The Shadow Glare

Chapter 33

Emberglow walked into the apprentices den. "Fluffpaw, wake up. We're going on the dawn patrol."

Immediately, the little yellow cat was on her paws. Her blue eyes gleamed in excitement. "With who?" She asked.

"Nighthowl and Weaselgrowl."

"Yes! That means I can show Weaselgrowl all my moves, while we're on patrol!" Fluffpaw exclaimed.

"Make sure you listen and scent, too. It's a patrol not a brilliant-talent-show-of-Fluffpaw."

"I know. I'm excited, can we go?" Fluffpaw was now bouncing from paw to paw in excitement.

"Yes." Emberglow answered. "You know, your father was my mentor."

"Really?"

"Yes, and he was a very good one, too."

Then the two cats padded to the camp entrance where Weaselgrowl and Nighthowl were already waiting. As soon as they arrived, Weaselgrowl snorted. "I thought you'd be in their forever." He meowed. "We were about to leave."

Fluffpaw sent a sharp look at her, but it was hard for Emberglow not to laugh. Her apprentice's menacing glare was really just like a newborn kits menacing glare. It was hilarious. "Well we made it." Emberglow said to everyone, but it was mostly meant for Fluffpaw.

As they walked into the forest Fluffpaw continued to jump excitedly. Weaselgrowl was the first to become angry. "Fluffpaw, if you don't stop, I'll send you straight back to camp!"

Fluffpaw looked hurt, but stopped her crazy moving. Her whiskers twitched as she watched her father talk to the older cats. Emberglow growled as they neared the IvyClan border. "They're not as bad as ShadeClan," Emberglow mewed. "But they're still an enemy Clan."

All along the border there was no scent. Weird, Emberglow thought. Usually there's IvyClan scent by the IvyClan border . . . Because they have to mark it! Why aren't they here?

"Uh oh." Nighthowl said. Her first words of the patrol.

What seemed to baffle everyone was the fact that IvyClan hadn't been here in days . . .

"We need to go to IvyClan camp!" Weaselgrowl yowled.

Emberglow turned to her apprentice. "Go back to camp. This might be dangerous."

Fluffpaw started to protest. "But why?"

"I don't need you getting hurt, and Pebblestar needs to know."

Fluffpaw flicked her tail proudly as she realized she wasn't just going to camp because she was too small and untrained.

As Fluffpaw pranced away, the other three cats crossed the border. They continued to smell for scent, but there was none.

Soon, they reached the IvyClan camp. They paused outside it. Emberglow sniffed. The scent engulfed them, and caused her to gag. They entered the camp to see sick cats lying everywhere.

"This is terrible!" Nighthowl said.

A cat slowly padded over. He seemed to be the least sick of all the cats. "Help . . . Us." He croaked. His eyes were crusted with yellow sleep, and his pelt was dirty and matted.

"What happened here?" Weaselgrowl asked.

"We . . . ShadeClan. They've been stealing our prey." The cat coughed and continued to speak. "We're becoming so starved, we're getting sick!"

Emberglow could see the desperation in this poor cats eyes. She didn't know what to do. "Who are you?" She asked.

"I'm . . . I'm Blackwhisker."

Shock overcame the group of cats. "Blackwhisker?" Nighthowl whimpered. Nighthowl had been a kit when Blackwhisker had left, and she undoubtedly felt uncomfortable about him.

"Yes, Nightkit."

Nighthowl bared her teeth. "I'm Nighthowl now, you fox-heart! You left our Clan! Brownwhisker and Bluewhisker will not want to help you."

"Maybe not me, but they have other friends here. Brokenyowl died yesterday . . . And Vinestar is on her last legs. Please help!"

Emberglow didn't know what to do. Nobody did. "We should ask Pebblestar first," She suggested.

"I agree." Nighthowl stepped up.

"I'll stay here." Weaselgrowl said. "You go home. I'll wait."

The two cats turned and ran as fast as they could to camp.