Ghosts of the Clans (COMPLETED)

Chapter 24

"Tonight will change everything." Tigerstar growled, and Redwillow's ear twitched in enthusiasm. "This mission will be the first of many." Tigerstar was going to take them into Clan territories, and Redwillow hoped with all his heart that he would be the first to experience this special mission.

"Knowledge is power. Knowledge of your battle territory will give you the greatest advantage imaginable because it will be the last thing your enemies expect. Most of you are unfamiliar with the territories beside the lake, so I will be taking you to visit each Clan- without them realizing, of course- and you can learn the best places to fight." Tigerstar continued.

Redwillow stepped forward, his chin high. "Where to lie in wait!" He felt pleased when Hollowflight clawed the earth. "Where to corner your enemy." "And where to chase your prey." Thistleclaw swung his long, gray tail, his amber eyes gleaming with menace.

"Which territory will we start with?" Ivypool called from the back of the crowd where she sat with Blossomfall. Tigerstar's twitched his whiskers. "ThunderClan." I'm going! Redwillow sat up straighter, hoping that the dark brown tabby tom would pick him.

"I'd like to see that." Mapleshade shambled forward. "Me too!" Sparrowfeather bounded forward. 

Tigerstar narrowed his eyes. "Any other volunteers?" Tigerheart- who had finally come- and Furzepelt from WindClan shouldered their way to the front. Redwillow got to his paws, but found himself pushed back down by Darkstripe. "You aren't even a warrior yet," he snarked, yellow eyes malignant. Redwillow glared at him but didn't protest.

"And from RiverClan?" Tigerstar was meowing. He looked at Beetlewhisker. "You'll do. And Hollowflight." Hollowflight's an apprentice too! Redwillow silently dared Darkstripe to speak up, but the striped dark gray tabby tom stayed silent.

"What about my apprentices? Birchfall and Redwillow deserve to go. And her." Ivypool challenged Tigerstar boldly, and Redwillow felt a prick of excitement. Finally, some cat stood up for him.

Tigerstar dipped his head. "Very well, Ivypool. They can come too." "And me?" Trust Ivypool to be so daring.

Tigerstar showed his teeth. "Of course. You can be our guide." He murmured smoothly, then nodded to Brokenstar. "I'll report back when we return." He leaped from the log and padded between the trees, signaling with his tail.

They walked through gloomy glades, foul-smelling bogs that were no more than muddy trickles, until suddenly the earth beneath Redwillow's paws softened into grass. When he looked up, the shadows had lifted and the moon shone in the wide, starry sky. It's so beautiful...

Then, the stench of ThunderClan hit him- the ferns spilling across their path were rich with ThunderClan scents. But still, he didn't wrinkle his nose, unlike Hollowflight, who murmured to Ivypool, "How can you live with this stench?" The ThunderClan she-cat teased back, "If you put up with our scent, then I'll put up with yours when we visit RiverClan territory."

Redwillow fell in beside them, feeling the need to thank Ivypool. Otherwise, I'd be staying back at the Dark Forest, instead of getting all this knowledge! "Thanks for getting me on the patrol. The more I learn, the sooner I'll be like a real Dark Forest warrior," he whispered to her.

"A real Dark Forest warrior? Don't you just want to be the best ShadowClan warrior you can be?" Ivypool jerked her head around and stared at him. "Dark Forest warriors are way stronger. And they don't worry about rules." Hollowflight backed Redwillow up, nudging Ivypool's shoulder.

Relieved to have at least one cat who shared his feelings about the Dark Forest, Redwillow nodded. "I feel like I'm training with kittypets when I'm with my Clanmates." "Here, only the strongest survive," Hollowflight growled.

"It should be like that in the Clans," Redwillow added, glad to be able to express himself. But Ivypool stared at him, shock sparking in her dark blue eyes. "Would you let your Clanmates die if they were weak?"

Of course! But alarm ignited in Redwillow's heart when he saw the horror in her eyes. Realising that he'd revealed too much, he glanced at Hollowflight. "O-of course not. We were just saying that we've got a lot to learn from the Dark Forest warriors, that's all. So we can be true warriors." That was true, at least. He didn't want to lie to Ivypool, who may have a little loyalty to her Clan.

But as he listened to the rest of the patrol, he didn't know who else in the Dark Forest shared his same decision.

That wherever the Dark Forest stood, he would stand with them.

Even against the Clans- even ShadowClan itself.

But he didn't know how soon his words would come true.