Elsi: RAWR! Two chapters in one weekend! I am on fire! So, anyways, this is chapter nine.

Trek: And Elsi doesn't own warriors.

Elsi: Nope. It's sad, I know. But still. Oh, and a little announcement is that in this chapter it says that Brackenpaw has amber eyes, while the alleigances say blue. Well, I changed that, so Brackenpaw has amber eyes. Permanently.

Trek: Enjoy Chapter 9!

Chapter 9: Dark Shadows

Skypaw broke into a trot to catch up with Greypaw, Bluepaw, and Brackenpaw. The wind whistled in her fur, and Skypaw listened to it whisper through the grass they were padding through. She closed her eyes for a moment, breathing in the cool air.

"Skypaw!" Skypaw stopped – just in time, for if she had taken another step, she would have run into a ginger ShadowClan tom. Gasping, she scampered back to her friends.

"Why are we stopping?" asked Bluepaw, trying unsuccessfully to see past the many cats before them. The ShadowClan warrior turned around, his amber eyes gleaming at them.

"There's a narrow ledge up ahead," he told them, his voice deep and steady. "The leaders want to go two at a time." He turned back to his companion, a black she-cat. Skypaw blinked, looking at her friends.

"That doesn't sound good," murmured Greypaw. Bluepaw shook her head, her sapphire eyes wide.

"Do you want to find Icecloud and Lionblaze?" asked Brackenpaw, turning to look at Skypaw.

"I'm not a kit!" hissed Skypaw, puffing out her fur. "I'm going with you guys. Besides, if I left, there would only be three of you. One of you would be going alone. And, I'd be putting -."

"Alright, alright," Brackenpaw replied. "I was just offering."

"And for the record, Skypaw," whispered Bluepaw in her ear, "you are a kit." Skypaw let out a hiss of indignation and turned to claw the she-cat, but Bluepaw's eyes sparkled with teasing. Instead, Skypaw held her head high and slowly followed the trail of cats.

It was a while before she could tell where they were going, but, soon enough, the crowd thinned out enough for Skypaw to see a narrow cliff slanting upwards. A few cats ahead of her, she saw two RiverClan cats start slowly up the ledge. The tom carried a creamy kit in his mouth while the she-cat flanked him. The kit was hissing loudly that he was too old for this. Skypaw's stomach churned. Surely he was older than she was! But she shook this thought from her mind.

"Who's going with who?" questioned Bluepaw. The four exchanged a glance.

"I'll go with Skypaw," suggested Brackenpaw. "I'm the oldest." Greypaw and Bluepaw murmured agreement. Skypaw puffed up as big as she could go.

"Stop treating me like I'm a tiny kit!" she snarled. Greypaw gave her a supportive lick on her ear.

"It's for your safety, Skypaw," he murmured. "You saw that kit." In front of them, the two ShadowClan cats started up, one behind the other. Bramblestar and Onestar stood at the foot of the cliff, guiding the cats upwards. Bramblestar's eyes settled on Skypaw for a moment.

"Brackenpaw, you can go first. Skypaw, follow him very closely," the ThunderClan leader instructed. He indicated to the bottom of the pathway.

"Are you sure this is the right way?" Skypaw asked the leaders. Onestar sighed.

"That's what your brother said," he mumbled, so the other three couldn't hear him. Skypaw echoed his sigh.

"Be careful, Skypaw," Brackenpaw warned her. He leaped forward, latching his claws into the slippery surface. "It's hard to hold onto!" Skypaw nodded and cautiously stepped onto the ledge, unsheathing her claws and trying to find a grip. She kept her eyes on Brackenpaw's golden tail, trying to ignore the dark shadows in the drop nearby and the hammering of her heart. At last, she could see the end of the dangerous bridge, and the crowd of cats waiting.

Skypaw… Skypaw gasped, losing her hold on the ledge. Who had said her name? But before she could figure it out, she began sliding backwards. Scrambling to get another grip, she clawed furiously at the cliff. Suddenly, her hind paws weren't on stone, and Skypaw dropped down. She scratched to keep a hold, her eyes wide with fear.

