Chapter 16

Skypaw trotted beside her mentor as she, Cloudpaw, Treespring, and Shadowleap padded through the forest. “We’re going to practice hunting today,” Shadowleap announced.

Skypaw’s heart beat faster. Hunting! She had always dreamed of bringing back loads of prey for her Clan when she had been a kit. And now I can make it true. Early. She leaned foward eagerly as Treespring demonstrated the hunting crouch.

“Like this,” Cloudpaw’s mentor mewed. “Keep your hind paws tucked in, and your tail straight. You don’t want it swinging around while you’re hunting and scaring all the prey away. Now you try.”

Cloudpaw crouched down awkwardly, his tail held high up in the air. Skypaw got down beside her brother. “Cloudpaw, keep your tail low,” Shadowleap ordered. “Don’t let it touch the ground, and don’t let it be high in the air either.”

Cloudpaw flicked his fluffy white tail and held it straight out behind him. Treespring nodded approvingly.

“Is mine okay?” Skypaw asked.

“Keep your hind legs tucked in more,” Shadowleap advised. It’ll add power to your leap."

Skypaw moved her hind paws closer. “Now creep forward as quietly as you can,” Treespring meowed. “You don’t want your prey running away, so set your paws down lightly.”

Skypaw crept forward as silently as she could, trying her best to follow Treespring’s instructions even though her mind was wandering off somewhere else. Who killed Bladepelt and Nimblepaw? she wondered. Was it a Clan cat? Or was it the strange cat that’s lurking around in our territory?

“Skypaw!” Shadowleap’s sharp mew pulled her out of her thoughts. “Aren’t you listening?” her mentor scolded. “I said to leap now! You’re going to crash into that tree!”

Skypaw blinked at the rough bark right in front of her nose. “Sorry,” she muttered, backing up until she was aligned with Cloudpaw.

Shadowleap flicked her tail at Treespring. “You’d better let Cloudpaw try hunting real prey now. His leap is doing well.” Her gaze flashed meaningfully to Skypaw.

The young apprentice ducked her head, ashamed. Why did I let my mind take over? Skypaw thought grumpily. I really wish that Shadowleap would let me wander around the forest myself! Then I can investigate what the strange scent is. She shivered. It’s worried my Clanmates for a whole moon. What could it be?

“Skypaw!” Shadowleap snapped. “You’re doing it again! Focus, will you?”

Skypaw ducked her head. Her pelt grew hot with embarrassment. “Sorry,” she muttered. Cloudpaw’s probably doing better than me! I’m never going to be a warrior!

Shadowleap’s gaze softened. “It’s okay,” she murmured. “I’ll teach you stalking instead.”

Skypaw crouched even lower, pressing her paws into the ground. Oh, great! Now I’m going to be even more behind on training!

Shadowleap’s gaze seemed to burn into her pelt. “Okay,” the black she-cat mewed. “So it’s like this…”

 

Skypaw stood beside her mentor, her head and tail both drooping with exhaustion and shame. She’d been practicing hunting all morning and yet she hadn’t been able to catch any prey at all. Even Cloudpaw, who was always so clumsy on his paws, was probably doing better than her now.

“Come on,” Shadowleap mewed sharply. “Let’s get back to camp.” Her eyes flashed with disapproval. She picked up the shrew she had caught by herself and stormed off.

“I’ll catch up in a moment,” Skypaw called even though she didn’t really care if her mentor heard or not. She’d go hunting by herself and show Shadowleap that she really was capable of being an apprentice. I’ll show her! She bounded off in the other direction and headed toward the ShadowClan border. She’d catch the most prey any apprentice would have caught, and gather the best herbs for Yarrowleaf to use. That would prove to Shadowleap how useful I am!

Skypaw padded through the forest, but before she could reach the ShadowClan border a strange scent hit the back of her throat. She stiffened. The strange cat!

Glancing around warily, she started to back up. It would attack me right away, she realized. I’m all alone, and I sure look like an easy cat to beat. She jumped as the bushes in front of her rustled. Should I run? she thought frantically. But what if they’re fast too? Oh, StarClan help me…

She stifled a squeal as a sleek, muscular black-and-ginger cat exploded out of the bushes, digging her claws into the ground and praying it didn’t attack her. Skypaw cringed at the clear scent it carried. Rogue! She braced herself and leaped at the cat, claws outstretch.

She didn’t know any battle moves. The rogue reared up on her hind legs and batted her down easily onto the ground.

Skypaw winced as her claws dug into her shoulders. Mouse-brain! she scolded herself. Why did you even think of doing that? She wriggled desperately under the cat’s firm grip, then gave up. It was impossible. She stared up into the rogue’s glinting eyes and realized with a small gasp that they were a dark amber, shining red in the morning light.

The cat stared at her for a few moments, then sheathed her claws but didn’t get off Skypaw. “Hello, little warrior,” she snarled. “Surprised, huh?”

Skypaw shuddered. “How do you know of warriors?” she stammered.

The black-and-ginger rogue gazed at her with burning amber eyes. “I have been watching you,” she replied. “Very interesting, indeed.”

What kind of answer is that? Skypaw tried to get up. This cat was scaring her fur off. “Let me go,” she meowed.

The cat thrust her face forward until it was barely a whisker-length away from Skypaw’s. “Not until you tell me more,” she growled, slamming her paw down on Skypaw’s chest. “What is your name?”

Skypaw gasped for breath. “S-Skypaw,” she choked.

The rogue’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction.

Skypaw glared at her half-ginger face. “What’s yours?”

The cat stared back at her calmly. “I do not have a name,” she growled. “I’ve wandered alone for so long, I’ve forgotten who I am.”

