Warriors Bloodlines Book 1: Rising Tension

CHAPTER 7

          It had been many days since Flypaws encounter with Oreopaw, the Gorgeclan apprentice. The grey tom was laying around camp. Brackenheart, nor any of the other warriors had given him anything to do today. It was a relaxing day thus far. Flypaw saw Sweetacorn about to enter her den. He trotted over to stop her.                                                                                                                                      "Sweetacorn!" He called. "How is Gingerfur?" Sweetacorn dropped some herbs she was carrying before speaking. "Not very good," She mewed. "She'll get better with time but," she shook her head. "She may never walk again. If she does, she'll have a horrible limp. She will never be able to hunt, or fight very well either," she paused before continuing. "She will never be a warrior again."                                                                                                                                                                                 That was horrible! Gingerfur was a very strong and a noble warrior, always very determined. Flypaw knew how hurt Gingerfur would be to hear this information. "Slenderclaw won't leave her side, she saved his life afterall. Anything else?" Sweetacorn broke his thoughts. "I was curious, but I'll leave you to it," Flypaw mewed.                                                                                                         The dark tabby nodded. She then picked up the herbs and trotted into the bramble den. Flypaw turned to see Viperpaw following Dogfur into the clearing, with fresh-kill hanging from their jaws. Dogfur had taken up the apprentices training, since her mentors injury. "Flypaw! Are you busy with anything?" Hawkswoops voice was loud, and it scared Flypaw so much he nearly jumped. "Relax! Brackenheart ordered me to lead the evening patrol. I'm taking Littlepaw with me and was wondering if you wanted to tag along."                                                                                                           Flypaw nodded and the two marched over to the apprentices den, to get Littlepaw. "Littlepaw! Wake up! I want you for the evening patrol!" Littlepaw jolted up to his mentors call, and Stickpaw got up too, bouncing over to the senior warrior. "Can I come too? I haven't gotten to train today because Slenderclaw wont leave Gingerfur! I want to do something useful!"                           Hawkswoop nodded, and the patrol set out into the forest. After some time, they made it to the northern border. A field stretched away, and Flypaw could barely make out plenty of twoleg nests on the other side.                                                                                                                                                     "Flypaw!" Stickpaw whispered in his ear. "Lets do some hunting!" Flypaw shook his head. "We should stick with the patrol," he mewed. "Come on!" Stickpaw whined. "We'll be right back! And We'll be catching fresh-kill, so we'll be helping the clan!" Flypaw thought about it for a minute, and agreed. "Good," Stickpaw mewed. "Lets try in that field, I can see prey in the short grass!" the dark brown she-cat bounded into the field, and instantly pounced on something.                          She stood up, and Flypaw saw a vole dangling from her jaws. "Very good!" He purred. But something behind the apprentice caught his eye. "Stickpaw, look!" He pointed with his ears. Stickpaw dropped the vole and turned, glancing at what Flypaw was pointing at. "Is that?-" Hawkswoop interrupted her.                                                                                                                                                           "Tawnyfur? What is the Frostclan deputy doing returning from Twolegplace?" The tawny colored tom was stalking slowly across the field. Not far behind him, a grey tom was waving his tail goodbye. "And what are you two doing out here?" Hawkswoop snapped.                                                          "I caught a vole!" Stickpaw purred. "Yes but this is not our territory! Twolegs like to visit here! We must be careful!" Stickpaw looked annoyed that the tom wasn't proud of her catch.                        "Lets go by the Frostclan border. Maybe we can catch some cat to talk to about Tawnyfurs odd behavior." The tabby warrior lead his patrol east. They passed a farm, where sheep were calling out loudly. "Careful! We must be alert!" Hawkswoop ordered.                                                  "The twolegs here have a dog." The patrol passed the farm without any problem. It wasn't long before the Treeclan patrol made it to the Frostclan border.                                                                        The field lay in front of them, with the mountains stretching to the sky behind it. A dark ginger tom was stalking in the field, a patched black and white tom following him. Flypaw recognized the two. "Redfur!" Hawkswoop called to the ginger tabby. Redfur and his apprentice came trotting over. "Smudgepaw! How have you been?" Littlepaw mewed to the Frostclan apprentice. "Very well! Some rogue kits were found and taken up by the clan!" Smudgepaw responded. Redfur gave his apprentice a stern look, as though he didn't want the information shared to other clans.                                                                                                                                                                          "Oh really?" Hawkswoop mewed. Redfur let out a sigh and continued the conversation. "Tawnyfur found the kits mother, dead. The dog was nearby, so it was suspected the dog killed her. He rescued the kits, and brought them to Frostclan." Littlepaw and Flypaw shared a glance.                  "Speaking of Tawnyfur," Hawkswoop mewed politely. "Do you know why he was leaving Twolegplace after speaking to a rogue?" Redfur looked taken aback. "Tawnyfur is very loyal to his clan! He would never run around with the likes of a rogue!" Flypaw flinched at the young warriors hiss. "Redfur, we know Tawnyfur is a great warrior, an amazing deputy. But," Hawkswoop paused.                                                                                                                                                                            "It's true!" Littlepaw finished Hawkswoops sentence. "He spoke to a rogue tom, right outside of Twolegplace!" Smudgepaw looked shocked, and there was a rustle of leaves behind Flypaw. He turned around to see the tawny colored deputy emerge from the brush. "Treeclan? What are you doing here?" He spat.                                                                                                                                                  Littlepaw challenged him. "You came from our territory! What were you doing THERE?" Hawkswoop gave his apprentice a stern look, and silenced him, covering his mouth with his tail. The tabby warrior stepped forward. "Tawnyfur, you have some explaining to do." He stood tall in front of the Frostclan deputy, meeting his gaze.                                                                                                                        Flypaw flinched. Was a battle about to take place?                                                                                                Tawnyfur unsheathed his claws, but Hawkswoop shook his head. "No, we mustn't fight. It's the middle of Leaf-Bare," he turned and looked back at his patrol. Three apprentices, and a senior warrior versus two warriors and an apprentice the size of one? There was no way they would leave this fight without an injury.                                                                                                                                       "Come," Hawkswoop mewed, breaking the tension in the air. "We must go back to Camp." Tawnyfur curled his lip, and Smudgepaw let out a hiss. Flypaws heart sank. He thought Smudgepaw was a friend, but then he realized. Clan boundaries would always get in the way of friendships with other clans.

