Shadowed Dawn - WARRIOR CATS

Chapter 18

Chapter 18

 "Ready to roll out?"

Fang blinked. A hulking figure stood above him. He jumped to his paws, and the figure leapt back, eyes round with terror.

"Oh," Fang surveyed the massive figure of Eagleswoop. "It's you."

"Yep," Eagleswoop replied. "It's me alright, Fang. Ready for your first mission? It's been a quarter moon, and your wounds have finally healed."

"Sure," Fang lifted his chin.

He noticed that Haze was no longer beside him. His fur fluffed up instinctively, and he surveyed the back of the den. The only cats which remained there were Ravenflutter and Ebonywing, gloweing up at Eagleswoop, tails entwined.

"Where is she?" Fang unsheathed his claws, turning to glare up at Eagleswoop. "My friend, I mean. She's too young for these missions."

The deputy fluffed up his pelt so that he was double Fang's size. He still looked even weaker than Fang, for their was genuine terror in his eyes when he regarded the grey rogue. Because of me? Or of what Thistleheart has done to him?

"Sparrowstar wanted to talk to her," Eagleswoop admitted. "He want to see what she can do, how she can be useful. I convinced him not to take you," he winked. "Even if you've lived rogue all your life, you're still DawnClan blood. I have a great persuasive talent. He's convined I'm going to train you, like his warriors will the actual rogue, but you know what we're actually doing."

Once more, Eagleswoop gave Fang a wink. It made the grey tom want to claw his face off. This was a rarity, as Fang rarely felt so repulssed up a single cat.

I don't understand him, Fang thought as he followed Eagleswoop out of the den. He's scared but confident. Thistleheart has done some scary stuff with him...

I don't want her help if I become like Eagleswoop. A cat who obviously fears, yet has been trained by her to deal with it in all the wrond ways.

DawnClan camp was bustling with activity. Warriors headed to and fro, nodding to Eagleswoop before heading out of camp in groups of three or four. The ice pellets from the previous night had melted for the most part, and the ground was only slushy in places. Fang tried to see Haze, but she was nowhere in sight.

"Righteyo," Eagleswoop said. "I've gathered two patrols of rogue catchers for the day. One'll be out for a few days, searching far outside clan territory, the other will skirt our boundaries. You can be on patrol two!"

"Okay," Fang said, his unease dropping like a weight in his stomach with each pawstep he made towards the other cats heading out on the vile mission.

Fang padded towards the group of cats which had gathered together around Eagleswoop. His relief at how few of them there were was dampened with the understanding of how determined they were to follow out there mission.

"This is Fang, everyone!" Eagleswoop declared. "Fang, meet Ridgestone, Brackenflight, Pineclaw and Chestuntsplash! Today we're all going to go find some rogues to help our noble cause."

None of the cats looked as cheerful as Eagleswoop. In fact, baring perhaps Ridgestone, they all looked actively irritated or exhausted. Brackenflight still wasn't meeting Fang's eye.

"Who's going with who?" Pineclaw asked, stifling a yawn.

"Please don't put me on the long patrol," Chestnutsplash implored. "My kits are going to be made apprentices soon."

"It's a good thing you joined us, Chestnutsplash," Ridgestone purred. "Your kits will be some of the highest ranked apprentices in the clan."

Chesnutsplash blinked uncomfortably, before turning back to Eagleswoop. Pineclaw looked bored, as though he just wanted to get moving.