Firetalon's Destiny

Chapter 25

Is it morning already? Cracking open his eyes, he stared blearily up at the roof of the den. Faint stream of sunlight dared to leak between the tightly woven branches of the apprentice den. "Maybe just a few more heart beats," the ginger apprentice mumbled drowsily, curling tighter into a ball. His tail wrapped around his eyes, trying to block out the light... Wasn't Tailfur planning on taking him early hunting? The thought lazily flitted into his mind, sending all thoughts of more sleep out of his mind. "Great StarClan!" he leapt to his paws, eyes now wide alert. What time of day was it? How long had he been asleep?"Please, please, please don't be late," just imagining how angry his mentor would be for him sleeping in again sent shivers down his spine.

Peering outside the den, he winced at the bright sunlight that glared down at him. Oh yeah, he was most definitely late. Wearily stepping out of the den, he winced expecting the brown tabby to be towering over him with a glare of disapproval and his mouth open, ready to unleash yet another rant of disapproval. But strangely, there was only silence. This is strange... Glancing around, he saw no signs of Tailfur.

"Oh well look who's finally up," the warm voice of Snowfall came from nearby the nursery, the white she-cat lay splayed out in the sun with a content look on her face. Next to her dozed Doveflight and a little distance away was Nightwish casually playing with the gaggle of kits. "Since you weren't waking up, Tailfur left to go on a border patrol. Ah but he did leave behind instruction for you. Today you are to clean the nursery."

"Okay..." it was his fault for sleeping in for so late, the least he could do was listen to Tailfur's orders. No the least he could do was stop meeting Swiftpaw, the constant meetings at night was really draining him. Plus he spent all of his free time trying to hunt prey for CityClan, for the enemy. Don't go there. No matter how much he second guessed himself, he still found himself meeting her. "Just try to keep the kits busy, it'll drive me insane if they're constantly scrambling around and messing things up."

"No-" she was cut off then, as a warrior burst through the entrance his fur covered in blood.

"Shadowstep, what happened?" Snowfall scrambled to her paws, a spark of concern surfacing in her green eyes. The sudden movement next to Doveflight startled her to wakefulness, her blue-green eyes blinking away drowsiness as she looked around. Gasping softly when she noticed the black tom covered in blood, she hurried to her paws and rushed to Nightwish. Together the two queens managed to herd the curious kits into the nursery.

"A CityClan ambush, we were patrolling the border and suddenly this giant swarm of those rat eaters swarmed across the Black Trail. We tried to hold our own but there's just too many. We need back up," he looked about desperate to find warriors capable of providing assistance, his yellow eyes wide with fear and desperation. "We must hurry! Tell me, who's left in the camp?"

"Blacksun, Goldensong, Willowspirit, Silvereagle, Shadestorm, Jaggedstripes and..." she trailed off, sending a worried look my way, "Firepaw."

"That should be enough, Firepaw hurry and go get them. They're probably resting in the warriors den."

"Can I come?" he needed know, before he burst with both nervousness and excitement.

"Yes you can come, just go and get them," the warrior snapped impatiently, getting the younger tom to hurriedly rush towards the warriors den.

"Everyone, wake up!" yelling into the den, he peered in to watch the tightly curled bodies of fur begin to shift. There were light grumbles as they shifted, awakened by the apprentice's urgent call.

"What happened?" Silvereagle, the most alert of the group, asked. His silver-gray fur was slightly ruffled and clumps of moss stuck to him.

"CityClan ambushed the border patrol, they need help!" that seemed to get them moving, in an instant the six warriors were on their paws and rushing out of the den. Hurriedly, he turned and followed them out.