Chapter 2

Hawkpaw turned to her father. He looked just as surprised as her. He stared at Shadowstar for a moment. Hawkpaw looked back and forth between them.

"Will you not accept?" Shadowstar asked

Darkshade blinked and stepped forward to stand in front of Hawkpaw.

"I will mentor her, and teach her all that I know."

When Darkshade looked down at Hawkpaw the confusion that was in his eyes earlier had been replaced by pride and determination. Hawkpaw purred as she reached up to touch noses with her father. Deputy, and mentor.

Hawkpaw awoke the next morning to the sound of her name being called. She blinked open her eyes and slowly stood, being careful not to wake her brother who was still asleep next to her. She picked her way through her still sleeping clan mates and stepped out into the early morning sun. Hawkpaw blinked and stretched letting the sun warm her glossy black pelt. Most of her was black except for her ears and paws which were light grey. She looked around to see Darkshade waiting for her. She padded over and sat in front of him.

"Good morning Darkshade." Hawkpaw took one of her paws and began to give herself a through wash before the days activities.

Darkshade gave a small purr "Good morning to you too Hawkpaw."

Hawkpaw sat quietly when she was finished.

"I'll be showing you around the territory today. Introduce you to the scent's that you will need to know."

Hawkpaw nodded and stood letting Darkshade take the lead. Darkshade led her around the whole territory. It was around sun high when they were passing by the lower section closer to a lake. Hawkpaw paused as a sound alerted her that someone was close by. She opened her mouth to taste the sent. Her eyes widened. This sent was new to her and it didn't seem like prey.

"Darkshade!" She hissed quietly

Darkshade who had gone ahead turned back at the note in Hawkpaw's voice. The look in her eyes only confirmed what he most feared. She had heard something from the direction of the border. Darkshade bounded back to her.

"Keep low, stay quiet and follow me." He said slowing as he passed her

Hawkpaw flicked her ears to show she understood, and silently followed him. They crouched low in a near by brush and watched. Two cats stood sniffing by the border. They were both male. One was a larger pale gray tom with darker flecks and the other was smaller around her size except he looked well muscled. He was a golden tabby and even from the distance they were at she could see his amber eyes.

"Who are they? I don't recognize them."

"Be quiet Hawkpaw. Their Cat's from a different clan."

Hawkpaw's eyes widened. "Then shouldn't we do something about them?" She hissed quietly

Darkshade shook his head. "Not unless they cross the border."

Hawkpaw kneaded the ground as she watched them waiting for them to cross the border.

"Make sure you remember that sent, that is the sent of shadow clan." The gray one said

"Ok but which sent is Shadow Clan's? There is more than one here."

The gray cat sniffed the sent and stood back. "This one is Shadow Clan." He said pointing with his tail towards the river. "The other is probably just some loner."

Hawkpaw tensed. He had called her clan a bunch of loners. A low growl came from her and she narrowed her eyes at the gray cat. Darkshade looked at Hawkpaw and saw that she looked ready to spring. He gently laid his tail across her shoulders.

"Don't do it Hawkpaw. They didn't cross the border."

"They called the clan loners!" She hissed at him

Darkshade looked taken back. He never expected that Hawkpaw could be so defensive of the clan…

"All they suspect is a loner…..can I please just walk out there?"

Hawkpaw's tail was thrashing on the ground. And somehow Darkshade knew that if he didn't let her do something she would find a way to do it herself. However it turns out they didn't have to do anything. Because of all the racket they had made they had been spotted.

"Who's there?" The gray cat called

"Too late now." Hawkpaw said harshly

Hawkpaw rose to her paws and padded out into the open where the other two cats could see her. Darkshade soon followed her.

"Just us…Your loners." Hawkpaw spat the last word

The golden tabby was staring at her with wide eyes, but the gray cat had narrowed his eyes and was glaring at both her and Darkshade.

"What are your names loners?" The gray cat said in a low tone

Hawkpaw tensed up and growled again. This guy was probably of warrior rank and her having been just apprenticed probably would not be able to take him.

"We are not at liberty to tell you our names." Darkshade said calmly

"Then I'll have to ask you to come with us." The gray cat said turning his attention to Darkshade

"We're not going anywhere!" Hawkpaw said instantly on her paws, she knew she couldn't take them but as long as she stayed on her side of the border things would be fine. The gray cat took a step forward putting his paws right on the borderline.

"You are not at liberty to say what you can and can not do."

"I can do whatever I want to, your not the boss of me!"

Hawkpaw barley had time to finish her sentence before the gray warrior jumped at her. Darkshade lunged knocking the gray warrior off his course and pinning him to the ground.

"You come with us now!" Darkshade hissed "Your on Dark Clan territory and follow our rules here!"

Hawkpaw flinched away from her father slightly. She had never heard him be so vicious. She turned to the golden tabby and flicked her tail telling him to follow her. The tabby crossed over the bored and padded close to her as they were escorted back to the camp.

"I'm Lionpaw." He whispered

"I really shouldn't be talking to you, but…..I'm Hawkpaw." Hawkpaw relaxed slightly now that she knew his name she felt much more at ease.

Once inside the camp Lionpaw seemed to stay closer to the gray cat.

Darkshade disappeared into Shadowstar's den and returned moments later with the leader at his side. Shadowstar first came to Hawkpaw.

"You did well Hawkpaw, you may go."

Hawkpaw nodded and went to sit with her brother and sister among the crowd of cats. Willowpaw immediately started checking her for wounds of any kind and Foxpaw just wanted to know what happened.

"Just listen and you'll find out." Hawkpaw told him quietly.