"Brackenpaw!" she screeched. From the top of the ledge, Brackenpaw whirled around. His amber eyes went wide as he saw her dangling there, less than a tail-length from falling to the shadows below.

"Greypaw, no!" cried out a voice that sounded like Bramblestar's. But Skypaw didn't look, because her gaze was locked in Brackenpaw's. She couldn't keep a hold on this rock! Before Brackenpaw could move, however, Skypaw lost her hold completely, and she screamed.

A pair of jaws fastened in her scruff, and Skypaw gasped in relief. Her gaze was still glued to what lay below, where the wind screeched on the rocks, so she couldn't identify her savior. It couldn't be Brackenpaw…could it? Breathing in, Skypaw identified the scent as Greypaw's. Her heart lurched. Greypaw was strong, but could he hold her without losing his own footing?

With astonishing strength, Greypaw hauled Skypaw to safety, where she latched herself into the rock and collapsed, sobbing in her fear. For several moments she sat there, crying in happiness that she was alive. At last, Greypaw gently licked the top of her head.

"Come on," he murmured. "I'm right beside you, this time." Skypaw slowly got to her paws and faced the top of the cliff, getting a firm grip. She pressed into Greypaw, and they made their way up the ledge, where Skypaw breathed out a sigh of relief. At once she was met by Brackenpaw.

"Oh, StarClan!" he gasped, pressing his muzzle to her side. "I should have gotten to you! I'm so sorry, Skypaw, you could have died! It's all my fault!"

"It's not your fault, Brackenpaw," Skypaw meowed, finding her voice now that she was on solid ground again. "If you had tried to come down the ledge, you would have fallen for sure, and then we'd both be dead." The golden tabby lifted his head to look at her.

"I guess you're right," he admitted. "But I still should have kept a better eye on you as we were climbing. If I had, you wouldn't have come close to falling. I just…" He trembled. "It was like I was frozen to the spot. Like I wasn't supposed to move, you know?" Brackenpaw cocked his head. "But why would I feel like that? Did something push you off the cliff or something? Was Greypaw supposed to save you?" Skypaw gazed at him in shock. Was Brackenpaw joking? But the tom's amber eyes shone with truth. Skypaw shivered at the possibility.

Before they could say any more, however, Bluepaw struggled to the top of the ledge alongside a gold and black ShadowClan apprentice. Skypaw raised her eyebrows at how leisurely she was chatting with him. Spotting her friends, Bluepaw led her new companion over to them.

"Are you okay, Skypaw?" asked Bluepaw. Skypaw nodded, her eyes flickering over to the apprentice.

"Who's your friend?" asked Greypaw critically.

"This is Heatpaw of ShadowClan," announced Bluepaw. "He didn't have anyone to go up the cliff with either. Heatpaw, this is Skypaw, Brackenpaw, and my brother, Greypaw."

"It's nice to meet you," meowed Skypaw.

"You, too," responded Heatpaw, dipping his head. "All of you." Beside her, Skypaw could tell that Brackenpaw had stiffened at the sight of Bluepaw and Heatpaw so close together. Seeing this as well, Bluepaw sighed.

"I'll see you later, alright?" she meowed.

"Bye, Bluepaw," said Heatpaw, and he pressed into the crowd of cats. As soon as his black-tipped tail disappeared into the mass of waiting cats, Bluepaw rounded on Brackenpaw.

"Is there a problem, Brackenpaw?" snapped Bluepaw. "I didn't think you'd be so accusatory after nearly letting Skypaw die!" Brackenpaw flinched visibly. Skypaw laid her tail tip on her friend's shoulder.

"We shouldn't be getting to know cats from other Clans," Brackenpaw mewed coolly. Bluepaw bristled.

"You're one to talk!" she spat, her tail standing straight up in the air. "I saw you talking to that RiverClan cat, Splashpaw or whatever her name is. You were just staring at her like a moonstruck rabbit!"

"And I moved on from Splashpaw!" hissed Brackenpaw, looming over the blue-grey she-cat. He relaxed, squaring his shoulders. "I like someone else now." Bluepaw recoiled from him, her blue eyes pricking with pain.

