Darkness Rising Super Edition: The Rise of Darkflame

Chapter 7

Pebblefrost felt rain droplets beginning to fall across her white and blue-gray fur, and she lot out a snort of annoyance. She could see the other patrol cats, Mothwhisker, Larkstorm, and Beetlestep ahead of her. Pebblefrost then saw movement catch the corner of her eye, and she spotted a shrew. Pebblefrost quickly crouched down into the tall grasses, and took small steps towards the shrew. After getting close enough, she leaped, landing onto the small creature with enough force to kill it. She saw Beetlestep walk up to her.

"Hey, great catch!" he purred. Before Pebblefrost could thank him, she saw Larkstorm approach her as well.

"Nice job, Pebblefrost." Larkstorm meowed. Pebblefrost smiled.

"Thanks." she responded. She noticed that Mothwhisker was sitting next to a nearby tree, looking annoyed that Pebblefrost, one of the younger warriors, had made a catch before her. Beetlestep could sense Pebblefrost's worry, and moved to her side.

"Don't worry. Mothwhisker's always been like this. I guess she just doesn't like young cats." Beetlestep whispered before walking ahead. Pebblefrost nodded, and followed the patrol back to camp. Rain began to fall harder from the dark gray, clouded sky, and the wet grasses prickled her paws, making her uncomfortable. Mothwhisker kept moaning with annoyance, and Pebblefrost tried to ignore her. As the patrol entered camp, Pebblefrost could see cats sitting down in their dens, taking shelter from the rain. Pebblefrost dropped her catch into the fresh-kill-pile, and in return, took a mouse for herself, and entered the warriors' den. As she quietly ate her prey, she saw one of the older warriors, Dawnmoon, let out a huff of annoyance.

"There's a leak in the den right above my nest!" she grumbled. The cream-colored warrior locked her amber-eyed gaze on the nearest apprentice, Loudpaw. "Go fix this leak!" she hissed with anger and she wrapped her tail around her body and curled up. Pebblefrost glared at Dawnmoon before finishing up her prey, laying down in her moss bedding, and resting.

Blackfire walked up to Fernshade. "Want to head out with me?" Blackfire asked.

"Where are we heading?" Fernshade asked. Blackfire glanced around, making sure no one was near.

"We need to discuss how we're going kill Gildedstar." Blackfire whispered. Fernshade backed up and nodded. Blackfire led Fernshade out of camp.

They walked across moor, and into an abandoned badger set. They sat down, Blackfire already hatching an idea. "So what's your whole idea on Gildedstar's demise?" Fernshade asked.

"We need to speak with the rogues." Blackfire muttered.

"What? Why?" Fernshade asked.

"Well, we get the rogues to attack camp. While everyone's distracted I'll kill Gildedstar." Blackfire meowed. Fernshade nodded and they walked out of the badger set and ran to the barn.

Pebblefrost watched as Fernshade and Blackfire walked out of camp together. Confused, Pebblefrost wondered why they were out of camp together. Blackfire doesn't know how to hunt well... and Fernshade has a position as deputy to hold... Pebblefrost thought to herself. But she thought she might as well leave them be. Maybe he's helping her collect herbs. Pebblefrost's mind mewed. She saw Gildedstar sitting outside his den, eating a piece of prey that he had gotten. Pebblefrost saw that the rain had stopped, but she touched her paw to the ground, feeling the grasses still damp with raindrops. Pebblefrost decided to walk to the medicine den to check up on Snowpaw while Blackfire was away. As she entered, she saw the snow-white apprentice was sorting herbs. She smiled once she saw Pebblefrost.

"Oh, hello!" Snowpaw greeted. "Come on in!" she mewed. Pebblefrost entered the medicine den, and watched as she sorted herbs with ease.

"Wow, you've learned a lot!" Pebblefrost purred. "How's your leg doing, by the way?" she asked. Snowpaw turned around to look at her mentor's sister.

"It's completely better, thanks to Blackfire!" she meowed. Pebblefrost smiled.

"I'm glad to hear. Do you want help sorting herbs while Blackfire is away?" Pebblefrost questioned. Snowpaw nodded.

