Hollowfire's Rising

2

Hollowfire spun around, her anger rising.
    Who puts Firespring and Wishingbreeze on a patrol together?
    With me?
    Hollowfire had returned to camp, only to find out that she had to go on a border patrol with her Clanmates. Worst of all, they were the two Clanmates that she hated the most! They were always acting so . . . so adorable and sweet and it was HORRIBLE. Could she ever GET A BREAK?
    With a sigh, she followed them out of the camp. Her heart almost stopped as she realized something sickening.
    Duskfang will kill me if I don't go to the Burnt Sycamore!
    Suddenly, a pelt brushed against hers. She turned around and at once heat rose beneath her pelt.
    A gray she-cat was padding alongside her. Firespring and Wishingbreeze looked uncomfortable, and Hollowfire realized that Duskfang must have asked to join the patrol.
    Suddenly, the yellow-eyed she-cat beside her halted. "You go on ahead! We want to patrol the Burnt Sycamore." She called to Firespring and Wishingbreeze. The two ahead of her nodded reluctantly and continued toward Carrionplace.
    As Hollowfire and Duskfang trotted toward their meeting place, she suddenly halted and turned on Duskfang. "What are we going to do?" She hissed.
    The older she-cat looked uncomfortable. "Well, we can throw her off the gorge, like you suggested."
    Hollowfire rolled her eyes. "WindClan isn't as dumb as you think. I'm sure they'll notice a scream of terror. And anyways, how are we supposed to get to the gorge with Dewpad? We're like, the least trusted cats in the Clan! Of course she's not going to drop everything to come with us to a cliff that no one can survive!"
    "Well it was your idea!"
    A sharp gasp sounded behind them.
    Instantly Hollowfire's anger melted to be replaced with fear.
    "Come out!" She yowled at the bushes beside them.
    A trembling apprentice stepped out.
    "So, Rootpaw. Do you want to tell us what you are doing here?"
    Rootpaw looked uncomfortable. "Well I was following Quickwater and I got lost because a fox attacked us and um . . . you can't do that! I don't know who you're planning to kill, but you can't kill anyone!"
    "Oh, but you're only an apprentice! You can't tell us what we can and can't do. Now why don't you run along and get back to your mentor?" Duskfang replied coolly.
    "I'm not leaving you alone! I'll-I'll tell Lightningstar!"
    "Such a shame." Hollowfire said with mock pity. "So much potential wasted.
    Rootpaw suddenly seemed to realize her mistake. "Wait, I'm sorry! I won't tell Lightningstar! I didn't mean it!"
    However, the two were already stalking forward.
    Something flashed at the edge of Hollowfire's vision. She spun around with a snarl and leaped forward just as a white tom raced out from behind a tree.
    The cat fell over with a screech of pain.
    "Quickwater! NO!" Rootpaw yowled, though she was held back by Duskfang. With a final wail, the brown apprentice dropped onto the ground.
    Something flashed in Quickwater's eyes and he suddenly got up, unsheathing his claws and batting them at Hollowfire.
    Something dark flashed at the russet-colored she-cat's vision, and in a moment Quickwater was laying dead at a new cat's paws.
    "Greetings, ShadowClan. My name is Badgerwing."