Chapter 5

Morningdew

My paws were heavy as we returned from the gathering, it was late and Bramblestar decided to hold the clan meeting until morning. I dragged my paws to my nest,

"What about our warriors vigil?" I herd Scorchflame ask Bramblestar, I had almost forgotten about the vigil! "You and Morningdew have fought well today, get some rest, I am sure Starclan wont be offended if you wait until tomorrow." Bramblestar said despite Scorchflames obvious protest.

I was so tired I was grateful for Bramblestar's sympathy. I limped to the apprentice's den."Morningdew, what are you doing in the apprentices den?" Snowpaw asked with a yawn, that's right I wasn't an apprentice anymore, "Oh, sorry Snowpaw I guess I forgot." I said looking at my nest, wanting nothing but to go to sleep,

"Morningdew, they have nests for us in the warriors den." Scorchflame called from across the clearing, I turned to his voice and felt my shoulder pulse with pain with every step. "Maybe you should sleep in the medicine cats den tonight?" Scorchfur said as I limped over, "No, its just a bit swollen, I just need a good nights sleep is all." I insisted and pushed into the warriors den. I was surprised at how large it was, amongst the many sleeping bodies I saw two new nests near the back. Scorchflame led us to them and curled up comfortably in the moss and feather lines nest, I circled in mine a few times but it just didn't feel right. My old nest smelled like me and I had added a few magnolia petals, I finally settled down and curled my tail over my nose and despite the new surroundings I fell asleep immediately.

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather for a clan meeting." Bramblestars summons shook me out of my thankfully Nightfang free sleep. The other warriors had already begun to gather and as usual I was one of the last ones left in the den, "Come on Morningdew! Our first meeting as warriors, get up!" Scorchflame hissed, nudging me with his nose. I groaned but let the pushy tom push me to the clearing, my shoulder stung a bit in the morning sun but I could move it better than yesterday, a good stretch and I should be right as rain.

"As you all know yesterday we successfully defended our boarders from Shadowclan." Yowls of triumph rose and Bramblestar waved his tail for silence,

"I was hoping the gathering would provide answers for the attack but Rowanstar is maintaining he did not call for an attack and that his warriors were fighting off a badger." More yowls of anger and frustration followed,

"We need to retaliate! We need to counter attack!" Cloudtail called.

"Shadowclan needs to know we wont take this lying down." Lionblaze added supported by Scorchflame and Cinderheart.

"We already have injured warriors you two, if we rush into battle now we may loose them." Jaywing spit getting a nod from Bramblestar,

"I agree, we cannot rush into battle so soon. We will double up the border patrols and-"

"That's what we always do, if Rowanstar wants to play dumb then something else is wrong. This isn't just a normal attack Bramblestar, we need to act!" Scorchflame burst out and I saw many looking at him and Bramblestar expecting the leader to scold to knew warrior but he didn't, he looked to Squirrleflight who nodded in agreement with Scorchflame.

"What do you propose then Scorchflame?" he said and all eyes were on the bold warrior. I would have shrunk back but Scorchflame looked confident, "I think we need to station warriors at their border, watch them from the trees and attack any cat who comes to close." Some warriors yowled approval while others looked unsure,

"That seems a bit extreme Scorchflame, that would take a lot of resources and with leaf fall beginning we don't have them to waste." Scorchflame stood up and spoke loudly, "It wouldn't be a waste if we got answers, if this is a rebellion with in Shadowclans ranks then normal actions will not work, if we let them run rampant then they will attack the other clans as well!" he went on and those who looked reluctant now looked intrigued,

"I agree, this is odd and even if Rowanstar was lying then the attack yesterday was far to aggressive for a border disagreement." Squirrleflight said turning to Bramblestar who looked unsure but he couldn't argue with the whole clan. "Very well, we will try Sorchflames idea for now. Get with Squirrelflight to arrange the patrols." He said and dismissed the meeting.

I looked at Scorchflame who looked like his head would burst, he was being crowded by warriors wanting to do the first watch, Squirrelflight had to yell over everyone. Frostfeather came over and licked my shoulder, "Does it still hurt dear?" I shook my head, "A bit but I think I can run on it fine." I stretched out my leg to show her and it felt stiff but didn't ache like before. "Fleetwhisker and I are so proud of you." she said looking at me with her stunning blue eyes, full of pride.

"Thank you mother, I promise to make you and Thunderclan proud." She smiled and turned to leave on a hunting patrol with my father. I was alone now and my thoughts flooded with questions about my meeting with Nightfang tonight. What plan does he have? Should I go alone? Is he going alone? I just wasn't sure, this would be the first time we were alone together and even though this was a important mission, I couldn't help but think of other things I wanted to discuss. How did he become a warrior so quickly? What other training skills did he know? Was there a she-cat he liked…oh come on Morningpaw, that's none of your business! I shook my head of the silly thoughts, I couldn't let myself be distracted by this Windclan tom,

"Sigh" No matter how handsome he was.

Nightfang

Conversations were all over Windclan about the gathering and what was going on with Shadowclan. So far every cat seemed distracted with what would happen to Windclan and not the rest of the forest. It didn't sit right with me, I sat on my rock and thought after dawn patrol. I was more excited to see Morningdew tonight than anything else, just us two all alone for the first time, I had some many questions I wanted to ask her! What her favorite prey was, what she did when she wasn't busy with warrior duties, what she dreamed about..

