Warriors: Sharptalon's Mist

Chapter 8

It had been a moon since the fight with the rogues. Dewpaw had died shortly after from wounds, and Cloudpaw had earned her warrior name, Cloudspark, for fighting bravely in the battle. Squirrelstar had allowed Mistfang and Cherryflight to join the Clan, along with their mother, who was named Petal. She'd decided to keep her name though. 

Sharppaw was on a patrol with his mentor, Ambertuft, and with Cloudspark, Firestorm, and Smallfeather. He was happy since they were all going to ShadowClan to warn them about the rogues. Another patrol was going to RiverClan, and then another going to WindClan. 

"Be on the watch for a ShadowClan patrol," Ambertuft murmured as they neared the ShadowClan border. 

Sharppaw pricked his ears. He was thinking about the rogues. They had taken everything from them. The happy young apprentice, Dewpaw, and before that, ThunderClan's leader, Ashstar. What would they take next?

ShadowClan scent rolled on Sharppaw's tongue. A patrol consisting of a black tom, a gray tabby she-cat, and a dark gray tom padded from the shade of the pines. They bristled when they saw the patrol. 

"Intruders!" The black tom hissed, his tail lashing.

The gray tabby she-cat padded forward, her eyes narrowed. "Relax, Juniperclaw, they're probably here for a reason."

"ThunderClan's always here for a reason," the dark gray tom sniffed, flattening his ears.

"Smokefoot agrees with me, at least," Juniperclaw meowed. 

"Greetings Cloverfoot, Juniperclaw, and Smokefoot. We need to speak with your leader," Ambertuft meowed. She glanced at Juniperclaw. "Weren't you with the rogues?" She asked, her eyes narrowing.

Cloudspark bristled. She flexed her claws. Sharppaw knew what she was thinking. "Murderer!" She yowled, her teeth bared.

"Cloudpaw, is it?" Juniperclaw sighed, glancing at the white she-cat. "And yes, I was with the rogues. But I left. I thought it was wrong."

"I'm Cloudspark now. The rogues killed my brother in a battle," Cloudspark murmured, her gaze dropping.

"Well, ThunderClan cats, what do you need to say to our leader?" Juniperclaw asked, his tail flicking.

"Juniperclaw, I'm the leader of this patrol. If they need to speak to Tigerstar, then they shall come," Cloverfoot meowed, glancing at Juniperclaw. She flicked her tail at the patrol. "Come."

Sharppaw padded into the ShadowClan camp. He felt the burning stares of the cats as the ThunderClan patrol walked in. Ambertuft glanced around, Firestorm at her side. Cloudspark was beside Sharppaw. She was looking around anxiously. 

"It's ok. They won't hurt us," Sharppaw murmured.

The she-cat glanced at him. "I know, I'm just..."

Her voice trailed off as a large brown tabby tom padded from a shadowy cleft in a rock. His chin was high, his tail lifted, and his amber eyes shone. A tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes was by his side, her gaze resting on Ambertuft. 

"Greetings, Tigerstar, Tawnypelt," Ambertuft greeted. 

"Ah, ThunderClan," Tigerstar greeted. "Why have you come?" He sat down, curling his tail around his paws. Tawnypelt stopped beside him, sitting down. 

"It's the rogues. They're becoming more of a problem," Ambertuft meowed. She closed her eyes, curling her tail around her paws. 

Tawnypelt blinked at her, flattening her ears. "We caught them hunting on our land yesterday."

"WindClan has fewer warriors than us. I hope they don't get attacked," Tigerstar suddenly admitted. "Did they attack you?"

"Yes. They invaded our camp and attacked us without mercy. Cloudspark's brother, Dewpaw, died in the fighting and some were badly injured," Ambertuft meowed, her voice filled with sympathy.

Tigerstar glanced at Cloudspark sympathetically as her head drooped. "I'm sorry to hear that. But your brother will be welcomed in StarClan," He soothed.

Cloudspark didn't respond to his kind words. She hunched her shoulders, clearly still not over the death of her brother. 

"Well, I think we'll go now. We only wanted to warn you," Ambertuft meowed. She got to her paws, but stood still as if something was on her mind. "I know I shouldn't be sharing this but... Squirrelstar lost a life in the fighting," she added.

Tigerstar dipped his head. "Thank you for the warning. If we see the rogues, we will chase them off."

Sharppaw glanced at the ShadowClan leader. "Is Sleekwhisker here?" He asked suddenly. If Juniperclaw had returned, surely Sleekwhisker would've.

"No. She stayed with the rogues," Tawnypelt meowed. 

"Dawnpelt!" Tigerstar called. "Take Strikestone and Ebonyfur to escort them to the border!" He ordered.

"We told them about the rogues. Tigerstar was grateful or our warning," Ambertuft meowed. 

Sharppaw was listening intently to Ambertuft. She was reporting the visit to Squirrelstar and Ivypool. Jaywing and Cloudspark were talking quietly behind him. Sharppaw pricked his ears. The two she-cats had grown close ever since Cloudspark's brother's death.  

"I know how it feels to lose a brother," Jaywing meowed. She was hunched close to the she-cat, her tail-tip resting on her shoulder. "But don't be sad. Dewpaw is probably happier in StarClan. He misses you of course, but he's not suffering now."

Sharppaw turned as Sootwing and Frostpaw came into camp. Frostpaw was proudly walking in camp, a fat thrush in her jaws. She's just happy my father neglected me a moon ago. 

Falconflight padded over to her, praising her for her catch. He lifted his head and caught Sharppaw's eye, glaring at him. Sharppaw looked away from the warrior. He padded towards the medicine den. Maybe Flamedawn would talk to him. 

Pushing through the bramble entrance, Sharppaw saw Flamedawn storing herbs in the loose parts in the bracken. Flamedawn turned around, seeing Sharppaw. 

"Hello Sharppaw. Come to help?" Flamedawn asked, his tone friendly.

"Well, no, not this time. I wanted to talk," Sharppaw explained. He suddenly wondered why Mothstripe and Twistedfoot weren't in the den.

Flamedawn must've read his thoughts. "If you're wondering where the others are, they've gone out to collect catmint. Well need some more since leaf-bare is nearing," Flamedawn meowed. He turned back to his herbs. "What did you want to talk about?"

"The rogues. Has StarClan told you anything about them?" Sharppaw asked curiously. He wondered if StarClan could warn them of a future rogue attack.

Flamedawn froze, the fur lifting along his spine. He flattened his ears. "They haven't told me anything of the rogues. But... Ashstar... had a prophecy for me. He told me to be aware of the sharp talon, for it will draw a bloody wound in the Clan." The dark ginger tom stood up. "Well, whatever that means, I assume it can't be well."

Sharppaw stood, frozen. The medicine cat had turned, his blue eyes cloudy. "I need to check on Palewhisker." Flamedawn caught Sharppaw's eye. "Something wrong?" He asked.

"No, no. I'm fine," Sharppaw murmured. He shifted his paws uncomfortably.  As the medicine cat padded from the den, he sighed. Did that prophecy have something to do with the rogues by any chance? He then remembered the words 'sharp talon'. Or does it have something to do with me?