Shadows in The Emerald

Chapter 4

Amberstar awoke in a forest. She instantly knew she was dreaming. This was Starclan's forest. She looked around and saw a familiar face. "Shallowleaf!" She called to the former deputy, running to her and nuzzling her cheek, purring. "Its nice to see you too Amberstar." The she-cat said, smiling. "But we need to talk." Shallowleaf was Amberstar's mentor and close friend until she died unexpectedly. Amberstar was still an apprentice at the time and was given Alderstar, as her mentor. When she was given her 9 lives Shallowleaf gave her the first, for the knowledge to now when to put the clan first, which Amberstar soon realized was always. "Wait, if I'm here, something bad is going to happen." Amberstar pulled away and sat down with a serious look on her face. "There needs to be an emergency gathering, we are currently working on telling the other leaders." Emergency gathering? There hasn't been a need for one of those in my whole lifetime! She thought. "This is urgent, tomorrow at moonhigh, go to the Great Tree, leaders deputies and medicine cats only." Amberstar nodded but before she could say anything, the dream started to fade away. "Goodbye Amberstar, and good luck." Shallowleaf said calmly. "Good luck? Good luck with what?" The young leader started to panic. "Is something going to threaten my clan? Don't leave!" Amberstar woke with a start. She looked saw sun shining through the brambles of her den and realized it was sunrise. She stretched and walked put of her den and across the bridge leading to the rest of camp, still shaken up by the dream. She could hear Shadowclaw calling out the cats on the daily patrols. She walked over to him listened. "Riverclaw you can lead a hunting patrol with.." "Rainblood, you two haven't been on a patrol together in a while, would you take Treepaw, he needs to get more used to patrolling and hunting with other cats." Riverclaw nodded and happily went to get her brother and Treepaw. "Morning Amberstar." Shadowclaw said in his usual chilling voice. "Is it a good idea to put siblings on a patrol together, it could distract them from working?" Amberstar didn't like how cold he was or how he almost  never thought of the happiness of the clan, more of how much could get done in one day to improve the clan. I guess getting more done and supporting the clan will make them happy, she thought. Shadowclaw was a strong warrior, with sharper claws, a fiercer bite, and the innate ability to succeed at almost anything without any practice. "It keeps them motivated, and a happy clan makes our jobs easier, plus siblings are the most competitive cats in in all of the clans, trust me, I have a sister." Amberstar chuckled and looked over to him,  he wasn't smiling, but he looked thoughtful, as though taking this into consideration. "If you say so, although, isn't your sister the medicine cat?" This was common info, as especially since Shadowclaw was made an apprentice the same day as her and they basically grew up together. "Yes, Blueleaf, what about her?" Amberstar knew that Shadeclaw wouldn't like it if one of his kits ever became a medicine cat. He never said anything to Amberstar or Blueleaf, but he never liked being around Blueleaf, or any other medicine cat for that matter. When a cat was in the medicine den, he never visited, and if he was sick or hurt, he normally didn't let any med cat look at him. "Nothing." He sighed and looked around at the cats gathered. "Put me on a patrol to the Flameclan border." Amberstar said, knowing Shadowclaw didn't like her telling him what to do. "As you wish. Shelltail, Tundrapaw, Jaypelt, Amberstar is leading a patrol to the Flameclan border." Shadowclaw shouted. Tundrapaw's eyes lit up. He rushed up to the Great Rocks and sat, waiting for the others on the patrol to join him. "Sky, join us." Amberstar said loud enough for the whole clan to hear. Sky looked shocked, being a former rouge with a rouge name, he wasnt trusted by many cats. Shock rippled through the clan. Hollowfang hissed, "I'm not letting that wild cat near my leader, he doesn't belong in this clan, better yet on a patrol with the leader!" Hollowfang quickly got into a fighting stance and leaped at Sky, claws unsheathed.