Shade

Chapter Seventy Three

"Tell me exactly what you saw," Silverstar ordered.

Flowerfoot told the story again of what she had seen while Featherbreeze, Shadepool and Silverstar listened. Shadepool had gone straight to Silverstar to report that Flowerfoot had had a vision and the leader had immediately called a meeting between herself, her deputy and her medicine cats.

Flowerfoot finished recounting the vision, leaving Silverstar and Featherbreeze looking thoughtful.

"And the shadows stopped when Shadepool spoke to you?" Silverstar meowed.

"Well, the vision was broken," Flowerfoot responded.

"But it was Shadepool who broke it," Silverstar murmured.

"Well, it's quite clear what it means," Featherbreeze meowed. "The time is near."

"And RiverClan will suffer," Flowerfoot whispered.

"I don't like the sound of that," Shadepool growled.

"Nor I," Silverstar agreed. "But StarClan is clearly trying to send us a message. A warning. What do you think we should do about this?"

"From a warrior's perspective, we need the Clan well trained and ready for battle at any moment," Shadepool meowed. "I propose you set some cat in charge of a training schedule."

Silverstar nodded. "I agree. I'll get Jaggedpelt to handle that."

"We ought to be wary of ShadowClan," Flowerfoot pointed out. "Have patrols on that border remember to try and avoid battle until we're ready."

"I'll tell them that," Shadepool meowed.

"We already have a lot of warriors, but perhaps we ought to make more?" Featherbreeze suggested. "Brightkit and Clearkit are almost six moons old. And it may be time for Gentlepaw and Streampaw to have their final assessments."

"That's true," Silverstar agreed. "I'll speak with Runningbreeze and Wavepool about how the apprentices are getting on. Perhaps we should also encourage Mapleclaw, Swiftfeather and Minnownose to do more battle training with their apprentices as well."

"I'd like to go along to a training session with the apprentices, if you don't mind, Silverstar," Shadepool meowed. "I'd like to find out how they're doing. Bramblepaw, Bouncepaw and Cherrypaw are still a bit young to fight in a full scale battle, but they might have to, if this warning is anything to go by."

"Good idea." Silverstar nodded. "And when you've done that, I'd like to hear a report on each apprentice."

Shadepool nodded back to her in acknowledgement.

"We'll start sticking up herbs," Featherbreeze meowed. "I get the feeling that we're going to need them now more than ever."

"Excellent," Silverstar purred, sitting back on her haunches with satisfaction. "Shadepool, will you announce the new training regimen to the Clan? My old joints are aching again."

"I'll get you something for that, Silverstar," Featherbreeze meowed. "You need to keep your strength up, too."

"Yes, thank you, Featherbreeze," the leader meowed.

Shadepool left the den and looked out at the Clan. The elders were just returning to the camp, their paws stained with mud from where they'd been burying Flamefoot's body. Larkfeather's tail was around Lightningstrike's shoulders, and Fireswirl was pressing close to Singingsoul. The last patrols would be returning around now, so this was the best chance she'd get to make the announcement.

"Let all cats old enough to swim gather for a Clan meeting!" Shadepool yowled, bounding up to the wide birch stump. It didn't take long for the Clan to gather around it, murmuring to each other in surprise when they saw Shadepool there and not Silverstar. Fair enough, Shadepool thought. It's an odd time for me to be announcing patrols.

"Cats of RiverClan, I'm sure you can feel the tension as well as I can," Shadepool meowed. "ShadowClan has been provoked, and like a wasp's nest, we can expect that they will hit back just as hard. For this reason, Silverstar and I have decided that it would be best to introduce regular training for warriors as well as apprentices."

Chatter broke out instantly. Shadepool waited patiently for quiet, and the noise eventually died down, allowing her to continue.

"We have a lot of apprentices, but we have even more warriors," the deputy continued. "So I feel like many of you - of us - are not getting in the practice we need. We cannot afford to be caught unawares. Jaggedpelt, I want you to lead battle training. Twice a day, a patrol of warriors will go with Jaggedpelt to practice battle moves. This way, we won't get rusty and we'll be prepared when ShadowClan strikes back."

"When do we start?" Jaggedpelt asked.

"Tomorrow," Shadepool meowed. "I'll send out training patrols with the regular ones."

Flicking her tail to dismiss them, Shadepool leaped down from the stump. The Clan burst into chatter about the new training patrols, and some started demonstrating moves to each other. A few of them were a little sloppy and unpracticed, Shadepool noticed. This extra training had been a good idea.

"Hey," Smoketail meowed, padding over. "How come you made the announcement instead of Silverstar? She's alright, isn't she?"

"Just... feeling her age," Shadepool replied. "I am worried about her having to be in this battle. If it does come down to it, I'm not sure if I can keep her in camp."

"She won't like that," Smoketail agreed.

"No. The only thing is... well, I've faced Furzestar myself, and..." Shadepool hesitated. "I know Silverstar is probably stronger than she looks, but he could strike her down without a second thought. He's incredibly strong, and Silverstar just isn't anymore. But knowing her, she'll insist on facing him herself. And I don't want her to... you know."

"Die," Smoketail supplied humourlessly. "Yeah, I know. None of us do. But the fact remains that she's old, and she's on her last life. She won't live forever."

"That's what scares me," Shadepool murmured. "It's sort of inevitable, isn't it? Unless something unexpected happens to me, and I don't know how likely that is, I'll be the next leader."

"Do you want that?" Smoketail met her gaze evenly.

Shadepool hesitated. "You know, once I would have honestly said no. Even now I'm not sure. But if it falls to me to lead RiverClan, I'll do it as well as I can."

"You'll be a great leader." Smoketail nuzzled her affectionately, and she purred at him.

Still, she couldn't help noticing his word choice: you will be a great leader, not you would. It seemed every cat expected her to take over some day.