Picked Off In the Dark

Chapter 10

To even her own surprise, Ivypaw was the first to awake. She stood up, careful not to disturb her sleeping love beside her. Ivypaw glanced out the barn doorway. The sun had barely begun to rise on the horizon. Immediately, Ivypaw was filled with a sense of dread. This could be her final sunrise. It could be the last one for many of her clanmates as well if Eaglefeather wasn't defeated. What chance did four apprentices have of defeating and exposing a cunning murderer who now had full control of the clan?

"You're up early." A voice commented. Ivypaw turned to see Lightningpaw, padding toward her.

"I've been thinking." Ivypaw admitted. "About a way to defeat Eaglefeather." The thoughts came to her as she spoke. "We have to expose him for what he really is, so we can have the rest of the clan behind us."

"How though?" Lightningpaw asked.

"I don't know!" Ivypaw gasped. Suddenly, two yawns sounded from behind them. Ivypaw whipped around, her warrior instincts kicking in. It was just Shrewpaw and Mistpaw, emerging tiredly from the piles of hay.

"What are y'all talking about?" Shrewpaw asked.

"Our plans to defeat Eaglefeather." Lightningpaw informed. "Ivypaw says we need to expose him first, so the clan will know what he really is."

"And how do we do that?" Mistpaw questioned.

"We could set up a situation that will reveal his true colors." Lightningpaw suggested. Ivypaw bit her lip. It wasn't a bad plan but something about it bothered her.

"How?" Ivypaw asked.

"Eaglefeather wouldn't like it if someone opposed him. Shrewpaw stepped up. "I could do that to get him to attack me."

"No!" Ivypaw snapped immediately. Shrewpaw flattened her ears and backed away. Lightningpaw and Mistpaw gazed at Ivypaw in shock. Ivypaw took a step toward her sister. "Shrewpaw, I don't want any of you to come in harm's way. Besides, even if you did that, he'd just kill you in secret and lie about it like he's done to everyone and..." Ivypaw's tone turned somber. "Then I'd just lose my last sibling."

Shrewpaw gazed up at Ivypaw, then nodded in understanding. Ivypaw looked back at Mistpaw and Lightningpaw. Mistpaw had a troubled look in her eyes.

"Hey...Ivypaw..." her tone was nervous.

"Yes?" Ivypaw prompted.

"Amberpetal opposed Eaglefeather yesterday." It took Ivypaw a few moments to get it. When she did, Ivypaw let out a horrified gasp.

"Amberpetal could already be dead!" Ivypaw realized.

"We have to get back to camp now!" Lightningpaw ordered. Ivypaw nodded and bolted out the barn door. Lightningpaw and Shrewpaw followed suit. Mistpaw went slower to get out of the barn, but once she was out of the open moor, Mistpaw ran just as quick as the three moor runners. Ivypaw's heart pounded so hard she thought her chest was going to explode. The group skidded to a halt in front of Windclan camp before walking in as casually as they could muster so they wouldn't draw any unwanted attention. They looked around. Shrewpaw pointed in one direction. Ivypaw followed it. Amberpetal was chatting casually with Eaglefeather. Ivypaw tried to listen to what they were saying but they were too far away. After a few moments, the two stood up. To Ivypaw's horror, they made their way toward the camp exit. No! A million thoughts buzzed through her mind. Ivypaw turned to her friends, who all shared her panicked expression. Plan! Her mind screamed, Think of a plan!

"I'm going after them." She announced.

"What?!" Her friends exclaimed.

"Eaglefeather trusts me the most out of all of us." Ivypaw exclaimed. "It will be less suspicious if I'm caught." Her friends clearly didn't like the idea but they nodded anyways. "Lightningpaw, you're with me. Watch my back, but stay out of sight from Eaglefeather. Be as inconspicuous as you can."