Warriors Fanfiction: Super Edition-Owlflight's Path

Chapter Sixteen

Owlflight looked back one more time, still puzzled that the RippleClan cats had hurried them away. She shook out her pelt before leading her patrol back to the other side of the river, feeling grateful for once to leave the wide open space and be returning to the shelter of the forest.

Evening sunlight filtered through the canopy, dappling the forest floor like leaves in leaf fall. Bloompaw broke the silence.

"Well that was mean!" The apprentice whined, "Why were they so unfriendly?" Her deep blue eyes met Owlflight's, a bit of distress in them. Owlflight brushes her pelt against Bloompaw's.

"It's just how Clans can be sometimes, we keep to our own. Not every Clan is as standoffish, but we are protective. I just wish I knew what made Ottersplash shut down so quickly, she had seemed so friendly." Buzzardwing tilted her head.

"I bet it has to do with the reason Nightstar was so untrusting," the white she cat said plainly. Owlflight and. Bloompaw stared at her in confusion, and the she cat huffed as she rolled her eyes. "The rouges in the area... Hey! Maybe that's why we are here! To find a way to help RippleClan." Owlflight seemed doubtful.

"But what has that have to do with a leaf rising and an owl bringing morning on its wings?" The mottled brown warrior asked in puzzlement. Buzzardwing only shrugged.

"Dunno, but at least it's something to focus on," she replied. Owlflight sighed, but nodded.

"I suppose you're right. Come on," she tossed her head in the direction of where Oakcharge camped, "Let's help set up the camp."

•••

"You're back early," Oakcharge stated as the three cats returned to their temporary camp. "How did everything go?" He asked cautiously. Owlflight flicked her tail.

"It went in circles, and we were ushered away. The cats seemed fairly nice, but very guarded. The most we got out of them came from a warrior and their medicine cat," Owlflight sighed. "But on a better note, Buzzardwing suggested we help the Clan by taking care of the local rouges giving them a problem." Oakcharge frowned.

"That's not our business," he replied, "If they aren't in the mood to help, why should we be?" Bloompaw stomped her foot.

"Because it's a nice thing to do! Cats should help one another, despite where they're from!" The apprentice argued passionately. Oakcharge narrowed his eyes at her and she seemed to suddenly remember that she had snuck away without permission.

"That's all fine and well, Bloompaw, but last I checked, you weren't given permission to go on that patrol," he stared down at her. The apprentice gulped.

"Well, um... I just wanted to learn about Clans!" She blinked charmingly.

"I see," Oakcharge said saccharinely, sarcasm coating the false sweetness, "Well, you can learn about being in a Clan all you want. Starting with helping Goose and Captain make nests in their new den. Ravenleaf can go with you to find moss," he instructed, and his sister nodded. Bloompaw nodded apologetic, but seemed relieved to be let off sort of easy. She turned to follow Ravenleaf out of the glade but stopped as Oakcharge called after her.

"And Bloompaw? Make sure you get rest tonight, because we will be up at dawn doing battle training," he said smugly. The apprentices eyes rounded at the thought of being up so early, but she knew better than to argue, as she only nodded and sped off after Ravenleaf.

"She'll learn someday," Buzzardwing chuckled, and went to go explore the glade. Bear and Ginger were near the front of the glade, weaving in and out from under a wide huckleberry bush that grew against the rock bluff that rose around half of the glade like a protective claw. Now that she thought about, Owlflight saw that the glade was well suited for a camp.

Half of it was enclosed by a rocky bluff that rose as high as a pine tree, perhaps even taller than that. The other half was encircled by a lazy creek, and several brambles and briars grew along its bank like a natural barricade. The glade was full of spots to rest and cool down, and at the front grew a massive oak tree that was coated by hanging mosses and lichens. A large branch hung particularly low, and offered ample shade.

"This glade is well protected," Oakcharge commented when he spotted his sister gazing around the glade, "Some other animal  agreed, apparently, because when we were exploring around the place, we found different burrows and dens. There's no scent there anymore though, so we're safe for the night." Owlflight nodded.

"This would be a wonderful camp," she said a bit wistfully, "What have I done?" She murmured sadly, sitting back with a sigh.

"What do you mean?" Her brother asked, sitting beside her. She met his gaze, her eyes full of distress.

"I got us stuck moons away from our home," she said with regret, "We will never see WindClan again." Oakcharge nodded.

"Yeah, we probably won't," he's said, and Owlflight looked away glumly, only turning back to him when he gently tapped her shoulder, "But that's okay, because we have each other." Owlflight smiled weakly at her brother.

"You're right," she said, "And so is Bloompaw," Owlflight quickly changed the subject, choosing to focus on her guilt later. "We are all cats, and maybe helping RippleClan is what StarClan sent us here to do." Oakcharge sighed.

"I know you want to help, but we don't have enough cats to battle rouges, and judging by how soon you returned, I doubt RippleClan is in the mood to help," her brother argued. Owlflight contemplated this, knowing he was right. She looked out over the glade and slowly, like a leaf budding in newleaf, an idea began to form in her mind.

"Then what if we take a different approach?" She said softly, then with more excitement, "Let's give the rouges and loners a chance to be part of something bigger than just survival. We may not be a Clan, but we can still help one another out. We can still act like warriors." Oakcharge stared at her and Buzzardwing, who had come close enough to hear the last part of Owlflight's speech, asked the question that was clearly on the toms mind.

"So what are you saying, exactly?" The white she cat asked slowly. Owlflight met their gazes with pure determination.

"I'm saying," she took a breath, "Let's offer friendship. Let's make our own Clan."