                  The following evening, Flypaw was laying in Camp. He was thinking to himself. Flypaw felt lonely in the clan. He had no kin. His mother Rubyear died at his birth, as did all his littermates. He never knew who his father was. The only true friend he had in the clan was Littlepaw. Maybe if he asked around, he might find out who fathered Rubyears kits?                                              Why of course! Hazelnose was a close friend of his mother, she will know! The grey apprentice trotted towards the nursery, in hopes of finding out his ancestry.                                                              As he entered the den, He saw Hazelnose sharing tongues with Darklily. "Hazelnose," he began. "Do you know who my father was?" The tortoiseshell queens ears pricked. "I knew you would eventually ask," she replied. She sighed before continuing. "Many moons ago, your mother was out patrolling the territory. A fox attacked the patrol, and one of her clanmates saved her." She shared a glance with Darklily.                                                                                                                          "His name was Pigeonbeak." Flypaw could hardly hold his excitement a secret. He never knew who his father was, including his name. "What did he look like?" He asked curiously.                                Hazelnose licked her paw and rubbed it over her face before continuing. "He was grey and white. Pigeonbeak was a very brave warrior. He always protected his clan with his life. Until..." She paused, and Darrklily continued. "He's not here now, that's all." She pressed her muzzle against the apprentices flank. "You will be a great warrior, just as your mother and father were," she blinked. "Possibly even better!"                                                                                                                                  Flypaw was happy. He now knew who his father was, a great warrior who gave his life for his clan. "Do I have any living kin in the clan?" Flypaw asked the queens. Hazelnose nodded. "Yes, Hawkswoop was Pigeonbeaks littermate." Her words filled Flypaw with excitement. Now maybe he could find a connection to some cat.