Warrior Cats: Back to the Wild Book#2

Chapter 11

"Mousepelt... Mousepelt!" the brown warrior woke up to see Ravenclaw looking down at her worryingly. "Are you alright? You were thrashing in your sleep."

Mousepelt couldn't get the warning from Silversol out of her head. Limptail and Viperfang were gone. Only Crazyfeather laid in the den snoring like thunder in the middle of the den. She got to her paws and stretched, hoping to rid the thought of kits getting hurt so soon after birth.

"I'm fine," Mousepelt lied, "just... Ate a bad frog I guess..."

Ravenclaw looked at the she-cat with uncertain and worried eyes, but then shrugged. "Stoneheart wants us, Silvertongue, and Ashpaw on sun high patrol, and after that I thought we'd take the walk we promised before I was taken."

"You remembered!" Mousepelt's tail shot up happily.

"Of course I did," Ravenclaw purred, "how could I forget something so important?" The two made their way out the warrior's den. Moonpaw and Ashpaw ran over excitingly.

"Mousepelt!" Moonpaw mewed happily. "Blackclaw and Silvertongue are going to give us our assessment after Ashpaw returns from patrol!"

"Really?" Mousepelt meowed excitingly. The day may prove to be pleasant.

"I'm going to catch so much prey that Jumbledstar will probably forget about Stoneheart and make me deputy!"Aspaw meowed proudly.

"You need to have an apprentice first young warrior," Ravenclaw purred, "it gives you more more experience as a warrior, the deputy is next to be leader, so you'll have to take steps to learn how to care for a whole Clan."

"That sounds like too much work!" Moonpaw cringed.

"It is." Ravenclaw agreed.

"Then how did Snaketooth get that title?" Ashpaw bristled. It was obvious the young apprentice still hadn't forgiven his father.

"Believe me," Ravenclaw placed his tail-tip on Ashpaw's shoulder, "Snaketooth was once a very well respected warrior and had all the qualities to be deputy."

The ginger tabby was lying outside the elder's den with Pinepelt and Spottedfur sharing tongues. He looked pathetic as he looked to Turtlefur, who was taking a startling to the nursery. His mate wasn't going to forgive him easily.

"Ravenclaw, Mousepelt, Ashpaw!" Stoneheart called with Silvertongue waiting close by. "Are you ready?"

"Do you need to eat?" Ravenclaw asked Mousepelt. She shook her head and made her way to Silvertongue.

"I smell fox," Ashpaw announced. Mousepelt opened her mouth and realized the tom was right. The scent of fresh fox hung in the air and the back of Mousepelt's neck rose. Ravenclaw and Silvertongue finished making the border and went to sniff the air with them.

"It smells closer to RiverClan territory," Silvertongue observed.

"Yes, but it smells as if it's on the move," Ravenclaw pointed out.

"Should we report this to Jumbledstar or Stoneheart?" Mousepelt asked.

"Let's not bring it to their attention until we're absolutely sure there's a fox here." Silvertongue answered.

"What about a fox?" The ShadowClan cats looked to see Mudpelt, Fishstench, Bluepaw, and Minnowtail come from their territory. It appeared to be a border patrol.

"We smell fox between our borders," Ravenclaw answered the muddy tortoise shell tom, "have you seen any fox around RiverClan?"

"I saw one, but it was too far to get my attention," Bluepaw admitted, "it was somewhere past the river and too far past RiverClan territory."