(Outdated) Warriors: Clouded Skies #3 - Silent Stars

Chapter Sixteen

Willowpaw did her best to stretch sleep out of her bones, yawning into the cold morning air. Pebblepeak sat in the snow next to her, cleaning his gray tabby coat with surprising vigor. Beside her, Brightflower sniffing at the cobwebs still covering her side. The apprentice raised her head at the sound of muffled pawsteps, and saw Oakcloud padding over, a tired yawn parting his jaws. "Pebblepeak, are you really forcing your poor apprentice to go on another dawn patrol?" he murmured, shaking his coat to fluff it against the cold.

"Early cat gets the mouse," the young tabby replied. "And you don't mind, do you, Willowpaw?" He looked curiously at his young apprentice.

"As long as I can wake up first, then get something to eat. I'm starving," she admitted, still trying to shake sleep from her paws.

"Don't worry, I bet we'll find something to eat while we're out."

Hunger grumbled in Willowpaw's belly. She was glad border patrols were allowed to eat. Now completed, the patrol got up, finished stretching their muscles, then headed across the clearing for the forest entrance.

"Hold up!"

 The patrol paused, looking over as Eagleclaw pushed her way through the snow, her coat fluffed to protect herself. "Eagleclaw, is something wrong?" Oakcloud tilted his head, a gleam of curiosity in his eyes.

"No. I've decided to come with you."

Pebblepeak and Oakcloud exchanged a glance. "Are you sure that's a good idea?" Pebblepeak asked softly. "Mossrain said--"

"I'm not staying stuck up in the camp," Eagleclaw meowed firmly. "A single dawn patrol won't kill me."

Though he looked hesitant, Oakcloud meowed, "I guess you're right. Do you want to lead?"

"No," she meowed. "This is your patrol, I'm just here to get away from camp for a bit."

Nodding, Oakcloud turned and led them down the rocks, moving slow and careful because of the slippery snow. Down at the ground level, the large brown tabby led them through the cold, snowy forest, the thick whiteness muffling the noises around Willowpaw's ears. Soft flakes began to flutter down as they walked, sprinkling their coats, and by the time they reached the border next to the mountains, Willowpaw was freezing from the melted snow that seemed to create tiny icicles under her skin.

As they approached the Old Thunderpath, Willowpaw cast a glance down it, watching the unclaimed territory like she expected to see her family coming back. She noticed that both Pebblepeak and Brightflower were looking, too--Silverstrike was out there, and it was obvious they were worried for their father. Eagleclaw was searching the distant trees with a deep look in her eyes.

"The patrol will be fine," Oakcloud soothed. "Boulderclaw and Silverstrike are some of the best warriors the Clan has--they'll keep everyone safe, I promise." He looked at Eagleclaw with a challenging expression. Noticing his gaze, she quickly shook herself out of her trance.

"Of course they are," she said, though it looked like she didn't quite know what she was agreeing with. "Let's continue on, we don't want to dawdle in the snow." And she set off at a determined pace in the opposite direction of the unclaimed territory. The patrol quickly followed, with Oakcloud going forward to walk next to the she-cat. He flicked his tail over her flank in a soothing manner.

They marked the border when needed, but walked in relative silence. Pebblepeak walked by Willowpaw's side, pointing out when the border was weak or where it was strong. They came across a few scent trails of prey, but all led to holes in the ground or tree trunks, so they continued on with hunger growing in their bellies.