Anna O'Carric- I hadn't even noticed... lol. Yea, I'll fix that in this chapter.
Gummypuss- Yea, I'm fixxing that in this chapter.
Shipper- Thanks! :D
Fawnpaw stayed awake, talking with the other queens when she heard the familiar call from Bluestar. Why is the clan gathering for a meeting so late?
"The gathering ended early." Brindleface said, sounding surprised. Fawnpaw couldn't see her in the pitch black darkness of the den. "I wonder if something is wrong."
Just then Fireheart walked into the nursery. "Hello Fireheart." Brindleface whispered. "What happened at the gathering?"
"Starclan sent clouds to cover the moon. Bluestar's called a meeting. Do you want to come?"
Brindleface sniffed each of her kits. "Yes, I think I can come." She answered finally. "My kits will sleep for a while. Fawnpaw, are you coming too?"
Fawnpaw looked down at the white bundle of fur at her belly. "Yes." She answered.
Fireheart withdrew and together, all three cats joined the cats gathered in the clearing. Fawnpaw sat down next to Fireheart, and saw Cinderpaw join them on the other side of Fireheart.
Bluestar had already begun. "The greatest threat seems to be from Riverclan and Shadowclan. We must be prepared for the possibility that these two clans have united against us."
Shocked meows rippled throughout the clan.
"Do you really think they have joined together?" Yellowfang rasped. "Riverclan has the best sources of prey, but I can't imagine they'd want to share with Shadowclan."
"They didn't deny it." Tigerclaw pointed out.
Bluestar nodded. "Whatever the truth, we must be on full alert. From tonight, each patrol will have four cats, at least three of them warriors. The patrols will be more frequent, two each night and one during the day, as well as dawn and dusk patrols. We must put a stop to Riverclan's and Shadowclan's raids on our territory, and scince they have chosen to ignore our worew, we must be prepared to fight."
Cats yowled their agreement, Fireheart one of them. But Fireheart seemed distracted, he was searching the clearing for something.
When the noise died away, Bluestar spoke again. "The first patrol will leave before dawn." She jumped down from the Highrock. Tigerclaw followed, and the rest of the clan broke up into small groups.
Fawnpaw watched as Fireheart left for the warrior's den wordlessly.
Fawnpaw followed Brindleface to the nursery. She settled down next to Cloudkit, but still couldn't sleep. Did the clans really fight this much? Fireheart never said anything about battles...
That morning Fawnpaw woke as a paw poked into her side.
"Wake up." A deep voice said by her ear. "Bluestar will be training with you today. Meet her by the entrance."
Fawnpaw opened her eyes just in time to see Tigerclaw slipping out of the den. Fernpaw stood up the stretched. She picked up Cloudkit by the scruff and set him down by Brindleface's other kits.
Fawnpaw left the den quickly and saw Bluestar waiting by the camp entrance with two other cats. Longtail and Swiftpaw.
Fawnpaw padded over to them.
"Good, your awake." Bluestar meowed as Fawnpaw joined the group. "Will will be patrolling the Shadowclan border today."
"Swiftpaw, would you like to lead?" Longtail offered, not even glancing at Fawnpaw.
Swiftpaw nodded, eyes brightening. He turned and led the way out of the camp and towrd the Shadowclan border.
Fawnpaw followed, enjoying the warm sun-high light on her fur and the gental breeze untill they got closer to the Shadowclan border, and they slowed.
"What can you smell?" Bluestar asked, padding up next to Fawnpaw and matching her steps.
Fawnpaw sniffed the air. "Shadowclan, and fresh." She looked around. They weren't that close to the border yet, were they?
Bluestar breathed in the air, but before she could say anything Swiftpaw called from the front of the patrol, "Bluestar! Look at this!"
Bluestar padded past Fawnpaw and stopped beside the apprentice. Fawnpaw padded up to the other side of Swiftpaw and looked at what he had found.
At the black-and-white apprentice's paws layed a pile of rabbit bones. With Shadowclan scent all over them.
"Shadowclan!" Longtail growled, his pale tabby pelt bristling. "Bluestar, we have to do something! We can't just let them get away with this."
"I agree." Bluestar nodded. She turned around. "I'll set up an attack patrol on Shadowclan. This has to stop now."
Fawnpaw followed her leader through the forest, running along side her.
Bluestar stopped at the gorse tunnel and the cats did the same. Bluestar pushed her way though and froze at the sight of the camp.
Fawnpaw paused right inside the camp. She looked around wide-eyed. What had happened?
Blood splattered the clearing and tufts from multiple cats layed on the ground here and there. Some dens had holes in them, and there was a battle-scarred brown tom laying still in the middle of the camp.
"Brokenstar attacked?" Bluestar meowed. Fawnpaw had heard of this Brokenstar but didn't know why he was so bad.
Fireheart nodded. He looked fine but he had a wound on his hind leg, and there was blood trickling out from behind his ear.
"Is he dead?"
"He's with Yellowfang." Fireheart answered, looking exhausted. "He's been wounded- his eyes."
"And the othr rogue warriors?"
"We chaced them off." Fireheart replied.
"Are any of our clan badly hurt?" Bluestar demanded, looking once more around the clearing. The cats shook their heads. "Good." She meowed. "Sandpaw, Fawnpaw, take this body out of the camp and bury it. No elders need be present. No rogue deserves to be buried woth the honor of Starclan ritual."
Fawnpaw stepped forward with the pale ginger she-cat. Fawnpaw glanced over at Sandpaw as they both grabed the brown tom's scruff and began to pull him out of camp.
Fawnpaw amd Sandpaw walked to the burial place and then set him down on the soft dirt. They both ignored Tigerclaw as he walked past with a patrol. Tigerclaw seemed a little surprised at Clawface's dead body.
Sandpaw didn't even look up at Fawnpaw as she walked over to an empty patch of ground and started to dig.
Fawnpaw padded over to help. For a while they dug in awkward silence, Fawnpaw not know what to say. Then Sandpaw broke it.
"So, your really Fireheart's sister?" Sandpaw asked, still not looking at her.
"Yea." Fawnpaw answered. "Are you one of Fireheart's friends?" So far she didn't know much about this she-cat.
Sandpaw finally looked at Fawnpaw. She was silent of a moment, then answered "I don't know. I was mean to him when he first came to the clan. I called him names and bullied him... But he still saved my life in a battle. I have been nicer to him sence then, but I don't think he would count me as a friend." Sandpaw ended with a sigh.
Fawnpaw met eyes with her. "I think Fireheart would forgive you." She said. "He will forget about all those mean things if you stop." Fawnpaw looked down at the hole they had dug and sat back.
The hole was deap enough for them to put the body in and burry him fully.
Fawnpaw grabbed Clawface's scruff and pulled him into the hole. She glanced up at Sandpaw, who seemed to be thinking.
Fawnpaw began to burry the tom, and when the sun started to set Sandpaw started to help with the burial again.
Fawnpaw quickly cleaned off her paws and then they both turned toward the camp. They walked in silence untill they reached the camp entrance. Then Sandpaw stopped.
"I hope your right." Sandpaw whispered, then turned and quickly entered the camp, not looking back.
Shorter chapter then usual, but I am already working on the next. Review! :)