Warriors: Shadow of the Spirits ~ Book one

Warrior

Foxpaw gazed up at the blazing sun. His thick fur was burning and he had no means to stop it. 

"Great Starclan must it be so hot." Foxpaw said jokingly to Lavenderpaw. She turned around and dropped some herbs. 

"Your welcome to go jump in the rapids. That would cool you down really quick." Lavender replied cuffing Foxpaws ear. He stuck his tongue back out at her. 

"Only if you jump first." Foxpaw teased. Lavenderpaw rolled her eyes and sniffed at a plant in the ground. 

"Maybe that fluffy fur isn't so good in the greenleaf!" Lavenderpaw teased back. Foxpaw playfully glared at her. He walked around just to wander and maybe find some fresh kill. When he smelt something under all of the smells of the forest.

"Do you smell that?" Foxpaw asked Lavenderpaw. He walked over to the river. The smell was weird like cat and dog. Foxpaw turned to Lavenderpaw who was paying no attention. He sighed and moved forward and peeked his head through the bushes. Foxpaws tail dropped in pure amazement. The creature looked just like him. Other than it was much larger with smaller paws and a white underbelly. Lavenderpaw walked up after seeing Foxpaws tail drop.

"Strange foxes don't usually come by the river they usual stay down by the two leg bridge to drink water because of all the Floodclan cats." Lavenderpaw told him peering through the bushes as well. The fox was just above the river bank. It bent down with one paw and began eating something that was on a bush. It's mouth was covered in purple juice and it licked it's mouth. Foxpaw watched as it shot its head up from bush and turn it's head to the bushes. A little fox kit tumbled out of the bushes followed by a bigger male fox. The male growled at the bushes where Foxpaw and Lavenderpaw were watching. Lavenderfern dragged Foxpaw off by the scruff. 

"Please don't get into trouble I have to go get some herbs from by the river bed." He nodded to her and she smiled trotting off. He rushed back to the bushes to see the foxes had run off. Disappointment swept through his fur. He had enjoyed watching them. It was hard to think cats made fun of him for looking like a fox when they looked so beautiful. 

"Magnificent creatures foxes. Aren't they?" Foxpaw heard someone say. Foxpaw gazed up and saw Addertooth floating just slightly in front of him. 

"You were brave to defend your friend." Addertooth commented. 

"You are going to make a great warrior. But just a piece of advice." Addertooth motioned to where Lavenderpaw had disappeared. 

"That is not going to end well for either of you. But I'm not going to judge. Starclan does not mind a medicine cat to have a mate. Just no kits. It will distract them from treating cats." Foxpaw nodded he liked Lavenderfern a lot but he knew that people would dislike him even more. At least more then they already do. 

"That prophecy that you sent Hazelfrost was it a coincidence that it came just at the point when I was there?" Foxpaw asked randomly, Addertooth chuckled. 

"Maybe." And then he disappeared. Foxpaw shook his head and Lavenderpaw was nudging him. 

"Come on we've got to get back to camp. There will be plenty of fox watching tomorrow." Lavenderpaw laughed. Foxpaw laughed as well and casted one more glance at where the small fox family had been before plunging back into the undergrowth.

Once the two cats entered back into the Thornclan camp Timberstar motioned for Foxpaw to come to with him.  Foxpaw then realized he had forgotten to tell Lavenderpaw. He turned to run after her but she was already speaking with Hazelfrost. He sighed and hoped she wouldn't be mad that he didn't share this big piece of information with her and bounded up to Timberstar.