Warrior Cats Fanfiction: Whispers of the Shadows Book 2 Breaking Winds

Chapter Seven

Silverpaw shuffled forwards sleepily, her tail dragging along the ground behind her. Dawnpaw lifted her head up high, eyes bright and flashing in the mid-high sunlight. They continued padding towards the exit of the den, Silverpaw struggling to keep her eyes open. Dawnpaw flicked her tail.

"Come on," she huffed impatiently. "We don't have forever! We need to catch the hunting patrol." Silverpaw looked up hesitantly, about to step out of the den, when a hoarse voice called out to them.

"Where are you two going?" Bramblefang demanded. He narrowed his eyes at Dawnpaw. What in StarClan is wrong with him? Silverpaw thought, agitated. Sometimes, it's better with out him and his brother. She let out a quiet groan. Dawnpaw glared at him, barely restraining herself from at least attempting to strangle the older tom.

Dawnpaw lifted her chin. "We," she drawled, pouring her frustration into her words, "are going to RiverClan territory to recruit cats. And you have to take care of your brother." Bramblefang's eyes flashed, and he unsheathed his claws.

"You, Dawnpaw, go with her?" He shook his head. "You've got to be kidding me. Two apprentices go out in the forest all alone? You'll get killed!"

"Bramblefang..." Silverpaw growled lowly. "What are you even trying to say? We've managed on our own, save for that fox, and all you've been doing, is getting us into trouble!"

Bramblefang's eyes softened a bit before hardening again. "What I am saying, is I am going with you, Silverpaw, and Dawnpaw isn't!" He hissed in Dawnpaw's direction, with ear flat and teeth bared.  When neither sister relented, he narrowed his eyes and stomped out of the den, dust billowing in his wake. When the dust cleared, Silverpaw looked at Dawnpaw, and whirled her head back around to glare at Bramblefang's raised tail.

What even is going on? What has gotten into him?

Dawnpaw shook her pelt out angrily, eyes blazing. "Go," she meowed indignantly. "Keep him in check. I don't want anything bad to happen. And if he's trusted with something important, I think we both know that is the recipe for disaster." She turned on her tail and stalked back into the den, huffing.

She's right, Silverpaw thought. She ran after Bramblefang, catching up to him. He glanced down at the smaller she-cat.

"Finally decided to leave your apprentice sister behind?" He spat, as if being an apprentice were a bad thing. Silverpaw flattened her ears and nodded, forcing down her disgust. He nodded, satisfied, and they continued on their short trip to RiverClan territory.

Bramblefang, you seem to have forgotten that only a few moons ago, you were an apprentice yourself, she mused. And you've also forgotten that I myself am an apprentice.

"Hello, Iceleap, Tanglebrook," Silverpaw dipped her head. The two cats looked up in surprise, almost falling into the river.

"Silverpaw!' Iceleap hissed. "And Bramblefang! What are you two doing here?" She glared at the two younger cats. "The clans are still searching for you! Go back to— wherever you are hiding. Because it's working!"

Tanglebrook rested his tail on Iceleap's shoulder, body twisting to reveal the stark outline of bones beneath his pelt. "Iceleap, calm down. Let them explain what they're doing here." He glanced back at the two fugitives. "Nothings wrong... right?" Silverpaw shifted uncomfortably, her ears pricked.

"We're here to ask you to join us," she answered bluntly. "Join us to take back our Clan." The wind picked up speed as the two older cats sat thinking for a moment before Iceleap broke the silence.

Iceleap's eyes twinkled as she replied. "Well, I can't just leave my apprentice to break the warrior code without me!" She turned to Tanglebrook, who seemed to still be thinking. His eyes clouded over, deep in thought. Finally, he looked up.

"I cannot come with you," He said apologetically. "I never thought I would say this, but my place is at camp, close to Ivy." He blinked a few times, as if to reassure himself of his choice. "I really would like to come, but right now, I am acting as the deputy during gatherings, and our clanmates need me. But," he paused, teasing Silverpaw with anticipation. "I can be your spy. I can tell you what's going on at camp while you build up your group. I'm afraid thats the most I can do, regarding the responsibility I now hold.""

"That's a great idea— even better than having you come with us. Why don't you wait here every day before dawn, so we can collect information if needed," Bramblefang suggested. That is so stupid, Bramblefang, Silverpaw thought. So many things could go wrong! Like-

"No, no, no!" Tanglebrook cut into her thoughts. Bramblefang took a few steps back and frowned. "Ivy will get suspicious. Imagine, if you were Ivy. And one of the most rebellious warriors keeps going to the same place everyday, and insisting that it was for prey or some other excuse. Wouldn't you get suspicious? Or at least-"

"Whatever," Bramblefang sighed. "So what do you think we should do?" he meowed to Silverpaw. She shifted her paws, uncomfortable of not having an idea for once.

"I think I have an idea. Why don't you come meet one of us at the border before dawn?" Iceleap said. "That way, our scents will be closer to the border and no one will think that we are always in RiverClan territory, since we are also close to ShadowClan territory, and it's before dawn, so no border patrols will interfere with us."

"Wait, what if Tanglebrook finds out about something that is urgent? I think we should tell him where our camp is, just in case." Silverpaw said. She looked around, checking that no one was overhearing them, and lowered her voice to a whisper. "Our den is past ShadowClan territory, in an abandoned twoleg den. You should scent us before you see us, but it is fairly far away from ShadowClan territory." Tanglebrook nodded, understanding, but them abruptly stood up.

"I've lost track of time. I have to go now. You have to hurry— border patrol will be coming soon." He said a quick goodbye before sprinting back to camp, a minnow in his jaws.

Silverpaw beckoned at Iceleap, who jumped over the small creek which she and Tanglebrook had been hunting in. "We've got a lot of things to do. Let's go." She ran away from RiverClan territory just as she scented both RiverClan and ShadowClan cats.  Undergrowth crackled softly behind the fugitives, and soft mews drifted along on the wind. It's a border patrol, she thought. We need to hurry! She worked harder, pushing her muscles to their limit as she raced off RiverClan territory and into the forest unknown to the clans.

Now that Iceleap's with us, we might have a chance. The slimiest one, thats for sure, but a chance to kill Ivy and take back RiverClan.

A spark of pride blazed in Silverpaw's eyes as she ran across her territory once more. Her paws skimmed the ground, the ground that Ivy and the ShadowClan cats had taken from her and her clanmates.

I swear I will kill you, Ivy. I swear I will take back RiverClan. I swear in the name of StarClan.