"It still gives you no right to go yelling at me!" she retorted, but her voice had a slight shake to it.

"I'm trying to protect you!" snapped Brackenpaw. "ShadowClan cats are fox-hearted and you know it!"

"Well, in case you didn't notice," snarled Bluepaw, "I don't. Need. Protection!" With that, she spun around and marched off into the crowd. Brackenpaw let out a hiss and stalked off in the opposite direction. Greypaw and Skypaw exchanged a glance.

"Thanks again for saving me, Greypaw," Skypaw mewed. "I would have died." The look in Greypaw's dark blue eyes said everything; it convinced Skypaw to smile. Without a word, both turned and bounded after their friends: Greypaw after Brackenpaw and Skypaw after Bluepaw.

Skypaw found Bluepaw on the very edges of the Clans, pacing back and forth angrily.

"Who needs him, anyways!" the she-cat spat, but there was fresh pain in her voice. "Good for nothing tom! So selfish and bossy and annoying! Why did he have to be so mean about it, anyways! It's not like he cares! Why would he care?" Skypaw cautiously approached the fiery she-cat.

"Bluepaw?"

"WHAT?" Bluepaw spun around, hissing. When she saw who it was, she relaxed. "Oh. It's you." Skypaw sighed in relief, realizing that Bluepaw wasn't going to hurt her. She took a few careful steps forward.

"He's really just saying that because he's worried about you," she started carefully. Bluepaw laughed bitterly.

"Why would he be? He likes another she-cat, remember?" The resentment in Bluepaw's voice took Skypaw by surprise. Was Bluepaw…jealous? "Besides…I don't need to be worried about. I don't want him to protect me. I'm not a kit. I can take care of myself."

"I know you can," Skypaw responded cautiously, hoping not to set her off again. "But Brackenpaw doesn't quite understand that."

"Exactly!" cried Bluepaw. "He doesn't understand. No one understands."

"So you'll have to help him understand," continued Skypaw as if Bluepaw hadn't spoken. Bluepaw just stared at her for a long, painful moment. "You want him to understand, don't you?" It wasn't a question. After a minute or so, the feisty apprentice turned to face Skypaw fully and nodded, her eyes squeezed shut. Skypaw walked completely up to her until she was sitting beside the she-cat.

"It's not fair," she muttered. "How he can move through she-cats and they all fall for him, while I'm just stuck wanting nothing to do with that sort of thing. But in truth, I do want a part of it."

"Well, you won't get any of that if you yell at Brackenpaw instead of appreciating that he cares about you," pointed out Skypaw calmly. Bluepaw gazed at her, blue eyes twinkling.

"How do you know anything about it?" she snapped. "You're only a kit!" Skypaw flinched, but she knew that Bluepaw was right.

"I don't know," she responded. "It just makes sense." Bluepaw continued to stare at her for a long moment, and then she smiled slightly.

"You're not bad to talk to," commented Bluepaw, and she started back towards the crowd.

"Where are you going?" called Skypaw. Bluepaw laughed.

"To find Brackenpaw and Greypaw, of course!" Skypaw laughed and followed her.

Greypaw found Brackenpaw staring over another cliff, sheathing and unsheathing his claws.

"It's not like I care, anyways," he muttered. "Why does she have to be so dang snappy! I just wanted to help her! Why should I care? I have no reason to!"

"Brackenpaw? Are you alright?" Greypaw asked, cautiously moving forwards. Brackenpaw turned and calmly walked away from the cliff, sitting down once he was near Greypaw.

"I'm fine," he meowed. "I just wish Bluepaw would realize that she isn't invincible!" His amber eyes were stretched wide.

"She'll figure it out," Greypaw promised him. "One day, someone will save her from something dangerous, and she'll realize that she can't do everything on her own."

"I don't want to be the cat who rescues her," Brackenpaw purred. He sighed. "That's not really what's bothering me."

"Really?" meowed Greypaw, pricking his ears up. "Then what is?"

"Mouseclaw," admitted Brackenpaw. Greypaw tilted his head in confusion. "He's got Willowpaw on a string, and doesn't know it…I'm worried about her." Realization hit Greypaw like a Twoleg monster.

