanmates, calling for us to hurry up. Darkpaw pressed against my side briefly, "Come on. We're almost to the border."
We ran side by side to catch up, and once we did, the patrol had stopped at the base of a small hill. Up the hill led to Boulderclan territory, and to our right was the Fallen Pine. As the Warriors and Darkpaw marked our border, I walked off a small distance and sat gazing up at the large pine tree, ripped up from the ground and leaning against another larger pine. It's been here frozen for decades, yet prey found this spot perfect and make nests among the roots and branches. Because of this, Stormclan and Boulderclan have fought over it since our ancestor's times.
Seeing movement in the corner of my eye, I turned and gazed into the thick forest higher on the hill. Could it be a Boulderclan patrol? I felt the fur of my neck stand up and I narrowed my eyes to see through the dark. A dark gray warrior emerged halfway from the thick bushes. He looked down at me through bright blue-green eyes, his stone tabby pelt seemed to melt into the dark bushes. He couldn't have been much older than me, maybe a moon or two from first glance.
He hesitated, then calmly padded away further into his own territory. I starred after him curiously. 'So many questions in one day.' I groaned to myself.
"Over here! There's a strange scent!" Darkpaw called from father down the hillside, a bit past the Fallen Pine. He sounded sure of himself and calm, but as soon as I rounded the corner, I noticed he smelled lightly of fear and his green eyes were wide with uncertainty.
