Mapleshade's Revenge

Chapter Four

"Quickly! It's Larkfeather!"

Maplepaw jolted out of her nest at the sound of a cry. What is going on?

It was almost dawn. The sun was just starting to peek throughout the trees.

She shook her fur and pelted out of the den. She saw a few cats milling about, pacing nervously.

She spotted Brackenpelt tearing the ground with his claws. He had worry in his eyes.

Maplepaw padded over to Briarthicket, who was sitting with her fur on end, with wide eyes.

"What's happening?" Maplepaw questioned.

Briarthicket turned to look at the apprentice, she let out a shaky breath, "Larkfeather is having her kits. They are early by one moon. I don't know what to do!"

Maplepaw nudged the she-cat, Briarthicket was Larkfeather's sister after all. She was bound to be worried, but why the entire camp? Maplepaw was born one moon early, but she was fine.

Maplepaw heard an anguished cry, and she jumped. "Great Starclan! Is that Larkfeather?"

Briarthicket nodded, scraping her claws on the grass. "She's been doing that since a little after moonhigh. She's getting weaker."

Brackenpelt bounded over to Briarthicket, "Quick, Moonbreeze said that one is about to come!"

"Thank Starclan." Briarthicket breathed. She pelted along side Brackenpelt to the nursery.

"I can't go back to sleep now, I might as well ask to go out hunting." Maplepaw thought aloud.

She bounded over to her mentor, Snowspeck. He was talking to his mate, Honeysplash.

"Snowspeck," Maplepaw interrupted," Can I go out hunting?"

Snowspeck flicked his ears, then replied, "Don't go too far, okay?"

Maplepaw nodded then padded for the camp entrance.

"Wait! Maplepaw wait!"

Maplepaw turned around at the voice, it was Eaglepaw.

"What is it now?" Maplepaw growled.

I really want to get out of the camp!

"Snowspeck told me to come hunting with you." Eaglepaw replied, flicking his tail with annoyance.

Maplepaw rolled her eyes then nodded. "Come on then."

The two apprentices padded out of the camp.

.. .. .. .. .. ..

"Nice catch!" Eaglepaw praised.

Maplepaw dipped her head at his words.

"Let's split up, we can catch more prey that way." Eaglepaw suggested.

Maplepaw shrugged, "Okay, sure. I'm going to Sunningrocks."

Eaglepaw nodded then meowed, "I'll go by the Owl Tree. Breezefeather said there's a lot of mice around there."

Maplepaw grunted, then bounded to Sunningrocks.

The air was crisp as Maplepaw pelted through the forest. Light shone through the giant trees and the ground was alight with many different patterns.

It was dawn now, so the air was starting to get a little warmer. Today might be the last good day of greenleaf.

Thunderclan truly is the best clan!

Maplepaw skirted to a halt as she arrived at the rocks. "No Riverclan fish-face will ever step on these rocks again without meeting my claws!" Maplepaw hissed.