Rivers and Trees: A Warriors Fanfiction

Chapter 10: Borders

Eaglepaw felt a lump in his throat once he had finished telling Creampaw what had happened to Dewtail.

"Dewtail... had kits?" Creampaw half-asked half-spoke to herself.

Eaglepaw shook his head to show disbelief, "Yeah..."

"I... would have never thought that... I guess those meetings explain why she had so many ticks..."

"Yeah."

Eaglepaw looked over to see that Snowfern was watching and listening to him and Creampaw intently. This information must shock her too, he thought.

"Creampaw!" Eaglepaw turned around to see Rainingfur in the medicine den entrance.

"Yes, Rainingfur?" Creampaw looked up to the grey tabby with a slightly blue undertone.

Rainingfur sighed, "Stormpaw has an infected tick bite, do you mind helping her, please? She couldn't remove the tick on her own because it was too painful for her."

"Of course," Creampaw turned to the herb storage to prepare some mouse-bile moss.

"Poor Stormpaw," Eaglepaw meowed.

Once Creampaw had her supply of mouse-bile, moss, and marigold together, she left the den leaving Eaglepaw with Snowfern. Eaglepaw looked up to Snowfern, her eyes were noticeably narrowed at Eaglepaw.

"How has Creampaw's training gone so far?" Eaglepaw asked nervously, trying to break the tension.

"What does it matter to you?" Snowfern replied curtly, obviously angered further.

"Oh, well, she's my best friend, I just wanted to know," Eaglepaw replied, his ears hot with embarrassment.

"Eaglepaw, come here, we're doing a training patrol!" Eaglepaw heard Adderstar call out.

"Well, uh, got to go, bye!" Eaglepaw left as quickly as he could, relieved to be out of the awkward situation.

Eaglepaw ran over to the clearing in front of Tallstump, where Adderstar was waiting, along with Brightstripe, Oliveheart, Birchclaw, and Fawnstep, as well as their apprentices, Kestrelpaw, Brownpaw, Snakepaw, and Juniperpaw. Eaglepaw noticed that Rainingfur and Stormpaw weren't there, probably because of Stormpaw's tick.

"Haha, I've got you pinned!" Kestrelpaw pounced on top of Juniperpaw.

"Hey!" Juniperpaw squeaked playfully.

"Don't worry, Juniperpaw! I'll save you!" Snakepaw leaped into Kestrelpaw's side, causing him to lose balance and fall over.

"I don't need saving!" Juniperpaw huffed before pinning down Snakepaw and raking her paw along her brother's stomach, her claws sheathed so she wouldn't hurt him.

"Ok, Ok, playtime's over, we've got to start our patrol," Adderstar looked at his kits lovingly.

"Ok, Dad!" Juniperpaw purred.

"I have to say, Juniperpaw, your fighting skills are quite impressive!" Fawnstep complimented her apprentice.

The 10 cats exited camp and walked a bit before Adderstar stopped them, "Ok, we should split up now. Me, Eaglepaw, Oliveheart, Brownpaw, Fawnstep, and Juniperpaw will patrol the ThunderClan border. Brightstripe, Kestrelpaw, Birchclaw, and Snakepaw will patrol the ShadowClan border. Make sure to stay off the Thunderpath."

The cats split up into their selected groups and headed towards the borders. Eaglepaw shivered knowing he had to go near the river. That place is a bad omen, I swear upon StarClan! He thought. Too many bad things have been witnessed there.

Once the six cats had reached the river, they began to mark the border, but Eaglepaw could not shake the feeling of dread, it was as if there was a huge fox looming over him, waiting to attack

"Who can tell me why we have to mark borders?" Adderstar asked the apprentices.

"Ooh, ooh, I know!" Juniperpaw bounced up and down.

"Yes, Juniperpaw?" Adderstar encouraged her to answer.

"Because we are too far from dirtplace, and the border is a good place to go to make fun of the other clans!" she shouted confidently.

"Um, no, good guess," Adderstar and a couple of the other patrol members trilled and mrrowed in laughter.

"It's to make sure we know where the exact location of the border is and warn the other clans not to cross it," Snakepaw puffed out his chest and lifted his head in knowing arrogance.

"Yes, Snakepaw, that is exactly the answer I was looking for!" Adderstar praised his son.

"OOF!" Eaglepaw felt a huge object hit his side and he fell, pinned under a heavy object. Suddenly he felt a painful sting form across his flank, and he grunted in pain. Eaglepaw looked over and saw a paw swinging towards his face. He ducked, but not quick enough because he felt his ear tear in half. He screeched in pain. Eaglepaw tried to use his learned skills to get out from under the unknown cat, but the intruder was too heavy and strong. He heard a yowl and felt the cat on him shake as Adderstar raked his claws across the cat's back. The cat fell over, growling in pain. Eaglepaw stood up as quickly as he could to avoid being pinned again, but hissed in pain as he moved, feeling his open wound stretch. He was covered in blood, from his shoulder to his back leg, as well as a flowing stream of blood from his ear. Eaglepaw joined Adderstar in pinning the enemy down.

"Eaglepaw, you're hurt, let me take your place," Fawnstep offered.

"No, I'm fine," Eaglepaw tried to hide his pain and appear strong, but he really did want to let Fawnstep take over.

The rest of the patrol gathered around the strange cat to prevent any possible escape.

"Who are you?" Adderstar growled.

The other cat made no reply, only thrashing around trying to escape.

"I said, WHO ARE YOU?" Adderstar increased the pressure on the cat's chest, slightly unsheathing his claws, puncturing the trapped cat's skin.

The cat hissed in pain, but managed to free a paw, slashing Adderstar across the cheek.

Adderstar yowled, ripping open the cat's belly in defense.

The cat's grey fur stained with blood as an agonized scream of pain echoed through the forest. The cat soon ceased to move, or breath. Adderstar looked at the grey cat, horrified. He hadn't meant to kill the intruder.

Eaglepaw looked at his paws, the white fur covered in dark red blood.

"This cat..." Eaglepaw panted, "Was the cat who killed Dewtail."

The whole group was silent, even the easily excitable Juniperpaw, her face masked with shock and horror.