I was doing it again, I was letting her distract me from my goal. I did want to meet with her, true but this wasn't just about us or Shadowclan this was about the whole forest! The warrior code says that all clans able to help another must do it, even though I wasn't consulting Onestar directly, I knew this was the right thing to do and Morningdew had a tactful mind just like my own and was the only cat I could think of that would care about every cats welfare.

I absent-mindedly went through my other duties, "Nightfang, whats wrong with you?" Breezepelt hissed, "Just because you're a warrior now you think you can slack off?" he continued when I messed up a mid air turn. "Sorry Breezepelt, I guess im just tired from yesterdays battle." I lied and he snorted in response but didn't press the issue. While he was scolding the other apprentices I slipped away to clear my head.

I chased a few rabbits but didn't catch them since the hunting patrol from earlier had a large haul. I decided to walk back to camp and make sure someone saw me go to sleep in the warriors den, even though Hawkpaw wanted to talk over a vole I politely declined saying I was tired and wanted to get some rest. When I was sure I wouldn't be noticed I slipped out of the warriors den and blended in with the night sky as I made my way to the rocky slope I told Morningdew to meet me at.

I stopped and listened for any late night patrollers but I only herd the crickets and night songs of the owls. When I arrived I was happy to find that she hadn't arrived yet, my stomach churned with nervous energy and I tried to focus on the plan. I looked at the sky as the night clouds covered the moons bright light and though I would miss it shining through her pelt, I knew it would be better cover.

"Nightfang, is that you?" came a low whisper from the shadows and I turned to the tree barrier but saw no sign of were the voice came from. "Morningdew?" I responded focusing harder on the dark forest but once again I saw nothing.

A light chuckle filled my ears, "Who else did you invite her tonight?" I straightened and joked back, "I was actually hoping it was that charming friend of yours, what was his name? Scorchpuddle?" she laughed a bit louder and finally her silvery form emerged from the shadows. "How did you hide so well? I didn't even smell you?" I asked, my heart thudding louder with every step she took.

"Talent" was all she said, hey eyes glittered even in the dim light. She sat close to me and I almost forgot what I was going to say, "So what did your clan think about the gathering?" I asked and she didn't answer right away, "Wind clan thinks its some sort of hoax, just Shadowclan showing off but I don't think so, why would they send so many warriors?"

"I know, it doesn't make any sense." She said calmly, "Remember Crowfrost said they were trying to teach us a lesson? What did he mean?" she went on and I bristled at the memory of her being attacked by three cats. "Scorchflame convinced Bramblestar to do a border watch and attack any patrol that comes too close." I nodded, "Seems logical, I wouldn't want to take any chances. Does he have any plans to get information?" I asked and she shook her head.

"No, unless he plans to interrogate them. What was this plan you had?" that's right, my plan, "Right, I didn't like Rowanstar being so ignorant at the gathering, even if he was lying he seemed legitimately shocked at the accusation." I went on, "If he honest to Starclan doesn't know what happened then this is could potentially mean he could be over thrown by his own clan."

I was shocked to hear this, never in clan history has a leader been over thrown by their clan, "But that's no possible, even if the ran him out their next leader couldn't get their nine lives, worse than that how can Starclan support something so sneaky?" I wondered, "I am not sure what Starclan thinks, they didn't seem to speak up at the gathering and we don't have a connection with them like the medicine cats or leaders." He shrugged and we feel silent a moment, "So what was your plan?" she asked clearly, "Well now that I say it aloud it sounds dumb." I said sullenly, she wont go for it, she will think I am a mouse brain for sure.

"What is it Nightfang?" she pressed placing her tail supportively on my flank, I looked at her tail and then into her intense gaze, "I was thinking we could spy on them, at night of course. I mean I can listen from the bottom and you from the trees, we can listen to the warriors conversations and get a better picture of whats going on." I finished quickly and as her eyes grew thoughtful I waited impatiently for her answer,

"That would be dangerous, if we were caught I don't think Shadowclan would show mercy. Besides what if we cant get any information from them so late? They would be asleep after all." she asked, her tone wasn't harsh but interested, "Well if they see what actions your clan is taking to retaliate chances are they will do the same and post sentinels of their own, if anything I bet they will be more on guard and alert, even at night." She nodded and fell into thought her eyes darted from side to side as if she was watching a beetle in the sand. "Well, it would get us the clearest information…are we doing this alone?" I had thought about that, aside from a few warriors I don't think anyone in the clan is as fast as me in case we get caught, Morningdew was safest up a tree and I could distract them if need be.

"I think it should be just us for now, or clans are distracted enough and if it doesn't work then we don't risk ruining clan relations any further." She nodded in agreement, "I don't feel right hiding this from my clan but you are right, if we find out anything than we will need to tell Onestar and Bramblesatr but if we don't… I suppose every cat can have a secret." I smiled and my heart swelled with warmth, she would keep our relationship a secret, our business relationship of course…nothing else, as soon as this was over we could go back to our duties as warriors. She smiled back at me and just then the moons light stuck out through a cloud and shown in her eyes, my heart leapt at the sight and I didn't want to look away.

"I like the plan, lets meet back here tomorrow night and infiltrate Shadowclans territory and see what we can find out." She said breaking the silence, "Yes, see you tomorrow night then." I agreed and turned to leave, she didn't move and I looked back raising an eyebrow,

"You have another leaf on your head." She smiled and backed away right into a tree, "Oh, its dark out huh?" she laughed and disappeared into a bush. I couldn't help but smile as I pawed my head to remove the leaf, once again there was none and I just shook my head my mood dramatically lighter as I made my way back to camp.