Morning Clouds

Chapter 14

Echo sat down in front of the entrance to camp and wrapped her tail neatly around her paws, nearly bursting with excitement. Today was the day she got to go out with Slash!

She looked up as the leader broke away from his conversation with Swallow and Ember and came over to her, gaze unreadable. She sat up straight and tried to look eager and promising.

"Come on." Slash rumbled, flicking his tail for her to follow him as he left camp.

Echo sprung excitedly to her paws and followed him, green eyes huge. Wow! The forest is huge!

She didn't ask if it went on forever. She knew that it didn't. There was a Twolegplace and a barn and a moor and a river and large jagged rocks called Highstones. But it seemed like forever. Her small black paws were sore and she was panting by the time Slash, not even tired in the least, stopped at a small clearing in the pine trees.

Echo sat down opposite him and sat up straight again, trying to ignore the fact that her fur was already messy, despite the careful grooming she'd given it that morning.

"Today you are going to learn the basics of hunting and fighting," Slash rumbled. "When you have mastered both, you will be given adult status regardless of your age."

Echo perked up. She might be going on patrols freely sooner than she thought!

"That basically means that if you... got lost, you would be able to survive." Slash's eyes flashed with something completely unknown to Echo.

She nodded, a seriousness settling over her.

All of a sudden Slash leaped at her.

Eyes widening, Echo scrambled away so he crashed to the ground a mere mouse-tail from her forepaws. She tucked them in and pushed back against the bush she had backed against.

Slash snorted, getting to his paws. "Your instinct is to run away."

It seemed to be more of a statement than a question, and Echo nodded nervously.

"You need to work on that. Attack me." Slash commanded.

Eyes widening nervously as she looked at the leader's huge stature, she clumsily batted at his belly fur.

"Going for the belly is good, but with your size, you should be going under me and attacking me from there." Slash instructed.

Echo nodded and darted under him, but he smacked her away with a powerful forepaw.

She scrambled to her paws. "Hey! You said to get under you!"

Slash smirked. "You have to be prepared."

Pelt burning with indication, Echo shot under him, avoiding his paws, and began to tirelessly bat at his belly.

"Good. Keep going. Let's see what you can do."

//-//

Hail Breeze's eyes widened and he moved closer to Reed Tail. ThunderClan?

Windstar leaped off the rock at once. "Attack patrol?"

Spotted Fur shook his head. "It's Lightning Tail, Thistle, and Shivering Rose."

White Tail's ears flicked up. "Shivering Rose?"

Bright Storm nodded, eyes narrowing. "Yeah, why?"

White Tail flicked his tail. "Oh, um, I met her at the Gathering and s-she seemed nice." he stammered.

Bright Storm scowled. "If you say so," she muttered, stalking over to Dew Nose.

"Hey, what?" White Tail called after her, earning him a slap from Silver Stripe.

Black Ear chose that moment to bounce up to Bright Storm and happily proclaim: "I have a new mentor! It's Ice Shard!"

Silver Stripe slapped him, too.

"Ki- apprentices!" Slate sighed.

Windstar flicked her tail. "Gorse Fur and Storm Pelt, go and meet them."

The two toms hurried out.

"Dust Muzzle, Silver Stripe, cover them if it is an attack." Windstar commanded.

Eyes widening, Dust Muzzle and Silver Stripe left as well.

Swift Minnow picked up Shining Moon and nudged Hail Breeze and Stagnant Pool off toward their den.

But before they got there, Storm Pelt and Gorse Fur entered with the ThunderClan cats, and everyone froze but Willow Mist, who inched all the way behind Clover Petal and knocked into Dark Stream, who knocked her back out.

The sleek black tom in the lead dipped his head. "Greetings."

"Greetings, Lightning Tail." Windstar replied stiffly. "I trust all is well in ThunderClan?"

"Not exactly," Lightning Tail replied. "One of our kits, Snowy Skies, went missing last night. We were wondering if any of you have seen her." His anxious eyes darted around the camp, and Hail Breeze flattened his ears nervously when it came to him.

"Have you checked by the SkyClan border?" Holly spat, eyes narrowing to furious slits.

Dew Nose rested her tail on her mother's shoulder to calm her, but the damage had been done.

The other tom's eyes widened. "Excuse me?"

"Holly, just because we separated from SkyClan and have had disputes in the past doesn't mean-" Lightning Tail meowed, surprised.

"No. SkyClan murdered Eagle Feather!" Holly yowled angrily.

The three ThunderClan cats gasped.

"Murdered?" asked the shocked young black she-cat.

Windstar flattened her ears. "Well, we don't know for sure-"

"He was found murdered on the border!" Holly yowled. "What more evidence do you need?!"

"Holly!" Windstar snapped.

"Well, our condolences on your loss," Lightning Tail meowed nervously. "We have to visit ShadowClan. Goodbye." He led the ThunderClan patrol swiftly out of camp.

"Bye White Tail!" the young black she-cat called over her shoulder. Hail Breeze hadn't realized that they'd been talking.

"Bye, Shivering Rose!" White Tail called back.

Windstar glared at Holly pointedly and opened her mouth to say something, but the black she-cat beat her to it.

Holly glared straight back at Windstar. "Send a patrol to attack SkyClan. I'll lead it." she hissed. "They need to pay for what they did to my son. And if you don't organize it, I will."