Warriors: Secrets Beyond the Stars: The Prophecy

~Chapter 19~

A few moons has passed sense Nightpaw met Dawnpaw on ShadeClan territory. The apprentice was sitting outside of the apprentices' den, Duskpaw had gone out training with her mentor, Amberheart. Nightpaw let out a sign of relief knowing that Duskpaw had finally left camp, he got up and padded over to the fresh-kill pile and picked out a mouse. He made his way over to a stump where he usually sits, he sat down and started eating. He bit into the mouses pelt, tasting the blood as it poured in his mouth, then he ripped it's leg off and continued eating. He was about to eat the mouse's head when he heard muffled voices coming from the leaders' den. Nightpaw slowly padded closer to the den, "Yellowstar please! This is a prefect time to attack LeafClan! They are short on prey and herbs, plus they would never expect a attack a few days before Leaf-bare!" meowed a voice. The scents of the cats inside the leaders' den flooded into Nightpaw's nose, Yellowstar, Leafnose, and, of course, Poolshade. "We would only case a war between LeafClan and ShadeClan" Leafnose said. "But think about it! If we chase them out, then we would be able to hunt on their territory for us as well! We would have twice the territory as the other Clans!" Poolshade meowed in a half excited tone, half worried tone.

"That is nonsense! We have enough prey one our territory as it is!" Leafnose growled. "Leafnose, calm down. Poolshade does have a point. We have some prey, but not enough to feed a clan." Yellowstar meowed, Nightpaw heard Leafnose shuffle his paws around in the den, "But attacking a clan just out of hunger makes no sens-" Leafnose began but Yellowstar yowl over him. "Leafnose you will not argue with your leader!" he yowled, "Poolshade has made her point, we will attack LeafClan tomorrow at moonhigh and that is final. Do you understand?" Leafnose let out a sigh, "Yes Yellowstar". Nightpaw raced back to where he was, he started to continue eating his mouse when Leafnose, flicking his tail back and forth aggressively, Poolshade, who bounced out of the den looking ever bit of joyful, and Yellowstar, who just flicked the top of his tail tip side to side, came out of the den. The leader leaped onto the Darkrock, "Cats of ShadeClan" Yellowstar began, "Let all cats old enough to lurk in the shadows join beneath the rock for a Clan meeting". Nightpaw got up and padded over to and sat by Snakefang, he watched Leafnose sit at the base of the Darkrock, his tail flicking back and forth but only faster and faster. "As you all may know, Leaf-bare is coming. Which means prey will be harder to find. Last Gathering Poolshade suggested attacking a Clan, today she suggested for us to chase out LeafClan for their territory, this way we can get more prey and herbs for our clan" the clan cats let out a yowl of agreement. Nightpaw looked around at the cats, he then quickly looked back at the dark gray leader. Is he just doing this to shut up Poolshade? He thought, "We will attack at moonhigh tomorrow, I will pick cats to go with me to help drive these cats out tonight at moonrise. In other news, Hollyspark has had her kits. One being named Flinchkit and the other being named Longkit. We welcome them to the Clan" Yellowstar finished. The ShadeClan cats let out a yowl in triumph, Nightpaw looked at tried to find Talonwhisker, who was no where to be seen. "He's in the Nursery with Hollyspark," Snakefang whispered in his apprentice's ear, "Talonwhisker wouldn't leave her side ever sense the kits were born. I have never seen the tom so caring towards his kits, probably one looks like him"

