Maplepaw woke the next day, her paws sore and her vision slightly blurred. Amazingly, she had been able to stay up long enough to tell Ravenpaw about the gathering in detail and groom her fur before finally drifting off to sleep. Of course, she missed out her conversation with Harespring.
"Come on Maplepaw, border patrol." Ravenpaw was nudging her urgently. "Lionblaze and Silverstream are waiting for us."
"What about Greystripe?" Maplepaw murmured, blinking the sleep from her eyes and looking around.
"He is out helping a hunting patrol or something." Ravenpaw led her outside, a cold wind buffeting Maplepaw's long fur.
Without bothering to even shake the moss from her pelt, Maplepaw ran over to the patrol and fell in line behind Lionblaze as they plodded up the slope.
"Where are we going?"
"To the Shadowclan border."
The simple exchange between apprentice and mentor still sent chills down her spine. Only last night Thunderclan had been accused of stealing prey from Shadowclan.
As Maplepaw became more awake, she kept a look out for prey. It would be great to be able to give a nice squirrel or a black bird to the queens. Sky was practically bursting; her kits were due any time now. Bramblestar visited her at every chance he got.
They reached the Shadowclan border without a problem, but Maplepaw still felt uneasy. What if a patrol of Shadowclan warriors attacked now? New-leaf was definitely on its way, but it was still no time for a battle.
While the others marked the border, Maplepaw paced back and forth, staring out onto the boggy marshes of Shadowclan. Suddenly, she saw a flash of yellow in the bushes. Narrowing her eyes, she glared at the place she had last seen the yellow thing.
Was it a pair of eyes? Shadowclan stench was in the air. Then she saw them again, gleaming in the dark. Two eyes, yellow and glowing, shone from the bushes on the Shadowclan side of the border. Before she could say anything to Silverstream, the eyes disappeared just as soon as they had appeared.
"Maplepaw, come on, we are going back to camp!" Silverstream mewed.
"Can I stay here a bit longer? I want to hunt a bit before coming back to camp."Silverstream dipped her head in agreement and padded back into the bushes.
Maplepaw scanned the Shadowclan border. She had seen them, the eyes. They really had been there, glaring at her though the dark.
She sat there, scanning the border until at least Sun-high, but nothing happened. She was about to turn back when she heard a rustle in the bushes. Whipping around to face the border, Maplepaw watched as a Dark brown tabby tom stepped out of the bushes. His fur spiked out in all directions, and his piercing yellow eyes shone like stars.
It was that Shadowclan apprentice from the gathering!
"Why were you watching my patrol?" She called to him, an edge to her mew.
"It was awfully close to my border, that's why!" The apprentice countered his tail lashing.
"Well we didn't actually set a paw over the border, so you are just being paranoid."
"No I'm not!"
"Yes you are!"
"Shut up."
"Make me." Maplepaw had had enough of this annoying apprentice. Her eyes narrowed and she smirked dangerously. "Is the mighty Shadowclan warrior too scared?"
Thant did it. With a yowl, the tabby apprentice charged towards the border. But Maplepaw just sat there, quietly washing her paw. She knew he wouldn't get further than a few paces before-
"Spikepaw! What are you doing?" An angry mew stopped the tom in his tracks. "I come along with my patrol and I find you attacking someone?"
The speaker was a tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes. Tawnypelt? Maplepaw guessed.
"Sorry Tawnypelt…" Spikepaw murmured, padding up to the wise she-cat. The rest of the patrol watched silently as Tawnypelt whispered something to him before leading them away. Just before he turned to follow the group, Spikepaw turned back to Maplepaw.
"See you soon kitty-pet-lover." He sneered as he raced away.
How dare he! Maplepaw thought angrily. However, she still felt pleased with herself for scenting the patrol.
Deciding that she should catch some prey before going back to camp, Maplepaw padded further down the Shadowclan border. Scenting the air, Maplepaw scented a small mammal not far from her position. Pinpointing her prey, she saw a shrew nibbling at a seed beneath a tall pine tree.
