Warrior Cats: Into the Unknown.(1/3)

Chapter 10

Cloverpaw felt horror rising inside her when the badger hit her sister. She let out a screech of terror and tugged her claws away from the badger's skin before whirling around and racing to her sister. Her heart pounded in her chest when she saw blood welling outside of her sister's belly. "Molewhisker!" She shrieked, but the tom was yowling out orders as they began driving the lumbering badger away. She stared frantically around herself. She had to stop the bleeding! Her eyes landed on some moss at the roots of an oak. She sprang toward it and clawed the moss away from the bark. She grabbed a wad and raced back to her sister. She pushed the moss onto her belly, and Fernpaw let out a moan of pain. Her breathing was coming in shallow gasps. She snapped her head around when she saw a streak of ginger fur flash before her eyes. Sparktail's eyes were blazing with fury and she let out a fierce battle cry before flinging herself at the badger. Berrynose sprang off so Sparktail could plant her paws over the badger's eyes, and it sank into the soft skin around them. Then, with her claws still fastened in its skin, she drew her claws toward her. The badger let out a bellowing roar of pain before rearing up and retreating to the undergrowth. Sparktail leaped of it, her paws wet and slick with the creature's blood. "Honeyleaf, Sparktail, Berrynose, Snowbush follow it and chase it out of our territory." Molewhisker ordered. The four cats nodded before racing after it. Molewhisker whipped around and shouldered Cloverpaw away. "Drag her on top of me." He directed. Cloverpaw felt her paws shake as she grabbed her sister's scruff and clambered over Molewhisker. When her sister was sprawled on his shoulders, the brown and cream tom padded into the undergrowth.

When they finally entered the camp, the clan was almost deserted. She looked up at the sky. It must be sunhigh. But the scent of blood must have alerted her clanmates because cats began pushing themselves out of their dens. Ivypool let out a shriek of horror and raced toward them. "My kit! My kit!" She yowled in terror as she covered Fernpaw's face with licks. Jayfeather and Alderleaf sprinted out of their den. "Put her in our den." Jayfeather ordered. Molewhisker nodded and padded toward the medicine den, Ivypool keeping close behind. She watched them retreat to the den with worry in her eyes, her limbs stiff with fear. She snapped her head around when she felt someone touch her shoulder. "You did well." Honeyleaf murmured as she pushed her muzzle briefly into her shoulder. Cloverpaw gave one brief nod, her tail flicking. "She'll be alright, you'll see." Cloverpaw knew that Honeyleaf was trying to convince her as much as herself. She nodded slowly, turning her gaze back to the medicine den. She swung her head around when she heard rustling in the tunnel entrance, but it was only Berrynose carrying Dewnose, with Sparktail close beside him. Bramblestar hurried out of his den and shouldered his way through the throng. "What happened?" He asked, his amber eyes blazing and his neck fur bristling. Snowbush padded up with his mate, Lilyheart, by his side. "We were attacked by a badger near the Windclan border. We had no warning, we were chasing a rabbit family." The white tom mewed, his voice shaking. Lilyheart pushed up to his side, comforting him. Snowbush glanced at her gratefully before continuing. "The badger attacked me first, but Dewnose ran in but got it all wrong. The badger managed to bite his tail off." He closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath. "Berrynose and I would've been dead if it weren't for Molewhisker's patrol." Snowbush added, nodding to Honeyleaf and Cloverpaw. Bramblestar nodded slowly, lost in thought. "Did you drive it out of the territory? My kits won't be safe if it's still running around inside our borders!" Daisy mewed frantically, brushing Badgerkit and Smokekit closer to her with a sweep of her tail. "Don't worry, Daisy! The badger can't get us." Badgerkit mewed, and Smokekit nodded in agreement with his brother and mewed. "We're too strong for it! We'll protect you." Cloverpaw felt her heart lighten with the kits' bravery. They'll make good warriors one day. "Yes, we drove it away." Honeyleaf mewed, soothing Daisy's ruffled fur. The creamy she-cat visibly relaxed, her shoulders hunching as she sighed in relief. "Where's Squirrelflight? We'll need to send out some hunting patrols." Bramblestar then mewed to no one in particular. "She went out with Acornpaw and Leafheart." Swiftpaw answered. Bramblestar nodded, his tail tip twitching. "Alright, Rainsong, I want you to lead Swiftpaw, Frogpaw, Stormcloud, Hollytuft and Icefeather to the abandoned twoleg nest. There's bound to be some prey there." He added and nodded to the ginger and white she-cat. Rainsong nodded and with a sweep of her tail, she gathered her patrol before racing out of camp. "Cloverpaw, are you fit for a hunting patrol?" Bramblestar then asked. Cloverpaw jerked her head around at the mention of her name. "Yes, I think so." She answered. "Good, you'll go with Flamingheart's patrol. Flamingheart, take Lilyheart, Dovewing, Timberpaw and Fernsong to the Sky Oak. No one has hunted there for a couple of days." Flamingheart dipped his head and flicked his tail. Cloverpaw bounded toward him and stopped beside her brother. As she followed Flamingheart and Lilyheart out of camp, worry pricked at her like thorns. Would her sister be alright?