Warriors: Salmonstar's Fate

Chapter 15

Chapter 15

                Aspenpaw immediately went and found Marshpaw. She sliced her claws across his nose. “If you ever do…” she began.

                The apprentice stopped as Marshpaw dramatically collapsed onto the ground. “My nose! Aspenpaw, this might kill me!” he howled.

                “Whatever, Marshkit,” she growled and marched away.

                Rain began to fall from the dark gray storm clouds above. The water almost instantly became so strong that it was hard to see through. Marshpaw scrambled back onto his feet and all three apprentices turned their heads to look up at the sky. Mosspool appeared behind Marshpaw. “Joking around again, I see?” he meowed. “Well, guess what your jokes have earned you? A trip to Troutstar’s den. She wants to speak to you now.”

                Marshpaw pretended to appear confused. “Why? Is she going to explain to me that she agrees with what I said about you, the elders, and Aspenpaw but she just couldn’t say that in front of the Clan?” he asked.

                The RiverClan deputy narrowed his eyes. “Go. NOW!” he snarled.

                Marshpaw obeyed. “Coldpaw, you are going with Ripplecloud, Puddlesplash, and Blizzardfrost to the WindClan border,” Mosspool growled. “And Salmonpaw, you and your mentor are coming with me to search the lake in case any cats from other Clans swam across to this side of the lake.”

                “Okay!” Salmonpaw shouted cheerfully.

                Mosspool beckoned for her to follow him with his tail. They swam across the stream to where Icewhisker was waiting and started walking. “I bet there won’t be any cats there,” Salmonpaw’s mentor grumbled. “Cats from the other Clans can’t swim.”

                “I agree with you, but Troutstar said we have to check anyways,” Mosspool responded.

                Salmonpaw dashed ahead, eager to get to lake first. She gasped as she saw the island from the distance. A cloud of smoke hovered above the tops of the burnt trees. She didn’t glimpse many leaves and their bark was black with soot. And that’s when she looked down and saw the unmoving bodies of two cats. Are they dead? She rushed down towards them and wrinkled her nose as a pungent, unfamiliar odor drifted into it.

                One cat was a light gray she-cat and the other was a dark gray tom. Both were drenched and their flanks were barely rising. At least it proves that they’re still alive.

                Salmonpaw raced back to find Mosspool and Icewhisker. “Mosspool! Icewhisker! Two cats, barely alive, at the edge of the lake!” she yowled.

                Icewhisker’s eyes widened. “Breezetail and Wavestorm?” he asked hopefully.

                Salmonpaw shook her head. “I’ve never seen them before,” she replied. “And they don’t smell like RiverClan!”

                Mosspool quickened his pace. “Who dares trespass on RiverClan territory?” he shouted, marching down towards the two cats.

                Icewhisker and Salmonpaw exchanged glances and followed. Her mentor sniffed the air. “The she-cat is ThunderClan and the tom is WindClan,” he whispered. “They’re young, probably still apprentices.”  

                The light gray she-cat coughed weakly and lifted her head, but the dark gray tom didn’t stir. “This apprentice I chatted with last night followed me when I tried to swim across the lake. We didn’t know how to swim or anything, and we both nearly drowned. We were trying to swim to our own territories, but I guess we accidentally went to RiverClan. We’d return to our own territories, but we’re in no condition to go anywhere,” she explained. “Could you please send a message to Cloudstar and Rabbitstar?”

                Mosspool looked even more suspicious while Icewhisker simply seemed to be considering what the ThunderClan apprentice had said. “Few cats were able to force their way onto the tree-bridge. Many non-RiverClan cats drowned trying to swim across the lake, and the majority of those who didn’t attempt to swim the distance were consumed by the fire. All of the leaders except Troutstar lost a life, but she didn’t because she could swim! We lost the fewest warriors because of our unique ability to swim,” Icewhisker boasted and Salmonpaw felt proud of her Clan as well. “You two are lucky to have survived though. Mosspool, what should we do with these cats?”

                “Take them back to camp until they’re well enough to travel back to their own,” the RiverClan deputy answered. “You and I will journey back to camp and get a few other warriors to help carry them back, since I doubt they can walk. Meanwhile, your apprentice will stay here and guard them to make sure they don’t try to escape.”

                “Mosspool, I highly doubt they’re going anywhere on their own anytime soon,” Icewhisker sighed.

                Mosspool narrowed his eyes. “We must be sure,” he growled. “They could be spies! WindClan and ThunderClan could’ve formed an alliance against us!”

                Icewhisker rolled his eyes. “Whatever,” he snorted disbelievingly. “Salmonpaw, stay with them for now.”

                Salmonpaw felt her heart quicken as the two warriors walked away. The elders always used to talk about how cats from other Clans are mean and untrustworthy. What do I do?

A/N: Great StarClan, I haven't been doing a good job updating this story recently. :( I apologize 120% for that and promise to work harder(maybe finish this story before the end of summer) :D

Anyhow, here's the next chapter. I'm guessing most of you know who these two cats are? :)