Warriors: Black Rain

Chapter 13

         A few days had passed since the gathering, and Scarpaw's training had moved back near the river like Stormspirit had mentioned. Clan life seemed back to normal, the only possible threat being ThornClan cats in their territory; However the RainClan patrols kept a close watch on their side of the Great Lake, so far finding nothing but their own scent markers, which they renewed as often as possible according to Snowstar's orders. Scarpaw's training schedule had shifted from hunting and stalking to fighting techniques, and Stormspirit often brought Owltail and Leopardpaw along to train together. Scarpaw enjoyed the company of her friend, and days went by smoothly. The encounter with Hawkheart at the gathering still stung like a fresh wound, but Scarpaw managed as best as she could to bury it deep down for another time; there were more important things for her to be focused on, and she'd have other chances to see her sister at gatherings- she'd just have to wait.

     Leopardpaw and Scarpaw had been practicing their fighting moves on eachother at the Black Tree, a sandy clearing open to the rays of the sun along the river, where the skeleton of an ancient tree stood, black from the strike of lightning. It was an old elders tale that a ferocious cat unlike themsleves, with massive claws and flat ears once lived under the tree and terrorized the cats of RainClan. StarClan had sent lightning to strike the tree, killing the monster who lived underneath and saving the clan from its terror. Stormspirit had recited the story the entire training session, and Scarpaw had laughed, telling him he was almost like an elder himself. It was afternoon now, and the two she-cats lay exhausted outside the apprentice den, sharing tongues in the afternoon sun. The clearing had been lazy all day, and Scarpaw saw Dawnleaf, a young queen, slowly make her way out of the nursery with two bright-eyed kits stumbling out after her. They shared their mothers soft coat, and Scarpaw smiled as one of them, a pale tom, batted playfully at a leaf falling close to his nose. Sagefur watched warmly from the warriors den, sharing fresh-kill with Owltail, and Scarpaw guessed with amusement that he must be the father.

     "A healthy litter of kits is always a good omen," Leopardpaw mumbled sleepily as Scarpaw reached around her friend's ears to wash.

      "That young tom looks like he'll grow into a strong warrior. I hope they can be our apprentices, if were made warriors soon." Scarpaw nodded, glancing at the young tom's sister, who had bounded over to join her brother in attacking the flimsy leaf. They did seem to hold some potential, with their long legs and ears. The idea of becoming a warrior and getting an apprentice of her own filled Scarpaw with excitement, and she stopped washing Leopardpaw's pelt to rest her head on her paws, relishing in the thoughts of leaving the apprentice den behind to join the warriors.

      "No more picking ticks out of Coldclaw's pelt," Scarpaw mewed with a twitch of her whiskers, and Leopardpaw let out a snort.

      "Or putting up with Venomsight's nasty temper." Scarpaw looked across the clearing to see the dark warrior, stalking past the kits with an unreadable expression. He watched the young tom quite intently, his strange eyes catching the attention of Dawnleaf, who called for her kits near the nursery's entrance. Venomsight must've noticed, since he bowed his head respectively and padded off, out of the camp's entrance. There was a dangerous atmosphere around the quiet warrior that Scarpaw didn't quite understand, and again she felt a prickle of pity for his apprentice.

      "I can't imagine dealing with him as my mentor every day," Scarpaw said as she shook her head, "I'd claw my fur off. How Woodpaw does it, I have no clue." Leopardpaw seemed thoughtful.

      "Woodpaw's always been a soft-paw, but he's dealt with it long enough. I've been worried about him recently, though; something seems a little off with him. Have you noticed?" Scarpaw flicked her ears. She had noticed something off about Woodpaw, but with everything that had happened lately she didn't have much time to dwell on any of it. Looking around, it occurred to her that she had not seen Woodpaw or Maskpaw all day. Nightbreeze was missing too, meaning Maskpaw was probably still out training; but Woodpaw was still gone, and Venomsight had been here all afternoon.

      "Woodpaw seemed a bit off before we left for the last gathering," Scarpaw mumbled almost to herself, "but I was too overwhelmed at the time to ask him. He seemed anxious to please Venomsight too, but thats just normal Woodpaw, right?" Leopardpaw shrugged, uncertain.

      "Who knows? Maybe Venomsight has an assessment planned for him. I would be anxious too if I had a cat like that to please." Leopardpaw yawned, obviously dismissing her worries as she rolled onto her side, but Scarpaw couldn't shake a discomfort that there was something darker going on right under her nose.

     Night had fallen in the marsh, and the last of the patrols had already returned, curled up in their mossy nests. Scarpaw was wide awake, staring up at the sky above while listening to the soft sounds of a distant owl. All the other apprentices were asleep; except Woodpaw, who still had not returned after Venomsight. Scarpaw had expected his mentor to pad through the camp entrance with his apprentice, but Venomsight returned holding fresh-kill in his jaws, alone. No one seemed to notice Woodpaw's disappearance, or if they did, no cat was worried- except Scarpaw, who couldn't control her tail tip from twitching in frustration. Unable to stand it any longer, she poked Leopardpaw with her forepaw to wake her.

      "Leopardpaw. Leopardpaw, wake up," she hissed, desperately trying to wake the heavy sleeping she-cat and not the rest of the apprentices. Her friend blinked lazily, seeming irritated.

      "Scarpaw, if you're having a nightmare, you cou-"

      "Its Woodpaw," she interrupted harshly, "he isn't back yet. No cat seems to notice, not even Venomsight. Something isn't right."

Leopardpaw sat up at her words, still yawning. "What do you suggest we do about it, then?"

      "I... I think i'm going to go out and search for him." Leopardpaw's eyes widened, staring into Scarpaw's own with concern.

      "You can't be serious. Sneaking out of camp? Scarpaw, tell me you're not serious." When Scarpaw didn't break her determined gaze, Leopardpaw sighed.

      "You're serious. Oh, dear StarClan, I can't let you go by yourself." Scarpaw let out a breath of relief.

      "Thanks, Leopardpaw. With any luck, we'll find him safe, and sneak back into camp without any trouble. No cat will know we ever left." Seeming unconvinced, Leopardpaw flattened her ears.

      "Whatever you say. Come on, we should hurry. Wherever that fur-ball is, he's probably not close. I don't want Owltail to wake for a dawn patrol to find me missing." Scarpaw nodded, doubt biting away at her own confidence.

     "Right, Stormspirit, too. If we follow the Great Lake, we could get a good look around heavy territory without wasting much time."

      When Leopardpaw nodded, Scarpaw stood, making sure to avoid the sleeping apprentices in the den and headed out towards the camp's entrance with Leopardpaw a tail length behind her. She kept telling herself the small brown apprentice was out there somewhere, safe and sound- but she couldn't shake an icy fear that wherever he was, he was in danger.

      "Come on, this way," Scarpaw whispered, quickening her pace. The two she-cats burst through the thick undergrowth side by side, and headed straight towards the Great Lake.

      "We'll find him," Leopardpaw mewed, noticing her friends nervousness. Speaking under her breath, she added, "And when we do, I'll make sure this is the last time he decides to interrupt my precious sleep."