Warriors; Into the Jungle (completed)

Chapter 9

"Orangepaw! Orangepaw!"

Orangepaw lifted his head proudly as his clanmates called his new name.

Applefern, Orangepaw's mentor, padded up to him.

"Ready to explore the territory, Orangepaw?"

"Can Fernpaw and Treepaw join us?"

Applefern shook her head. "We need to cover the entire border by nightfall. They will both take different routes. What border do you want to see first?"

Orangepaw remembered Skykit. "Can we patrol the EagleClan border?"

"Of course. We'll come back once we reach the place where there's the boulder, pond, and willow tree all touch."

Orangekit's heart skipped a beat. Had his mentor read his mind? That was the exact place that Skykit told him she'd be! Orangekit got more excited and started shifting his paws.

Applefern turned to look at him. "Ready to go already? Very well, we will run the first part to get some energy off of you." She tossed the last words over her shoulder as she ran out of camp.

Orangepaw caught up to his mentor and they slowed into a trot.

Applefern started telling Orangepaw about how much bigger the jungle was out of camp. "I can't wait to show you the mountains! They are huge up close."

Orangekit nodded, but instead of picturing the mountains, all he thought about was Skykit's playful green eyes when she was about to pounce on him.

~~~~~~•

Skykit looked up and saw the sun at its peak. Where's Orangeki- wait no paw? He should be here. Skykit wondered if she should go and come back tomorrow when a voice came to her.

"And here we are! We usually call this the willow creek. Isn't it beautiful?"

"Yes, it is." That was Orangepaw speaking. "I'm guessing this is EagleClan scent?"

"Yes, though it smells quite fresh. That's odd- ." Orangepaw's mentor stopped and closed her eyes before snapping them back open. "There's an EagleClan cat inside our borders!" Skykit held her breath as the she-cat nosed the bush where she was hiding. "Found you!"

Skykit felt teeth grab her tail, and she yowled in pain.

"Stop it, Applefern! You're hurting her!"

"Orangepaw, I know she's only a kit, but where there's one EagleClan kit, there's more. Run to camp and tell Stormstar!"

Orangekit scampered off, and Applefern mewed to Skykit, "I won't hurt you if you don't hurt my clan."

~~~~~~•

"Stormstar! Stormstar! Stormstar!" Orangepaw barged into camp.

Orangepaw's father, the deputy Sunhook, got up.

"Orangepaw, what's with the racket?"

"I need to see Stormstar."

"I'm right here. Should we go into my den?"

Orangepaw dipped his head to his leader while Sunhook mewed, "Yes."

Once they got up to Stormstar's den, Orangepaw launched into the story about how Applefern and him were exploring the territory when an EagleClan kit was scented by Applefern.

"What should we do about this, Stormstar?"

Stormstar had a knowing glint in his eyes. "You need to see to the patrols. I'll handle this."

Sunhook dipped his head and ducked out of the den.

"Now," Stormstar settled himself down in his nest. "What really happened." As Orangepaw opened his mouth to protest, Stormstar carried on, "I know that there's a kit on our territory, and that you've been out at night, but why?"

Orangepaw took in a deep breath and started telling Stormstar about how a moon ago, he found a kit when he went wandering. They had met every night since, until the night before when Rainkit interrupted. Stormstar's eyes darkened a bit when Orangepaw told him about the deal, but he said nothing. "Now, Applefern is guarding Skykit, and she told me to come get you." Orangekit finished and let what little air he had in him escape.

Stormstar then stood up. "What you did was wrong, but we don't have many kits in the clan. She wants to come here, right?" Orangepaw nodded. "Bring this kit to the camp." He flicked his tail to dismiss Orangepaw and he sat down to think.