Warriors- Dawn of An Era: Shadows of Terror {Book 2} (COMPLETED)

Chapter Sixteen

Slippaw sighed as he applied more mouse-bile onto Marshflame's back. The tick buried itself deeper into the elder's flesh, but Slippaw pried it loose with a claw and threw it to the ground, crushing it with a paw. In front of him, the brown tabby tom sighed in relief.

"Thank you for that, Slippaw." He purred, rolling his shoulders. "That one was bothering me."

"Of course, Marshflame," Slippaw replied and gathered the mouse-bile and stuck his pink tongue out. "Gross." He muttered and headed out of the den, the disgusting moss dangling from his claw.

The small amount of sunlight from the sky warmed his smoky-gray pelt, letting him know leaf-fall was ending. Soon, leafbare will come back. He let out a defeated sigh as he padded toward the dirtplace cave and buried the moss. Walking out, he looked around the camp, spotting his father, Junipertail talking with Ivyfur outside the warrior's den. His mother, Lilymist, was lounging outside the nursery with her new litter bouncing all over the place.

They were born three moons ago and they were prepared to become apprentices. Condorkit, the largest of the litter, was a black tom with gray paws and amber eyes. Frostkit, one of the smaller of the kits, was a gray and silver tabby she-cat with yellow-amber eyes. Peakkit was an average-sized kit, he was a black tom with a white face and orange eyes. Lastly, Amberkit was the second largest kit, she was a smoky-black she-cat with golden-yellow eyes.

The four kits were rambunctious and ambitious to become warriors, saying they'll be better without the training of an apprenticeship. Slippaw sighed and sat down, watching as his Clan did their thing. He couldn't see his mentor, Lightningstreak anywhere, despite Snowfall not sending out any patrols. The tom knew about his grudge against the ThunderClan warrior, Wildrapid the last time they invaded.

Wildrapid had tried to start a fight over his daughter, Cloudkit. Slippaw didn't see why Spotpelt had stolen the kit in the first place, as the ThunderClan cats had taken the kit back the same day. Slippaw assumed the ThunderClan kit was made an apprentice with the name Cloudpaw, but he couldn't be sure. It had been moons since the last Gathering ShadowClan had gone to, and Blizzardstar had announced earlier that they wouldn't go anymore.

As the Clan went on with the day, no cat seemed to notice Slippaw. His heart felt hollow as he sighed, looking at his paws. None of his Clanmates particularly liked him, like normal. Even as a kit, no one paid him any more attention than his more popular siblings.

Silverpaw and Kestrelpaw were better than him in every way. They'd mastered hunting in the first moon of becoming apprentices, later becoming experts in battle after another half-moon. Meanwhile, Slippaw was struggling to pin down his Clanmates during practice. He wasn't the greatest hunter, either. Every couple of days, he'd bring back some frogs or mice. Rarely, he'd bring back a thrush or crow for the fresh-kill pile.

Earlier that day, he'd brought back a blackbird, filled with pride. Upon noticing that no cat paid him any attention with his catch, his pride turned to bitterness and sadness as he dropped his prey off at Rainpelt's den before sulking away to the elder's den. Rainpelt's kits, Willowsun and Paleflower, were the two youngest warriors in ShadowClan. Not only were they the medicine cat's kits, but Marshflame's as well.

Although the medicine cat makes time for her daughters, Marshflame let the Clan raise his kits. He did congratulate them when they became apprentices and then warriors.

Slippaw let out another defeated sigh and rose to his paws, heading for the gorse tunnel that led out of the camp. Once he got into the pine forest, he headed for the carrionplace to meet up with Adderheart. For moons, he'd met up with the warrior from a Clan called DarkClan, led by Rushstar. He'd never bring the leader along with his meetings, but Slippaw had dreamt of the gray-and-white patched DarkClan leader. Along with the chilling news that the ThunderClan warrior Viperstrike was training with him. Slippaw had seen the tabby she-cat in battle, once at the ThunderClan border and another in the heart of the camp.

Since his Clan ignored him and cast him into the shadows, he'd sought refuge in the comfort that Adderheart and his Clan valued him and the information he'd bring every time they met. Slippaw didn't care that he was betraying his Clan or the warrior code, why should he? His Clanmates didn't care for him. They only cared about his older siblings.

As he neared the carrionplace, he quickly picked up the scent of Adderheart, along with two other cats. Those two cats being Echotooth and his brother, Rowantooth. Slippaw smiled to himself and began to walk faster, wanting to get to the carrionplace before the sun dipped below the pine treetops.

"Slippaw," purred the voice of Echotooth, her white fur flashing in the dark green foliage. Her yellow eye flickered to his surroundings and she grinned. "It's so good to see you again."

Slippaw felt relaxed for the first time in over two moons. "It's good to see you too, Echotooth." He purred and twitched his tail. "Where's Adderheart and Rowantooth?"

A rumble from the bushes started the apprentice, but Adderheart and his brother slid out with amused looks on their faces.

"I'm surprised you could tell it was us," Rowantooth commented, his whiskers twitching in amusement.

"It's because you both smell like fox-dung," Echotooth sniffed. "When was the last time you both groomed your pelts?"

Adderheart rolled his ice-blue eyes and rested his gaze warmly on Slippaw. "What's new in ShadowClan?" He asked.

"ThunderClan attacked our camp a while ago and Mistypelt was killed." He began to explain that Lilymist's kits would be made into apprentices soon and he worked his paws against the ground. The she-cat had been killed by Viperstrike because she killed Darkfang.

"Don't worry, Slippaw." Rowantooth yawned, showing his yellow fangs. "Once Rushstar shows his face to the Clans, we'll take care of ThunderClan."

"That won't be easy," Slippaw pointed out, trying to keep his tone light. "Blizzardstar's announced we aren't going to any Gatherings."

Echotooth scoffed and flicked her tail across Slippaw's flank. "We'll worry about that, don't worry." She looked to the sky, her working eye reflecting the setting sun. "You'd better get back to your Clan before you're absence is noticed."

Slippaw snorted angrily, his claws unsheathing. "My Clanmates hardly notice me when I'm in the camp." He meowed bitterly. "All they do is fuss about Silverpaw and Kestrelpaw."

Adderheart whisked his tail. "They're blind to what you can do, Slippaw." He comforted, his tone slightly hostile. "When they realize they're in the wrong, it'll be too late."

Slippaw looked gratefully around at his friends, glad some cats believed in him. When Rushstar finally shows himself, ShadowClan will pay.