I found myself in the middle of a grassy clearing. Blinking I looked around. Where am I?
The wind rippled through the grass carrying the scent of wind, ice and stone to me. It was Pine, Tawnypelt and Flowernight, but I didn't recognize the fourth, a slender she-cat with smooth gray fur.
Pine padded up to me, her eyes glowing brightly. "Hello Foxspirit." She purred.
"It's good to see you, Pine," I mewed. "But what are you doing here?"
"It is time for you to know what Spiritpaw will face later on so you can prepare her." Tawnypelt mewed.
The slender gray she-cat stepped forward, dipping her head in greeting. "Hello Foxspirit," she mewed. "My name is Doveheart, I am Flowernight's sister. Thank you for taking such great care of her daughter."
I shuffled my paws awkwardly. "I've done my best."
"Foxspirit," Tawnypelt began. "Do you remember what Pine and I told you the night of your vigil?" I nodded. "You have done as you were asked. Spiritpaw will become a warrior in the next two moons."
Unease wriggled in my belly. "What will she face?"
Sadness darkened Flowernight's gaze. "She will save Thunderclan from Rowanstar."
I felt my pelt bristle. What was the Shadowclan leader planning?
"Rowanstar has gone mad with grief," Tawnypelt mewed darkly. "If he isn't stopped he will destroy Thunderclan."
"Why do you care so much about Thunderclan, Tawnypelt?" I asked. "I'm not trying to be rude, but you were a Shadowclan warrior."
Tawnypelt's gaze darkened, "I was born in Thunderclan and don't forget that Bramblestar is my brother."
I nodded in understanding. "So, should I tell Spiritpaw about this?"
"No," Flowernight meowed firmly. "If she finds out before she is ready to know then it could ruin everything." All four she-cats began to fade.
I jerked awake, my breathing heavy. I felt Sweetfoot stir next to me. "Is everything alright?" she murmured.
"Yes," I licked her ear, "Just a dream." I got to my paws and slipped out of the warriors den. The sky outside was milky white with dawn.
"Good morning, Foxspirit." Bramblestar greeted me. I dipped my head. "Are you and Spiritpaw ready for dawn patrol?"
"I was just going to wake her." I told him before bounding across the clearing. The apprentice den wasn't anywhere near as full now that Sparkheart's kits were warriors. Foxpaw lay curled next to Spiritpaw. I gently prodded my apprentice in the flank. She lifted her head, bleary eyed with sleep. "Come on, we are on dawn patrol with Eaglewing and Logfur." I whispered.
Spiritpaw's jaws gaped wide in a yawn. "Alright."
I waited until she was sitting up before slipping out of the den. Spiritpaw looked exhausted, which worried me. Was I pushing her too hard? The den shivered behind me, but instead of Spiritpaw, it was Foxpaw. "Good morning," I purred.
He looked up at me and flicked his tail in greeting. "Where are you and Spiritpaw going?"
"We are on dawn patrol with Eaglewing and Logfur." I told him. I licked a tuft of fur between his ears.
"Can I go?" he asked excitedly.
"It is up to Bramblestar," I told him gently. I remember the joy that Sweetfoot and I shared when Bramblestar told us that he would be mentoring our son. A flash of movement caught my eye as Bramblestar descended into the clearing. "Why don't you go ask him?"
Foxpaw bounded across the clearing, nearly running into Eaglewing and Logfur. "He sure is up early," Eaglewing meowed, her golden fur still rumpled from sleep.
"I wish I had his energy," Logfur yawned.
"Foxspirit, Bramblestar said we can go with you!" Foxpaw yowled as Spiritpaw emerged from the apprentice den, her pelt neatly groomed.
Eaglewing and Logfur exchanged uneasy looks, "Don't worry you two." I mewed reassuringly. "Bramblestar isn't so bad."
"Where are you patrolling this morning?" Bramblestar asked, eyes glowing in the growing light.
"Squirrelflight wants us to check out some scents by the Shadowclan border. It seems that a patrol has been regularly crossing the border." I informed him.
"Will we fight them?" Foxpaw asked excitedly.
"Only if we catch them on our side of the border," Bramblestar told him calmly.
"Well let's get going then," Foxpaw, yowled before dashing off toward the thorn tunnel. He didn't get far though because Bramblestar planted a firm paw on Foxpaw's tail. Foxpaw got back to his paws and turned his head to look at Bramblestar in confusion.
"Your father is leading this patrol," Bramblestar mewed, whiskers twitching.
Shaking my head affectionately, I padded to the front of the patrol, my dream fading to the back of my mind.
Foxpaw ranged back and forth as our patrol made its way through our territory. "You have done really well with your training, Spiritpaw and I couldn't be more proud of you." I mewed.
She turned and blinked at me, "You are talking as if you're about to die." Her blue gaze flashed questioningly.
"I'm not," I purred shaking my head. "I just wanted you to know how proud I am of you,"
Foxpaw skidded to a sudden halt ahead of us, his fur lifting as a growl rumbled in his throat. "What is it Foxpaw?" Bramblestar stopped next to his apprentice.
I began sniffing the air warily, a scent all too familiar washed over my tongue. I hurried forward to my leader's side. "Shadowclan," I hissed.
"But we are nowhere near the border," confusion and concern edged Spiritpaw's mew.
"Stay low and follow me," I hissed.
The rest of my patrol dropped their bellies to the earth and crept forward, silent as snakes moving through the grass. I cast a quick glance at my clanmates, Eaglewing and Logfur's tails were twitching nervously. Foxpaw's eyes gleamed with excitement. Anxiety made Spiritpaw's pelt bristle. Bramblestar looked calm and collected. About a tree-length from the clearing where twolegs built their strange pelt dens during greenleaf, I saw a flash of yellow tabby fur. I bobbed my tail before sticking it in the air and letting it fall again. Bramblestar crept forward, his pelt brushed mine.
"How many?" he whispered in my ear.
I sniffed the air. I picked up at least ten individual scents. "I smell Wasptail, Lionsun, Pinenose and Crowfrost, as well as about three others." I whispered back. Bramblestar nodded and signaled for Foxpaw to come forward. My son crept forward without making a sound. Pride warmed my pelt.
"Go back to the camp and fetch a second patrol," Bramblestar hissed. "We only need at most five more cats."
"It looks like a hunting party," Spiritpaw whispered in my ear. "I can see one of them guarding their catch,"
I raised my head above the brambles long enough to see our enemies and I realized she was right. Wasptail and Pinenose were sitting beside a small pile of fresh-kill. I ducked my head and tapped Bramblestar's shoulder with my tail. "It's a hunting party." I hissed. Bramblestar nodded and sent Foxpaw away with a flick of his tail. "We need to confront them," I growled pressing my claws into the earth. "I know Rowanstar ordered this because we refused to give him some of our territory."
Bramblestar nodded, "Follow me and keep your fur flat," he shot a warning glance at Logfur. The brown tom's quick temper was his best-known quality. Logfur nodded in acknowledgement.
As one, we got up and padded toward the hunting party. Spiritpaw padded so close to me that her gray pelt brushed mine. "Everything is going to be fine," I whispered.
