Shadowed Dawn - WARRIOR CATS

Chapter 29

"The last of... the clans?"

Aspenpaw stared at Fang, wishing she wasn't the one having to break this news to him. But he isn't a warrior... part of her reminded himself. As she stared into Fang's distraught lilac eyes, she knew he cared, far more than many warriors did.

"That's bad," Thornshade interjected. "But we have worse news. There was a cat, Smokedawn was her name, who told us of a plan for an attack. Thistleheart knows where you are."

Hawkblaze narrowed her eyes, taking in this information very seriously. Aspenpaw was amazed by how calm she was remaining; especially after several cats, a random winged warrior among them, had burst into the cave.

"We will fortify our camp and protect the kits and elders," Hawkblaze said at last. She looked around, a hint of worry penetrating her determined gaze. "Where is Smokesong?"

"She's with Coalfang," Fang replied, giving a quick glance at Thornshade.

Coalfang?! Aspenpaw suddenly noticed the dried blood on Thornshade's forepaws, and the tufts of fur that were missing from his shoulder fur. Hawkblaze's eyes suddenly widened.

"NO!" She snarled, making for the exit of the den. Several cats leaped back. Claws unsheathed, teeth bared in a snarl, Hawkblaze looked at Fang. "Where is she? What is he doing with her?"

Fang took a deep breath. "Coalfang is dead. He attacked us, but we outnumbered him. I wouldn't wish death on any cat, but he wouldn't stand down. Smokesong is burying his body."

"That's good," a silver tabby with luminescent blue splotches meowed, as several others murmured in agreement.

Fang looked away, and for a brief moment, locked eyes with Aspenpaw. He's grown so wise, she thought. She tried to remember Fang as the bumbling little tom who had struggled to capture her on an intimidating rogue's orders. He had seemed so unsure of himself and nervous.

"Since when did you get all noble and wise?" Aspenpaw meowed in Fang's ear while Hawkblaze took deep steadying breaths, several of her warriors murmuring reassurance.

Fang let out a faint laugh. "I guess instead of growing tall, I decided to grow wise."

Aspenpaw purred. "I missed you. We were all... really worried."

Fang didn't seem to meet her eye. Aspenpaw followed his gaze to where Hawkblaze and the rest of the mountain clan cats had entered a tense discussion about managing their makeshift home. Thornshade and Brackenflight edged a little closer to her as some of the mountain cats gave them faintly hostile or pitying looks. Wolfstorm and Morningdew had begun conversing with an older group of cats.

"Are you both really okay?" Aspenpaw asked.

Thornshade shrugged. "We're alive. And that's about as good as any of us can be given the current conditions."

He wasn't telling them the full truth. Aspenpaw glanced at Fang and Brackenflight, looking for any signs of mistrust, but neither of them seemed to be pressing the winged brown tabby. Fang caught Aspenpaw's eye, and gave her a faint nod.

"Thistleheart is planning to raid this place," he replied. "Alongside the rest of the clans. Apparently, she's already sending out her fast fliers to the lake clans to deal with them."

"I don't understand how a cat could be so twisted," Aspenpaw meowed.

"I have a guess," Brackenflight meowed, gazing at Fang with a certain sort of compassion in her amber eyes. "Some cats think that power and control is all there is to life. From what I've heard of Thistleheart, she didn't feel heard or respected in DawnClan, so she sought out stronger allies."