🍁🍃Warriors: A Poisonous Path🍁🍃

Chapter 13

"But I do want to know," pressed Mudflower. Emberheart hissed, then sighed, giving in.

"Fine, but let's hunt first." When the pair had caught a decent pile of prey, Emberheart flattened the grass and sat down. Mudflower looked surprised.

"Who taught you to do that?"

"Taught what?"

"To flatten the grass like that." Mudflower nodded to the space beside her.

"My mother." Replied Emberheart curtly. Mudflower got the idea and was silent for a few moments before sitting down beside the vixen. Emberheart sighed.

"So..."

I stalk a mouse, it is a whisker away. I gather my haunches, ready to spring. But before I can do that, a loud cackle of laughter sounds from behind a bush. The mouse, alarmed, runs away. I hiss in exasperation, turning to see at who scared off her catch. My spirits drooped.

"Call that hunting? Even the mouse itself it better than you!" Shadepaw mocks.

"I guess you have something to learn from it then." I retort, stung. Shadepaw hisses.

"Your just a fox. An enemy. You don't belong in the forest, let alone ThunderClan." I can't hold myself any longer. Claws extended, there's a white blur as I strike my bully in the face, leaving a long, shallow scratch. He snarls, then giggles psychopathically.

"Oh, your gonna regret that,"

A few moments later I am in Brindlestar's den, being forced to apologize many times for "Insulting him and his family" and scratching him. I see him smile when Brindlestar isn't looking.

After that humiliating meeting, I go down to be scolded by Rainwish, which never happens. Shadepaw must have told him.

It was battle training, and Shadepaw was winning. With unsheathed claws. "Good job, Shadepaw!" His mentor shouts. I snarl:

"He has unsheathed-" but I am muffled by his paw. He rips the tip of my ear off, just as much so nobody will notice, and whispers into my ear: "Don't you dare tell anyone."

I am bleeding, scratched and battered after that session, Shadepaw making the excuse I fell into a thornbush before I could even say anything.

After treated, I go to my den only to find Shadepaw laughing at me.

"You look like a rat! Why don't you just go to ShadowClan? Or better, Carrion-place!" Haypaw, beside him, started bursting with laughter. I feel neutral. Emotionless, almost. I ignore the pair, despite the sharp cuff to my ear, and settle down in my nest.
The next thing I know Badgerpaw is beside me, grooming me gently. He seems startled when I raise my head and look at him. I say nothing but press myself against his small, furry body. He gently rests his chin on my head, and in spite of Shadepaw's bullying, start to feel the warm heat of happiness flow through me.