Hey guys! I managed to do this chapter in one night! Yay! Anyways, remember to R&R, last chapter I only got one review and I was kinda upset about that... anyways, enjoy! :)
Inside of the clearing was silent. So silent you could hear a leaf falling from a tree. In the dead centre of the clearing were two cats with flames in their eyes. Although the fight was friendly and just for practice, the tension was high and there was a lot on the line.
The gray tabby she-cat named Moonpaw was the first to move. This was normal. Duskpaw always waited for her to make the first move. It had been like that the first time, and since then every time.
Duskpaw was ready. When Moonpaw darted towards him, he leaped high into the air with incredible strength. The muscles underneath the thick pelt of the tom were flexing as he flew high into the air.
Expecting Duskpaw to evade, Moonpaw leaped up also, flying straight into her opponent's belly head-first. Every cat in the clearing could hear the breath leave the tom in the air as he lost his balance in the air and flipped around, leaving Moonpaw on top of the two falling cats.
For a moment, time froze and the cats grappled in the air. And then they hit the ground with a thud. A few paces away, Moonpaw landed on her paws gracefully, while Duskpaw fell on his back.
Not letting the perfect moment to attack escape, Moonpaw raced toward him and picked him up with a lot of effort. He was large and rather heavy, and it took a lot of strength to throw the stunned tom across the clearing.
The lithe, small feline raced over to Duskpaw and pinned him down, putting her face close to his. The emerald green eyes that she stared at every time met her own bright blue and green eyes and Moonpaw found herself in a trance. He was handsome, and she had to admit to herself that she was interested in him.
Wait, what? Why was she worrying about love? She should be worrying about the battle, the scowl on Bumblestripe's face, Dovewing's confused and worried expression, and the affection she felt when she looked at Stormpaw.
Once again, Moonpaw scolded herself for thinking such ways about toms. Besides, the Duskpaw was already obsessed with Amberpaw, and Stormpaw probably wouldn't be interested in love... yet.
Focusing on the defeated feline beneath her paws, she purred and lifted her head triumphantly. "I think that this win belongs to me, any objections?"
No cat objected. Snowpaw and his mentor, who happened to be Foxleap, were looking at Moonpaw in amazement.
Moonpaw didn't know how she did it. Since the first fight between Moonpaw and Duskpaw half a moon ago, Bumblestripe had challenged Moonpaw through Duskpaw every training session they had together. Everytime, Moonpaw won. It was as if in those battle her claws became sharper, movements quicker and mind smarter. In battle, her conscious always told her what to do. Where to move and attack. And deep down, this scared Moonpaw. Most of the moves she used she hadn't been taught. So how did she know them?
Foxleap padded up and nuzzled his daughter with affection. His brilliant green eyes glowed with pride, and by the way he had his chest puffed out, Moonpaw could tell he was proud of her
"You were amazing!" Foxleap purred.
Moonpaw looked at her father, embarrassed by his praise. "I guess," She mumbled.
"Moonpaw! We're needed for a border patrol now!" Dovewing meowed quietly as she padded up to Moonpaw.
Foxleap looked at Dovewing, and something flashed in his eyes, and then her's. It was so fast, it could have been Moonpaw's imagination, but she swore she saw it. Something had just happened between the two. And in that moment, Moonpaw knew it was knowing.
Dovewing whisked Moonpaw away rapidly, not looking back at Foxleap or the others. She just kept walking, with a very confused Moonpaw trailing behind her.
"Wait, Bramblestar scheduled this border patrol right after our training session? With only two cats?" Moonpaw meowed, felling slightly suspicious.
"Er, yes and no, we are meeting Toadstep and Lionblaze near the WindClan border, at the centre of the stream." Dovewing grumbled, a trace of worry in her meow.
The mentor and apprentice trudged along is silence. Walking to the WindClan border seemed to take forever, but after what seemed like moons, they arrived at the stream and waited for the other patrol members to join them.
Suddenly, Dovewing jerked her head up. "I think I hear them," She meowed rapidly, seeming to want to go quickly. "Uh, Moonpaw, you wait here, while I go get them. Yowl if you need me."
Moonpaw didn't object. She just sat and watched her mentor leave in surprise, leaving Moonpaw vulnerable by the border of the Clan who hates her but wants her back. What a smart mentor Dovewing was.
Wait a moment. The way Dovewing had left had been too rapid. She had seemed in a hurry to leave, and rather awkward also.
Right there, on the border of WindClan beside the stream she used to love so dearly, something clicked in Moonpaw's mind. Everything became obvious as Moonpaw put together all of the pieces in her mind.
Foxleap and Dovewing's exchange of looks. Dovewing stammering as she mad up an excuse as to why it was only them patrolling right after training. And last of all, Dovewing's eagerness to leave.
In that moment, Moonpaw realized she had been set up and lured into some sort of a meeting.
Moonpaw leaped to her paws and opened her mouth to call for help. But she never got the chance, as a cat pinned her face into the ground, allowing her to breath but not speak or smell.
Although all of this was shocking to Moonpaw, the worst part was jerking her head up seeing Dovewing's blue and green eyes staring at her with sympathy from the bushes.
"You traitor!" She cried, feeling more betrayed than she ever had in her whole life. "You filthy traitor!"
Dovewing just simply turned around and started padding away, her fluffy pale gray tail drooping behind her as Moonpaw was dragged through the river and onto WindClan territory.
Crying now, Moonpaw thrashes around, trying to get a glimpse of who was taking her back to her worst nightmare.
"Shh, my dear, please don't cry." A soft voice cooed. The voice was so familiar and made her cry more. It made her start making horrible choking noises as a tail stroked her back softly in attempt to comfort Moonpaw. No longer was this cat pinning her down.
"Sunstrike," Moonpaw cried. "Why are you taking me back? I thought you loved me!"
"I do," Sunstrike meowed quietly. "I'm sorry this had to happen this way. I just needed to meet you. I'm not taking you back, dear."
Sniffing and trying to stop crying, she looked at her mothers concerned green eyes, and she felt like a kit again, in the nursery beside Blazekit, now Blazepaw. The rasp of a tongue grooming her gently, lulling her to sleep. Another memory of her mother's beautiful singing voice drifting through the camp of WindClan and bringing any cat still awake at that time of night to a peaceful sleep. And for some reason, Moonpaw felt safe.
"Why?" Moonpaw whimpered. "Why did you bring me here, and how did you get Dovewing and Foxleap and anyone else to help you?"
Sunstrike licked her head once. "I have answers," She cooed in such a gentle meow. "But these answers need to wait for the gathering. Please don't question anyone."
The gentle mother mouthed the words, 'I love you no matter what' and then bounded back towards WindClan camp.
"Wait!" Moonpaw yowled. "Please, wait!"
No answer came from Suntrike.
She needed answers, whether it was from her mother, her father, Dovewing, or anyone else, but she needed them. And she was going to get them.