Chapter 24:
When Ravenpaw woke up, the sun hadn't even began to break the dawn leaving the bright moon to hang in the air. Yawning, the black she-cat noticed the large shape of Darkpaw. The medicine cat apprentice was guarding the makeshift camp the group had made and somehow managed to look very awake.
"Morning," he greeted, "though… It is hardly dawn."
"Couldn't get back to sleep," she stretched her back, "though I'm not very tired. Want me to take over guard?"
The Streamclan tom considered this for a few moments before shaking his head. "I'm not very tired either"
Ravenpaw grinned before turning back to look into the forest they were currently sheltered on the edge on.
"Might as well get some early hunting done," she thought aloud, "that way we can get moving quicker."
"Sure."
'A cat of few words,' she remarked to herself.
Dipping her head in farewell, Ravenpaw set out to find some food for everyone to eat, preferably rabbits, hoping to get the group up and through this forest before nightfall. Trees weren't exactly her preferred ground so the sooner she was back out onto an open expanse, the better.
It didn't take long to find a couple mice hanging around each other in the largely undisturbed forest. Following her training, Ravenpaw crept towards them, downwind, and managed to swipe at the one nearest. The other mouse, whilst quick to catch on, was to close to escape her paws and the she-cat trapped in underneath her as she dealt the killing blow to the first. Once both were nothing more than fresh kill, she buried them and went out to a different part of the forest in search for more.
It wasn't until half the sun was fully above the horizon did Ravenpaw return with plenty of fresh kill hanging from her jaw. Most of the group was awake, aside from Swiftpaw and Snakepaw, and some had gone hunting themselves. The only four cats left at the camp were Softpaw, Duskpaw, Darkpaw and Silencepaw. She dropped the fresh kill at their paws before opting to listen in on whatever they were saying.
"We cannot make a diversion to the mountains!" Insisted Darkpaw, "it would be a foolish mistake to make right now!"
"We grow closer to the two-leg place with each step," said Silencepaw, "at least if we climb the mountains we can avoid them."
"The mountains?" Questioned Ravenpaw, "I thought we were following Stream's directions!"
"We are!" Cried Darkpaw as Softpaw said, "we were."
"What's going on?"
"Basically," sighed Silencepaw, "Duskpaw and Softpaw had a dream together, involving Applepaw."
Ravenpaw kept her tongue in, deciding her dream was slightly more private than one from Applepaw.
"She said that we had to go to the mountains," Softpaw said.
"The mountains?" Scoffed Ravenpaw, "come on guys! If we wanted to go to the mountains we would've diverged off this track beforehand. If we're going to the sun-drown place then we have to follow Stream's instructions."
"We can't make a change now," agreed Darkpaw.
Duskpaw sighed, "Applepaw said to!"
"So what? I couldn't give a piece of fox-dung! If we need to go to the mountains, we'll ask Twilight. If she says yeah then we'll go on the way back. Or did Applepaw specify a time?"
"No," muttered both Duskpaw and Softpaw with little enthusiasm.
"Then it's sorted," Darkpaw looked between the group, "now, I don't know about you lot but I'm going to get some fresh kill. Coming Ravenpaw?"
Ravenpaw, taken slightly aback by his offer, looked at Duskpaw who was giving her a pitiful look. If he was looking for Ravenpaw to stop being mad after Swiftpaw's and his pointless argument last night then he was thoroughly mistaken. Shaking her head, she padded towards Darkpaw leaving Duskpaw to narrow his eyes and glare.
"You shouldn't be so hard on him," said Darkpaw once they were out of earshot, "he just likes you."
"That gave him no right to get into a pointless argument with Swiftpaw." She pointed out. "I'll get over it, it's just not how I want to be spending the journey."
"It sucks when two of your friends are mad at each other; wouldn't you rather have them be amd one another rather than angry with yourself?"
"They're not mad at me, I'm mad at them."
"Oh well," the medicine cat apprentice shrugged, "none of my business."
Glad for the subject to be dropped, the two finished off their fresh kill and reunited with the rest of the group who had also just ate. After catching them up on the previous conversation about the mountains, every one was set to head off again.
The group weaved through the forest, though they found it slightly more unsettling than the ones back at their homes.
"Something feels off." Remarked Finchpaw, voicing Ravenpaw's own thoughts.
"Agreed." Murmured the black she-cat, looking up at the trees with caution. "I've never liked forests."
"Can't blame you," stated the golden Shadeclan cat, "you are a Breezeclan cat."
