Chapter 7: Greyleaf
Earlier that morning, Greyleaf had been assigned to a dawn hunting patrol with Blackpaw and Bramblepelt. She had grudgingly given up her warm, comfortable new spot in the warriors den to brave the moist, dewey landscape.
As they traveled across the territory, the black tom steadily kept straying too close to her flank, and he never left her for too long. The apprentice even had the gall to challenge Bramblepelt in every little thing. Blackpaw would badger the amber-eyed tom into tree-climbing relays, hunting competitions, sprinting races, and even staring contests. The dark-furred cat kept trying to get Greyleaf to give him every little bit of her attention, was always arguing with the spiky brown tom, and constantly was by her side whenever Bramblepelt was near.
It was beginning to get quite irksome, so the grey she-cat decided to think about happier and less annoying times to distract herself from trying to claw Blackfur's ears off!
Her mind turned to her recent activities. Ever since the gathering, Greyleaf and Goldenfur had been spending more and more time together. They loved to idly chat and go on forest strolls to escape the hustle and bustle of clan life. They were even usually assigned to the same patrols! Goldenfur's the best! She thought as she remembered the time that he had covered for her when she had accidentally swallowed a shrew whole on a hunting patrol.
As soon as she had heard Blackpaw calling her name, Greyleaf had plunged into the nearest bush, desperately searching for someplace to hide from the irritating tom. Little did she know what was waiting for her on the other side.
The fluffy grey she-cat heaved herself out of the undergrowth, internally hissing at the sight before her and what waited behind her. She was stuck between a Shadowclan patrol and Blackfur. Taking a moment to think, she decided she'd rather take the patrol.
A brown tabby tom, an auburn she-cat, and the new Shadowclan leader, Pinestar, was in the patrol, and he caught her eye. The amber gaze bored through her and seemed to look straight into her soul. A short burst of recognition twanged in Greyleaf's memory, but she didn't know for what or why.
The Thunderclan she-cat returned Pinestar's gaze, The soft fur running down her back bristling slightly. What is it about him? She just couldn't place where it had been that made her mind quiver at the sight of the dark tabby tom.
Despite her discontentment with her fellow clanmates, Greyleaf was relieved when her patrol appeared behind her.
"Are they giving you trouble Greyleaf?" Blackpaw growled, his head low to the ground with his ears drawn back and his claws unsheathed, noticing her spiked fur.
Blackpaw growled at the patrol, his dark green eyes hostile. He sprang forward into the air to attack Pinestar, but Greyleaf jumped forward and knocked him sideways.
The ShadowClan patrol yowled in anger, rage igniting in their eyes. Their fur and tails fluffed up, increasing their size. The russet she-cat raked her claws across the grass.
"What do you think you're doing," Greyleaf hissed, casting a withering look at Blackpaw,"You could have just caused a border fight!"
The apprentice shrunk under her glare. "I thought they were messing with you," He mumbled.
That's not a good reason! Greyleaf replied tartly, sparing no sweetness for the tom,"Well, just because you think someone is bothering a ThunderClan warrior doesn't mean you can attack without thinking! Apologize to them right now, Blackpaw!"
The dark-furred grudgingly obeyed. Angrily, he mewed, "Sorry."
The ShadowClan warriors just glared and spat, hissing at the black cat.
Greyleaf nodded, appeased. "Lets go," She ordered, and they left to grab the prey that they had caught before returningto camp.
Greyleaf felt Blackpaw's icy glare on her back all the way home.
Chapter 7: Pinestar
Pinestar already detested Blackpaw. How dare that apprentice attack me! If he were in my clan, I would have ordered that he not have any fresh-kill tonight, and then, he would have to take care of the elders for at least three moons.
Pinestar grumbled on and on about the dark furred apprentice to his comrades, breaking his facade and acting like a young kit again.
At first, Frogleap and Russetpelt had joined in, adding their own loud views on the incident and scaring away all of the prey, but eventually the young warriors grew visibly bored and asked for permission to head back to camp.
Pinestar granted their request eagerly. Without them, he could finally check to see if the ancient twoleg den, that had been on Shadowclan territory for Starclan knows how long, was still there.
When Pinestar was a warrior, he was known then as Pinefoot, he had searched the area above the clan's territory many times. During his travels, the white-muzzled tom had stumbled across a fossil-like twoleg den. The beaten down place had mesmerized him with its crumbling walls and squeaky floorboards. Pinestar had always thought the old place had an air of secrecy and romance.
He had wanted to bring his beloved Foxflight there to confess his feelings for her, but he had never had the chance. Her sickness and death had seen to that.
The dark brown, tabby tom felt that if he didn't express his feelings to Greyleaf there, no matter how odd and confusing they were to him, she would slip away as well. The lives of passion and love wouldn't allow him to turn his paws on any other path.
After quickly running up the border to see if the structure was still standing, Pinestar decided to wait at the place where he had seen the ThunderClan patrol. His only hope was that he would see Greyleaf there tonight and not hear of some untimely demise that had taken her life at a time before the next gathering.