Warriors: Outsiders (DISCONTINUED)

Part 5

Stripetail gasped, coughing out more blood. My fur spiked at the horrific scene. A voice rang out clearly from the bottom of Highledge. "For Starclan's sake, get a move on!" Willowfrost snapped. "A cat's life is at risk!" The crowd parted, and the white she-cat hurried to Stripepelt's side. A gash had opened on his neck. Oliveeye ran to her kit's side and sniffed his wound anxiously.   

"Is there anything I can do?" She asked. "Get me some cobwebs," Willowfrost ordered, not turning to look. Oliveeye hurried to the den entrance. "I'll help, too," Twilightpaw volunteered. She settled down beside Willowfrost and dabbed Stripepelt's wounds with soaked moss gently. He winced, but didn't dare open his jaws to speak. 

"Everyone return to whatever you were doing. Fernclaw, explain,"  Duskstar ordered. The crowd of cats scattered and returned to washing, eating and whatever, but most of them stayed within earshot. 

Well, I had nothing else to do with my mentor busy, so I plopped down in front of the apprentices's den next to Petalpaw, who was staring at poor Stripetail, her eyes wide. 

Meanwhile, Fernclaw turned to Duskstar and explained what had happened. She and Acornfur were out hunting, and when they got to the Sky Maple, they saw pieces of crow-food mixed with slobber lying in a heap. "We didn't bother touching it, " she mewed. "It stank. Then we went further, and..." she shuddered, her neck fur spiking. 

"We saw a huge dog and Stripetail. It looked like they just had a fight. Wait. It wasn't a dog... It was grey, with a bloody white chest. It was much bigger, and more ferocious. A scrawny dog wouldn't have done that much damage," Acornfur mewed. Duskstar nodded. A dog? I pricked my ears curiously. I remembered having a dream about a dog-like thing. It was so real... 

"Fernclaw, Rabbitfur, Goldenshine and Applebreeze. Go scout the area where the fight happened. Make sure that the threat isn't still here. If it is, report back to me immediately. Fernclaw, you lead."

The MapleClan deputy dipped her head to Duskstar and whisked her tail urgently. The patrol hurried after her into the fern entrance. He only chose the senior warriors, I realized. He must understand how dangerous this is. Twilightpaw was still working on Stripetail alongside Willowfrost. I realized how quiet she had been when the apprentices talked about their training sessions. Maybe she didn't really like fighting. She could be trying out to be medicine cat apprentice. Well, she's really good at it, I thought. Maybe being medicine cat would suit her.

 Lionpaw hurried to my side. "Do you think the dog thing will find our camp?" he asked. "Maybe. you really think that?" I mewed. He was right. The dog might really find camp. That would be an ugly surprise. I strained to remember my dream. A creature howling, Twolegs screaming, and Cottonflower disappearing. If even Twolegs were afraid of it, and my dream was real, then we were in real trouble. I thought about telling Duskstar right now.

Hailkit and Mintkit ran to Petalpaw. "Rarrr! Intruder!" Hailkit mewed. She pounced on top of her. "Go away, stinky dog!" Mintkit squeaked. Bouldertail, who was watching them, purred in amusement. Petalpaw shook herself and turned to play with the kits. "When Petalpaw's a warrior, I want her as my mentor!" Hailkit squeaked enthusiastically. "No! She'll be MY mentor!" Mintkit retorted.

"I'll be too young to be your mentor when I become a warrior, sillies,"  Petalpaw mewed kindly. The kits looked crestfallen. 

 I ran towards Duskstar's den. I leaped up the boulders and climbed up to the den entrance. Duskstar was pacing around in there, lost in thought. 

"Duskstar!" I panted. He whirled around in alarm. "Willowfrost? Yes? Is Stripetail any better?" 

"Uh, no, and I'm Dewpaw," I muttered. "Oh. Then where's Fern- Oh, right. What is it?" Duskstar demanded. I told him my dream. 

Duskstar frowned. His tail flicked slowly back and forth. "You sure it's real? It could be just a normal dream."  

"No, I'm sure it's real," I told him. "It's a vision, not a dream." Duskstar studied me with pure interest. His orange eyes gleamed. "So, you say it was a vision, huh?" I nodded.  

"In my dream... I saw Cottonflower disappear. Does that mean she's going to die? And that dog thingy. It has to be her murderer," I mewed. Then a shiver rolled down my back. Cottonflower was about to die? Why did my dream show me this?  Duskstar nodded gravely. 

"It's possible. Best we don't think about it."

"How can you be so calm?" I demanded, outraged. "She might di-" 

Duskstar swept his tail over my mouth, forcing me to choke on ginger fur. "Quiet. They might hear you outside."

I spat out a clump of fur. "But you'll make sure Cottonflower doesn't walk to her death?"

"I can't change the future, Dewpaw," he mewed. "I can only do my best to prevent it."

"Okay... Then I guess I'd better leave." I turned and slowly made my way towards the apprentices' den glumly, my head down. But just when I made it to the entrance, Twilightpaw rushed towards me, her eyes shining.

"Dewpaw. I'm going to be a medicine cat!"