Chapter Two
Sunlight shone directly in Crowpaw's eyes, making her snort and stretch a paw over her face. Her ears pricked as the sound of pawsteps resonated through the stone behind her.
Must be Silverpaw and Bearpaw...what do they want now?
The she-paw slowly raised her head and looked directly at them. "Why not try being quieter? You'll wake the whole clan like that!" She hissed.
The two toms stared at her for a moment, before the silver pelted one stepped forward and dipped his head. "Sorry Crowpaw, we didn't mean to wake you! It's just that Bearpaw's…" He looked at his brother's oversized claws, scraping the ground as if they were unsheathed. He looked up and continued. "Bearpaw's oversized claws keep clanking on the stone!" He cuffed the brown tom lightly over one ear.
Bearpaw mewed sadly. "I'm sorry, I can't help it!" His head drooped. Crowpaw rolled her eyes. "Leave before I shred you both." She unsheathed her claws into her nest. The two toms flattened their ears and slunk out of the den, leaving Crowpaw to twitch her whiskers in amusement.
Crowpaw dozed for what felt like a moon, snoring peacefully until a paw scuffed her muzzle. She opened her blue eyes to slits angrily. She hissed and swatted the paw, sending it back to it's original position. Foxpaw always does this! She hissed to herself.
She yawned and sat up, stretching her rump and flexing her claws. She sneezed flakes of moss from her nose as they fluttered off her pelt.
Looking at the sky as she padded outside, she smiled. Looks like a good day.
A gentle mew came from one side, making her crane her neck to see her puffy white mentor beckoning her over with her tail.
"Good morning Crowpaw." Her mew was as soft as the crickets that chirped in the night. Snowfall tilted her head and smiled, sapphire opals glittering with curiosity. "Would you like to patrol with Sootcloud, Foxpaw, and Specklepaw?"
Crowpaw jumped up happily, a low rumble from her belly making her stumble in surprise. "Uh...can I eat first?" Snowfall nodded briskly. "Hurry, Sootcloud isn't known for his patience."
Crowpaw bounded to the fresh-kill pile, choosing a mouse and sitting down to eat. She pricked her ears at the sound of her name, turning to see Silverpaw and Bearpaw huddled a little ways away, talking with their heads bent. She strained her ears to listen as Silverpaw mewed quietly, "Do you think she knows?" He looked over his shoulder at her, looking nervous. He locked eyes with her before looking away.
Do I know what? She thought before a mew broke into her thoughts. "Let's go slow-poke!" Her brother mewled at her, standing next to Specklepaw and bristling. Getting up, she took her half-eaten mouse and dropped it in front of Silverpaw and Bearpaw.
"Here, finish this, thanks." She called as she joined her patrol.
Snowfall ran down the slope of the mountain, everyone at her tail. They skidded to a stop at the small thunderpath, seeing a MeadowClan patrol across it.
"Hello Stripewhisker!" Snowfall called out to a stocky, grey tom. He smiled back. "Hello Snowfall! Have you met our apprentices, Oakpaw and Owlpaw?"
Crowpaw padded up beside her mentor, making her give a little hop of surprise. The rest of the patrol was bristling, clearly not as trusting as Snowfall.
The small apprentice, with a dark brown chin and belly, gave her a cheeky smile as the MeadowClan patrol headed into the trees, making her bristle under his golden gaze. "Bee-brain." She hissed to herself as her own patrol turned to head into a stretch of pine trees.
Suddenly, the milky she-cat halted, tasting the air. "CaveClan ahead!" She shrieked. They followed the scent, the acid tang of the cave system stinging Crowpaw's nose and she tried not to gag as they spotted the patrol. It's so big! They must have brought the entire clan!
"What do you want, Cavestar?" Sootcloud yowled. The tom didn't answer as he kinked his tail and the clan descended into the thunderpath tunnels. The patrol turned and ran towards the camp. They had to tell Stonestar!
As they neared the camp, Snowfall yowled at the top of her lungs, "Brace yourselves! CaveClan is attacking!"
Warriors ran from den to den as they entered, guarding the nursery and elders. Cries sounded as CaveClan exploded from the entrance. Cavestar lunged at Hawktalon as flashes of fur encircled Crowpaw. She turned to see a grey tabby tom and a white she-paw run towards her. Crowpaw unsheathed her claws and grappled with her, the white she-paw flipping her onto her back. Crowpaw stared back in horror as she battered her muzzle, sending blood flying. Crowpaw yowled in pain and battered the she-paw's belly with her hind legs, sending her staggering backwards as Crowpaw leaped at her and pinned her down and slashed at her cheek. The apprentice's eyes were wide with shock, and Crowpaw stared back defiantly before a burning started in her flesh.
She spun around to see Cavestar himself shredding her flank. As he pinned her down, she saw his clanmates begin to flee. Cavestar gave a sudden yowl as Silverpaw and Stonestar dragged him off her. "Pick on a cat your own size!" Silverpaw growled.
"What's the meaning of this?" Stonestar growled. Cavestar was the only cat left.
"You and your alliance with MeadowClan. You dishonor the code!" He hissed.
Stonestar grabbing him by the scruff, setting him at the entrance before licking down the spiked fur on his head. "Dear brother, there is no alliance." Cavestar hissed and ran off as a cry came from across camp.
Lakesong sat beside a heavily bleeding cat, Rednose. She was weeping terrible, clearly heartbroken. "Rednose, please don't go! I love you! I can heal you!" The medicine cat frantically plastered cobwebs over his gaping wounds.
Rednose mewed weakly. "Don't waste it on me. It's my time to join StarClan." He touched her paw, his own shaking with effort. "Take care of our kits, Lake-" His body went still, head falling back to the ground as Lakesong yowled in grief.