Warriors Deadly Echoes: A Dangerous Hour

Chapter 19

By the time the medicine cats had healed each cat's injuries, Littlepaw saw Cloverpaw talking to Specklepaw, the transgender apprentice. Back at that gathering, she didn't get why Gorsepaw had judged him so harshly. To Littlepaw, if cats were accepting of rogues, then they could surely accept cats like Specklepaw, who was still a warrior through and through. "Thank you so much for helping us." Darkshadow meowed to Blazetoe.
"Of course. You know when the Clans have a common enemy, we unite to defend ourselves." She told him in a gentle purr.
Moongrowl padded up to her. "We better get back. Slatestar will be curious about us." She mewed.
"Right. Gather everyone and let's go back to camp." The ScarClan deputy ordered. From afar, Specklepaw and Cloverpaw were talking to each other in hushed voices and then they drew away from each other as Cloverpaw bounded back to his mentor Dawnfrost. Littlepaw blinked at her next of kin looking confused. What were the two toms talking about?
Maybe they were just congratulating each other on chasing off the dogs She padded after Thrushberry back to the camp while Russetleaf and Deerleg helped Leafpelt walk back to camp. Feralstar was leading the way at a brisk trot. Littlepaw could practically feel the fury sparking off of his tan tabby coat like fire. Darktalon was written all over this, no questions asked. What were they going to do?

Crickets sang in the night of the forest. The cats of the conjoined Clans all slept in their dens. While Leafpelt was in the medicine cat's den, and four cats, two of WolfClan and two of ViperClan, were on guard duty outside the camp. Littlepaw yawned sleepily and flopped down into her nest giving into sleep already. She had never been so tired. Treating Leafpelt with fear in her belly seemed endless. But the tom was fine, just wouldn't be doing any hunting for a while. As she slept, she rolled around in her nest. Suddenly, Littlepaw heard soemthing shift. She saw a small gray and brown shape rush out of camp through one opened eye. One thing she could make out was a tail. Blinking, she wanted to investigate, but she was too tired to even move. So, she decided to go back sleep. She could worry about that in the morning. Now, sleep was more important. She had a long day and had to sleep off the worry. Feralstar would never forget this. And that was for sure. This meant a score with Darktalon without a doubt.
A paw prodded her. Littlepaw fluttered her eyes open. All she could see was two bright yellow eyes. "Come with me." It was a she-cat's voice. Littlepaw blinked and obeyed. The small she-cat was quick and was already at the entrance. Again, Littlepaw could see only an outline and her bright yellow eyes. Littlepaw stalked silently to keep up, trying not to disturb her sleeping Clanmates. The she-cat dashed out of camp. "Follow me." She whispered. She followed after the starry outline? Who was this? And why did Littlepaw trust her? The she-cat was half way behind a tree "Follow me. Hurry." She mewed in a hushed whisper. Littlepaw was running now. The she-cat kept ahead of her a few fox lengths. Littlepaw kept loosing aight of her but kept hearing her voice. "Follow me."
The apprentice ran faster and faster. WolfClan cats had strong leg muscles. But this cat was faster. "Hurry. Follow me," she told her. Littlepaw began to pant. "I'm trying, you're so fast." She mewed.
"Hurry. You need to see this. Hurry." She kept whispering to the young medicine cat apprentice.
Littlepaw finally ran to where she had caught up with her. The she-cat was behind a tree watching her. "Hurry. Follow me."
"I am following.." Littlepaw uttered, her brown tail twitching.
"Hurry. Through the bushes." The she-cat dashed through the bushes. Littlepaw leaped through them. The she cat had vanished. Littlepaw was in a small clearing. Their were flowers of all colors with a small pond with a large rock in the center. The Stars reflected off of it. It was peaceful.
"What even is this?" Littlepaw murmured. "Protect it. Protect it." The she cat's voice whispered.
"A pond with flowers? From who?" She asked the voice. Her belly twisted with confusion. "The water. Go to the water." The voice told her. Littlepaw reluctantly obeyed and stared into the water. Her refelction was replaced with that of a wolf! The creature she had heard stories about from the elders looked just like how they described;ears smaller than a dog, a snout more pointed than a fox. And eyes, she looked like she had never even seem such eyes in her life.
"Protect it. Protect this place." She mewed. "From what?" Littlepaw asked.
"Protect my home. My home. Protect it from them. The clans. Protect it." The voice faded from her ears. "I will.. I promise." She vowed. Then Littlepaw shot awake. "Protect me......" Was the last thing she heard.