𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗜𝗡𝗘𝗗 𝗦𝗖𝗔𝗥𝗟𝗘𝗧

> Four <

This is madness, pure madness.

The single thought was stuck in Acaciapaw's mind as he ran alongside Koipaw. Applepaw was just a tail-length ahead, her jaws open, tasting the air.

"Here!" She screeched, whipping to the side and springing into the thick prickly bushes. Acaciapaw plunged after her, ignoring the brambles that scraped his pelt. I need to find Cedarfrost.

Applepaw exploded into the Twisted Clearing, her fur bristly. Koipaw skidded to a halt just beside her, yowling definance. Acaciapaw slid to a crouch next to Applepaw.

He just realized that though the rain wasn't still pounding like a frenzied StarClan warrior, it was still falling, and the ground was sticky with mud. Acaciapaw stiffened; the clearing was filled with fighting cats, bristling due, and lashing claws. Rogues!

In the midst, he spotted Cherrydusk, Olivestar, Hazelthorn, Silverstreak, Canaryflight and many more. But he couldn't see or smell either Acaileaf or Cedarfrost.

"Acaileaf and Cedarfrost aren't fighting," he told his companions. "We'll have to check beneath the Twisted Oak."

Koipaw's eyes flashed with fear, but Applepaw nodded. "Okay. It's the only way." She touched her tail to Koipaw's flank, then sprang straight into the fray.

Acaciapaw leapt right after her, paws outstretched, but collided with a calico-tabby she-cat. Her amber eyes were cold as she let out a screech and lashed out. Acaciapaw managed to duck and roll out of range, shaking. Where are Koipaw and Applepaw? He couldn't spot them anywhere. Head towards the Oak.

He managed to rake his claws down the she-cat's back leg, then dive deeper into the battle. He heard a wail and two cats rolled towards him; one of the cats he recognized as Honeyshade, her golden pelt splashed with blood. Despite her wounds, she clung fiercely to a mangy tabby tom.

Acaciapaw dodged out of the way and lashed out, catching the long pelt of a black tom. He tugged and the tom toppled down. Acaciapaw barely leaped out of range before the tom flung himself at the tabby apprentice. Acaciapaw ducked at the last heartbeat, leaving the long-furred black tom flying above him, and he crashed into a creamy-and-white rogue.

Acaciapaw jumped right up and barged through the crowd, making his way through. Soon he glimpsed the dark wood of the Twisted Oak and leapt forth.

His paws fell out from beneath him and he crashed into a puddle of sticky brown mud. He heard a disgruntled growl and teeth sank into his scruff.

"What a mouse-brain you are!" Spat Koipaw; the apprentice's black tortoiseshell pelt was splattered in sticky mud. "Slipping into a puddle."

"Shut up." Acaciapaw snarled through gritted teeth and began to sniff around the roots. "Here! He went this way." He jumped onto one of the roots and tasted the air again. Cedarfrost's scent was so stale he could barely track it, but he managed to follow the trail away from the battle and deeper into the moonlit forest.

The rain had stopped completely, so it was easier for Acaciapaw to pad along the forest floor and still keep his mentor's scent in his nose. Applepaw was just beside him, while Koipaw sulked a couple tail-lengths behind her.

"Smell this!" A sudden spurt of strong scent hit Acaciapaw, and he dropped down go investigate a bramble. It was much fresher than the trail, though still stale. "It's a scent marker!"

Applepaw pressed her nose to the bramble and breathed in. "He's right. Not as fresh as I hoped, but we have his trail." She looked up at Acaciapaw, her eyes glowing. "We'll find him!"

Acaciapaw felt determination flow through him and rose. "Koipaw," he meowed, turning to the scowling apprentice. "You're the best tracker, so go ahead."

Koipaw have a grunt of acknowledgement and took the lead, though Acaciapaw noticed his eyes were proud.

As long as he's not grumbling.

Acaciapaw rolled his eyes and bounded after Applepaw, who was already scampering to Koipaw's side.

Mud splashed his paws as he trudged through puddles. "It's swampy here," he called. "Cedarfrost doesn't like getting his paws wet, so he would have avoided it."

Koipaw paused; the black tortoiseshell apprentice was sniffing a moist reed. "You're right. Applepaw, wait!"

But the cream she-cat was trotting further into the woods. "Don't wo
-ah!" Her call ended in a yowl of shock as her paw slipped and she splashed into the swamp.

"Applepaw!" Acaciapaw raced over, but Koipaw was first. He flung himself into the swampy water and disappeared under the surface. Acaciapaw skidded to a halt, gazing down at the still waters. "Koipaw? Applepaw?" He yowled anxiously.

He heard spluttering and splashing, then Koipaw's head rose. Applepaw's creamy head was just below his, her ears flat against her body.

Koipaw waded over to the shore and hauled himself out. Acaciapaw dug his teeth into his denmate's scruff and helped him drag Applepaw out of the swamp.

Applepaw lay silently for a while, then she coughed up several mouthfuls of muddy water. Her eyes locked with Koipaw's gratefully. "You saved me."

Koipaw shrugged awkwardly. "Eh."

Acaciapaw's fur prickled. "Are you okay, Applepaw?"

Applepaw dragged her gaze from Koipaw's and nodded. "Yeah. Just wet. And muddy." Her lip curled in disgust when she peeked at her mud-plastered and soaked pelt. "Now I know how moss feels like."

Acaciapaw took a step towards her, but Applepaw rose without his help. "Let's get a move on. Like Acaciapaw said, skirt the swamp."

Koipaw bounded away from the water and sniffed a clump of reeds. "Scent marker! Fresher."

Applepaw and Acaciapaw shared a glance then chased after him. Koipaw was correct - the scents were getting fresher and fresher. We'll find you, Cedarfrost.

-

Acaciapaw breathed in the night scents. "It's almost dawn now, and we still haven't found anything."

Applepaw was beginning to look distressed. "But look, the trail is very fresh.."

Koipaw rolled his eyes. "Stop freaking out. We'll find them."

Acaciapaw nodded. "Acaileaf or Cedarfrost, here we come!"

His yowl seemed to startle something, because he saw several sparrows flutter into the air. Maybe some cat is hunting? A loner?

"We're almost at the border." Koipaw informed them. "I can see the river up ahead."

"Wait!" Applepaw streaked past him, but swerved away from the border and raced into some bushes. "Cedarfrost!"

Excitement flowed through Acaciapaw, and he shot after her. "Cedarfrost! Cedarfrost!"

The three apprentice's yowls filled the still air, until they skidded to a halt in a clearing. There was Cedarfrost, lying limply, his pelt ripped and stained scarlet.

Stained scarlet.

Acaciapaw felt fear well up in his chest, and he scrambled to his mentor's side. "Cedarfrost?"

The ginger-and-white tom coughed up a mouthful of blood. "Acaciapaw?"

"We'll take you to camp." Acaciapaw forced his voice to stay steady. He leaned down to sink his teeth into Cedarfrost's scruff, but his mentor heaved himself upward. "I'll manage."

"What attacked you?" Applepaw asked.

Cedarfrost thrashed his tail for balance. "I can only remember pain and the reek of fox."

"So a fox." Guilty relief made Acaciapaw's paws twinge. At least it wasn't Acaileaf. No proof it was Acaileaf. "Did you see my mother anywhere?"

"Acaileaf? No. She was with the fighting patrol, but got separated from us. I chased a rogue across the territory and was going to head back when it crossed the border. Then I heard a fox and got attacked."

Acaciapaw fixed his eyes ahead. Fox.