Author's Note: Hey, sorry I took so long with this update. High school is driving me crazy! I hardly have any time to work on my writing when I'm so busy with homework. But Chapter Two is here at last!
By the way, I know dedications should usually be in the first chapter, but I didn't think of one until now. This story is dedicated to my cousin's cat, who passed away a few weeks ago. May he rest in peace.
Disclaimer: I do not own warriors or anything that has to do with it.
Chapter Two: Looming Shadows
Branchpaw quivered in his nest, dreaming about stalking a mouse. It was cleaning its whiskers, barely a fox-length away from him. He prowled closer to it, his brown pelt blending in with the roots and forest floor around him. He was soon within pouncing range. He tensed, about to leap, when he felt something shove his side.
"Wake up, Branchpaw!" meowed a voice close to his ear. "How many times do I have to tell you?"
Branchpaw blinked his eyes open, startled to find that the hunt was only a dream. The apprentices' den was dark, with only the faint milky light of predawn to see by. Graywhisker was standing over him, his tail-tip twitching with impatience. "At last," he mewed. The look in his eyes was stern, but his tone was still light.
"Sorry," Branchpaw whispered. Luckily, his mentor seemed only slightly annoyed, and didn't make any comment as he got to his paws. "Dawn patrol?" he asked.
Graywhisker nodded, confirming his guess. The large warrior turned around and padded out of the den. Branchpaw went to follow him, but before he could take even a step, he heard a hiss behind him. He whirled around, his heart lurching at the sight of a pair of blue eyes gleaming in the darkness. A moment later, he realized that it was Icepaw. He breathed a sigh of relief. Though it had been a few days since the Clan's youngest members had become apprentices, he still wasn't used to their presence in the den.
"Where are you going?" she asked excitedly, forgetting to lower her voice. "Can I come?"
"Shh!" he hissed, covering her mouth with his tail. "I'm going on the dawn patrol. It's still early, so you'd better keep quiet. You don't want to wake up the others, do you?"
They looked around at the other apprentices. Flamepaw rested peacefully, his flank rising and falling with steady breaths. Stormpaw shifted slightly, but didn't wake. Blackpaw's ears twitched and his eyelids fluttered. Nothing would have given Branchpaw more satisfaction than waking him up, but he restrained the urge. Instead, he turned his gaze to Vixenpaw's nest. His sister was gone, but her scent was still fresh; she must be going on the dawn patrol too
"I guess you can come," said Branchpaw. "If the leader of the patrol lets you, anyway. Now follow me and be careful not to step on anyone on the way out."
Icepaw nodded, looking delighted. She hopped neatly over Stormpaw's nest and weaved her way expertly between Blackpaw and Flamepaw. Branchpaw followed, surprised at her stealth. With all her wild enthusiasm, he would have expected her to be careless and clumsy.
The moon emerged from the clouds, illuminating the camp enough for Branchpaw to see clearly. Graywhisker was waiting for him near the edge of the camp, along with Hazelclaw, the Clan deputy, Ravenflight, Blackpaw's father, and Vixenpaw, who looked asleep on her paws. The four of them looked surprised when they noticed Icepaw bounding alongside him.
"I didn't know you were coming, Icepaw," said Vixenpaw, her eyes brightening.
"Nor did I," said Graywhisker, flashing his daughter a stern look.
"I know I wasn't chosen, but can I come, please?" she mewed hopefully. "I've never seen the forest at this time of day. I want to know what it's like."
Branchpaw was somewhat amused by her curiosity and would have let her come along if it was up to him, but the decision was Hazelclaw's. The deputy regarded the white apprentice with a thoughtful gaze.
"I suppose you can come," she said at last. "It'll be good experience for you. But run and tell Honeyflame and Pineclaw where you're going, so they know what to tell Tigerfang when he wakes up and finds you gone." She referred to the warriors who were keeping the night watch over the camp.
"Sure!" Icepaw bounded off to speak with the two. Honeyflame's normally golden fur shone silver in the moonlight, Pineclaw's darker pelt making him little more than a shadow beside her. They were too far away for Branchpaw to hear what they were saying, but he saw Icepaw exclaim something excitedly, waving her tail back and forth. Pineclaw said something in reply, while Honeyflame nodded. The apprentice was soon running back toward them.
