The way home~ book 1 of The Unclear Path

chapter 3

aaaaaaaaaaa, should I continue this story??? anyhow!

              Acornpaw paced around the owl tree impatiently, 'he should be back by now!' she thought fiercely looking up to the sky, it was way pass sunhigh, she had already collected her bird, and caught another mouse. Stopping, she decided to follow his ever fading trail. It lead to the space between thunderclan territory and the thunderpath next to tree cutter place. 'There are alot of berry bushes here' she reflected. She continued to follow the trail and saw a small patch of mouse blood where Swallowpaw must have gotten his mouse. She continued the trail to the thunderpath and gasped with shock at what she saw. The clearing was stained with Swallowpaws blood and she saw the limp mouse covered in his blood, there was an overpowering stench of twoleg, and even under that the scent of roge. Her blood turned to ice, she could almost imagine it, There was Swallowpaw killing the mouse scenting roge and padding to the thunderpath to see who it was, the rogue and Swallowpaw fighting, his mouse forgotten, the rogue getting away, Swallowpaw dead, or to injured to get to camp, and finally the twoleg taking him. She let out a loud sobbing wail, she couldn't believe it, she collapsed on the ground in grief and let out another sad wail. "Acornpaw wha-" she heard leaftail ask " oh grate starclan" leaftail mummered, laying her tail on Acornpaw. The rest of her patrol came out and she recognized blackleg, Spiderweb, and Honeyleaf. Finally Black'leg broke the silence "what happened Acornpaw?" She took a long breath of air and explained what happened, from the very start of the day until now. " We have to report this to Owlstar." Blackleg said when she was finished. Acornpaw nodded " but I want to collect our prey first. Swallowpaw said he was going to drop the biggest squirrel in the forest at marsh'furs feet, and I think he did catch the biggest squirrel in the forest but he can't give it to her." She dug her face in leaftails shoulder and heard blackleg say "ok" and they were off.

Acornpaw dropped Swallowpaws squirrel at marsh'furs feet, 'just what swallowpaw wanted to do' she thought sadly. Marshfur purred at the squirrel " good catch, I haven't seen a squirrel so big in a long time!" Marshfur said enthusiastically. Acornpaw swallowed back a wail, "I didn't catch it Swallowpaw did." Acornpaw said flatly. Marshfur chuckled, " Sounds like him, catching the biggest piece of prey in the forest and too embarrassed to give it to me himself." Acornpaw nodded, that did sound like something Swallowpaw would do. "Where's Swallowpaw anyway I want to thank him." marshfur asked, getting up. Acornpaw blocked the way out of the den. "No!" she said sadly, marshfur was staring at her with surprise and she realized she must explain what happened. Acornpaw took in a deep breath and said "Listen carefully marshfur, Me and Swallowpaw were hunting, and we met at the owl tree at sunhigh. I still had to collect my bird, and he wanted to get a mouse so we both went off again, I collected my bird and went back, while I was waiting at the owl tree I caught a mouse, I wanted to know what was taking him so long so I followed his trail, and I found a blood stained clearing with a dead mouse soaked in swallowpaws blood, I found rouge scent and twoleg scent. We have not found Swallowpaw yet." She stared at marshfur so intently she thought she might burn his pelt off, but she continued " We must not start panic. You cannot go out there and repeat any of this either." Marshfur looked shocked but when the shock faded away it was replaced by sadness. There was a long silence then marshfur choked out "I understand" He looked up at Acornpaw "but what about the clan? What happens now?" Acornpaw forced herself not to wail 'I don't know' and reminded herself of the discussion in the leader's den. "We will wait till sunset and if he's not back by then... we will tell the clan. The senior warriors know and are currently investigating the area. After that... It's up to starclan." She meowed, her voice shaking. Marshfur seemed to understand and dipped his head "I wish to be left alone now." Marshfur meowed. Acornpaw dipped her head and padded out of the den. ' Starclan please protect Swallowpaw' she prayed desperately.

what did you think? I hope you liked it! hugs, kisses, and well wishes: Emily