Phantom of the Clans

Chapter 10

Spiritpaw reveled in the cool breeze that ruffled his fur the next day. He held his nose high in the air as he took in the forest scents that had wafted in through the camp entrance. He was currently waiting at just outside the apprentice's den for their trip to the moonstone. He knew Tigerclaw had gone to wake the others up.

He pricked his ears as he saw his brother step outside the den and stretch. The morning light glittered across his brother's ginger fur as moved, showing off the muscles that rippled along his body. Graypaw and Ravenpaw weren't very far behind him. They sat down together and gulped down the herbs they had gotten from Spottedleaf. Tigerclaw and Bluestar sat watching them, ready to leave. The rest of the camp was still asleep.

"Ugh!" complained Graypaw. "I knew they'd be bitter. Why couldn't we eat a fat, juicy mouse instead?"

Bluestar looked ready to say something before Spiritpaw cut in. "Must you complain about everything like a kit? We have a long trip to go on and we can't exactly hunt in enemy territory, now can we? Would you prefer to go hungry most of the trip?" he growled impatiently.

Graypaw shut up at that.

Tigerclaw was giving Spiritpaw a curious stare.

"Have you eaten yours already?" Firepaw asked Bluestar.

"I cannot eat if I'm going to share dreams with StarClan at the Moonstone tonight," replied Bluestar.

Spiritpaw sighed as he watched his brother practically dance in place from the anticipation. He stretched a bit to get rid of the remaining soreness he felt from sleep.

The four cats made their way through the gorse tunnel and out of the camp.

Lionheart was just returning with a patrol. "Safe journey," he meowed.

Bluestar nodded. "I know I can trust you to keep the camp safe," she answered.

Lionheart looked at Graypaw and dipped his head. "Remember," he meowed. "You are almost a warrior. Don't forget what I have taught you."

Graypaw looked back at Lionheart with affection. "I will always remember, Lionheart," he mewed, nudging his head against the tabby's broad golden flank.

Spiritpaw couldn't escape the chilling feeling he had run down his spine. He wasn't sure what it was though. He pinned his ears as he turned back to follow his Clanmates.

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They retraced their route to Fourtrees. This was the quickest way to pass into WindClan territory. HighStones lay beyond.

As Firepaw bounded down the side of the glade toward the Great Rock, he could still smell the scents of last night's Gathering. He followed the others through the grassy clearing and up the slope on the other side, into WindClan territory. The bushy slope became steeper as they climbed, and rockier, until the cats had to leap from boulder to boulder up the side of a craggy cliff face.

Spiritpaw scanned the area once they reached the top. Ahead of them, the ground flattened out into a wide plateau. The wind blew in a steady gust that rippled the grass and bent the trees. The soil was stony, and outcroppings of bare rock dotted the landscape here and there.

The air still carried the scents of WindClan, but they were stale. Much fresher, and more alarming, were the pungent markings of ShadowClan warriors.

"All Clans are entitled to safe passage to the Moonstone, but ShadowClan seems to have no respect for the warrior code anymore, so be alert," warned Bluestar. "We mustn't hunt outside our territory, though. We'll follow the warrior code, even if ShadowClan doesn't."