Skypaw’s heart raced. “Then why did you kill Bladepelt and Nimblepaw?” She had to find out answers for her Clan.

The cat licked a paw and drew it over her face. Skypaw tensed. “Oh, you mean those cats?” she snorted. “They just looked weak. One was so small and defenseless that I decided to do a surprise attack on her.”

Skypaw gulped. She means Nimblepaw.

“And did you know,” the rogue went on, “that I’ve been killing cats all over the place?” She slammed her paw on Skypaw’s chest again just as she was about to gasp in shock. “No questions,” the cat growled. “Or I will kill you.”

Skypaw nodded quickly.

“I’ve went to the other part of the forest,” the rogue announced. “I’ve killed this stupid pale ginger cat that just looked so weak…and, oh, do you know? The other day I sliced open a black cat’s throat. But after a few moments she came back alive!” She growled in Skypaw’s face. “Do you know anything about that?” She raised a paw.

She’s talking about Nightstar! She’s leader. Of course she’ll come back alive if she dies. She has nine lives. Is this crazy rogue saying that she took a life from a leader? Skypaw winced and replied, “Okay, okay, fine, I’ll just say what I know…that cat was Clan leader. All Clan leaders have nine lives, so if they die once, they’ll come back and…you know, live again.”

The rogue narrowed her eyes. “Fine,” she spat. “Interesting. I do not know if what you’re saying is true…but I’ll take it.” She swung her paw through the air and tore out a lump of Skypaw’s chest fur.

Skypaw gasped. This rogue can really kill me if she wants now.

“Now,” the cat mewed, “if I let you go, you have to promise you won’t attack me, or say anything about this to your friends.”

“I promise.”

“Or run off.”

“Yes.”

“Promise that you will stay loyal to me and do what I tell you to do, or I will kill you.”

“I promise,” Skypaw answered with a shiver.

The rogue stepped off. “Good.”

Skypaw scrambled to her paws, relieved to be standing again. She didn’t kill me. But she was close. Trembling, she stood tall and faced her new enemy. “So what do I do now?”

“Lead me to your camp.” The order was simple and clear.

Skypaw took a deep breath and headed home, bracing herself for her punishment.

 

Skypaw pushed through the camp entrance. The black-and-ginger cat had told her everything she wanted her to do along the way. She took a deep breath and stepped out into the light. “Breezestar, I’ve found the strange cat that’s been sneaking around our forest for so long,” she called up to the leader’s den. “I attacked her and spoke with her. I am sure that she brings no harm. She wants to speak with you.”

Breezestar emerged from her den, her black-and-gray pelt bristling. She leaped down onto the ground and stomped up to the rogue. “What are you doing here?” she hissed. “You do not belong on Clan territory!”

The rogue blinked at her calmly. “I did not expect such a hostile welcome.”

“We are not welcoming you!” Breezestar growled.

“I have come to join your Clan.”

Breezestar froze. Skypaw’s heart beat faster. Please say no, she prayed. This cat is a killer. A murderer. She doesn’t belong here–

Breezestar dipped her head. “You may stay,” she growled, “but one wrong move and you’ll be shredded.”

The rogue crouched down. “I am honored, Breezestar. Thank you.”

Out of the corner of Skypaw’s eye she saw Shadowleap stare at the rogue with a horrified expression.

Breezestar glared at the rogue. “What’s your name?” she meowed icily.

The rogue gazed back at her steadily. “I do not have a name,” she answered simply.

Breezestar snorted. “Then get out!” she hissed.

The rogue held her ground. “Why?” she pressed. “I want a name. All of you have a name. Why can’t I? I’m no different,” she added. “I’m just like you. I want to prove my strength and loyalty. I will be the most loyal cat your Clan has ever known!”

Skypaw shivered. No, you will not, murderer! You will be the most disloyal cat we have ever known.

Breezestar stared at the black-and-ginger rogue. “Fine,” she spat. “If you wish. Choose your own.” She turned back and leaped up to her den. “I don’t really care.” With that she vanished into the shadows.

Shadowleap padded up to Skypaw. She could see her mentor trembling. “What was that?” she whispered. “What name do you think…that rogue will choose?”

“I don’t know,” Skypaw muttered. “We’ll just have to wait and see, I guess…”

“Cats of SkyClan,” the rogue announced, her eyes gleaming with triumph, “From this moment I declare that my name shall be…Bloodclaw.”

Gasps of shock immediately rippled through the assembled cats.

“Bloodclaw?”

“That’s crazy! Blood!”

“I mean, her eyes are kind of red, like blood,” Skypaw heard Cloudpaw mutter to Swingpaw.

“Where will she sleep?” Rainleaf asked. “There’s no space in the warrior’s den.”

“She’s not sleeping in the medicine den!” Yarrowleaf yowled.

“She can sleep in the nursery,” Shadowleap called out. All the cats turned to look at her. “Cloudpaw, Skypaw, Treespring and I are staying there temporarily. There’s enough space.”

Bloodclaw dipped her head to Shadowleap. “Thank you, black warrior,” she mewed crisply.

Shadowleap bristled. “Don’t you dare call me that!”

Bloodclaw snorted and turned her back. “I can call you whatever I like. I’m a member of SkyClan now.”

Skypaw turned around just in time to see Rockheart, Shadowleap’s brother, stare at Bloodclaw with a mixture of horror, shock, and confusion in his eyes. Skypaw glanced at the other cats. All she could find in their gazes was uncertainty. Skypaw shivered. Why were Rockheart and Shadowleap so surprised about Bloodclaw’s arrival?