Warrior Cats: Darkness Rising. (2/3)

Chapter 10

Timberheart carefully slipped out of the dirtplace tunnel. A quarter moon had passed since Shadowclan and Windclan allied to attack them. Silverpelt blazed above. He hadn't gone to meet Whitepaw since the battle. How could she have betrayed me? He wailed inwardly. Why hadn't she told him that Shadowclan were going to attack? He needed answers and headed into the forest.

He skidded to halt at the Shadowclan border. Ears pricked, heart pounding in his chest, he sniffed the air. Excitement fluttered in his chest when he caught Whitepaw's scent. Then he shook his head. He should be angry! He turned his head when the leaves above him rustled. And a moment later, a blur of white flashed before Timberheart's vision. Whitepaw dropped out of the tree, landed awkwardly and fell sprawling onto her side. She sprang to her paws, eyes worried and happy at the same time. They stared at each other in silence for a long while. Timberheart's head spun. Should he be angry with her? Should he be happy to see her? Then Whitepaw ducked her head. "I know you're probably angry at me." She murmured before sitting down. Timberheart nodded. "I'm furious." He murmured, and he felt the fury rising up inside him. "Why didn't you tell me Shadowclan was going to attack?" He raised his voice, eyes blazing. Whitepaw ducked her head, ears flattening to the back of her head. "Two of my clanmates died! And Lionblaze still lies on the borders of Starclan!" He yowled. "I thought you cared about me, Whitepaw!" His voice turned into a whimper. Whitepaw's head shot up. "How dare you think I don't care about you, Timberheart?" She snapped and Timberheart's eyes widened. "Then why didn't you tell me?" He croaked. "Because I didn't know!" She wailed. Timberheart felt his heart break. He shouldn't have been so hard on her, and the regret nagged at him. He hurried towards her and ran his cheek along hers. "I'm sorry." He whispered. Whitepaw looked down at her paws. "If I'd known I'd have given you a warning." She murmured, then she snapped her head up. "How could you possibly think I wouldn't have?" She hissed, the fur along her spine rising. Timberheart backed away a pace or two. He didn't know what to say, but his belly felt hollow. "I'm very sorry, Whitepaw. But what was I supposed to think?" He whispered, not daring to meet her eyes. For once, Whitepaw didn't answer. "I don't know." She then murmured. Then she padded towards him and wove herself around him. Timberheart let out a purr and rose to his paws. "I've missed you." He mewed. "I've missed you t-." Her mew was cut off. "Timberheart!" Timberheart and Whitepaw spun around at Cloverpool's voice. She stood beside Swiftstrike, their eyes wide in surprise. "You're spying on me!" Timberheart snarled. Cloverpool lifted her chin defiantly, staring at Whitepaw. "And a good thing I did!" She snapped and Swiftstrike added. "Timberheart, the whole clan has begun to suspect something. Let this end." Timberheart felt his fur bush out, heart racing. He turned to Whitepaw. "I'd better go." He murmured. Whitepaw nodded, glaring at the two Thunderclan cats before running her cheek along his.

"I can't believe you spied on me." Timberheart spat as he followed Cloverpool and Swiftstrike. Swiftstrike edged closer to Cloverpool before mewing. "Timberheart, think about the future? If this continues, what will you do?" Timberheart ignored the question. He didn't want to think about it. "That doesn't matter!" He snapped as they leaped over a tree trunk. Cloverpool halted and spun around to face him. "It does matter! Her clan attacked us a quarter moon ago and you're still with her?" She hissed and Swiftstrike added in a murmur. "She's also an apprentice." Timberheart fought the urge to rake his claws over his face. "She's almost a warrior." He spat before turning to Cloverpool. "She didn't know until the night before they attacked. She didn't come then. If she'd known sooner she'd have told me!" He raised his voice but Cloverpool slapped her tail over his mouth. "Shut it! We don't want to alert the whole clan." She mewed and Swiftstrike pressed himself up to her. "Hey, don't get too agitated." He murmured in her ear, wrapping his tail around her belly. Timberheart's eyes widened, their quarrel forgotten. "Are you...?" Was as all he needed to ask, and Cloverpool nodded, eyes glimmering with happiness. Timberheart felt his heart lighten up and he bounded forwards. "Congratulations." He purred, giving his sister a gentle lick before lightly nudging Swiftstrike. "How long till they get born?" He asked, delighted. Cloverpool shuffled her paws. "Not long. Maybe a moon." She mewed, glancing at Swiftstrike who nodded. "Yes, something like that." He purred, closing his eyes slightly. Timberheart stretched. "Come on, let's get back to camp." Cloverpool mewed, clearly seeing how tired her brother was. "Wait, so you were carrying them in the battle?" He asked, bounding after them as they led him home. Cloverpool nodded. "And are they okay?" Timberheart asked cautiously. Swiftstrike nodded. "Yes, or so Jayfeather says." He mewed. They dipped their heads to Badgerblaze who was on watch, and he dipped his massive head, his bushy tail flicking. Looking closer, Timberheart saw how Cloverpool was growing plump. "When will you move to the nursery?" He asked his sister as they disappeared into the nursery. "I'll talk to Bramblestar tomorrow, and then we'll see." She mewed. "Shut up!" Pigeonwing grunted, rolling over. "Sorry." Swiftstrike muttered as he settled into his nest. Cloverpool clambered in after him, and Timberheart picked his way through his sleeping clanmates until he came to his own nest. He settled down, his heart aching to be with Whitepaw. Pushing the thought away, his mind got swept away, and he fell asleep.

