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Chapter 1Spottedpelt grunted as a familiar voice awakened him. “Spottedpelt? Spottedpelt! Wake up!” The voice called. Opening his eyes, he saw Silverclaw standing over him.
“Eh? What for?” He mumbled, not pleased to be woken up early.
“Midnightpaw is asking for you.” Silverclaw mewed.
“Oh, great…” He said, not trying to hide his sarcasm. ‘Why me? Why must I be Midnightpaw’s mentor?!’ Spottedpelt thought despairingly. Midnightpaw was Spottedpelt’s apprentice- and the biggest nuisance in Mistclan. But he still went outside, and not long after he found her calling for him.
“Spottedpelt, can we practice some fighting techniques? Can we, can we, can we?!” She inquired excitedly as he approached the crazed apprentice. Spottedpelt groaned.
“Fine, just make sure to hunt afterwards.” He answered her. They padded over to the Watercave. “Now, take me by surprise and attack me with your best shot.” He mumbled. After what had seemed like moons, Midnightpaw had finally been knocked breathless.
“Ok… Now… can we hunt?” She mewed, gasping for breath.
“Whatever.” Spottedpelt answered. He padded out of the falls and told her to follow him. “We are going to hunt at Heatstone.” He explained.
“Heatstone?! But that’s Grassclan territory!” Midnightpaw echoed. Spottedpelt sighted.
”Hawkstar gave Heatstone to us after the war, and try to remember it this time.” He reminded her.
“Oh, right. The war...” She muttered. They then walked over to Heatstone. Not long after, Midnightpaw caught a squirrel. “No wonder Whitecloud wanted to keep Heatstone!” Midnightpaw mewed, her mouth full of squirrel meat. But Spottedpelt wasn’t listening. He silently stalked a plump rabbit. He sprang, and swiftly bit its neck. The rabbit feebly jerked once, and then fell limp. Satisfied with his kill, Spottedpelt dismissed Midnightpaw and padded back to camp.
Icestar’s head turned as Midnightpaw padded into camp. “Where is Spottedpelt? I need him to arrange the patrols.” She asked the apprentice. Just then, a bramble bush rustled, and Spottedpelt came out.
“I’m right here, Icestar. I’ll go arrange the patrols right now.” He mewed. He padded off into the warrior’s den. “Alright… Leopardnose, take Rippedpaw and Dancingflame for the dawn patrol. I’ll take Silverclaw and Wolffang to go along with me. As for the evening patrol…” He mewed.
“I’ll lead the evening patrol. Do you mind if I borrow Midnightpaw to go along with me?” Icestar asked as she walked in the den.
“Oh, no, not at all!” He cheerfully mewed, happy to get rid of his apprentice, even if only for a little while. Soon after, the dawn patrol left.
“Alright, everything’s normal around the borders. We spotted a hunting patrol around Dawnclan territory, so watch out if you are planning on hunting there.” Leopardnose reported after the patrol returned.
“Alright Leopardnose, thank you. I’ll find Silverclaw and Wolffang and tell them to get ready for the hunting patrol.” Spottedpelt mewed.
Spottedpelt padded over to Silverclaw, who was washing herself in the middle of the clearing.
“Hello, Silverclaw. Could you get your brother for me? We’re going to go on a hunting patrol.” He told her.
“Hi, Spottedpelt. Sure, I’ll go get him. I’ll be right back.” She answered. Silverclaw soon returned with her brother.
“Alright, let’s go. How about we hunt at the river first?” Spottedpelt requested. No one objected. “Alright then, let’s go!” He mewed. They then padded out of camp. Soon, they arrived at the river. They all crouched beside the river, and soon, they started hooking for fish. Spottedpelt eyed a particularly fat fish, and he darted out a paw. The startled fish struggled to get back in the water, but Spottedpelt bit it, and the fish lay limp in his jaws. They then decided to see if they could catch some prey in Dawnclan territory. Not long after they arrived, Wolffang had managed to catch an impressive looking rabbit.
