Warrior Cats: Darkness Rising. (2/3)

Chapter 3

Oakshade tossed and turned in his nest the night after his vigil. He couldn't sleep. Through the branches of the warriors' den, he could see the sun rising above the treetops. He listened to the snores of his denmates as they slept. Cloverpool, Fernleaf and Timberheart were sleeping soundly. Oakshade slowly lifted his head when Berrynose rose to his paws and stretched. The cream tom prodded Dewnose awake, and the two tailless toms padded out of the den. Oakshade heaved himself to his paws and opened his jaws into an enormous yawn. He gave his back a few licks before hopping out of his nest and hurrying out of the den. He pushed through the entrance, and he narrowed his eyes against the shining sun. Most of the snow had melted, and only a few piles were left in he clearing. Berrynose and Dewnose were sorting through the fresh-kill pile, murmuring to each other in low voices. Brackenfur emerged stiffly out of the elders' den before hopping awkwardly to the medicine den. Aching joints. Oakshade guessed. In this cold, the elders would empty Jayfeather's store. Acornfall padded sleepily out of her den and gave her chest a couple of licks before trotting to the apprentices' den. "Smokepaw? Smokepaw, wake up. We're going to the training hollow." She called into the den. After a few moments, the little grey tom stumbled out of the den, his eyes clouded from sleeping. Frogleap hurried out of the den, closely followed by Pigeonwing. The two toms bounded towards Acornfall and called to their own apprentices. Pigeonwing turned to Acornfall. "Mind if we come with you?" He asked Acornfall. The pale ginger she-cat shrugged. "Sure, I don't mind." She mewed and touched Smokepaw's shoulder with the tip of her tail. Cinderheart padded out into the clearing, her kits bounding after her. In two moons Redkit, Spiderkit and Silverkit would become apprentices. Oakshade flicked an ear. Maybe he could mentor one of them? He shook the thought away. He longed to stretch his legs. Whitewing raced into camp, leading Rainsong, Fernsong, Lilyheart and Cherryfall. Cherryfall and Fernsong padded so close to each other that their pelts brushed, and Oakshade could just hear their purrs. Nightpaw and Coalpaw padded out of the apprentices' den. Oakshade still wasn't used to much older cats training as apprentices and sleeping in the apprentices' den. He spun around when Daisy burst out of the nursery and tore across the clearing towards the medicine den. She almost crashed into Brackenfur, who just managed to leap aside. The clearing went silent, except for a low wailing from Sparktail. Oakshade's heart pounded in his chest. What had happened? Then Jayfeather sprinted toward the nursery, Daisy on his tail. He snapped his head around when someone touched his shoulder. His eyes met Cloverpool's concerned yellow eyes. "What happened?" She asked. Oakshade shrugged. "I don't know, but it must be something big." He murmured. Then Swiftstrike bounded toward them and asked Cloverpool shyly. "Do you want to go hunting with me?" Oakshade felt a purr of amusement rising in his throat, and he lightly nudged his sister before padding away. He found his paws carrying him to the warriors' den. He bumped into Icefeather. "Sorry." He murmured, brushing past her. "Wait, Oakshade, I want you to lead a hunting patrol to the Windclan border." She mewed. Oakshade's heart took a leap. "A-are you sure?" He stammered. Icefeather let out a little laugh before nodding. "Yes, take Willowfern, Hazelpaw, Poppyfrost and maybe Icepaw." She then cocked her head to where Swiftstrike was leading Cloverpool out of camp. "It looks like her mentor will be busy." She purred before padding past him. Oakshade nodded and trotted into the den. He wove himself among the many nests and nudged Willowfern awake. "Willowfern?" He mewed. Willowfern's eyes flickered awake, her blue eyes clouded. "Sorry to wake you, but Icefeather wants you on my hunting patrol." Willowfern yawned and stretched out her front paws before heaving herself to her paws. "Your first time leading a patrol?" She murmured, blinking at him. Oakshade nodded awkwardly. "Yep." He mewed. Willowfern then trotted past him and Oakshade went to prod Poppyfrost awake. The tortoiseshell she-cat rose sleepily to her paws, and Oakshade remembered that she had come late back to camp. "Where were you last night?" He asked as he followed her out of the den, and flinched when Timberheart batted at him with sheathed claws. "Shut up." He muttered, his eyes still closed. Poppyfrost shrugged and gave her chest a few licks before replying. "I couldn't sleep." She murmured. Oakshade nodded. "Neither could I." He mewed before padding to the apprentices' den. He pushed his way inside and almost bumped into Juniperpaw who was on her way out of the den. "Sorry." She mewed in a hurry before trotting out of the den. Oakshade nodded before padding inside. Juniperpaw, Coalpaw, Sootpaw and Firepaw were all older than him, and it still felt weird that they were apprentices. He nudged Hazelpaw awake, and the little she-cat sleepily opened her eyes. "Come on, we're going on a hunting patrol." He mewed. The white and grey she-cat stumbled to her paws and stretched. Oakshade then hurried to Icepaw. "Icepaw? Wake up." He mewed, prodding her gently in the ribs. The white she-cat scrambled to her stubby little legs. "Come on." He mewed, flicking her ears with his tail and then hurrying out of the den.

