Goldenpaw paced by the camp entrance, eager to be out. Dew soaked his paws. The sun was lifting over the horizon, its golden rays spilled over the wall of the hollow, turning the clearing ablaze.
Goldenpaw fidgeted. He was the first cat awake. He'd poked Wildpaw on his way out but the dark brown tabby apprentice was still half asleep. Then, in the light of dawn, he could see two yellow eyes blinking groggily through the den entrance before Wildpaw stumbled out on wobbly paws. The warriors' den rustled and a moment later, Oakshade slid out. He yawned and stretched before heading across the clearing towards his apprentice.
"Good morning, Goldenpaw," he mewed.
"Hi, Oakshade," he replied. "Are we going to check all the borders?"
Oakshade shook his head. "No, of course not. That would take too long. Swiftstrike, Wildpaw, Frogleap, Webwhisker and Mousewhisker will patrol the Shadowclan border with us. But Emberfall, Rainsong, Sootfall, Crowpaw, Snowbush and Cloverpool will look at the Windclan border." He glanced at his apprentice. "How many border patrols have I taken you on?"
Goldenpaw flattened his ears. "Only like two."
Oakshade cocked his head back with surprise. "That makes no sense."
Goldenpaw shrugged. "I was injured too badly in the battle, remember?" he mewed and exposed a long scar that ran from his cheek down to his shoulder.
Oakshade nodded. "I remember now."
Wildpaw padded towards them, yawning. "Is there any time to raid the fresh-kill pile before we leave?" he asked.
Goldenpaw felt his belly rumble. "Maybe you could catch something while we're out." He looked across the clearing. But only a stiff mouse and a squashed mole lingered where the pile should be. He pricked his ears and glanced at Oakshade, but before his mentor could answer, Swiftstrike padded up behind them with Sootfall and Mousewhisker on his tail, and Frogleap stumbling after them. "No hunting till we're sure the borders are safe," the black and white tom told them.
Goldenpaw purred as Crowpaw and Stonepaw wandered into the clearing, blinking against the bright rays of the sun. Heartbeats later, Webwhisker, Rainsong, Emberfall, Snowbush and Cloverpool emerged from the warriors' den, blinking sleep out of their eyes.
Swiftstrike nodded. "Let's go," he mewed before heading into the entrance tunnel.
"I'm so hungry," Wildpaw complained to Goldenpaw.
The ginger and white tom nudged him. "I'm sure Icefeather will send out hunting patrols soon," he mewed. "There'll be prey on the pile once we come back."
Wildpaw glanced at him before nodding. "I guess," he muttered.
Goldenpaw bounded after Wildpaw as they made their way across the twoleg clearing. A shiver ran down his spine as he remembered the elders' stories of twolegs that used to come here every Greenleaf and put up camp with bright green pelts. But thankfully, for some reason they stopped coming here, and this was the spot Shadowclan and Thunderclan constantly clash for. Goldenpaw shivered, thinking about all the blood that has been spilled, all the claws and teeth that had ripped through skin and flesh on this very place. Currently, it was Thunderclan territory, but Goldenpaw often heard the warriors saying that it wouldn't be long till there was another battle, as Shadowclan is growing more and more aggressive with each passing day since Lotusstar took over the clan.
Goldenpaw sniffed a hazel bush, where the markers were growing stale, and sprayed his scent on one of them. Then, Wildpaw hissed at something, making Goldenpaw whip around and his fur bush up.
