The following morning, Flypaw was determined to build a relationship with his kin. He saw Hawkswoop sitting at the Fresh-Kill pile, sharing tongues with Dogfur. The two toms were the most senior warriors in the clan, very wise and respected by the whole of Treeclan. "Hawkswoop!" Flypaw called to the dark tabby. Hawkswoop raised his head and looked bewildered. "Yes, Flypaw?" He finally responded. "I have been told you are my kin," Flypaw tried to hide his excitement, but his tail twitched, giving it away. The senior warrior nodded, but didn't seem as excited as Flypaw. "Aren't you excited? We have a connection!" Hawkswoop shook his head. "We have a connection to the whole clan, and possibly the whole forest. Nothing to jump around about." Hawkswoops response saddened Flypaw. "Why yes, but we are closely connected! Your brother is my father! That has to count for something!" Hawkswoop let out a hiss and stalked away, leaving Flypaw staring after him. "Don't let him bother you," Dogfur reassured the apprentice. "Hawkswoop has lost so much. His siblings, his parents," he paused. "His family..." The tom trailed off. "He is just worried about making connections," he mewed at last. Flypaw was shocked. "You say family, as in Hawkswoop had a family of his own?" Dogfur nodded. "It was many seasons ago. He was happy. He had a mate, he had kits..." He trailed off once more, staring in the direction of his friend. "He lost it all, and he just doesn't want to go through it again. Instead he focused on being the best warrior he could be." Suddenly, Stickpaw approached the two toms. "Flypaw," she mewed. "Follow me." Flypaw waved his goodbye to Dogfur with his tail, and he followed the brown she-cat. She lead him behind the apprentices den, then stopped. "Flypaw," she began. "I'm very suspicious of Tawnyfur." Her words brought back the memory of the Frostclan deputy speaking with a grey rogue. He nodded and she continued. "Is he conspiring with rogues? Is he trying to take over the forest?" Flypaw shook his head. "We cannot make such accusations, we do not know him well." Stickpaw lashed her tail in defiance. "Flypaw! I was kept prisoner by that wretched piece of mouse-dung! I know how cruel he can be!" Cruel? What had he done? "He attacked me with words, and with force! He hurt a kit!" Stickpaw responded, as if reading Flypaws thoughts. "We should go and spy on him!" She mewed finally. "We can discover what that fox of a cat is doing!" Flypaw shook his head. "I don't know about that Stickpaw," He responded. "If you don't come with me, I'll go by myself!" Flypaw knew he couldn't let her do that. If Tawnyfur had hurt her before, what would stop him from doing it again? If she got caught, she could get herself injured. "No," he mewed at last, shaking his head. "I'm coming too!"
A while later, the two apprentices were back at the northern point of the forest. The field lay in front of them, with Twolegplace behind it. "Come on," Stickpaw mewed. "If we go into Twolegplace, we can find that rogue. If we find that rogue-" Flypaw cut her off. "We get answers," he mewed. Although not liking the idea of heading into unknown territory, he followed his friend. They crossed the field, and soon came upon a wooden fence. Stickpaw turned and looked at Flypaw. "Back at camp, Grassclaw told me a story of Twolegplace. He said when he was a warrior, he and a patrol had to go here. Anyways, he said that behind the fence, there's a Twoleg den." Flypaw looked up and saw the Twoleg den. "Behind the first den," Stickpaw continued. "There's many more. We must be careful though, because there's a rogue hangout spot somewhere through here. Ready?" Flypaw gulped but nodded. Stickpaw leaped onto the fence and disappeared to the other side. Flypaw was quick to follow her, landing in a patch of grass where purple flowers grew. Infront of them lay the Twoleg den, a path of pebbles stretched out in front of it. Suddenly, a twoleg appeared out of a hole in the den, letting a plump kittypet stalk out. He shut the hole, leaving the kittypet outside. "Hide!" Stickpaw spat. Flypaw leaped into the flowers, hoping they would conceal him. He watched as the kittypet stalked over to the fence and leaped up onto it, sitting down. He began cleaning himself before there was a snap coming from a nearby bush. The kittypet jumped and cowered down, scared. "Who's there?" He called. Stickpaw stepped out from the bush. "Relax kittypet!" She mewed in a somewhat calm manner. "We mean you no harm." The kittypet cowered even lower. "We? There's more?" At the kittypets words, Flypaw stepped out from his hiding place in the flowers. "As she said, we mean you no harm," he looked at his clanmate. "We would like to talk." Stickpaw looked bewildered. "Why should we talk with this kittypet? What answers could we get from a cat who lets twolegs touch it?" She hissed. Flypaw stepped closer to his friend, walking on the pebble path. "He is a kittypet, meaning he would know the area. If we ask him, we could find the rogue Tawnyfur was talking to." Stickpaw seemed to understand his words and beckoned with her tail for the kittypet to get down off the fence. Although cautious, he leaped down, but kept his distance from the strangers. "I am Stickpaw," Stickpaw introduced herself. "This," She pointed with her tail at Flypaw. "Is my friend Flypaw. All we want is answers." "We come from the forest," Flypaw explained. "Another cat from the forest was seen talking with a rogue from Twolegplace. Can you give us answers?" The kittypet stepped forward. "I've heard of you forest cats. I've also been told you are very dangerous." Flypaw shook his head. "Look at us, we are small, a little older than kits. You can trust us." Flypaw didn't like making himself look weak, and Stickpaw obviously didn't either, as she jerked her head around with a vicious glare in her eyes. But if he could make the kittypet trust him, he was going