Chapter 1
Hailpaw dashed through the trees, the scent of blood clinging to his frosty, white pelt. He could feel the enemy hot on his heels; he turned his head a tiny bit, to get a glimpse of his aggressor. It was a cat, though something was odd about its appearance.
For starters, it had no face, no eyes, mouth or nose, just a large dark shadow on its head. It was entirely black and it gave off a strange yowling sound as it ran. Hailpaw was so taken up by it's strange image, he didn't see the gorge coming up ahead, and with a strangled yowl, he dashed over the edge, the last thing he felt, was the flip his stomach made as he plummeted to his death.
Hailpaw woke with a jolt; he frantically glanced around the ShadowClan apprentice's den. The sleeping bodies of his denmates surrounded him, and he let out a shaky breath. The light of dawn was just streaming into his den, and the morning air was fresh.
After calming down, Hailpaw wondered what the dream had meant; finally concluding that it was just a nightmare. He picked himself up and stretched. It was going to be a long day today, it was his first day as a warrior apprentice and he needed all the energy he needed.
Hailpaw flinched when he heard a rustling behind him, only to relax when he saw the slight frame of his sister, Dogpaw getting out of her nest behind him.
"Morning, Hailpaw." She mewed cheerfully; he had never understood how she could be so wonderfully cheerful when she woke up. He nodded a greeting and motioned for her to follow him outside with his tail.
The two siblings padded outside and into the camp's view. Many cats were emerging from their dens and the place had a sort of sleepy haze surrounding it, Hailpaw had always hated mornings. Dogpaw purred in the sunlight and shook her thick black coat. The two cats had always looked nothing alike; Dogpaw had a dark coat, while Hailpaw had a white one, though their eye colour was the same, an icy light blue that they had inherited from their mother.
"You two seem to be up early today." A cat meowed, Hailpaw jumped at the voice. A brown tabby tom was making his way towards them, his amber eyes bright.
"Hello Grasswhisker!" Dogpaw mewed, her voice excited as she looked at her mentor. Grasswhisker was the ShadowClan deputy and a well-respected warrior throughout all the Clans. Dogpaw was lucky to have him as a mentor.
"Good morning Dogpaw, Hailpaw." Grasswhisker replied. He trotted over to stand next to the two young cats. "We're going to patrol the territory today, get you used to it." He explained, Hailpaw was only half listening as he scanned the area for a familiar golden pelt.
"Is Hailpaw coming with us?" Dogpaw asked.
"Yes, he and Sunstripe are coming with us today." Grasswhisker mewed, "Sunstripe's just getting some fresh-kill, which reminds me, I think you two should eat something." He said, flicking his tail towards the fresh-kill pile.
Hailpaw sighed and followed his sister as she bounded over to the pile; she picked up a large frog straight away. Hailpaw was pickier. He didn't like frogs or lizards that much, preferring the soft texture of a squirrel or mouse. In the end he chose a vole.
The two cats ate their meal outside of the apprentice's den; Grasswhisker had gone off to talk to another warrior across camp, leaving the two cats alone. Hailpaw slowly picked at his vole, he didn't feel hungry, but he swallowed it down. The two ate in silence, until Hailpaw felt a prick on his neck.
"Good morning Hailpaw." A taunting hiss came from behind him. Hailpaw turned his head slowly to see a tall grey tabby standing over him, an unsheathed claw on the white tom's neck.
"What do you want, Jaypaw?" Dogpaw growled her eyes slits. Puddlepaw sneered.
"Only saying hello to your mute brother." He said. Dogpaw glowered at him.
"Go away Jaypaw." She hissed. Hailpaw felt the prick on his neck loosen, and the claw lifted.
"Relax. I wasn't doing anything. Besides, your brother never said I was hurting him!" He said jeeringly, his glassy yellow eyes hardened as he turned to look Hailpaw in the eye. "I don't know why you don't speak, it should take a pathetic coward to not be able to mutter a single mewl, don't you think?" And with that, Jaypaw turned on his heel and padded away.
"StarClan! Some cats!" Dogpaw growled, "He's such a bully. None of that's true, Hailpaw, you're not a coward, and you don't need to be able to speak to prove that." She continued. Hailpaw felt confused as to why she was saying such things to reassure him. There was no need, he hadn't felt anything anyway.