"I told them," she announced.
"Good," mewed Hazelclaw. "Now let's go."
The patrol left the ravine, the Clan deputy in the lead, with Vixenpaw right behind her. Graywhisker and Ravenflight padded side by side, not speaking but moving in companionable silence. Branchpaw followed, with Icepaw scampering alongside him. Her legs were much shorter than his and she had to take two paces for every one of his, but she didn't seem to mind.
The forest was still dark, even though the sun was beginning to peek over the horizon, and nothing stirred among its many leaves. The prey had yet to wake, but Branchpaw didn't mind. He wasn't on a hunting patrol, and he rather liked the peaceful stillness of the woods in the early morning.
"This is so exciting," Icepaw whispered, seeming unwilling to break the spell with her usual loud exclamations. Branchpaw murmured a vague agreement.
Before long, the golden light of the rising sun touched the leaves and made them glow. Birds began to sing their morning songs, the bushes rustling as squirrels chased each other through the undergrowth. Graywhisker and Ravenflight began to converse, the silence of the night broken. Feeling a little disappointed, Branchpaw called, "Which border are we patrolling?"
"ShadowClan," Hazelclaw replied, glancing over her shoulder. "There's been a lot of activity there lately, so Falconstar wants us to keep a closer eye on it. We haven't caught any ShadowClan cats in the act of trespassing yet, but we have smelled their scents on our side of the border. It's only a matter of time before we catch them."
"Yes," agreed Graywhisker. "So keep your battle skills sharp. There might be a confrontation any day now."
Branchpaw bristled with excitement. He didn't want ThunderClan to get itself into trouble, but he was rather hoping for a chance to prove his skills in battle. He'd never been involved in so much as a border skirmish, but Flamepaw had witnessed a dispute over prey once, a moon or so after they had begun their apprenticeship. He hadn't fought in the battle, which only lasted for a few heartbeats, but he'd said that it was frightening. Branchpaw wasn't fazed by this comment. He knew that his brother had always been more peace-loving and not at all suited for the rage of battle. He, on the other hand, was eager to fight on behalf of his Clan. When the time came for his first battle, he would be ready.
"I hope we don't run into any ShadowClan cats," said Icepaw. She shuddered, but her eyes still twinkled with excitement. Branchpaw didn't think that anything could truly frighten her.
They were soon near the border; Branchpaw couldn't see it through the trees, but he could tell it was there from the sharp, awful scent of the Thunderpath that marked it. He wrinkled up his nose, trying not to flinch at the horrible odor. That was the only drawback of getting to patrol the ShadowClan border: it smelled worse than a den full of badgers.
Hazelclaw came to a halt near the edge of the trees. "There might be enemy warriors around," she cautioned. "We'd best be on our guard. Icepaw, I don't want you getting within three fox-lengths of the Thunderpath. There may be monsters afoot and a blow from one of them could kill even a fully grown warrior. Do you understand?"
The white apprentice nodded solemnly.
"Good," meowed the deputy. "Branchpaw, Vixenpaw, keep your wits about you when you approach the Thunderpath. You may need to clear out of there at a moment's notice. Always be ready to run. Am I clear?"
Branchpaw exchanged a glance with his sister and they both nodded.
"Alright then," said Hazelclaw. "Ravenflight, your pelt is the darkest, so it'll blend in the most. I want you to scout ahead and see if there are any ShadowClan cats around. Don't attack them if you find any, just report back to me and we'll decide on how to deal with them."
The black warrior dipped his head in a gesture of respect, then turned and slipped quietly away through the trees. Graywhisker crouched among the leaves, his yellow eyes slits as he squinted against the bright light of early morning. Icepaw fidgeted restlessly, but at a glance from Hazelclaw, she sat down and made an effort to keep still. Vixenpaw rolled her eyes, but looked amused. Branchpaw sympathized with the young apprentice; he could hardly sit still himself. He waited with painful apprehension for Ravenflight to return.
Eventually, the warrior emerged from the trees. "I didn't see any ShadowClan cats," he said quietly. "However, I did smell fresh scents on our side of the border, as though they've been hunting on our land quite recently. Perhaps they are still on our territory and have simply moved farther along the border."
