{NEW STORYLINE SOON} Frostflower's Return

Chapter Ten 🐾

     Frostpaw let out a yelp of fear as rogues poured out from the undergrowth, alerted from the eagle's screech while Shadowclaw yowled, "The prisoners escaped! Get them!"

     "Run! Please! I'll hold them off!" Snowdrop cried, shoving Frostpaw in the direction of the exit and launching herself onto Shadowclaw. Frostpaw yelped again as her mother's shove sent her tumbling out the exit. She leaped to her feet and searched frantically for her mother. There; it seemed like Snowdrop was overpowering Shadowclaw until the eagle swooped onto her out of nowhere and snatched her scruff, making her levitate, struggling. Frostpaw whimpered as Snowdrop was dropped from a height of two fox-lengths high.

     A yelp from Snowdrop and rogues spilling out from the undergrowth was all it took to make Frostpaw flee the rogue camp, doubt and fear spinning in her mind.

     Frostpaw stood, panting, exhaustion overwhelming her fear. Frostpaw addressed the doubt in her mind. W-What if I left my mother to die?! I need to go back. But what if she's already... dead?  Frostpaw sighed, collected some moss to make a temporary nest, and curled into it sleepily.

     Frostpaw jolted awake as a white and red figure came panting. Frostpaw had to study it closely to realize it was Snowdrop covered in blood. The blood came from a deep wound on her belly. 

     Snowdrop collapsed, eyes closed. Frostpaw wandered over and licked her between the ears and left, searching for a water source, carrying a piece of moss in her jaws.

     When Frostpaw returned with wet moss, Snowdrop had not moved from where she lay. Frostpaw dropped the moss beside Snowdrop's muzzle and trailed her tail along her muzzle. Snowdrop sneezed and opened her eyes groggily. At the sight of wet moss, Snowdrop dragged herself into a sitting position, pain and determination in her eyes, and began lapping at the water that dripped from it. Frostpaw purred, clearly relieved that Snowdrop was unfazed despite her wound. Snowdrop yawned and fell asleep. Frostpaw knew nothing of herbs, only the use of cobwebs; there were tons of cobwebs everywhere. Frostpaw snagged a few on her claws and carefully stuck the cobwebs onto Snowdrop's belly wound. Snowdrop twitched in her sleep, but didn't wake. Frostpaw curled herself into her nest and fell asleep.

🐾

     It was three sunrises ago that they escaped the rogue camp and the swamp. Snowdrop didn't look like she was healing, even though she claimed she was getting better. In fact, Snowdrop seemed to be getting worse. They were traveling past a twolegplace that looked as if  it was burned down, then rebuilt.

     Frostpaw brushed her tail against Snowdrop's flank, glancing worriedly at her mother whose head was drooping, but was still padding along determinedly. 

     "This seems like a good spot to rest." Frostpaw mewed, waving her tail to a sheltered, hollow, fallen oak tree. Snowdrop, without a complaint, walked into the tree and curled up, rested her tail onto her muzzle and drifted off. Frostpaw wandered off, scented mouse, and dropped into a hunter's crouch, stalking forward and lunged. The mouse screeched, sensing her and scrambled down its burrow. Frostpaw shoved her head into the burrow, caught the mouse by the tail, and struggled getting her head out.

     "ggggrrrrr." Frostpaw growled, muffled by the mouse tail stuck on one of her teeth. Frostpaw's head was stuck. Frostpaw suddenly felt a prick and a pulling sensation on the back of her scruff and with a pop! Frostpaw's head was free. Frostpaw, dazed, turned and glanced at her savior, a golden colored she-cat about her mother's age. The first thing she noted was a dark blue collar studded with teeth around the cat's neck. Frostpaw flicked her ears, confused. She heard stories about a group of cats with the same tooth collars from the elders, she just forgot all the important details. Arghhhh, it was so frustrating!