Overshadowed

Dark Forest

Chapter 6

Graypaw blinked, she was dreaming. Her mother stood in front of her, whispering something in a chant, her eyes glazed. Graypaw edged forward, twitching her ears to catch what she was saying.

Petalwhisker hissed, "At night, the Shadows are most useful, but the Moonlight is a curse. If she cannot change her path, blood will be spilled in Moonlight's wake."

Graypaw reeled in shock, but looking at her paws, realized she was fading.

Graypaw stretched, blinking open her eyes. Shadowblaze was still curled around her, snoring gently. She purred, nuzzling him gently to wake him up. Shadowblaze raised his head, letting out a, "Huh?"

She purred, "Wake up sleepy." His eyes flickered open at her sudden mew. The thought of going back to the campy brought guilt washing over her again. The sky was still speckled with stars, but was gaining a pale orange color. He

Shadowblaze blinked once, and then scrambled to his paws, touching her nose. He mewed, "I'm on dawn patrol, I have to go." Sadness welled inside her, but then he whispered, "I'll be back here tomorrow night. Same time." She purred softly in her throat, waving her tail softly in goodbye. The brambles from her territory brushed against her fur, making her feel hot and uncomfortable.

A sudden voice made her jump, "That was a cute little show." She whipped around, eye wide. A light brown and white she-cat was hanging from a tree, using her front and back paws to hold herself upside-down. She couldn't help but notice the she-cat's belly was swollen and fat.

Graypaw twitched her ears, "Why are you on our territory?"

The she-cat landed lightly on her paws, "My name is Windheart, and from what I know, cats from one clan aren't supposed to meet another.

Graypaw hissed, "You wouldn't tell. Why do you even have a warrior name?" She scented the air; her fur rippling as she realized the she-cat had a scent familiar to RainClan, but not quite right. The she-cat turned her head away, ears flattened slightly.

Graypaw pressed, "Why?"

Windheart turned and faced her, not even flinching at her one-eyed face, "Because I came from the original clans, they live over the mountains by a lake, I came from RiverClan. But they banished me!" The RiverClan she-cat's eyes clouded over; and she looked like she was about to break into tears.

Graypaw muttered, "Oh, s-sorry." Then an idea flashed in her mind, and she meowed to the she-cat, "I'll take you to my clan, if you keep quiet about what you saw."

The she-cat brightened, "Please!" Graypaw purred quietly. Beckoning for the she-cat to follow, she led the way to camp, halting her with her tail when she almost waltzed right into the camp.

She mewed, "Be careful, these cats aren't very fond of me, or of other cats just coming right into the camp." She carefully walked into camp, making sure to keep her head low. Windheart did too, and earned a few hisses.

Firestorm sneered, "Look, the gray nuisance brought one of her own kind."

Graypaw whipped around, fixing the ginger tabby with a glare burning with so much hatred it would have burned through rock, and hissed, "Shut up." Firestorm glared at her, but was silent. Blackstream eyed her with suspicion, since no one had ever gotten Firestorm to shut up when he was mad. She led Windheart to Robinstar's den, carefully entering. Robinstar was sitting up, eyes wary, and ears flattened. She jumped when Graypaw mewed, "Robinstar?"

Robinstar fixed her eyes onto her, "Yes?"

Graypaw mewed, "There's someone here who wishes to join RainClan."