"Willowpaw!" he gasped. "That's the she-cat you want!" Alarm flashed in Brackenpaw's amber eyes, but then he sighed.

"At first she was just a sweet little kit," he confessed. "Then suddenly she was an apprentice with a peaceful personality and an appreciation for every little thing in life, and I knew that Splashpaw, with her long fur and glowing eyes, was no match for her. So my kithood admiration went out the window to be replaced with…this." Greypaw stood there for a moment.

"Willowpaw," he repeated slowly. "Mouseclaw's apprentice. Skypaw's sister. Skypaw's sister."

"But I'm no match for Mouseclaw," Brackenpaw went on. "He's her mentor, so he has every right to be with her as often as he wants, and he cares for her more than anyone else in the world. And she'd die for him, too. I'm just…just her den-mate." The muttered words were like thorns on Brackenpaw's tongue. Greypaw couldn't move. He was in too much shock.

"Skypaw's. Sister," he repeated, not quite grasping the idea. Brackenpaw rolled his eyes.

"I know you fancy her and all, but seriously," he scoffed, "it's not like we're brothers."

"I do not!" hissed Greypaw. "It's just…Skypaw's really protective of her littermates."

"Yeah, uh huh," Brackenpaw scoffed. "Admit it." Greypaw shook his head, his eyes growing wide.

"There you are!" Before either tom could say anything else, Skypaw and Bluepaw pushed their way through the other cats. Bluepaw eyed the gorge.

"Really, Brackenpaw? I should have known you'd be stupid enough to shelter here," she snarled. Skypaw glared at her. "I mean…er…nice…spot." Greypaw raised his eyes, but a look from Skypaw stopped him from blurting out. Instead, he looked past the she-cats to the crowd of cats.

"I think we're moving again," he meowed. "Come on!" And so the four of them scampered off after the Clans.

It was much later that day that the Clans decided to stop and rest. Skypaw sighed in relief as they came to a small ditch in the hard ground.

"Come on," meowed Brackenpaw. "Let's rest while we can."

"While we can?" repeated Skypaw, narrowing her eyes in confusion.

"I had to hunt yesterday night," Brackenpaw reminded them. Just then, Brackenfur's voice rang out over the gathering cats.

"Skypaw! Greypaw!" Greypaw groaned.

"Come on," he said, nudging Skypaw to her paws.

"There you are." Brackenfur padded towards them, gazing down at them. "You're both wanted for a hunting patrol."

"Me?" meowed Skypaw. Brackenfur nodded.

"You have keen senses, Skypaw," he pointed out. "We need someone to stand guard, because the mountains are a dangerous place to be." The stern tone in his voice made a shiver run through Skypaw. "And plus, watching good hunters like Doveheart and Greypaw will help you learn." Beside her, Greypaw swelled with pride.

"Okay," she purred. "Bye, Bluepaw, Brackenpaw."

"Oh, and Ivypool's going on a patrol to scout the area," added Brackenfur. "She'll want you, Brackenpaw." Brackenpaw looked up at his namesake and sighed.

"I'm going," he grumbled, pushing past them. Amused, Brackenfur followed him, leaving Greypaw and Skypaw to trail behind. They came to Doveheart, and they set off.

Skypaw kept her eyes on the sky, letting the wind whisper to her. She wouldn't let her patrol go unguarded. Brackenfur and Doveheart were crouched on either sides of the ledge; Greypaw sat next to her.

"I can't wait until we're out of here," muttered Greypaw. Skypaw didn't look at him, but she could feel his gaze on her.

"I don't know," she answered. "The wind is so much nicer up here than it was in the forest." She sighed in contentment as a fresh breeze blew past them, and it seemed to sigh with her.

"You're really special, Skypaw, you know that?" Greypaw said. "You're the only cat I know who would sit for long amounts of time just listening to how the wind blows, or how the water rushes in the river, or how the leaves rustle in the trees." For the first time, Skypaw took her eyes off of the clouds above her head for a moment to stare at him. Greypaw studied his paws. "You don't act like a kit your age would."

