Ok Here's the next chapter! I hope you like it ^^
Wolfpaw: Don't forget to read and review!
Tigerpaw: Remember, no flames!
Chapter 8
Wolfpaw awoke the next morning. He quickly remembered Tigerpaw had gone out for a walk; he glanced at the tabby's cold nest. "He never came back." Wolfpaw muttered and got up. "I wonder where he went."
The black and white apprentice trotted out of the den and padded over to the fresh-kill pile. He grabbed a mouse and a vole for the elders and then snatched a big rabbit and a shrew for the queens and kits.
He stuck his head inside the nursery and in a flash, he was bawled over by several bundles of fluffy fur. "ThunderClan is victorious!" the kits yowled triumphantly. "Now now kits." One of the queens said. "That's enough." The kits complained but reluctantly padded back into the nursery.
Wolfpaw purred in amusement and got up; he shook his pelt free of dirt and grabbed a squirrel to eat. He crunched it down quickly and padded over to his mentor. "Can I go hunting by myself?" he asked.
"Very well, but be on time for the border patrol." The deputy mewed.
"I will!" The black and white apprentice mewed and trotted out of camp. "Ok, time to see what that mouse-brain Tigerpaw is up to." He muttered and parted his jaws to drink in the tabby's scent. It was faint, but he noticed it was headed for the ShadowClan border. "What business does he have with ShadowClan?" Wolfpaw wondered and suddenly it hit him. His Twoleg nest is on ShadowClan territory!
"ShadowClan cats will shred him to bits if they find him!" The small tom exclaimed. "I have to hurry."
Wolfpaw broke into a run and reached the border fast. He took a deep breath. "Here goes nothing." He mewed and crossed the border, following Tigerpaw's scent. "I just hope I don't get caught by a patrol…"
The small apprentice stayed in the shadows as he wove deeper into the woods, searching for the Twoleg nest. He stopped and glanced over at the big nest after he found it. He must already be inside, he thought and padded over to the fence. He climbed over it and leaped onto the other side. He trotted nervously towards the cat flap and glanced inside. "Tigerpaw?" he hissed quietly.
"What are you doing here?" asked a voice behind Wolfpaw, startling him. Wolfpaw turned around and saw Tigerpaw staring at him oddly. "Well?" he said.
"I came looking for you." Wolfpaw mewed. "Why did you leave?" He tipped his head to the side in confusion. Tigerpaw looked away. "I… wanted to see my mother." He explained. "I was coming back though."
"Oh, did you see her?" Wolfpaw asked, his blue eyes curious. Tigerpaw shook his head. "She wasn't in the nest." He mewed sadly. "Come, let's go back to camp."
Wolfpaw nodded and followed the tabby, climbing over the fence. Wolfpaw froze for a moment as he saw the glint of amber eyes appear from a bush, but they quickly disappeared. He shook his head and sped up. "Let's hurry out of here before someone sees us." He mewed.
Tigerpaw nodded and followed him closely behind. "Where do you think you're going?" A sharp voice hissed at the apprentices and a large tabby tom padded from the shadows. Wolfpaw stared at the large warrior with wide blue eyes, but thought quickly. If he's just one, we have the advantage.
The black and white apprentice's hope died down as four more warriors surrounded them. "By the smell of it, you're from ThunderClan." One of the cats mewed. "Is Lightningstar so desperate as to send apprentices to spy on us?" Another one sneered.
"We're not desperate enough to want to spy on mangy pieces of crow-food like you!" Wolfpaw growled, his pelt bristled to make him look twice his size.
The large tabby stepped towards the black and white apprentice. "You don't stand a chance against us, you're merely apprentices." He mewed. "Let's take them prisoners." He added to his clanmates.
"Just wait until our clanmates find out!" Tigerpaw growled. "They'll claw your ears off!"
The large tom turned to face Tigerpaw. "You are not one to talk; you don't even belong in ThunderClan." He hissed. Tigerpaw flinched but acted like he wasn't affected. "Of course I belong in ThunderClan! It's my Clan!" he growled. "You don't know anything about me!"
Wolfpaw looked at Tigerpaw for a moment, and then at the large tabby again as he replied. "You are mistaken, I know plenty about you." He hissed. "In fact, I know you were born a kittypet in the nest over there." He pointed to the large nest with his nose.
Tigerpaw gulped nervously but said nothing more. "Time to go." The large tabby mewed and took the ThunderClan apprentices to their camp. "Jaggedfang, what have you brought here?" A voice said from the shadows. The large tabby dipped his head. "My patrol and I found these two ThunderClan apprentices snooping around so I brought them here as prisoners."
"Good work, you brought the son of the leader of ThunderClan here." Darkstar mewed. The leader of ShadowClan turned to face Tigerpaw. "I see ThunderClan is still taking in kittypets, why doesn't that surprise me."
Tigerpaw scoffed and looked directly at the dark tom. "I'm as good as any apprentice."
