Warriors: The Darkness Within

Chapter 5

Firepaw had been the first to leave the den, he had been around the borders with his mentor and Rockpaw, lead by Waterclaw. He trotted into camp, sunhigh fast approaching, made his way to the fresh kill pile and chose a plump vole. Sitting himself near the nursery he tucked in, feeling the juicy, delicious meat slide down his throat, replenishing his good mood and his energy.
"Hey Firepaw!" He jerked his head up to see Tidalpaw, just arriving from a hunting patrol. "Can I have a bite?" He asked.
"Sure, have you seen either of my siblings?" Firepaw pushed his vole towards the other apprentice, who took a famished gulp and swallowed.
"Birdpaw was on my patrol, I have no idea where Pinepaw is." Tidalpaw answered flopping down beside Firepaw and licking his rather rugged looking pelt in short rasps. Firepaw nodded, took a few more bites of his vole then pushed the rest towards Tidalpaw who nodded thanks and then practically inhaled it. He padded off to look for something to do, realising he hadn't met the new kits he wandered over to his mother, Quickfox, who was relaxing after returning from a border patrol.
"Hello Mother." He greeted her with a lick behind the ear, she smiled up at him and replied,
"Hello my dear Firepaw. How is being an apprentice so far?"
"Fun! I have seen most of the territory and I've been on a border patrol! I haven't been to meet the new kits yet, do you know if Whiteblaze is awake?"
"She is, I just went to say hello, take her some prey when you go." She replied then added, "and it is wonderful to hear you're enjoying it."
Firepaw said his goodbyes and on his way to the nursery, picked up a tasty looking blackbird that smelled as if it had been freshly caught. Pushing through the entrance, his eyes adjusted to the dim nursery lighting and he padded over to Whiteblaze's nest.
"Firepaw!" She greeted him in a whisper, at her belly were two tiny scraps of fur, a grey one which he assumed was the she-kit, Smokekit and a ginger and white tom-kit he thought was Archkit.
"Hi Whiteblaze, I thought you might be hungry." He whispered back after offering her the blackbird.
"Famished, thank you for this." The young queen eagerly started gulping it down.
"How are the kits?" He asked in a hushed whisper.
"Wonderful, I can't wait until they open their eyes." She replied through her mouthful, looking down proudly at her two children, pride and fierce love warmed her gaze.
"They're perfect, I'm sure they'll make fantastic warriors." He finished, he gave her a smile before licking her ear and padding out of the den to let her eat and rest in peace.
A flash of tortoise-shell fur flashed in the corner of his eye and he turned to see his sister, Birdpaw, racing out of the camp entrance with Crowpaw by her side. After a quick self debate, he raced after them, stopping only to ask his mentor before receiving a nod and then continuing.
The hot sunhigh sun beat down on Firepaw's pelt as he followed them, pushing through a large clump of foliage and the two she-cats in front of him jumped at least a fox length in the air.
"Firepaw?! You nearly scared me to death!" Crowpaw exclaimed.
"I wanted to come!" He explained, "Sorry for scaring you."
"That's ok, just don't sneak up anyone again." Birdpaw soothed.
"Well then! What are we waiting for, prey isn't going to catch itself! Let's go!" Crowpaw cheered
"Wait!" Came a voice from behind them, and Branchfall appeared in the same spot Firepaw had come from, "Nettlestar sent me, she said you were going hunting."
"Oh Branchfall, we'll be fine." Firepaw reassured, "besides, Crowpaw is practically a warrior."
"Regardless, you should be accompanied by a full warrior." He said, the three apprentices soon began to realise that the light brown warrior was not going to budge. They made they're way to the small stream that ran through they're territory, when Branchfall suggested they hunt in the tall trees that were near the Animalclan border.
"The stream was hunted this morning, no patrol has been to that part of the forest in a while, it should be richer in prey." He had told them.
"No, here's fine." Crowpaw replied icily. But they realised that Branchfall had been right and Crowpaw reluctantly gave in, they came to the place the clan called 'Tall trees' and began to hunt, Firepaw found Branchfall quite helpful, showing him some prey and correcting his crouch gently. He never acted like he was in charge and wasn't bossy, he just gave small, helpful tips and Firepaw liked it that way.
"Birdpaw! Watch out!" Firepaw spun around just in time to see a pale ginger cat pin his sister to the forest floor, his claw digging into her shoulder and head, Branchfall's warning had not come soon enough.
Firepaw tried to run at the vicious looking tom but was stopped by Branchfall's paw holding him back.
"Let her go rogue." Branchfall said calmly, but Firepaw could tell he was ready to pounce if the rogue made another move. Crowpaw was standing frozen, also ready to rip the ginger cat to shreds the second Branchfall decided.
"And why should I?" The rogue hissed, baring his old yellow teeth.
"Because if you don't we'll tear you apart!" Crowpaw spat.
"Let her go." Branchfall interjected sounding more agitated than before, the rogue hesitated, contemplating.
"You're on my territory!" He yowled suddenly.
"Your territory?!" Firepaw growled, "this is LightClan territory!"
Branchfall used the moment of distraction and leaped at the tom, pushing him off Birdpaw and shoving him to the ground using his strength to hold him down.
"Stay down rogue!" Branchfall hissed in the tom's face, he was writhing trying to throw of his attacker, but the warrior had a strong grip and after a few moments the rogue lay still, though defiance still simmered in his eyes.
Firepaw comforted his sister with reassuring licks and a protective tail over her back and noticed that Crowpaw had vanished.
"Crowpaw?" He called
Branchfall looked up, the rogue used the distraction and twisted but the warrior had been prepared for his escape and simply ignored the old cat's efforts, turning to the other two apprentices.
"Where did she go?"
"Right here!" Crowpaw's black pelt flashed and she was followed by Waterclaw, Blizzardpelt and Morningheather.
"Fang!" Waterclaw exclaimed.