Warriors: What Is There To Do?

Chapter 31- Let Me Think About It

Memories resurfaced. A lot of them.

Rapidflame had taken her to Riverclan camp— her home, once again. The path was familiar, even though she had been just barely an apprentice when she had traveled it, and the camp was almost painfully unchanged. There were several new warriors, cats, and elders alike; Splitrain didn't know any of them well enough to greet, and even if she did, she probably wouldn't have.

Not to her surprise, cats still shied away from her — or flinched — at first glance. A golden apprentice, new since she had called this clan her's, had actually jumped, frightened. Even though he apologized profusely afterwards, he still was wary as he followed behind to hear news from the Gathering.

Nothing was said about her returning besides, we'll give you tomorrow to get... re-situated, from Dryriver, the deputy. He was a pale tan, with bland eyes and an even blander personality, from what she could gather.

It still struck her how much the camp, cats, and territory hadn't changed. Dens, the little clearing where apprentices trained, the atmosphere... it was all startling; that was, until she had grabbed a fish from the pile.

The smell repulsed her. The sight made her sick to the stomach. Had the fish in her mouth always tasted so... bitter? So slimy in her mouth, almost as if it was trying to come back to life as it slid down her throat?

"I-I'm going to go explore the territory," she excused herself, pushing the fish that she had been sharing with Rapidflame towards his paws and heaved herself to sore paws. The grey blue tom looked up at her, squinting at the sun behind her back.

"Are you okay? Can I come too?"

The way he said it left no room for question; he was stating that he was going with her. She didn't really mind, she just needed to gather what Sharpstar required, then she would go back home. Home. Shadowclan was her home. Not Riverclan.

Rapidflame leading the way, they left the clearing crowded with morning tongue-sharing and the glances at her face. The sun was high up now, but it offered no warmth from the bitter winds blowing through the reeds. In Shadowclan the trees had always provided protection from the harsh blows of cold, but Riverclan had nothing but low-rising reeds and a couple of leafless willows.

The brush underpaw made her feel loud and clumsy. The little pebbles and sand tumbled from her pawsteps and made the worst clinking sound as they rolled to the river on their right a few tail lengths below. The nettles that littered the pine forest floor in Shadowclan masked any sound, mandatory for stalking squirrels and birds. Riverclan needed none of this; fish could not hear, or were too stupid to.

Splitrain silently mourned the fact that she would not eat another mouse, thrush, squirrel, or anything relatively warm for a while. Her tongue cringed at the thought of fish three times a day, every day.

Upon coming to the Sunning Rocks — which were currently in Riverclan's possession — Rapidflame turned around with a teasing smirk.

"You ready to be Riverclan again? No filthy Shadowclan cat can rest on the Sunning Rocks!"

Eye twitching, Splitrain had to concentrate hard on Sharpstar and the other leaders' advice that had been given to her last night. Try and act as if you wanted to go back to Riverclan the whole time; act as if you hate them, as the Thunderclan leader had put it.

"Oh, you have no idea how much! Shadowclan never even saw the sun!"

"Hah! No wonder your pelt is so scruffy! It's like the complete opposite of mine!"

"Hey, excuse me?" starting to get into her rhythm of effortless lies, she started to enjoy herself a little bit. Sharpstar didn't expect her to work the first day back, did she?

"Get back here, or else I'll cut your pretty little face! It's been so long since I've felt fur in my claws... Shadowclan doesn't let you fight at all! Let me sharpen up my skills — on you!"

"Only if you can catch me!" with that, Rapidflame scampered off down the riverbank, kicking up stones as she chased after him.

Several minutes had passed when she felt her head throbbing. The sides of the bank were shining in the corners of her vision, and it was affecting her in the worst way.

Slowing down, Splitrain studied the sparkling material inside the rock. It shook her after a moment of confusion: it was the same material that had appeared in her nest after a scary night — the shiny things.

Rapidflame, having heard her give up, came back and peered over her shoulder.

"Oh, you don't know what that stuff is? It's called mica or something like that. I used to leave it for you in your nest, remember?"

A shaky nod is the answer he got. Her mind was whirring like a bee's wings. This was her chance!

"Hey, do you think we'll attack Shadowclan any time soon? I really want to... you know, claw some of them."

Rapidflame shot her a scheming, lazy grin.

"I don't know, it's pretty difficult to plan an attack when we don't know what their territory is like... would you happen to know anyone who does? Now that — that would be helpful. Do you know such a cat?"

She forced down the sick feeling of talking about attacking Shadowclan and forced a purr through.

"Maybe, let me think about it."