Eclipsepaw's Destiny: Chapter 3

Eclipsepaw listened to the snow lightly batter the apprentice's den. Leaf-bare made her sleepy, even as a kit. She curled herself into a tight ball in her nest, tail over her nose. Her fur felt like it was burning, and she was aware of Redpaw watching her.

"need something?" she snapped.

"no, are you cold?" Redpaw mewed.

''Stupid mouse-brain! I know where he's getting at!''

"not really. Are we training today, or what?" Eclipsepaw asked. She actually was cold, freezing actually, but she wasn't going to let Redpaw know that.

"I kinda doubt it, but you never know with Dustpelt, he can be a harsh mentor..." Redpaw answered.

"can I go to sleep now?" Eclipsepaw mewed impatiently. Redpaw nodded and curled up himself.

"TIME FOR TRAINING!!!" Squirrelflight yowled loudly, sticking her head in the den entrance. "I knew you all would be sleeping!" the ginger warrior mewed.

"really? It's snowing! Can't we wait until it's melted?" Eclipsepaw growled.

"no, Lionblaze told me to have you train no matter what the weather is like. You respect your father's orders. Brambleclaw told me to get all the apprentices out for training or hunting," Squirrelflight said. The apprentices just layed in their nests.

"come on!" she hissed. Eclipsepaw forced her freezing paws to get up, and she wobbled a bit before gaining all her balance. She walked out of the den and out into the white blanket of a camp.

"what's for today?" she asked, eyeing Redpaw as he walked to Brackenfur.

"I thought we'd all go on a hunt, except for Dovepaw and Lionblaze, she's having her training assessment," Squirrelflight mewed.

"All of us? We'll scare whatever prey isn't in their burrows, into their burrows!" Eclipsepaw said.

"no, we're all separating. Just two apprentices in an area," her mentor flicked her tail to get snow off. Eclipsepaw followed her to where all the apprentices and mentors were waiting by the camp entrance.

"this way!" Squirrelflight said loudly, and Eclipsepaw was afraid she'd scared the remaining prey away. Berrynose and Lionpaw were waiting for them just beyond the camp.

''Great! I have to hunt with these furballs?''

She bounded through the snow, using her powerful back legs to propel her through. She stopped for a moment and sniffed the cold air...mouse! Eclipsepaw immediately dropped into a hunting crouch and was careful not to shift the snow around too much. She leaped, landing square on the rodent and nipped its spine.

"nice catch!" Squirrelflight praised. Eclipsepaw nodded her thanks, mouth full.

"why don't we go our separate ways and hunt? But stay near!" Berrynose suggested. He looked to Lionpaw, who just walked off. Eclipsepaw went in the opposite direction. She walked for a good while before scenting another cat in the air, not ThunderClan.

''It's a kit! What do I do?'' she thought upon seeing the bundle of russet-colored fur. ''Even worse, it's Russetfur's son! What'll she do if I murder her kit?'' She picked her way down the slope, hoping the trees would at least hide her from the kit, who she remembered his name being mentioned as Firekit.

''This is your chance to prove yourself to the Dark Forest, the moment I've been waiting for. Until you redeem yourself as loyal, I can never train you in your sleep...Besides, he is an intruder, protect your Clan at all costs right?'' Hawkfrost's voice rang in Eclipsepaw's ears. She wanted to join the Dark Forest just as much as she wanted to keep her clan safe. Maybe she should kill this kit, Hawkfrost was right, he is an intruder, even if it is just a kit.

She sprang. Firekit gave a squeak of alarm when he saw the shadow of a bigger cat coming towards him fast. Eclipsepaw swiped him hard on his shoulder. She could feel him trying to scrape her with his little claws, but they were tiny and weak, no match for an apprentice with thick fur and sharp claws. She clamped her jaws down onto his throat.

I hope no one sees me...

With terror, yet pride, Eclipsepaw watched the light fade from Firekit's eyes and blood pour out, staining the snow bright red.

''What have I done? I'm a kit-murderer! No...This was for my Clan, he shouldn't have been out of his mother's sight!''

"Eclipsepaw? What have you done?!"