Chapter 14: A brighter sunlight...

Neon: Ok off you go Redpaw!

Red: Ok! Neon does not own warriors, but I am quite awesome

Neon: what does that have to do with anything?

Red: Oh me just being well... epic.. (winks at readers)

Neon: (rolls eyes) off you go Romeo, and get sad about your friend!

Red: Okay, till next time readers!

Mysticpaw jolted awake, his pelt standing on end and his claws unsheathed. He had awoken from his nightmare in the Darkforest, his heart slowed and Mysticpaw suddenly realised that Clawpaw would be wounded. Springing out of his nest Mysticpaw jumped to the brown apprentice's nest. Clawpaw had a huge claw mark on his belly, rushing with blood. Getting a hold of himself, Mysticpaw rushed out of the apprentice den and sprinted up the tunnel to the surface, ducking from the occasional tree root that had grown into the tunnel roof. Panting as he reached largerock, the place where his father held meetings. There was a cut in the rock large enough for a cat to squeeze through, it opened up on the inside to reveal the healer's den, because Breezestar refused to call Minnowtail a medicine cat due to Starclan issues.

Mysticpaw found the dark grey dappled she cat, Minnowtail curled up in her nest. She was snoring softly. Mysticpaw shoved her urgently. "Wha?" Minnowtail moaned.

"Clawpaw, he's wounded!" Mysticpaw cried. Minnowtail was awake immediately and leapt out of her nest. She grabbed a yellow flower and some cobwebs along with some tiny black seeds. Mysticpaw, faster than her due to his Windclan blood ran in front of her leading the way. Mysticpaw ducked into the tunnel and reached the apprentice den. Minnowtail wasn't far behind. The healer gasped at Clawpaw's torn belly, and immediately started plastering the brown tom with cobwebs. Swallowpaw blinked open a light blue eye, when she saw Clawpaw her eyes flashed open and she was at Minnowtail's side immediately.

Soon the other apprentices started waking up, as soon as they realised what had happened they all sat together in scared silence. Rainpaw, distraught sat with his brother watching with tears blurring his gaze as Minnowtail worked tirelessly to save the brave brown tabby.

The apprentices were startled when Thornclaw entered the den. "You five, get on with your duties, Rainpaw stay with your brother." When the apprentices made no move Thornclaw growled. "Now. Come on." Mysticpaw reluctantly left the den along with his clanmates, paws dragging they trudged over to the fresh kill pile, half heartedly choosing some breakfast. Redpaw who was Clawpaw's best friends chewed on a mouse angrily. His teeth cracked against a bone as he took his anger out on it. Mysticpaw saw Scarpelt frown at him, he was Redpaw's mentor. Dogfang, who was recently made deputy after Ratscar had sprained a paw in battle training, padded over to Nightpaw, his apprentice. "Nightpaw, you and Redpaw are coming battle training with me and Scarpelt."

Redpaw growled and snapped his mouse in half. A shadow casted over him, the red apprentice gulped when Scarpelt was looking furious above him. "Redpaw, I know you're concerned about Clawpaw, but you have to remember you're in Darkclan. Which means you must keep your training your priority and never.. ever.. show weakness." The dark brown tabby warrior growled.

Mysticpaw looked warily at Breezestar's den, where his father was no doubt inside. The dark forest were close to his father, they even whispered in his ears. Meaning, if Breezestar saw a problem, they would be quick to make it disappear. Redpaw would have to be careful, if he didn't want to fight he would be seen as a mouseheart by the clan, and he would be punished dearly on his next visit to the dark forest.

Nightpaw scanned Mysticpaw for any sign of weakness, his different coloured green and amber eyes boring into his pelt, making it itch. Mysticpaw returned to glance evenly, he knew his brother was a Darkclan cat, through and through and would defiantly be working for the dark forest one day...if he wasn't already. Mysticpaw watched the two apprentices trail off with their mentors leading them out of the camp.

He groomed his thin black pelt, that was burning in the Greenleaf heat wave, with a flick of his ears he leapt up and joined Lightshadow his mentor who was about to lead a patrol. Dawneyes, Frostleaf and Applefur were waiting with his mentor, Mysticpaw rolled his eyes, a patrol full of she cats as if the day couldn't get any worse. Lightshadow nodded to her patrol and led the group out of camp. The Greenleaf heat torched Mysticpaw's dark coat, making him for once hate it's sun trapping colour. He realised the patrol was going to go to the Greenleaf clearing, Mysticpaw couldn't bear the thought of being stuck in the sun for a long time, and longed the soft cover of the forgiving, leaf covered trees. Even if his origins were windclan his thunderclan blood wanted the feel of the gentle sunbeams on his pelt, licking through the dense forest canopy, and the feel of the cooling air stroking his short pelt in the more inviting forest.

"umm.. Lightshadow, could I check the thunderclan border instead? My pelt can't take this heat." Mysticpaw pleaded, his amber eyes looking hopefully into his mentor's blue ones. Lightshadow grinned and shrugged. "You're a good fighter, I'm sure you can protect yourself against some stupid Thunderclan cat, go ahead."

Mysticpaw grinned his thanks to his mentor, giving her a brilliant smile and pelting off to the forest that seemed to be calling to him. His long windclan legs carried him quickly out of the burning heat and into the shade of the vibrant green forest, Mysticpaw breathed a sigh of relief as he sunk into the soft grass of the forest part of Darkclan territory. He stretched his claws and growled a sigh of relaxation.

