Shadowspirit slunk through the darkness, pale moonlight casting a thin layer of light onto the pine-covered marshy ground under her paws. She had been restless that night, sleep coming lightly, but not staying for long, so she payed a visit to ShadowClan territory, the moon high in the star-covered sky. Her mud streaked fur blended in perfectly with the blacks and dark browns of the territory around her as she searched for something to occupy herself with.
A bored meow caught her attention as a cat somewhere up ahead meowed, "Why are we out here again Flashpaw? We're going to get in trouble." She slowly climbed up the dark branches of a tree, clawing her way onto a somewhat low branch that would carry her weight, giving her a good view at the two cats. A gold and white tom hissed quietly, "ThunderClan saw the Shadow Walker, if your quiet Mistpaw maybe we will to!"
Mistpaw, a black and silver apprentice, snapped back, "You know we aren't aloud to be this close to rogue land alone!" The other apprentice rolled his eyes and ignored her, I don't recognize them, and are they talking about me when they say Shadow Walker? I have heard the stories, and I suppose I did put on quite a show at the ThunderClan and RiverClan border. Shadowspirit thought, shrugging and turning to climb back down the tree, not interested in apprentice gossip.
She began slinking away once more, when a terror-filled yowl split the air back where the apprentices had been. She hesitated for a heartbeat, debating the risks of going back before she reeled around with a hiss, plunging through the brush towards the sound. Deep rumbling snarls sounded ahead, followed by furious hissing as the rank scent of badger hit the roof of Shadowspirit's mouth.
Without making a sound she scurried up the tree to get a look at what she was about to plunge into, Mintpaw's eyes were wide with fright as she slashed at the bulky shape of a badger, Flashpaw was slumped behind her, leaning against a stone as blood seeped down a gash on his side. Shadowspirit unsheathed her claws, bunching her muscles before leaping off the branch without a sound.
The badger let out a shocked grunt as she landed lightly on its back, shredding her claws down the badgers spine before leaping off of it. The badger turned away from Mistpaw to face her with an angry growl, but Shadowspirit took a deep breath, feeling herself slip into slow-time. The badger seemed to move slowly as it lunged its jaws forward, she used a ShadowClan move, ducking down below the blow, and leaping upward to knock its jaw up with a hefty blow, rearing up and raking her claws down its muzzle (a ThunderClan move).
The badger shook its head, blood splattering the ground as it lashed out, but Shadowspirit was ready, she darted to its side (WindClan), then leaped halfway onto its back, her front claws digging into the creatures spine, and her hind claws scrambling down its flanks. Mistpaw slit the badgers nose, spitting in fury while Shadowspirit sank her fangs into its ear, bringing her twisted paw to its muzzle to drag its head toward her, claws hooking its upper lips.
The badger roared in pain, rearing up and knocking the two cats back, Shadowspirit hit a tree, her breath fleeing her lungs as she lay stunned for a heartbeat. She scrambled up in a crouch, watching as the badger lumbered toward her, huge fangs flashing, she darted to its side, ramming her shoulder into it (RiverClan), causing the badger to stumble to the side with a grunt.
Shadowspirit whipped around, running headlong for the trunk of a tree, turning as she leaped to hit it sideways, and shoving off the rough wood, ramming into the badgers stomach with a hiss, rolling to the side as soon as her paws touched the ground. The badger roared as it was knocked back from its standing position, landing heavily on its back before scrambling to its paws with a fearful sound before it disappeared into the forest.
Shadowspirit panted, her side aching slightly from when the badger knocked her back as she turned toward Mistpaw. The ShadowClan apprentice was staring at her with wide eyes, "A-are you the Shadow Walker?" Shadowspirit didn't answer, quickly darting past her to where Flashpaw was slumped against the stone, blood soaking his pelt, his teeth clenched tightly in pain. The apprentice stared at her with pain-filled eyes, and Mistpaw's shaky meow sounded behind them, "I-I'll uhh I'll go get help! Yeah!", followed by a loud rustling as the skittish apprentice raced off.
Shadowspirit frowned at the bload-soaked wound, "You will not make it to your camp in time to save you." She meowed, pressing a clump of moss to his wound. He flinched away from her, staggering as he gasped, "I-I can make it." The apprentice slumped to the ground, his paws unable to hold up his weight. "Shhh." Shadowspirit whispered, picking the small apprentice up by the scruff, slinging him unevenly across her back as she hauled him toward Mystery's den, which was significantly closer then the ShadowClan camp.
She knew it was a bad idea, taking the apprentice to the rogue den, but she couldn't bring herself to leave poor Flashpaw to die. Her legs screamed from the effort of holding the apprentices weight as she staggered into Mystery's den, sighing with relief as she let the apprentice slide off her back, from the scent of it Mystery had gone out for a night walk as well.
Flashpaw groaned in pain, and she quickly sifted through Mystery's herb storage, scooping up a thick pawful of spiderwebs from cracks in the rock, pressing them to his wound. Flashpaw gritted his teeth as she kept pressure on the wound, finally stopping the bleeding after what seemed like seasons. Shadowspirit sniffed through the herbs, using her memory to get marigold and poppy seeds, chewing up the bitter leaves and carefully applying the herb to his wound.
The gold and white apprentice looked up at her, "Are you the Shadow Walker?" Shadowspirit's pelt blended in with the darkness of the den, her yellow eyes glowing, she thought for a heartbeat and meowed, "You can say that, I am Echo." She had decided to go by that name from then on after how, according to the clan cats, she appeared suddenly and openly, then disappeared just as fast without a trace, only memory to prove her existence.
The apprentice nodded, casting nervous glances around the den, "Shh," Echo soothed, pushing a few poppy seeds toward him, "these will help you rest." He licked up the seeds, casting her a grateful glance before closing his eyes to sleep. Echo ran he tail down his side soothingly until his breathing slowed and evened out as sleep settled over him, she curled into her nest, grunting from the stiff pain in her side as she closed her eyes to sleep, knowing that she did not have to bother about waiting for Mystery, the strange rogue would already know nonetheless.
She cast another glance toward the sleeping apprentice, thankful that she had rolled in wild garlic to disguise her scent before going into ShadowClan territory, so at least none of his clanmates would find this place easily before she got him back to his home. Echo sighed, resting her head on her paws and closing her eyes, waiting for sleep to finally wash over her.