Warriors: Quailsong's Path [DISCONTINUED]

Chapter 6

Omg I haven't updated this in a while. Sorry, I lost interest in Wattpad for a little bit but I'm back now and ready to write more of this!

⠀⠀The whole of RiverClan was tensed as they watched the smoke gradually rising over the moorland that neighbored their island. No one knew what to do. Should they help? Or leave WindClan to their own issue? There were kits and elders in the camp who could not fend for themselves. Was that fair?
⠀⠀Quailpaw exchanged glances with Otterpaw and Rubblepaw.
⠀⠀"We have to help them," Cloverheart meowed, causing everyone in the clearing to turn their heads and look at him. The deputy glanced over at Sagestar who was staring at him with shock.
⠀⠀"After the way WindClan has treated us?" Eeltail called out to him. "They don't even deserve a scrap of crow-food from us. Why should we help?"
⠀⠀Sagestar raised his tail for Eeltail to be quiet. The silver tabby warrior shut his jaws, glancing down at his paws angrily.
⠀⠀"Cloverheart is right," Sagestar meowed. "The warrior code tells us to never leave another Clan to suffer. It could be the end of WindClan if we leave them to this fire."
⠀⠀"Where will they stay after the fire is gone?" Frostfoot asked.
⠀⠀Sagestar sighed. "I don't know," he replied to the white she-cat. "We can worry about that later. I want Cloverheart to lead a patrol with Thornstep, Nightwhisker, Troutpelt, Brokenwing, Frostfoot, Quailpaw, Otterpaw, and Rubblepaw."
⠀⠀Quailpaw felt shock and excitement course through her body as Sagestar said her name. She couldn't help but lift her head a little higher.
⠀⠀She heard Otterpaw gasp beside her and saw Rubblepaw swivel his ears forward.
⠀⠀Troutpelt rose to his paws, gazing up at the RiverClan leader, his face full of confusion. "Do you think it wise to bring along three newly-made apprentices, Sagestar?" the gray tabby asked.
⠀⠀Quailpaw felt her heart sink at her mentor's question. Did he think she couldn't handle it? After all the training they'd been through together?
⠀⠀Sagestar looked over at his warrior and nodded firmly. "This will be a good experience for them," he answered.
⠀⠀"Then shouldn't Eaglepaw and Pikepaw go, too?" Eeltail asked, his amber eyes narrowed. He was clearly upset that Sagestar hadn't picked him for the patrol and was ready to be aggressive about it.
⠀⠀Sagestar twitched his tail in annoyance. "Last time I checked, I was the leader, Eeltail. Not you," he retorted. "If I wanted Eaglepaw and Pinepaw to go, I would've mentioned their names. They'll get plenty of more opportunities to be apart of something big like this." He paused for a second, clearly waiting to see if Eeltail would argue any further. When he didn't, he continued on. "Okay, no more wasting time. Cloverheart, gather your patrol and head out fast."

