Warrior Cats Book 1: A Dark Path- Dusk of the Clans

Chapter 9

Shadowpaw woke to sunlight shining through the leaves. Bumblepaw was already stretching as Shadowpaw gave her chest fur a few quick licks.

With a yawn Shadowpaw heaved herself to her paws and trotted into the clearing, a quick glance from her after told her that her dream had been true.

Taking a freshly killed thrush from the pile she devoured it in a few giant chomps.

Duskstar padded over, "Ready for more training Shadowpaw?" The she-cat gave her muzzle a swift lick and nodded. Duskstar laughed and led the way out of camp, "See if you can keep up with me again okay?"

Shadowpaw grinned and nodded, letting her leader dash away into the trees. Shadowpaw hated after him, propelling herself forward until she caught up with her mentor, even passing him as she took in deep breaths.

Duskstar looked surprised and almost tripped as she passed him. "We can stop here." He meowed keeping his voice low. His eyes were fixed on a starling as it searched for bugs under the leaves.

"Keep your tail still and stay low to the ground, see if you can catch it." Duskstar whispered, watching his apprentice intently.

Shadowpaw crouched and slid forward silently, her tail aching to twitch although she forced it to stay still. She darted forward and slammed a paw on its back, the bird let out a loud alarm call before she could break its neck.

Duskstar nodded, "Not bad, but it's probably chased off all the prey, so how about we work on basic fighting."

Duskstar lead her to a grassy clearing, "Show me what you can do." He meowed. Shadowpaw crouched and leaped forward, swiping a clump of mods into the air, twisting and leaping again to slam it to the ground. She darted back and slashed at the moss, darting circles around it.

Duskstar looked surprised, "Not bad at all." Shadowpaw smiled at the complement and dipped her head. Duskstar was about to say more when Mintpaw burst into the clearing.

Blood ran down her shoulders and she gasped, "Two RiverClan toms attacked Sparrowstrike and I while we went hunting! He told me to get help in case there were more."

Duskstar narrowed his eyes, "Go to camp and see the medicine cat, Shadowpaw come with me to the RiverClan border."

Mintpaw dashed off again and Shadowpaw's heart raced as she thought about her father, she pelted into the trees leaving Duskstar to follow her as she rushed headstrong to where her father was at the a RiverClan border.

Shadowpaw leaped onto a tree, jumping off of it as she heard the river ahead. She heard the sound of cats fighting and picked up speed.

Shadowpaw burst from the trees, Duskstar behind her. The two RiverClan cats took one look and leaped into the river, swimming across the current to the other side.

Shadowpaw narrowed her eyes at the two RiverClan tom cats, but then she remembered her father.

The black tom lay on the stone, utterly still. Shadowpaw crouched and crawled forward, nudging him gently, "Dad?" Her voice croaked.

Her father didn't move and understanding flooded through her. She buried her head in her fathers torn pelt. Duskstar bowed his head and let her lay with her father.

Shadowpaw heard Frostflower's voice in her head, Shadowpaw, even though your father is not with you anymore, don't forget the good things, don't give into darkness.

Shadowpaw opened her eyes, looking across he river where the two toms disappeared. Dark hatred burned in her gaze, and another voice, Shadeheart's said, Give into the darkness Death-bringer, those two toms took away your father, don't you want revenge?

Shadowpaw narrowed her eyes and thought, yes, I do. She heard Shadeheart snicker darkly, and what kind of revenge do you want death-bringer?

Shadowpaw unsheathed her claws and replied, blood, I want those toms dead just like my father.

Shadeheart replied, welcome to the Dark Forest family Shadowpaw, you have an extraordinary destiny ahead of you.

Duskstar gently nudged Shadowpaw to her paws, grief in his gaze as he picked up her fathers body. Shadowpaw felt sadness like an icy thorn in her heart, and her paws hm felt heavy as she padded to camp, dazed.

Fawndapple was guarding the camp when she saw us, her eyes wide with horror when se saw Sparrowstrike. Shadowpaw stumbled after Duskstar, collapsing by her fathers body when he set it down carefully.

Shadowpaw buried her head in his fur, pinning her ears as a wail erupted from the warriors den and Poppytail bolted out of camp with a few other warriors trailing after the grief-filled she-cat.

Bumblepaw's scent filled the air as her brother lay down beside her, pressing against his sister to comfort her.

Shadowpaw felt fury rise in her heart, mixing with her grief. I swear to the Dark Forest that the two toms who murdered my father will pay, they will pay with their lives.

(WOW well that happened right! Hope you enjoyed this chapter, poor Shadowpaw, so close to being good until she lost the cat she cared about the most, R.I.P Sparrowstrike. Comment your opinions and I'll write the next chapter when I can! <3 Jade)