Russetstar sneezed under a falling leaf as she wandered through the forest, desperately searching for something. She knew something bad was happening, but she didn't know where.
Her paw-steps took her to the border where the rogues were. She snarled under her breath to smell BlazeClan scents. There's not much undergrowth, she reflected.
The trees here were smooth with the highest branches she's ever seen. There was no way of hunting prey in this part of the woods.
She scented a BlazeClan hunting patrol from the opposite direction of her. Sneering with satisfaction, she saw only a scrawny, very old vole in the mouth of the deputy, Sparrowflight.
Sparrowflight turned towards her, then halted. "Don't twitch your whiskers at me!" She hissed and they set back to their camp, lashing their tails and baring their teeth.
Russetstar felt a pang of guilt. She shouldn't be satisfied knowing another Clan was starving. But then again, was she being disloyal by wanting to help her enemy?
Of course not! Besides, she didn't want to help them; she decided that this meant trouble if they try stealing ThunderClan land.
Then, she saw a skinny light gray tabby she-cat. She squinted, refusing to believe that this was true.
"Petalstar!" She exclaimed. Unfortunately, the patrol from BlazeClan was bounding towards Petalstar. Petalstar unsheathed her claws, but evidently too weak and hungry to fight.
The first cries broke out. Russetstar let out a growl as one of them raked their claws on Petalstar's back. However much she disliked her former leader, she couldn't watch her be torn to shreds.
She bunched her muscles and broke into a run. She leaped on the back of one of the she-cats. The warrior gasped in surprise; her legs buckled.
Russetstar ripped out tufts of fur with her claws and teeth. She lifted her paw to rake her claws against the she-cat's leg, but a burly tom hauled her off, aiming a blow on her muzzle so ferociously that she was whisked backwards into a tree.
There were three toms and a she-cat. We can't fight them off! She thought, horrified.
Then, she heard a yowl of defiance by the rabbit. A handsome light brown tom, a pale gray she-cat, and a light brown tabby leaped into battle.
Who's side are they on? She screeched as the she-cat bit on her tail, but Petalstar hauled her off. "She's on our side!" She snapped.
Russetstar snarled at the young gray cat, but did not fight her. Instead, Russetstar aimed blow-after-blow at a BlazeClan tom. The tom yowled with pain and fled.
"Take the rabbit!" Petalstar meowed quietly to the young gray she-cat. The gray cat bounded past Russetstar and dragged the rabbit back to the bushes and into the shadows.
Petalstar fought furiously, and the patrol soon became tired. Russetstar pinned down a tom, but her droopy eyes slowed her down. "Retreat!" The light brown tom yowled.
The loners fled for their territory, and Russetstar aimed one last harmful blow on the tom's belly, then she raced into her own territory.
"Sticking up for mangy rogues!" The tom hissed. Another tom yowled, "Fox-heart!"
Russetstar longed to feel the warmth in hers and Flamestorm's nest, and the sky was already darkening.
She slept very soundly, licking her pelt drowsily then settling down to sleep.
Aspenpaw opened her eyes. A black paw was placed on her chest. The first thing she did was cough up water.
I've seen enough water to last a lifetime, she thought but she couldn't think straight. At first she thought this was a raid and the black tom was a BlazeClan or DarkClan tom. He was very handsome, and when she could finally see straight, she realized with shock that this young tom was Coalpaw.
His paw retreated and his gaze met mine. My eyes would not tear away from his blue ones. Finally, Coalpaw blinked, wide-eyed.
"I w-was hunting, and...and I-I...I saw you in the water, bleeding," he stammered softly. "I had heard the screams of panic from Shadedwing, Oakleaf, and Applefur. They all left half their pelts and flesh in that mangy fox's teeth."
He stopped talking and suddenly, Aspenpaw saw something else in his eyes. It was a different emotion that she only saw with Goldenpaw, but she couldn't quite recall it.
"You saved me," Aspenpaw croaked. "Yeah, b-but I would've done the same. . ." His voice trailed off. "I would have," Aspenpaw coughed," died."
Coalpaw backed up. "L-let's get you back to camp. I'll get you some fresh-kill." He was talking softly and Aspenpaw didn't remember the cat who wished she didn't join the Clans. Now she felt something for this black tom.
The way back to camp was slippery as an adder. Aspenpaw tripped on rocks, but Coalpaw made sure to pick her back up and he let her lean on his shoulders.
Aspenpaw wished the journey back to camp was forever. The way back had a comfortable silence, with the two cats walking together, pelts brushing.
Aspenpaw and Coalpaw finally reached camp. Aspenpaw saw Shadedwing curled up beside his sister, Hollyfire and Applefur resting from her wounds with Branchleg. Only Oakleaf seemed restless.
He looked up in relief when he saw them. "Thank StarClan!" He gasped and raced over. "I thought you were going to die." His voice cracked.
Stormfern spotted them and rushed over. "This is the second time you've almost drowned!" He looked at her cleaned gash on her front paw.
"Let's get cobwebs and then you can rest," he decided. Then, he shooed away Coalpaw, but Aspenpaw growled. "Let him stay with me," she murmured. Coalpaw's eyes were bright with worry and he nodded. Stormfern sighed. "Okay."
He dressed Aspenpaw's wound and let Coalpaw stay for the night.
Coalpaw murmured in Aspenpaw's ear, "Rest well, Aspenpaw. I couldn't live without you."
