CHAPTER 3

The sluggish current of the river echoed through the silent trees. The gray trees did not sway, for there was no wind.

Featherpaw padded through these dark woods alone. Mist swirled at his paws. He kept his ears pricked and his pace brisk.

A sound made him stop. His nose twitched as he sniffed the air. It was hard to smell anything in this fungus-infested place. But he could smell…something.

Featherpaw whipped around just as a dark shape exploded from the nearest bush. But still, he was too late to dig his claws in - Featherpaw was knocked to the ground. He grabbed hold of his attacker with his front paws, kicking with his hind legs. The attacker's yowl broke off as his face was kicked.

Featherpaw sprang apart from his attacker, backing up and arching his back with a hiss. The massive tabby got to his paws and began to stalk toward Featherpaw, his icy blue eyes glinting with battle.

Featherpaw lashed out a front paw, hooking it under the tabby's own front paw. The tabby stumbled, and Featherpaw lashed out with his other front paw to jab the tabby's face. The tabby growled, and lunged. The two latched onto one another, rolling on the ground, tails lashing.

"That's enough."

Featherpaw broke apart from his attacker as another voice spoke from the gloom. He watched Tigerstar emerge from the undergrowth, and heard Hawkfrost get to his paws.

"You got something wrong," Tigerstar announced. "Care to tell me what it was?"

"I was late on recognizing the attack," Featherpaw meowed, dipping his head.

"True." Tigerstar nodded. "But?"

"But…" Featherpaw hesitated. "I fought back?"

"Exactly," Tigerstar agreed. "You did not hesitate to battle. Your training is becoming instinct."

Featherpaw purred. Several moons ago, he had feared battle. He had been indecisive, weak. Then Tigerstar and Hawkfrost had come to him in his dreams. They had shown him how to be a strong warrior, a bold warrior - a warrior ThunderClan could be proud of.

"Sorreltail taught me the jump and pin technique yesterday," Featherpaw meowed eagerly. "Could we practice that tonight?"

Tigerstar's eyes glittered. "Unfortunately, the moonlight is waning," he meowed. "But we would be happy to practice with you in your next dream."

"I'll be ready!" Featherpaw promised.

"Featherpaw!"

A voice cut into Featherpaw's dream. Tigerstar and Hawkfrost melted away like the mist at their paws, and sunlight replaced the gloom of the forest.

"Featherpaw, dawn patrol." Poolpaw's gray face hovered over Featherpaw's. He uncurled and got to his paws, stretching.

"Who's going?" he yawned.

"You, me, Cloudtail, Sorreltail, and Thornclaw," Poolpaw recited. Featherpaw nodded, licking a paw and drawing it over his face. "You alright there, Featherpaw?" Poolpaw asked. Featherpaw halted mid-lick and tilted his head in confusion. Poolpaw nodded to Featherpaw's flank. "You've got a scratch, just there."

Featherpaw twisted his head over his shoulder to get a look. Along his left flank, there was a long, thin cut. Featherpaw frowned. How did I…? A thought came to him. Hawkfrost? But he pushed the thought away. It was just a dream.

"Must have been a thorn in my moss," he muttered.

Poolpaw purred as she trotted out of the den. "Better get yourself some better moss next time, then!" she mewed. "Come on! Patrol time!"

Featherpaw took in a deep breath. "Coming," he sighed. He squeezed out of the apprentices' den and joined the gathered dawn patrol at the center of camp.

"Excellent," Thornclaw meowed as Featherpaw approached. "Let's go."

The patrol padded through the thorn tunnel and headed out into the woods. They traveled in silence. They marched up the slope away from camp, then padded of the old Thunderpath. When they reached the stream, they veered toward the bank.

As they neared the ShadowClan border, they slowed their pace. When the rocky clearing was in sight, Featherpaw look in a long breath, and nearly broke off into a cough. The smell of ShadowClan was overwhelming.

"They must have marked every tree twice!" Cloudtail hissed.

Poolpaw took a sniff at the nearest birch. She turned back to the patrol, her eyes round as moons. "I smell Blackstar!" she gasped.

"Blackstar?" Sorreltail padded forward and sniffed the birch. "She's right. Blackstar has been here."

"I don't like the looks of this," Cloudtail grunted. "Double-marked border? The leader of ShadowClan coming out of his den to get his paws dirty?" He spat into the ground. "I don't like it one bit."

Featherpaw nodded.

"We'll report it to Firestar when we get back to camp," Thornclaw decided. "But first, let's remark our side of the border."

Featherpaw brushed up against the nearest birch, pressing his muzzle against its bark. This is our territory, he thought. No scent markers are going to scare it out of us! Not even Blackstar's!

Once finished marking the ShadowClan border, the patrol headed for the WindClan border.

Poolpaw gave a big yawn, her voice echoing around the forest.

"Do you have to do that?" Cloudtail demanded, breaking off into a yawn himself. Featherpaw fought back the instinct to part his jaws, too.

"Sorry, Cloudtail," Poolpaw purred, not sounding sorry at all.

Sorreltail's ears pricked. "Do you smell that?" she gasped.

Featherpaw breathed in and wrinkled his nose. "Has WindClan double-marked the border too?" he hissed. The patrol rushed ahead, bolting through the trees, until they reached the stream that marked the border. Sure enough, on WindClan's side, the scent was stronger than usual.

Thornclaw's hackles raised. "We need to report this to Firestar," he growled. He turned to face Poolpaw and Featherpaw. "You two go back to camp and tell Firestar about both borders. We'll come back after we remark this."

"Yes, Thornclaw," the apprentices chorused. Then they turned and hared away into the undergrowth.

"I knew tensions were rising, but this is getting ridiculous!" Poolpaw commented as they leaped over the roots of an oak.

If enemy Clans want trouble, they'll get it, Tigerstar's voice whispered.

"We'll defend our territory better than any other Clan," Featherpaw vowed.

"Too true!" Poolpaw mewed.

They approached the thorn tunnel and squeezed through. Firestar was in the center of the hollow, talking with Brambleclaw.

"Firestar!" Poolpaw called. The ThunderClan leader looked up and dipped his head as the apprentices approached. "Firestar, both the ShadowClan and WindClan borders are double-marked!"

Firestar's whiskers twitched with surprise. Brambleclaw lashed his tail.

"And," Featherpaw added, "Blackstar's scent was there at the ShadowClan border."

Firestar's eyes narrowed at this. "It's not often Blackstar is spotted at the border," he meowed thoughtfully. He turned to Brambleclaw. "Round up the senior warriors. We need to discuss this."

"Yes, Firestar," Brambleclaw meowed. Firestar dipped his head and turned away, padding toward Highledge. Brambleclaw nodded to the apprentices. "Thank you for bringing this to us. Go get something to eat."

"Yes, Brambleclaw!" Poolpaw purred.

Brambleclaw padded away toward the warriors' den.

"I hope there's a squirrel left," Poolpaw mewed merrily. "Want to share if there is?"

Featherpaw yawned. "No, thanks," he meowed. "I think I'm going to take a nap."

"Oh, okay!" Poolpaw didn't seem fazed. She trotted away, toward the fresh-kill pile. Featherpaw turned in the other direction, for his nest in the apprentices' den.

Once curled up, Featherpaw let out a long sigh and closed his eyes. Before long, he slipped into a dream.

"Welcome back, Featherpaw."

Featherpaw uncurled in the misty-floored forest and leapt to his paws. Tigerstar and Hawkfrost were waiting for him, just a few fox-lengths away.

Tigerstar's eyes glittered. "Now, how about that jump and pin technique?"

NOTES

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