Branchpaw looked at Ravenflight with a considerable amount of curiosity as he spoke. The black warrior had always intrigued him. He was a good and loyal ThunderClan warrior, yet Branchpaw had heard stories about his past that made him wonder. He had overheard rumors that Ravenflight had never been the same after his mate, Duskfern, died giving birth to their son, Blackpaw. Ravenflight certainly was a reserved, somewhat strange cat, but Branchpaw couldn't help but wonder what he had been like before Duskfern's death. He also wondered what was going on behind those green eyes, which shone like leaves in sunlight, or perhaps burned like emerald fire, and showed nothing of what was happening within the cat who saw through them. It was impossible for him to guess what emotions and ideas formed the pattern of Ravenflight's thoughts, but he was sure that they were as intricate and subtle as the silky design of a spider's web. He was also convinced that there was more to the dark warrior than his Clanmates realized, but what it was he might never know.
Hazelclaw's mew brought him back to the forest around him. "We'd better investigate. If the scent is that fresh, there's a good chance that ShadowClan is still on our territory." She turned to face the others. "Icepaw, you stay here; not too close to the Thunderpath, mind you; just close enough that you can hear us if we need to send anyone back to the camp for reinforcements. Graywhisker, you come with me. We'll head back along the border toward Twolegplace. Ravenflight, keep watch on this area, just in case the ShadowClan cats come back. And you two," she added, looking at Branchpaw and Vixenpaw. "I know you're only apprentices, but you've had enough training where I think you can take care of yourselves. I want you to follow the border to Fourtrees. If you see any ShadowClan cats, do not–under any circumstance–challenge them! If they attack you, defend yourselves, but try not to be seen. If you find them, report back here at once. The same rule applies to all of you. Do you understand?"
They all nodded. Branchpaw could barely contain his excitement. He and Vixenpaw were doing something real. They were helping their Clan like true warriors. I won't let Graywhisker or Hazelclaw down, he vowed. I'll be responsible, and I'll make sure that Vixenpaw does the same.
"Good," said Hazelclaw. "Now let's go." She stepped forward through the line of trees, accompanied by Graywhisker, Ravenflight, Branchpaw, and Vixenpaw. The cats separated into their respective groups. Hazelclaw and Graywhisker padded away toward Twolegplace, while Ravenflight sat down near the edge of the wide, gray Thunderpath to watch out for ShadowClan warriors. Vixenpaw stood beside Branchpaw for a moment, then turned and headed toward Fourtrees. Branchpaw followed her, barely resisting the urge to run past her and all the way to the ends of their territory.
Every once in a while, a monster would go charging past on the Thunderpath. The loud growls they emitted made Branchpaw flinch every time, even though he knew that he wasn't close enough to the Thunderpath for them to hit him. Vixenpaw seemed unbothered by the noises, however. She padded casually along the border, stopping every few fox-lengths to scent the air.
"Do you smell anything?" he asked as she paused after one of these actions.
"I smell the Thunderpath," she said, "but no ShadowClan warriors. I don't think they came this way. Perhaps we should head back to the others and report."
"No," insisted Branchpaw. "They might have headed this way on their side of the border and crossed over again once they got closer to Fourtrees. We can't head back and risk missing them. If they're hunting on our territory, we need to know about it."
His sister hesitated, then sighed. "All right," she mewed. "But I don't think we'll find them." She continued on her way, picking up her pace a little as though she were eager to finish the job and prove him wrong. Undaunted by her lack of confidence, he followed her with his head held high.
Another monster roared past, its black coat shining in the sunlight. This one was closer to the edge of the Thunderpath than Branchpaw liked. He jerked back, stumbling as he put his paws down on uneven ground. He felt something hard give way beneath him and suddenly he was tumbling down into darkness. He gasped as he hit the ground left shoulder first and rolled to the side. Pain shot through his shoulder from the impact and stars danced in his eyes. Branchpaw struggled to catch his breath, thoroughly winded by the fall. Even worse was his confusion and the question playing over and over in his head: What happened?
"Branchpaw!?" called Vixenpaw, panic in her mew. He heard the sound of paws thumping on the ground; strangely, it seemed to be coming from above him. "What happened? Where are you? Are you alright?"