"Which one?" Nightpaw asked, looked at the dark brown warrior. "Longkit I think he said, Flinchkit looks like both of her parents. She has a black pelt but has brown speckles over it with a white spot around her eye" Snakefang finished then looked back at Yellowstar, who was finishing with the meeting. "Clan dismissed" he meowed and leaped off the Darkrock. Nightpaw started towards where he was eating when he felt a tug on his tail, he turned to see Snakefang had his tail in his mouth. He dropped the apprentices tail, "We are going to train, incase if either of us get called for the fight" he said. He flicked his tail towards the entranced and padded towards it, Nightpaw sighed and followed him. As they made their way towards the Training Hollow, as they got their Nightpaw saw that Duskpaw was still training with Amberheart. The cream and light ginger colored warrior looked over at the two toms and smiled, "Hello Snakefang. Hello Nightpaw. I'm guessing your training her as well?" she said. Snakefang nodded, Nightpaw looked at Duskpaw, who rolled her bright green eyes. "Do you mind if we train with you Amberheart?" Snakefang asked, then he looked at Nightpaw, "Our apprentices could use the training of fighting some cat their size". Amberheart nodded, then she turned to Duskpaw. "Bring it little guy!" Duskpaw said with a smirk as she took a pawstep forward and dropped into a fighting stance. Nightpaw twitched his ear then took a pawstep forward and crouched, Snakefang and Amberheart padded over to the side.

Duskpaw let out a hiss and raced towards Nightpaw, the black tom leaped over the she and bit her tail. The dusty brown she turned and batted him away, he slowly got up to see Duskpaw leaping at him. He backed up then raced up a tall tree, he climbed to the second lowest branch and watched Duskpaw while she looked at the trees. "Come on Nightpaw! Your retreating after one attack? How pathetic are you?" Snakefang yowled. Nightpaw glanced at his mentor for a moment, then back at Duskpaw. He slowly crept towards the middle of the branch so the branch could get closer to the ground, then he raced off towards the end and leaped at Duskpaw. He pinned her to the ground, Duskpaw hissed and kicked him off. Nightpaw scrambled to his paws, he looked up to see Duskpaw dashing towards him. She leaped and landed on his back, Nightpaw started trying to shake her off. He felt the heaviness of the she lift off of him as she leaped in the air, he looked up to only get thrown to the ground by a mighty swat. Nightpaw looked up to see bright green eyes staring straight into his amber eyes, he rolled over to his, making sure Duskpaw was still on him, and pinned her down. He moved his paw onto her neck and moved his legs to make sure that the dusty brown she couldn't kick him off.

They started to returned to camp right before moonrise after his training, Nightpaw remember what Amberheart said to Duskpaw and him. "Great job keeping your balance Nightpaw, and great surprise attack from the trees. You used Duskpaw to help save yourself from that fall. Duskpaw, good job of moving swiftly through your attacks. Power can hurt a enemy but swiftness gives you a chance to actually do damage". Nightpaw looked at Amberheart, who was padding right beside Duskpaw. Her bright amber eyes seemed to glow brighter then the stars themselves, Nightpaw looked forward. She doesn't even know what we're getting into. He thought, they made it back to camp just as Yellowstar leaped onto the rock. "I wonder what the meeting's going to be about" Amberheart said. "I'll think you'll know later" Snakefang said as he raced over to the Darkrock, Duskpaw after him. Nightpaw padded after Amberheart who was in front of him. They sat next to Burningbranch and Scorchwhisper, Yellowstar began, "As you all may have heard from earlier today I will pick the cats to go with me to fight LeafClan". Amberheart looked at Nightpaw, "We are going to fight LeafClan? Why?", Nightpaw looked at her, "Remember what Poolshade said about chasing out Clans?" Amberheart nodded. "Yellowstar has agreed to that, he says we could use more territory to hunt on". Amberheart's eyes widened, "But that doesn't make any sense! Why chase out another clan just so you have more territory to patrol?". Nightpaw looked back at Yellowstar, I have no idea. He thought. Yellowstar continued, "These cats who follow will join me, Leafnose, Quietspot, Poolshade, Blazingshade, Littleslash, Bluefrost, Burningbranch, Amberheart, Scorchwhisper, Nightpaw, Duskpaw, and Fallenstripe". Nightpaw's ears flattened, No! I don't want to fight Dawnpaw or her Clan! He looked at Amberheart, her eyes showed fear and worry, she gave off a kind of fear scent. She wouldn't stand a chase against them! Look at her! He thought, he looked at Silverpelt, StarClan please don't let this happen. I don't want to hurt Dawnpaw or her Clan.