Chapter 17: Discovering secrets

Dovewing sat in the camp, she was watching the new deputy getting used to his new chores and duties. Lionblaze.

The fact that her old mentor was now clan deputy made her want to swell with pride. He was a strong warrior, if not the strongest. He would defiantly protect thunderclan.

The amusing thought though, was that the mighty warrior was looking scared by being surrounded by nearly all the clan's warriors, eagerly waiting for their jobs for the day. "Guys! Guys! Your killing me! Stop charging into me! Please! I'm new at this!"

Dovewing giggled. "Having a bit of trouble?" Bramblestar called. His amber eyes gleaming.

Lionblaze glared up at him. "Can't you do something about this?"

Bramblestar laughed then called to the cats. "Warriors, Lionblaze is new at this, give him some room."

Lionblaze breathed a sigh as he was given room. Dovewing walked up to him ready to join a patrol.

"Ok. Sandstorm can you lead a hunting a patrol?" Lionblaze asked. But there was no one to reply to. Dovewing looked around. Where was Sandstorm?

Greystripe walked up to Lionblaze. "Lionblaze, um.. Firestar's death has sort of messed up Sandstorm. You might want to see."

Lionblaze nodded sadly. "I will look after I have done this."

Greystripe nodded. "if it's ok? Can you leave me out today, I'm keeping Sandstorm company."

Lionblaze nodded. Greystripe walked over to the elder's den. Dovewing realised that the grey warrior was getting old his bony frame stuck out on his thin pelt. It made her heart break.

Lionblaze looked around. He looked at the cats fidgeting around him, clearly impatient. Dovewing let out a hiss of annoyance as someone stepped on her tail. "Watch it!"

"Ok!" Lionblaze hissed.

"Cloudtail, can you lead a border patrol? You have the best nose."

Cloudtail looked glanced at Jayfeather with pleading eyes, looking for his approval. The blind medicine cat hissed and angrily flicked his tail. "Fine. But don't come crying to me when your belly rips open."

Cloudtail flicked his tail happily. "Finally! I won't be struck in camp any longer!"

Lionblaze nodded. "Take Squirrelflight, Dustpelt, Spiderleg, and I will come too." Dovewing felt a slight sense of foreboding. Lionblaze was going on purpose. He was the strongest warrior. If there was any attack from the dark forest, he would be the best chance of winning.

"Ivypool, lead a hunting patrol will you?"

Dovewing's sister nodded. "Sure!"

Ivypool looked around the circle. "I will take... Hazeltail, Icecloud, Toadstep, Bumblestripe, and Dovewing."

Foxleap and Rosepetal walked up with their apprentices Molepaw and Cherrypaw.

"Can we go training today?" Foxleap asked his eyes bright.

Lionblaze chuckled. "Sure!"

The four young cats sprinted out of the camp.

Dovewing joined Hazeltail, Ivypool, Icecloud, Toadstep and Bumblestripe. They padded out of the entrance and stepped into the frost bitten forest. The weak beams of sunlight made no difference to the bitter cold that snapped at the warrior's paws.

"we will be lucky to catch a single mouse in this cold." Grumbled Hazeltail.

"Your right, it looks like Leafbare came early this year." Bumblestripe grunted.

Ivypool growled in annoyance. "Come on, we need to get some food, or before the heart of leaf bare the clan would have starved."

Dovewing smiled, her sister was clearly trying to prove her loyalty to Thunderclan, although she had many cats who still trusted her, she needed the trust of the whole clan.

Toadstep looked like he had caught a scent and started padding away towards the lake. "Toadstep?" Dovewing called.

Toadstep narrowed his eyes and looked at Dovewing seriously. "There's a scent. Thunderclan and Shadowclan mixed."

Ivypool hissed. "How new?"

Toadstep widened his eyes. "Yesterday. They were here at the same time."

Bumblestripe unsheathed his claws. "Thunderclan cats? With Shadowclan?" He sniffed the air. "There were alot of them, possibly a border fight?"

Hazeltail shook her head. "They would have told Bramblestar, or at least Lionblaze. Also, we are nowhere near a border. We're in the heart of Thunderclan territory!"

Icecloud looked uncomfortable. "We could go and warn Lionblaze?"

Dovewing felt a stab of anger. Everyone was willing to make Lionblaze be the first to run into battle. Then again, he was deputy. But he still shouldn't be used as a shield.

Ivypool grinned. "Or.. we could follow it"

Dovewing nodded. It would be fun to go on another adventure with her sister, just like when they were kits.

However the other warriors seemed unsure. "We could at least follow it to the edge of Thunderclan territory."

All the warriors nodded. Ivypool flicked her tail for them to follow.

The cats padded through the forest for a while, then Dovewing realised, they were on the route they normally took for the gathering. Then it hit her, she recognised the scents, Thornclaw, Mousewhisker, Blossomfall and along with some other shadowclan scents... Tigerheart.

"They were heading to the island."

Soz for a bit of a boring one, but I realised I haven't done any normal clan life yet. Soooo, yeah.

Anyway, looks like all the exiled warriors have left their homes and are heading to the island to do what though?

Thank you for the amazing support I have received lately!

Till next time

Neon xx