Disclaimer: Warriors by Erin Hunter

Thanks to those reviewers: oO-Rainpath-Oo, VioletteRose, Icethroat21, and Nightmist of Shadowwind Tribe.

Chapter 10: Quest for a Den

We didn't go far before she told me I needed to find a den. She couldn't just bring me into the ShadowClan camp. I told her I would find a place to stay. She nodded and told me to do that while she hunted.

I left her and started searching for a place to stay. I wasn't sure I'd done the right thing. I knew that life in RiverClan didn't appeal to me anymore, but why didn't I just go home instead of staying with Eveningbreeze? I wasn't sure, but I really wanted to stay and see what she did. What was she planning?

There wasn't much undergrowth in the ShadowClan territory. I looked up as I thought. The tree limbs crossed each other, only letting down a small bit of sunlight. Because I wasn't likely to sleep in a tree, I went to find somewhere to spend the night. I quickly decide not to stay deep in the territory. ShadowClan would probably find me there. They knew their territory better than I did. I also wanted to escape easily if I had to. I was thinking about going to the border close to the mountain. I quickly made my way there.

The search took me until evening. Finally I found a very likely place to sleep, but it wasn't very close to the border. There was the scent of prey. The den I found was a bush of thorns. It would be well protected. So I quickly slipped under to investigate. The sharp thorns caught in my pelt, drawing blood. I flinched away. Finally I got to the middle of the bush. Because it was getting late I didn't want to go back out and fight all the thorns. I quickly curled up and fell asleep.

Eveningbreeze didn't know where I was that first day. She wandered all over her Clan's territory, searching for me. Finally she found me. I'd just finished killing a squirrel and was eating it.

"You're going to have to catch your food elsewhere," she growled at me.

I looked up, surprised.

"My Clan will noticed the kills," she explained. "Then they'll look for you. If you go to another territory, then my Clan won't know anything about you."

I quickly nodded. That made sense. I didn't want to be noticed by ShadowClan. "So what are we going to do?" I asked.

"Did you find a den?" she asked.

I nodded. I was sure I'd show her later just to make sure she knew where to go. I know that my bush was kind of strange, but it was the only thing!

"Good," she purred. "First we need to think about what we want," she answered my question.

"What do you want?" I asked.

Her nose twitched. She looked at me suspiciously before she answered, "To be the leader of ShadowClan."

I thought so. "How are we going to do that?"

"Get rid of Kinkstar," she answered. "I already know I want to be the one to kill her."

"And what will I be doing?" I asked. What did she need me for if she had it all planned out?

"Oh, you'll be leader with me," she answered as if reassuring me. "You will help distract my Clan while I kill Kinkstar."

I could believe I would be the distraction. I knew I looked like Brownpaw. They would probably keep confusing the two of us. Now I wondered how I was supposed to distract them. Eveningbreeze didn't want me hunting in her territory. If she wanted a distraction, her Clan looking for a rogue was one.

I told her so.

"Then they'll be suspicious," she meowed. "We have to make them relax and unaware. Then you distract them and then I kill her."

"What about Snaketail?" I asked. He was the deputy. I didn't understand how Eveningbreeze thought she could just take over her Clan. I really still didn't understand why she was willing to kill her leader. I wasn't sure why I was going along with it. But she'd presented a dilemma before me and I wanted to solve it. Besides, talking wasn't doing, right?
Eveningbreeze frowned. It looked as if she hadn't considered Snaketail. "He'll go first," she finally answered. "Then I'll become deputy and then I'll kill Kinkstar."

That made more sense. Her Clan would have to accept her as leader if she was deputy. That was how it always was according to Mudpaw. The deputy always became leader after the former leader died.

"I've got to go back now," Eveningbreeze meowed. "I'll come back to see you everyday. We can plan how we're going to get rid of the two then."

I nodded and watched her leave. For some reason my heart beat with excitement as I thought about what she said. I was actually doing something. I was a part of something big, and in the bargain I'd be a leader! And the best thing about becoming a leader was that they talked to StarClan.

**^.^**

It didn't take me long to realize I couldn't live in the thorn bush for much longer. Sure it provided protection against foxes and badgers, and other cats, but it also proved to keep me out most times. I'd always have scratches from going in and out which it did frequently. It was also clear to me that my scent covered my small territory. If a ShadowClan cat came by they would know that I was in their territory. I had to find a better place. A place that I was comfortable and that I could hide my scent.

I went searching three days after I'd accepted Eveningbreeze's offer. I stayed near the borders, not wanting to meet any ShadowClan cats. I'd learned from Eveningbreeze they usually stayed in the center of their territory unless they were on border patrols. They preferred not to meet any cats from another Clan. Of course that meant any Clan could steal from them, but ThunderClan didn't do that, and I knew RiverClan had enough food so they wouldn't bother crossing the border. ShadowClan was one of the safest Clans. None of other Clan was going to attack them because they felt pity for the small Clan. And size was a problem. They couldn't barely defend themselves against anything. All the Clans knew it, but they wouldn't never say that they did. I agreed with Eveningbreeze that ShadowClan need to get stronger. I certainly wouldn't have wanted to be in a pathetic Clan that everyone pitied. And I was going to help with strengthening them! I felt proud to be a part of something important. My name would be among the leaders.

Hmm, Deepstar.

As a leader I'd have nine lives and be able to speak with StarClan. I could see these dead warriors and learn about them. Perhaps I could ask them where Hawthorn was and if they would accept her into their Clan.

I had a goal. I wasn't just following Eveningbreeze because she thought I could make a useful warrior. I wasn't just following her because I could live in the forest again or because I didn't feel close to anyone in RiverClan. I wasn't following. I walked beside her, a future leader.

I continued my den search, resolve in my heart. I knew exactly why I was helping Eveningbreeze now, and why I wouldn't back down from anything she asked of me. I was not retreating to RiverClan or across the mountain. I would be apart of ShadowClan or nothing at all. This was my only chance to meet StarClan.

I walked nearby the ThunderClan border, not going near RiverClan where they might recognize my scent. I kept my shoulders hunched and I slunk along. There was still the possibility of meeting a ThunderClan warrior. So far I'd only found two possible nest sites. One near the ThunderClan border, the other on the mountain slope. But I hoped for one more, something better.

I came to a strong smelling area. The scent of fox was everywhere, blocking almost everything else even the pine smell of the ShadowClan territory. I cautiously stepped forward, my ears pricked. Where was the fox? I looked around, wary. I didn't want it surprising me. Perhaps I should have retreated, but I didn't. I pressed forward, looking around at the fox's den. There was plenty of undergrowth in this part of the forest. Another bare greenleaf-twoleg-place was just visible through the trees. There weren't any twolegs of course because of the coming leafbare.

I was just thinking what a good place this would be for my own den when I heard a growl. My heart jumped. I quickly scanned the undergrowth. There was nothing there. Then I saw the eyes peering at me from the ground. I quickly turned and ran. I knew I could take on one fox by myself, but I didn't know how many were below the ground, and if they pulled me into their den, well, then I was crowfood as the Clans said.

I returned to my thorn bush late that day after searching the rest of the borders. Unfortunately I'd found no better spot than the one near the fox den. I knew I had to have that area.

Hopefully now you can understand why Deepforest stayed with Eveningbreeze. If you still don't then say so and I'll try to explain.