Nightfrost's Choice

Chapter 5

"Wake up."

Nightpaw yawned as her eyes fluttered open, Moonshadow's nose cold against her pelt.

The battle, she remembered, and suddenly the warm Greenleaf air seemed cold and frosty.

Sitting up, Nightpaw brushed against her sister as Dewpaw woke up too, her blue eyes dull from sleep.

"Wash quickly." Moonshadow ordered, her black and white fur already sleek and shiny, her tail flicking anxiously.

Nightpaw obeyed and began to quickly groom her fur with quick, rapid strokes, straightening her whiskers and sharpening her claws against a stone. She felt reassured by their sharpness, because she could easily slice off a cat's whiskers with their pointy tips.

Padding to the clearing beside Dewpaw and Moonshadow, Sparrowheart was the first to greet her.

"Nervous?" Her father asked, then added, "Don't worry. It's natural for you to be nervous. If any cat asks, tell em' Sparrowheart sent you. That should send them running."

Nightpaw felt bubbly up inside now, because her father's weak jokes helped relax her jumping nerves. Flexing her muscles and stretching, Nightpaw looked up just as Cedartail padded over to her.

"Remember your training." Her mentor said quickly, his blue eyes excited. His eyes softened, and he leaned down to lick Nightpaw on the ear comfortingly. "You'll do fine. I'm sure of it."

The mentor-apprentice bonding moment was broken as Fernstar swarmed up on High Boulder.

"Cats of ValleyClan!" She announced. "Today.... We attack! Now, I want you all to know that I wouldn't ask you to do something that I'm not willing to do myself." Fernstar showed her claws, and the Clan seemed to relax a teensy wee sy bit. "Today, we will show StreamClan who we are- and that our hearts are equal strength to our claws. Let's spill the blood of our enemy!"

Cheering erupted around Nightpaw, and queasiness crept into her pelt like an ant.
Her clanmates were so eager to spill blood.... It was scary.

Nightpaw was jerked out of her thoughts as fernstar assigned the patrols.

There was going to be a first patrol, which started the attack. Then, when the StreamClan cats thought they were defeated, the second patrol would finish them off.

"On the first patrol, I want Rockshade, Cedartail, Nightpaw, Owltalon, Brackenstalk, Ripplefur, Fogpaw, and Sparrowheart. On the second patrol, I want , Snaketail, Sunfire, Swiftpaw, Meadowleap, Dewpaw, Moonshadow, and Lionmane. Mistycloud and Lemurtail will stay behind to protect the elders and help Vinetail with the injured. I will be in the first patrol."

Fernstar sprang off High Boulder, her green eyes beautiful and determined. She tilted her head to the sky, which Nightpaw noticed was tinged gray since the sun hadn't even started to come up yet. "Let's go."

"Good luck!" Dewpaw hissed in her ear as the First Patrol headed out, and Moonshadow licked her ears.

"Make me proud." Her mother whispersed, her eyes glimmering with pride, and Nightpaw found her voice caught in her throat.

"I will, Mom."

Sparrowheart's sharp call made her jump.

"Nightpaw! Let's go!"

Nightpaw bounded over to her father and her mentor, squeezing between their pelts.

"Be quick and descicive in battle." Cedartail advised. "Remember your training and try to only take on cats your size. But don't underestimate a small cat."