Warrior Cats: The New Clan Survives. (Book Two: Completed!)

Chapter Eight.

The moon was high when Shadowpaw returned back to camp. Her tail was drooping, her ears were flattened, and her eyes were clouded with sadness. I guess I'm moving back into the apprentice den. However, in her old apprentice nest, lay a small, grey tom. That ignorant Stormypaw, taking her nest! She hissed under her breath, carefully stepping over Raccoonpaw and laying down in the opposite corner, drifting off to sleep. 

"Do you think she's nice?".

"Everyone in Sandclan is, stupid".

"Quiet, she's waking up!". Shadowpaw's ears twitched as she opened her leaf-green eyes, to find the two new apprentices stood above her. She jumped onto her paws, frightened by their sudden appearence. "Wha-?".

"Oh, sorry we scared you. We wanted to meet you, that's all!" the dark-grey she meowed, flicking her tail towards her brother. "This is my brother, Stormypaw, and I'm Raccoonpaw". Shadowpaw already knew this as she did attend their ceremony. "Nice to meet you, I'm-".

"We know who you are" Stormypaw mewed, licking his paw. "Shadowpaw, right? You're the one who got kicked out from their previous clan". She nodded slowly, feeling a little embarrassed. "We don't train till much later, so.. We thought you could entertain us until then?...". Shadowpaw flattened her ears and tilted her head. "I suppose I can show you around the territory, but don't tell Rustheart or Blackheart" she hissed under her breath, the two apprentices excitedly following her out the den. "Oh, and don't run too far off!" she growled behind her. First she would take them to the lake, her favourite place. They padded up the hill until they reached the top, giving full view of the lake below them. "It's beautiful" Raccoonpaw mewed, setting down next to Shadowpaw and her brother. 

"It's always been my favourite place... Mistcloud and I used to sit here all the time" she responded, memories of her and Mistcloud clinging onto her mind. The lake seemed perfectly still- no prey swimming around in it today. "Now come on, I'll show you the border". Shadowpaw wanted to rush away from her favourite place, as the pain clouded her. The three apprentices carefully made their way through the bracken, trudging through the sticky mud that lay on the mark of the border. "Here". Beyond the border was beautiful. The sun was in that direction, shining on the leaves and made the sky dazzle with orange and red. "Streamclan camp is up ahead. It was my old clan" Shadowpaw mewed, wrapping her tail over her paws. Raccoonpaw sat beside her, gawping slightly. "Wow, I wish we had a view like that!" she exclaimed, Stormypaw nodding in agreement. 

"You two can wonder around where you like. But no crossing the borders, understood?" Shadowpaw ordered. The two apprentices nodded, giggling in excitement and dashing away. They seemed nice, I can get used to them, she thought to herself, heading back to camp.

"Shadowpaw, there you are!" Rustheart called when she returned. "Where are Stormypaw and Raccoonpaw? They were supposed to start training ages ago!" he hissed. Shadowpaw slowly blinked, feeling embarrassed that she had left the two young cats alone. "They're exploring the territory" she responded. Rustheart snarled in disbelief. "You mean they just walked out of camp without a warrior? They will have to be punished!" he spat. Shadowpaw sighed, flattening her ears. "No, it's not their fault. I let them go, I showed them the territory myself". Rustheart let his fur flatten and he turned neutral once again. "Oh. Well, I don't want you in trouble with Blackheart, so we'll keep this a secret. But don't do it again, you are not their mentors" he mewed, in a slightly harsh tone. Shadowpaw nodded, licking his ear. "Thank you Rustheart".