Warriors: Solemn Wishes (Warrior Cats Fan Story)

Chapter 3

"Not with a patrol. Never with a patrol. I'm not making my Clanmates uncomfortable, and I'm not putting them in danger with that unpredictable dog."

Redwhisker listened to Bronzestar. The leader was with his deputy a ways away, over near the WetRock in the center of camp while the tod was sitting in the shade of a weeping willow near the warrior's den. Originally Bronzestar and Oceanbutterfly had been discussing patrol assignments - namely an abnormally higher number of border patrols, as cats were usually antsy to keep their Clan safe after Gathering drama - but now the topic had turned to Redwhisker specifically. He sagged a bit as he heard Bronzestar refuse to send him with others, but figured it was to be expected, considering what he had stirred up at the Gathering only a day ago.

"I think he's all right with a-" Oceanbutterfly tried to say, but she got cut off by something. Redwhisker was not sure what it was, as he was trying not to look at the two, but when he heard pawsteps approaching, he was able to guess why she had stopped.

He turned his head to the pawsteps and instantly lowered his head in anticipation of Bronzestar approaching with a judgmental glare. "You're hunting, Redwhisker. Alone."

Redwhisker had no intention of opposing this. "Yes, sir," he accepted, standing up.

For some reason, Bronzestar felt the need to continue. "I can't trust you around my cats right now. Not with that stunt you pulled. Embarrassing RiverClan like that."

The fox dipped his head and repeated, "Yes, sir." He had been fortunate enough to have Metallicstar defend him, and place Bronzestar in a position where he could not actually punish Redwhisker without seeming like a violent, cruel cat. He did not want to give Bronzestar any reason to punish him anyway.

Bronzestar seemed to be aware of this. "You should feel lucky Metallicstar was okay with your behavior. Any other leader would have turned you inside out before I got a chance to give you a fair trial."

"Yes, sir."

"While you're hunting, do not go anywhere near our borders. We don't need you putting a scare into WindClan again."

"Yes, sir."

"You're a worthless fox to us. We could do just fine without you."

"Yes, sir."

"It's a blessing to you that I even allow you to serve us. Any normal cat warrior could do just the same amount of work you do."

"Yes, sir."

"They could probably even do it better, and without scaring their Clanmates all the time."

"Yes, sir."

Bronzestar narrowed his eyes, flicking his tail in slight irritation. "Get out of here."

Redwhisker nodded aptly, taking any dismissal he could get, and scampered off out of camp. Verbal abuse was not strange to him. Bronzestar was prone to going on unrelated tirades against him, especially when he didn't get his way with him. It was best not to resist these tirades; after all, what were they but words? They break none of my bones, and if I argue with them, it's easy for the others to see me as a villain. And I would be, wouldn't I? Then again, the cruel words could easily leave him crying alone in bed for long stretches of the night, but he conveniently left this out of his thoughts.

He initially wandered around the forest absentmindedly. It was difficult for him to hunt when he was fresh out of a session of verbal abuse; he had to walk off the insults first. He wandered here and there, but made sure to stay dead clear of any sort of borders. He knew the territory well enough to have precise knowledge of his location at all times; he could tell, by a certain twisted tree there, a rock with five points and a curve there, and two tiny streams crisscrossing precisely twice, that he was too close to a border and had to turn back. Not that this sixth sense was something to brag about, as it was ingrained in all Clan cats, but Redwhisker always felt particularly proud of anything that identified him uniquely as a Clan fox rather than any ordinary fox.