"Wake up Ravenwing," hissed Sunwhisper. Ravenwing reluctantly opened her eyes and looked up at her litter-mate.
"What do you want?" she asked groggily as she hauled herself to her feet and picked her way around the other sleeping warriors out into the sunshine.
"We're on the dawn patrol together, remember?"
"Oh, yeah," Ravenwing reached her forepaws out and stretched her spine, the early morning sun glinting off her black pelt. "Who is leading the patrol?"
"That would be me," came a meow from behind. They both turned around to face a dark brown tabby with glowing amber eyes.
"Viperslide," acknowledged Ravenwing. The dark tabby gazed back at her coldly.
"I'm just going to see if the Stormpelt needs any herbs," called Sunwhisper over her shoulder as she dashed off to the medicine den.
"Thanks to you we're going to be late setting off," he snapped. "Why can't you be on time just once?"
"For Starclan's sake calm down! It's just a patrol! I'm not the only cat to ever sleep in, you know! It's not like it's a matter of life and death!" suddenly she realised what she had said and wished more than anything she could take the words back.
"How can you be sure, after what Foxtail and his patrol found by the lake 2 sunrises ago?" He glared at her angrily, then turned and stalked off
"Oh great," she mewed to herself. 2 sunrises ago Foxtail and his patrol had found the body of Dawnbreeze, a young warrior who had gone out hunting alone and been found with her neck torn apart near the lakeshore. The area around her and on her smelt of fox. The whole clan was still in shock, and everyone on edge. How in Starclan's name had she managed to forget something like that?
"Ravenwing, lets go!" called Sunwhisper. She followed after her and into the forest. The comforting smell of the trees surrounded her and the cool morning breeze flattened her whiskers against her face. She stood still and let out a long sigh. The forest always filled her with calm, and it was hard to believe something as nasty as what happened to Dawnbreeze could ever happen here.
"Is it possible for you to go faster than a snail, Ravenwing?" called Viperslide, his mew dripping with sarcasm.
"Stop being so horrid, Viperslide!" she hissed in an annoyed tone. He always knew what to say to get under her pelt. She bounded on ahead until she was padding next to him. By now they had passed the Shadowclan border and were almost at the Windclan border. "Why do you always pick on me?"
"Because you are always the one who is doing something stupid!" he hissed back. He turned round, his tail flicking irritably. "It's time to head back,"
Ravenwing raced back towards the camp. Sunwhisper came and ran next to her.
"You shouldn't let Viperslide annoy you so much," she mewed quietly.
" I try not to but I can't help it!" she growled in frustration and glared at the tabby streaking away in front of her. She couldn't help but notice the way his pelt gleamed in the sun, or the way his eyes looked like circles of golden orange fire every time he glanced back at the rest of the patrol.
'No!' she growled at herself in her head. 'I don't feel anything for that mouse brain!' They slowed down to a walk as they padded through the entrance tunnel and toward the fresh kill pile. The whole camp was awake by now. The elders were lying on the basking rock, with Purdy nattering away to anyone who would listen about how many foxes he had fought with back in two-leg place. Her pregnant friend Petalfall was sharing a large rabbit with her mate Grasstail, and Firestar was sharing tongues with his mate Sandstorm.
"Hi Ravenwing!" called Petalfall happily.
"Hi," she mewed back. She walked over and settled down next to her, remarking on the size of her stomach.
"It wont be long now," said Petalfall.
"they're going to be beautiful kits who'll make Thunderclan proud," mewed Grasstail proudly, tenderly licking his mate's neck. "They have a wonderful mother," Suddenly Ravenwing's belly growled, reminding her how hungry she was. "Here, have some of this, you must be starving," he mewed, hastily shoving what was left of the rabbit towards her. When she had polished of that and a small mouse she bid them both goodbye and went towards the warrior den. The only other warrior in there was Viperslide. He didn't wake up as she entered. He was curled up on his side with his tail on top of his rear paw. He twitched uncomfortably and his forepaws churned the air every so often. 'I guess he must be dreaming' she thought to herself. She knew she should wake him up but she didn't fancy another confrontation or having him grumble at her till moonhigh, plus he had been particularly nasty to her today, so she just curled up on the other side of the den and left him to his dreams