Dropping into a hunters crouch, she quickly assessed her position and strategy. The wind is blowing in my direction, so the shrew can't smell me. I have to be quick, because it is nearly finished with the seed and the wind feels like it's about to turn. I'm facing its hindquarters so it can't see me. I should use a careful, light stalking technique or else to shrew will feel the vibrations in the ground.
Taking only a few moments more, Maplepaw crept forwards as quickly as she dared. She took light steps; not a leaf rustled. She was about to pounce when the wind direction changed and her scent wafted towards the shrew. Maplepaw sensing this leapt forwards and charged after the retreating shrew.
The shrew was agile and small but Maplepaw had size on her side, and she kept up easily. Just as the shrew was darting under a bush, Maplepaw cuffed its tiny hindquarters before finishing it off. Although the shrew was small, it was extremely plump and would be good enough to feed a warrior.
Maplepaw realised that New-Leaf must be on its way, because the ground was feeling softer under paw and the prey was getting better. But that wasn't the only thing she realised. She had also become acutely aware of the fact that while chasing the vole she had reached the border. It was less than a tail length away.
Searching the marshland beyond, she saw no signs of Shadowclan warriors so she turned back and was about to head back to camp when something stopped her. The scent of Shadowclan had suddenly grown, and not a moment later two gleaming eyes appeared in the bushes. A Shadowclan warrior with ginger fur appeared.
"Well well, what do we have here?" He sneered. At the sound of his voice, two more Shadowclanners slid out of the bushes.
"I'm on my side of the border!" Maplepaw mewed, holding her head high.
"For now yes. But in not to long that will be Shadowclan territory. Owlclaw, Scorchfur, chase her." The ginger tom addressed the two Shadowclan warriors at his side. She should have run while she had the chance.
Dropping the prey, Maplepaw gave a screech of terror and charged off. But the other two warriors had already reached her, and the brown tabby rammed into her side. Maplepaw was sent skidding across the grass, landing with a thump at the base of a rock.
Scrambling to her paws, Maplepaw had just enough time to dodge out of the way when the dark grey tom lashed out at her. With a yowl, she leapt onto his back and began tearing out lumps of fur when she was gripped by the back and torn off.
Clawing madly at the air, Maplepaw tried to turn around but the tom's grip was too strong. The grey one whipped around and landed a blow the side of Maplepaw's head. It hit with a sickening crunch and Maplepaw crumpled to the ground.
The world was spinning and Maplepaw could not feel her paws as she was dragged along the ground to the ginger tom. He just looked at her before motioning for his clan mates to follow him into the bushes.
How had none of her clan mates seen her? Surely a patrol should have been there? Where were they taking her? Why did they want her? All these thoughts swirled around Maplepaw's aching head, and the last thing she thought of, before falling unconscious, was her mother, siblings and father all looking at her as if she was a disgrace. She had been unable to stop some Shadowclan scum from taking her across the border. She was a failure.
Shouting. Chanting. Yowls of triumph. That was all she could hear. Her mind, which had stopped spinning, was now clear enough to make out the pain. Her head was aching with unimaginable pain from the blow the warrior she guessed was Scorchfur had given her.
She didn't want to open her eyes, but she also really wanted to know what was going on. Tearing open an eye, she found she was in a camp, surrounded by cats. The Shadowclan camp! She thought. Maplepaw saw that there was a huge tree on which Blackstar sat, and on one of the lower branches sat the tom which had lead the cats that had attacked her sat peacefully.
He must be Rowanclaw, the deputy.
On either side of her sat two warriors. One was the brown tabby from earlier, while the other was also a tom, but black and grey. The cats cheering ground to a halt when Blackstar raised his tail.
