Dim Light (Stormwind)

(Woah, he really thinks badly of Rainstorm, doesn’t he XD)

Graycloud tilted her head and glanced at Riverflight. “Should we follow it?”

“We might have a rogue in the territory then.” Riverflight mewed grimly. What if Rainstorm did that? What if this cat got hurt fighting him?

Graycloud shook her head. “Not even close. It’s still male though; young, about maybe eight or nine moons old. Not that badly injured, though.”

“That doesn’t smell like Rainstorm, right?” Riverflight asked, confident in his own findings but wanting to check with the She-cat, who had a reputation for being the best tracker in the clan.

Graycloud frowned worriedly and stepped over to beside the deputy, sniffing at the blood. Out of all the cats in the Clan, Graycloud had the sharpest nose.

Spottedpelt let out a surprised squeak from beside Graycloud and Riverflight, stopping with her eyes wide. “Riverflight…!”

Before the she-cat, in a snowdrift that remained despite the melting all around it, there was a tiny trail of red droplets across the surface of the snow.

Bending over to sniff at it, Riverflight knew what he smelled was the metallic scent of blood. However, he could also smell a somewhat stale cat scent around, and it was not his brother’s, nor that of any Dimclan cat.

Flicking her tail, she scented the air.

Where could he have gone? Wherever it was, it seemed as if Rainstorm was evading the attempts to find him on purpose for some reason.

Graycloud kept an eye out for any trespassers as they patrolled.

Riverflight kept his head on a swivel and his jaws open wide as the early patrol continued, the sky growing lighter and lighter as the sun rose.

Graycloud nodded and turned back towards the front.

Riverflight dipped his head affirmatively. “We have had our disagreements, but he is still my brother.”

Spottedpelt listener to her deputy and the other she-cat silently as she padded along, pinning her ears back at the last line from Riverflight in particular. Would he still say that about us and our friendship?

Graycloud frowned. “And you’re worried he might be hurt?”

“Rainstorm asked if he could leave the camp last night, after… there was a fight.” Riverflight mewed, his dark blue eyes settling on the gray tabby. “He didn’t come back last night, and I haven’t scented him out here.”

“Riverflight?” The gray tabby ventured tentatively after several more minutes of this. “You seem… worried.”

Riverflight’s eyes narrowed as their patrol continued, the tom scanning for something, anything, with all of the senses he could bring to bear on the issue.

No trace of Rainstorm’s scent was anywhere to be found, and Graycloud quickly picked up on the deputy’s anxiety and kept sending glances at him.

The first part of their patrol was uneventful, although Riverflight was constantly scenting the air, looking for a trace of his brother’s scent.

Graycloud followed after the two older warriors.

Riverflight looked around the mostly-empty clearing. Whatever happened to Rainstorm...? The tom hadn’t been in the warrior’s den, and he was nowhere to be found in the clearing. No matter. Riverflight selected Spottedpelt, Graycloud, and himself to perform a dawn patrol, and gathered the pair of warriors behind him before heading for the clan’s borderlands.

Swiftstream, Shadowleaf, and the kits slept, Rainstorm hadn’t yet returned to camp, and Graycloud was waiting for a patrol.

The next morning, Riverflight was awake just before the sun rose, as usual. He carefully untangled himself from his mate, giving the pretty She-cat a lick on the cheek before walking out to the clearing, organizing the patrols in his mind

(Sure)

(Maybe skip now?)

“Goodnight,” Shadowleaf murmured, drifting off to sleep.