Warriors: Divided Loyalty

Chapter Thirty-Three

Nightshrike watched Leafpaw crouch down, already seeing errors in her sloppy attempt at a hunting crouch. "What is that?" She snorted and jabbed her apprentice's paws in a wider stance. "Keep your paws out," she instructed and put a paw on her back and pressed down. "Stay low to the ground so your prey doesn't see you." Nightshrike looked at her apprentice's tail, which flicked back and forth in the air. "And keep your tail just above the ground."

Leafpaw let out a groan and glared boredly over at her mentor. "We've been doing this since the ceremony!" She complained and bounced towards her mentor, eyes glinting. "Why can't we go on a patrol to one of the borders?"

Nightshrike fixed her apprentice with a stern look and watched as her ears fell. "We don't know when Clearstar will call a Clan meeting to announce the new deputy." She flicked her tail. "But I suppose we could go on a little hunting trip before we head back to camp." Leafpaw's eyes lit up and Nightshrike let out a small smile. "Come on, you munchkin, let's go before I change my mind."

"Woohoo!" Cheered Leafpaw as she leaped into the air, making Nightshrike laugh. "Come on, Nightshrike! I'll catch more prey than you will!"

"Not if you keep yelling like that!" Nightshrike retorted and chased after her apprentice, tail slashing the air as she raced after Leafpaw.

Fallen leaves kicked up behind them as they ran down a small hill and Leafpaw looked over her shoulder to see Nightshrike standing at the top, her fur creating a distinct silhouette. Nightshrike heard Leafpaw laughing and she couldn't help but break into a smile. This is the most freeing I've felt since I became Halfthroat's apprentice. She realized as she crouched down and sprinted down the hill.

Leafpaw watched as a leaf fell from a nearby oak tree and didn't notice her mentor hurling towards her. As her head turned, Nightshrike tackled her and together they rolled in the grass.

"Hey!" A voice made the pair freeze. "What are you two doing this far from the border?" Nightshrike shot to her paws and strained her eyes to see a lithe silver tabby she-cat stalking towards them with wary clear in her eyes. Something about her made Nightshrike frown in confusion but when she saw the she-cat's companions, she stepped in front of Leafpaw, who was trembling.

"You have no bussiness being here," she growled, tail flicking around her apprentice. As she glared at the cats, she hissed to Leafpaw. "Run back to camp and get backup."

Leafpaw stared at her in horror and shook her head. "I-I'm staying," she meowed, her voice trembling.

"You're fresh out of the nursery with no battle training whatsoever," Nightshrike shook her head, curling her lip as they began to get close. "They'll rip you to shreds before you can even unsheathe your claws. Now go!"

"Wait a minute," a meow from the enemy's ranks made Leafpaw prick her ears. Nightshrike followed her eyes and saw Blackdust padding forward, eyes wide. "I-I know you."

Nightshrike lashed her tail and widened her defensive stance. "I suppose I should say the same?" She growled scathingly and saw pain flash in his eyes. "Don't try anything stupid, Blackdust. Or I'll tear you apart."

The silver tabby she-cat leaped forward to the tom's side, hissing. "How dare you speak to my leader that way!" She arched her back and Nightshrike heard a whimper of fear coming from Leafpaw. "That's no way a cat should speak to a leader."

"Blackstar," a meow from behind him made him turn his head. "That's her. That's Specklewatcher's daughter."

Nightshrike was faintly aware of Leafpaw tugging at her tail and pawsteps approaching her and her apprentice from all sides and her neck fur bristled. "What are you talking about?" She spat.

Blackstar flicked his tail and the cat who spoke padded forward. It was Snowmask, a cat Nightshrike only saw at Gatherings since OakClan didn't share a border with NightClan.

"Snowmask is right, Blackstar," meowed the silver she-cat, who reluctantly sheathed her claws. "That's Nightkit."

Nightshrike snarled. "It's Nightshrike!" She saw Blackstar approach her and she curled her lip. "Back off!"

"I'm not going to hurt you or your apprentice," the tom's words were filled with emotion and Nightshrike felt strangely calm as they washed over her. He's like Thorntail. Thorntail! As Blackstar reached out a paw, Nightshrike lashed out with her own and raked her claws across his shoulder.

Swiftly turning around, she picked Leafpaw up by the scruff and tore up the hill without looking back. He looks so similar to me. Nightshrike thought as she heard yowling coming from behind her. She halted at the top and looked back, tail flicking. Blackstar was watching her with his brown eyes barely in sight. Is he related to me in some way? She didn't dwell on it any longer before she raced away once more. This time, she didn't look back once.