"And one with an attitude at that." Darkstar mewed. "He almost reminds me of a ShadowClan apprentice."
Wolfpaw shot Tigerpaw a look that said 'shut up, you're making it worse!'
The ShadowClan leader turned to face Jaggedfang. "Take them to where the other prisoner is, immediately!" he ordered. Jaggedfang dipped his head respectfully. "Right away." He mewed and disappeared through the shadows with the two small apprentices.
"Other prisoner?" Tigerpaw hissed in surprise. Wolfpaw turned his head to face him. "You don't think…" he muttered.
"Cross!" Tigerpaw exclaimed, straying out of Jaggedfang's side and rushing over to his mother. Wolfpaw glanced over in the direction Tigerpaw ran off to. He noticed the dull shape of a light brown tabby she-cat lying down with the smaller shape of Tigerpaw by her side. He made his way over. Now looking at her closely, he noticed she was thin and her eyes were glazed. "Jake? Is that you?" she croaked in a worn voice.
Tigerpaw nodded, nuzzling his mother's fur. "What have they done to you?" he mewed, turning to glare at Jaggedfang with pure hatred. Wolfpaw turned to face the large tabby; he saw something…different in his eyes. Was it regret? It had only lasted for a moment before his eyes turned to their normal piercing stare. The large tabby stalked away and Wolfpaw felt anger building up deep in his belly. "We have to get out of here." He mewed.
"Do they even feed you in here?"Tigerpaw asked Cross. The she-cat nodded. "Jaggedfang brings me prey every now and then." She mewed in a tired voice.
"Since when are you here?" Wolfpaw asked now, concern edging his mew.
The she-cat closed her eyes, as if trying to recall it. "It was a few days after Jake disappeared." She replied. "I went out of my nest to look for him and was captured by them."
Wolfpaw felt guilt coming off Tigerpaw's pelt in waves.
"Don't worry Cross; we'll get you back home safely." Tigerpaw mewed.
Wolfpaw thought quickly. "I'm going to check if there's someone keeping guard by the entrance to this place." He mewed. "If there's none then we might have a chance to escape from here."
Tigerfur shook his head. "You try to escape first and then bring back-ups." He mewed. "We have a better chance that way."
Wolfpaw nodded and crouched. He wove silently to where Jaggedfang had disappeared to. He glanced around, "Looks like, there are no guards?" he mewed in bewilderment. He took another step forward and suddenly felt a sharp pain on the back of his head. "You were wrong if you thought you could escape." A voice said. It was the last thing he heard before he blacked out.
After waking up again, he noticed he was back to where Tigerpaw and Cross were. "This is not working, my pelt is too noticeable. I won't be able to sneak out; they'll spot me from here to the island! Tigerpaw, you have a better chance than me. You have to tell Lightningstar of this." He mewed, his eyes wild with worry. "They must all be worried sick!"
Wolfpaw knew that Tigerpaw could clearly see his desperation and worry. Tigerpaw nodded. "Alright, but promise me you'll take care of my mother until I return." He mewed, the worry evident in his mew also. "I'll try my best to come and save you both." The brown tabby gave his mother a lick and butted Wolfpaw's shoulder briefly with his head.
As the small tabby disappeared, Wolfpaw whispered a quiet "Good luck" and sent a quick prayer to StarClan that Tigerpaw would make it back to ThunderClan safely and bring a patrol.
Hours seemed to fly by and Wolfpaw was now starting to lose hope, he hadn't seen traces of Tigerpaw ever since he saw his tail whisk away in the darkness. Had he been captured? Or maybe he… Wolfpaw pushed the thought away quickly. The last thing he wanted, was to start doubting his clanmate now.
He turned to Cross as if to reassure himself that Tigerpaw would come back, at least for his mother. He soon felt his stomach start to rumble and ignored it; he knew ShadowClan wouldn't feed him. He sighed, Tigerpaw hadn't set paw in there again. He wondered what had become of the small brown tabby, his pelt pricked with uneasiness at the thought of never going back home.
He began licking his chest with slow, nervous licks. "He'll come back for us…" The light, tired, croaked voice of Cross whispered to Wolfpaw. "He'll come back for us." She repeated. "I know he will."
Wolfpaw felt a pang of sympathy for the she-cat, she still believed strongly in her son. It was no surprise to Wolfpaw. He managed a weak smile as he rested his gaze on her. "We'll be free before we know it." He mewed, knowing he had to stay positive. Tigerpaw would make it.
Wolfpaw noticed slightly as the moon shone brightly in the sky. It was already Moonhigh; he had missed the patrol…
Sorry for the chapter being so short D: I just wanted it to end in a sort of cliff-hanger :P
Anyway, Why has been Tigerpaw away for so long? Why hasn't he returned? Could he have betrayed his Clan? Find out, on the next chapter of Warriors: A New Beginning! I'd really appreciate some tips to make my writing better. Thank you all for your reviews, I really appreciate it :)