RISE OF THE CLANS #1: SCARLET MONSOON
CHAPTER 8

Sun Shadow was flung back by powerful hind legs. Mulch stuck to his pelt as his body rocketed against the ground. Shaking his head, he briskly regained his footing. Sun Shadow's rival, a well-muscled jet-black tom, charged toward him. But Sun Shadow was too quick, he skilfully sidestepped the older tom, using a firm front paw to trip his opponent's vulnerable hind leg. It caused his rival to tumble to the ground with a light thud. When Sun Shadow was certain that his opponent was down, he pressed another paw to his adversary's throat, forcing him to submit.

Recognising that he had won the mock fight, Sun Shadow let his foe get to his paws. The well-muscled jet-black tom shook out his fur as he did so, sending bits of mud and leaves in multiple directions. "Well done, son," Sun Shadow's father, Moon Shadow, congratulated. "You've come on well in the last quarter moon."

Under Moon Shadow's proud dark blue eyes, Sun Shadow was glad that he had won his father's praise and respect. He remembered how he had been shocked to see his father, and how he had been heartbroken at learning it was just a dream. Ever since their first meeting, every night they had talked and trained. It made Sun Shadow feel more content about not seeing his father in the real world. I'm lucky I can see him in my dreams. That's at least something. Sun Shadow had asked Moon Shadow: if every cat had dreams with their deceased loved ones, but Moon Shadow had told him it was rare. I was even more grateful and relieved when he told me that.

Randomly, a question probed Sun Shadow's mind, which he felt compelled to ask his father. "Moon Shadow," he began.

Moon Shadow stopped licking down a tuft of fur on his shoulder blade and stared back at his son. "Yes?" he enquired.

"Have you visited Shadowstar?" Sun Shadow cautiously asked.

"I have briefly in the past." Casually, Moon Shadow went back to grooming himself. "But not in many moons," he stated. "Besides, my sister doesn't need me. She wouldn't care that you're seeing me in your dreams, I presume that's what you're worried about." Moon Shadow's ears twitched, curiously. "Do you think you need me?"

Sun Shadow didn't have to think for more than a few heartbeats about his answer. "I've enjoyed meeting you… It's something I thought would never be possible." Sun Shadow felt huge admiration for the father he hadn't known in the waking world. "You've taught me so much already, and I've learnt so much more than I knew was possible."

Moon Shadow moved toward Sun Shadow, brushing his muzzle, affectionately, with his son's. "I'm pleased as well," meowed Moon Shadow. "You're a good cat, and I know you'll serve your Clan well in the future." Moon Shadow had taken a few paw steps back and was eyeing his son from ear to paw. "I couldn't be prouder."

"Thank you, father," Sun Shadow sincerely purred.

As Moon Shadow's gaze grew more serious, Sun Shadow felt a twinge of nervousness. "You may be ShadowClan's chosen cat, but I want you to know that I'll help you face the darkness. I'll always be by your side, son."

His father hadn't mentioned the darkness since their first meeting, and Sun Shadow was interested in knowing more about the incoming danger. Sun Shadow split open his jaw to respond. But before he could ask for more information, Moon Shadow's jet-black pelt changed into glowing smudges of starlight. This had become a similar sight for Sun Shadow. For it meant, he would be forced back into the waking world.

Fresh sunshine greeted Sun Shadow's opening amber eyes. Feeling a bit stiff from training with Moon Shadow, Sun Shadow gathered himself to his paws. Pieces of moss bedding were attached to his pelt, but he flicked them off with a sweep of his tail. Noticing various tufts of fur sticking out, Sun Shadow decided he better quickly groom himself.

After he had completed a thorough grooming, he advanced into the camp's central clearing. Then, whilst walking, he realised he had a slight limp, which must have happened when he had been too slow to dodge one of Moon Shadow's charges.

As Sun Shadow got closer, he could hear voices sounding from the clearing. Sun Shadow quickly realised it was Shadowstar, who was busy organising the day's patrols. As it hadn't rained for the last couple of sunrises, the hollow's usual muddy floor was hardened and felt dry under his pads. He padded closer until he had placed himself in view and waited to be put into a patrol.

Whilst glimpses of sunlight bore down on him, through nearby pine trees, he couldn't help thinking about Moon Shadow. I wonder what I'll learn next. Once again, Sun Shadow couldn't wait for moonrise to come, so he could go to sleep and train with his father. The slender jet-black tom had to admit that it had distracted him during the day, but he was being taught skills that would help him protect and serve ShadowClan in the future. What's the harm of that? Sun Shadow mused. I'm just happy I've got to meet my father.

"Sun Shadow," He jumped as Shadowstar's call broke his daydreaming, "you can join Raven Pelt's patrol." She nodded toward a black tom with yellow eyes, who sat waiting with Bubbling Stream and Dangling Leaf.

Raven Pelt started out toward the thorn tunnel. He was followed by the other hunting patrol members, including Sun Shadow, who lagged a couple of paces behind because of his slight limp.