Before he could get content though, he heard a rustle in the berry bushes not far from his location, he pricked his shredded ears, narrowing his eyes and frowning. Flipping over and getting to his paws in one slick movement, he unsheathed his claws, all his dark forest training rushing through his mind. Mysticpaw scented the air, waiting for the intruder to step closer. He bunched his muscles, ready to take on the probably thunderclan scum.

The noise grew closer, and at a fast rate, he readied himself ready for the unexpected.

He wasn't ready for everything.

A cat tumbled out of the bushes, paws flailing, and tail thrashing and yowling its head off. Mysticpaw didn't have time to react before the cat tumbled into him, knocking him over and sending the pair rolling down a slight gully. A cloud of dry dust rose around the pair of cats, as Mysticpaw tried to untangle himself from the cat. Quickly slipping away, he rose to his paws and glared at the stranger as the cloud of dust settled. "Who are you? And what are you doing in Darkclan territory?" Mysticpaw growled getting into an attack pounce.

For the first time, he got a good look at the intruder, he was staring into deep, wide, brilliant green eyes. They were full of fear but bravery and spirit too, along with a glimpse of intelligence and curiosity. It was actually a she, a slim, long legged black apprentice looking about the same age as him, with short black fur, a lighter shade than his and a long thin tail with a delicate white tipped tail, white toed paws, white back stockings and a small dash of white in her chest. She held her head high, trying not to let him see her fear that was growing inside, but proudly unsheathed her claws and kept a even glare with the Darkclan apprentice. Which in a way impressed him, normally cats were taken aback by his fierce amber glare and his shredded ears, but not this time. She was different, and held a inquisitive glare full of fire, much like his own.

"Well, you are on my land and I did ask you a question, are you going to answer it?" Mysticpaw covered up his curiosity to learn more about the strange green eyed thunderclan apprentice with a defensive hiss.

The black she cat straightened a little, relaxing her shoulders the slightest. "I'm Ravenpaw. From thunderclan."

"And why are you here? Is thunderclan so incompetent they don't teach their apprentices to use their nose?" Mysticpaw snapped.

Ravenpaw's green depths lit up a little, angered by his taunts. "Actually Thunderclan is far better than you're tiny half rouge misfit. I was simply running from someone and crossed the border by accident."

Mysticpaw tilted his head. "Running.. you were running away?" he laughed.

Ravenpaw scrunched up her face in an angered frown. "You know, sometimes running is a good option, but you killers wouldn't know anything about that."

Mysticpaw looked behind the angry thunderclan cat. Whoever was chasing her wasn't following her now. "Why were you running from them?" Mysticpaw inquired, suddenly his tensions deflated a little.

Ravenpaw looked behind her, flicking her tail irritably. "A tom in my clan, he kind of said he loved me, but I don't like him back and well, he went a little crazy and started chasing me."

Mysticpaw pricked his ears in interest. "Awkward much. I never told you my name. I'm Mysticpaw." Mysticpaw almost clawed himself for being so friendly. She's an intruder for the dark forest's sake! Ravenpaw lifted her ears at his change of tone and his decrease in anger, and her shoulders relaxed completely. Mysticpaw felt the tension melt away like ice in spring.

Mysticpaw wanted her to leave but on the other paw, wanted her to stay, so he could find out more about her. He wasn't sure why though, and he knew he shouldn't want to talk to the slender thunderclan apprentice but his deep consciousness told him he wanted to. Ravenpaw didn't look scared at all now, in fact her green eyes lit up with the light of the sunbeams slipping in through the trees, making them glitter brightly the darkness of her worry gone.

Mysticpaw flattened his hackles and sheathed his claws, growling at himself for doing so. "Why are you out here alone anyway?" Ravenpaw asked.

"Black pelt and heat don't get along, I was boiling so I came to cool off here. I was enjoying myself before you came and scared me out of my fur!" He growled.

Ravenpaw's green depths lit up at the humour, and she purred quietly.

"Wait a second? You're that apprentice that collapsed at the gathering! Was it all too much for your little head?" Mysticpaw teased.

Ravenpaw looked visibly shaken at the memory, and Mysticpaw wondered why she looked so deeply affected. She quickly shook her head and stood up, giving her shoulder fur a quick lick. "I'd better get going, I'm not supposed to be here."

Mysticpaw felt slightly disappointed, he didn't want to part with the apprentice yet, but he knew he'd be turned to crow food if anyone saw him. Ravenpaw started to melt away back into the berry bushes. Mysticpaw mewed quickly. "I might run into you again though, probably quite literally."

Ravenpaw smiled at the joke and nodded. "Possibly." As she almost disappeared into the bushes she mewed "thanks for not clawing me!" and with that she melted away into the thunderclan forest.

Mysticpaw sat down on the soft, thick grass, pondering on the recent meeting. It was strange feeling free for once, not having to worry about the dark forest, or battle training or the huge amount of expectation placed upon him. He lifted a paw, wanting to follow the sleek thunderclan cat, but at the same moment feeling a tug back home pulling him back. Mysticpaw shook his head, closing his amber eyes quickly consumed by the huge surge of confusion. Turning away from the border he padded back deeper into Darkclan territory.

Finding a shady spot under a young oak tree he slumped into a patch of moss, and drowsily closed his eyes and was consumed by darkness as he drifted off into sleep...

Hmmmmmm... well then, I thought I did well in that chapter, the descriptive language was better than usual. So, Mysticpaw has just met Ravenpaw, little does he know that Ravenpaw has seen him before, remember when she went into Darkclan territory?

Thanks for reading, my epic readers! Love you all! Xx

Till next time.. plz review!

Is anyone else getting impatient for doctor who? Lolz

Neon :D xx