“Silverclaw, how’s your hunting going?” Wolffang yowled.
“Oh, not bad, I caught two sparrows. What about you, Spottedpelt?” She replied.
“Fine, I got a water vole and one mouse. Want to go back to camp?” He asked them. They both agreed. After they got back, Silverclaw and Wolffang placed their catches in the fresh-kill pile.
“I’m going to bring my fresh-kill to the queens.” He told them, padding over to the nursery. He went inside, and brought his fish to Thunderfur. “Your kits are looking wonderful.” He commented. Spottedpelt had a soft spot for kits.
“Thank you, Spottedpelt.” Thunderfur purred. He dropped the fish and then went over to Tawnyfur.
“Your kits look like they should be ready to be apprentices soon. I will speak to Icestar about their naming ceremony.” He mewed. It was a good thing that more kits were going to be apprentices, for the apprentices were almost ready to be warriors.
“Thanks, Spottedpelt. They are getting to be a bit big for the nursery now.” Tawnyfur agreed. Spottedpelt stepped outside the nursery and paused when he heard Wolffang talking to his sister.
“You know how I feel about him, Silverclaw. Why him? Couldn’t you have chosen Leopardnose, or Bloodstripe? They are much nicer, and you know it.” He mewed coldly.
‘What am I hearing? What does he mean, “Chosen”? What’s going on?’ He thought.
“I know how you feel about him, Wolffang, but still… You of all cats should understand my feelings for him. I know he can be mean at times, but he is still a great cat! Besides, Bloodstripe is taken.” She nervously answered.
‘What?! What does she mean?! What “Feelings”? Who is she talking about? And what does she mean by “Bloodstripe is taken?”’ He wondered.
Spottedpelt padded into the warrior’s den. Outside, Silverpelt shone brightly over the camp.
He found an open nest of moss, and padded over. He sat in the nest, and then Silverclaw and Wolffang came in. Silverclaw curled up beside him. Wolffang just grunted, and walked away from them.
“Don’t worry about him; we got into an argument, that’s all.” She explained. Spottedpelt sighed, and gave into sleep.
Spottedpelt grunted as the dim light was blocked out, disturbing his sleep. Yawning sleepily, he opened his eyes- not to find Mistclan’s territory, but a dark, dense forest. “What? What’s going on here? Where am I?” He asked himself. His ears pricked in alarm as he realized something else was moving. Peering closer, his eyes opened wide. It was Silverclaw! “Silverclaw!” He yowled, racing toward the she-cat. Silverclaw’s eyes were wide with fear, fixed upon something behind Spottedpelt. Spottedpelt whipped his head around, only to see continuous forest. He turned back, but Silverclaw was gone. In her place stood Wolffang. Wolffang’s eyes were filled with pure hatred, and only then did he realize that something was flowing on the forest floor. Looking down, he realized that there was no floor at all. Spottedpelt stood in horror as he realized he was standing in a sea of thick, warm blood. And it was rising quickly. Spottedpelt struggled to release himself, but the more he struggled, the faster it rose, and it was beginning to sweep Spottedpelt into the distance. Wolffang stared at him, a gleam of triumph in his eyes. Spottedpelt looked at Wolffang as he shrank into the distance, the sticky blood lapping hungrily at Spottedpelt’s throat.
Spottedpelt awoke with a start, also waking up Silverclaw.
“What’s wrong, Spottedpelt? Is everything ok?” Silverclaw mewed, concern glowing in her bright blue eyes.
“Yes, I’m fine. It was just a dream, that’s all.” He replied. Not sleepy anymore, he padded outside. Much to his disbelief, Midnightpaw was already awake and waiting for him.
“What took you so long? I’ve been waiting for you for AGES. Can we train now?” Midnightpaw complained.
“I’m sorry Midnightpaw, but I can’t train you now. We’ll go out later, ok?” He mewed.
“But I want to train NOW!” Midnightpaw demanded.