"I'd like that." Snowpaw responded. Pebblefrost glanced at the herbs that were collected, and recognized marigold, cobweb, and feverfew by their distinct features. The other herbs that Pebblefrost didn't know were being sorted by Snowpaw. Pebblefrost neatly sorted them into individual piles on top of the storage rack, where the herbs would be. Pebblefrost watched as Snowpaw moved fast; the young she-cat knew her herbs well. Pebblefrost finally finished sorting her herbs, and Snowpaw turned around.

"Thanks for helping me, Pebblefrost. Blackfire will be glad that this entire pile of herbs is all sorted." Snowpaw purred. Pebblefrost looked at the young she-cat.

"No problem. I'll be heading off now." she meowed as she exited the den and walked towards the warriors' den. She noticed that Blackfire still hadn't returned yet, but knew that she was probably collecting catmint or some herb that is further away. She then saw Kestrelbelly walk up to her.

"Want to come hunting? We need prey to feed the elders." she explained. Pebblefrost nodded, wanting to try her best to help her Clan.

"Of course." Pebblefrost responded.

"Great! We can go hunting near BranchClan, we haven't checked up on them lately." Kestrelbelly replied as the two she-cats exited camp. They headed through the moor, the dark, shadowy forest hiding itself in the distance. As they approached it, they could smell the scent of fresh prey with the season of Newleaf. Pebblefrost flicked the tip of her tail towards an underground rabbit den, and they both headed towards it. Kestrelbelly leaped in front of the entrance so the rabbits inside wouldn't escape, while Pebblefrost clawed into it from the top, and dug her claws into the bodies of the rabbits. She pulled them out from the den, seeing there was three, and smiled.

"Wow, that's a lot of prey! Lets head back, the elders are waiting for us." Pebblefrost mewed as her and Kestrelbelly picked up their catches and headed back towards camp.

The two cats walked into the barn, cats stared at them with a fixed annoyance. "What do you need?" a figure in a distance meowed. Blackfire walked up to the tom, Fernshade in tow.

"I need your help to kill off the leader of CloverClan." Blackfire hissed. The silhouette of the tom leapt down from the hay barrel.

"What's in it for us?" The tom spat.

"Well glad you mentioned that, Jake. You'll have more prey than the average barn mice, and more territory covered in CloverClan." Blackfire meowed. Jake looked shocked, then got back to his stern face and nodded.

"Very well then. We will be attacking at dusk." Jake meowed. Blackfire nodded and the two cats headed back to CloverClan camp.

Blackfire walked into camp, marigold clenched in her jaw. Blackfire saw Pebblefrost getting attention from the patrol as she held a rabbit. Blackfire rolled her eyes and walked into her den. Blackfire saw the pile of herbs sorted and smiled as she sat down her marigold into the pile of the other marigold. "Snowpaw, did you do all this? This is amazing!" Blackfire mewed. Snowpaw looked happy but shook her head.

"Pebblefrost helped!" Snowpaw mewled with excitement. Blackfire was less happy and nodded solemnly. Snowpaw looked confused.

"Aren't you glad I got help from Pebblefrost? Don't you love your sister?' Snowpaw asked.

"I- well... it's quite hard to explain." Blackfire replied bluntly. Snowpaw looked surprised and realized something might've happened between the two. Blackfire watched as her apprentice curled up and fallen asleep. Blackfire yawned, then remembered the rogues and walked out of camp.

Pebblefrost entered the den, feeling really tired after all the effort she put into hunting and sorting herbs. Her mind suddenly flashed to Darkflame, and wondered if he had spoken to Blackfire at all. She knew he had evil intentions and was taking advantage of Blackfire. But she knew there was nothing she could do as of right now, and curled up into her nest. Then, she saw Cinderstripe enter the den, prey in her mouth, and she dropped half of a squirrel for Pebblefrost.

"Here, you helped Snowpaw, you deserve it." Cinderstripe meowed, but before Pebblefrost could thank her, she walked up to her nest and laid down. Pebblefrost remained wordless, but ate anyways. Then, she curled up and fell asleep quickly.