'StarClan's Gift'

Hunt

Cinnamonstripe and I flopped down in the camp clearing,panting and gasping for air.We had run the whole way to camp,not stopping for we feared if we did,the wolf would catch us.

Hornetstar leaped gracefully down from his den,stepped walking over to us. "What's wrong? What happened?"

Some cats had stopped to listen,twitching their ears curiously.

"Continue doing what you were doing,"Hornetstar growled at the gathering cats. "I am having a conversation."

Everyone started moving along again,but kept glancing this way.

"We....were being chased by a starved,crazy wolf!"I gasped,sitting upright. "Well,we weren't sure if it was chasing us or not,but it...it killed,Geckopuddle..."

Grief,anger and pain flashed in the leader's eyes,and his shoulders hunched forward. "No...he didn't even get to be leader....He was a very good deputy to me..."

"He was the best deputy."Cinnamonstripe wailed,staring at the ground.

"I can't believe this happened...,"Hornetstar gazed steadily at me. "Are you sure he is...dead?"

I returned the stare. "Yes.The wolf bit into his neck,and broke his leg.If he did survive,he would be in terrible pain."

The tom sighed. "Alright then.Take a patrol out and kill it.Take as many cats as you need.That...creature must not be on our territory,it is a danger to us all."
With that,Hornetstar padded away to his den,tail dragging on the ground.

"He needs time.He will be back to his old self soon,you'll see."A tail rested itself on my shoulder,making me flinch.Robinfeather was standing beside me,a sad smile on his face. "I'll come on the patrol if you'd like me to."He offered.

I closed my eyes. "Yes please,round up a few others too.We should make a patrol of six."

The brown furred tom nodded,slipping into the warriors den.

"Cinnamonstripe,get some rest."I said softly to the tom,who still lay panting on the ground. "You need it."

"Thanks,"He stood up,trembling as he made his way toward the warrior den. "Good luck!"He called.

We would need it,that's for sure.

~~

I stood in front of my patrol,nervously looking around.This was the clearing where the wolf had attacked us.

Robinfeather,Cottonwillow,
Lakesplotch,Marblepelt,Wolfhowl and Cloverstream stood behind me,their pelts bristling as they glanced around.

"This is it?"Marblepelt asked,stepping forward so she was standing beside me.

"Yes.That must be...Geckopuddle.."My voice quivered as I pointed my tail to a pile of bones and blood,tufts of fur left behind as well.It was an awful sight to see,and it made me wish for a moment I was blind.

"StarClan,please erase that from my memory."Wolfhowl groaned,looking away from it.

"Let's go."I stepped forward,opening my mouth to drink in the scents around us.

I smelt wolf,very strongly. "He's close,stay quiet."I ordered,crouching.

I spotted a hole/burrow(?) in the ground,and inched closer.I stuck my head in the entrance,but only cold darkness greeted me.But the smell of wolf reeked so bad,I was forced to pull my head out.

"It's his new home for sure.He just must be away."I observed,an uneasy feeling creeping onto me.

"Umm,Gingerleaf?"Cloverstream whispered nervously. "Do bushes always snarl? Or is this a special kind?"

Turning around,I noticed the brown and white she-cat staring frightfully at a bush that,did indeed,sound like it was snarling.

Before I could reply,a gray blur had lunged out of the bush and tackled Lakesplotch to the ground.

"Attack it!"I caterwauled,leaping onto the wolf and sinking my claws into it.

Without hesitation,the rest of my patrol started attacking too,clawing it and biting it,swiping at it and leaping at it.

I could tell Fred was overwhelmed,but he tried to fight back anyway.He was weak though,and soon was bleeding badly in multiple spots.

Lakesplotch had managed to get free from Fred's grasp,with only a bad wound on her shoulder.She limped away,to sit and lick it,knowing we had the wolf under control.

Chomping down hard on Fred's tail,I smiled in satisfaction as he let out a loud whimper of pain and raced away,his bloody tail tucked between his legs.

"He won't be back."I nodded in victory. "Good job,guys."

We all cheered,then started to clean our wounds.

"He wasn't so hard to defeat,since he was weak."Wolfhowl shrugged.

"Thank StarClan he was,"Lakesplotch meowed. "For if he wasn't,I don't know if we'd be able to defeat him."

"I'm just glad no one is badly injured,"I sighed in relief. "The last thing we need is more dead cats.There has been enough deaths already."

Nodding,we all headed back to camp,smiling like idiots.

~||~

"So,as you all know,"Hornetstar started,from his place on the Meetingrock. "Geckopuddle was killed by a wolf."

Meows sounded from the crowd of gathered cats,some angry,some sad.

"But his death was avenged,and the wolf is gone."

Every cat sighed in relief.

"But,that means I must make a new deputy,"Hornetstar dipped his head.

" I say these words before StarClan, so that the spirits of our warrior ancestors may hear and approve of my choice,"He took a deep breath.

"The new deputy of NewtClan is...Gingerleaf."