Warriors: Icestep's Curse (A Scourge in Windclan AU)

PROLOGUE

Talltail touched his nose gently to his apprentice's ear tip. It flickered in response and the dark tom giggled.

"That was a fine catch Deadpaw" he mewed, pride in his voice. The younger cat looked back up at him, his dull green eyes shone with pride.

"That rabbit didn't stand a chance!" he purred loudly. Tallstar chuckled and gently shushed him. Raising his tail for silence.

"Careful, you'll scare away the rest of the prey for the other apprentices" the deputy spoke softly. A gentle reprimand but Deadpaw knew to listen. Talltail parted his mouth, tasting faint scents. Deadpaw's catch overwhelming in the air. His mouth watered briefly before he shook the thought away. That's when something else caught his tongue. An acrid scent. Faint but drawing nearer. He tensed for a moment as he realized it was cat.

"Should I bury it and try for another? I bet I could find an even faster one to rundown!" he purred quietly. Tailltail shushed him once more.

"Smell that?" he whispered stilly. Deadpaw blinked and took a moment to taste the air. Moving from his catch to get a better scent. He was silent only for a few heartbeats before his whole pelt bristled and his eyes went wide. Perfectly still, tense with fear.

"Thats not windclan" he whispered. Dropped down instantly into a crouch and narrowing his eyes. Tailltail was proud of his immediate defense. He might've even spoke it aloud if he wasn't trained on the strange scent still. Deadpaw had only been his apprentice for a quarter moon, and though he had more than proven himself as a capable hunter, despite his twisted paw, the mentor was hesitant at the thought of him entering battle. Deadpaw crept forward slightly as Talltail lowered himself amongst the tall grass beside his apprentice. "I-i don't recognize the scent Talltail" he whispered after another heartbeat. The young tom seemed ashamed to admit it, but not even Talltail knew what it was.

"It may be a rogue..." he responded. "Deadpaw. Return to camp now and alert the first senior warrior you see. If you run into a patrol bring them instead."

"But I can help!" he said indignantly.

"This is how you help" he hissed back. His eyes showed no hesitation and Deadpaw gulped before scurrying off. He didn't like being so cold with his apprentice but sometimes the young cat just needed to listen. As Deadpaw disappeared in the grass Talltail stalked forward. Keeping perfectly hidden. His lean body weaving through the tall grass with ease. Like a snake he moved in complete silence. The scent's source still evaded him. It was rich, faintly even of flowers? A sickly sweet scent. Warmth, milk and then it it him in a flash. Twoleg. Talltail twitched as he caught sight of a small gray blur wobbling shakily up the moor. He peered out. Watching the cat look back and forth in confusion. Their ears down and tail dragging. They looked plump and when the cat winced for a moment at the harsh winds Talltail realized it wasn't just some plump kittypet, it was Quince, and she was pregnant.

Talltail leaped from the grass and ran towards her.

"Quince!" he called. She nearly jumped out her pelt as she spun around to meet him.

"Talltail?" she called, sounding desperate. Though her voice softened with relief as she got a better look at him. "Oh Talltail is that you?"

"Yes Quince" he mewed softly. "It's been many moons" was all he could muster. Last he'd seen the little gray kittypet she was scrunching her nose at his wild cat scent and funny name. Calling to her mate Jake. Assuring he'd return after his dangerous mission with the strange moor cat. His heart lurched at the thought of seeing Jake again, but his dark ginger pelt was nowhere to be found.

"I'm so glad I found you first!" she purred loudly. "There were so many awful smells and sounds out here I was terrified! I thought surely some wild cat would tear me to kibble" she mused. Though Talltail could tell there was real fear there. So many questions flooded his mind. Where was Jake? What was she doing in their territory? How did she find him? But all that came out was.