"And what do you mean by that?" meowed Skypaw.

"I mean, I have to keep reminding myself that you're only five moons and not older than the rest of us," he continued. "Five moon old kits usually act like life is a game. But you and your littermates…you're different."

"I guess this journey is forcing everyone to mature faster," she pointed out. "The rest of you are acting like warriors already."

"You think so?" mewed Greypaw. Skypaw smiled, turning her eyes back to the sky.

"I know so," she told him, and that was that.

As they walked back, Skypaw heard her stomach growling.

"There's barely enough food for half of us," commented Doveheart, her voice heavy with concern. "How are we to make the journey if we are all going hungry?"

"We did it before," Brackenfur said fiercely, his voice muffled by the eagle he was dragging along. "We can do it again. Skypaw and Greypaw, both carrying two mice, exchanged a worried glance. If the warriors were giving up, how would the rest of them keep up hope?

"Take two of those to the elders," instructed Doveheart. "Share the other two with the other apprentices. You've done well." Nodding in excitement, Skypaw picked up her pace. Greypaw followed with the same eagerness. She purred, hearing Brackenfur's light laugh as they disappeared from sight.

It was Greypaw who caught sight of Dustpelt and Ferncloud sharing tongues. Graystripe, Millie, and Sandstorm sat nearby, talking no doubt about the days of their own apprenticeship.

"Hello, Greypaw. Hello, Skypaw," meowed Millie lightly, looking up. Skypaw and Greypaw muttered a hello, setting the mice down.

"These are for you," said Skypaw, pushing her mice towards them. "Doveheart, Brackenfur, and Greypaw caught them for you."

"It's about time," snapped Sandstorm, pulling a mouse towards her.

"Now, Sandstorm," purred Ferncloud. Skypaw watched the she-cat curiously. How was she an elder when she was younger than Brackenfur, Cloudtail, and Thornclaw, who were still happy warriors? Then, she noticed Dustpelt stretching his legs out, grunting because he was stiff, and she understood. Would she give up being a warrior for her mate?

"Thank you, Greypaw and Skypaw," said Graystripe, leaning over to bite into one of the mice. Greypaw dipped his head first to his namesake and then to the others; Skypaw mimicked him. Then the two apprentices backed away slowly, taking the mice with them.

"I wonder where the others are," Greypaw murmured. Skypaw scented the air.

"This way," she meowed, following the scents of Runningpaw and Rustpaw. With Greypaw on her paws, Skypaw weaved between the warriors until she saw all of her friends relaxing in a small circle. Rustpaw and Runningpaw were curled up together, almost asleep. Bouncestep and Dustpaw were lazily sharing tongues, while Mountainpaw, Littlepaw, and Stealthpaw compared their days. Willowpaw and Bluepaw sat there awkwardly, occasionally saying things to each other.

"Hello, everyone!" called Greypaw. Skypaw dropped the two mice as Runningpaw picked up her head, nudging Rustpaw in the process. The rust-colored apprentice sniffed the air.

"I ate earlier, with Dustpaw and Bouncestep," he meowed. "You guys can share those." Purring her thanks, Runningpaw scooted towards where Skypaw had put the mice. The rest of them also turned closer, and they shared the fresh-kill until they were at least slightly satisfied.

"Come for a walk with me," murmured Greypaw. Skypaw looked up and met his blue eyes. She smiled and followed him. They wove back through the warriors and headed back into the forest.

"Did you want to talk to me, Greypaw?" Skypaw asked. She considered reading his mind but shook it away. He would tell her anyways….wouldn't he?

"It's about Willowpaw," Greypaw started slowly. Skypaw tilted her head.

"Willowpaw?" she meowed, confused. A pang hit her. Greypaw didn't like her, did he? Skypaw's heart sped up, but for why she didn't know.

"Brackenpaw told me some things today that I think you should know." Warm relief spread instantly through Skypaw, though she tried to ignore it.

"Like what?" she prompted.

"Well, he said that, and I quote, "Mouseclaw has her on a string and doesn't know it". We're worried he's going to hurt her."

