Warriors: The Darkest Shadow [Book 1]

Chapter 5

     Shadepaw fell in step with her brother, "Our first gathering! Excited?" She asked as they padded through the ThunderClan oak forest, "Sure." He replied gruffly then began speeding ahead. Just trying to lighten the mood. She thought with bitterness, she missed Ashpaw to! She was abruptly snapped out of her thoughts when suddenly the group of cats began sprinting through the forest and onto WindClan moors.

     When they finally stopped running Shadepaw was exhausted, "Its tiring the first few times, but you'll get used to it." Glorystem meowed reassuringly, "Thanks Glorystem." She replied as the black she-cat began towards a big tree that bridged across a part of the lake. "Breath taking huh?" Hawkfeather said as he appeared beside her, "Did you know that this bridge fell on an old WindClan deputy named Mudclaw many many many moons ago?" Hawkfeather asked as he leaped onto the tree, "Really?" She asked with amazement as she leaped onto the tree after him.

     Hawkfeather walked steadily in front of her, long ago when she was only one or two moons old, she had wanted the brown, frosty blue-eyed tom to be her mate when he was still an apprentice, but when he became a warrior and revealed he and Silversong were having kits, even though none survived, Shadekit had known it was not meant to be.

     Even though, Shadepaw still hung onto that small bit of love towards the warrior, in case he finally came around.

     She had been so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn't even realize that they were at the other end of the fallen tree, the full moon shone bright in the sky, and Starpelt looked more lively than before, Hawkfeather padded off towards a group of WindClan cats, she saw Cloudpaw walking towards some SkyClan cats, "Where will I go?" She muttered to herself, suddenly she felt something ram into her back.

     Shadepaw twisted around to see her 'attacker' "What in the name of StarClan!" She hissed, the cat that had hit her was revealed to be a ShadowClan tom not much bigger than her with green eyes, "I'm sorry. Please don't hurt me." He meowed with worry, "Its ok. I'm Shadepaw." She said with sympathy as the tom stood up, "L-Larkpaw." He replied.

     "So is Ashpaw here?" She asked quickly. "No, Darkstar wouldn't let him since he was new, wait how do you know Ashpaw?" Larkpaw asked with concern, "He's my brother. I was just concerned." She replied, Larkpaw sat down and began licking his paw. "So? Medicine cat apprentice?" He asked, starting up a conversation, "No! Warrior for sure!" She snapped at him, "Sorry, sorry." Larkpaw said unaffected by her tone, before they could continue their conversation a booming voice rang through the island.

     "Its time for the Gathering!" A black tom said from a branch high in the sky, clouds swarmed in the sky everywhere except in front of the moon, Shadepaw could feel her warrior ancestors were watching intently,
" I Darkstar of ShadowClan have a message!" The tom said, suddenly a small grey she-cat was climbing up the tree.

     As the she-cat climbed Larkpaw bent over and whispered in her ear " That's Littlestorm, the ShadowClan medicine cat." Shadepaw didn't know how. But she could feel that the small she-cat was a medicine cat, confusion started to cloud her mind.

     How do I feel this? I thought only medicine cats could tell these things. Shadepaw thought.

     "My medicine cat Littlestorm has had a vision!" Darkstar turned his head towards her, they looked oddly similar, "StarClan has a new prophecy!" She started.

     Suddenly Shadepaw saw that the lake was shining brightly, she started padding over, curiosity was filling her more and more with each passing second, soon she was staring at the water.

     First she saw her reflection, a white apprentice with shaded spots and blue eyes, as she was about to turn away, she saw the water start to stir, slowly replacing her face was a blue eyed black she-cat, and lots of different starry cats surrounded her.

     Both the mysterious she-cat and Littlestorm said in unison, "Only the Shade can stop the Shadow..." Then all she could see was herself.

     Gasps rang through the clearing, suddenly a familiar white shape appeared beside her, "What's wrong Shadepaw?" Cloudpaw asked, I can't tell him yet. She thought, "Nothing! Just missing Ashpaw." She lied, Cloudpaw nodded in understanding as he began towards the group of same group of SkyClan cats as earlier, she saw his icy blue eyes were focused on one she-cat in particular, a ginger she-cat with green eyes.

     "You good Shadepaw?" She heard the voice of Larkpaw, "Yeah I'm fine." She said as she sat down beside him, he rested his tail on hers, "Even though were from different Clans, you can still talk if you need to." He said generously, Shadepaw knew she shouldn't, but she felt oddly comforted by his words, the comfort started making her talk.

     "I'm not just from ThunderClan. I'm also part ShadowClan, Ashpaw left me and Cloudpaw for our father, Scorchfang, and-" She hesitated about telling him about the prophecy, You've told him everything else! You mouse-brain! Telling a ShadowClan cat about your half-born secret! But she ignored her thoughts and began talking again, "And I was given a prophecy." She quietly meowed, Larkpaw sat there stunned at her words, "The same one as Littlestorm?" He asked, his expression was unreadable, Shadepaw nodded in reply.

     At that time she saw other cats getting up and padding towards their Clans, she shot up and began towards the ThunderClan group, she suddenly stopped and turned back towards Larkpaw, "Thank you for listening. And tell Ashpaw I said hi." She meowed, then sprinted towards her clanmates.