Timberheart padded out of the den, yawning. He arched his back in a luxurious stretch. The camp was already buzzing like a bee's nest, and it was only halfway to sunhigh. Rosepetal, Goldenclaw, Ivypool, Snowbush, Frogleap and Smokeheart were following Cinderheart out of camp. Hunting patrol. He knew. Icepaw and Hazelpaw were tussling outside the apprentices' den while Foxpaw shared tongues with Spiderpaw. Acornfall and Flamingheart shared a rabbit on the basking rocks while Hollytuft, Sootfall, Junipercloud and Briarlight dozed beside them. Pigeonwing and Frogleap were chattering like a pair of starlings outside the warriors' den while Rainsong and Leafheart mewed in lower voices. Timberheart trotted towards the apprentices' den, remembering about his own apprentice, Redpaw. "Is Redpaw inside?" He asked Icepaw as her sister sent her flying, sprawling in the dust. The white she-cat sprang to her paws. "Yep!" She mewed before charging into Hazelpaw. Timberheart rolled his eyes before squeezing inside. Fernleaf was already there, prodding Silverpaw awake. "Hey, are you going to the training hollow?" Timberheart asked as he padded to a sleeping bundle of russet fur. Fernleaf shook her head. "No, hunting. Or well, if this dormouse will ever wake." She added with a grunt. Silverpaw rolled over again. "I went on the dawn patrol." She groaned, batting Fernleaf's paws away. "So did I, but we have to hunt for the clan." Fernleaf mewed briskly. "Great Starclan, Silverpaw. If I don't wake you I'll ask Cloudtail to come." She threatened. Silverpaw scrambled quickly to her paws. "No thanks." She yawned. "Can we come with you?" Timberheart asked, twitching his whiskers in amusement. Fernleaf nodded. "Sure." She mewed. Timberheart prodded Redpaw awake. "Come on." He mewed. "We're going hunting." Redpaw immediately hopped to his paws. "Where?" He asked. Timberheart shrugged and glanced at Fernleaf. "Wherever we find prey, I guess." He murmured as he led the three other cats out of the den. Spiderpaw scrambled to his paws. "Can I come with you?" He asked. "I heard you're going hunting." He added, shuffling his paws. "Oh, I want to come with you too!" Hazelpaw mewed, bounding away from Icepaw. "And me!" Foxpaw chirped, scrambling to his paws. "We'll have to ask your mentors first." Fernleaf mewed as Icepaw came bounding over. The four apprentices shot away in search of their mentors. Timberheart turned to Silverpaw and Redpaw. "Eat something while you can." He ordered them and the two apprentices nodded before hurrying to the fresh-kill pile. They waited for a short while until Hazelpaw came bounding back with Willowfern on her heels. "Are you going hunting?" She asked and Timberheart nodded. "Great." She mewed and added with a glance at her apprentice. "We need to practice Hazelpaw's hunting skills." She mewed with a nudge at the grey and white apprentice. Hazelpaw shuffled her paws as Oakshade and Spiderpaw came hurrying towards them, Foxpaw and Icepaw trailing behind. "Swiftstrike says he's going to spend the day with Cloverpool, but I could come with you." Icepaw mewed with a glance at the nursery where Cherryfall and Sparktail were talking to Cloverpool and Swiftstrike. "Leafheart says Pigeonwing went on a border patrol." Foxpaw mewed. Timberheart nodded. Leafheart and Pigeonwing were becoming very close, and Timberheart hoped that more kits were due come new-leaf. "Let's go then." Oakshade mewed before pelting out of camp. The rest sped after him, leaves fluttering in their wake. As they neared the stream, Oakshade skidded to halt. "Should we split up?" He asked. Fernleaf nodded. "You and Willowfern, take Hazelpaw, Spiderpaw and Icepaw. We'll take Foxpaw with us." She mewed. Timberheart and his patrol headed for a small dip where the ferns grew thickly, and Willowfern's patrol bounded away in the other direction. They halted at the edge of the dip. Steadying his breath, he dropped into a hunting crouch and crept down the slope. He flicked his tail, indicating the other cats to stay quiet and do the same. He wound his way through the thick fern stems, careful not to set any of them rustling. He drew himself forward, one slow paw step at a time. He focused his senses on the foliage ahead, opening his mouth slightly to taste the breeze. Rabbit scent hung stale in the air, but the smell of mouse was fresh. Good! He halted and pricked his ears. The ferns were shivering up ahead. Narrowing his eyes he peered through the lush stalks and saw a small brown shape dart across over the leafy earth. A shrew! It began rooting among the leaf litter. He crept closer. 
The shrew stiffened. Fox dung! His tail had brushed against a leaf. The shrew glanced around. Timberheart held his breath and pressed his tail to the ground. The shrew began rummaging again. It's busy looking for food. Moving as slowly as a snail, Timberheart drew himself forward. The shrew went on rummaging. A twig cracked beneath his paw. The shrew darted away. Timberheart sprang and shot out his forepaws, catching the shrew in his claws before it had time to escape. One quick nip to the back of the neck and it was dead. Heart pounding, he carried it to the rest of the patrol. "Good catch." Fernleaf purred.