MIDNIGHT RUN

My paws felt as though they were scarcely touching the ground. My breath came out in pants and the sharp wind ruffled my fur and blew my whiskers back. I stood at the end of RiverClan territory, staring at the watery reflection of the moon that appeared in the black river. I shuddered, wishing I could've just been born a RiverClan cat, like everyone else in the Clan.

I had been found in a bush on the very edge of WindClan territory when I was just 2 moons old. My mother, who was a WindClan warrior and didn't want me, had abandoned me. The Clan didn't know that she'd had me and my brothers, who had died from hunger and cold. A RiverClan patrol spotted my dark ginger pelt through the leaves of the bush and asked me if I belonged to WindClan. I said I didn't, because I was afraid that if I said that I was, they wouldn't take me in. They were very kind and loving, giving me to a nursing queen named Dovewing. Now, as a grown warrior, I tried to hide every drop of WindClan blood in me. I went out on a run every night to get the burning energy that raced through my paws, urging me to run as fast as I could.

"You run fast."

A voice behind me caused me to spin around. It was Dewwhisker, a cat that I'd been apprenticed with. "Oh…hello, Dewwhisker."

He grinned. "Hey, Redstripe. Out on a midnight run?"

"Um…yeah, I guess you could call it that." I forced a smile. He waved his tail. "Want to race me back to camp?"

"Won't some cat hear us?"

"Naw. If they do, I'll cover for you."

"Thanks."

"Come on!" He turned around and pelted away. I hissed and easily caught up to him. "Bye!" I hollered as I raced on past him. He growled in a teasing way and pumped his legs harder, but still didn't catch up. I quickly made it to camp and waited a few heartbeats until Dewwhisker reached me. We both sat there, gulping in mouthfuls of air.

"You run as fast as a WindClan cat!" he panted.

My heart stopped and I smiled weakly. "Sure, okay."

"Maybe that's because you were found in a WindClan bush. Maybe the speediness of the territory just rubbed off on you." Now he was just joking. I twitched my whiskers.

Dewwhisker suddenly pricked his ears. I heard it too-pawsteps coming toward us from behind. We both turned to see the Clan's most senior deputy, Hawktalon.

"What are you two doing out here so late?" he growled.

Dewwhisker and I exchanged glances. Then he looked back at Hawktalon and grinned. "We were just out on a little midnight run."

Wow, that's soooo short! And soooo stupid! –sigh- whatever. I just want to get to at least chapter 7 by tonight. It's already…9:43 PM. Great. I have to go to bed early because I have to wake up at 7:45 all this week to help out with Vacation Bible School at my church. Well, I hope you liked!

xx-Starfall-xx