Warriors: A Forbidding Prophecy #1: The Cliff Slide

Chapter Three

Snowpaw followed along with Nightspots and Sandtail. They were following the border along the forest closer to the thunderpath. The patrol had just started, and they were at one of the corners of their border. No one had said a word since they left. Snowpaw thought it was because none of them had anything to say. But once they had reached on of the scent markers, Nightspots started to speak. "It's getting awfully close where my kits are going to be apprentices. I'm proud of them," Nightspots told them.

"Marogoldkit and Hollykit will be great apprentices," Sandtail said.

Snowpaw was looking around. She sniffed the air, finding no intruding scents so far. "What about Moonkit?" Snowpaw asked Nightspots.

"Yes, Moonkit, I'm also proud of her. When I said my kits, I even meant her. Even if she isn't one of my biological kits. She'll stay with Lightwillow for a while after Marigoldkit and Hollykit become apprentices," Nightspots told Snowpaw.

Snowpaw nodded, relaxing her tail. She was glad that the foster father of Moonkit actually cared for her. Snowpaw remembered the day she found Moonkit. She had snuck out with Jaypaw and Icepaw when they were kits. They found this tree near the edge of their border. Declaring that tree from that day to be their tree where they would hang out. While attempting to climb the huge trunk, they heard some meowing in a bush nearby. Jaypaw and Icepaw were hesitant about going over there. Something or a scent was familiar to her. When she had discovered the kit, she called her friends over. Icepaw decided it was best for them to get a warrior to come check it out.

The warrior that had come was Darkpoppy, Nightspots littermate, and decided to take Moonkit in. The three of them got in trouble for sneaking out, and their mothers punished them. Darkpoppy took the kit to her brother and his mate, who already had two kits, and Nightspots cared for her. Snowpaw didn't know what was so special about Moonkit's and her bond, but she would gladly call her a little sister. Snowkit focused her attention back on the patrol, following behind the two other cats. Sandtail was sniffing the air, and so Snowpaw did the same.

Snowpaw caught a scent of a fox, a strange cat, and the reeking smell of the thunderpath. "Should we continue? There's a fox up ahead," Sandtail told Nightspots.

"There's also a cat scent up ahead as well. What if their in trouble?" Snowpaw wondered about the cat.

Nightspots stopped on his trail and sighed, looking back at the two cats. Glancing at Sandtail, then Snowpaw. "She might be right. Let's go investigate it. If we run into a fox with no cat in sight, then we need to escape. We'll have to warn our clanmates after the border patrol is finished," Nightspots considered.

Sandtail nodded, and the three of them continued on the trail, following the scent of the fox and strange cat. When they got closer, they heard hisses and growls from a cat. Nightspots signaled for them to sprint. It sounded like Snowpaw was right, and the cat was in danger. Rushing to the scent, she saw a dark brown mackerel tom fighting with a red fox. The cat was backing up with his back arched, hissing fiercely at the fox. He didn't seem to notice the three cats watching this unfold. Behind the cat was a plump hare, which seemed to belong to the fox beforehand.

The fox went in to attack, and the cat batted at its face while trying to defend the prey. Sandtail leaped in and jumped on the fox's back and gripped its scruff. Sandtail bit down on the fox's neck and held on. The fox screamed and started to try to shake off the warrior. The cat did not run off but decided he would join them as well. The loner grabbed at the fox's front paw and started trying to pull at it. Snowpaw and Nightspots also joined in the fight, helping to ward off the animal. The fox was having a hard time, with four cats on it, being attacked at almost every angle. Snowpaw was at the rear end, attacking and biting the fox's hind legs every chance she got.

Finally, the fox had enough and ran off, leaving the prey, the cats, and its den. The cats took a moment to gather their emotions and took a breath. The moment passed, and soon, Nightspots snarled at the cat. "What are you doing on Moonclan territory? Didn't Featherstar already tell you to leave?" Nightspots growled at the tom.

The tom tail tucked, and his ears bent low. "I'm sorry, I just was starving, and I scouted the fox's den and just thought..." The tom was struggling to say.

"Doesn't give you the right to trespass on our territory. Do that somewhere else," Nightspots spat at the loner.

"I would suggest leaving right now. The Thunderpath is right there," Sandtail joined in.

The tom looked between the Moonclan cats, and his eyes seemed to settle on Snowpaw. "Can... can I at least talk to her?" The loner asked them.

Nightspots hissed, and his tail swished to one side. "Why would you want to talk to one of our apprentices?" Nightspots asked the loner with a low growl.

"Wait. You were looking for your sister. Do you think Snowpaw could be your sister?" Sandtail asked the tom, his tone even seemingly agitated.

The tom didn't respond to either of their questions. "Please, it will be short. I just want to speak to her," the loner tried to plead with the two warriors.

Snowpaw was a little confused and thought that if the tom just spoke to her, maybe he would leave. She didn't like it when strange cats trespassed on the territory, even if it could mean potentially find her family. Finding her family wasn't as important as training to become a warrior. Though, if the cat truly thought she was his sister, it might be better just to listen to him explaining his reasoning. "I can talk to him. You guys can continue the border patrol without me. I'll find my way back," Snowpaw told the two warriors.

Sandtail and Nightspots both glanced at Snowpaw. Sandtail seemed to be fine with it, but the other warrior was a little bit hesitant. "Fine, since our apprentice is willing to listen to you, you may do so. But, Sandtail and I will be close by, so if anything happens to her, you will pay the consequences," Nightspots told the tom.

The tom nodded and glanced back at Snowpaw. Nightspots and Sandtail soon left the area, but Snowpaw knew that they would be around until they're done. Snowpaw sat down, and her tail curled around her paws. "Why do you think I'm your sister?" Snowpaw asked the loner.

"You look very similar to our... my father, Blizzard. Also, your scent is very similar to that of our... my mother. You are exactly what was described of my sister," the tom told her.

"What exactly happened? Why were you and your sister separated?" Snowpaw questioned him.

"Well, Blizzard died right before we were born. Once we were born, our... my mother found another tom and dropped us off in random places. My sister was first, placed in a territory of wild cats, your group. I stayed with Kestrel, my mother, for a while before being left to fend for my own. We... I also have a brother who I haven't heard from him, but he was dropped off near the bareskins place," the tom was stuttering to explain, tripping over his words.

"Who are you exactly?" Snowpaw asked the loner.

"Spruce, that's what my mother used to call me. My brother was called Clay from what I remembered, and Kestrel called yo... my sister Daisy. Though, I don't know what their actual names are now. My mother left me to fend for myself at three moons, and I was left to scavenged. I remember Kestrel was probably expecting kits. I have encountered her since then. Healthy, but she has left two kits, one back at the wild cats and the other where my brother is," the tom started to go on about his life.

"I'm not truly convinced that we are kin," Snowpaw explained to Spruce.

Spruce let out a sigh. "Well, maybe you should visit the bareskin place. Or try to find Kestrel, she looks similar to me, and smells like me," Spruce tried to convince her.

"Time is up, and patrol got to head back to camp," Nightspots crawled onto the clearing. "Don't trespass again."

The warning sent Spruce to his feet. "Ye...yes, I'm going now!" Spruce said as he sprinted off.