Warriors : A New Omen

Chapter 16 >> A Frightening Encounter

The news of Badgerstar's accident had been heard by every set of ears in all of ThunderClan, passed through whispers.

Even several sunrises later, the warriors were still discussing, in vivid detail, how they had rescued Badgerstar from the deadly trap. Willowpaw had soon grown tired of the cyclic conversation. She didn't need to hear it over and over. Not when it was still quite fresh in her mind.

So continuing her search of catmint seemed like the only reasonable option.

She had already checked the WindClan border for any signs of the elusive herb. Nothing. Though looking back she supposed if the herb had been there, it would have been taken already. She had to look where no one else had bothered.

That entailed the ShadowClan border. Willowpaw felt like the two Clans had gotten into enough trouble recently but she had no other choice. Hopefully Sunpaw and Woodpaw hadn't checked there yet.

She turned her paws in the right direction and let her senses bathe in the new forest. New forest as in it looked like a completely different wood. Even a little bit scary... with the lack of snow, there was nothing to brighten the dark trees.

They reached up to the sky, stretching their spindly claw-like branches high. It casted fractured shadows onto the ground, which was spongy with the decomposing leaves. And without their green pelt, the trees became menacing; looming over her and watching.

Willowpaw didn't like this forest. She wanted the old one back, with its warm leaves and rustling branches laden with birds. Not like she saw much of it as a kit but even so it filled her with comfort.

She quickened her pace. Her breath billowed out in front of her nose and was the only sound she could hear in the dead thicket.

A numbing breeze brought with it a familiar yet foreign scent. Willowpaw recognized it instantly from the day Badgerstar lost a life. A trap. Her pawsteps froze and she almost didn't dare to breathe.

Based on from where the wind blew, it should be – the air caught in her throat as she saw its evil glint among the leaves. This one was not as well hidden and the bars were easily visible in the sunlight. What should I do? Willowpaw fretted. It didn't seem right to leave it just sitting there.

Looking closer, she saw a limp body on the shiny circle in the center. A mouse. Just like last time. Willowpaw was smart enough not to take the bait, but she continued to stare.

Frostpaw's plan came to her mind. If she could just find something heavy enough to trigger the trap then it would be rendered useless.

But what if... The thought of her caught reappeared in her thoughts. And here she was, alone. Nobody knew where she was if worse came to worse. The only thing that could come is a slow and painful death, if a fox didn't get her first.

No.

Willowpaw knew she had to step up and face her fears. What kind of warrior would she be if she couldn't walk confidently in her own territory?

She conducted a small search for a rock or branch of some kind. Anything to disarm the trap but keep her a good distance away while doing so. The last thing she wanted was to end up like Badgerstar or Brightblossom. At least those two had cats with them to help.

Heart thudding, Willowpaw realized that there was nothing with which to trigger the trap. All the fallen twigs had become brittle and no rocks were to be found.

The slender bars continued to glare at her from beneath the leaf mold.

There was no way she could leave this untouched. Too many accidents have already happened and there could be another if she didn't act right now.