Warriors: The Lurking Darkness (Book Two)

Chapter Three: Loyalty

CHAPTER 3

My paws were numb by the time we were deep in unknown territory, but I shoved that out of my mind and trudged on, padding beside a black tom called Fallenhope, a DarkClan warrior. He'd come from his territory to fetch the WindClan cats so DarkClan could save their territory from vicious rouges.

Fallenhope kept telling me it was just through this small forest and then through a smaller twoleg place. That it wouldn't be far, but I ignored him and focused on Echofur, a white DarkClan she-cat that was purring at Mousefang who sent mixed signs at my denmate, Icepaw.

I was sure Icepaw was trying to ignore him, padding beside her mentor, Littlecloud and Sweetheart who was talking to Nightfur, DarkClan's deputy, who was also in charge of this patrol. Wildpaw was padding beside him silently for once.

The sun had sunk beneath the trees and the moon was out. Nightfur stopped, finally, and turned to face us. "Icepaw and Sweetheart, you will go hunting. Jaypaw, you look for moss with Mousefang, Littlecloud take Echofur and grab bracken. Let's make some nests." His eyes flashed with the challenge.

Soulpaw watched, feeling as if he was blending in as everyone else rushed off to do their duties. Jaypaw was throwing moss as Nightfur while Echofur was easily dragging bracken to ten different places and Nightfur filled them with moss.

He stood up and began to help Nightfur until they were done and the moon was high in the sky. He picked a random nest next to the forest so he could watch for intruders, and settled down, waiting for Wildpaw and Sweetheart to return with prey.

Wildpaw suddenly walked in, three mice, a blackbird, and a starling in his jaws. He set it down in a makeshift fresh-kill pile and Sweetheart entered after with a mouse, two robins, and a small rabbit.

Icepaw tossed me the blackbird and I ate it quickly, Sweetheart and Wildpaw must be very good hunters. I enjoyed the last bite, savoring the sweet, tasty flavor in my mouth. I licked my whiskers and then tucked my tail over my nose, half listening to Nightfur tell a story about battling three foxes single-pawed.

The voices began to fade and I felt myself drift to sleep in the soft nest.

***

"Soulpaw, get up!" Sweetheart snapped.

I sat up, shivering. I looked up at the sky. It was dawn and the sky was pink and purple and beautiful. My limbs were aching.

Standing up, I shook the moss out of my pelt and grabbed the last mouse, eating it quickly. I looked at Nightfur who was already leading the patrol through the trees and I hurried to catch up.

Sweetheart was padding padding beside Mousefang who was talking to Nightfur about the new DarkClan camp while Wildpaw and Icepaw were mumbling quietly while Littlecloud and Echofur were talking happily, as if catching up.

Fallenhope fell in step beside me again though now he was rather silent.

I watched the trees pass by, and I jumped over a rock. Up ahead started the small twoleg place. There were many gardens that I was studying.

"This is where you must stay close to me. If none of you step out of place, we'll be at camp by sunhigh," Nightfur told us, jumping onto a fence. He easily raced forward and I followed after, trying to keep my balance as the other cats jumped onto the fence and caused it to wiggle.

We turned a corner where we walked in between two twoleg nests, jumping onto the roof of one. Nightfur led the way across the hard, black surface until we stopped at the edge.