Rise of the Prides: The Untold Truth

Chapter 3

Many moons passed since that night, but the two brothers stayed in touch every since then. Echopaw's wisdom had grow so much, that he began to receive such signs from Starfire that guided him through his apprenticeship journey. Echopaw showed the gifts of an medical cat, and yet he proved to be a tactical hunter.

" Okay, now Echopaw, do you smell that?" Silverwind quizzed him. Echopaw was already ahead of him and in the early morning shadows he crept towards the small vole hidden in the brush, unaware of his presence.

Now! Echopaw thought, and as quick as lightning he snapped the neck of the vole before it had the chance to react.

Silverwind stood their quite pleased with his son. " Great job, Echopaw!" he purred, with pride. " What a great way to use the shadows as cover, and the plants to hide your sent." He went up to him and licked behind his ear. " There's definitely some Shadowclan in you, that's from your mother. She'll be quite pleased." he whispered in his ear.

Echopaw smiled and carried the vole in his mouth to bring back to camp. On the way back he heard something strange, and smelt it as well. He froze in place, his eyes turning completely blue and filled with stars.

The wind will die down when red flashes by....

An image of a red poofy tail beast flashed in his mind. It's jaws and white fangs attacking in the night. The full moon shining right under them.

" Smells like fox." Silverwind hissed grimly. " It's fresh, but faint. We better report this to Firestar."

Echopaw turned to his father, and nodded his head. A sharp pain clutched his heart, when he said 'fox' The message that was given to him seemed to have a fox written all over it.

" Are you okay?" Silverwind meowed, concern in his voice. Echopaw shook his head and nodded.

" Yeah, just tired." he meowed back.

" Maybe you should go see Cinderpelt." he advised. He nodded his head, and picked up his fresh-kill to take back to the pile.

Echopaw and Silverwind padded up towards camp. The morning was still young, and there was much to do. Tonight was the gathering, and Firestar came out of his den to announce who was coming to the gathering. He have never been to one, or at least not yet.

Wait! Tonight is the full moon! Echopaw panicked in his mind. Looking up to the sky, he searched for an answer. Starfire, are you telling me tonight will be the fox attack?!

He was so caught up in his thoughts, he didn't hear who was coming to the gathering. " Hey, Echopaw you get to come to your first gathering!" Silverwind purred.

He looked at him, wide-eyed and then back at the others. " I..I am.." He mumbled the vole still in his mouth. The white tom nodded back and led him to the fresh-kill pile. Just then the flame pelted leader padded towards the two toms.

" Are you excited for your first gathering, Echopaw?" Firestar meowed.

" Yes, sir. It's a really big honor." Echopaw meowed politely. He showed great respect to his leader, and knew of what he had done to save the forest from Bloodclan. " Firestar, while we were on patrol, Silverwind and I picked up the scent of a fox near the border towards the Fortress." he stated.

Firestar nodded at this and turned to Silverwind. " Thank you, I'll send a patrol out there to check the area. Hopefully, it was just visiting. The last thing was need is a fox hunting near our Gathering place, especially tonight." He nodded his head and turned towards Greystripe, his deputy.

Especially tonight..Echopaw thought, glancing at his Father, he need to get away for just a moment. " Silverwind, I will be right back. I have to go make dirt." he lied, but he was already heading towards the forest. Once deep enough he was able to find a quiet spot to communicate with his brother, Dragonpaw.

Dragonpaw? Echopaw closed his eyes and found himself in the starry world. Another cat appeared, a white sleek tom with green eyes appeared to him.

Echopaw? What's going on? Dragonpaw meow, urgency in his voice.

I received a message from Starfire, and I don't think it's a good one?

What do you mean? Dragonpaw padded towards the silver tom.

They said that 'The wind will die down when red flashes by....' I'm not sure what that means for us, but I'm pretty sure it's a fox, and it's was founded around the Fortress.

Great! Dragonpaw meowed sarcastically. I'm going there tonight!

Echopaw's eyes widen. Really?! Me too, but...

But what? Dragonpaw meowed, concern in his voice.

This seems too much to be a coincidence. He stated grimly. Silverwind is coming with me, and so are some strong warriors.

Dragonpaw froze when he said Silverwind. He still didn't forgive him for what he done to him at a young age. He couldn't trust him, at least not yet. Right...Sadly our mother is not coming, though. Why wouldn't she be allowed to come, what does Starfire want us to see that Ghostheart shouldn't?

Echopaw looked at him and then towards the ground. A chilling thought came through his mind. What if....could it be a warning about Silverwind? He thought.

Echopaw? Are you okay? Dragonpaw cocked his head, looking at his brother with concern.

Yeah, I'm just trying to figure this out, but for now I suppose this is all that we know of it. I suggest you warn Shadowclan about the fox. Just in case. Echopaw warned him. Dragonpaw hissed at him a bit.

Why should you care about Shadowclan? He hissed softly. Dragonpaw still did not accept the idea that they are all kin to every Clan, and still he felt he only belonged to Shadowclan. Echopaw sensed this in his brother.

You forget, Dragonpaw. We no longer belong to one Clan, but now we are all kin to everyone of these Clans. Our allegiance belongs to all, but...for now I suppose we are to keep for our own Clans, but I'm sure the time will come that we will be able to be our true selves. He meowed softly.

Geez, aren't you the wise one. Dragonpaw teased him, he knew that his brother had a strange habit of translating situations in the truest of ways. He had the ability to become a medical cat if he wanted, but he chose the life of a warrior.

Echopaw looked at him, and nodded his head. I have to go back, but I'll see you at the Gathering tonight. Pray to Starfire that the fox will be no harm to us.

Dragonpaw nodded back, and soon the stars disappeared. Light peeked thought Echopaw's closed eyes, and the grass began to tickle his nose. Echopaw sneezed softly.

" Who's there?"

Echopaw looked up from the grass and saw Cinderpelt. " It's just me, Cinderpelt!" he meowed back to her, rubbing his nose.

The grey pelted she-cat looked over the grassy patch and smiled. " Oh, it's you, Echopaw! What are you doing way out here?"

Echopaw looked at her and tried to think of an excuse. " I just needed some time to rest my mind." he lied.

Cinderpelt took the bait, and nodded her head. " I see, well since you are here. Did you want to help me carry these herbs back to camp?"

" Sure!" Echopaw grabbed the herbs. The smell was strong, and he was very close to wanted to spit them out, but he held himself back and ignored the smell.

Could the wind in the prophecy be about Silverwind? Is the fox going to kill him tonight? Echopaw thought. He didn't want his father to die tonight, not when they had grown so close together. Wouldn't Starfire want him to be with us for the rest of our lives? Unless Starfire knows he is to play a different role with us. I guess we'll just see tonight.