Shade

Chapter Thirty Six

Leaf-bare had dragged on. The four Clans were all starving, and though RiverClan was often accused of having plenty of fish, the extreme colds had driven every pike, carp, trout and minnow to the depths of the lake in their desperate search for warmth. RiverClan, too, felt the pang of hunger. Runningbreeze had quietly confessed to Shadepool that she wasn't sure if she'd have enough milk for four kits, and Featherbreeze brought her borage leaves twice a day to help her milk come.

Shadepool crouched over a skinny pike that she and Smoketail were sharing. There was little prey, and Silverstar had encouraged the whole Clan to share prey where they could so that they didn't eat so much, and there would be more to go around. Shadepool didn't mind. It was nice to have a conversation over a meal, and she often shared tongues with Smoketail, Reedfur, Larkfeather and sometimes Leopardheart or Lilypetal.

"The kits are already starting to cause trouble," Smoketail commented. "They were trying to catch Flamefoot's tail this morning, and they've been running up and down camp since he told them off."

Shadepool purred. "They're adorable. Have you noticed that whenever they get in trouble, Blackkit pulls this face that's too cute to say no to? I think that's a tactic they use to avoid punishment."

"Well, it clearly works on Jaggedpelt. For such a big, scary cat, he's such a softie. He can't say a single mean thing to those kits."

"Not like Runningbreeze," Shadepool observed. "She certainly keeps them in check!"

"I imagine she's the only cat in this Clan who can resist Blackkit's face," Smoketail meowed.

"Probably." Shadepool gave a mrrow of laughter.

"Shadepool!" Fawnreed called from near Silverstar's den. With her were Silverstar herself, Featherbreeze, Reedfur, Bramblesting, Fireswirl, Shimmertail and Icepaw.

Shadepool flicked her ears at Smoketail in a brief apology then stood and padded over to them. "Yes, Fawnreed?"

"A badger has been located in our territory. We're going to go and drive it out. I want you with us," the deputy meowed.

"Of course," Shadepool meowed.

"I'll have herbs ready and waiting," Featherbreeze meowed. "You should be fine, there's a lot of you, but a badger is bad enough alone. A badger that's had an empty belly for moons is going to be vicious."

"We understand," Fawnreed meowed gently. "We'll be careful."

"Good luck," Silverstar meowed seriously.

Fawnreed dipped her head to the leader, then flicked her tail to signal the patrol to head out.

"Shadepool!" Marshpaw exclaimed, racing up to the warrior. "I thought we were going to train today!"

"Why don't you train with Smoketail?" Shadepool suggested, glancing at the grey tom to make sure it was okay. "This is more important right now."

Marshpaw sighed. "Fine."

As they left camp, Fireswirl fell back a bit to speak to Shadepool. "So... you and Smoketail, huh?"

"What?" Shadepool spluttered, taken aback. Her pelt flushed, and she felt the fur in her shoulders prickle. "Of course not. We're just friends."

"I see." Fireswirl didn't believe her, Shadepool could tell. "I could swear you share prey every day."

"Not every day," Shadepool mumbled, trying unsuccessfully to get her fur to stop prickling and giving away all her secrets. "Sometimes I share with Reedfur, and Larkfeather, and Leopardheart and Lilypetal."

"You do share tongues with Smoketail an awful lot," Fireswirl commented.

"It's not like that," Shadepool insisted. "We are just friends."

"And would you like to remain 'just friends' forever?" Fireswirl queried.

"I never said that," Shadepool meowed smoothly, then froze. "If you tell any cat what I said I will personally tear your pelt off your back and feed it to the crows," she hissed.

"I get it," Fireswirl purred. She looked to the head of the patrol, where Bramblesting was talking to Fawnreed very seriously. "I was exactly the same about him," she meowed.

"Can we drop this?" Shadepool mumbled. "We have a badger to fight."

Fireswirl didn't say anything else, but the flick of her tail and the twitch of her whiskers betrayed the fact that she was still not done with Shadepool.

"Everyone spread out," Fawnreed commanded. Shadepool and the other warriors fanned out in a line, the stench of badger overpowering. This must be where it lived.

Fawnreed stepped forward to the mouth of the den and let out a plaintive yowl. Shadepool exchanged an alarmed glance with Fireswirl. Surely the deputy wasn't using herself as bait?

But there was no time to stop her. The badger came lumbering out of its den, sight fixed on Fawnreed, who pretended to limp backwards on an injured leg, eyes wide with fear. As the badger stepped into the open, the light brown she-cat yowled, "now!"

All the RiverClan cats leaped out from their hiding spots and launched their attack. Shadepool took an ambitious leap and wrapped her forepaws around the brute's neck, claws fully extended. The badger turned its head and snapped at her shoulder, and despite the exploding pain, Shadepool only dug her claws in deeper and tore into the badger's fur.

Shimmertail darted around behind the badger and nipped at the sensitive tendons on the back of its hind legs, causing it to crumple to the ground with a howl. Shadepool slashed at it one last time before getting a safe distance away.

"Are you okay?" Reedfur panted, looking with wide eyes at her shoulder.

Shadepool glanced at the wound. It was bleeding badly. "I'll be fine. Where's Icepaw?" She looked around for the white apprentice, not seeing her with the other warriors.

"Fawnreed!" Shimmertail yowled, the sheer terror and shock in the she-cat's voice making Shadepool's fur bristle as she turned. Fawnreed raced towards the badger and skidded underneath it, pushing Icepaw out and away from danger. Shadepool took a pace forward to help, but her shoulder flared up in burning pain that made her stop in her tracks, muscles tensed. Shimmertail had raced to her former mentor's aid accompanied by Fireswirl and Bramblesting.

"Come on, Shadepool," Reedfur meowed, leading her back to shelter with his tail over her shoulders.

"I'm fine," Shadepool snarled, resenting how useless she was. Reedfur shot her a look from narrowed green eyes so like hers that prevented her from arguing, and pushed her without force to the shelter of a pine tree's shadow.

"Fawnreed!" Shimmertail shrieked again, her voice now joined by a wail from Icepaw. Shadepool looked up fearfully to see Fireswirl and Bramblesting bravely holding off the badger while the two white she-cats stood over the too-still brown pelt of the RiverClan deputy.

Feeling sick, Shadepool pushed past Reedfur and limped forward. The badger roared, teeth stained red, and as it reared to attack Bramblesting, Fireswirl leaped quite impressively onto its back and dug her claws deep into its throat, tearing at the flesh. It howled in pain, stumbled, fell, then was still. Fireswirl scrambled away from it, hissing with annoyance and shaking a paw.

"Fawnreed," Shimmertail moaned, pressing her nose into the fallen deputy's fur. "Fawnreed, please get up... Fawnreed..."

The thick grief in her sister's mew made Shadepool's heart clench, and she pressed her muzzle into Shimmertail's shoulder to try and comfort her.

"Icepaw," Reedfur meowed, "go back to camp and tell Featherbreeze we're coming."

"Shouldn't Featherbreeze come out here to help?" Icepaw whispered, amber eyes wide.

Reedfur's eyes darkened with grief. "No. It's too late for that. Fawnreed is dead."