Venom Within - WARRIOR CATS

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"WHAT?!"

I cowered away from Dingofoot as Adderlight slowly explained all that he had seen. The strange amber-red tom's dark brown eyes flitted to my bloodied paws, then to Owlpaw, who was laying on Flamebird's back.

The young she-cat was unconscious, chest rising and falling with pained gasps. As much as Adderlight seemed unworried, my heart couldn't help but flip when I saw the raw gash on her underbelly.

It'll scar...

"I didn't do it," I growled, glaring between Dingofoot and Adderlight. "Why would I hurt some DuneClan apprentice? It was some GalaxyClan-cursed rogue."

I watched, heart pounding, eyes narrowed to slits, as Adderlight and Flamebird exchanged slightly dubious glances. Dingofoot sniffed the air. I did too. There was no scent of rogue.

"Well..." Adderlight trailed away at last. "I want to believe that no DuneClan cat would really do this, especially an apprentice, but..."

"The evidence isn't in her favour." Dingofoot finished the sentence. "And why is that? Because she's a snake-bit Scout."

To my surprise, his stormy grey eyes had narrowed onto Adderlight instead of me. He let out a growl, one which emanated deep in his throat. I saw the hint of sharp yellowed teeth as his lips twitched slightly.

Adderlight exhaled, and turned away from Dingofoot's penetrating glare. "Fine."

"What?" This time it was my turn to raise my voice in confusion. "What in the foxdunged GalaxyClan-cursed sands is fine with this?"

"I didn't mean it that way," Adderlight replied, leveling his gaze with mine. "All I'm saying is that this time, there will be no big punishments. Though, we'll be watching you sharply, Pythonpaw. And if you put a whisker out of line..."

The deputy left the rest unsaid.

He turned to Owlpaw, and for the first time, I saw fear in his gaze. He wanted to blame it on me, because it was easier. But deep down, he knew, just like I did, that there was a lurking threat, trying to kitnap DuneClan warriors.

A force that would stop at nothing.

I stared across the shifting sands before me. The cold night stars illuminated patches of sand, making them glow like fallen starlight. Below me lay the entrance to DuneClan camp, a small unimportant-looking burrow that held dozens of cats and secrets.

"I'm getting stronger. More intelligent. Fiercer." I stared up at the sky. "I'll find it soon. I promise."

I wasn't entirely sure who I was speaking to. Some days it was to myself. Other days it was to Burrowpaw. Sometimes, it had even been to Owlpaw, my new ally. On the worst days, I cursed my enemy.

All I knew was that every night, ever since the rogue, I had woken up thrashing from nightmares. I'd slip out of the hole-in-the-ground that was the Scouts' den, to the outside world.

After Adderlight found me, everything changed. Again.

I told him of the rogue, Owlpaw back me up. The deputy wanted to believe me, but I could see doubt shimmering in his eyes. Dingofoot had silently slipped away to check the perimeter, but the elusive rogue was gone.

Pricklestar blamed me for wounding her daughter. Owlpaw was still in the medicine den, with infection setting into her worst scratches. The rogue's claws had been dirty and tainted. I had tried to sneak away, but it was hard to deal with the stares and whispers.