Warriors; Shadows of the Forest

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Dim light was shining through the brambles when Emberpaw was shaken awake.

"You're on dawn patrol with me." Ravenpaw mewed. "And then Cherryheart will take you battle training with your brothers."

Emberpaw groaned. "Battle training? Do I have to?"

Ravenpaw flicked her ear. "What are you, a kitten?" She remarked.

Emberpaw growled at her clanmate and stood, shaking moss clumps from her fur. She pushed past Ravenpaw, her ears laid back.

The dawn patrol consisted of Nightpool, a she-cat named Brokenleg, Cherryheart, Ravenpaw, and Emberpaw. As soon as she joined them, they set off into the forest.

Raindrops fell from the branches on the pine trees, as it had rained last night. Emberpaw flinched against a cold drop on her head. The marshy woodland was even more muddy than usual, caking Emberpaw's legs when they sunk into the the wet ground.

"You'll get used to it." Cherryheart nudged her forward.

Emberpaw made her way after Nightpool to the RiverClan border. She'd been here before, and she could make out the fishy smell of the cats across the border before she saw them, racing over the ground slowly. Compared to Emberpaw, they were like fat toads hopping away.

The leader of the patrol, a handsome silver tabby with bright blue eyes, made his way closer to the border and dipped his head to the ShadowClan patrol. The rest of his group laid their ears back.

Cherryheart growled at the group. "Back off," She warned.

Nightpool shouldered past the younger she-cat. "Waterglow. How nice to meet you here. Don't mind Cherryheart, she's a bit younger than I, and still doesn't understand what it looks like to come in peace."

"Hey!" Cherryheart whined, but Waterglow, the tom, continued.

"All conflict between us, over the prey incident, were moons ago." He confirmed. "And Minnowstar is perfectly fine with it. Most of us managed through that Greenleaf."

Nightpool dipped her head. "We didn't have much territory to spare. How are you doing, now that Leaf-fall is nearly over?"

"The river and streams have already frozen over. But, we'll be fine." The tom meowed cheerfully.

"Enough chat." Brokenleg mewed, her eyes narrowed. "Nightpool, since when were you so social with other clans?"

Nightpool muttered something and turned away.

Emberpaw's eyes met Waterglow's before the tom turned and led his cats away.

Cherryheart and Brokenleg began to mark the border, while Emberpaw took in the little details of this task.

"We have two borders." Ravenpaw was explaining. "One with RiverClan, and one with ThunderClan. There's usually no trouble between us and ThunderClan, unless one of our warriors goes and makes it."

Emberpaw just nodded as the patrol started back to camp.

Cherryheart led Emberpaw aside and made her way confidently through the pines, Emberpaw easily keeping up. In the forest was a dirt clearing, although the dirt was mud from the rain that had lightened to a drizzle.

Shadepaw and Blackpaw were standing there, their pelts clotted with mud, both panting. Their mentors, Maplefur and Longclaw, were watching with approval in their eyes.

Cherryheart padded over to Maplefur and sat down.

"Okay, Emberpaw. I'll show the move to you, then I want you to copy it on Shadepaw." Longclaw meowed.