Skybreathe's Story: Part 2

Part 2
"Flightkit.....Flightkit......"

Flightkit opened his eyes. Light blinded him for a moment. His eyesight came into focus, and standing over him was a small gray cat. Yellow eyes stared into his.

"Come on, Flightkit! Let's go play," he squeaked.

Flightkit blinked. The strange cat dashed out of the den, but stopped and ran back in.

"Come on!"

Flightkit closed his eyes again. Moments later, he felt himself being nudged out of his nest. He opened his eyes again and saw the same cat, but another. A white she-cat with blue eyes.

"Come on, Flightkit! Snowfeather says we can't play without you!"

"Who's Snowfeather?" Flightkit asked.

"You must've hit your head on a pebble," the she-cat teased. "Snowfeather's our mother, and Rainclaw is our father. I'm Frostkit, your sister, and that's Windkit! We're littermates!"

Flightkit blinked as his memories flooded back to him. "Oh, yeah," he said. "Sorry."

Windkit laughed. "Come on. Let's go play with Darkpaw and Volepaw!"

Flightkit smiled. "Let's go!"



"So you were born to Snowfeather, a white and gray tabby-queen, and Rainclaw, the current deputy of RiverClan at that time," Rowanstar repeated.

Skybreathe nodded.

"That's right. I was three days old when the event I just told you of occured. In the next two moons, the current leader Branchstar died, and my father became leader. Four moons after that, I was apprenticed."



"Let all cats gather around the Riverrock for a Clan meeting," Rainstar yowled.

Flightkit's eyes gleemed. Frostkit was hopping out of her pelt with excitement.

"We're being apprenticed," she said.

Windkit snorted. "About time."

Windkit had changed in the past four moons.Since Rainstar became leader. Windkit had become conceited and thought of himself better than anyone else.

"It is a proud day for RiverClan," Rainstar cried. "Three kits, littermates, have reached their sixth moon and are ready to be apprenticed. Windkit, Frostkit, and Flightkit, come forward."

The three kits took one step forward. Rainstar continued.

"Windkit, until you've earned your warrior name, you will be known as Windpaw. Moonflight, you are a young warrior. You will train Windpaw. Teach him all you've been taught."

A big black cat stepped forward and rested her muzzle on Windpaw's head and whispered something in his ear. Rainstar turned to Frostkit.

"Frostkit, until you've earned your warrior name, you will be known as Frostpaw. Rockfall, you were once my apprentice. Teach my daughter what I've taught you."

Rockfall, a big dark brown tom rested his muzzle on Frostpaw's head like Moonflight did to Windpaw. Frostpaw lept up out of sheer excitement and headbutted Rockfall's jaw. She realized what had happened, and her pelt began to burn with embarrasment. Rockfall glared at her out of mock anger, than returned his muzzle to her head. Rainstar turned to Flightkit.

"Flightkit, until you've earned your warrior name, you will be known as Flightpaw." He turned to a silver tabby-tom with blue stripes.

"Stormtooth, you are one of our senior warriors. Our old leader Branchstar trained you, and his death has been especially hard on you, but I expect you to teach him everything Branchstar taught you."

Stormtooth padded over to Flightpaw and lied his muzzle on Flightpaw's head. Flightpaw then heard the entire Clan crying out "Windpaw! Frostpaw! Flightpaw!" Rainstar's voice being heard loudest of all.

When the cries died, Flightpaw heard Stormtooth say, "You get some rest. Tomorrow, I'll show you around the territory and teach you some hunting techniques."

But Flightpaw didn't get much sleep that night or many nights after that for a long time.



Rowanstar nodded. He remembered how excited he was the first days he was an apprentice being trained by his mentor, Russetfur. Skybreathe stopped talking. After a few moments, Rowanstar looked up.

"What happened next?" he asked.

Skybreathe closed his eyes.

"Stormtooth did what he said. He took me out to train for seven moons. According to him, I was a natural hunter and fighter. My first battle was against WindClan, in which we were victorious. The second battle is where the trouble began."

"Why," Rowanstar asked. "What happened?"

"I was fighting two ShadowClan warriors when I was slashed all the way from my head to my legs. They were about to kill me when Frostpaw intervined. I was able to escape, but Frostpaw was killed."

"I'm sorry."

"Anyways, I dragged myself all the way back to camp. Immediatly as I got there, I passed out. And I had a dream.

"In my dream, I was at Sunningrocks, but it was night. I was sitting there, looking at the moon, and out of the river, a cat emerged. It was a beautiful giner-and-white tabby she-cat. She walked up on the rock, and spoke to me. She called me by name, and offered me something. She said if I promised to join her when the time comes, she would make me the greatest apprentice ever."

"Who was it?"

"I didn't know. I later found out it was Mapleshade, a Dark Forest Warrior. Nonetheless, I agreed, and then I woke up. I found that I had been unconscious for three moons, and Milkfur, the current Medicine Cat, wasn't sure if I would ever wake up. I was well enough to leave the Medicine Den a couple of days later. That same day was my brother's warrior ceremony



"Let all cats gather around the River-rock," Rainstar cried.

Flightpaw opened his eyes. Windpaw's warrior ceremony, he realized. He looked at the curled-up form of Milkur, the Medicine Cat.

"Can I go see my brother's warrior ceremony?" he asked.

Milkfur snorted. Flightpaw smiled and ran out of the den. He saw Rainstar on the River-rock and Windpaw standing behind him.

"This is a great day for RiverClan! Windpaw has completed his warrior training and is ready to earn his warrior name. Moonflight, has Windpaw completed the requirements of a warrior?"

"He has," Moonflight said, pride in her eyes

"Then I, Rainstar, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to a warrior in return. Windpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," Windpaw replied.

"Then, by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Windpaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Windrage. StarClan honors your bravery and strength, and we welcome you as a full warrior of RiverClan."

"Windrage! Windrage!" The Clan cried. Flightpaw joined in cheering. But, suddenly, he turned and saw the she-cat from his dream. He then heard a quiet whisper go in his ears, "Remember your promise, little one. Someday, you'll be greater than Rainstar."



"She kept her promise."

Rowanstar opened his eyes. "What'd you say?" he asked.

"Mapleshade kept her promise. I was the greatest apprentice RiverClan has ever seen. I caught more prey than the rest of the Clan combined, I was an excellent fighter, and any cat of any Clan knew who I was. In less than two moons, I earned my warrior name: Flightstorm. A moon after, Mapleshade returned.



"Flightstorm," a small voice cried.

He opened his eyes. He'd heard a voice. But was it real, or was it his imagination, he wondered. Flightstorm stood up, stretched, and stepped outside the den. On the River-rock was the she-cat he'd made the promise to. She had an evil smirk.

"Hello, Flightstorm. It's time to fufill your promise."

"What do you mean?" Flightstorm asked, but the cat didn't answer. Suddenly, the world began spinning. It span faster and faster.

Then there was nothing but black.

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