to try. The kittypet nodded, and stepped even closer. Now flypaw got a good look at him. He was obviously healthy and well fed, as show by his clean fur, and his plump belly. He had dark tabby fur, much like Hawkswoop and Sweetacorn, though he had a flattened muzzle. He had a purple collar that had a silver tag hanging from it. "What is your name, kittypet?" Flypaw asked courtly. The kittypet nodded and began to speak. "I am Dexter, at least that's what my housefolk call me. What was it you were needing?" Stickpaw began to explain the grey rogue they were looking for. "You must be talking about Joffrey! He's a grey rogue that wanders Twolegplace! Who did you say he was talking to?" Flypaw gulped and then explained, "Tawnyfur, he's a tawny colored tom. Have you seen him in Twolegplace?" Dexter confirmed his suspicion with a nod. Tawnyfur was working with rogues, but for what purpose? The two apprentices said their goodbyes to the kittypet and began leaving Twolegplace. As they were crossing the field, they saw a Tawny shape in the distance. Tawnyfur! He must be returning to talk with Joffrey! "Hide!" Stickpaw hissed, but as Flypaw looked around, he saw no bushes or ferns. There was no place to hide. Tawnyfur picked up his pace, and began bolting towards them. They apparently had caught his eye. "Come on!" Flypaw hissed. "Head back to Treeclan territory!" He began bolting towards the pine trees that made the Treeclan border, with Stickpaw hot on his tail. It wasn't long before the Frostclan deputy reached the Treeclan apprentices. He leaped on Stickpaw, and Flypaw heard her let out a yowl of pain as he bit into her neck. "Stickpaw!" Flypaw slid to a halt, and whipped around to help his clanmate. Flypaw bit Tawnyfurs scruff and dragged the tawny warrior off of the apprentice. He was much larger than him, and it took the most of Flypaws effort to drag his heaping body. Tawnyfur squirmed out of Flypaws grasp and sliced his face. Flypaw let out a hiss of pain, his own blood blinding him. He heard hisses and yowling, and knew he had to do something or else Stickpaw would be killed. "You never should've followed my trail!" Tawnyfur spat. "Now you'll die too!" Too? Flypaw thought to himself. Who else had Tawnyfur killed in his efforts to keep his secrets? Flypaw wiped blood out of his eyes, and saw the trees that made Treeclans northern border. He turned and saw Tawnyfur looming over Stickpaw, the brown apprentice wriggled underneath him. As he was readying his paw to make a killing blow, Flypaw leaped at the deputy, toppling him over. The two rolled on the ground, and now Flypaw was pinned. Tawnyfur readied his paw the make the killing blow, just as he was doing with Stickpaw, when suddenly a dark figure toppled him over. Flypaw stood up and saw Dexter pounding his claws into the Frostclan deputy. "Run!" He hissed. Flypaw began bolting towards the pine trees once again, Stickpaw following him. He took one last glance over his shoulder and saw Tawnyfur clawing the plump kittypet. He's going to die! He thought to himself. We must get help! He lead Stickpaw into the safety of the trees. "Stickpaw!" He mewed quickly. "Go try to find some warriors, we need help. Dexter can't know decent fighting skills! He's going to get himself killed!" Stickpaw stood there for a few moments and blinked at him. "You saved me!" She mewed at last. "And Dexter saved me, but if we don't get help, he's going to die!" He snapped. Stickpaw nodded and bolted deeper into the woods. Flypaw whipped around and bolted back into the clearing. He saw Dexter laying limp on the ground, Tawnyfur looming over him. He charged the tawny colored tom and tumbled him over "Get off me kit!" The deputy hissed. "I'm no kit!" He spat back. Suddenly, his scratch began oozing blood again, blinding him once more. Tawnyfur took notice of the distraction and pushed the grey apprentice off him. Just when he was about to pounce, a yowl came from the trees. Flypaw wiped the blood from his eyes with his forepaw and saw his mentor Brackenheart leading a patrol into the field. Yes! He thought. Stickpaw had found help! As the patrol got closer Flypaw saw Dogfur and Sparrowtail behind the Treeclan deputy. And lastly, Stickpaw trotted out of the trees, letting out a loud yowl of excitement. Tawnyfur backed away, but before he could escape, Brackenheart pounced on him. "What are you doing attacking my apprentice?" He growled. "He was trespassing on Frostclan..." Tawnyfur began. But he trailed off, realizing his excuse made no sense. "You realize that we are closer to Treeclan territory?" Brackenfur spat, and Flypaw heard Sparrowtail chuckle. "Looks to me as though YOU trespassed on Treeclan territory, and got in a fight with some apprentices. The fight then lead out here. Correct?" Tawnyfur nodded, although Flypaw knew that was a lie as well. Tawnyfur must be covering up his secrets more! He thought to himself. "Sparrowtail! Dogfur! Get ahold of this mousebrain! He is now a prisoner of Treeclan!" Brackenheart commanded. Sparrowtail nodded and the two warriors got on either side of the prisoner. "If he tries anything, feel free to put him in his place!" Brackenheart spat, and Tawnyfur let out a hiss. "Brackenheart," Flypaw began, stepping towards his mentor. "This kittypet got hurt in the fight. He's badly wounded. Can we take him to Sweetacorn?" Brackenheart nodded. "It only seems logical," he mewed. "You'll need to see her too! That looks like a deep wound on your face!" Flypaw had forgotten about his wound, caught up in the excitement. "Come on!" Brackenheart yowled. "Lets get to camp!"
YOU ARE READING
Warriors Bloodlines Book 1: Rising Tension
FanficFar away from the forest with the clans, there is another forest with four more clans. Our main character Flypaw, a grey apprentice of Treeclan discovers his kin and connection with his clanmates, along with discovering the evil a warrior from anoth...
