Warriors AU: Into the Wild

Chapter 16

They headed back the way they had come. The moon had disappeared behind a bank of clouds. It was dark, but at least the Thunderpath was quieter now. The only monster they heard was far off in the distance. The cats crossed the path together and pushed their way through the hedge on the other side.

Sandpaw could feel his muscles growing stiff with tiredness as they hurried on. Oakstar kept up a swift pace with her nose thrust forward and her tail high. Goldenflower loped beside her. Sandpaw followed a few paces behind with Silverpaw, but Patchpaw was flagging.

"Keep up, Patchpaw!" Goldenflower growled over his shoulder.

Patchpaw flinched and bounded forward until she caught up with Sandpaw and Silverpaw.

"Are you okay?" Sandpaw asked.

"Yes," Patchpaw panted, not meeting Sandpaw's eyes. "Just a bit tired."

They scrambled down a deep ditch and up the other side.

"What did Goldenflower say when he came out of the cave?" Sandpaw meowed, trying not to sound too curious.

"He wanted to check that we were still guarding the entrance," replied Silverpaw. "Why?"

Sandpaw hesitated. "Did you scent anything strange about him?" he asked.

"Only that damp old cave," Silverpaw mewed, looking surprised.

"He seemed a little edgy," ventured Patchpaw.

"He wasn't the only one!" Silverpaw meowed, looking at the black and white cat.

"What do you mean?" asked Patchpaw.

"Just that the fur on your neck stands up whenever you see him these days," whispered Silverpaw. "You nearly jumped out of your skin when he came out of the cave."

"He just surprised me, that's all," Patchpaw protested. "You have to admit, it was a bit creepy by Mothermouth."

"I suppose so," agreed Silverpaw.

The cats slipped under a hedge into a cornfield that glowed silver in the moonlight, and followed the ditch that ran around its edge.

"So what was it like inside, Sandpaw?" Silverpaw demanded. "Did you see the Moonstone?"

"Yes, I did. It was amazing!" Sandpaw felt his fur tingle at the memory.

Silverpaw shot him an admiring glance. "So it's true! The rock really does shine underground."

Sandpaw didn't reply. He closed his eyes for a moment, savoring the image of the Moonstone that dazzled his mind. Then pictures from his dream crowded into his head, and his eyes shot open. Oakstar was right: they had to get back to camp as quickly as they could.

Ahead, Goldenflower and Oakstar had leaped through a fence, out of the cornfield. The apprentices followed, squeezing under the fence onto an earth track. It was the path that led past the Twoleg nest and the dogs. Sandpaw looked up and saw Oakstar and Goldenflower trotting tirelessly together, silhouetted against a skyline tinged with red. The sun would be rising soon.

"Look!" he called to Silverpaw and Patchpaw. An unfamiliar cat had jumped out in front of the two warriors.

"It's a loner!" hissed Silverpaw. The three apprentices hurried forward.

The stranger was a small black she-cat, shorter than the warriors, but well muscled.

"This is Raven," Oakstar explained to the apprentices as they caught up. "She lives near this Twoleg nest."

"Hi!" meowed the cat. "I haven't seen any of your Clan for some moons. How are you, Oakstar?"

"I'm well, thank you," replied Oakstar. "And you, Raven? How's the prey been running since we last passed this way?"