(Outdated) Warriors: Clouded Skies #3 - Silent Stars

Chapter Twelve

Rowanpaw woke as the sun barely began to color the sky. Cold wind ruffled his fur, chilling his skin. He raised his head, looking around the small den. Frondpaw and Carppaw were curled up together near the back of the log, while Blazepaw was in a tight ball not far away. Hunger clawed at Rowanpaw's belly, twisting in his gut.

He could almost still taste the wonderful mouse from EchoClan territory that he had caught the day before. For a few moments, he just lay there listening to his brother's smooth breathing, watching his side moving up and down. His ribs seemed so obvious, and Rowanpaw wondered how his brother was even getting through every day.

He needs to eat, Rowanpaw decided. And I do, too. He got to his paws and stretched out his back, letting his claws briefly escape their sheaths before he stood up straight. His legs felt weak with sleep and dry moss and bracken stuck to his short coat, but he only gave a small shake before padding to the entrance of the den. He peered out, looking up at the pathway out of camp.

The figure he saw there, shadowed fur beginning to brighten by the sun, caused a deep surge of hatred in his chest. Aspenheart briefly leaned down to lick her chest before returning her hidden gaze to the pine woods. Who would trust that traitor to guard camp? He wouldn't have been surprised if she disappeared in the night to go have more kits that would end up abandoning her.

He briefly wondered how to get past her, but his answer came quite quickly--he spotted Dawnstar padding out of her den, shaking her fur clear before heading over to the warriors' den. She gave a soft call inside, and out came Brownear and Juniperfur. With a nod to her warriors, the leader led them to the camp entrance, passing Aspenheart without even a look in her direction before they left.

He waited a few moments after the cats disappeared before leaving his den and padding confidently across the clearing, leaping up the rocks with pride in his step. Aspenheart looked over at his approach, eyes widening in surprise. "Ratpaw!" she said, sounding a little hoarse. "What are you doing?"

He considered not answering her, but he didn't want to risk her following. "I'm joining the dawn patrol," he snapped. "Because I'm here to actually help my Clan."

She opened her jaws briefly, then lowered her head and let him pass without a fight. Scoffing at her uselessness, Rowanpaw leaped down into the snowy pine forest and set off at a determined pace for EchoClan territory. He knew the dawn patrol would go toward the pond first, then follow the Old Thunderpath from that direction--he would just have to stay in EchoClan territory long enough for them to pass by.

The ground was still hard from the cold night, and he was able to travel quickly. He also found the leaf-bare winds and snow covered up the scent of sap quite well, so he was free from the sticky smell that always made it hard to breath. The sun made a slow way across the sky as he went, and was turning the dark blue expanse yellow and orange by the time he saw the EchoClan woods.

He paused briefly before the Old Thunderpath, sniffing the air and perking his ears. But no scent nor sound came to him, and he traveled across the path without trouble, slipping into the snowy brush on the other side. It was cold on his pelt but he loved the feeling of the ferns, and curled himself around the underbrush. He searched for the smell of any creature, but there was nothing this close to the Old Thunderpath.

Suddenly, he heard a movement in the bushes, with the sound of a soft voice. "Are you sure the patrol won't leave without us? I would hate not saying goodbye to Ravenpaw and Jaypaw!"

Fear trickled through his body, and, thinking quickly, the apprentice raced to a patch of strong-smelling herbs, tucking his body under the thick bush. The scent filled his nose and clotted his throat, but he stayed put the best he could as the sounds got closer and closer. The first cat to appear was a small, lithe white she-cat with a black face tail, legs, and ears, with icy blue-green eyes that searched the forest warily. Rowanpaw recalled that she was from BatClan--Snowfern, he was pretty sure her name was. Following her was a cat that looked almost exactly like her, except she was probably just over seven moons old. Rowanpaw remembered her from the Gathering--Willowpaw, I think.