Warriors: The Unknown Threat Series Book #1: ShadowClan's Threat

Chapter 5: Shadepaw

SHADEPAW

            Shadepaw knew what she said was true even before Tawnypelt came stumbling through the thorn barrier. Her father leaped forward immediately, snarling and hissing at Tawnypelt. He was about to claw her pelt off when Bramblestar came racing down from the Highledge and shoved Thornclaw away. “No one will touch a hair on her pelt until I hear her story,” Bramblestar snarled at the gathering crowd. “That’s my sister you’re staring at!”

            Shadepaw noticed that Tawnypelt was gasping for breath. “ShadowClan…need food. Blackstar said to…steal ThunderClan’s prey. I did not want to steal…from you. I ran…away last night so that I didn’t…have to steal from you. I came here. Rowanclaw saw me…and chased me over the border. Said…never to come back,” Tawnypelt panted.

            Bramblestar curled his lip. “Why does ShadowClan need our prey?” he spat.

            Tawnypelt looked him straight in the eyes. “We think it’s Twolegs,” she meowed earnestly. Shocked meows and a few nervous whimpers rose from the ThunderClan cats. Many seasons ago, Twolegs had destroyed their old forest home with their tree-eating monsters. The Clan cats had fled from their old home and taken a long, perilous journey over the mountains to the lake. Some cats were old enough to remember the terrible voyage they had, had to take to find their current home around the lake.

            Shadepaw could tell that Bramblestar was surprised, too. “Twolegs? How? Great StarClan, nothing is ever peaceful these days!” he exclaimed.

            Tawnypelt took a deep breath before continuing. “About a moon ago, two of our kits, Rabbitkit and Leopardkit, snuck out of camp. Toadfoot saw them and followed them.  The kits found this huge black puddle on the ground and Leopardkit dared Rabbitkit to drink some. Toadfoot ran towards them and tried to stop them, but Rabbitkit had already drunk some. Rabbitkit died before sunrise the next day.”

            “That’s terrible!” Bramblestar meowed.

            “The black liquid is all over ShadowClan’s territory. It smells terrible, too. It smells like monsters on a Thunderpath. Our prey is dying from the black liquid and half of what’s not dead has the black stuff in its fur. But, starving or not starving, I wouldn’t break the warrior code and steal another Clan’s prey,” Tawnypelt finished.

            Bramblestar turned to face the crowd. “Falcontail,” he said. The dark brown warrior looked at ThunderClan’s leader. “Go and get Tawnypelt that thrush on the top of the fresh-kill pile.” Falcontail nodded and dropped the plump thrush at Tawnypelt’s paws.

            Tawnypelt pressed her nose into his side. “Thank you, Bramblestar. I’ll leave tomorrow. I suppose I’ll get used to the life of a loner,” she meowed gratefully.

            Bramblestar turned his amber eyes on her. “Who said anything about you leaving or becoming a loner?”he asked her. “You may stay here as long you wish to.”

            “Thank you,” Tawnypelt purred.”I am forever grateful.”

            Bramblestar licked her nose. “You’re my sister. I won’t ever forget that.”He seemed to remember the crowd that was watching and he stepped back. “Go to your dens,” he commanded. “And no rumoring or gossiping.”

            Shadepaw turned and headed towards the den. It was nearly moonrise and Jayfeather wasn’t back yet. She decided that if he wasn’t back by moonrise she would go and look for him. She was sorting herbs again when she heard the soft pawsteps of a cat entering the den. Shadepaw looked up and found herself looking into Jayfeather’s sightless blue eyes.”Where were you? It’s nearly moonrise!” she asked.

            Jayfeather dropped the juniper berries at her feet. He also had some tansy and catmint with him. “We need some catmint and tansy with leaf-bare approaching. It best to collect it now, before leaf-bare’s frigid winds kill half of it.”

            “You won’t believe what happened!” Shadepaw exclaimed, eager to tell her mentor about Tawnypelt’s arrival. “Bramblestar’s…”

            “Yes, yes, I know, Shadepaw,” Jayfeather interrupted her. “Tawnypelt showed up and Bramblestar let her stay.”

            “How do you know that?” Shadepaw asked confusedly. “You weren’t there!”

            “I can read your thoughts, remember?”Jayfeather said. “Anyways, could you help me put these herbs away?”

            Shadepaw sighed. “Sure,” she meowed. Jayfeather looked at her as if he was about to say something, and then shook his head. Shadepaw helped Jayfeather to put away the herbs he had gathered without complaining. Finally, the last juniper berry had been stored away. Yawning, she said, “I’m tired. I am going to sleep.”

            As she settled into her nest, Jayfeather said, “Has StarClan spoken to you?”

            Shadepaw almost told him about Streampaw’s dreadful prophecy. But then, she realized that Jayfeather might be angry if she had spoken with StarClan and he hadn’t. “No,” she lied. “Have you had a sign from StarClan?”

            Jayfeather hesitated. “Yes,” he finally said. “I spoke to Hollyleaf. She said, ’An unknown threat is near. Wind alone can destroy our Clan.’”

            Shadepaw meowed, “Jayfeather, WindClan must be the wind of Hollyleaf’s prophecy! We must do something!”

            Jayfeather pondered her words. “Well,” he meowed slowly, considering his words. “We’re not certain that the wind is WindClan.”

            Shadepaw knew she had to tell her mentor about Streampaw’s prophecy. “Actually,” Streampaw said. “I did receive a prophecy from StarClan. Streampaw’s final words were, ‘Tiger will meet the shadows, and a leader will be lost. Thunder’s second will find the stars and the lion will set the forest ablaze.’ Do you know what it means?”

            Jayfeather shook his head. “All I know is that the whole of StarClan foresees grave danger,” he meowed ominously.