Omen of shadow prologue

[rainpath]

This is my warriors fan fiction which I am also animating on youtube. Here's the first part of the prologue:


Here's the whole prologue:

“This is it, Rose. Where are your kits?” Rose squinted, trying to stay strong and not break down in front of these cats. “I won’t tell you! You’ll have to kill me before you lay a single paw on them!” She spat, her hackles raised defensively. She wouldn’t let them have her kits; she knew what would happen if she did. The male cat who seemed to be souly in charge of the other two, smiled sickly. It made her stomach churn. “Well, I think that could be arranged,” He stated malevolently, turning to the two toms behind him, “What do you think Shadow? Leaf?” they snickered in reply, wriggling their shoulders in preparation for giving a butal beating. She snarled at them; sparrow always seemed to forget she was from the same place as him; she could fight just as well. They all attacked at once; shadow was raking his claws down her side and leaf dove under her belly and batted at her with his claws. She grabbed Shadow by the neck and rolled over, crushing him beneath her. He clawed at her muzzle, but before she could reattack, she noticed leaf slinking away into her den; her hiding place for her kits. She lunged forward to stop him, but sparrow grabbed her throat tightly in his jaws and threw her harshly to the ground, like a rag doll. She opened her eyes slowly, reeling with nasea, and coughed up what appeared to be a liter of blood. She then noticed her underside had been ripped open and her neck seemed to be leaking the warm, tangy liquid. She took deep rasping breaths and gazed up in despair, realizing they had found her kittens and were pushing them out of the safety of the den in the most inhumane way. She watched as the kits mewled in protest and confusion. “What’s going on?” her golden colored she-kit asked, fearfully gazing up at the three massive cats standing before her. Sparrow gazed down at them in disgust. “I honestly thought you could do better than this, Rose. You always were my favorite.” His insensitive comment drove her to a sudden rage. She lunged for sparrow with a furious yowl, but he turned and caught her, slamming her to the ground, holding her down by the neck using his sharpened claws. Calmly shifting his attention back to her three kits, He growled, “Look at your pathetic mother. She ran away from something she knew very well would happen at some point, yet she still fights on,” He gazed at her for a moment, a sort of nostalgia flickering in his fiery amber eyes before turning his hardened stare to the kits, “It has been an ancient ritual in our group for the kits of a family to fight to the death with their siblings to see which is worthy enough to survive. It’s your time. You two,” He said gazing at her she-kit and dark brown tom, “You go first.” They hesitated, not understanding at all what was going on or what the consequences would be. Sparrow growled, clenching harder on her neck, “fight now, or watch your mother die!” They started to whimper as they saw the dark blood welling at her throat. Two of her kits immediately started to play fight, trying hard not to hurt each other. “Claws unsheathed!” Leaf shrieked, cuffing them hard over the head, “You’re trying to kill each other!” the two moon old kits stopped and whined from being hit which, in turn, earned them another strike. “Go on! On your feet, fight!” Her kits gazed at each other for a moment, looking like trapped mice. Her tom glanced around at all of the cats around him, with no sense of right or wrong. Suddenly he lunged for his sister and fastened his undeveloped teeth around her neck. She shrieked in pain and fear as Rose struggled to get out from under her attacker's hold. “Don’t hurt her,” she barely managed to choke out, “value your sisters’ lives more than mine.” “Silence!” Sparrow roared, swiping her throat. Her tom let go of his sister, who appeared to be more miniscule and fragile then a snowflake. “Mama!” He screeched, his voice cracking. He was so young; they all were. Too small even to eat meat. Sparrow’s laws were unjust. Suddenly, her she-kit shifted her dying eyes to her brother, filled with knowledge and wisdom, as if she’d grown old while her brother almost killed her. “I know what we have to do,” She whispered in a squeaky voice. He stared into her unseen depths and seemed to some how understand what she was suggesting. Rose caught on too. “No!” She croaked, shifting her paws, “It doesn’t have to be like this!” but she knew that was a cold lie, and they knew it too. It was the only way for them to be together, and the only way to show them they wouldn’t give into their cowardly ways. After unspoken goodbyes, the golden kit clawed her brother’s throat open, spilling his blood like a flooding river. In return, as he died, he bent down and snapped his sister’s neck. He fell over her, staining both of their fluffy, innocent kit fur scarlet. Rose couldn’t stand it anymore, she didn’t care if they saw; she burst into tears. When she lifted her head, she noticed her last kit, a fluffy white female, staring wide eyed in horror at her dead littermates and sobbing mother. “Mama,” she cried, shaking, “What’s going on? Why aren’t Honey and Claw getting back up?” Her voice cracked in disdain and disbelief. Rose stared at her last kit in anguish, too little too understand death, and why it must happen. “Hang on Waterfall,” Rose croaked out, feebly attempting to sound strong so she wouldn’t frighten her, “I’m coming.” But sparrow pressed down harder on her, and she assumed he was ripping her throat out. “You’re not going anywhere,” He breathed menacingly in her ear, smelling of crow food and many other cats’ blood, “You’re siblings were weak,” He spat at her young daughter, “You might be able to