Warrior Cats: Shadows into Light (book 1)

Chapter 21

Nightpaw looked around and saw many eyes that looked surprised and saddened from the deaths. All of the cats branched off in to their groups with their leaders at the head. Nightpaw almost went up to Breezepaw and hissed at her for nuzzling her brother but held her tongue. Instead of hissing at the she-cat she pulled her brother away by the scruff, him yowling in protest and Breezepaw looking on in confusion and anger. "What were you dragging me off for," he hissed finally getting away from Nightpaw's grip and regaining his footing. "She was nuzzling you as if you were her mate! You know the warrior code," Nightpaw grunted back. "It's a truce at gatherings remember! It's the purpose of the gathering! And It really Isn't any of your business with who I talk too," he snarled, quickening his pace and walking away. She bared her teeth in fury and annoyance, not noticing Duskpaw went up beside her and rested his tail against her shoulder. "He is right though, It is his life and It was a gathering," Duskpaw meowed trying his best to comfort her. "Well he was so touchy," she snapped. Duskpaw sighed and quickened his pace to catch up with Dawnpaw and talk with him. In attempt to make new friends in different clans she walked up beside a Fern Clan apprentice. "Hello," Nightpaw meowed to the small apprentice. "Hello, I am Smallpaw," the apprentice meowed with a glint of happiness in her eyes. Nightpaw nodded and shifted her gaze to look into the bushes and heard a hissing sound. It came closer and closer from the bushes and then she knew what it was. "Run," she yowled. The cats around her started to bolt out of the way when they heard the warning. The snake came into view and it was hissing because it was bothered by the cats. Sunpaw, Rainpaw, and Bloodpaw hurried the other cats out of the way and Smokepaw charged into her pushing Nightpaw out of the way of the snake. "Th-thank you," she stuttered and he began to lick her muzzle, head, and shoulders comfortingly and she began to purr. Smokepaw rested her on his shoulder and padded towards the camp with the clan. Nightpaw settled in a mossy nest with Smokepaw his amber eyes glowing in the darkness of the night. Duskpaw chatted with his sister about the snake but Dawnpaw was still pouting about the fight they got into. Heatherheart trotted into the ivy, bracken covered den and sat in front of them. "Nightpaw, Dawnpaw, and Rainpaw we will be going to be training tomorrow at dawn, with Cloudspirit," she meowed out into the den to get Rainpaw's attention. The apprentices nodded, each apprentice curling up in their nests. Nightpaw and Smokepaw curled up in starred nests , Nightpaw snuggled in to Smokepaw's deep grey fur shutting their eyes tightly welcoming the embrace of sleep.