The conversation died out quickly as the lot fell into a silence and pricked up their ears. It was Ravenpaw who was the first to hear something, a strange sound in the distance that reminded her off something that had happened a while back though she couldn't place a finger on it. The pounding of heavy footsteps pounding against the forest floor grew to the point where every cat could hear it. Suddenly, a massive browned shape emerged from the bushes with a large snout a black eyes that Ravenpaw could've sworn she'd seen her own reflection in.
"Fox!" She cried.
"No!" Swallowed Sightpaw before yelling, "dog! Scatter, climb a tree!"
No one, not even himself, hesitated to follow Sightpaw's command as they all dashed in opposite directions. In front of her, Swiftpaw streamed up a tree and such a fast rate Ravenpaw could've easily mistaken her for a squirrel. Herself, was much slower but, thanks to her training, the black she-cat avoided the hound's drooling jaws and landed on a branch at a safe distance from the ground.
"You okay?" Asked Swiftpaw with urgency.
"Fine," came Ravenpaw's short reply, "look!"
From the tree across from them, Softpaw was squeaking on an unsteady branch with the dog underneath her. Suddenly, the wooden stick broke in half leaving a terrified she-cat to dangle on for dear life. Whilst she was still a tail length away from the dog, she had the risk of falling into its snapping jaws at any given quiver. Beneath the cream she-cat, prowled the ferocious hound as her grip continued to loosen.
"Softpaw!" Cried Ravenpaw, turning back to Swiftpaw. "We have to help!"
"Well, duh!" The grey, white and black she-cat frowned. "Follow my lead, it'll be just like the fox all over again!"
'Just bigger this time,' thought the black she-cat.
The fireclan apprentice pounced off the branch and landed heavily on the ground before calling up to Ravenpaw. "Wait up there for a sec."
Hoping she knew what she was doing, Ravenpaw nodded as her friend rounded in on the dog.
"Hey!" Called the cat, "over here, you ugly mutt!"
Sure enough, the brown creature turned to Swiftpaw with a loud snarl. Focused, she bounded backwards and sprinted towards the tree where Ravenpaw was crouched. Knowing exactly what to do, the black-she cat's pelt flashed off of the branch as her paws landed squarely on top of the stupid creature. It let out and echoing howl followed by various snarly and spits as she dug her claws into its back.
With it now occupied, the rest of the group bounced down from their positions and joined the two in the onslaught. Pained, the dog flung its large claws at anything in sight but for the apprentices, who some were nearly warriors, they managed to dodge almost every swipe. Disgruntled, the dog reared up and pounded the ground throwing Ravenpaw to the floor with a heavy thud. Though, it was Swiftpaw who received the brunt of the hit as she impact sent her sprawling until a sudden stop when her back connected with a tree.
"Swiftpaw!" She yelled in shock but was cut off as a claw was sent her direction.
Hardly managing to avoid the dangerous sight, Ravenpaw recovered herself and leapt onto the dog. Suddenly, an echo of a strange high pitched noise followed by incoherent babble. From the trees emerged a much taller, lankier and strange figure that stood on two legs with no fur at all. It called the dog which obediently bounded over and attached a snake looking creature to its neck.
Bewildered, she turned to Pebblepaw. "Is that a two-leg?"
"Yup," the tom answered, relaxing when the creatures vanished from sight.
Still slightly freaked, Ravenpaw trotted over to Swiftpaw's side. Much to her relief, the she-cat was already back on all four paws and had the usual mischievous twinkle in her eye.
"Are you okay?"
"Fine," shrugged the she-cat, "though it was a bit jolting."
"Does anyone else have any injuries?" Asked Silencepaw as Darkpaw hurried over to check if Swiftpaw was okay.
"I think we're fine," answered Finchpaw, "the stupid mutt was too clumsy to even land a hit on us!"
Obviously relieved that no one had been injured, Sightpaw called the group together and quickly told them how they would be continuing down the same path. They started back up again, slightly more cautious of the forest around them. Swiftpaw slid in beside Ravenpaw.
"Look I just wanted to say that-"
"It doesn't matter Swiftpaw," muttered the Breezeclan cat, "I shouldn't have had such a go at you it's just that you and Duskpaw were really beginning to get on my nerves."
"And I am really sorry… that tom just irks me sometimes!"
"It doesn't matter," she repeated, "I forgiven both you and Duskpaw just please… stop arguing!"
Happy that the conversation was over, Ravenpaw continued a form of lively banter within the rest of the group as the journey continued.
A/N: Believe me fellas when I say that the relationship drama doesn't end there! Anyway, this is mainly a filler chapter so sorry…
I was told i am getting internet on where I'm going holiday (Friday to Friday) but whether it will be good enough for me to post ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Anywho, I hope you enjoy this chapter and I think I might start like a QOTC (Question of the chapter) thingy so here goes:
QOTC: What do you think of Darkpaw?