Split: Book One: Dimming Embers

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 7

"Darkpaw!" Darkpaw glanced up suddenly at the call behind her. "Wh-"

"You're going on patrol! Did you not here?" Darkpaw blinked her golden eyes, tilting her ears back.

"Of course I heard," she huffed, turning to glare at Leopardpaw, who smirked. "Who's coming?"

"I thought you heard," teased Leopardpaw, starting to pad away, light brown spotted tail cutting through the air.

"I did!" exclaimed Darkpaw, scampering to keep up. "Just... testing you." She puffed. "Why are your legs so long?"

"At least I'm not short," Leopardpaw snorted, rolling her eyes.

They padded to the entrance of camp where Nightstalk, Spottedfire, Sootysnow and Cloudstalk sat, waiting.

"Are we ready to go yet?" growled Sootysnow ill-temperedly. "I feel like we've been waiting here forever. And frankly, I'm bored." Cloudsmoke rolled her eyes.

"We've been waiting for ten seconds," sighed Spottedfire. "Come on, you two," she said, turning to Leopardpaw and Darkpaw. The patrol left camp. Above the canopy, the sky was bright where the sun cut through the leaves, dappling the forest floor with golden light.

"I suggest we split up," said Nightstalk after a few moments.

"That's a dumb idea," muttered Sootysnow.

"Oh is it now?" said Spottedfire softly, but her voice carried an icy undertone. "And why would that possibly be?" Sootysnow hesitated, at a loss for words. The tom's white fur puffed up.

"I-"

"Since when did you become so argumentative?" snorted Cloudsmoke.

"Oh, trust me, he was always like this," grinned Nightstalk. "As his Dad, I've had to deal with a lot of arrogance from this one." Sootysnow scowled.

"At least I can hunt right," he muttered under his breath, but Nightstalk's voice rose over his.

"How about Cloudsmoke and Sootysnow head over to the RainClan border? There's a lot of good prey there in this season. Me, Spottedfire, Leopardpaw and Darkpaw can circle over by the cliffsides. We can meet back here." Sootysnow opened his mouth like he was about to argue, but Cloudsmoke started to pad away, and he snapped it shut, glared at his father, and rushed after her.

As the remaining members of the patrol turned their course, Darkpaw fell in line behind Leopardpaw as they padded over the dry ground. There were already hints of the Autumn months coming, and Darkpaw flicked her tail with a hint of worry. Suddenly, she heard rustling from behind them. Darkpaw hesitated. She turned, dropping back from the patrol. No one seemed to notice.

I bet it's a rabbit! She thought to herself, excitement pulsing through her. She glanced back towards the patrol, who were drawing away. She would catch whatever it was, then catch up with them. They would all be so impressed. Brightpaw had never caught a rabbit before, hadn't she?

Without hesitation, she lowered herself to the ground, creeping forward. She pushed her way through the leaves, but was met with not the sight of a rabbit, but of a dark ginger tabby pelt.

"Brightpaw?" hissed Darkpaw, rising to her feet. "What are you doing here?" Brightpaw wasn't wearing her usual smirk or cocky grin. Instead, her eyes were cold and dark. Darkpaw felt herself shiver, fur standing on end.

"I heard you talking with Leopardpaw yesterday," she said simply, but something about her tone of voice made Darkpaw uneasy.

"So?" she growled. "I can have friends." She fixed Brightpaw with a hard glare, unsheathing her claws. "Even if you try to kill them!"