Warriors: In The Cold of Night [1]

Chapter 10

Featherheart woke up to a howling, chilly wind. Featherheart looked out of the warrior's den and saw a raging blizzard. The atmosphere was almost impossible to see through, it was also slightly dark even though it was shortly after dawn. A few snowflakes fell through the small canopy that protected the inside of the warrior's den. Spottedfur and Sandydusk were huddled close together; they were both shivering. Snowfoot and Thorntail were huddled close together as well.

Copperburn and his brother, Dustflight, were sitting near the back of the den. Orangeleaf and Rosepelt were sleeping near each other, not minding the cold, or any other cat in the den. Lightfoot and Flamepelt were keeping watch. Shadowstalk was planted right next to Featherheart.

Featherheart saw a dark figure run blindly towards the warrior's den. When the dark figure made it inside of the den, Featherheart realized that the figure was Redstar. The black and dark ginger leader was covered in snow. Redstar shook her fur to get the cold snow off, luckily, the snow wasn't melting onto her pelt.

"All ThunderClan members must stay inside of their dens until this blizzard is over. Any cats caught outside could possibly get lost and be hurt." Redstar mewed in a serious tone. "I will go to the apprentice's den to get the apprentices because they have little to no cover." Redstar sprinted out of the warrior's den and headed in the direction of the apprentice's den.

Featherheart did not see Sharpleaf anywhere in the den. Featherheart wondered where he went. Featherheart slid outside and was immediately bombarded by snow and wind. Sandydusk looked like she was about to follow Featherheart, but she stayed in the den.

Featherheart could just barely see her paws in front of her eyes. She pushed forward through the intense blizzard. Featherheart picked up a faint scent of Sharpleaf. Featherheart began to follow it. She carefully bounded up the ravine and continued to follow the weak scent. Featherheart's pelt felt heavy under all of the snow. She shook herself but she was still cold.

Featherheart followed the scent through the undergrowth. She pushed past the wilted tendrils and clumps of bracken until she reached the end of Sharpleaf's scent. It ended at a tree with a messy pile of dirt-covered snow at its roots.

Featherheart sniffed the roots and it had a sharp scent of Sharpleaf. Featherheart then scented The RiverClan border markers. Featherheart wondered why he was this close to RiverClan territory. The blizzard died down to a whistle in the wind. It was still white in the atmosphere, but Featherheart could see farther.

Featherheart padded out of the undergrowth and saw the river. She stalked closer to the river, but when she could see the river clearly, there were huge chunks of ice in it. Featherheart put one paw on the ice. She could tell that it was still forming, but she had never seed a river freeze this quick. Featherheart felt the coldness of the snow seep into her pelt. She shivered, and then wondered what would happen if a cat fell into the river while it was this cold.

Featherheart's pads felt numb and her nose too. Featherheart wished she had stayed in the den. Suddenly, Featherheart spotted movement through the thick atmosphere. It was a dark, slim figure. Could that be Sharpleaf? Featherheart thought to herself. She watched as the figure leaped onto the slippery ice. The cat was slipping, and then another figure led the figure to dry land.

Featherheart snuck up to the cats. She leaped onto the ice, but then began to slip. She held herself up and leaped to the other side where the land was dry. Featherheart landed face first in a pile of snow. She was glad she didn't fall into the frigid and icy water. Featherheart hid herself and snuck up on the cats. She stepped softly so that the crunch of the snow wasn't loud and wouldn't make the cats know that she was there.

When Featherheart was close enough, she saw that it was Sharpleaf and Dovefur. Dovefur was in a loaf position whilst Sharpleaf licked her clean. The two cats' tails were twined with each other's.

Featherheart curled her lip in a snarl. Sharpleaf was betraying his Clan by meeting with this RiverClan cat. She unsheathed her claws and pounced on Dovefur. She sank her claws into each of Dovefur's shoulders. Featherheart could tell that Dovefur wasn't expecting any attackers. Dovefur fought back by slashing at Featherheart's flank. Featherheart sank her teeth into Dovefur's shoulder. Sharpleaf was stunned and pounced on Featherheart and pinned her.

Sharpleaf bared his teeth at Featherheart. Sharpleaf snarled. Featherheart was about to kick Sharpleaf off of her, but she realized that she was pinned by the Clan deputy. Featherheart sheathed her claws and waited for Sharpleaf to say something. Sharpleaf's bared teeth and aggressive look turned into a guilty and ashamed face.

"I'm sorry Featherheart, and to ThunderClan too. Please don't tell anyone about this, I'm begging you." Sharpleaf pleaded. Featherheart sat up and stepped back. "Me? Not tell anyone?" She hissed. "Why wouldn't I? You betrayed your Clan by meeting with Dovefur. And you're the Clan deputy for StarClan's sake!"

"Just hear me out, I never intended on seeing her more than once. She told me to meet her by the river after the gathering at sunhigh if I was available. After talking to her at the gathering, I did go." Sharpleaf sighed. "You know what, I'll tell you the whole thing from my perspective."

Dovefur eyed suspiciously Featherheart and Featherheart kept her claws unsheathed, just so she could be ready if the gray she-cat attacks.