Rivers and Trees: A Warriors Fanfiction

Chapter 5: Fox Chasing a Storm

Creampaw yawned. Cats were already scampering around camp, yet it was only dawn. Just then, Creampaw realized that they were panicking.

"Stormkit!" Brightstripe wailed.

"Don't worry, Brightstripe. I'm sure we'll find her," Adderstar was comforting his mate, but he couldn't hide the worry on his face.

"But what if she's hurt?" Brightstripe's fur bristled.

"Stormkit's hurt?" Juniperkit cried.

"No, Juniperkit. I'm sure she's OK," Adderstar licked the top of Juniperkit's head.

Creampaw padded out of the den.

"Hey, Juniperkit!" a young ginger tabby tom called out. "Want to play moss-ball?" he hooked a ball of moss with his claw.

"Yes, Kestrelpaw!" Juniperkit bounded towards the tom.

"Stormkit's missing?" Creampaw asked Adderstar.

"Yes, she is," Adderstar's expression was solemn.

"Can I help find her?" Creampaw felt bad for Stormkit's family and friends. She was a well loved kit.

Adderstar sighed. "I guess, but bring two warriors with you, and be careful!"

"Can I bring Eaglepaw? He has a strong sense of smell," Creampaw asked. Eaglepaw was great at finding things by smell. He was the one who found Stormkit after she got stuck in the brambles.

"That is a clever idea. Well, you'd better find the warriors you want to bring," Adderstar flicked his tail.

Creampaw instinctively went to the training grounds to find Foxfoot and Eaglepaw. Once she was there, she was happy to see Poppyheart was also there.

"Foxfoot, Eaglepaw, Poppyheart! I'm going to go on a patrol to help find Stormkit. I decided to take you along," Creampaw called them.

"I guess it would be good training, Foxfoot," Poppyheart looked at the deputy hopefully. Creampaw realized Pepperspot was also helping Foxfoot train Eaglepaw. The tortoiseshell warrior nodded to Foxfoot signaling that she agreed with Poppyheart.

"OK," Foxfoot sighed. Pepperspot got up and whispered something that Creampaw didn't catch into his ear. She brushed her muzzle against his, then trotted off towards main camp.

"Let's go before something bad happens!" Eaglepaw growled. Foxfoot glared at his apprentice.

"Have some patience," The deputy tensed.

"Poppyheart, I want you to lead the patrol, please!" Creampaw begged her. "I want a mature warrior to lead us!"

Foxfoot shot a dirty look at the medicine cat apprentice.

The four cats roamed RiverClan territory until sunhigh, but there was no sign of Stormkit.

"We haven't checked the river on the border!" Creampaw realized. Eaglepaw's ears pricked, and Poppyheart nodded.

Foxfoot froze in his tracks.

"There's no way Stormkit is there!" Foxfoot scowled at Creampaw.

"We are going to check still," Poppyheart glared at the red tom.

He paused for a moment, looking as if he was frozen in time.

"I'm the deputy!" Foxfoot took a step forward towards Poppyheart and growled.

"I'm leading this patrol, remember!" Poppyheart glared at him.

"I should be the leader of this patrol! We are NOT going to the river!" Foxfoot leaped at Poppyheart pinning her down.

"You mouse-brained fox-heart! Get off me!" Poppyheart screeched. Foxfoot started to unsheathe his claws.

"Stop that! You'll make her bleed!" Creampaw demanded. Foxfoot glared at Creampaw as his claws dug into Poppyheart's skin, causing her to yowl and squirm.

"No!" Creampaw ran to the deputy, trying to get him off Poppyheart. He turned, and with as much force as he could muster, shoved Creampaw into a tree, a sharp pain shooting through Creampaw's back.

"Foxfoot! What has gotten into you?" Eaglepaw screeched.

He jumped at Foxfoot, claws unsheathed. Foxfoot dodged the attack, but he had unpinned Poppyheart, and she leaped onto his back. Foxfoot wriggled under Poppyheart until he got out from under her. Eaglepaw slashed Foxfoot's muzzle, causing the deputy to screech.

"Stop!" Creampaw demanded, her fur bristled.

Eaglepaw jumped back, away from Foxfoot, scowling. Poppyheart jumped next to him glaring at the deputy. Creampaw stared at the three cats, shocked. She bounded off towards camp, going as fast as her short legs could take her.

"Snowfern, Adderstar!" She cried out.

Snowfern poked her head outside the medicine cat, and after a moment of hesitation, she came out and bounded towards the leader's den. What seemed like moons later, Adderstar and Snowfern appeared from the darkness of the den. They raced towards Creampaw with visible worry in their eyes.

"Is it about Stormkit?" Adderstar asked, hopelessly.

"Not exactly, Foxfoot attacked Poppyheart!" Creampaw looked helplessly at the leader.

"That fox-hearted mouse-brain!" Snowfern growled.

"Where are they?" Adderstar gazed at Creampaw.

"Follow me!" Creampaw bounded towards where the quarreling cats were. Once they got there, there were yowls of fury, the argument having rekindled.

"Foxfoot! What is this?" Adderstar screeched.

Eaglepaw's flank was bleeding and one of Poppyheart's ears was torn and her nose was slashed open. Foxfoot only had a light scratch down his spine and his muzzle was bleeding slightly. The furious deputy stopped arguing and looked at the leader wide-eyed.

He froze, obviously realizing the severity of the situation.

"What's that? Has a fox got your tongue?" Adderstar glared at his deputy. "Come back to camp. Now."

Adderstar turned to Poppyheart. "Escort him, and once you get to camp, get two warriors to watch over him and make sure he doesn't get into any trouble," The leader sighed. It seemed as if Foxfoot was scared to go to the river. Has he done something wrong at the river? Creampaw thought. Did he do something to Stormkit?