survive, but I'm afraid there is no one else for you to fight. You'll just have to go up against us.” Rose wanted to cry out, to make him realize how ruthless and horrible he sounded, but she couldn’t manage a single sound now, let alone a word. She watched helplessly as the two toms attacked her daughter, ripping open her little fore head and tearing out her fur. It had only been moments later when Shadow and leaf stepped back to reveal a bloody clump of matted white fur that seemed completely unrecognizable now. Rose turned away, feeling any diminutive urge to live ebb away at that moment. Sparrow bent down, his amber gaze wild with rage and madness. “All of your offspring were feeble!” He murmured maliciously in her ear, “and so are you.” He finished her off in the most humane way possible for him, by ripping out what was left of her throat. Sparrow lifted his head to his companions, his mouth dripping with her blood. “Let’s get out of here, we’re done.” Shadow and leaf nodded obediently, and followed their leader away. Long after the sound of their paw steps had faded, waterfall did something sparrow never counted on. She sat up weakly, and puked up her last meal and a ton of blood. She could barely feel an inch of her body, and she felt so nauseas she thought she’d pass out, but she had lived. After her fuzzy vision cleared, she searched around anxiously, spotting her mother after a moment. Whimpering, she limped over feebly to her, collapsing on her once beautiful golden pelt that was now blood stained. “Mama,” She squeaked out, tasting blood form in her mouth, “Mama I’m ok, see?” She stared at her unseeing eyes with growing despair. She shook her roughly, “Mama, get up!” She wailed, tears flowing down her face, “get up.”
Waterstar awoke trembling, rasping deep heavy breaths. She looked around sharply but found no sign of danger or any cat in her dream for that matter. She stared down at her nest, noticing the deep claw marks she scourged into it and the bracken and fern that were now strewn across her den. After she could breathe again, and close her eyes without seeing horrifying images, she stood and walked hastily out. She padded onto the branch that hung above her den, and sat, trying to take deep breaths of the cool, crisp, night air. She didn’t know what was going on with her. She had the same nightmare every single night now, and some days she should have spent leading her clan, were instead spent sleeping to satisfy her tiredness. She didn’t feel tired now. She looked out over the camp, still shaken from her dream. The ferns intricately encased in brambles at the far right of the tall gorse barrier were the warriors’ den. She knew Dawnfang was very pleased to be staying in there again after so long in the nursery. Waterstar had made Spottedpaw an apprentice just a moon ago and his mother seems happy to get a break from him. Straight across from her den was the bracken and bramble wall of the nursery. She could imagine Gorsekit sleeping soundly against Bluemoon, unlike Specklefoot’s kits, who were six moons old now, and were fidgety and restless. She knew as well as Starkit, Dreamkit, and Silverkit that it was their time to be made apprentices. She’d have to think on that. She could also imagine Waveflight, a queen who had only just moved into the nursery, twitching and turning, trying to get into a comfortable position with kits in her belly. Waterstar knew how hard that could be. Beside the nursery, was the apprentice den, which were many short branches woven together with bramble tendrils. Spottedpaw was alone in there since Rosewhisker and Spikedfang were made warriors. Next to the warriors’ den were the roots of the giant oak where the elders had dug out a den. She could see a tortoise shell tail sticking out and fondly recognized it as Mottledface’s. The new elder had raised her and practically been her mother. Below her own den was the medicine cat’s den, which had actually been hollowed into the trunk of the tree. Strong herbal scents drifted out, and they made her nose tingle. Stripedfur was in there now, heeling from wrenching his shoulder on patrol. She knew he was in good hands; they had to have the best medicine cat there is. Just as Waterstar thought of her, the white, black and grey tortoise shell she-cat poked her face out. “Waterstar,” She asked softly, “Are you alright?” She tried not to imagine the large cats bearing down on her, tearing her apart. “Yes, I’m fine Cloudsky,” She responded, looking out over the camp, “it’s just been a restless night.” Cloudsky walked out over the branches until she met up with her, and she sat down beside her. “What is it?” She asked her blue eyes wide and curious. Waterstar sighed. She shouldn’t try to keep anything from Cloudsky. “I’ve just been having these night mares, over and over again, the same exact dream.” She flicked her gaze to Cloudsky, who was staring up at the starry realm above them. ‘’Can I ask what they’re about?” She said, and then seemed to dismiss it from the look in Waterstar’s eyes. “Well, when a cat dreams like this, it could mean star clan could be trying to tell them something.” Waterstar didn’t see how star clan would send a message in such a brutal way, and why would they want her to remember those cats in the first place? Ever since she was small, she’d been trying to forget. “I don’t know about that,” Waterstar admonished softly, “Would star clan really be the cause of something that frightens me so much?” Cloudsky purred in reassurance. “You’re the leader of Forestclan! No dream could frighten you.” She itemized encouragingly. With a respectful nod, the medicine cat padded back across the branches to tend to Stripedfur. As Waterstar watched her, she couldn’t help but have an aching feeling she was wrong. She had a feeling she should be very, very frightened.

