Lurking Dangers, Chapter 2

Ravenkit

     Morning light flowed through the nursery. Ravenkit woke up and looked around the quiet den. Every cat was silent, probably dreaming about chasing mice or flying like bird or maybe climbing the tallest pine in ShadowClan territory. Ravenkit stood up and gave a big shake. Then she stepped into the empty clearing, on the dew covered ground. Suddenly, a shadow appeared in the corner of her eye.
     A red cat was sneaking through the clearing, carrying something in his mouth. He turned around, looking to see if someone was watching him. Ravenkit saw a tooth sticking out from the mouth of the shadow. Then friendly green eyes. But she saw worry glinted deep down in the cat.
     Redpaw!
     The stealthy red tom raced to the medicine den. Snickering silently, Ravenkit rushed infront of the den and guarded the entrance.
     Colliding into Ravenkit, Redpaw jumped back, startled. "W-What are you doing up so early?" he stumbled, regaining his balance.
     "The sun was too bright, I couldn't sleep," Ravenkit flicked her tail. "Why are you gathering herbs? I thought you were a warrior apprentice, not a medicine cat!"
     "It's none of your buisness to know why," he sighed.
     "Oh, that's alright! I'll tell Bravestar you want to be a medicine cat, then."
     "Fine! I'll tell you." Redpaw retorted. Ravenkit grew silent, ears perked. "Rockfall is ill. And I want Whitepaw to finish his training before he goes mentorless." Ravenkit knew what he meant. He would want to help his brother become what he wants to be, and he didn't want his brother's dreams to be crushed. "So I'm helping Whitepaw gather herbs. He disappears every day for a while at early sunhigh.  So that's when I gather the herbs. Most of the Clan is sleeping around this time. Promise you won't tell anyone?" he stared into her eyes, and their gaze locked into each other for a while.
     "Yes. I promise I won't tell anyone." Ravenkit smiled. "How is Rockfall?"
     "He's doing great so far." Redpaw replied as the Clan began to wake and pad into the clearing. Patrol leaders gathered the cats in their patrols, and the dawn patrol padded in with prey.
     "We should go back to what we should be doing." Ravenkit mewed.
     "Yeah, your right." Redpaw nodded as they began to break apart.
     "Thanks for the squirrel!" Ravenkit called over her shoulder.
     "No problem! You - uh - deserved it!"

•••

     Ravenkit woke to the sound of whining. Looking at the back of the den, she saw Hollykit and Shadekit licking their fur. "There's so many thorns in our nest! I don't like that moss!" Shadekit protested. Dewsong was helping getting the thorns out of Hollykit while Dusksky helped Shadekit. 

     "Why are you guys helping them? Shouldn't the medicine cats be doing that?" Ravenkit mewed.

     "Rockfall is sleeping and Whitepaw.. well, is no where in sight." Dusksky replied.

     "Maybe I could get more moss?" Ravenkit offered. 

     "Surely not by yourself!" Dewsong chuckled. Then she glanced at Redpaw. "Maybe he could go with you." Blushing, Ravenkit padded over to Redpaw.

     "Dewsong and Dusksky want us to gather moss." she mewed. Redpaw nodded and they padded off to the camp entrance. Ravenkit looked at the forest, amazed. "Wow," she whispered.

     "There's a lot of moss this way." Redpaw called and bounded off into a bush. Ravenkit realized she was alone. "Wait!" she called. Then something pushed her.

     Redpaw bowled her over, tackling her playfully. Ravenkit squealed in delight and pushed Redpaw off. "We're looking for moss, not training for a battle!" she laughed.

     "Come on, I'll show you where the moss really is." Redpaw padded off, but slowly so that Ravenkit could follow. Gray movement flashed in the corner of Ravenkit's eyes. Two squirrels raced up a tree. When they reached the top, a few leaves fell to the ground. When the two cats walked by a pile of leaves, a mouse buried itself in them. Then a big pine towered in front of them. Moss grew up and around it. Redpaw smiled at Ravenkit. Unsheathing his claws, Redpaw slashed the moss, taking a pawful with him. "You get a bunch of moss, and learn how to slash an enemy!" he chuckled.

     Ravenkit tried. She didn't get as much moss as him, because of her tiny claws and paws, but still got a lot. Soon they had more moss than they needed. "We can give some to Whitepaw and Rockfall," Redpaw mewed.

     On the way back, Ravenkit heard a loud yowl. "Do what we say!" a tom growled. 

     "Did you hear that?" Ravenkit looked at Redpaw.

     They raced off until they found three cats. Two were all black. The other was brown with some white under his muzzle. Suddenly, Ravenkit realized one of the black cats was Darkshadow. The other one was old. "Do what we say" Darkshadow hissed. "Go back to your precious Clan now, Whitepaw. Training is over. And be on time tomorrow!" the old tom snapped.

     Looking at the brown tom, Ravenkit realized it was Whitepaw. Redpaw and Ravenkit hid behind a tree. Ravenit peeked out, Darkshadow and the old tom were gone. "Well, now we know where Whitepaw vanishes to every day now," Redpaw mewed. "That ends one problem."

    Then a voice hissed from the shadows. "No," it said. "It has just begun."