Warriors: Sharptalon's Mist

Chapter 40

Sharptalon dug into the small mouse he'd got from the fresh-kill pile. Prey was running low already. Two days had passed. 

Stormgaze was looking around nervously. "I'm worried that not all of us will get through this Leaf-bare," she mumbled.

Sharptalon looked up at her. "It's still only Leaf-fall, we can make it if we stock up on herbs and prey," she mewed. 

"But look at how many cats we have in our Clan. There's so many," Stormgaze mewed. "There's hardly enough prey to go around," she pointed out.

Sharptalon took another bite of mouse, still feeling hungry. He thought about Crowfeather, and if the tom would leave. One less cat.

"I hope we can all make it," Stormgaze mewed. She then stretched her jaws in a yawn.

"Huh, well, don't worry," Sharptalon murmured.

"Sharptalon!" A voice called.

Stormgaze blinked at Sharptalon. "See you later," she sighed.

Sharptalon nuzzled her head. "Bye," he purred. He raced over to Ivypool.

"You're on this patrol, Sharptalon," Ivypool meowed.

"Huh, well looks like I'll be spending time with my mate later," Sharptalon sighed, glancing over at the patrol consisting with Rosepetal, Firestorm, and Auburnpaw.

"Huh, well yeah, looks like it," Ivypool retorted, a faint growl in her voice. "Hurry up. I've gotta get all the patrols out so I can take Wingpaw out," she meowed. 

Sharptalon padded towards the patrol, his thoughts racing. Why can't I stay in camp with Stormgaze? She's been worrying me. 

Firestorm looked up, his whiskers twitching. "Ah, Sharptalon," he greeted.

Sharptalon blinked at him. "Firestorm," he greeted. "What border are we patrolling now?"

"ShadowClan's, and we might patrol the rogue's border too," Firestorm meowed. He flicked his tail. "Come on, lets go."

Sharptalon padded through the forest with the patrol, taking the rear. Leaves crunched under his paws, and a chilly breeze settled through his fur. Frost covered most of the ground.

"We might want to be careful of that fox too," Rosepetal meowed stiffly.

Sharptalon pricked his ears as he heard birds singing in the trees. One fluttered to another branch, sending some dead bark flakes showering to the ground. 

Auburnpaw flicked her tail. "I haven't seen ShadowClan yet," she mewed.

"Well, lets hope we don't," Rosepetal mewed.

"They're not that bad anymore," Sharptalon pointed out, although having no idea of what the Clan was like before. 

"Well you never know when they could get a change in heart or a... bad leader," Rosepetal sighed, flicking her tail.

Sharptalon snapped to the right as he heard paw steps. Through the denseness of the pines, he saw a patrol. "Well, Auburnpaw, there's your wish," Sharptalon joked.

Juniperclaw, at the head of the patrol, glanced at Sharptalon. "Oh, a ThunderClan patrol, finally!" He meowed. Needletail, Ebonyfur, and Cloverfoot were with him. 

Sharptalon bristled, unsheathing his claws. What do they want? 

"Sorry to disturb you. But we wanted to know if you knew where Darkspots was," Juniperclaw puffed. 

"Why us?" Firestorm asked, whiskers twitching.

"He went missing yesterday. We can't find him," Juniperclaw sighed. "We don't know where he would've gone, or why he left. He never said he was going anywhere," Juniperclaw meowed.

"Well, we haven't seen him in our territory. Maybe check the river?" Firestorm suggested. "Or ask WindClan or RiverClan."

"Why would he even be in RiverClan?" Needletail growled.

Sharptalon bristled, flattening his ears. "Well why do you think he'd be here, huh?" He hissed.

"Hey, I'm not the deputy, I didn't send this patrol here," Needletail growled, flattening her ears. 

Sharptalon stepped forward, his tail lashing. What's wrong with her? He felt a growl rising in his throat.

Needletail unsheathed her claws, glaring at Sharptalon. 

"Sharptalon! Stop!" Firestorm hissed. "You don't need to claw eachother over some stupid reason, stop," he growled.

Sharptalon backed away from the ShadowClan border, but then Needletail leaped on him, her claws raking his shoulders. He hissed in annoyance as Needletail had him pinned, but then remembered his moves. He kicked out with his legs, his hind-claws striking Needletail's belly. 

Needletail tumbled over the border, blood dripping from her belly. She glared at Sharptalon. 

Firestorm glared at Needletail, then glared at Juniperclaw. "You're completely fine with her lashing like that? Sharptalon had already backed away!" He growled.

"I told you ShadowClan was no good," Rosepetal hissed, lashing her tail.

Juniperclaw glared at her. "Hey! Take that back!" He hissed.

The bushes rustled suddenly, and Ivypool came from the bushes, Wingpaw at her side. "What's going on?" She hissed.

Juniperclaw, probably suddenly realizing that he was outnumbered now, turned around and dashed into the bushes, his patrol following him.

"Stupid Needletail attacked Sharptalon," Firestorm growled. He lashed his tail. 

Ivypool glanced at Sharptalon. "Sharptalon, are you ok?" She asked, looking over him.

Sharptalon felt a few small scratches on his shoulder. "Yeah, I'm fine," he meowed. 

"They said something about one of their warriors missing. But it's none of our concern," Firestorm sighed, his tail flicking. 

"Sharptalon, I'll take your place on this patrol," Ivypool meowed, flicking her tail. "Stormgaze had her kits."