Chapter 23

"What about this…can we eat this?" June mewed, poking a toad with her paw.

"You can, they taste funny to me." Shadowpaw mewed watching as the toad tried to jump away from June. The white she-cat rolled her eyes and let the toad hop away.

"Do you ever smile?" She teased. Shadowpaw flicked his tail and grabbed a twig in his jaws, June's amber eyes following him. Shadowpaw padded over to where the two of them where making a den out of an old heather bush and placed the twig carefully into a hole in the den.

"My life is too awful to smile." He murmured before grabbing another stick not too far off. June shook out her fur and frowned.

"Oh cheer up. You got me." She mewed. Shadowpaw flicked his long ears and nudged June with his muzzle; the she-cat smacked Shadowpaw with her tail and helped him patch up hole in their den. Shadowpaw snickered and saw a perfect stick a few feet away, he padded up to the stick and grabbed it in his jaws.

Shadowpaw's spine began to tingle as he prepared to join June. Shadowpaw's neck fur bristled; he had the instinct that something was watching him…close by too.

"Hey Shadowpaw, I figured we could use—" June started but quickly froze when he saw Shadowpaw staring intently into the forest ahead. She sniffed the air and gapped her mouth to try and catch a scent. "What is it?" She whispered.

"Something…" Shadowpaw growled. "I'm not sure…but it's here." June narrowed her eyes and crouched down into the forest ground. Shadowpaw averted his attention when he saw June creeping forward. "What are you doing, get up." He warned, focusing back onto the forest.

"Shh!" She hissed. Her ears pricked in listening. Shadowpaw did the same and surprisingly heard the sound of breathing nearby. Shadowpaw snarled and crouched down on the ground, keeping his long tail down and his ears flat.

"Stay here." Shadowpaw warned.

"Who says?" Growled June, her ears flat.

"I did, now stay put!" Whispered Shadowpaw, June snorted and watched as Shadowpaw stalked forward, his long legs creeping under him.

Shadowpaw wriggled his haunches and soared into the air, his claws unsheathed in attack. He heard the frightful shriek of a small cat and landed hard onto the back of the bigger cat, digging his teeth into his victim's scruff.

"Shadowpaw, it's me!" Growled a large voice, Shadowpaw was stunned and instantly jumped off of the cat, he was baffled when he saw Galestar and Palekit.

"Galestar," Shadowpaw questioned with a tilted head. "What are you doing here?"

"I've come to pay you a visit…" Galestar mewed.

"I got to come too!" Palekit boasted, he didn't look like a kit anymore…he was much bigger.

"Why are you visiting me?" Shadowpaw challenged. "I'm a killer remember….keep in mind you are on my territory, not SkyClan's."

"Yes, I know." Galestar apologized with a dip of his head. "I've just come to see how you were doing."

"Then why is Palekit here?" Shadowpaw mewed; the light ginger tom raised his tail high as he gazed at Shadowpaw.

"The kit was devastated when he found out you left." Galestar continued. "It was only fair that I let him come see you again."

"But my name isn't Palekit anymore!" Palekit purred. "I'm an apprentice."

"Who is your mentor?" Shadowpaw wondered.

"Rainstorm," Palepaw mewed.

"Who's Rainstorm?" Shadowpaw asked Galestar. The leader smiled and looked at Shadowpaw with proud eyes.

"You aren't an apprentice anymore, Shadowpaw…" Galestar mewed. "And neither are your friends…you are much bigger now, you look like a warrior."

"So Airpaw is a warrior?" Shadowpaw questioned, still imagining the younger Airpaw.

"Yes…her name is Airwhisker." Galestar purred. Shadowpaw heard the paw steps of June and flashed his eyes over to the cats.

"It was nice seeing you…but I'm leaving now…" Shadowpaw meowed tersely. "I have to get back to June…"

Galestar opened his mouth to protest but Shadowpaw had already padded away. June smiled when she saw Shadowpaw meet her, her amber eyes sparkled.

"Who was that?" She purred.

"Nobody…just some rogues." He meowed, motioning her to follow him with his tail. June stumbled but followed Shadowpaw back to their makeshift den. June looked over her shoulder at where the cats where and frowned.

"You lied…" She murmured as Shadowpaw lay down beside her in their den.

"What do you mean?" Shadowpaw murmured.

"Those where your Clanmates…weren't they," She whispered, the dim of the den causing her eyes to glow a deep flame. Shadowpaw felt guilty and laid his tail across June's shoulders.

"Yeah…they didn't want anything." Shadowpaw murmured. June looked at Shadowpaw with unknown eyes.

"They may not have wanted anything…" She murmured. "But you definitely do."

"I'm happy here with you." Shadowpaw meowed.

"And so am i…" June mewed. "But I can tell you wished to go back to them."

Shadowpaw frowned and looked down at his paws, a part of him wanted so desperately to go back and see Airwhisker in SkyClan…but he didn't want to deal with his Clanmates again. The black tom sighed and leaned forward to lick June on the cheek.

"I'm happier here…"