“No! You will either go out later, or we don’t train at all!” He hissed. Frustrated at his apprentice, he spun around, and stalked back into the warrior’s den. By now, most of the warriors were awake. “Ebonyheart, you take Mousepaw and Leopardnose for the dawn patrol. Wolffang can take Dancingflame and Rippedpaw for a hunting patrol. I’ll take Midnightpaw and Silverclaw for the evening patrol.” He mewed, doing his best to keep his temper down.
All went well with the dawn patrol. After the patrol returned, the hunting patrol left.
“Spottedpelt!!! Spottedpelt!!!” Rippedpaw yowled as he pelted into camp, with Wolffang just behind him, carrying some of their fresh-kill.
“What Rippedpaw, what is it?” Spottedpelt demanded. Where is Dancingflame?” He asked Rippedpaw. Rippedpaw’s eyes were stunned with grief.
“He’s dead! Dancingflame is dead!”
“No... Great Starclan, no.” Spottedpelt muttered as the clan wailed in sorrow. “Where is his body?!” He demanded.
“Um... The Thunderpath.” The apprentice replied.
“His body is on the edge of the Thunderpath, as he said.” Wolffang confirmed.
“I will fetch his body.” Spottedpelt decided.
“Spottedpelt, let me go with you. Dancingflame was my brother.” Silverclaw pleaded.
“Alright, Silverclaw. You may come. We will leave right away.” Spottedpelt mewed.
Spottedpelt and Silverclaw padded over to Dancingflame’s battered body.
“No…” Silverclaw gasped.
“It’s alright. Everything will be alright.” He softly mewed. Padding up to Dancingflame’s body, he noticed that there was something peculiar on Dancingflame’s neck, but nobody would have noticed it, for only the medicine cat and her apprentice would have thoroughly looked over his body. “Silverclaw,” he began. “I think you better take a look at this.”
“What?! Let me see!” Silverclaw demanded. She stalked over to his body.
“Look at his neck. There are teeth marks.” Spottedpelt told her.
“You are right.” She mewed, bewildered.
“So either Rippedpaw lied to us, or something else got him... a monster couldn’t do that.” He muttered.
“Why would Rippedpaw lie!?” Silverclaw gasped.
“I don’t know.” Spottedpelt mewed.
“And, well… Who killed my brother?” She asked him.
“I’m not sure about that either. But I do know one thing. We will avenge his death. I can promise you that.” He vowed.
They picked up his body and carried his body back, unaware of the pair of eyes staring at them in the distance.
Spottedpelt left Silverclaw to mourn while he raced up to Icestar, urgently telling her of their discovery. She raced up to the Highledge with Spottedpelt. “Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey come beneath the Vinestone for a clan meeting!” Icestar yowled. One by one, the cats padded over to the Vinestone. “Spottedpelt, tell them what you have found.” She told him.
“While Silverclaw and I were picking his body up, I saw that there were faint teeth marks on his neck.” He mewed. The clan’s shock rippled through the crowd.
“Prove it!” Someone hissed.
“Fine. Take a close look at his neck.” Spottedpelt coolly replied.
“It’s true!” Someone wailed.
“Dancingflame’s been murdered!” Another cried.
“I bet it was Wolffang.” Somebody hissed, rounding on the senior warrior.
“NO!” Icestar yowled. ”We can’t judge him unless he has been proven guilty. Wolffang, what do you say in your defense?” She challenged Wolffang.
“How should I have known?! We had gone our separate ways to hunt, and I heard his painful yowling ahead of me. I went over and…” He mewed. “Rippedpaw was also on his way, and I told him what had happened. His body was on the Thunderpath, so I thought he had been hit by a monster!” Wolffang added.
Icestar dipped his head to Wolffang. “Alright. I will believe your story for now.” She mewed.
“I understand. Trust me; I would not murder my own brother. I am a loyal Mistclan cat.” Wolffang mewed, keeping his cool.
“Alright, this meeting is over!” Icestar mewed, jumping off the Vinestone.
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