Shadows

Chapter 1

Cloverpaw's muscles tensed up. The fur on her spine fluffed up. The shadowed cat stepped closer to her.

"Stay back!" She hissed. The cat leaped at her; making Cloverpaw jolt awake. Good... It was just a dream. She licked her paw and ran it over her ear. Then she began to give herself a morning wash. She rested her chin on her paws and watched the sun rise outside of the den. Another day, and Cloverpaw still didn't feel better after the incident. A rustle of the entrance to the apprentices den made Cloverpaw's ears perk up.

"Do you want to go hunting? And please don't say no, again. What happened to Egg, oh StarClan, wasn't your fault. Our mother was not a very good guardian. We're lucky to even have found Abyss-star. So, give back to the clan." Her brother, Bogpaw, tried to coax her out. What he said was true. Abyss, or Abyss-star, is the one who founded AbyssClan a few moons ago. He helped them when they needed it. But it was Cloverpaw's fault. She had accidentally led that fox to her family.

"Leave me alone." Cloverpaw said. Her huff broke the silence around her.

"If you don't get up, I'll get Littlestorm." Bogpaw threatened. Cloverpaw instantly rose up. Even though the warrior was small, she sure had a way to make anyone get up. Cloverpaw moved her aching legs out into the clearing. The sun shone in her eyes. Cloverpaw saw her mother, Wildflower, under a shaded tree. Her mothers eyes flicked toward her. Cloverpaw's ears flattenedz. Bogpaw led her out of the camp and flicked his tail in greeting to the dawn patrol.

"Finally doing something, I see." Littlestorm purred; mouth full of raven. Molepatch set down his frog.

"Leave her alone Littlestorm." He said.

"What are you, my mother?" She growled. Molepatch rolled his eyes, picked up his frog, and led the patrol back to camp.

"Molepatch and Littlestorm have already picked up some prey. Why do we need more?" Cloverpaw asked. Bogpaw turned to her with an annoyed look in his eyes.

"The clan's prey supply is still running low, and it's a good idea to get as much as we can." Bogpaw turned around and headed off without her. Cloverpaw followed him and then veered left where she smelt vole. She saw it on the root of a large tree and crept up to it. The smell of swamp bubbles relaxed her. She hid in the shadows and crept around the creature. That's when her paw hit a dirty puddle and made the vole run away. Cloverpaw growled and chased it. She leaped on it and killed it with a swift bite to the throat.

Later that day, she brought the vole and a crow back to camp. She lay them on the pile and went to lay in the shade.

"Cloverpaw!" Two small voices called. She swung her head and saw Twigkit and Bluekit running up to her.

"Guess what," Twigkit mewed,"we're going to be apprentices today!"

Cloverpaw noticed how big they've gotten. And sure enough, Abyss-star called a meeting.

"Twigkit, Bluekit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you have received your warrior name, you will be know as Twigpaw and Bluepaw. Your mentors will be Littlestorm and Molepatch. I hope they each pass down all they know on to you." Abyss-star meowed. He turned to the two warriors.

"Littlestorm, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have shown yourself to be brave and clever. You will be the mentor of Twigpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to Twigpaw." Abyss-star said the same to Molepatch and ended the meeting with cheers if the new apprentice's names. Bluepaw went with Molepatch outside of camp and Twigpaw went to Mistnose and Frogtail. The two parents gleamed with pride for their two kits. Cloverpaw felt a wave of sadness as she thought about how Egg could have been apprenticed. She went to grab a mouse off of the pile.