Chapter 16
When Ashwinter awoke that morning, she sighed heavily. Already she was convinced that BloodClan had no good intentions for the Clans. Already she had lost her older brother and her aunt to StarClan, fell victim to her mothers and fathers betrayal and lies and witnessed countless, bloody battles. Is this what StarClan had decided her life was going to be like? Desperately, she wished for a turning point in her life before padding out to the fresh-kill pile. Stonepelt padded up to her.
" Ashwinter, will you go on Blackfeather's border patrol and make sure everything's okay on the ThunderClan border?" he asked.
" Yeah, sure thing," she meowed, trying to sound enthusiastic. Too close to the Twoleg borders in her opinion, but she wasn't about to argue with the deputy. Blackfeather, Bluefire and Aspenmoon were waiting by the reed entrance for her. Ashwinter quickly went to join them.
" Let's go!" Aspenmoon meowed and leaped through the entrance. Bluefire scrambled after him. Ashwinter followed. Catching up with her Clanmates, she slowed down. They were almost at the ThunderClan border. Ashwinter parted her jaws, but caught no scent.
" Nothing," Aspenmoon concluded. Bluefire and Blackfeather freshened the border markers. Ashwinter surveyed the undergrowth across the border, scanning for any BloodClan cats. She doubted any BloodClan cats would venture this far into the forest cat's territory. One can never be too sure… Finding nothing, she turned and walked after Blackfeather towards camp. Aspenmoon and Bluefire chatted a little ways behind. Ashwinter still thought Aspenmoon was arrogant fool, but if Bluefire liked him so much, then she would tolerate him. Even if he didn't seem to like her all that much. Like I care what Aspenmoon would think of me… A flicker of movement caught her eye. Still she got no scent. That's just a little bit weird…movement with no scent? Perhaps it was just the breeze or something… Ashwinter willed that to be true, but there was no breeze. No breeze, no scent, not even a cloud in the sky to indicate any potential wind. The bushes twitched slightly again. Ashwinter paused. Aspenmoon and Bluefire passed her.
" Are you coming, Ashwinter?" Bluefire called over her shoulder.
" Huh? Oh, yeah, I'll just be a moment…I'll meet you back at camp." Ashwinter replied.
" Okay!" Bluefire then continued talking to Aspenmoon.
Ashwinter cautiously walked to the bush.
" Hello? Is anyone there?" she called softly. No response. And still no scent. Little did she know what she had seen through the bushes was again watching her, far up in a tree, luminous yellow eyes never missing any movement.
The cat in the tree scanned the gray female. Ashwinter… So that was her name. Not a very good name, just Ash would have been better… the cat reflected, but that could easily be fixed. Now all I need is the light ginger female's name, then I will have almost everything I want… and then I can take my move….