Warriors: The Darkest Light (COMPLETED)

Chapter 11

Dawnpaw watched the sun as it slowly began to set from the apprentice den. There still has been no sign of Duskpaw since earlier that morning and she was beginning to lose more and more hope. "Dawnpaw. Can I talk to you?" Leafblossum called as she began approaching Dawnpaw.

Dawnpaw nodded as Leafblossum sat down in front of her. "It's about Duskpaw..."

Dawnpaw stood to her paws and twitched her ear "Do you know something that we all don't?"

Leafblossum shifted her paws uneasily as she shook her head no. "I don't think Duskpaw was captured..." Dawnpaw tilted her head and asked "Then what?"

Leafblossum mewed quieter than before "I think she went with the rouges because she wanted to."

Dawnpaw angrily narrowed her eyes as she felt her fur rise "I knew you hated her as an apprentice, but I never thought you would call her a traitor!"

Leafblossum lowered her ears as she glanced over her shoulder and saw cats now watching them with interest. Leafblossum shot a glance back towards Dawnpaw and mewed sternly "When she was my apprentice, she would always talk about being the most powerful and feared warrior in the forest...I think she's working with the rouges now."

Dawnpaw snapped back "Doesn't every cat want to be powerful and feared by other clans? I'm sure even you did at one point. Now if you would excuse me, I'm going to wait for my sister to return."

Dawnpaw shoved Leafblossum out of the way as she made her way towards the camp exit, forcing her fur to lie flat on her back. She sat down and just kept watching the camp exit sadly.

Leafblossum wanted to approach her, but she just padded towards the Medicine den.

~*~

The sun was now beginning to set and Duskpaw had not returned. Shadestar leaped on top of the high ledge and mewed loudly "All cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the high ledge for a clan meeting!"

All the cats quickly gathered around and Dawnpaw pushed her way through the crowd until she was in the front. Shadestar announced "Duskpaw has not returned yet and it is sun down. We will send cats to go on a rescue patrol to get her back."

Cats began to meow loudly in agreement, while some others were in protest. Shadestar raised his tail to silence them as he continued "The cats in the patrol will be: Gingersplash, Stonefall, Falconwing, Dreamcloud, Treebranch, and Dawnpaw."

Dawnpaw gasped "M-me?"

Shadestar dipped his head and asked "You want to help save her right?" Dawnpaw quickly nodded as she took a step back into the crowd.

Shadestar jumped off the rock and mewed "I will lead the patrol. Let's move out!"

The whole patrol followed behind Shadestar with Dreamcloud in the back. Hawktalon raced up to Dreamcloud and mewed worried "Be careful ok?"

Dreamcloud purred and nodded as she continued walking "I will my love." Then right as they were approaching the camp exit, Duskpaw leaped into camp panting.

Shadestar widened his eyes "Duskpaw? Great Starclan!"

Dawnpaw raced up to her and touched her head with hers "Y-you're alive!" Duskpaw took a step back and mewed "Of course I am..."

Shadestar mewed sternly "Then tell me where you were? We thought you were captured."

Leafblossum padded up next to Shadestar from her den and added "Yeah Duskpaw...we thought you were captured."

Dawnpaw glanced over her shoulder at Leafblossum and anxiously wanted to leap at her angry but she remained silent.

Duskpaw mewed annoyed towards Leafblossum "I escaped."

Shadestar sighed "The patrol is off." All the cats nodded as they returned back to the middle of the camp, to their duties. Dreamcloud seemed the most relieved out of the rest of the patrol when she approached Hawktalon.

Dawnpaw walked beside Duskpaw and asked "How did you escape?"

Duskpaw explained quickly "I sneaked out."

Dawnpaw came to a halt and asked shocked "W-what?"

Duskpaw stopped and spun around to face her "I sneaked out.What's wrong with that?"

Dawnpaw shook her head and shrugged "Nothing. I just want to know how."

Duskpaw mewed before walking away "I just did alright? Leave me alone."

Dawnpaw watched her walk away curiously and worried. She's hiding something...but why?

~*~

Dreamcloud ran up to Duskpaw relived "I'm so glad your ok!"

Duskpaw glared at her sister and simply mewed "Me too."

Dreamcloud asked worried "Hey...are you ok?"

Duskpaw smiled a little and nodded as she made her way towards the apprentice den. This is the biggest decision I've ever made...

Duskpaw sat in her bed, as she heard Dawnpaw enter from behind her. "Duskpaw?"

Duskpaw rolled her eyes annoyed as she spun around to face her sister "What?"

She approached Duskpaw and sat down in front of her uneasily. "You know you can tell me anything. I won't tell anyone."

Duskpaw flicked her tail "There's nothing to tell."

Dawnpaw protested worried "You just escaped from a dangerous gang of rouges that killed Maplesong, and you're not telling me anything?"

Duskpaw looked away silently before replying softly "I didn't escape...exactly."

Dawnpaw smiled a little as she edged closer to her "Then...what?"

Duskpaw didn't answer for a couple of heart beats. She closed her eyes and mewed "They let me go because they trust me."

Dawnpaw tilted her head with her eyes widened "They trust you?"

Duskpaw looked away as she opened her eye and mewed darkly "They trust me more than anyone in this clan could ever trust me."

Dawnpaw gasped and exclaimed "Of course we trust you! You're one of the most trust-worthy cats I know!" She rested her tail on Duskpaw's back trying to comfort her.

Duskpaw sighed and mewed "If you really trust me, you will sneak out of camp with me tomorrow night to meet them again."

Dawnpaw hesitated as she took her tail off her back "Duskpaw...they're rouges...they can't be trusted."

Duskpaw murmured as she stood to her paws angry "Then I can't trust you if you can't trust me and my secrets."

Dawnpaw stood to her paws as well and pleaded "Duskpaw...please..."

Duskpaw ignored her as she marched out of the apprentice den and went out of sight. Dawnpaw watched her leave sadly, as she questioned whether her decision was the best one or not. Maybe I will go with her to see the rouges...but they could kill us...

~*~

Duskpaw made her way angrily through camp as cats paid no notice of her presence. No one here understands me...I thought Dawnpaw could be the one to consider themselves as my equal...someone I could always love and trust...but I guess I was wrong. I can't trust anyone; not anymore.