[Shadingsun]

OMG, WHAT? XD Hippiegirl666 ERMERGERD I LOVE YOUR ANIMATIONSSS~

This story is so good btw >: D You have to finish, I MUST KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT xAx yukeepmehanging

[rainpath]

Lol thank you :3 I'm going to post chapter one soon and hopefully finish animating the prologue

[rainpath]

Chapter 1

Starkit pawed anxiously at the ground. She’d woken up earlier than her brother and sister so she could watch the dawn patrol without them pulling on her ears and squashing her beneath them. Now that she was sitting by the nursery entrance waiting for everyone else to get up, she was beginning to miss that. She wished she could wait outside, since the nursery was more crowded than ever. A clan should never have more than two queens at a time. She remembered with excitement that soon her mother would move back into the warriors den since she and her siblings were going to become apprentices! Who knew? Waterstar could do it today! Wriggling with the excitement, Starkit almost missed Clawheart, the deputy, climbing out of the warriors den. By the way he stiffly walked and stretched, she assumed his den was crowded too. She watched him clamber up the branches of the great oak, leaping onto the one that hung just below Waterstar’s den in the stone outcropping. He called to her softly, and Starkit heard a sleepy sounding answer. With a grinning face and brightened eyes, he entered. He did that every day. At first, Starkit had thought he was going in there to talk to her about clan stuff, like warrior names or border patrols, but Mottledface told her that he did that just to be with her before their busy clan lives began. She was kind of confused then, and asked why he even wanted to. Mottledface is a bit on the talkative side, so she launched into this incredibly long story about how Clawheart and Waterstar had grown up together and fallen in love. They were mates when Waterstar was still a warrior and then she became a queen when she grew heavy with his kits. But a couple moons later, something went horribly wrong and their only daughter died inside her. What Mottledface said was even more deplorable was that she had to deliver the dead kit anyway. Clawheart had named her, calling her Fernkit. When they queried why, mottledface’s gaze grew solemn and she told them so she’d have a name in star clan. Silverkit had pondered over if a cat that hadn’t necessarily been born could join star clan, while Starkit found it depressing, but Dreamkit must have thought it was horrendously wretched because she burst into tears. Starkit sometimes wondered how her sister could ever be a warrior; she was much too sensitive. Not long after that, Waterstar became deputy then leader, so they couldn’t try for kits again, but Mottledface thought the real reason was that they were too frightened. They were still mates though, even though neither of them had much time for each other. Starkit wondered what they were doing up there, if they stare at each other like her parents Patchtail and Specklefoot do. She thought about clawing her way up there to see, but quickly dismissed the thought. If she was caught spying on her leader and deputy, she would be in a major predicament. She might even be forbidden from being made an apprentice. Soon Clawheart emerged anyway to gather the dawn patrol. He padded down to meet the other warriors who were slowly awakening. She watched ecstatically as they all gathered around him. “I will lead the patrol at the Cloudclan border,” He stated gruffly, “Dawnfang, Spikedfang, and Darkstorm, you come with me.” He gazed around the cluster of cats, his light green gaze bright with thought and intuition, “Fawnheart, can you lead the patrol on the Waveclan side?” The speckled brown she-cat gawked in surprise for a moment before nodding, “Alright, then take Driftclaw, Rosewhisker, Flamescar and Spottedpaw.” Starkit immediately noticed the black warrior scowl resentfully as he heard he had to take his apprentice. She couldn't really comprehend why he hated having an apprentice so much. Wasn’t that supposed to be an honor? “What about hunting patrols?” She heard her father inquire. Clawheart nearly seemed to smile, his kind green gaze twinkling like stars. “Waterstar has asked to put those on hold until after the ceremony.” Patchtail’s eyes seemed to pop out of his after with hearing the pleasant surprise. Starkit was getting pretty excited too. He’s talking about making us apprentices! Patchtail’s chest swelled with pride. “Really, they’re ready?” His soft amber eyes glowed with fondness and affection for them. She was glad her father actually cared for them, unlike poor Gorsekit. Darkstorm always seemed uncomfortable around his son. She was glad she wasn’t one of the kits in Waveflight too; Leopardflight seemed to spend all of his time in the nursery making sure Waveflight was alright. Whenever she left, he was right in front of her, clearing every single grain of sand out