Chapter five
Fawnpaw stood shivering against the brisk winds. Lightningpaw prepared to sit his vigil and his mother and father chattered happily while sharing tongues over a mouse. Earlier at sunhigh, Tallsky and his patrol had brought the news of cats on HawkClan territory. Of course, Fawnpaw knew in her mind that the cats were Dark and Shadow. If they were to be discovered, she would be questioned by her Clanmates and punished accordingly. Sunhigh has passed and the sun slowly but surely began to sink. Fawnpaw sat, staring blankly at a wad of bramble near the nursery.
"Fawnpaw, would you mind paying a visit to the elders' den?" She shook her head, snapping back to reality. Ripplepaw blinked her dreamy blue eyes awaiting a reply.
"Sure. What's the matter?" Suddenly, a huge gust of wind crashed against the two cats, nearly wiping them off their paws.
"Great StarClan, that wind is strong. I bet it snows in the next moon. Anyway, Lichenspark has a tick on her shoulder and she can't seem to reach it. Could you take care of that for me?"
"I'd be happy to." Ripplepaw bounced on her paws.
"Ah, great. There's a stick with mouse-bile soaked moss on it right outside the den. Just toss it out when you're through with it." The gray apprentice scampered to the fresh-kill pile and swiftly scarfed down a robin. Fawnpaw found the stick easily and stepped into the shady canopy of ferns. Near the back of the den was a small boulder, covered in moss. Lichenspark purred contently as she spotted Fawnpaw.
"Hello Fawnpaw. Have you come for my tick?"
"I sure have. Now where is it again?" She inquired with clenched jaws. The old she-cat rolled lazily onto her belly and tapped her shoulder with the top of her tail.
"It's right here on my shoulder. This old thing has been bugging me for a moon!"
"Oh, it has not been there for a moon. More like a few days." Groaned a gruff voice. From the shadows of the den came a petite, ginger tom.
"Hello Krestelflight. Do you have any ticks?" Fawnpaw asked, gently dabbing the tick with mouse bile. It dropped after a heartbeat or two and Fawnpaw smushed it beneath her paw.
"Oh thank you Fawnpaw. I can finally get a peaceful nap for once." Krestelflight began to groom his chest vigorously.
"There is a fat one at the base of my tail. Take care of it for me, would ya." Flattening his tail, she pressed the moss onto the tick, and it quickly dropped. Crushing it under her paw, Fawnpaw told the two elders goodbye. In the clearing, yowls of pain and anger echoed through the trees. Cats poked their heads out from their dens.
"Look what we found on our territory!" Antpaw spat harshly. Fawnpaw shot out from the elders den and her jaw dropped. In between Tallsky and Antpaw was a black cat with ginger dapples. Dark! Fawnpaw thought. Trailing close behind was Shadow, his sharp teeth bared aggressively. Dark's leg, crusted with old blood, hung limply. The poor she-cat looked up from her paws and sighed with relief.
"Shadow, it's that cat that helped me!" She exclaimed loudly, pointing with her slender tail. Shadow closed his mouth and searched the hollow for her.
"Fawnpaw? That was her name." He meeed reassuringly. Hawkstar appeared from her den and stood wide eyed, glaring st the new cats.
"What are these cats doing in my camp?" Tallsky barreled his head into Dark's hind quarters and shoved her forward.
"I'm not positive, but they claim they know Fawnpaw." Hawkstar turned her attention towards the black apprentice.
"Is what they say true, Fawnpaw? Do you know these cats?" Her voice was smooth, almost as if she did not want to believe that one of her own Clanmates could possibly conspire with loners. She took a step forward and ducked her head. Inhaling sharply, she spilled everything.
"Yes, I know them. While out on a patrol with Oceanflight, I wondered off. A tom came running and asking for help. He told me of his injured sister. What else was I to do? Let the cat die?" From the corner of her blue eyes, she could see Deerleap whispering something into Oceanflight's ear. Lightningpaw shot a hard glance at her. I guessed correctly. Even my own friends are judging me.
"You...helped...a loner?" Hawkstar snarled.
"Yes. And I hid them in a bushel of ferns. Shadow told me that he did not know what a Clan was, but I later found out that he lied." Hawkstar twitched her whiskers, while lashing her tail.
"You not only helped two loners, but you hid them as well. Fawnpaw, you will be on tick duty until the next gathering. Along with that, you are not to step paw outside of camp." Fawnpaw dipped her head and gave her chest a lick of embarrassment.
"Yes Hawkstar, I understand."
"Good. Tallsky, please take this young she-cat to Fadingwhisper. Antpaw, take this tom to the apprentice den and keep him there. Fawnpaw, you are to feed them every day until the next gathering. I hope you learned your lesson." Tallsky and Antpaw split and pushed the two cats forward. You will be alright, Fawnpaw. The gathering isn't too far off. And besides, it's only tick duty."
...
Fawnpaw brushed her nose with the tip of her tail. The camp was quiet with night at large. The muffled sound of breathing and crickets bit at her ears like frostbite. Seemingly not being able to sleep, she huffed and groaned. Suddenly, a set of paws appeared in the corner of her vision. She squeezed her eyes shut, hoping it would send the cat away. The cat crouched by her side and flopped over, paws in front.