"Hazelpaw, that one's yours." Oakshade whispered and pointed with his nose at a sparrow pecking at a snail with its beak. Icepaw had already caught a small finch, and held it proudly in her jaws. Oakshade had buried his robin he had caught close to camp under the roots of an oak. Willowfern had caught a shrew and Poppyfrost had just managed to snatch a squirrel. Hazelpaw dropped into a hunting crouch, her hindquarters wriggling in the air before she crawled forward, placing each paw carefully in front of the other. "You have to be quicker than that." Willowfern's mew was only barely audible. Hazelpaw glanced uncertainly at her before slithering over the forest floor like an added. Then, when she was a fox-length away, she sprinted towards the sparrow. It let out a loud alarm call and fluttered in the air. Hazelpaw leaped into the air, but she missed it. "Fox-dung!" She hissed as she landed awkwardly. "Almost!" Willowfern mewed, trying to cheer up her crestfallen apprentice. Hazelpaw glared up at the air before snorting and stomping further into the forest. Oakshade saw a thrush hopping among the roots of another oak. He dropped into a hunting crouch and wove his way across the floor. He let out a hiss when Icepaw stepped on a twig behind him. The thrush quickly flew into the air. Bunching his hindquarters under him, Oakshade sprang off the ground. A couple of fox-lengths in the air, he batted the thrush to the ground. He sank his claws into its small body and then pinned it, dead, to the ground. He sent a silent prayer to Starclan, thanking them for the prey. "Wow, that was an amazing leap!" Poppyfrost mewed, astonished. Oakshade dipped his head, embarrassed. He looked up at the sky. It was a little past sunhigh. "Come on, let's get back to camp." He mewed and snatched up his thrush before leading the patrol back to camp.

As they entered, the clan seemed to be uneasier than when they had left. "Icepaw, Hazelpaw, take your prey to the elders." He mewed with one eye on Fernleaf who was trotting from the medicine den. Hazelpaw had managed to dig a couple of mice out of their burrow, and Icepaw had caught a tiny shrew. The two apprenticed nodded before picking up their prey and hurrying to the elders' den. Oakshade then bounded to his sister, but she was looking very worried. "Fernleaf, what's going on?" He asked, glancing to the medicine den and back at her. Fernleaf sighed. "Greencough." She mewed and pointed at the nursery with her tail. "Featherkit and Hailkit have greencough." She mewed. "And I don't know if you noticed but Leafheart and Snowbush were coughing all night. Alderleaf says they both have whitecough." She mewed and then added. "Foxpaw and Badgerpaw were also complaining that Flailpaw and Firepaw were keeping them awake all night." Oakshade felt unease and anxiety rising in his chest. "I hope that they'll be okay." He mewed worriedly. Fernleaf nodded before trotting towards were Coal and Sootpaw were sorting through the fresh-kill pile. Oakshade felt his belly growling in hunger, and he realized that he hadn't eaten since the day before. Bounding after his sister, he snatched up a fat mouse and carried it over to the basking rocks.