of her way. It must be extremely irksome to the expectant queen. As she thought on this, she felt a paw gently clasp her tail and drag her deeper inside. “Where are you going?” Specklefoot asked, her green eyes sparkling with amusement. Starkit squirmed; she wasn’t supposed to be humorous anymore, she was going to be an apprentice. “No where!” She retorted seriously, “I just wanted to see the dawn patrol gather.” Specklefoot chuckled softly in response. “You can’t wait to be a warrior can you?” She said, licking a stray tuft of fur down on Starkit’s head. She shrank away from her mother’s tongue in embarrassment. She then noticed Dreamkit and Silverkit still asleep by her mother’s side. She scrambled forward and pushed on them with her front paws. “Dreamkit, Silverkit, Get up! It’s morning!” Dreamkit simply flicked her ears in annoyance and burrowed herself deeper into her mother’s fur. “Go away,” she mumbled, squinting sleepily. Silverkit awoke then, sitting up and stretching his cramped muscles. “It can’t be morning,” He yawned, “I would have woken up on my own.” Specklefoot moved then with a scoff, leaving Dreamkit to fall back on the nursery floor. She still didn’t get up. “You can’t wake up early if you’re up all night playing,” She scolded, shaking her head, “Why can’t you go to sleep when I tell you?” Starkit wriggled her haunches and stared at her siblings, who were probably too tired to practice fighting with her. Maybe Patchtail would be in the mood for battle training. He always adored it when she asked him about warrior training. She had already had him explain the warrior’s code to her, and the hunter’s crouch. She was determined to be the best warrior the clans had ever seen. Right before she left to find him, Patchtail came in himself, eyeing his children with vanity. “Specklefoot, you won’t believe what Clawheart just told me,” He informed her with utter delight, padding over to nuzzle her, “our kits are becoming apprentices today after the dawn patrol returns!” The grey queen purred cordially. “That’s wonderful! I know they’re going to be prodigious apprentices.” She replied, grinning at each of them. “Yes, I just hope Waterstar chooses well for them.” His eyes turned solemn, and Starkit knew he was thinking of Flamescar, who had barely taught Spottedpaw anything. “Of course she will!” Starkit piped up, becoming excited over the whole thing, “She’s very wise, and even if she doesn’t, we’ll still be the best apprentices ever!” Her squealing made her half-awake brother perk up and snap around to face her. “We’re going to be made apprentices?” Silverkit asked, beginning to shake with exhilaration, “I knew it! I knew it would be today!” He bounced around the den, mewling like a new-born kit. Starkit rolled her eyes; apprentices are supposed to be mature. She glanced at Dreamkit, who still refused to get up. She stopped her brother when he jumped by her, hooking his tail up with her claw. “Hey!” He shrieked, yanking his light grey tail back. She shushed him, and then shifted her eyes to her deep sleeping sister. She dropped into a hunters’ crouch, and, finally catching on, Silverkit followed her lead. Slowly, silently shifting their paws through the mossy floor, they crept up on her. When they were at leaping distance, they both pounced on her, squashing her beneath them. Had she been real prey, it would have looked like it was run over on a thunder path.
“Ow! Get off me!” Dreamkit squealed, wide awake now. Their parents chuckled. “They’ll make quite the hunters,” Specklefoot commented, her voice tinted with fondness. Starkit shouldered her brother away and wriggled down to whisper in her sister's ear, “We’re going to be apprentices!”
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Starkit and her family were now waiting, rather impatiently, outside the nursery for Clawheart and Fawnheart’s patrols to return. Starkit licked down the last of her fluffy kit fur so it was as sleek and clean as the adults’. She sat up straight, puffed out her little chest, and held her head high, attempting to maintain a serious, stoic expression. She hoped she didn’t look like a pitiful, mewling kit anymore.
She glanced at her parents, who sat still and proud and made sure their children looked pleasant. Dreamkit seemed to take that notion to a higher level, licking her already downy and beautiful coat clean, picking everything that resembles dust off her pads, making sure her whiskers are completely and precisely straight, and checking that her lovely bright blue eyes glinted in the sunlight. Silverkit must not have really cared about how he appeared, since he was entertaining himself by rolling in the dirt and pawing at overgrown fronds of grass. He noticed her staring and joyfully trotted over.
