Gray Skies - Book One

Chapter Eleven

Nightpaw and Minnowcall hurried to keep up with the grumbling Creekfeather as he stormed away from the border. 

"Did we refresh all the markers?" Minnowcall questioned.

"Those stupid ThunderClan cats!" Creekfeather growled.

Nightpaw didn't say anything as she rushed over the Twoleg paths with Minnowcall. "I think I missed one marker, but that should be okay."

"They're always sticking their muzzles into places that they don't belong!" Creekfeather continued his little rant, taking out his anger for ThunderClan with words. "They think we're shadowy minsters that lurk in the dark."

"Looking at the way you're acting, it's kind of true," Minnowcall spat. "Creekfeather, get your act together!"

But Creekfeather ignored her as he headed for the small Thunderpath. "They're just weak little kittypets who pick fights with us that they know they can't win."

"Is he always like this?" Nightpaw whispered to Minnowcall, almost tripping over a stone. 

"He's ShadowClan, Nightpaw!" Minnowcall growled. "What do you think?"

Nightpaw didn't hang her head in fear of running into her already angered mentor. Instead, she kept her head high and didn't reply to Minnowcall as they crossed the Thunderpath and approached the RiverClan border. There was a RiverClan patrol marking the borders there.

"What now?" Creekfeather complained loudly, digging his claws into the dirt. A gray-and-cream she-cat with knotted fur looked over at Creekfeather.

"Alright, ShadowClan fish-brain, what's angered you?" she meowed, lashing her tail. "We've done nothing but make up the dawn patrol."

"Those stupid ThunderClan kittypets are being dung-brains! Let's just mark the border and get this over with." Creekfeather stormed off toward a marker, but Minnowcall followed.

"So, you get angry at ThunderClan for butting into our business, which they didn't even do, but RiverClan does the same and you don't get angry at them?" The ShadowClan she-cat growled.

Creekfeather whipped around and spat at her. "How would you like it if I clawed your mother's muzzle straight off?" 

Minnowcall growled. "Go ahead. I'm not stopping you."

Nightpaw knew Minnowcall was half-Clan, but her mother gave her away to her father in ShadowClan when she was a kit. Minnowcall's father had died soon after, leaving her alone in ShadowClan. She was a well-respected warrior now although she had no respect for her former Clan neither for her mother, Mossywater.

"We've already fought with ThunderClan!" Nightpaw called out. "We don't need-"

"A warrior doesn't back down from a fight!" Creekfeather growled at Nightpaw. Nightpaw stood still, trying not to flinch as Creekfeather stepped closer to the border, stopping when he was one paw step away from crossing onto RiverClan territory. Minnowcall was glaring at Mossywater as her patrol came to her.

"Maybe try patrolling the WindClan border first next time," Creekfeather rumbled.

Mossywater looked from Minnowcall to Creekfeather. "Maybe try not patrolling the borders at all."

"Mossywater, maybe we should just leave," a small russet she-cat meowed from where she stood next to her Clanmate.

"You're right, Tanglefrost," Mossywater growled, whipping around and heading back for her camp. "Afterall, I don't want the stench of ShadowClan in my fur."

Creekfeather hissed at Tanglefrost and Mossywater as they left for their camp. A small russet tabby tom with a white belly and white legs stood at the border, trembling when Minnowcall stepped toward him. 

"What are you waiting for, Lizardpaw?" she growled at him. "Go follow those fish up the river."

Lizardpaw quickly turned around and ran after the two she-cats. Creekfeather turned to his patrol, his expression unsatisfied.

"Quickly mark the borders then we go home." He turned and walked down the border toward a marker, and Nightpaw followed Minnowcall before stopping to refresh a marker.

"ThunderClan and RiverClan are getting on my nerves!" Creekfeather complained to Eaglefeather and Spiderstar back at camp. "Mainly ThunderClan. I think we should attack their camp to get back at them."

"What exactly did they do?" Spiderstar narrowed his eyes at his warrior.

"They're acting like annoying little kittypets who collect gossip and spread it to all their pathetic friends!" Creekfeather spat in one breath.

"I see no better reason to attack," Eaglefeather grumbled. Now warriors were gathering around the three toms. Nightpaw had been watching from next to Hazelpaw.

Spiderstar looked at his deputy. "I see no reason to attack over a little word quarrel. Creekfeather, you fight with everyone you look at."

Creekfeather let out a growl. "No, I do not. And I will not be satisfied until I sink my claws into some ThunderClan fur."

Random yowls of agreement came from the other ShadowClan cats, Crowbark, Maggotswipe, Minnowcall, and Talonswipe sticking out the most.

"You will also continue to bother me about attacking ThunderClan until I give in to your pleads and say yes," Spiderstar predicted with a growl.

"You know me very well, Spiderstar," Creekfeather purred.

Spiderstar was quiet for a moment before sighing. "We will attack at moonhigh. Make sure you eat and rest. Eaglefeather will wake you up right before moonhigh."

Yowls of satisfaction and pleasure came from the ShadowClan cats as Spiderstar walked away with a sigh. Nightpaw could hear him mutter "What have I agreed to?"

She and Hazelpaw were aware that they weren't joining the unnecessary battle, for they hadn't had any battle training yet. Nightpaw knew that her Clanmates enjoyed fighting in battles they'd started with another Clan as long as they came home alive. Nightpaw wished ThunderClan could stop them, for the Clan of kittypets had done nothing wrong.

Short but sweet.