Warriors: A New Beginning #2: Midnight Rising

Chapter 12

The next day Midnightpaw was woken up when Blackpaw prodded her in the side.

"Come on," he said. "Frostclaw told me to show you the camp."

Without a word, Midnightpaw got up and followed him.

"Well, you were in the prison just now," Blackpaw began, padding around the clearing. He pointed his tail to a roundish rock. "That's Jaggedrock, where Bloodclaw calls his meetings."

It looks hard to climb, Midnightpaw thought.

Blackpaw went over to the warriors den. "You probably know already that this is the warriors den. And you also probably know that Bloodclaw's den is over there." He gestured to that den. "The apprentices den is there, beside this den, and we have no elders so yeah, that's it." He walked toward the fresh-kill pile, calling "Go see Frostclaw!"

Midnightpaw watched him go away. That was a quick tour. No elders? This Clan is cruel! And no medicine cat... She shook her head and trotted over to Frostclaw.

"What am I doing today?" she asked half-heartedly.

Frostclaw glared at her. "You're repairing the warriors den."

Midnightpaw said nothing. Great.

"Blackpaw!" Frostclaw hollered. "Go show Midnightpaw what needs to be done on the warriors den."

Blackpaw nodded, glancing at Midnightpaw. He ran off toward the warriors den and Midnightpaw struggled to follow him.

Blackpaw examined the den. "The back of it needs doing. Get some new sticks in the forest and come back here. I'll watch you so you don't escape." Turning, he walked to the entrance of the camp.

"How come you're helping me?" Midnightpaw caught up to him.

Blackpaw whipped around. "I'm not helping you. I'm just supervising you."

Midnightpaw was silent. Then she said:

"How can rogues be in a Clan?"

"They can," was Blackpaw's firm reply.

"How? They're rogues."

"Well, you're Clan cats," Blackpaw retorted.

"Then how come you're capturing Clan cats?"

For once, Blackpaw was actually at a loss for words. "Uh...because Bloodclaw said so."

"And you don't know why? That's silly."

Blackpaw glared at her. "Shut up."

Midnightpaw suppressed a smile. Rogues are mouse-brained.

"Well, where are those sticks?" she mused slyly, gazing around the forest. "Ah! There they are." She grabbed a few large ones and began to drag them back to the camp.

Blackpaw's gaze was on her. Midnightpaw ignored it as she entered the camp and over to the warriors den. I've never done this before. How am I supposed to do it?

Blackpaw must have seen her confused face for he sighed. "Do it like this." He took one of the sticks and started weaving it in with the other branches. Midnightpaw watched him.

"There." Blackpaw finished.

"Okay." Midnightpaw started to work on the den. "Thanks."

Blackpaw had started to pad away. He stopped and looked back, saying nothing for a few heartbeats.

"No problem," he finally meowed.

Midnightpaw smiled to herself. I think I'm getting past his bad side. He'll trust me.