𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗥𝗜𝗢𝗥𝗦ᶠᵃⁿᶠⁱᶜᵗⁱᵒⁿ 一 𝔅𝔩𝔞𝔷𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔓𝔞𝔰𝔱 [𝟑]

❆☾𑁍𓆱ᥴhᥲρtᥱr 𝟺𝟾𓆱𑁍☽❆

𝙰𝚖𝚋𝚎𝚛𝚑𝚊𝚣𝚎

No moon was shining that night. Dark, heavy clouds covered the silverpelt. The air smelled of rain.

Amberhaze fluffed up her fur, shivering. The cold penetrated her skin. But she didn't dare make her discomfort known. So she trudged silently after her Clanmates.

Her first night patrol. Ever since the Shadowless had raided the MoonClan camp again and Hailstar had become one of them, Honeyclaw had ordered more patrols. The RoseClan cats hoped to be better prepared for another potential attack.

The Shadowless have only ever attacked at night, Amberhaze remembered. I wonder where they hang around during the day? Do they not like the sun?

Amberhaze couldn't understand that at all. She preferred the day to the night. At least then there were no long, creepy shadows trying to grab her and—

"Aaah!" Nettlepaw leapt up into the air with a shrill squeak. His back fur was bristly and his already very bushy tail fluffed up.

Specklefoot turned to him. "What is it, did you see something?" the grey and white tom wanted to know. His posture was tense, his green eyes unblinking. His nose twitched as if he feared that a Shadowless was lurking nearby.

Nettlepaw slowly lowered his tail until shreds of leaves got caught in his long fur. "Uhm... no. I... I thought there was something," the orange and white spotted tom mumbled meekly.

Amberhaze took pity on him. He was probably afraid of the dark too. He was only eight moons old. At that age, she had never imagined taking part in a night patrol. Luckily, Sootfeather never had such an idea.

"Okay, don't try to scare yourself again," Specklefoot replied, annoyance in his tone. Amberhaze couldn't really blame him, though. Fear was contagious and she hated being afraid. Nettlepaw had almost given her cardiac arrest with his squeaking.

Nettlepaw lowered his head and stared at his paws. Apparently he didn't dare to justify himself to his mentor any longer.

Now Palestar interfered too, making Nettlepaw seem even smaller. "Were you scared of the shadows?" She purred amusedly. "Well, as long as they're not shadowless..."

It was clear to see that Nettlepaw wanted to sink into the ground as the night patrol continued on their way.

Amberhaze dropped back to the rear. She checked the air again and again and looked around. Surely Palestar had only taken her along because of her smelling abilities. If anyone could sniff out the Shadowless soon enough, it was her.

But slowly, Amberhaze was starting to feel like she didn't mind being reduced to her nose so much anymore. Even as a kit, she had a talent for detecting odours even from a great distance. Almost like a superpower.

The thought of it lifted Amberhaze's heart. Whatever the reason, she should be proud of it. Did it still matter that she wasn't a good fighter and preferred to avoid conflict forever?