Daylight

Chapter 13

The brown-and-white apprentice cast a resigned look to the tom, finally nodding. "That's reasonable." Her gaze flitted over to the ThunderClan cats once more. "So... looks like you guys are our last option."

Mousefur huffed, a frown on her face. "Fine," she finally said. Mallowpaw's eyes brightened.

"Great! You can go out on a patrol and—"

"Nope."

Her gaze faltered, a new confusion emerging. "What? I thought you just said you would go...?"

"I said ThunderClan would go. Not me. Besides, I have an apprentice."

Yellowfang growled. "I have an apprentice, too, but look where we are now."

A hiss came from the brown warrior, and her claws slowly slid out. "Had," she corrected, eyes glinting in the moonlight. "And my apprentice is, as of late, clueless."

Firepaw's ears flattened and he found himself defensive on Cloverpaw's behalf. "Hey! Don't talk about him like that, he just got attacked!"

Mousefur swung her head over to Firepaw and hissed. "I didn't ask for your opinion, Firepaw." She turned her gaze back towards Yellowfang, whose long fur was beginning to stand on end, and she raised her voice even louder. "And besides, we have just plenty of warriors and revolutionaries in our clan that would love to help."

"Great, I'm sure you could spare one," Yellowfang hissed, biting sarcasm thick in her voice.

"No, we just—" Mousefur thundered, but was cut off by a yowl.

"GUYSCANWEJUSTGETALONG," the black tom cried into the night, immediately crouching down and pulling his paws over his head as if he was afraid some cat would box his ears.

A deafening silence fell over the cats, stronger than the first time. Everyone looked to Ravenpaw in surprise until finally his green eyes opened and he straightened up, carefully speaking.

"It seems like," he began, giving a nod to both Yellowfang and Mousefur, "ThunderClan is short-staffed."

"You're telling me," Mousefur spat, eyes locked with the ShadowClan ex-medicine cat.

Ravenpaw continued after a short pause, "However, I do think that ThunderClan is the most strategic clan for this. Mousefur, exactly how many cats do we have from ThunderClan?"

The crouching brown she-cat gave a thoughtful expression, counting up the members. "Six."

"Lovely. That's counting Firepaw and Graypaw, right?"

Mousefur nodded.

"Great. So that's you, Runningwind, Firepaw, Graypaw, Rosetail, and Robinwing."

Another nod. Beside Firepaw, Graypaw's jaw dropped.

"Runningwind is training Firepaw, right?"

A tail flick.

"So could Firepaw and Runningwind go on a patrol to ask?"

All eyes went to Firepaw, who glanced about, meeting as many as possible. "It's their decision," Mousefur finally said, straightening up and looking to the flame-colored apprentice. Ravenpaw's inquiring gaze bore into him as well now.

"I mean... it's really up to him..." Firepaw trailed off.

"He'll totally be up for it," Mousefur flatly stated, rolling her eyes. "The question is, are you."

... Which was how Firepaw ended up on the patrol. His mentor had insisted it be early—earlier than usual, even, and had gone so far as to ask Redtail the night before.