The Fox : Beginnings (Ongoing)

Chapter 6

The sun had begun to go down, turning the sky a milky gray and the snow a cold blue. The fading light highlighted the pines against the edge of ShadowClan territory. Foxpaw laid with her muzzle to the snow, her eyes focused on a distant stone. Her legs were numb and felt nothing but the slight flow of blood. Her flanks were stained and wet, while her ear was torn. She stared wistfully at the stone, wishing to free herself from the branches of the fallen tree.

I wish I was over there, Foxpaw wrenched her attention from the rock to a snow drift a few tail lengths in front of her. Or even there. She thought.

The first warriors of Silverpelt had appeared now, standing proud against the cold white light reflected by the moon. I doubt anyone gets stuck to logs up there. She stared up at her ancestors. Foxpaw wondered whether or not she'd join them soon. She had leaped to Stonefern and Kestrelflight's aid when a badger had attacked them and taken Kestrelflight's eye. It had torn open Foxpaw's hind leg, and she had gone back to camp to fetch herbs for the broken patrol. Briarpaw had taken the herbs for her, but while following her sister Foxpaw attempted to leap a log. Her injury hindered her abilities... She face planted and had been stuck since sunhigh. No patrol had come for her. More cats for the medicine den, then.

The sound of paws crunching through snow sounded in the distance. A patrol? Foxpaw thought eagerly. The sound became closer and closer.

Red fur flashed through the bushes on the far side of the clearing. Mistclaw was finally coming to help her!

The red fur disappeared and after a few heartbeats, a growl sounded behind her. Foxpaw stretched her head around to see the glimmer of a fox's teeth.

Wow, this is great. Foxpaw thought sarcastically. I got into a fight with a badger, with no training whatsoever, got my leg chomped, got stuck on a log for a day, and now I'm being attacked by a fox. Perfect.

The fox stared down at her, hunger in its eyes. Foxpaw could see its bones jutting out of its flanks.

It's hungry and I'm tired. Foxpaw stared back at the fox. If it eats me he won't be hungry. It's not like I'm going anywhere.

It lunged at her, but before it could sink its teeth into her neck, another flash of fur came through. A blur of gray flew into the fox's way, sending it crashing into the fallen tree of which her back legs were still tangled around. A stinging pain shot through her, and her vision went out of focus. Screeching and yowling came from behind Foxpaw, but she paid no notice to it. Suddenly it stopped with the pounding of pawsteps. The gray shape loomed over her. Foxpaw refocused her eyes as the pain began to clear and her body became numb again.

A dark gray tom stood over Foxpaw, his face light with blood dripping from a scratch on his cheek. His yellow eyes glowed with both triumph and pity. He looked younger than her- perhaps even three moons younger, even though Foxpaw herself had only been an apprentice for a moon. What was a kit doing out here...? Fighting a fox nonetheless.

"Are you alright?" The tom's voice was high and squeaky. "I'm Shadowpaw."

"Shadowpaw?" Foxpaw was too tired to be shocked, so her meow sounded rude and tired. "You look like a kit!"

"I'm four moons old, but I fought so well Lakestar made me an apprentice!" Foxpaw stared at Shadowpaw in dismay. That was against the warrior code! Shadowpaw continued before she could interrupt. "You look really stuck. Do you need some help?"

"I already had a ShadowClan kit save me from a fox on my territory, so why not?" Foxpaw snorted.

As if he hadn't heard her retort, Shadowpaw paced around her until he reached her hind paws. Foxpaw twisted painfully to meet his gaze as his eyes widened and he let out a small gasp.