Runningfoot's Backstory

I don't know whether to even call this a chapter

Dawn light shed through the forest. It was a chilly morning for newleaf, but not for long, the sun would warm the forest. Dreampaw was on patrol with Briarpaw, Emberspots, Cloverfrost, and Blizzardfoot. "What do you smell?" Asked Emberspots. Dreampaw opened her jaws and tasted the air. "I smell a mouse," pointing her muzzle behind her and Briarpaw pounced on it, "us, and some strange fowl scent, but it's stale." "Fox," mewed Blizzardfoot, "I'd say three or four days old, shouldn't bother us." "Well scented," Cloverfrost mewed. Dreampaw dipped her head. "Nice catch Briarpaw," Emberspots complimented, noting the mouse in Briarpaw's mouth. "Thanks." She buried it in a pile of dead leaves so they could pick it up on the way back.

They were nearing the GorgeClan border. "I smell GorgeClan cats," mewed Dreampaw. "Me too," said Briarpaw. A small patrol of cats were padding along the GorgeClan border. Dreampaw could spot a dark tortoiseshell she-cat, a white and black tom, a sand-colored apprentice, not much older than them, and a gray tom.

"Greetings Beechtail, Roanfeather, Wingshadow," said Emberspots nodding to the cats, "and who is this?" "This is Nettlepaw," said Beechtail, "who are these apprentices?" "I'm Briarpaw," said Briarpaw confidently. "And I am Dreampaw," Dreampaw mewed. Beechtail nodded. "Well, good day to you," meowed Cloverfrost.

They padded on close to the RockClan border, near the stone wall where she'd met Matchbox. "Isn't this where Matchbox lives?" Asked Briarpaw. She nodded.

A mouse-gray she-cat wound around a tall clump of catmint. She stopped when she saw them. "Are you the cats that Matchbox told us about? Dreampaw saw a collar around her neck, a kittypet. "Us?" Mewed Dreampaw, "who's us?" Matchbox appeared, leaping to the fence to the ground where they were standing. "Hi, well, this one here is the only one that I know in this bunch," gesturing to Dreampaw, "how's your friend doing? Thunderpaw told me he'd been bitten by a massasauga. Gotta watch out for those." "He's doing better," she mewed. "Oh this is Octavia." He flicked his tail to the she-cat, "she's a friend."

"And the cats she mentioned are some friends that live in this area," he added, "Monte and Farley are real nice farm cats that live in the barn next to us. Octavia lives in that fancy Twoleg nest over there." Dreampaw nodded, "Do you mind if we take some clumps of catmint? It's the best treatment for greencough and whitecough." "Sure," mewed Matchbox. She and Briarpaw bit off some tall stalks. "Thank you," they mumbled through catmint leaves.

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"These are perfect!" Mewed Pebblepaw. "We'll have to tell Icechip about these." Remarked Violetdream when Briarpaw and Dreampaw brought back the catmint leaves. "Who's Icechip?" Mewed Dreampaw. "She's the RockClan medicine cat. You'll meet her soon." "Oh I almost forgot! The Gathering is coming soon!" She realized excitedly. "Will Bluepaw come?" "Most likely yes. His puncture wound is healing." Violetdream responded. "That's good to hear, because it would be awful for him to miss his first Gathering!" Dreampaw mewed. "You've done a good job watching him to make sure it doesn't get infected. Thank you both for the catmint!" Called Violetdream as they left the medicine cat den. "Your welcome," mewed Briarpaw and Dreampaw.