Chapter 7
By the time they got back to the Wildclan camp, Angelpaw was asleep in the apprentices' den.
Darkstorm looked in on her fondly as the others dug their beds.
"Angelpaw was a good helper," she said. "She put new bedding down in the elders' den and the warriors' den; she helped me collect herbs; and we re-stocked the pile of fresh-kill."
"Wow," breathed Fogpaw, settling down beside her friend. "Busy night for all of us, then."
"Indeed." Darkstorm left them to sleep.
In the morning, the other apprentices filled Angelpaw in on the Gathering. She pounded her paws in the dust excitedly.
"I wish I could have gone," she said. "It sounds so cool!"
"You should have gone," Demonpaw began, but Stormpaw flashed him a warning look. The four of them made idle chatter as Feralclaw passed with Tornadopelt.
Once they were out of earshot, Demonpaw lowered his voice.
"I actually think Feralclaw's afraid of me," he confided to the others.
"What?" Stormpaw glanced over his shoulder at the deputy in surprise.
"Well, yeah. He always gives me this really weird look, and when he's not doing that, he's angry with me."
"I doubt it," Fogpaw mewed. "I think you might be reading him the wrong way."
"Huh?"
She let out a mrrow of laughter. "You're being paranoid, Demonpaw."
"Oh."
His whiskers twitched irritably.
"No I'm not! Explain that look he always gives me, then."
Angelpaw shrugged. "Well, you don't listen to him much – maybe that's it."
Demonpaw rolled his eyes. "Whatever."
The others purred appreciatively, their tails twitching.
"Did you sleep well, Angelpaw?" Blizzardfoot joined them.
"Yes," she sighed. "But Blizzardfoot, why couldn't all of the apprentices go to the Gathering?"
"Don't worry," he mewed. "Timberstar agreed that you can go to the next one."
Angelpaw quivered with anticipation at the prospect.
"And speaking of Timberstar, he wants me to take out a patrol with Feralclaw right now."
Demonpaw looked up. "Does that mean Angelpaw and I are coming too?"
"Yes; and someone else as well – I think I'll get Jaggedheart, and then we can go."
Demonpaw and Angelpaw trotted to the brush hole that created the camp entrance and found Feralclaw pacing as he waited. Blizzardfoot and Jaggedheart showed up a moment later, and they set off.
"What are we patrolling?" Angelpaw asked as they padded through the trees.
"The river," Feralclaw replied.
"The entire river?" Demonpaw was surprised.
"From Shineclan to the Thunderpath," his mentor confirmed.
Fish was in the air at the water's edge.
"Why don't we eat fish?" Demonpaw asked, gazing into the rushing crystal rapids.
"It's disgusting," said Jaggedheart. "Shineclan are the only ones who eat fish."
"Why not Scentclan?"
"It's like Smokeclaw said last night," Blizzardfoot mewed. "The Thunderpath has created more and more problems for them over the years. Polluting the river has been part of it."
They strolled along the river, sniffing for signs of Shineclan.
Feralclaw stopped suddenly, his eyes blazing. The patrollers darted into the brush at his signal. Demonpaw peered through the leaves, and his stomach flipped. The silvery apprentice from the Gathering was fishing with her mentor at the edge of the bank. Jaggedheart growled quietly, but Blizzardfoot nudged her.
"They're allowed to be there," he reminded her.
She nodded and was silent, but her eyes burned with the traditional Clan rivalry.
"Let's keep moving," Feralclaw hissed. "I'm not in the mood for a confrontation right now."
He led them further into the brush, keeping the river in sight through the trees.
Demonpaw glanced back once, and he saw that the apprentice's ears were flicked toward them, although she said nothing to the golden cat.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
A/N: wasn't sure how to end this, but that's what I came up with. R&R! thanks bunches!
--Ash
