Elemental Warriors: Shadowed Steps

Chapter Seven

"Ashpaw! Get up you lazy lump!" As Ashpaw opened his eyes to the sun shining through the apprentices den he glanced up at Silverpaw.

"What time is it?"

"It's midday, Dappledstar said not to wake you until she was on her way to meet with Vinestar," Silverpaw explained flicking the younger apprentice in the nose, "she's waiting for you at the camp entrance, better hurry when she couldn't wake you up I had to beg her to let me try."

"Fox dung!" Scrabbling up Ashpaw hared his way to the camp entrance seeing Talonspirit's black tail disappear at the last second.

"Watch where your kicking up dust!" Weaselfur growled as the young apprentice ran past him. Flicking his tail in recognition as he heard the elder,

"I'll catch you a squirrel for later!" He called back as he tore through the gorse tunnel. Reaching the other side Ashpaw opened his mouth scenting the air for his clanmates,

"Over here," Goldpaw flicked her vibrant tail from the edge of his view, "quickly before I lose sight of them!" Racing to catch up to his denmate the two apprentices quickly raced behind the more experienced warriors Dappledstar looked back once nodding her head in acknowledgement to her apprentice.

"Glad you were able to join us Ashpaw," As the sunlight danced through the trees onto her spotted pelt the Clan leader seemed to almost glow with confidence and determination, "remember this is just a recon patrol, we're not going to attack any EarthClan warriors no matter what they've accused us of." Glancing around the group Ashpaw noticed just how full the patrol really was. From Talonspirits large size and his formidable reputation Ashpaw was surprised that Dappledstar had brought her mate along with them for a recon mission when he himself just looked like a declaration of war. Next to Talonspirit was Petalcloud, Cloverbee and Hawkleaf all of whom nodded their head respectfully to their clan leader.

"What do we do if they attack us first?" Goldpaw asked staring over the ridge that blocked the EarthClan border from view.

"Defend yourself," Petalcloud replied, "we won't just stand there and get beaten, just don't go asking for trouble." The two young apprentices nodded to the warrior as the patrol began walking over the ridge.

Ten tail lengths from where they stood was the EarthClan border, sitting at the edge of the border was a black and white warrior, next to her was a small gray cat with dark grey paws.

"That's Pebblepaw," Goldpaw mewed with delight, "I wonder if she missed me at the gathering last night."

"The gathering is over, remember that her allegiances lie with another clan," Petalcloud reminded her apprentice as they approached the border.

"Greetings Vixentalon," Dappledstar addressed the EarthClan warrior, "I thought Vinestar would be meeting me here or at the least Wetsky could've come in his place. Or perhaps his foolishness for blaming us about your crow food problem made him unable to come." Ashpaw watched as the fur on the she-cats back began to rise as she hissed at the SnowClan leader.

"His simply caught up with other clan duties, our leader always puts what's best for his clan first," Turning her back to the SnowClan warriors she flicked her tail commandingly and marched farther onto her territory.

"Can we cross the border?" Ashpaw asked staring at the invisible line that somehow made it so his life was different from the ones across it.

"Yes," Pebblepaw replied rolling her eyes at the young apprentice, "isn't that why you're all here, to help us find the real culprit that's been setting us up like dog food."

"Well it isn't a SnowClan warrior," Dappledstar replied stepping across the border onto EarthClan territory.

"I wouldn't rule anyone out just yet." Vixentalon growled back as she led the warriors deeper into the rolling hills that made up their territory.