Shadow looked out over the camp, Vengeance. All was as well as it could be in his eyes. Elixir sat near him, sending out cats to hunt. "Bring back at least three sufficient pieces of prey each," she snarled, "Or someone's not eating tonight." Shadow watched them kits tumbled across the dusty ground, thorn-sharp claws lashing at each other. He smiled coldly. If only Tawnystar could see him now.
He carefully snaked down from his perch above the camp and flicked his tail towards Elixir. "I'm going to check the Clan border," he muttered, heading out of camp. She nodded, and turned back to the camp.
The sun warmed his dark fur as Shadow padded through the forest to the border, his pelt fluffing up, reflecting the cool greenleaf breeze. The winter had been a difficult one, as prey was scare throughout the territory. Whether it was luck or pure skill, no sickness had seized the camp, and not a single enemy threatened it, though. Shadow had been away from BrookClan for just over 12 moons. His senses sharpened as he picked up scents of BrookClan. He must be approaching the border. But something was wrong. The scent seemed too close, surely the border was at least a few fox-lengths ahead. But there was no doubt the scent had strayed over the border. He growled. The Clan wanted to fight, threaten borders now?
He tracked the scent through the bracken. It became stronger and stronger until he passed through a layer of ferns and it revealed-
"Hawkpaw," Shadow snarled lowly. The young tom was walking through the forest, talking to Meadowpaw in hushed tones. Meadowpaw's tail dragged across the ground. "Come on," Hawkpaw was saying, "You can't go on like this. He left so long ago, and chose his own path. You don't have to follow him."
Shadow, anger filling him, growled. That liar. Meadowpaw never cared about him, she was looking for attention.
Enraged, he leaped from behind the bracken, claws unsheathed, and landed on Hawkpaw's back. He'd grown considerably since he'd left, but Shadow didn't care. And enemy was an enemy.
Meadowpaw yowled in surprise, while Hawkpaw gasped. Shadowpaw's claws sunk into his pelt, and he gasped, blood flowing from the wounds. "Hawkbreeze!" shrieked Meadowpaw, "Stop! You're hurting him!"
Meadowpaw shoved her weight against him desperately, and Shadow jumped off Hawkpaw or now, Hawkbreeze's back. Shadow's eyes were narrowed and fiery. "Shadowpaw?" Meadowpaw asked uncertainly. "Why would you hurt him, or even think of hurting anyone?" He snorted ruefully. Hurt anyone? That was the whole philosophy of Vengeance.
Vengeance, he needed to alert them of the trespassing. "I thought your Clan taught you not to trespass on another territory?" His voice was low and dangerous, claws still unsheathed and bloodstained, before turning back in the direction Vengeance's camp.
He glanced behind him. Meadowpaw looked torn, then headed back to help Hawkbreeze back to the Clan's camp.
Shadow turned his attention back in the direction of the camp. If Hawkpaw had been given his warrior name, that meant Streampaw, Cherrypaw, and Rainpaw had also. Some of the kits had probably become apprentices, too. This only made him move faster.
He had to attack before they were more of a threat.