Turtleheart's Path

Chapter 29

Turtleheart padded out of the nursery the next morning, camp was running smoothly. Mumblejaw and the two apprentices were the only ones out of camp. Prey was freshly stocked and buried incase of battle. Turtleheart let Briarfang watch the kits and went to organize herbs in case of major wounds. She saw Sparrowfeather glaring at her from the corner of the den. "Now doing things?" He rasped. "Sparrowfeather, just go back to sleep and appreciate that you don't have to do this." Sparrowfeather hissed and laid down.
Owlpaw and Lilypaw padded back into camp with mouthfuls of prey and heaving flanks. "They passed!" Mumblejaw exclaimed. The sun was falling and the clan began to gather. "Stay alert as I perform this ceremony." Bramblestar sat tall on Tallrock. "Kits, come listen." Turtleheart beckoned them over. Stemkit and Squirrelkit stopped wrestling and sat next to Ivykit who was staring at the two apprentices getting their warrior names. "Owlpaw shall be named Owlfeather. Lilypaw shall be known as Lilyfrost." Bramblestar was saying. "Owlfeather! Lilyfrost!" Riverclan scent began to fill the air. Windclan's chants hushed. All that could be heard was the windy air above the hollow. Bramblestar began giving orders. "Briarfang, help Turtleheart and her kits to the nursery. Owlfeather and Lilyfrost, protect the elders' den. Rabbitpaw, Littlepaw, Dovepaw and Ratpaw. Littlepaw and Dovepaw, protect the medicine den. Ratpaw, go to the nursery and do whatever they tell you. Rabbitpaw, go with your mentor." Bramblestar mewed in hushed tones. The clan began to slowly form a line. Haresprint and Rabbitpaw pelted from camp under more orders. They split up, rounding the camp before leaping in from above the nursery with a powerful leap. "Here they are!" Haresprint yowled. They scrambled back in line, only a scratch on Rabbitpaw's hind leg from cat claws bled. Turtleheart snatched Ivykit by the scruff while Briarfang hauled Stemkit and Squirrelkit onto her back and rushed to the den with Ratpaw behind them.
Turtleheart hissed as two apprentices and a warrior leapt in front of the den. The black fur of Raventuft shone in the moonlight. "Raventuft is mine." Turtleheart snarled. "Ratpaw, protect my kits with your life." She snarled and launched herself at the Riverclan deputy. She slammed him down and twisted before he could bite her. Turtleheart felt the presence of Starclan next to her. Flutterpaw, her mothers father, Lionstride and even Whitestar, the leader before Cedarstar. She felt Lionstride's strength as she pinned him and Flutterpaw's speed as she bit and clawed him in various directions. Whitestar was beside her, watching, approving and coaching. He is going to fake death, bite down on his throat. Riverclan thinks they are the smartest. The leader hissed. Just then, Raventuft fell limp. Turtleheart bent down and bit his throat. "Harepaw, fetch Graypounce and Hawkgrowl!" Raventuft yowled and recoiled, standing in front of her. "Ratpaw, fetch Haresprint, Littlepaw, and Bramblestar!" She didn't break eye contact with the black tom. "You think that you can just take my father into your clan? Wait until he turns on you like he did us. The dark forest rules him now." She hissed and turned, pinning down the Riverclan apprentice with her claws on her throat. "Retreat or she dies." She growled. Raventuft's eyes widened. "Let my kit go." Turtleheart pierced the cat's throat gently. "Fine. Riverclan, Retreat!" Raventuft screeched. Many warriors of Riverclan turned, wide eyed and angry. Turtleheart let the she-cat go and watched as Bramblestar sent Hawkgrowl running for his life out of camp.
"Stemkit got a scratch on him. Harepaw caught him just a little. I'm so sorry, Turtleheart." Briarfang gasped as the camp cleared of the foreign warriors. "If that is all that happened then I am blessed by Starclan." Turtleheart sighed, licking Stemkit's scruff where the scratch bled. "Im going to bring him to the medicine den and help Sparrowfeather with other injuries. Ratpaw, thank you for your help. You were brave." She mewed. "Go have a feast." She added and watched as he smiled and bounded away to meet his siblings. "Squirrelkit? Ivykit?" Briarfang's shriek sounded from the nursery as she carried Stemkit to the medicine den. She set him down, looking back as she yowled. "Squirrelkit and Ivykit are gone!" Brairfang burst from the den. Bramblestar stood up. "Haresprint, Rabbitpaw, Mumblejaw, Littlepaw, Dovepaw, Ratpaw and Owlfeather. Go patrol our entire territory, spread out and find the thieves. I will take Redcall, Sheepfur, Birdnose, Graytooth, Whiteclaw to their camp if you dont catch them." The group of cats tore out of camp. Turtleheart felt panic beneath her pelt. "Let me help look!" She begged. Bramblestar turned. "Take Lilyfrost and head straight to their camp. Find the scent and know the cats who took them. Do not act. Come get us and we'll launch an attack." Bramblestar sighed. Turtleheart hurried Stemkit to Sparrowfeather's den and followed Lilyfrost out of camp.