“Do you want to play to pass the time?” He inquired, wriggling his tiny silver haunches. She gazed at him sternly. “We’re going to be apprentices soon. We don’t play anymore.” She hoped her voice rang with the same quiet authority she heard so often in Waterstar’s. His shoulders slumped with disappointment. “Well,” He began, beginning to brighten up, “Do you want to practice battle moves?” Starkit smiled; he was finally beginning to mature! In response, Starkit swiped her sheathed paw across his face. He ducked and pawed at her chest, while she jumped out of the way and leaped onto his back. She grabbed his scruff, which Starkit substituted for biting the neck, but Silverkit rolled over and squashed her. Angered by his thoughtfulness, she rolled over and crushed him. They tussled like this for a few moments until they rolled into Dreamkit, spraying her with a light coat of dust
“Oh no!” She screeched as if the world was ending, “My pelt is ruined! They got it all filthy!” She snapped around to glower at them with furious eyes, “Look at what you’ve done!” Starkit and Silverkit sat up and glanced at her. She expected to see her sister’s pelt all muddy, which wouldn’t be half a problem, but instead she saw plain grey and white fur. Her eyelids drooped in exasperation. “It looks fine, Dreamkit.” She stated, thoroughly agitated by her. A few specks of debris in her pelt were not a crisis. “Yes, you look comely, dear,” Specklefoot assured her, “You have the loveliest coat in all of forest clan; no one will notice the dust.” Dreamkit shifted her glare somewhere else, obviously unsatisfied. Suddenly, Starkit felt a rough paw hit her shoulder. “Ow!” She exclaimed, glaring at her brother. His eyes were bright and he was wriggling with excitement. “The dawn patrol is back!” Starkit excitedly whipped around to see Fawnheart leading her patrol through the entrance. She heard Flamescar mutter, “Why did Clawheart choose that young nuisance to lead the patrol,” as he squeezed through the opening, not even glancing back to look at his apprentice. Starkit stared excitedly at the leader’s den as Waterstar emerged. She had a long, beautiful white coat and strong, if not tired amber eyes. She leaped onto the high branch that overlooked the entire camp. “Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the high branch for a clan meeting!” She hollered authoritively. Cats poured out of dens and the gorse tunnel to listen, taking seats under the high arching branches of the glorious oak. Specklefoot tentatively nudged her and her siblings forward so they stood in the middle of the crowed. Waterstar gazed down at them fondly. “Silverkit, Dreamkit, and Starkit, come forward,” they timidly stalked closer as the cats parted for them, “You have reached your sixth moon, and you are ready to be made apprentices.” She leaped down from the branch and padded slowly towards them. Starkit’s heart thundered in her chest. This is it! She thought to herself. Waterstar bent down and touched her nose to her sister’s forehead. “Dreamkit, from this moment on you will be known as Dreampaw. Let Starclan help and guide you on your path to becoming a warrior.” She shifted her gaze to a young white tabby tom, “Driftclaw, you are a still young, but you are courageous and intelligent. I know you’ll pass these traits down to Dreampaw.” Suddenly delighted, Dreampaw bounced over to her mentor to touch noses with him. Driftclaw seemed pretty elated as well; he already had an apprentice! Waterstar, smiling, turned back to the other kits. “Silverkit, from this moment on you will be known as Silverpaw. Let Star clan help and guide you on your path to becoming a noble warrior of forest clan. Leopardflight,” The spotted tom, who had been pestering Waveflight about how she’d been feeling, snapped his head around in surprise, “you will be his mentor. You are strong and caring, and always patient. I know you won’t have any problems training Silverpaw.” Silverpaw, sticking out his chest as if he was star clan’s gift, strut over to his new mentor, who timidly stuck his nose out to his apprentices touch. Waterstar finally turned to Starkit, who thought she was going to explode with the excitement.
“Starkit,” She purred fondly, “from this moment on you will be known as Starpaw. Let Starclan help and guide you on your path to becoming a loyal forest clan warrior,” Starkit shivered, anxiously wondering who her mentor would be. Her father’s words echoed in her head: I just hope Waterstar chooses well for them. “Dawnfang,” Starkit exhaled, relieved, “I know you have just recently left the nursery, but Starpaw is intelligent and well-behaved, and should be easy to train,” She slipped a grin to Starpaw then nodded her on to touch noses with her mentor. She sucked in a giant breath and exhaled. She walked decently over to Dawnfang and reached up to touch noses with her, her eyes filled with upmost respect. She pulled away as the other cats jubilently called out their names. “Dreampaw! Silverpaw! Starpaw!” They yowled in congratulations. Starpaw held her head high, letting everyone’s pride wash over her. This is it! She screamed to herself gleefully, I’m an apprentice now!

