Hostile

24

      Camp was silent. Dawn hunting and border patrols had been postponed to keep the maximum amount of cats home to guard camp while the battle patrol left on their mission.

  Frostcloud ran her tongue over Buckheart's healing wounds, cleaning them attentively. Partially to help keep the tom that made her heart flutter healthy. But also to distract herself from the nerves that spawned from the image of Riverpelt attacking a Marshcat. Being attacked by a Marshcat.

  "Foxpaw." Frostcloud said suddenly as the apprentice padded past the two warriors. She perked her ears, pausing to watch the mentor briefly. "Strong Pinecats don't let our battle wounds hold us back. I know you're still sore from the porcupine, StarClan knows I am, but I'd like to go hunting before dusk."

  Foxpaw dipped her head before returning her walk towards Badgerpaw, who kept his eyes trained on the camps entrance.

  "It's not fair." She could hear Badgerpaw grumble to his sister, "I'm the best fighter of all of us! Why am I the last to be in a battle?"

  "You should be worried for Ferretpaw." Foxpaw returned, swatting the back of the toms head.

  "She's growing." Buckheart mewed to Frostcloud.

  "It's a relief." Frostcloud confessed. Blood wouldn't needlessly stain Foxpaw's claws.

  Mosspool approached the young warriors, her swollen belly almost seeming to bounce with each step. How many more dawns before she had her kits?

  "How much longer before they're back?" The fluffy white and grey she-cat asked, her nervous eyes focused on the gorse exit.

  "Not long." Buckheart consoled.

  Mosspool sat heavily next to Frostcloud, and quietly the young warriors watched the gorse tunnel. Crowfur paced around camp, his head level with his shoulders and his ears back. Dustclaw murmured something to Shaleshimmer and Feathertail, who had brought a variety of herbs out and laid them in a clearing.

  The deputy had already assigned cats to duties for when the battle patrol returned. Frostcloud, Foxpaw, Rosepaw, Shaleshimmer, and Warmheart would check their borders. Buckheart, Leafear, Dustclaw, and Crowfur would hunt. Shaleshimmer would be attending every hunting patrol aside from dawns, and another border patrol at dusk.

  Bramblepaw rested in the shade by the apprentice den, and Rosepaw sat next to him in the sunlight.

  A rustle broke the atmosphere, followed by several bloody cats pushing into the clearing. Suddenly, Frostcloud was on her paws. She picked Riverpelt out of the crowd quickly, and made three bounds towards her before Dawnheart broke path with her trail. "We need space to work." She reminded the warrior.

  Frostcloud anxiously shifted the weight on her paws while the battle patrol limped into the center of the clearing, curious Clancats eyeing them and assessing their injuries.

  Leafear, Duskfur, and Riverpelt didn't even seem touched. It was Whitestar, Slatethorn, Ferretpaw, and Sunfur who bore some injuries, the apprentice a slash on her cheek, and the warriors a variety of lacerations along their flanks.

  Confused, Frostcloud aimed to catch her mother's eye. For some explanation, but it was Crowfur who spoke up. "Whitestar."

  Whitestar flicked his tail. "We stumbled into a small hunting patrol- one made of three Marshcats. Slatethorn, Sunfur, Ferretpaw, and myself initiated the attack. After battling for some moments, Riverpelt and Duskfur followed after; overwhelmed, the MarshClan patrol retreated."

  Victorious yowls erupted and Frostcloud kneaded the ground triumphantly. What luck to find such a small patrol!

  Crowfur's eyes glimmered in his own excitment, but his voice remained professional as he spoke to the Clan, "Then let's have our patrols leave camp. Keep an eye on any Marshcat looking to avenge themselves."