Blinking the stars from his eyes, Branchpaw forced himself into a sitting position. Now that he could see, he noticed that he was in a dark, cavern-like area, with walls and a floor of stone. He could hear water dripping somewhere behind him and smelled the damp scent of moss and wet rock. Light was filtering in through a small hole in the ceiling, a fox-length or so above him. He tipped back his head to look at it and saw that it was some sort of criss-crossed metal plate, with one of its rungs missing. When he looked around, he saw the missing bar lying about a tail-length away from him. So that's what happened, he realized. I must have stepped on a loose bar of this metal grate, not seeing that it was there, and it broke under my weight. The hole that formed as a result was just big enough for me to fall through, and now I've landed down here.
Wherever here is, he added.
"Branchpaw?" Vixenpaw sounded on the verge of tears. "Where are you?"
"Here!" he called, feeling guilty for not replying sooner. "I fell through a hole and now I'm in some sort of cave. Look down; you might see the opening. It should be somewhere near your paws."
He heard a shuffling noise above him, then felt a rush of relief as he spotted Vixenpaw's face peering down through the hole. "Branchpaw!" she cried. "I was so worried! I had no idea where you were! You were standing next to me just a moment ago, but then that monster was coming and I closed my eyes, and when I opened them again you were gone! Are you alright? Did the fall hurt you?"
Branchpaw stood up, then winced as his left shoulder gave way. He stumbled and fell into a crouching position, squeezing his eyes shut to keep from crying out.
"I- I think my shoulder's injured," he stammered. "I hit the ground pretty hard. I tried to stand just now, but it wouldn't take my weight."
Vixenpaw swore. "This isn't good," she said. "Hold on, I'll get help."
Her paws shuffled on the ground as she wriggled away from the hole, her face retreating from view. "Try to find Graywhisker!" he begged, not sure if she could still hear him. He longed for the comforting sight of his mentor's kind yellow eyes and broad gray face.
"Ravenflight's closer!" insisted Vixenpaw. "I don't want you to have to stay down there for any longer than you have to. I'll bring Ravenflight here and send Icepaw to find our mentors. Just hold on," she repeated. He heard her paws thumping on the ground again as she ran away.
Branchpaw shuffled uncomfortably and tried to sit still. He tried not to panic as the minutes ticked by in cold, dark silence. His breath came in heavy gasps as the pain in his shoulder threatened to overwhelm him. Please come back, he thought desperately. Don't leave me alone. He thought he saw movement out of the corner of his eye, but when he turned his head, all he saw was the shadowy tunnel that yawned out as far as he could see. He shivered and tried not to look at it, scared of what he might see there in his haze of pain and fear.
It seemed like nine lifetimes before his sister returned. "Branchpaw!" she yowled down the hole. "Hold on just a little longer! Ravenflight's here! He'll get you out in no time!"
"Great!" Branchpaw called back, his voice high-pitched with relief.
Vixenpaw purred encouragingly before backing away to let Ravenflight take her place. The black tom judged the distance, then leapt down, his paws thumping heavily on the stone floor. His eyes narrowed thoughtfully as he gazed at Branchpaw, then at the dark tunnel behind him.
"Do you have any idea where it leads?" asked the warrior.
"Not really," Branchpaw replied. "I couldn't exactly explore it with my leg hurt. But if I had to guess, I'd say it leads across the Thunderpath." He looked over his shoulder briefly before turning to face his Clanmate again.
"Hmm," Ravenflight said. He looked at Branchpaw again, this time focusing on his leg. "Is the injury bad?" he growled. "Can you walk?"
"I couldn't put much weight on it before," Branchpaw confessed. "I might be able to walk if I had help, though."
"Alright, then," said Ravenflight. "I'll grab you and jump back up. Your sister can pull you out of the hole. Then I'll follow."
"Right," mewed Branchpaw, nodding and trying not to let his fear show. What if I can't get out? he thought. What if Vixenpaw isn't strong enough to pull me up? Pushing away his worry as best he could, he added, "I'm ready."
He let Ravenflight grab the scruff of his neck in his teeth. The black warrior tensed his muscles, then sprang upward, grabbing on to the edge of the hole with his front paws. He hung there for a moment, hissing from the effort of holding both of their weight. Vixenpaw leaned forward and grabbed her brother's scruff, pulling him out of Ravenflight's grasp. Branchpaw fell forward onto the grassy earth just as Ravenflight lost his grip and dropped back into the cavern, landing neatly on his paws.
