Windclan's Hope

Chapter 17

Two days after Doveface's kitting, Squirrelfoot followed the patrol to fourtrees. She sat down next to Talonheart who had sat next to some apprentices she'd never seen before. "Hey, this is Crowpaw and this is Volenose's kit Blackpaw." Talonheart introduced. Volenose was sitting with Shadowclan but she'd stayed with Windclan since last sunrise. The half blind she was mentoring Littlewhisker into being a warrior again.
Squirrelfoot watched as Stemstar and Adderstar spoke about the clans. "Lets go!" Stemstar announced, the scars on his back shone in the moonlight as he leapt down. "Volenose, come on." Stemstar meowed. The Shadowclan she said goodbye to her mate and Blackpaw before padding back to the Windclan patrol.
Squirrelfoot padded beside Rabbitstrike and behind Whiteclaw and Sheepfur for the dawn patrol. "Ratfur said that Turtleheart faked the prophecy because she wanted Stemstar to be leader." Rabbitstrike added into the argument. Whiteclaw halted, turning in anger. "Ratfur is a dark forest fool who will never be accepted into the clan ever again." He snarled. "I think Stemstar is a great leader, he is better than you'd be." Squirrelfoot growled. "Thats because you are his sister, you get no say." Rabbitstrike pinned his ears. "I get as much say as anyone else." She growled. Sheepfur bristled as Rabbitstrike looked at him. "What? Ratfur does make sense but i havent decided on what i think." He shook his fur out. "Its cold, lets get back to camp."
At camp, she saw Rabbitstrike, Ratfur Owlfeather and Birchwing sitting together. Rage burned her pelt as she saw Sheepfur sitting with them. Squirrelfoot approached the tom. "Havent decided yet?" She rolled her eyes, pelt bristled. Sheepfur stood to face her. "I just did. Sorry you think your brother is special but he isnt. Your mother lied. Your sister lied. Maybe you are lying about something too." Sheepfur growled. Ratfur's voice perked up in the group. "She does hang out with Talonheart a lot, maybe she is that Shadowclan fool's mate." He purred in amusement. Squirrelfoot launched herself at Ratfur, knocking him off his paws. She pinned him and rolled as he tried to claw her belly. The group backed away, eyes wide as they watched the fight around them. Squirrelfoot grabbed Ratfur's shoulder with her claws and dragged him down, dodging his claws to her eyes and only catching her ear. Blood trickled down her ear as she reared, slamming down on the tom's chest. Ratfur rolled away, gasping for breath. "What is the meaning of this?" Stemstar leapt onto the rock. "Ask him, well, when he gets his breath back." She spat, backing up beside Talonheart. "Are you okay?" He asked, looking at her ear. "Just a scratch." She mewed.
"Ratfur and Squirrelfoot will hunt together now. Whiteclaw and Talonheart will go with them. If they fight they will have a proper punishment." Stemstar decided. "Everyone get to your duties." Squirrelfoot hissed in anger and followed Talonheart to the exit of camp. "This is ridiculous." She snarled. "Talonheart, let them hunt together. We'll just watch." Whiteclaw beckoned the tom. "Ill be back." He mewed and fell back. Squirrelfoot fell into step with Ratfur, not speaking. "You poor kit, cant be next to your mate?" He grinned. "At least i have one. You are just lonely and annoying." She retorted. "Im not the one breaking the code. Thats a shadowclan cat, first off. Second off, Stemnose didn't even have an apprentice before his leadership. Therefore he is inexperienced." Ratfur mewed. "Stemstar has plenty of leadership. You are just jealous because you thought you'd be leader. Now run that rabbit towards me." She nodded to it. "Fine." Ratfur fled down the moor, leaping onto the rabbit himself. Squirrelfoot hissed and turned, stalking up on a mouse quietly. When she lept a twig snapped. The mouse darted but she was quicker, she hooked into the air and killed it. "How unclean of a kill." Ratfur sneered. "How rude of you to try and make me lose prey for the clan." Talonheart and Whiteclaw padded up. "Squirrelfoot is correct. You tried to make her lose prey for the clan. Come, I will take you to camp. Talonheart, continue to hunt. Catch a few more things." The deputy mewed. Squirrelfoot turned, burying the mouse with the rabbit. While she did that Talonheart padded up to her with another mouse. She added it to the pile. "There's a blackbird down there. You catch it, I think there's a vole over there." Talonheart flicked his tail. Squirrelfoot bounded away before crouching down and pulling herself along the grass towards the bird. The wind blew towards her, ruffling her fur as she held back a shiver.
They returned to camp with a vole, two mice, a rabbit and blackbird. Stemstar smiled. "You two hunt together well. Whiteclaw should send you out more often." He complimented. Squirrelfoot purred and dropped her prey in the pile.