"Mouseclaw wouldn't hurt Willowpaw," Skypaw murmured. "They're too close. He protects her like a second father…like a brother."

"He wouldn't mean to hurt her," said Greypaw. "But he isn't as tied to her as she is to him. He'll find a way to crush her."

"No way," protested Skypaw. Greypaw paused, and he turned to face her.

"I know it'll happen, Skypaw," he whispered, and Skypaw gazed into his blue eyes. "You don't want it to happen, is all." He paused. "I thought I should tell you. You care so much about your littermates."

"I won't let Willowpaw get hurt," breathed Skypaw, standing up tall. "Thank you, Greypaw." They began to walk again.

"And…there's something else that Brackenpaw said…" started Greypaw uncertainly. Skypaw itched to read his thoughts, but she resisted. Suddenly, the large grey apprentice paused, scenting the air.

"What is it?" asked Skypaw.

"Windblow…" muttered Greypaw. "He's with a she-cat." His eyes narrowed to slits. "A ShadowClan she-cat." Skypaw gasped. "Come on!" The tom started to run off, leaving Skypaw to follow. He slowed to a trot, and then a walk, and then he was slinking through the dense woods. He held out his silver tail for Skypaw to pause, and she did.

"I don't know if this is going to work," Windblow was saying.

"What do you mean?" snapped a lighter voice. Skypaw pressed herself to the ground and saw the two of them together. Windblow was talking to a beautiful silver she-cat. Before their eyes, she began to slink around him, letting her bushy tail drape around him. "Don't you want this to work?" Windblow's amber eyes glowed.

"Of course I do, Mistpaw…but…" He took a step away from her, and Mistpaw stopped. Windblow shook his head. "My sister just died."

"I know," murmured Mistpaw. She walked up to him and pressed against him. "I feel so sorry for you." Her pale green eyes shone with her true compassion, and Skypaw was shocked to see the affection radiating between the two of them. Focusing in on Windblow, Skypaw read his thoughts. She stifled a hiss of fury. Greypaw turned to her, silently asking her what the problem was.

"He's in love with her," Skypaw breathed. She turned her powers on Mistpaw. "And she loves him." She unsheathed her claws and let them scrape against the thin layer of soil. Greypaw's eyes went wide.

"But that's against the warrior code!" he whispered. Skypaw nodded to confirm that she knew. Greypaw shook his head. "We've got to stop this." He tensed to spring out, but Skypaw put her tail out to stop him. Without making a sound, she shook her head.

"He'll figure out on his own that it won't last," she promised. "Come on, Greypaw. Let's get back before they know we're here." Skypaw started back the way she came.

"But…" started Greypaw. He sighed and hurried after her.

For the rest of the march back, the two walked in silence. Greypaw seemed to be reflecting on something, and Skypaw didn't want to interrupt his thoughts.

By the time they got back, the other apprentices had laid out moss bedding for them. Bluepaw was curled up near a piece of empty moss, which Skypaw assumed was Greypaw's spot. The other available spot was next to him; Littlepaw would be on her other side. The two apprentices exchanged a glance and padded over to their nests. Skypaw curled up next to Greypaw.

"Good night, Skypaw," breathed Greypaw, turning to face Bluepaw.

"Good night," she meowed, closing her eyes. His soft pelt pressed against hers, sharing the warmth of his body. Skypaw smiled slightly, stroking the flank of her sleeping brother with her tail. Soon, she was fast asleep.

Elsi: Lo and behold how protective Skypaw is of Willowpaw and Littlepaw. Mountainpaw can take care of himself, and Skypaw doesn't get the chance to protect Birdpaw. I think that trait will play an important part in the story.

Trek: I'm proud of you for letting Brackenpaw, Bluepaw, and Greypaw have some character.

Elsi: I'm proud of myself, too. So right now we have Brackenpaw who likes Willowpaw, Bluepaw who likes Brackenpaw, and Windblow who's been meeting with Mistpaw of ShadowClan. OOOH. And what's up with Heatpaw?

Trek: If you review and tell Elsi all of that, she'll reply (and thank you in the next chapter). Yeah.

Elsi: Next chatper is Birdpaw's...