𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗜𝗡𝗘𝗗 𝗦𝗖𝗔𝗥𝗟𝗘𝗧

> Five <

(cat above is Cedarfrost)

"Let all cats old enough to slip through the undergrowth gather beneath the Brinebranch for a BrineClan meeting!"

Olivestar's yowl awoke Acaciapaw. He opened his eyes, dazed; he must have dozed off. The run through the forest replayed over and over in his mind. Eventually, when they came home, the battle had finished, and Icefox had taken Cedarfrost straight to the medicine den. Acaileaf had joined them on their way back and helped carry Cedarfrost.

As he got up, Acaciapaw reflected how unharmed his mother was, apart from several light scratches and a nicked ear. If she had truly been fighting the rogues, she would have taken on more wounds. But Cedarfrost did say she disappeared when the fighting started, he thought to himself, padding absently into the clearing. Maybe she was chasing a rogue away..?

He swerved to avoid collision with Silverstreak then sat down beside Aloepaw and Koipaw. Olivestar waited until Cherrydusk was beside her on the branch then began.

"As you all know, rogues attacked us, but BrineClan emerged victorious. Cedarfrost was attacked by a fox, too, and is currently with Icefox and Hornetpaw in the medicine den. Because Piperstorm died in the den itself, I would like a den to be built in the camp so Cedarfrost may stay there. He will be heavily guarded." Olivestar paused, then continued: "Cedarfrost is Acaciapaw's mentor, and I see no reason to change that when he returns to full health. For now, Embercloud will continue Acaciapaw's training."

There were brief murmurs of congratulations, and Acaciapaw touched his nose to the young warrior's. Hazelthorn was glancing at her mate with pride in her eyes, since this would be Embercloud's first apprentice.

Acaciapaw stepped aside as Olivestar assigned Cedarfrost's guards for the night: Acaileaf, Canaryflight, and Fawnpelt.

"We'll start training as soon as you've eaten," Embercloud meowed when Olivestar dismissed the meeting. "Come on to the fresh-kill pile."

Acaciapaw picked a plump magpie; he hadn't eaten since yesterday morning. As he bit into the bird Applepaw padded over to him. "Hi. Tired?"

He swallowed and shrugged. "No, not really." He nudged the magpie towards her. "Want to share? It's huge."

"Sure!" Applepaw purred and settled down beside him and took a huge bite.

Once they'd finished, there was still several mouthfuls of the magpie left. "I'll take this to the nursery. You go ahead." Applepaw touched her nose to his cheek, grabbed the magpie and raced across the clearing. Acaciapaw trotted to the camp entrance, where Embercloud was waiting.

"I'll be assessing your hunting skills so I can see what level you're on. Then we'll handle fighting." Embercloud explained, then ducked into the forest. "You start hunting. I'll watch you, though you may not see me." He slid into the brush and disappeared.

Acaciapaw tasted the air. After last night's battle, prey would be scarce, but he knew the Clan would be hungry. I must feed my Clan.

After a while he picked up the scent of a sparrow, and stalked the bird to the roots of an oak, where it was sitting. Acaciapaw tensed then sprang, lashing out with his paws and grasping the sparrow before it could fly away. His paws slipped off, but he managed to make it thud on the forest floor, then finish it off.

That was messy. He hoped Embercloud wouldn't mind his messy kill as he buried the sparrow and continued hunting.

Before long he'd caught a mouse and a shrew, and still Embercloud hadn't told him to stop. I should hunt more.

Acaciapaw headed towards the Twisted Oak - a regular squirrel-hunting area - and tasted the air again. He could smell cat blood, probably from the battle, and a scent of squirrel. He slid towards it and leapt, flattening it beneath his paws. Much better!

A yowl made him leap back, and the squirrel scrabbled to its paws, then shot up the Oak and out of sight. Confused and afraid, Acaciapaw pricked his ears; the yowl came again, and this time he ran towards the sound.

Hissing, he exploded into a clearing. Embercloud's tail stuck out of a thick bramble bush, and he skirted it. "Embercloud!"

The limp body of his temporary mentor lay in the bush. Acaciapaw wanted to wail his grief to the skies, but he had to find Embercloud's murderer first.

Acaciapaw gently dragged Embercloud out of the bush, licked his ear, then whipped round and raced away. He caught the scent of a rogue, and blood, then followed the trail until he saw the long-furred black tom padding steadily towards the WhisperClan border.

He dropped down, eyes narrowed. Fury blazed inside him but he forced himself to keep low. The rogue approaches the border, and as he did so, Acaciapaw launched himself out of the bushes with a horrendous screech.

The rogue turned swiftly and sprang on top of him, but Acaciapaw was quicker and rolled out of range, swiping out. His paw caught the tom's leg and he lost his balance. In the heartbeat, Acaciapaw jumped up and crashed into him.

The tom kicked out and caught his belly. Pain burst in Acaciapaw's belly as sharp claws raked it. With a wail, he dug his claws deeper into the rogue's long black pelt, and bit into his ear. The tom was much stronger than him, though, and tossed him against a tree.

Acaciapaw crumbled and lay there, dazed, watching a blurry blob of black approach him. Is this the end?..

He heard a fierce yowl and two WhisperClan warriors flew at the tom. Acaciapaw barely recognized Pochardfoot, a gray-and-white speckled tom, and Sedgebriar, a mottled black tabby tom. They clawed the rogue so viciously he wailed and streaked away.

Sedgebriar shook a drop of blood from his muzzle and turned to Acaciapaw. "You alright, young one?"

Pochardfoot sniffed him, and Acaciapaw winced at the musky smell of WhisperClan. "Badly injured, he is."

Sedgebriar twitched his ears thoughtfully. "You're right, Pochardfoot. Do you know any herbs?"

Pochardfoot nodded. "I do, but I can't scour the entire territory in search of some scraps of chervil, can I?"

Sedgebriar spat at him crossly, then heaved Acaciapaw onto his back. "Help me carry him to camp."

"Ours?"

"Yes."