⠀⠀When the group of felines reached the WindClan border, Quailpaw could see the smoke rising from the hollow in which the other Clan's camp was located. The empty, treeless moorland gave a perfect view of the dark gray substance rising in the air.
⠀⠀Quailpaw caught an acrid, sour tang in the air as the breeze blew in their direction. She wrinkled her nose in distaste.
⠀⠀"I think I can see some WindClan cats outside the camp," Cloverheart reported. "Let's go."
⠀⠀Keeping close to Otterpaw and Rubblepaw, Quailpaw followed her Clanmates across the open stretch of land. She was surprised at how prickly the grass was here. So unlike the silky shards found on RiverClan territory.
⠀⠀The smoke came within better view as the patrol neared the WindClan camp. They picked up their pace until they were sprinting across the moor. As they moved closer to the dip in the earth, Quailpaw could see bright orange flames lapping at the air and swarming around the camp. She'd never actually seen fire before. Only heard stories of what it was like.
⠀⠀Cloverheart let out a yowl to alert the WindClan cats of their arrival. Quite a few of them were outside of the camp, watching in horror and fear as the flames consumed their home. At Cloverheart's call, one of the cats looked over his shoulder.
⠀⠀Quailpaw immediately recognized the same white tom who had attacked Nightwhisker on their first tour of the territory. The memories of that day wracked her mind for just a few heartbeats until the WindClan warrior rose to his paws. A small black she-cat had been sitting next to him and Quailpaw remembered from the Gathering that her name was Turtlepaw.
⠀⠀She was looking in shock and her sides were heaving. Quailpaw couldn't help but feel sympathy for the apprentice.
⠀⠀The white tom halted in front of the RiverClan patrol, his amber eyes narrowed skeptically. "What are you doing here?" he growled out. "Don't you know RiverClan isn't welcome on WindClan territory?"
⠀⠀"We came to help, Hareleap," Cloverheart responded to the large warrior unflinchingly.
⠀⠀Hareleap had a nasty burn on his shoulder. The snowy-white fur had been torn away and all that remained from that area was raw, bleeding flesh.
⠀⠀The other WindClan cats began moving towards the RiverClan patrol with suspicion and hostility in their gazes. They all looked extremely battered and wounded from what had happened to their camp.
⠀⠀Suddenly, a white shape emerged from the flames, running as quickly as possible with a young cat clamped in her jaws. From the short tail and small frame, Quailpaw knew that was Rabbitstar. She was carrying a light brown she-cat by the scruff and Quailpaw also remembered that was Briarpaw, Otterpaw's and Pikepaw's sister who had remained in WindClan.
⠀⠀Otterpaw was gazing at Briarpaw worriedly but she held back. After the foul treatment Briarpaw had given her at the Gathering, Quailpaw didn't blame her for keeping her distance.
⠀⠀Rabbitstar set the young she-cat down and a light brown tabby tom rushed over to her with herbs in his jaws. That was Heatherpelt, the WindClan medicine cat. Briarpaw looked unconscious.
⠀⠀Rabbitstar quickly turned her attention to the RiverClan cats. "What in the name of StarClan are you doing here?" she snarled, her voice shaky but the ferocity in her gaze real. Her fur had been singed in a few areas, adding some faint black spots to her body. The fire still raged on in the camp behind the small WindClan leader.
⠀⠀"Thistleleaf noticed smoke rising from your territory," Cloverheart meowed politely to the elderly she-cat. "Sagestar sent us to help."
⠀⠀Rabbitstar peeled her lips back, revealing her stained yellow teeth. "We don't need your help!" she snapped.
⠀⠀"Are you sure?" Thornstep asked. "You have nowhere to stay."
⠀⠀Rabbitstar glared at the dark brown warrior. "The moor has plenty of room for us. We will make a temporary camp in a different area until we are able to fix our own. WindClan doesn't need RiverClan, especially after what you did to one of our apprentices. So go home and tell Sagestar he needs to keep his nose out of our business."
⠀⠀Quailpaw tensed her muscles.
⠀⠀"Are you serious?" Nightwhisker hissed. "Build a temporary camp? Now? Tomorrow? The next day? After every single one of your warriors has been injured and most in shock? What kind of heartless, insensitive leader are you, Rabbitstar?"
⠀⠀Cloverheart shot the black and white she-cat a warning glare but she ignored him. She stepped forward, facing Rabbitstar fearlessly.
⠀⠀Rabbitstar hissed. "I care for my Clan above anything else," she retaliated. "We can make another camp by tonight. Not a full camp, but we can put together dens and nests."
⠀⠀Nightwhisker scanned her sharp yellow gaze over the crowd of WindClan warriors. "These cats are injured and weak," she meowed, glancing at Rabbitstar once again. "I think it's best if you come home with us where a camp has already been built. We can shelter you for however long you need until your camp has been fully repaired."
⠀⠀The black tabby shape of Darkwhisker came up beside Rabbitstar. The WindClan deputy stared at Nightwhisker with a thoughtful expression. "She has a point, Rabbitstar," he meowed.
⠀⠀Rabbitstar whipped her head over to glare at her deputy. "Are you insane?" she growled. "These cats killed Icepaw! You want to trust them?"
⠀⠀Darkwhisker blinked at her. "We don't know who killed Icepaw, Rabbitstar," he replied to her softly. "It could've been RiverClan but we don't know which warrior it was. I say we can trust these cats."
⠀⠀Rabbitstar glared at her forepaws, her ears flattened against her head. "I don't like this," she grumbled. She lifted her gaze and stared straight at Cloverheart as Nightwhisker retreated back to the patrol. "Fine. But if your stupid little Clan gets any ideas, just know, we won't hesitate to attack."
⠀⠀"Sounds fair," Cloverheart meowed. He flicked his tail. "Come with us. Sagestar would like to know about this."