Warriors: A New Hope

Chapter Twelve

"I...I can't see!" Spat the fox-felted tom, his whiskers twitching in frustration.  

It was so dark that the whole forest went dead silent; the only sound left was the snow drifting effortlessly across the frozen ground, just barely touching the thick winter pelts of the cats. The slightest sound, just a mere whisper, jolted the young she-cat awake, sending her mind in a flurry of apprehension. Her heart thudded in her chest, so hard and so fast that she swore it was the loudest thing in the forest. She shook slightly with trepidation, her ears twitching as she squinted. Little by little, her crystal blue eyes opened, and she gasped at what she saw. Light slowly trickled into her eyes, enabling her to see her surroundings as if she were in pure daylight, the sun filtering down through the trees and onto the snow-white ground. But in no more than a split second, it was gone, leaving her practically blind once again. Her head still lay in the snow, her body as motionless as the sky above her. Time, as what seemed to be, began flowing once more and the soft light on the moon shined down onto them.  

"What in the name of StarClan was that...?" Hissed Bumblestripe, his paws shaking as the clouds above slowly rolled away from the moon. He then looked at Reedpaw, who stood staring in horror. His gaze slowly traveled from Reedpaw, to Foxleap, and then over to Shadowpaw, who was still on the cold ground motionless. He called her name before leaping over to her, his eyes filled with worry. Almost instantly, Shadowpaw rose to her feet, her body convulsing in a heap of shivers. "You okay?" He asked, sniffing over the apprentice, examining her for wounds. 

"Ya, I just...slipped..." She lied, acting as if she was embarrassed. "That's all..." She felt as if there was some hidden...secret. But she just couldn't put her paw on it... 

"Well, if you're sure you're okay, then we can all head back to camp." 

The rest of the patrol agreed. They eventually started forward again, leaving the old thunderpath behind them. The snow was still colder than ever, its freezing substance numbing their paws. As they strutted along, Shadowpaw kept getting that horrible feeling that something, somewhere, was watching her every move. Every step, every breath. It was unnerving as ever, and she felt exposed. Her heartbeat was elevated and her breath puffed out in clouds. She whipped her head around every which way, but she saw nothing more than the atmosphere around her. What in the world am I so uneasy about? By now, the forest sounds were returning.  

"Hey, Shadowpaw, you sure you're okay?" Bumblestripe's voice startled her. His hazel-yellow eyes flashed with concern. "You seem a bit...upset." 

"Ya..." She muttered back, lashing her two tails. "I'll be fine." 

"Okay. I believe you." 

The patrol directed towards camp in silence, soon enough reaching the hollow. They burst through the brambles, breathless from the elongated run. She made her way over to the fresh-kill pile and dropped her prey with a soft thud. The snow had thankfully stopped falling, leaving a slit in the clouds where dim moonlight was able to seep down into the camp. Over near the nursery, Shadowpaw could hear the excited voices of Bumblestripe and Dovewing's kits as the bounded around vigorously. Oh, that's right. Tomorrow Pebblekit, Silverkit, and Mosskit become apprentices. She sighed, and once again bad thoughts welled in her mind. Not that it'll be good news for me. Just more cats to make fun of me. A sharp wind tugged at her fur, and the small she-cat shivered. She shoved her prey aside again, only to be passed by her mentor.  

"That was a great catch!" He muttered over his shoulder as he continued padding along his way. She watched his outlined shape slowly make its way over to his den, and eventually into it. 

She stood, paralyzed in thought. Her mind wandered, but only for a heartbeat's time. Something pushed her aside, and she heard a growl. "Out of my way!" Spat Reedpaw, nosing his way past her and over to the fresh-kill pile.