As they walked underneath the dark pines and forest vegetation, which dimmed the sun's rays, Sun Shadow was absorbed in his own thoughts. Looking ahead and seeing Raven Pelt and Dangling Leaf, Sun Shadow felt a pool of jealously rising inside him. Dangling Leaf would get to know Raven Pelt in the waking world, whilst Moon Shadow wouldn't walk alongside him until he joined StarClan. He felt envious as Raven Pelt touched his tail against Dangling's Leaf's back. It was yet another reminder that Moon Shadow would only ever walk in his dreams.

All of a sudden, a set of paws matched his. Bubbling Stream had lowered her pace, coming beside him. "It's humid today, isn't it?" she meowed in greeting.

"I suppose," Sun Shadow shrugged.

"It's been like this for the last few sunrises," Bubbling Stream reminded him. "I hope it rains again soon," she sighed. "The ground is getting too hard. It'd be nice to feel soft mud under paw."

"True," he agreed, a yawning escaping his mouth.

"Did you have a late night?" Bubbling Stream went on, cheekily.

"Well, kind of."

Bubbling Stream's ear flicked forward. "Dreams can sometimes be pretty rigorous." For a moment, Sun Shadow was paranoid, thinking she somehow knew about his meetings with Moon Shadow and that she would reveal it to Shadowstar. "Sometimes I've been stalking prey in my dreams. And if I've chased it for a long distance, I then feel tired when I wake up. Does that sound weird?" the young she-cat with yellow splotches meowed.

"No," Sun Shadow meowed. "Not at all."

Bubbling Stream quickly took a couple of licks, trying to hide her embarrassment. "That's good." The short-furred she-cat's eyes glanced toward him. "Wait, are you limping? Are you okay? What happened?" Bubbling Stream assaulted him with a barrage of questions.

"It's nothing," Sun Shadow bluntly replied. There's no way I'm letting her find out about me and Moon Shadow.

Shortly ahead of them, Raven Pelt and Dangling Leaf had halted. Raven Pelt was giving them both a look of indignation. "Now, if you two can stop chirping away, we might actually be able to get some hunting done," he scolded.

"Sorry, Raven Pelt," Bubbling Stream apologised.

Sun Shadow dipped his head in response. Why should I have to apologise just for talking? Besides, I'm sure that Moon Shadow wouldn't have apologise for it.

"Whatever," Raven Pelt remarked. The moody black tom waved his tail. It stopped in three separate directions. "Whilst you two were messing around, I detected prey scent in each of those directions." His yellow eyes regarded the rest of the hunting patrol. "Dangling Leaf can come with me. You two can decide whether or not to team up or hunt individually. And I don't care what you decide, as long as you bring back some prey."

Raven Pelt stomped away, his black pelt causing him to merge with the shadows. Dangling Leaf's orange tail was the last thing Sun Shadow could spot of them as the two cats prowled off.

Turning to his flank, Sun Shadow could see Bubbling Stream staring up at him. "So, do you want to hunt together?" she asked eagerly.

Remembering Moon Shadow's lessons about only relying on himself to improve, Sun Shadow felt an urge to listen to his father's advice. "There's two pools of prey scent; it would be better if we split up. We'll be able to catch more."

"No problem." Sun Shadow could tell that Bubbling Stream was attempting to sound cheerful, but she failed miserably.

Leaving Bubbling Stream behind him, Sun Shadow ventured into rich pineland. He had to erase Bubbling Stream's disappointed look from his mind as he swivelled through different types of shrubbery. As Sun Shadow began to sniff for prey scents, a strong squirrel smell wafted against his nostrils, carried by a light breeze. At least Raven Pelt was right.

It wasn't difficult for Sun Shadow to morph into the shade of the overarching pine trees. The sun had become covered by clouds, drenching ShadowClan's territory with even more dark places for animals to hide in. The closely packed pines already offered a lot of protection from any bad conditions, and he was certain that that light breeze would be stronger on WindClan's territory. Despite the recent heat, Sun Shadow still felt cool underneath the pines, and the light breeze blew against his pelt, relaxing him, as he moved forward.

Suddenly, through patches of ferns, Sun Shadow eyed a small red squirrel. It was foraging for food among the roots of a small pine tree. The squirrel's back was to Sun Shadow, and it looked overly concentrated in its search for food.

I'll have to be careful – that tree isn't far away. As the wind was blowing against him, Sun Shadow used the shadows formed by the overhanging fern stalks to near his prey. A couple of slow paw steps later, he was able to see the squirrel more clearly. Making sure to avoid anything that could trip him up, Sun Shadow neared the edge of the thicket.

Now at the edge of the thicket, the squirrel stood a couple of tail-lengths away, nibbling on a tiny berry. I'll have to make sure that I balance this correctly, Sun Shadow decided, thinking about his slight limp. Sun Shadow began to breathe in and out, getting ready to pounce on the careless piece of prey. Hesitantly, he wondered how Moon Shadow would pounce, losing short, crucial heartbeats in the process.

