Peaking Stone

Chapter 8

Flintpaw panted as he followed his clanmates through the forest, It had been a quarter moon since his punishment was lifted, and he was on the dawn patrol.

Daisystep, Having received her warrior name, was leading, Littlestorm was just behind him, having also received his warrior name.

Ahead, Daisystep stopped, Her tail straight in the air. The patrol stopped, Littlestorm gazing around the undergrowth.

Daisystep's tail rippled, signalling for them to move forward, slowly. Flintpaw crouched and crept after the she-cat. Littlestorm behind him as they skirted an elder bush and moved into a grassy clearing.  The whole placed smelt of fox, with.. something else mixed in that Flintpaw couldn't smell quite as clearly.

All was silent except for the rustle of birds in the trees. Daisystep lowered her tail, sweeping it over the grass. Littlestorm started to creep towards the undergrowth.

Flintpaw took this as a sign to spread out and he did so 'dear starclan, I wonder what's happening' . Then, they heard a yowl. Flintpaw spun around to see Littlestorm being bowled over by a large, Black tom.

Out of what seemed to be nowhere, another cat leapt at Daisystep, this time a silver she-cat.

But Flintpaw only had time to see that when he, himself, was ambushed. Flintpaw twisted around to see a bracken coloured tom fly at him.

Flintpaw hissed as the tom rammed into him and pinned him. Instinct took over as Flintpaw kicked up, into the toms unguarded belly. The tom yowled in pain before aiming a vicious bite into Flintpaw's shoulder.

Flintpaw growled in pain and scrabbled at the tom's shoulders, but he wouldn't let go.

"Eaglepaw, Let go" Meowed the black tom, who had subdued Littlestorm. "Yes Fallowsnow"  Eaglepaw meowed and stopped biting Flintpaw, just pinning him down now.

It was at that moment that Flintpaw felt like he had just eaten a rock.  They had crossed into Riverclan territory when they had skirted the Elder bush.

"What is your buissness here?" The silver she-cat growled as she stared down at Daisystep, they were like twins almost, both silver, slim she-cats.

"It was an accident, we crossed the border by accident. We couldn't smell Riverclan because of the fox" Daisystep hissed.

Slowly, the Riverclan cats let them get up. Littlestorm hurried over to his sister, who seemed to have been kicked in the ribs, hard.

"We're going to escort you back to your camp" Fallowsnow meowed, his great, black head high. None of the Thunderclan cats said anything, knowing they were beaten as the limped back into the territory, Fallowsnow, The silver she-cat and Eaglepaw following.

As they walked, Flintpaw heard Eaglepaw murmur "Creekshine, what do you think their leader will do to them?"

So that was her name, Creekshine Flintpaw thought.

**

They were all back at camp, the Riverclanners had left, Shalestar hadn't been happy, subjecting Flintpaw to clean out the elders' den, Littlestorm to fetch water for the queens, and Daisystep, after she had gotten better, to apologize to Wildstar at the gathering.

Daisystep had suffered from two broken ribs from where the Creekshine had kicked her. Serves her right Flintpaw thought as he dragged soiled bedding out, into the forest.

He then padded back into the clearing, grabbed a mouse from the fresh kill pile, and ate.