"Thanks," gasped the brown apprentice, panting, his heart racing from nerves. Vixenpaw pressed against him, soothing him by licking his ears. With a grunt of effort, Ravenflight leapt up to join them, hoisting himself up easily without Branchpaw's weight. He shook himself once, then began to smooth his fur with his tongue.
"Thanks," Branchpaw repeated, this time addressing the dark warrior. Ravenflight paused, meeting the apprentice's gaze for a moment. Then he nodded once in acknowledgement and continued to wash himself.
It wasn't long before the three of them heard a yowl of greeting. When he turned in the direction of the sound, Branchpaw caught sight of Icepaw running toward them, Graywhisker and Hazelclaw not far behind. The younger apprentice came to a halt, gasping for breath. "Branchpaw!" she mewed. "Vixenpaw told us what happened. Are you all right?"
"I'm fine," he replied. "Well, mostly okay anyway. I can't put any weight on my left leg, but at least I'm all in one piece." He let out a purr to reassure her.
"Thank goodness for that," she meowed. "But how are you going to get back to camp if you can't walk?"
"I'll get there somehow," he said, though he realized she had a point. Before he could figure out a better reply, Graywhisker and Hazelclaw reached them and came to a halt, panting.
"How are you?" Graywhisker asked, looking anxious. "You didn't break any bones, did you?"
"I'm not sure," said Branchpaw. He flexed his claws experimentally, wincing at the ache in his shoulder. "I think I just bruised myself pretty badly."
"He can't walk, though," added Icepaw. "He's going to need help."
"I'll help him," volunteered Vixenpaw. "He can lean on my shoulder if he has to. That way he wouldn't have to put much weight on that injured leg."
"I can help, too," insisted Icepaw. "We can take turns supporting him so we don't get too tired."
Branchpaw looked at the other two apprentices, feeling touched by their loyalty. "Thanks," he murmured, stroking his sister's side with his tail-tip. She glanced at him with fondness in her green eyes. Icepaw blinked at him in acknowledgement, seeming glad to be of help.
"We'll need to get back to camp right away," said Hazelclaw. She suppressed a growl of annoyance. "I don't blame you, Branchpaw, but you really need a medicine cat's treatment. I was sure those ShadowClan cats were still on our territory, but confronting them will have to wait. We'll definitely mention this to Falconstar, though," she added, with the hint of a snarl in her mew. "He needs to know that ShadowClan has been pressing our borders far too often. I think it's time we teach them a lesson."
...
The journey back to camp took much longer than usual, and by the time they arrived at the ravine, all three apprentices were short of breath. Branchpaw was worried that he might have been hurting Icepaw when he leaned on her; she was almost three moons younger than him and his littermates and she wasn't nearly as burly as Vixenpaw. Still, the warriors were much too tall to support him with their shoulders unless they hunched over, and Icepaw had a pleased look on her face when they returned to camp. Vixenpaw had taken the last shift, but both of them seemed proud that they had been able to help. Branchpaw was ready to collapse by this point, but Vixenpaw stroked his shoulder with her tail-tip. "Steady," she mewed. "You'll be able to rest soon. It's just a few more fox-lengths to the medicine den."
Branchpaw nodded to show that he had heard her, panting too hard to speak. Icepaw cast him a worried glance. "I'm fine," he managed to gasp. "Just... winded..."
Pineclaw and Honeyflame were still keeping watch over the camp when the patrol arrived, but they didn't seem to be paying much attention to what was happening around them. Pineclaw had his chest puffed out and was saying something proudly to his companion. Honeyflame murmured something teasingly, flicking his shoulder with her golden striped tail. The dark warrior had the decency to look a little embarrassed, while Honeyflame let out a mrrow of laughter. Hazelclaw sighed in exasperation, rolled her eyes, and stalked toward them, her tail twitching in annoyance. Branchpaw would have laughed if he hadn't felt so miserable.
"Hey!" the Clan deputy snapped, causing both of the young warriors to jump. Pineclaw flattened his ears, while Honeyflame widened her amber eyes in alarm. "You two are supposed to be paying attention, not goofing off like mouse-brains! ShadowClan could've invaded while you were joking around and we wouldn't be prepared because you, our so-called guards, didn't see them coming!"
