The Shadow Glare

Chapter 20

Shadowpaw stretched. She was worried. Emberpaw was gone. She left her nest, glancing at Ashpaw, who was sleeping soundly, purring softly.
Shadowpaw left the camp and suddenly scented Emberpaw's scent.
"Emberpaw?" She called softly.
Weaselgrowl, who had been on watch, must have went to report to Pebblestar.
Shadowpaw followed the scent of Emberpaw. The ground was disturbed in many places where her scent was.
The clever cat! She left a trail for us!

The trail was quite obvious, so soon Shadowpaw found where it led; right into ShadeClan territory.
Oh no! ShadeClan is full of murderers!
Shadowpaw ran back to the camp and jumped up to Pebblestar's den on the High Peak.

"Pebblestar!" She gasped.

"Yes, Shadowpaw. I'm sorry, we can't do training today."Pebblestar mewed.

"It's not that! I found where Emberpaw is!"

"Where!" Pebblestar was immediately on her paws.

"ShadeClan! They took her when everyone was distracted by the battle!"
But why they would take an innocent apprentice, I don't know.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes! She left a trail. She must've been carried by someone, so she purposely dragged herself on the ground to leave her scent, and a trail of disturbed earth!" Shadowpaw insisted.

"That clever cat." Pebblestar mewed.

That's what I thought! Riverpaw mused. Pebblestar and I think alike!
"So, are we going to go find her or not?"

"Oh, of course!" Pebblestar exclaimed.
Suddenly, she leaped onto the High Peak and began to speak. "Let all cats old enough to catch there own prey gather here beneath the High Peak for a Clan meeting!" But I'm still here, Shadowpaw thought. That's weird. Usually the Clan leader doesn't talk while a Clanmates is still on the High Peak- especially not an apprentice for that matter.
As wounded cats pooled from the dens, Pebblestar spoke again. "We believe we have found Emberpaw,"

"Where?" Wildflame gasped. Shadowpaw remembered Wildflame was Emberpaw's mother.

"ShadeClan." Pebblestar announced, her lip curling upward.

"We must get her back immediately!" Yellowear yowled. His brother, Stormpelt was nodding in agreement. The two toms seemed set on their decision.

"Settle down!" Pebblestar called. "For the patrol to get Emberpaw back, I will take Brownwhisker, Bluewhisker and Nighthowl," Pebblestar spoke the names of the cats who were the least hurt. "Remember, we are not going to fight, but to get out apprentice back. We don't need more bloodshed."
Wildflame opened her mouth as though to protest, then quickly shut it again. She probably wanted to help get her daughter back.

"I will also take Shadowpaw and Ashpaw," Pebblestar added. "If they can get her back successfully, we may have three new warriors by tonight."
Shadowpaw glanced at Ashpaw. Excitement shone in his yellow eyes.

"Great!" He purred. "We'll be warriors soon!" But then his gaze darkened to a troubled gaze.
Shadowpaw was excited as well, but she carefully contained herself, as she didn't want to have to stay behind for being crazy. Pebblestar bounded off the High Peak, followed soon after by Shadowpaw. The cats who had been chosen gathered around Pebblestar with fierce glints in their eyes. Bluewhisker was clawing the ground with her claws; soon large lumps of brown earth and plants were piled by her paws.
Brownwhisker was glancing at the she-cat, amusement in his gaze. Then Shadowpaw remembered that Bluewhisker was his sister, as well as Blackwhisker was his brother. There's a lot of 'whiskers' in that family. Shadowpaw thought in amusement.
Nighthowl was waiting patiently for Pebblestar's orders. Her black wars were perked and her blue eyes swam with the joy of being able to go and save Emberpaw. She'd make a good leader. She's calm and thinks before she does anything, yet she's more sly then a fox and will always instruct her patrols well.
Ashpaw stared expectantly at Pebblestar, his gaze looking troubled.