[rainpath]

Chapter 2

Fawnheart watched the new apprentices being crowded by their clanmates, a bit of resentment clawing at the pit of her stomach. It was wonderful that the clan had gained new apprentices, but she had secretly hoped one of them would have been hers. Mentoring an apprentice was the crucial first step to becoming eligible to be made deputy. Granted, Waterstar and Clawheart were both excellent in their profession, but sooner or later one of them would disappear, and need to be replaced. She wanted to be standing by to take their place when the time came. But being a young warrior with little experience and no apprentice...It seemed a long way off. She sighed heavily, doleful that she hadn't been considered.
“Hey,” she wipped around to find driftclaw behind her, his head cocked in concern, “are you alright?” She stared at him for a moment, unsure if she should share her feelings with him. She decided to risk it.
“I just wish I'd been made a mentor,” She mewed honestly, tearing through the grass with her paws, “You can't be deputy if you haven't had an apprentice. I just feel like Waterstar doesn't trust me enough to take the position.” She noticed Dreampaw out of the corner of her eye, chasing a butterfly with her brother. She reminded herself once more that Driftclaw was a mentor now. He offered a sympathetic smile.
“Oh come on. You're the best choice! You're so brave and intelligent, and you certainly want it more than any other cat. You're probably closer than I am.” She gazed down at her paws, uncomfortable with his flattering.
“At least you have an apprentice.” She muttered bitterly, glancing away from from his pleasant expression to avoid feeling guilty.
“Don't worry,” He consoled her, giving her ear a friendly flick, “Gorsekit is four moons old; soon he'll be made an apprentice. I'm sure Waterstar will give him to you.” She wasn't completely assured, but she supposed it was enough to hope on. Driftclaw nudged her gently, attempting to lighten her mood, “I was just going to take Dreampaw on a tour of the territory. Do you want to come?” She brightened at the idea of helping him teach, and she nodded eagerly.
The three of them set out of camp, Driftclaw in the lead. They carefully wove through the dense forest, Dreampaw gazing in awe at everything she laid eyes on. Fawnheart grinned at the young she-cat's interest. She remembered her first time outside, how amazed she was by the life blooming just outside her home. The apprentice finally tore her eyes away from the scenery and turned her attention to her mentor.
“Driftclaw,” she mewed as she stumbled over a tree root she had failed to notice, “where are we going?” He glanced back for a moment to ensure she was keeping up before turning his attention back to their route.
“First we're going to skirt the cloud clan border, then head over to the waveclan side of the territory.” The trio padded along silently until they had reached the edge of the forest and moreland and field stretched out in front of them. As they gazed out over the empty rolling hills, Fawnheart thought about how glad she was that she belonged to Forestclan. She doubted she could ever adjust to the openness of the plains, the high exposure there. She definitely belonged in the woods, where the dense undergrowth and cover easily concealed her. Dreampaw scurried up in front of them, nearly crossing the scent markers as she stretched forward to get a better look.
“Is this it?” she asked, wrinkling her nose with distaste, “it doesn't look like much.” Driftclaw shook his head, his kind brown eyes twinkling with amusement.