"Sorry," mewed Honeyflame, not meeting Hazelclaw's eyes. Pineclaw echoed her apology, but sounded a little more mutinous, his tail flicking restlessly and his green eyes glittering with annoyance.
Hazelclaw stared at them coldly for a moment, then sighed. "I should tell Falconstar about this, but we have more urgent concerns at the moment. Go join a hunting patrol and stay out of trouble. I'll put someone else on guard duty."
"Yes, Hazelclaw," said Honeyflame, dipping her head politely. She exchanged glances with Pineclaw and the two warriors padded off to join Wolftail, the pale gray tom who was gathering warriors for his hunting patrol. Along with Gingerpelt and Cloudfur, they left the camp.
"Come on," said Vixenpaw, nudging her brother. "We need to get you to Nightwatcher." She was referring to the Clan's medicine cat, a black tom with blue eyes. Branchpaw didn't see him often, since Nightwatcher rarely spent time with the other cats, but he'd been to his den a few times, when he'd had a bellyache or a thorn in his paw. However, he'd never been hurt this badly before.
"Are you sure you'll be alright?" Icepaw asked the ginger apprentice. "You don't need my help anymore?"
"We'll be fine," Vixenpaw assured her. "I'd go see Tigerfang if I were you. He's bound to be waiting for you." She looked up and saw the mottled warrior stalking toward them. "Never mind, I'd run the other way. He looks really ticked."
Icepaw gulped, then bravely padded toward her mentor. Branchpaw saw his father scold his apprentice for a moment, then speak to her more gently as she hung her head. That was all he witnessed before he and his sister made their way toward the medicine clearing.
Nightwatcher was resting in a shaft of sunlight when they arrived, seemingly asleep, but his eyes opened as they approached him. Looking into his eyes was like staring into a deep pool of water; Branchpaw could not begin to guess what was hidden in the shadows of their depths. Nightwatcher was just as mysterious as Ravenflight in some ways, only Branchpaw was far more hesitant to try to discover the medicine cat's secrets. He was just creepy.
"Branchpaw fell into a hole under the Thunderpath and hurt his leg," Vixenpaw reported, seeming not the least bit intimidated. "He's going to need it treated."
"Hmm," said Nightwatcher, getting to his paws. He took a few paces forward and sniffed at Branchpaw's shoulder. He examined it briefly, then instructed them to wait and disappeared into his den. A moment later, he emerged with herbs in his jaws. He sat down in front of Branchpaw and placed the leaves down beside him. "You can go," he added, with a nod to Vixenpaw. She nodded back, easing Branchpaw to the ground.
"Feel better," she mewed, then left the clearing.
Nightwatcher had brought two kinds of leaves with him from his den. He placed a paw on Branchpaw's shoulder, making him gasp with pain. "No broken bones," said the medicine cat. "So I won't need to use comfrey." He chewed up the other leaves and applied them to the apprentice's shoulder. "These will bring down the swelling," he explained. "And this will keep the leafy pulp in place," he added, binding Branchpaw's shoulder with long blades of grass. He tied off the grass and stepped back, making a sound of satisfaction. "There," he mewed. "Now come into my den and rest. I'll give you some poppy seeds to help with the pain."
With Nightwatcher's help, Branchpaw staggered into the den. He half-collapsed into one of the moss nests, sighing with relief. Nightwatcher gazed at him for a moment, seeming slightly amused for some reason, then went to retrieve some poppy seeds from his herb storage. Branchpaw licked them up gratefully. "Thanks," he tried to purr, but it only came out as a sleepy grunt. The medicine cat made a sound of amusement, then turned and went back out to enjoy the sunlight.
Branchpaw wondered once again about Nightwatcher. The black cat would sleep most of the day, yet he never seemed to do anything that could possibly tire him out so much. He sometimes seemed almost impatient when treating patients, but other times seemed to enjoy his work. And at night, Branchpaw would sometimes see him gazing at the sky, looking weary and perhaps a little lost, as though he had lost sight of something important.
Branchpaw had hardly begun to wonder what it was when he fell into a deep sleep.
Author's Note: Thanks for reading! I'll do my best to write the next chapter faster, but I don't know how successful that will be. :) Please review and I hope you enjoyed!