Warriors AU: Sandstar's Quest

Chapter 13

Author's Note: It's been awhile hasn't it? No I'm not dead, just very busy with school and work. To make up for this, there will be a chapter upload every day for spring break! I was supposed to upload this yesterday but never finished it. Pretend it's Monday and the next chapter I upload will be for Tuesday (today)!

"I've never seen him before in my life. What's he doing here?"

"He's not moving. Is he dead?"

"No... hey, you, wake up!"

The voices pulsed loud and soft in Sandstar's ears. He blinked painfully and saw a blur of black and brown blocking the gap where he had crept into shelter. A paw was fastened in his neck fur, giving him a vigorous shake.

"Wha...? Get off." Sandstar batted feebly at his assailant.

"Keep your claws to yourself," a voice growled.

Sandstar blinked again. Crouched in front of him were two cats: one was a brown tabby she-cat with a stumpy tail and amber eyes, the other a gray tom with blue eyes.

"You can't stay there," the brown tabby she-cat meowed. "Twolegs come in and out of here all the time. Move your paws."

"I'll move when I'm ready." Sandstar tried to sound defiant, but his mouth was so parched with thirst that he could hardly speak, and his head spun from hunger.

"You'll move when we tell you," The gray tom snarled. "Flea-brain!" He gave Sandstar a sharp poke in the ribs with one paw.

Sandstar was too weak to argue. He dragged himself out from beneath the shiny pelt and staggered to his paws.

"About time." The she-cat sniffed. "Follow us."

She set off down a winding path that led between the mounds of Twoleg rubbish. Sandstar briefly thought of making a break for freedom, but he had no idea where to go. Besides, he could barely totter along, and while the she-cat led the way, the gray tom padded along beside Sandstar and kept his blue eyes fixed on him.

Where are they taking me? Sandstar wondered.

He thought of Scourge and Bloodclan, and wondered if there was another Clan of vicious Twolegplace cats here. If they knew he was from the forest, they might see him as an enemy. Were these cats taking him to be killed?

The brown tabby she-cat led him through a gap in the wall. Sandstar emerged into a patch of bare ground where a few stunted trees struggled to survive in the thin soil/ He couldn't see any other cats, but there was a powerful cat scent all around him. His fear of finding another Bloodclan grew stronger and stronger until it rose in his throat and almost choked him.

"That way." The gray tom gave him another push, almost carrying Sandstar off his paws.

He stumbled forward, slid down a dip in the ground, and came to a halt as his forepaws splashed into the edge of a puddle.

"Keep your paws out of it," the tomcat growled. "I don't want to drink it if you've been paddling about in it."

Sandstar backed away hastily.

"Go on, then, drink," the she-cat snapped. "It's perfectly safe, you know. We're not trying to poison you!"

Sandstar gave her a doubtful glance. These cats had brought him to the water he needed so desperately. Did that mean they wouldn't kill him after all?

He crouched by the edge of the pool and lapped at the water. He knew it was stale, tainted by Twoleg scents, but right then it tasted more delicious than the clearest stream in the forest.

When he sat up, twitching drops of water off his whiskers, he saw the brown tabby she-cat standing beside him with a sparrow in her jaws.

"Here," she mewed, dropping the fresh-kill at his paws.