Warriors: What A Nightmare

Chapter four-Nightpaw

"Beepaw's getting very good at healing," she commented mildly. Nightpaw wished she would say something about his fighting skills, but she just stared at him sternly, her eyes giving away how disappointed she was in him.

With a flick of her tail, she padded away towards the fresh-kill pile. Daisywhisper and Pinespots both leaned in close to her and started whispering things. She cast a worried glance back at Nightpaw, then turned back to her friends.

Fine! Be like that! Nightpaw thought crossly. His tail swishing and whiskers twitching, he turned tail and raced out of camp. Angry thoughts whirled through his head. He had never wanted to run away from his Clan, but now that was all he could think of doing.

He hared down the slope of the moorland until the lake came into view. He slowed down to a trot, his sides heaving as he panted. The cold wind whipped his ears, and he squinted as he walked against the wind. His sleek pelt pushed against his skin, and he felt like flopping down to the ground in exhaustion. He stayed on his paws and pushed on, walking beside the lake and heading in the direction of Horseplace.

As he scented the air, he noticed a strange scent being carried on the wind. It was cat-like, but had a hint of horse. Horseplace cat, Nightpaw concluded. The wind died down, and he opened his eyes fully, seeing a small shape at the edge of the lake near Horseplace. Sighing, he padded down to the cat that was sitting on the pebbly shore.

As he neared the cat, he could make out its brown spotted pelt as it watched the lake lapping at the shore. He drew in another breath through his nose, and confirmed that it was a she-cat. He stalked up behind the new cat, and he was about to pounce, when a twig cracked beneath his paw. The brown spotted she-cat jumped around in fright, her fur bristling and green eyes wide.

"Who are you?" she asked Nightpaw, her voice trembling.

"I'm on my territory, and it seems so are you," Nightpaw growled, unsheathing his claws.

The she-cat started to back away, but she stepped into the water and quickly jumped forward again.

"So, y-you're a Clan cat?" she asked, stumbling over her words.

"WindClan," Nightpaw told her, still keeping his claws unsheathed.

"I promise I'm not stealing prey," she meowed, her tail quivering. Nightpaw scanned her up and down; she was no bigger than him, even a bit smaller, and her pelt was soft-looking and sleek. She was no threat. He sheathed his claws and sat down.

"I'm Nightpaw," he stated. She looked at him suspiciously, as if she thought he was tricking her into letting her guard down. He gestured for her to sit down, and she cautiously obliged.

"J-Jenga. I'm Jenga," she replied, looking down at her paws.

Nightpaw rolled his eyes. "I'm not going to hurt you."

Jenga looked up, and her eyes widened as she noticed the scratches on him surrounded by dried up blood.

"It looks like someone has hurt you!" she exclaimed.

Nightpaw looked down at his wounded chest. "Just an annoying Clan-mate."

Jenga stared at him in disbelief. "But, aren't Clan-mates supposed to be on each other's side?"

Nightpaw nodded. "She attacked me," he explained.

"That's horrible!" she blurted out.

Deep down, he knew that Flowerpaw's actions were justified, but Jenga didn't need to know that. Nightpaw nodded, his eyes wide and full of fake sadness.