Fading Shadows (A Trail of Shadows book two)

chapter nineteen

"Again!"

Cinderflame's teeth gritted together as she lunged at Duskheart, ducking beneath his outstretched claws to jab at his belly, rolling away as he grunted. Standing up, the silver warrior hissed as she raked her claws down his side, her tail tucked tightly as she leapt over his head.

"Good. How was the gathering?" Duskheart spoke, his voice raspy as he took a seat. Cinderflame mirrored him; she was glad to see that the normally mercilessly energetic tom looked out of breath for once.

"Good. The other clans seem okay, Stormfall was made a mentor as well." Her lip curled distastefully. She couldn't understand how Rainbreeze could so easily forgive their brother; he had betrayed not only ThunderClan, but them as well. "Traitorous fool."

"SkyClan accepts kittypets and traitors, and that makes them weak." Duskheart scoffed, "However, you are doing well with training Hollypaw. Your sister is doing a fine job with Jaypaw as well. I'll admit, I thought Rainbreeze was too soft of an apprentice to ever become a warrior. But I think she is a fine one now."

"I think Bramblestorm helps. He makes her more confident, more sure." Cinderflame spoke, meeting Duskheart's eyes.

"Bramblestorm was promising when he trained here. Now that he's gone, I see he's devoting his talent to hunting for elders and kits." He scoffed, his eyes rolling before he fixated them back onto her. "It's almost dawn. I'll visit you again tonight."

...
Cinderflame yawned as she woke up, her eyes blinking slowly. Stretching her legs out further, the silver warrior began to sit up. Looking around the den tiredly, Cinderflame moved to lean over Rainbreeze's nest.

The blueish gray shecat slept soundly, the area that was usually occupied by her bad tempered mate was empty: his scent faint. 'He's probably on a patrol. Same with Tigerfrost and Tawnyfrost.' Cinderflame thought, poking her sister's side with a paw. As she did, Cinderflame noted how Rainbreeze's usually lean frame was a bit plump, her stomach a bit more round then usual.

"Cinderflame?" Rainbreeze mumbled as she peeked a light blue eye open. She sounded groggy, her voice muffled as she began to wake slowly. "What's going on?"

"Why don't we go hunting? Just you and me. I can have Jaypaw and Hollypaw tend to the elders, nursery and help Snowfall and Ravensight." Cinderflame spoke softly, her hopes lifting as Rainbreeze yawned, her head lifting out of her nest.

"That sounds fun. If you want to go ahead and inform them, I'll meet you by the camp entrance?" Rainbreeze suggested, turning her head to groom herself quickly.

"Yeah." Cinderflame agreed, standing and leaving the den. As she made her way across the the apprentice den, she caught sight of her mother and father sitting outside of the elders' den, their tails twined as they spoke with Mossheart. The old elder looked happy, his mottled tail flicking ever so often. 'I bet he misses Willowstep and Lionclaw.'

"Jaypaw, Hollypaw?" Cinderflame called as she dipped her head to look inside of the apprentice den.
Inside lay a snoring Lionpaw, one of his dark paws flicking at the air as he slept on his back. A few nests lay scattered around the den, the absence of Petalpaw and Hawkpaw suggested the two were out with their mentors. On the back wall, Jaypaw and Hollypaw sat speaking quietly, pausing their conversation as they turned to look at her expectedly.

"Yes Cinderflame?" Hollypaw meowed, her ears pricked forward excitedly. Jaypaw mirrored his sister's excited expression, both of them padding towards her.

"I'm going to have you both clean up the elders' den, the nursery, and then go help Snowfall and Ravensight with whatever tasks they have. I'm going hunting with Rainbreeze." She spoke. "Alright?"