"Rowanclaw lead a patrol of two other cats, Owlclaw and Scorchfur, to find us a hostage. They have succeeded in bringing us an apprentice so that we can use her to do a deal with Thunderclan. If we give back this apprentice, then Thunderclan give us the territory we need. Thunderclan cannot steal our prey and then expect us to stay quiet! Shadowclan with have its justice!" Blackstar yowled from his position on the tree.
Maplepaw wanted to yell at them all. She wanted to convince them that they were wrong, Thunderclan hadn't stolen prey. But firstly, she had no proof and secondly, who would believe her here?
She was thrown out of her thoughts when she was shoved forwards by Owlclaw. Hisses of laughter echoed around the campsite as she fell forwards and landed on her chest, muzzle buried in the ground.
As she got to her paws, Maplepaw spotted Spikepaw across the clearing. He was looking intently at her, but he wasn't laughing. He turned away as he caught her eye, but she didn't want his sympathy. If anything, ironically, she wanted one of Ravenpaw's witty comments or one of his ignorant looks from across the clearing. She didn't care if she didn't get along with him that well. Other than her siblings (who didn't really count) he was her only friend.
That is what she needed. What she never had in Thunderclan when she was Mapleshade. Back then she had cats who respected her, who were in awe of her, who hated her and one who loved her. But she never had a friend.
She began to feel light headed. Her paws seemed to blur in front of her eyes. She looked up at Blackstar, who watched from up in his tree. This wasn't the tom that she remembered thinking had promise when she was in the dark forest. Or was he? She wasn't sure about anything anymore. Her feelings, her family, who she was, or even where her paws where at that moment.
She gave Blackstar a defiant glare before hissing angrily, "You'll never get that territory you know. I don't care what you do to me, Thunderclan will keep the territory."
Finally, giving in to the pain and exhaustion, Maplepaw felt the ground come running up to meet her. As she was carried away, she pictured Ravenpaw smirking happily at her, while she defiantly watched the clan stare solemnly at her.
Oh my Starclan! I took AGES to update! I am so sorry. And the bad bit is that I have absolutely no excuse as to why I didn't update. I just didn't. And also, I want to say sorry to a guest who has updated on basically every single chapter and I rarely ever answer any reviews of hers. (Or his…)
Ok, so to guest (Dark Holly Leaf) I think you're a guest? I don't know because maybe you just never log on, but any way, I didn't answer lots of your reviews because I didn't receive (or accept) them in time for the A/N of UTSTMT, so… yeah, my fault, thanks for the support!
Anyway, back to the real part of the A/N, thank you to everyone who has made this story part of their favourites or follows list, and thanks to you all who review! So, let us go to the… REVIEWS!
PokémonThatEatCats2: XD. I rather like Blackstar; I think he is just so adorable! I mean… (5 hours later) and that is why I really love Blackstar. Ehem… anyway… ehehe… NEXT REVIEW!
Spottedleafalways11: NOOO! Don't kill Blackstar! Maybe you will like him soon? Ehe… *Ginning awkwardly* So… That weather lately…
Splinterclaw: It does seem that was, doesn't it? Honestly, the standards are slipping these days, are they not? Thank you!
Birdflame: I haven't died, so you don't need to worry too much. And anyway, there are cheese companies that make dairy free cheese and apparently some types taste extremely similar to the real thing! And I LOVE BLACKSTAR TOO! We should start a fan club!
Ok everyone, thanks for the reviews! I was thinking of something else to do other than just answer reviews and I decided to do a question for you all to answer if you feel like it. I think it was because I read a different fanfic in which the author had a question for their readers. So if anyone wants to answer, just review!
Questions of this chapter:
1. I know it is too early in the story for a warrior ceremony, but what do you want the names of our apprentices to be? Choose your favourite apprentice and think of some warrior names for them… I have fun coming up with stupid ones! *Giggles about Spikepaw being called Spikebutt*
2. Who is your favourite character in this fanfiction so far? I don't mind if you say Sunpaw.
So until next time, which I promise will not be in a month's time without a good excuse, Goodbye!
