"Sparrowtail, wake up," a gentle voice coaxed
Sparrowtail only nestled herself deeper into the moss.
"Sparrowtail, You really need to get up," the voice sounded more annoyed.
She lazily plugged her ears with some of the moss she was laying in.
"...SPARROWTAIL! GET YOUR LAZY TAIL UP! NOW!"
"ACK!" Sparrowtail shot straight up.
She looked up to see her mate, impatiently tapping his foot.
"...Can I help you?" Sparrowtail lazily questioned.
"Pinestar wanted you, Sandfur, and I, to go with her to search for Duskcloud," Reedfang licked her ear.
"I bet Redpaw's not to happy about not coming," Sparrowtail stretched her muscles.
Reedfang smirked and shook his head. Though he's his mentor, Reedfang always found him a bit bothersome.
"Are you always this lazy when you get up?" Reedfang grinned.
"Yep," she yawned loudly in his face.
"Gross! I can smell the vole!" Reedfang waved his hand in front of his nose.
They both laughed as they walked out the den. Luckily, Pinestar and Sandfur were just outside the den.
"So, you two lovebirds finally woke up?" Sandfur smiled lightly.
"Huh? How did you-" Sparrowtail's gaze wound up on Pinestar.
Pinestar looked away and began whistling innocently.
"Relax! Only the whole clan knows!"Pinestar grinned.
Part of Sparrowtail wanted to kill her, the other part was happy that all of Pinestar's humour wasn't drained out. It was good to sometimes her that old kid in her again. Retaining her hidden anger, Sparrowtail simply rolled her eyes.
"Where are we going Pinestar?" Sandfur cocked his head.
"I think we should go across the border, in case she managed to go past it," Pinestar had regained her serious stature.
It seemed to make sense that she might not be in LeafClan territory. After all, Duskcloud always was a rebel, so it wouldn't seem surprising if she went over the border.
1 hour of walking later...
Reedfang screeched to a sudden halt as they neared the border. He sniffed the air.
"Something smells strange...kind of like-" Reedfang was suddenly cut off by a yowl.
"Hey guys! Wait up!" Redpaw ran over to the older warriors.
The warriors groaned at the sight of the red-headed pest.
"Redpaw! Go back to camp!" Pinestar ordered.
"No! I'm staying! I'm gonna help you guys find my mate!" Redpaw yelled determinedly.
There was an awkward silence.
"Fine, you can come," Pinestar begrudgingly shrugged.
Redpaw's grin was bigger than the chesire cat's. The warriors rolled their eyes.
"Reedfang, what were you saying earlier?"Sandfur asked the mop headed neko.
Reedfang blinked, trying to remember.
"Oh yeah! It smelled like cats! And lots of them," Reedfang's eyes narrowed.
"Why would there be a bunch of cats around here?" Sparrowtail raised an eyebrow.
But he never got to answer, because a familiar yowl broke through the air. Redpaw let out a gasp and ran deeper into the woods. Pinestar, Sandfur, Sparrowtail, and Reedfang zoomed after the flame colored apprentice. Redpaw stopped when the tree's spaced out into a wide clearing. Surrounded by cats, while standing on a boulder, was a familiar face.
"Duskcloud!" Redpaw cheered.
"Redpaw? Redpaw! I was wondering when you would find me," the gray she-cat seemed to relax a bit.
Ignoring the hisses of the cats around him, Redpaw ran up to Duskcloud, licking her thoroughly. When he seemed to fiinish, she re-groomed herself and straightened up.
"Ahem. Now that you have found me, I wanted to ask you something," the cold-hearted warrior began.
"What's going on?" Pinestar yelled.
She and the other warriors finally caught up. They all looked very tired and sweaty.
"Great StarClan! Can that apprentice run or what?" Sparrowtail managed to gasp out.
"Shush! Duskstar was talking you ignorant piece of fox dung!" a tawny tom snarled.
"Hey! Don't call me a...d-did you call her D-Duskstar?" Sparrowtail gulped.
The tawny tom nodded. The patrol tensed at the thought. Duskcloud...as Duskstar.
"That's right, I'm now a nine-lived leader of DuskClan," Duskstar's chest swelled proudly.
"Really?! Duskstar, I'm so proud of you!" The red-headed apprentice gushed.
There was along pause. After seeing everyone was in total shock, Duskstar continued.
"Yes, it wasn't very easy though. I had to find some help to accomplish my task," Duskstar told them.
(Flashback)
A nine moon old Duskpaw ran through the forest. She had a task to accomplish. Duskpaw had recently kitted, but that didn't slow her down. Her mentor had told her of rival clans a long way off. That certainly perked her ears. Duskpaw wanted her own clan. One that only she could control. One that would only obey her. And only her. But she needed help from the outside to create it. It wasn't long until she realized someone was following her. Duskpaw whipped around to see a muscular tawny tom with pale green eyes.
"It's about time you noticed me kitten," the tom snarled.
"Who are you?" Duskpaw narrowed her deep blue eyes.
The tawny tom merely slid foreward in a seducing manner. It was clear his intentions weren't good. When most she-cats would have run away, Duskpaw sttod her ground.
"You are sick-minded, and I respect that. I want you to join a clan I'm forming. And you will live under my rule," Duskpaw stated in a business-tone.
"Hmm, let me think. No," the tom came closer to her.
"That wasn't a question," Duskpaw snarled.
"Neither is this!" the tom leaped on top of her, claws unsheated.
The attack to Duskpaw by surprise. She stared up in shock at the cat that pinned her down. Lust and blood-thirst was in his eyes.
"Any last words kitten?" he snarled.
Duskpaw said nothing. The tom raised his claws for the final blow, but stopped abruptly. Pale green eyes met deep blue ones. He froze in sudden fear. He felt as if darkness was seeping into his fur. He felt as if someone covered him in snow and them dipped him in hot magma. For the fist time in his life, he felt...afraid. He backed off.
"That's better. Now, as I was saying..." Duskpaw's eyes glinted.
(End Flashback)
"I wanted to ask you a question Redpaw," Duskstar turned to her annoying mate.
"Anything Duskstar..." Redpaw sighed dreamily.
"I want you to join DuskClan," Duskstar was met with shocked silence.
"What?! NO! I won't let him leave!" Pinestar yelled.
"I can give you power," Duskstar ignored Pinestar.
"I'm not going for power," Redpaw began.
The patrol sighed in relief.
"I'm going for you," Redpaw finished.
"NO!" Reedfang shouted.
Duskstar's eyes flashed.
"By the power of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. From this moment on, you will be known as Redwood...deputy of DuskClan."