“Not to us, but its enough for cloudclan. They prefer the moors where rabbits are plentiful,” he glanced at fawnheart for a moment, seeming to ask if he was doing an efficient job. She smiled reassuringly, ensuring that he was doing fine, so he continued, “scent the air, see if you can smell them.” While Dreampaw sniffed the scent markers, Fawnheart's attention drifted away from the lesson and their voices faded into muffled murmers. She turned to face the gentle breeze blowing in from the field, allowing the placid wind to calm her worries. She inhaled deeply, catching the scent of heather and wild flowers from the moor. As she did, a rancid odor stinking of crow food drifted into her nostrils. She whipped her head towards the rank smell, instantly alert. She sniffed again, opening her mouth slightly to pin point the origin. She cast an uneasy glance at the others, but they didn't seem to have noticed the strange scent. Shrugging, she silently slipped away to follow the trail. She weaved along the border until the stench grew to its strongest and she located the source. It was a deceased starling on the forestclan side, half eaten and slowly decaying. A sudden fit of rage enveloped her as she figured cloudclan had killed it on their side and abandoned it. She had to tell Driftclaw. She sprinted back over to him and his apprentice, who was timidly scenting the air. He turned sharply to face her, alarmed by the enraged expression on her face.
“What's the matter?” he queried softly, the slightest bit of anxiety tinting his tone. Dreampaw abandoned attempting to sniff out Cloud clan and instead turned her wide, fascinated blue eyes to Fawnheart.
“Driftclaw,” she fumed, kneading her claws throught the damp soil, “you have to see this.” She hastily lead her companions through the tall, dry heather along the edge of their territory, retracing her steps until they came apon the rotting carcass of the wasted prey. Driftclaw's dark brown eyes narrowed into a resentful glower and he emited a deep throated growl. Dreampaw scampered up to the rancid cadaver in astonishment, getting a long whiff of the rank scent before recoiling in disgust.
“Ew!” She whined, wrinkling up her nose, “Who left that there?” Fawnheart swiftly turned her fiery amber gaze on him, her claws sunk deep into the soil.
“Do you think it was Cloudclan?” She spat, the fur on the back of her neck bristling up into porcupine like spikes. He bent slowly to scent the crowfood himself, examining it much further than his new apprentice.
“I can't find their scent on it,” he stated as he lifted his head from the carcass, “but it did rain yesterday...it would have washed away their odor,” anxiety began to light up his eyes like a flame as he gazed out thoughtfully over the moor, “I'm not sure. I guess we should-”
He was interrupted as a diminutive cat, not much taller than Dreampaw, exploded out of the heather, chasing a chestnut colored hare in his wake. Quickly recovering from her surprise, Fawnheart leapt into action, barreling into the stranger and pinning him down while the rabbit escaped.
“Fox dung!” the intruder screeched in frustration as he struggled beneath her outstetched claws, “You made me lose it!” Fawnheart snarled at the young tom, infuriated by his ignorance. He immediately shrank back, shocked by her abrupt hostility.
“You shouldn't be hunting on Forestclan territory!” She hissed, flattening her ears down to her head.
“He wasn't,” an indignant voice sounded near them and she spitefully lifted her head to acknowledge it. Her gaze met the glares of three unknown cats, two warriors and an apprentice. The voice that had spoken was feminine, and she glowered at the lone female of the Cloudclan group, a small brown and white she-cat with amber eyes, “He stalked the hare on Cloudclan territory. Its only when he scared it that it crossed the border.”
Driftclaw stalked up behind her, baring his teeth in an open snarl.
“The moment it crossed the border, it became Forestclan prey,” he growled, his bristling white tabby fur making him appear twice his size. The Cloudclan tom took an intimidating step forward.
“He didn't even kill it!” He snapped furiously, unsheathing his claws and sinking them into the dirt, “its just like Forestclan to get worked up over nothing. Let him up!” Fawnheart hissed beneath her breath before reluctantly releasing her grip on the apprentice, allowing him to scramble up and scurry over to his clan mates, casting the Forestclan patrol a resentful glare when he reached them.
