Warriors: Shadows Of The Night

Chapter 15

Ravenpaw sorted through the fresh-kill pile, looking for something to eat. She chose a plump mouse and chose a spot to eat close to the entrance to the camp. She was waiting for Shadepelt to get back from dusk patrol.

Ravenpaw sighed as she ate by herself. She had went hunting with Thornwhisker after the training session and had caught a small blackbird. After that, she had asked Shadepelt if he wanted to spend some time with her but he had been busy. Graypaw and Iceclaw had both gone hunting together after the training session while Sandpaw and Blacktail went to collect moss to use to make nests.

By now, the two apprentices were back. They were practice fighting in a spot behind the now empty nursery, out of the way of their Clanmates. Ravenpaw could hear them from where she was crouched, though not clearly.

Thornwhisker had gone out for a walk with Palefoot. Silverflight had gone to collect herbs. Thistlefang, Mouseclaw, Shadepelt, and Berryflower had all went on the dusk patrol.

Iceclaw was talking to Shallowstar near the leader's den. The two cats looked like they were having a normal everyday chat, but Ravenpaw couldn't help but feel strange after how Iceclaw had looked at her with Blacktail during training.

Ravenpaw looked across the clearing at her mother. Blacktail was sharing a vole with Longfur and Birdflight beside the elder's den. She hadn't spoken a word to Ravenpaw since the session, but Ravenpaw kept noticing her staring at her with suspicion in her eyes. She still couldn't understand why.

A few minutes after Ravenpaw had finished the mouse, she heard movement at the camp entrance. She twitched her ears and looked up, hoping to see that the dawn patrol had returned. Instead, Thornwhisker and Palefoot slid into the camp.

"Hello," Thornwhisker meowed when he saw Ravenpaw sitting there.

"Hi," Ravenpaw greeted both cats. Palefoot waved her tail in greeting.

"What are you doing there?" Thornwhisker asked.

"Waiting for Shadepelt to get back," Ravenpaw replied. "Did you see the patrol?"

Palefoot nodded. "They were on their way to check on the DarkClan border. They said that was the last place they needed to patrol. They should be back soon."

"We're going to go on the dawn patrol tomorrow," Thornwhisker meowed to Ravenpaw.

"Okay," Ravenpaw said, a tingle of excitement running through her paws. It had been awhile since she had been out on a border patrol, and she was ready to patrol the borders once again.

"I'm going to my nest now," Palefoot yawned. "Goodnight!" She headed over to the warrior's den, giving Shallowstar a nod as she passed her and Iceclaw on her way there.

"You should sleep too," Thornwhisker said to Ravenpaw. "This is going to be your first dawn patrol in a long time. You should probably get some rest."

"I want to talk to Shadepelt first," Ravenpaw told her mentor.

Thornwhisker nodded. "Okay, but not too much longer."

"Alright," Ravenpaw said as her mentor walked away. A short while later the dusk patrol was back with Thistlefang in the lead.

"Hello," Ravenpaw meowed cheerfully, standing up and shaking her fur out. Thistlefang glared at her.

"Shouldn't you be in your nest?" Thistlefang asked gruffly.

"I wanted to talk to Shadepelt," Ravenpaw explained to the her brother's former mentor. He shrugged.

"Fine," Thistlefang said, "But he he's on dawn patrol tomorrow so don't keep him awake too long." He flicked his tail and padded off to the warrior's den. Mouseclaw, Berryflower, and Shadepelt followed him into the camp. Mouseclaw and Berryflower each gave Ravenpaw a friendly nod before heading to their den, while Shadepelt stopped beside Ravenpaw.

"You're going on the dawn patrol tomorrow?" Ravenpaw asked. Her brother nodded.

"I am too!" Ravenpaw purred happily. She was glad that she'd get to patrol the boundaries with her brother again. "How was the patrol tonight?"

"Odd," Shadepelt meowed, "We haven't seen much of DarkClan since they attacked us. The other warriors all seem to agree that DarkClan's behaviour is just plain weird."

Ravenpaw twitched her ears. "Haven't they been constantly renewing their scent markets?"

"That's the thing," Shadepelt meowed, narrowing his eyes, "They haven't yet. And you think they would after they attacked us because they claimed that I hunted to close to the border."

Ravenpaw shrugged. "Who ever really knows what that Clan is up to?"

"Yeah," Shadepelt agreed, "They've always been strange!"

Thst night, Ravenpaw lay in her nest listening to the soft snores of her two denmates while her mind whirled with many thoughts. She was almost too excited about the prospect of meeting Nightshadow again to sleep.

She was also thinking about how Iceclaw and Blacktail had been looking at her before. Even the memory of the stares made her feel uncomfortable. Why had they been staring at her as if she had just revealed that she was a badger?

Sighing, Ravenpaw closed her eyes and shifted a bit to make herself more comfortable. She soon drifted into a deep sleep.

When Ravenpaw opened her eyes it was dawn. She could tell by the light outside the den. She sat up and frowned, feeling a stab of disappointment. Why didn't Nightshadow visit me in my sleep last night?

Sandpaw and Graypaw were still asleep, curled up comfortably in their nests. Ravenpaw got up and carefully slipped past them out of the den, knowing that the dawn patrol would leave soon.

Most of the Clan was already awake when Ravenpaw entered the clearing. Mouseclaw and Birdflight were sharing tongues by the  entrance. Berryflower and Blacktail were talking nearby. Iceclaw, Thistlefang, and Shadepelt were crouched together talking close to the center of the camp. Palefoot and Thornwhisker were talking beneath some bushes that grew at the edge of the clearing near Silverflight's den.

Ravenpaw padded across the clearing to Thornwhisker, waving her tail in greeting.

"Are you ready to do the dawn patrol?" Thornwhisker asked as she approached.

"Yes," Ravenpaw meowed, giving her tail a cheerful wave. "When are we leaving?"

"Now," Palefoot replied, standing up, "I'm leading this patrol today." She padded over to the camp entrance and called for the rest of the cats who were joining the dawn patrol to join her.

Ravenlaw and Thornwhisker hurried after her. Shadepelt and Thistlefang came bounding over as well.

"Alright," Palefoot meowed, "That's all of us. Let's go."

As she led the cats out of the camp, Ravenpaw glanced at her brother. He looked energetic as he walked through the forest, his yellow eyes bright. He looked as though he could cheerfully take on anything that dared set law on WoodClan'a territory.

Suddenly, Ravenpaw felt a pelt brush her flank. She turned and was startled to see that no cat was there. Her mind whirled with confusion. Did I imagine it?

But a familiar scent soon hit her nostrils, a scent that made her fur prickle with excitement. Nightshadow!

"I have faith that you will become the strongest warrior the forest has ever seen!" The voice murmured. Ravenpaw twitched her ears and glanced around, but it was soon obvious that no other cat had heard Nightshadow.

Thank you, She thought silently as she continued to follow her Clanmates through the forest.