Warriors Quest of Darkness (Nightfall Season #1)

Chapter 40

Dapplepaw watched as Ivypool and Rustypaw headed out again. Rustypaw bouncing with excitement, as usual. Everyday, the same thing. They had been doing it for a moon now.

Eaglepaw was busy patroling at the moment while Dapplepaw and Streampaw's mentors let them have the day off.

Dapplepaw sighed.

"You're bored, aren't you?" Streampaw asked.

"Yes... I don't see how Rustypaw could do it so much." Dapplepaw replied.

Streampaw also sighed.
"Want to go hunting?" She asked.

"Also boring." Dapplepaw snapped, "What about hunting with Rustypaw? And Ivypool? We've never been out of clan territory before!"

"I don't know..." Streampaw started.

"Come on! It will be fun!" Dapplepaw added.

"Oh, alright." Streampaw said.

Briefly telling Hawkfrost that they were going hunting, but just not where, they headed out towards the moor.

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Dapplepaw walked into the forest, following Rustypaw's and Ivypool's scent trail.

The unknown territory made Dapplepaw's pelt prickle but the two cats they were following clearly had been here many times before. Soon the two apprentices had caught up to them.

Rustypaw's dark orange pelt was easy to spot when he wasn't even trying to hide. All of a sudden, he stopped.

"You go on ahead, I think I scented some prey nearby." Rustypaw told Ivypool.

"You know how to get there, right?" She asked him.

"Yes. I'll be careful."

"Remember your hunting skills! And check the wind!" Ivypool called as she walked away.

When she was gone, Rustypaw called, "Streampaw! Dapplepaw! I know your there!"

The two hidden apprentices came out.

"I know my littermates scent my heart, we were kits together for six moons or have you forgotten that? What are you doing here anyways?!?" Rustypaw asked.

"Hunting." Dapplepaw replied simply.

"Go back, you don't belong here." Rustypaw growled.

"You are in no rule to tell me what to do." Dapplepaw walked straight past him.

Streampaw followed.
"Come on Rustypaw! It's our first day off in forever and we can finally spend time together like it used to be!" Streampaw called back.

Rustypaw caught up to them.
"It can never be like it used to be." He growled.

Dapplepaw flinched. 'Is that really how he felt?'

"Besides, it's dangerous for you to be out here alone. Tigerstar never told you but there's a dangerous group of rogues living at sun-down place. He plans to attack them as soon as we're warriors." Dapplepaw said matter-o-fact-ly.

"Oh really?" Ivypool walked up to them, she had returned with Mousewhisker.

"Hello Ivypool." Dapplepaw then fixed her eyes on the rogue that was following her, "look out!"

She turned to the gray Tom, "leave! You're too close to dark forest territory else you'll feel my claws!"

"Dapplepaw! Stop!" Rustypaw yowled.

Dapplepaw was taken back from the fierceness in his voice. She had always taken him as a untrained kit.

"This is Mousewhisker." Rustypaw began, "and I have something to tell you...."