“Nothing?” Fawnheart snarled, lashing her tail furiously in indignation, “Does this look like nothing?” she swiftly stepped aside to reveal the rancid starling, its glazed, glassy eyes gawking up blankly at the Cloudclan patrol. They bristled at the sight of it, their fur puffed up to make them appear twice their size.
“You're seriously accusing us of doing this?” The she-cat screeched in outrage, unsheathing her claws and sinking them into the dirt, “That's absurd! Cloudclan would never waste prey, or hunt outside our territory!” Dreampaw stepped forward then, her petite head held high as she stalked right up to the border, her gait unusually elegant and confident for such diminutive legs.
“Well you can't really say that can you?” She mewed, casting a pointed glare at the young Cloudclan apprentice, “He seemed pretty keen on catching that rabbit outside your territory.” The young tom scowled in return, stretching out an unsheathed paw towards her.
“Shut up!” He snarled, his amber glower lit up like a forest fire, “I could flatten you!”
“Pepperpaw!” The male cat snapped sternly, forcing the reluctant apprentice to shut his mouth and glance furiously away. The tom turned his blazing glare on the Forestclan cats, an inquisitive glint lurking in his seething gaze.
“Is there even any Cloudclan scent on it?” He queried, seemingly exasperated with the Forestclan cats. Driftclaw flattened his ears and glanced away awkwardly.
“Well, no, but-”
“Then how can you say it was us?” The older apprentice interrupted, dismissing the accusation with a flick of his tail.
“Well, who else would it be?” Fawnheart scoffed, slightly embarressed they had no definite evidence to condemn them. The tom merely shrugged indifferently, as if it wasn't their problem and he couldn't care less.
“Perhaps a rogue?” He suggested, as if the answer was obvious, “Have you been finding strange scents in your territory?” Driftclaw bristled, taking an intimidating step towards the trespassers.
“That's none of your concern,” He snapped, his dark brown eyes narrowed into a venomous glare, “Now I'd appreciate it if you left our territory before you cause any more trouble.” The Cloudclan she-cat bared her teeth in a threatening hiss, flattening her ears against her head.
“You can't tell us what to do!” She snarled, lifting an unsheathed paw from the ground. Fawnheart tensed her muscles, prepared to spring into attack in case this confrontation erupted into a border skirmish. After several terrifying moments, the tom cat approached the female from behind, flicking her side with his tail.
“Come on Berryleaf,” He urged her in a quiet, even tone, “We're not going to fight over a stupid peice of crow food. If Forestclan needs to whine over one lost kill, let them. We don't need to be involved in something so frivolous.” The female cast them one last resentful glower before recoiling and turning her back on the Forestclan cats.
“Fine, lets go,” she muttered bitterly before padding back into Cloudclan territory, the rest of her clanmates following closely behind. When the last of them had disappeared, Fawnheart turned to Driftclaw, who was eyeing his apprentice sternly.
“You shouldn't have spoken out like that,” he scolded gently, Dreampaw's ears folding back in indignation at being reprimanded.
“Why?” She queried, lashing her tail in agitation, “Those Cloudclan apprentices sure had a lot to say.” He sighed in response, turning his exasperated gaze on Fawnheart.
“Well, we should probably head back and alert Waterstar,” he meowed, steadily, although it was clearly evident he was still seething from their encounter. She nodded reluctantly in reply, casting the moorland a dissatisfied glance before sauntering after her companions back towards the camp. It didn't make sense. They found the carcass of stolen prey right on the Cloudclan border, yet they deny ever crossing into Forest clan territory. They were probably lying. She told herself silently in a futile attempt to console her qualms. But no matter what she thought, she still had the nagging feeling something else was going on here. They had seemed just as surprised as she was at seeing the cadaver there. So, if they didn't kill it, who did?