Out of nowhere, a bird's deafening squawk dispersed through the forest, causing Sun Shadow to look around and lash his tail in surprise. Unfortunately, Sun Shadow's swaying tail knocked some ferns. As Sun Shadow lowered his head back toward his prey, he saw the squirrel's red bushy tail bobbing upwards. There was no doubt that the squirrel had skirted up the side of the pine, heading into the safety of the canopy. Sun Shadow's prey was lost.

That squawk must have scattered all the prey in ShadowClan territory! Sun Shadow decided with a sigh, thrashing his tail, which caused some dried leaves to leap into the air. Half blaming himself and whatever had caused the bird's ringing cry, the slender jet-black tom turned back toward camp. As Sun Shadow's stomach let out a small tremor, he hoped that Raven Pelt, Dangling Leaf, and Bubbling Stream had caught something.

- SCENEBREAK -

It didn't take long for Sun Shadow to arrive back in camp. Empty jawed, he painfully limped through the thorn tunnel. On the walk back to camp, his shoulder had begun to ache. I must have done something to it when Moon Shadow knocked me to the ground in the dream. But that doesn't make sense, how could I be injured in a dream and suffer it after waking up? Sun Shadow had wondered, feeling confused. Perhaps Moon Shadow knows why.

Blinking away the light pain, Sun Shadow witnessed Shadowstar, Raven Pelt, Dangling Leaf, and Bubbling Stream standing in the muddy hollow's central clearing, talking in raised voices.

Approaching them, Sun Shadow meowed, "What's going on? Is it about the prey?"

Raven Pelt curled around to face Sun Shadow. "If it hadn't been for her, we would have been able to catch some," Raven Pelt argued. The black tom's yellow eyes were glassy with disapproval as he stared down at Bubbling Stream, whose ears were flattened against her head.

Dangling Leaf shifted his paws across the dried specks of mud, which had been churned up by the recent hot weather. "It was a waste of time," the orange-tailed tom complained, agreeing with his father.

Sun Shadow stayed silent. I feel sorry for Bubbling Stream, but, even though he's a real pain in the tail, Raven Pelt has a point. If she was the one to mess up, then it made me lose that squirrel.

Shadowstar rolled her eyes. "Raven Pelt, you're overreacting," Shadowstar informed. "The prey will return. Anyway, the last claw moon brought us excellent hunting. I'm sure the prey will resurface later, and there's still the marshes. Leaf-fall has begun, but its rain and cold hasn't." Shadowstar hooked her tail toward a deposit of fresh-kill. The fresh-kill was rested in a tight dip in the ground and was encircled with green waxy leaves. "If you're hungry, there's still some fresh-kill from last sunrise."

Straightaway, Raven Pelt swept back out of camp. But before he actually exited, Raven Pelt sharply jerked his tail forward, beckoning Dangling Leaf to follow him.

As the senior black tom entered the thorn tunnel, Sun Shadow heard him gruffly call to his son, "We might as well check the marshes for prey."

Orange tail raised, Dangling Leaf bounded after his father, and Sun Shadow heard him mutter, "Ugh, I hate the marshes."

Within heartbeats, the two cats had left Sun Shadow's sight. He saw Shadowstar head toward the dirtplace tunnel, and Bubbling Stream had headed over to the fresh-kill pile.

Sun Shadow was left pondering what to do next when his stomach let out a rough growl, reminding him he hadn't eaten since the sunrise before. Mind made up, he stumbled over to the fresh-kill pile. A range of prey was there, but Sun Shadow, just wanting to fill his belly, took the first two pieces he saw – two plump looking mice – between his jaws and carried them over to a slab of soft mud, which would allow him to gingerly rest his bruised shoulder.

As he chewed on one of the mice, it tasted warm and musty. Glancing toward the fresh-kill pile, he realised that the prey must have been laying in the sunlight. Despite the bad taste, he managed to force down the mouse.

When he had finished the second mouse, Sun Shadow felt the warm light breeze massage his fur. That, along with the mice, made Sun Shadow feel very drowsy. This dulled the pain of his shoulder and made it easier for Sun Shadow to doze off. He let out a yawn. Those dreams with Moon Shadow are wearing me out, Sun Shadow mused. Some heartbeats later, tiredness had convince him to wrap himself up into a compact ball of jet-black fur. Promising himself he would go out later to hunt, Sun Shadow let himself drift off to sleep, wishing for another dream with Moon Shadow.

Author's Notes:
Finally finished. Btw, it's exactly 1 month on from Chapter 6. Some trivia there. :P Sorry for the delay I've been busy trying to improve my art amongst other things. I also had a bit of block/lack of motivation, for some reason, after writing the first 800 words or so like 2/3 weeks ago. Tbh, I'm surprised it's gotten to the mid 2000s. :P Just some more Sun Shadow stuff here, learning more about some of the other characters and the interactions with Moon Shadow. I was particularly proud of the first bit. Nothing much else to say. The next chapter is written, but it needs to be edited, however, I may start work on Chapter 10 first. And in case it isn't obvious, the next chapter will be Oak Shade's ThunderClan PoV. Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed it!
strong2,666 words / 4,570 words for Sun Shadow's PoV / 25,866 total
-UKEAGLECLAW-

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