"Fawnpaw, I know that you're not asleep. I just wanted to talk." Warm, steamy breath rolled over her muzzle.
"Shadow? What are you doing here?" The black tom stuttered, struggling to reach an answer.
"Well, I am sort of being help prisoner by your Clan, but I know what you mean. I just wanted to talk to you about some...personal problems of mine." He whispered. Fawnpaw cautiously glanced around, and quietly rose to her paws. Lightningpaw snorted from behind.
"Almost got the mouse..." He trailed off in a dream. Flicking her tail forward, Fawnpaw gestured for Shadow to follow. They silently met near the dirt-place tunnel, hoping they would not be heard. A foul smell lingered near the entrance. Shadow wrinkled his nose in disgust, but proceeded.
"You haven't wondered why my sister and I wondered into your territory, have you?" His question puzzled her.
"No, I have not. Why do you ask?" His black paws shifted and kneaded the soft dirt underpaw.
"Where we come from, prey is very scarce. Each night, only a single mouse could be caught to sustain us. So our mother and father made the choice to send us away until either matters got better, or until they could meet up with us. We explored and explored until we stumbled across this forest. And when Dark was attacked, I thought all hope was lost." He paused momentarily to draw in a deep breath."Then you found us." Fawnpaw gazed into his eyes, searching for any sign of negative emotions.
"Well, I certainly couldn't just leave you there now could I?" Fawnpaw smiled in an awkward manner.
"This is the first time in many moons that Dark and I have actually had a place to say. Now despite the fact that I hate those cats that brought us in, you are now a friend. And I do not think our parents will be coming any time soon." Shadow slid his paws over and inched his way closer.
"What are you trying to tell me?"
"Could Dark and I stay and live in your Clan? Perhaps it would be good for the two of us to learn the ways of a Clan...ya know. With us being wild cats." Fawnpaw dropped her jaws and stared blankly. She had forgotten to breathe which almost knocked her over.
"Umm, you will have to ask Hawkstar about it. She's the spotted she-cat with blue eyes." Shadow grinned with a slight touch of happiness.
"Thank you, Fawnpaw. We should get some sleep." She agreed then made her way slowly to the den.
...
Nearly two moons had passed since Fawnpaw had been punished for helping two wild cats. That is now behind them. Shadow and Dark, along with the help of Fawnpaw, convinced Hawkstar to let them join HawkClan. They received their apprentice names on a beautiful, sunny morning. Darkpaw and Shadowpaw were now training to be loyal warriors of HawkClan. Fat drops of rain pounded against the forest floor. A smoky haze fell heavy throughout the camp. Fawnpaw, Shadowpaw, and Antpaw sat in a circle grooming each other's pelts.
"I don't even know why we bother doing this right now. The rain will just keep messing it up." Antpaw complained with a mouth full of Shadowpaw's messy black fur. Fawnpaw gave her two shoulders a thorough licking before replying.
"Tallsky told the Clan yesterday that Hawkstar would be giving us an announcement today at sunhigh. Granted this rain will only make it more difficult, she is still going to say what she needs to say. And it's nearly sunhigh so Antpaw, would you mind giving my back a lick? I can't seem to reach it." Before Antpaw could respond, Shadowpaw jumped to his paws and bounded to Fawnpaw's side.
"I will do it! Just tell me where you need me to groom." Fawnpaw, though utterly surprised by his sudden outburst, instructed him carefully.
"Go along my spine and stop when you get about one mouse-length from my tail." Shadowpaw began to flatten her black fur with his tongue.
"There you are. How does that look?" She flipped her head over her shoulder and strained her blue eyes to see.
"That looks great! But the rain will just ruin it anyway." She said with a giggle.
"Guys, Hawkstar is out." Through the rain and mist, Hawkstar could be seen sliding out from her den beneath the Leaders Ledge and striding up. Rain droplets plastered her spotted fur to her body making her look frail and skinny.
"All cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather here beneath the Leaders Ledge for a Clan meeting." The three apprentices watched as Stormflash, Oceanflight, and Deerleap emerged from the warriors den. Lightningpaw and Sagepaw strutted our from the apprentice den, while Fadingwhisper and Ripplepaw poked their heads out from the medicine den.
"Cats of HawkClan, I have called you here today to announce something of the upmost importance.
I am expecting kits." Gasps of joy came from the crowd."That being said, I will be temporarily moving to the nursery and Tallsky will take me place as leader until I am fit to return. This meeting is dismissed." Squinting her eyes, Fawnpaw could just make out the sight of Hawkstar's slightly distended belly. Our leader is going to have kits! This is great news!
"I bet those kits will be very loved. I hope they make great warriors one day."
"Antpaw! Shadowpaw! Why don't the two of you join us on a patrol." Deerleap called from the thorn tunnel. They looked at each other and shrugged.
"Guess we'll be back in a bit. See you later Fawnpaw." Shadowpaw meowed. Antpaw and Shadowpaw trotted to Deerleap and slid out of camp. Fawnpaw sat looking at the thorn tunnel for a moment.
"Darkpaw and Shadowpaw are happy here and Hawkstar is having kits. The future will be great... I just know it." She whispered under her breath.