Warriors: The Darkest Shadow [Book 1]

Chapter 9

     Shadepaw followed Larkpaw, with Cloudpaw close behind, they were almost to the RiverClan camp, but Shadepaw could already smell the unforgetting smell of badger, and death.

     When they arrived the camp was splattered with blood, Shadepaw even saw a motionless white body splayed out in the camp, then she saw the badgers.

     There were two badgers, both with almost identical markings, the black face bits with the long stripe down their backs, the bigger badger was fighting a group of apprentices, while the other one was fighting a single grey warrior, "Leafstream!" Frogleap exclaimed as he leapt down gracefully to help the she-cat, Shadepaw jumped towards the bigger one with Cloudpaw on her heels.

     When they reached the badger, it slashed its heavy paw at the apprentices, hitting one tom apprentice on the side, "Perchpaw!" The other two apprentices exclaimed as the yellow tom fell to the ground, Shadepaw leaped on the badgers back, unsheathing her claws and biting onto its scruff, the badger squealed with pain.

     She saw the other apprentice follow her lead, except for Perchpaw, whom still laid flat, heavily breathing, Shadepaw saw Larkpaw grab his scruff and pull him to the side, she was happy that he came with them, suddenly the badger shook, swinging Shadepaw around with it, "Help!" She screamed through the badgers scruff, blood started to drip down its neck, making it go more berserk.

     "I got you Shadepaw!" Cloudpaw said as he sprung onto the badgers muzzle, Shadepaw let go of the badgers neck in time to see her brother, he clawed at it's nose, making it screech in agony, it took its right paw and slashed at Cloudpaw, knocking him to the ground, "Cloudpaw!" She screeched, the badger grunted and bounded to the stunned apprentice, before Shadepaw could bite down the badger clawed her brother's face, leaving a long scar across his right eye.

     The badger grunted, seeming happy with what it did. Shadepaw jumped off its back and sprinted towards her brother. "Cloudpaw?" She whispered into his ear, he had a crimson scar on his back, as well as his head, the whole right side of his face was stained blood red, "S-Shadepaw?" He rasped, "I can only half see you." Her brother whispered, "Shadepaw watch out!" She heard Nightpool yowl, Shadepaw twisted around to see the badger swiping at her, Shadepaw braced herself, when suddenly a black pelt flashed in front of her.

     Shadepaw heard a sickening crunch, then suddenly Nightpool fell to the ground, the badger looked pleased at the damage it had done, it bellowed to the smaller badger, then they turned to leave. Shadepaw stood over Nightpool's body, the medicine cats breath grew shorter by the second, "Nightpool!" Frogleap exclaimed as he sprinted up to her, he put his nose to her fur, "Tell Bluefeather, to go to the moonpool, I must, speak with her." Nightpool said, then her head hit the ground.

     "No!" The RiverClan medicine cat hissed, Shadepaw turned to her brother, his sides went up and down slowly. Shadepaw sighed with relief, suddenly a small calico apprentice padded up to Cloudpaw, "Back off!" Shadepaw hissed at the she-cat, "Its ok. I'm a medicine cat apprentice, my names Spottedpaw, I'm gonna help him." She said.

      "I'm C-Cloudpaw." He coughed, "Well nice to meet you Cloudpaw." She said to him, "Will you help me carry him to the medicine den?" Spottedpaw asked her, Shadepaw's skin crawled at the thought of them two alone, "Of course," She said through gritted teeth.

     As they neared the medicine den Shadepaw began to feel sick, the smell of death was overwhelming, "It's a little crowded in their, just let me get some stuff and we can go somewhere else." The apprentice meowed in Cloudpaw's ear, he nodded in reply.

     Shadepaw poked her head into the medicine den, there was an elder, two warriors, and a kit each splayed out in different nests, an old black and white she-cat stood over the kit with herbs, "Here Minnowkit, you have to eat these to get better, so you can become a big strong warrior." She meowed to the kit, the silver tom-kit nibbled at the herb. That must be Spottedwing. She thought.

     "Come on Shadepaw." Spottedpaw mewed to her, Shadepaw turned around and looked at the camp, some RiverClan cats were washing off in the river, Shadepaw shivered as a cooling wind blew by, "Shadepaw, could you go look to see if anyone else needs my help?" The apprentice asked, "Yeah, sure." She replied.

      "No I'm ok. Just a scratch or two." Replied a silver warrior, Shadepaw had gone around asking every cat if they were ok, only Perchpaw went to Spottedpaw, Shadepaw began back towards the apprentice, she couldn't wait to curl up against her brother in her nest and forget he was ever hurt, forget her brother tried to hurt her, a strong wind blew across the camp, Shadepaw wished the wind could have taken her thoughts with it.

     When Shadepaw neared the willow tree Spottedpaw was under, she saw Cloudpaw sitting beside her, eating a fish. "Cloudpaw!" She exclaimed with joy as she ran up to him, When he turned toward her, Shadepaw froze, he had a long cut on his eye, he still had his eyeball, but it was still red, the once lake blue eyes her brother had, was now one lake blue, and one faint ice blue, "Oh, Cloudpaw." She whispered.

     "Sorry Shadepaw, Cloudpaw is half blind." Spottedpaw meowed to her. Shadepaw stood in horror, "S-So you can only see half of me?" Shadepaw stammered, as Cloudpaw nodded in reply, Tigerblaze's yowl rang across the RiverClan camp, "ThunderClan! We must be getting back to camp. Nightpool's body will be buried here. Where she died, now. Lets head out!" He said.

     "Bye Cloudpaw, I hope to see you at the gathering." Spottedpaw said to her brother, "Me too, bye Spottedpaw." Cloudpaw replied as he began following Shadepaw. I can't wait to go to bed. Shadepaw thought as she began following Tigerblaze.