Falling Moon- A Warrior Cats Fanfiction

Chapter 33

"Palepaw?"

Wait, let me sleep...

"Palepaw, wake up!"

Just a few more minutes...

"Come on, Palepaw!"

Palepaw groaned, opening her eyes. "Sorry, Sorrelspots, I'll be up for warrior training in a minute..."

An abrupt shove to her shoulder instantly had her on her paws. "S-sorry!" She yelped, wincing at the new throbbing in her shoulder. What's gotten into Sorrelspots? She's never hurt me before. She's usually so patient. Maybe we've got a long day of training, or maybe I've promised to do something. She began shuffling around in her nest, trying to lift her aching body off the ground, but then she froze. This isn't my nest. I'm not in ThunderClan. Memory of where she was made her jump up in surprise, and the sight before her made her shrink back down again.

"I see that ThunderClan cats don't listen to their mentors. No wonder they're all rude and reckless. Although it's not like they would have much to learn from, anyway." Wait, that's not Sorrelspots.

Indeed it wasn't; the large form of Ratstone stood before her, beady eyes fixed on hers. He has this weird way of making you feel like prey, she mused to herself humorlessly. Sorrelspots had been the one trying to wake her at first- she would recognise her mentor's voice anywhere- but judging by the way that she now had her tail wrapped protectively around her apprentice's body, she quickly came to the conclusion that Ratstone had been the one to shove her.

"You can sleep later, little apprentice." I'm not that small! You're just huge! "You and your friends have some visitors." What? Who would visit us in ShadowClan? Who even knows that we're here? Who is it?

"Come, Palepaw," murmured Sorrelspots, leading her out of the den, cautiously stepping around Ratstone. Palepaw was so confused, yet she felt like she was missing a vital part of what was going on. Who was visiting them? Why?

As soon as she was out of the den, however, she realised why she felt a bit stupid.

She was stupid.

Obviously, ThunderClan would be the visitors.

Shrewfoot led a large patrol, standing at the front, glaring at Flashstar, who stood bristling with hostility. Raventail and Kestreltail stood either side of him, and Hazelshade, Swanfeather and Thistleheart stood behind them. Bumblestar's sent relatives of all of us, she realised, a sudden warmth blooming in her heart. He's a kind cat.

Upon seeing her sister, Sorrelspots made to rush over, only to be blocked by Ratstone's large paw. "You are our prisoners," he hissed coldly. "Remember that." Her eyes widened and her form instantly shrunk as she stuttered out a response.

Wolfwhisker, who had been waiting outside the den with Lilytail and Ripplepaw, instantly went to her side. "We're aware of our current status," he said carefully, "but forgive us if we want to rejoin our Clanmates."

Flashstar turned at the young tom's voice. "Let them go to their Clanmates, Ratstone," he said, surprising all the ThunderClan cats. The ShadowClan leader stood still as Sorrelspots scurried over to her sister, who instantly pressed against the tortoiseshell.

Palepaw found herself padding to the most familiar pelt in the patrol; Hazelshade's. She hesitated when she stood a mouse-length away, however, not sure how Sunflame's mother would take to a sudden show of affection, but before she could think, a lithe tail swept her up, pulling her quickly to a silver and white body.

She breathed in the familiar scent of ThunderClan, her fear soothed by the purrs coming from the older she-cat. "I'm sorry we didn't come sooner, Palepaw," Hazelshade murmured, "but I'm here now."

When someone cleared their throat, she remembered where she was, and her head snapped back to where the ShadowClan leader stood, watching the patrol with an almost amused expression. She heard the quiet rustling from Wolfwhisker as he made his way over to his father and older brother stop.

"This is all very touching," murmured the white tom, his amber eyes dancing like fire in the moonlight, "but I'm afraid that we can't let any of you leave." What? "I assume that you will be wanting to take our prisoners with you, but I can't let you do that; they belong to ShadowClan."

Shrewfoot's hackles raised, his tail lashing swiftly. Raventail, who had been watching Palepaw and Hazelshade with a burning gaze that Palepaw had hardly noticed, stepped forward. "Are you trying to start a war with ThunderClan? Because if you keep pulling stunts like this, you'll get one."

A war with ShadowClan... Palepaw shivered at the thought of meeting any of the cats - but especially Ratstone - in battle. She hadn't hurt anything larger than a squirrel before, and while she knew she was being prepared for it, she certainly didn't look forward to the day she would fight a real battle.

Again, that amused look on Flashstar's face. Does he find this funny? That look is really starting to annoy me. "Actually, a war with ThunderClan couldn't hurt. Anything to bring us one step closer to cleansing the Clans of your filth is fine by me."

This time, it wasn't just ThunderClan cats that seemed unsettled by his bold words. Cleansing the Clans? ThunderClan filth? Has he been recieving prophecies or something? She almost shuddered. But where did he get the idea that ThunderClan was corrupted? I don't think that any cat in our Clan is evil.

"We're leaving, Flashstar," Shrewfoot declared, turning around to head through the camp entrance, but found his way blocked by Blizzardnose and a tall pale grey tom who looked somewhat hesitant to be there.

"Sorry, but that's not going to happen." Was it just her, or did the camp just get smaller? No, it was the ShadowClan cats, circling the patrol. Flashstar crouched, ready to pounce, and with a tip of his head, he yowled, "ShadowClan, attack!"