Warriors: Into the Forest

Chapter 4

Falconpaw and Maplegaze quickened there pace.  There were now racing back to camp, there paws barely touching the ground.  How many lives does she have left? Falconpaw panicked inwardly.  Is this her last one?

The two cats erupted down into the hollow from the cliffs.  They saw the Clan gathering in the middle, and Falconpaw guessed Cranestar was in there somewhere.

"Out of my way!" Maplegaze growled.  The Clan immediately seperated, allowing for Maplegaze to get to his leader.  Lying next to their mother were Boulderpaw and Featherpaw.

"Where is Owlhawk?" Cranestar asked her deputy.

"On patrol." Maplegaze replied.  "He'll be back soon."

As if Maplegaze's words had summoned him, Owlhawk, the father of Cranestar's kits, appeared at one of the cliffs edging the camp.  "Cranestar!" he yowled, seeing his mate lying on the ground.

Falconpaw looked closer and realized that there was a gash running along the light brown she-cat's flank, covering her feather-like markings with crimson blood.

"What happened?" Mottleflash, one of the medicine cats, asked.

"Rogue..." Cranestar managed to mew as the other medicine cat, Flystride, was attempting to patch the wound.

"We were on patrol," Swiftcloud explained.  "And we were attacked by some rogues.  Two she-cats and a tom did this to us."

Falconpaw also realized shallower wounds on Swiftcloud, Boulderpaw, and Buzzardwing.

"I say we find those rogues and teach them a lesson." Owlhawk meowed as Cranestar's life slowly dwindled away.

Featherpaw looked up and yowled in agreement, as did several other members of the Clan.

Maplegaze looked up.  "I agree." he meowed.  "But, if they can do this to Cranestar, the strongest cat I know, then I don't want any apprentices coming."

Featherpaw and Boulderpaw growled at the deputy.  "What?" Swallowpaw's voice came from the crowd.  "But I want to go!"

Sagewing came up to her.  "You haven't had nearly enough training!" the gray she-cat growled at her apprentice.

Swallowpaw winced.  Falconpaw knew Sagewing had never been this hard on her, but it was the only to get the lively apprentice to stay behind.

Soon, Maplegaze had gathered Sagewing, Fawnflower, Owlhawk, and Buzzardwing, with him in the lead.

"We are setting off." the deputy meowed.  "Until Cranestar regains her strength, Sandyscar is in charge."  After saying this, Maplegaze and the patrol set off.

...

Falconpaw sat on the Watchcliff, waiting to see the patrol approaching on the craggy cliffs, but there was still no sign of them.  Cranestar had lost a life, and was recovering in her den at the moment.

Falconpaw flinched at the sound of movement behind him and turned to see Swiftcloud.  "It's my turn for watch.  You need to go get some rest."

Falconpaw nodded.  He had taken over for what felt like moons from Featherpaw, and his eyelids had just started to droop.  He was going to bid farewell to his older sister but was cut off by a yawn.

After resting for a while, Falconpaw was awoken by yowls in the camp.  He padded out to see the faintest trace of the golden sun rays.  The Clan was gathered under the Skyledge, and there was a yellow tabby body laying under the ledge...

"Fawnflower!" Falconpaw yowled.  He bounded over to where Fawnflower's body lay, surrounded by her kits and mate.

"Fawnflower..." Sandyscar mewed faintly.  Swallowpaw was nudging her mother's muzzle, while Larkpaw buried his nose in the still warm fur of their mother's flank.

Falconpaw heard mewling from the nursery.  Kits? he wondered.  Since Falconpaw and his littermates had been made apprentices, there hadn't been any new queens, and thus, no new kits.

"Whose kits are those?"  He hadn't meant to say the words aloud, but now it was too late.

"Hazel's." Swiftcloud mewed.

"Hazel?  Who's Hazel?"

"One of the rogues.  We found out there were kits after we... disposed of the others."

"You let a rogue in here?" Falconpaw exclaimed.  "The same rogue that took one of Cranestar's lives and, not to mention, killed our mother?"

Swiftcloud bent her head.  "Well..." she started, but Falconpaw had already turned to Cranestar.

"You allow this?" he asked his leader, her pelt no longer bloodstained.

Cranestar nodded.  "Kits and queens are under the protection of all cats.  No queen or helpless kit should be punished."

Falconpaw shook his head and stomped out of camp.  He didn't want to talk to anyone, not even his siblings.  His mother was dead, and one of the cats who killed her lived among the Clan now!

Falconpaw looked up to the sky, where a few more stars remained.  Are one of those Fawnflower?