Wings - The Story of Jetpaw

Chapter 1

 * A jet-black cat peered through the trees, his snow-white paws obvious in the darkness of night.


 * He watched as his love and his enemy twined tails and made a vow: to never let go.


 * Jetpaw woke up, heaving breaths. "No," he whispered. "It's okay. Lilypaw is okay..."


 * He stood up, blinking in the morning light, and then he felt his fur grow hot as he realized:


 * Solarpaw was staring at him.


 * Solarpaw was his best friend. Solarpaw knew about his crush on Lilypaw... but...


 * Solarpaw was the cat in my dream! Jetpaw realized with a start. He could recognize Solarpaw's obvious ginger tabby pelt anywhere.


 * "You really do like her," Solarpaw muttered, gesturing to Lilypaw, who was sleeping closer to the back of the den.


 * Jetpaw felt his fur grow hotter. "Yeah," he whispered.


 * Solarpaw nodded, but there was something in his eyes that Jetpaw couldn't place. Was it... annoyance?


 * Jetpaw heard his mentor, Firefur, call, "Jetpaw! Training!" He erased all thoughts of his dream and ran out of the den. He wasn't going to let something stupid like a she-cat get in between his friendship with Solarpaw.


 * "What are we doing today?" Jetpaw asked Firefur excitedly.


 * Firefur flicked her tail. "Actually, today we're going to train with Silvertail and Lilypaw. It's up to Silvertail to choose."


 * Jetpaw's heart began to pound. Training with Lilypaw! Firefur doesn't know I like Lilypaw.


 * "Is something wrong?" Firefur asked quietly. "Because if something is you should go to Burnfoot for a herb."


 * Jetpaw shook his head, his heart still pounding. "Nothing's wrong. I'm- um... just hungry, I guess."


 * Firefur nodded and stepped aside to let Jetpaw go the fresh-kill pile.


 * Jetpaw met the deputy and Solarpaw's mentor, Flaretail, at the fresh-kill pile. Flaretail was taking great care to pull a juicy-looking thrush from the middle of the pile, so Jetpaw sat back to not disturb him.


 * "Yes!" Flaretail cheered as he finally removed the dead bird. Noticing Jetpaw, he scuffed his paws in the dirt and rushed off to the leader's den on top of the Highledge.


 * Jetpaw snorted and grabbed a squirrel for himself and a fat mouse for Lilypaw.


 * Seeing that she was awake, he padded over and laid the mouse in front of her and dropped the squirrel.


 * "I was thinking... since we're training together today we might as well eat together," Jetpaw meowed. He heard his voice crack as he continued, "I brought you a mouse."


 * Lilypaw purred. "Thank you, Jetpaw. I'd be glad to eat with you!"


 * Jetpaw's heart pounded as he watched her take the first bite.


 * "Ack!" Lilypaw spat. "This is filled with-"


 * Jetpaw blocked out the rest in his horror.