Warriors: Back to the Wild Book#3

Chapter 3

The brown speckled warrior curled herself up in a tight ball in the medicine den shivering. The frigid lake water, running in the cold night, and chasing a rat had froze Mousepelt to the bone. Coldeyes forced her to the medicine den, Docilepaw grabbed the catmint and ran to the elder's den. Mousepelt dug her claws in to the earth when a small cough came from the warrior's den. Coldeyes ran out and brought out Midnightmoon. Jumbledstar and Yellowstone watched nervously as they watched their son be brought to the medicine den. Midnightmoon grumbled angrily as Coldeyes forced him to lie down on a bed of moss.

Docilepaw then came out the elder's den with Pinepelt and Snaketooth and lead them to the medicine den as well. Coldeyes cursed under his breath as he gave them the catmint. Snaketooth immediately smacked the herb out the medicine cat's mouth and hissed.

"There's no need for me in this Clan anymore!" the ginger tom snapped. "I lost my place as deputy, I lost the trust of my own kits and mate, I'm useless in that den, stop wasting your breath!"

Coldeyes let out an irritated sigh and gave the leaves to Pinepelt. Midnightmoon coughed loudly as Blackclaw let out a loud groan from the nursery. Coldeyes instructed Docilepaw to go see if the expecting queen was alright, while he continued to work on Midnightmoon.

Once the golden cream she-cat left, Ravenclaw burst in and went to stand next to Mousepelt. "What were thinking?" he snarled. "You could have been killed and for a ThunderClan leader no less!"

"I... Couldn't let... Amberheart-" Mousepelt began.

"Who cares about her?" Ravenclaw interrupted. "She's not the one who's sick!"

"Relax Ravenclaw," Coldeyes assured, "I'm sending her to the warrior's den soon, she needs to be warmed, she won't get green cough."

"Coldeyes!" Docilepaw bounded in to the medicine den, her fur standing up. "Blackclaw is having her kits!"

Coldeyes shot out with his apprentice. Midnightmoon shivered and Pinepelt coughed lightly. Snaketooth curled up and fell asleep. Ravenclaw decided to help Mousepelt up and lead her to the warriors den. He pressed close to her as the cold air hit their faces. Stoneheart paced outside the nursery, hearing Blackclaw's moans of pain.

They made it to the warrior's den to see Beetlechaser speaking to Vinetail and Silversun. They left as Ravenclaw and Mousepelt lied down and pressed up close to each other. Ravenclaw licked Mousepelt's fur forward to ruffle her and warm up.

Then Limptail and Viperfang came in complaining and bickering angrily at each other.

"I'm not going out there with the leaf-bare air blasting in my face!" Viperfang shot.

"Stoneheart told both of us to go out hunting!" Limptail shot back. "I'd rather freeze to death than starve to death!"

Ravenclaw let out an annoyed growl as he wrapped his tail around Mousepelt's. She finally closed her eyes and enjoyed the silence that followed.

"Mousepelt!" the she-cat warrior woke to see Stripepaw look down at her with irritation in his eyes. "I'm not getting another mentor because both are too sick or busy! Come on, take me hunting!"

Mousepelt let out an irritated sigh and got to her paws. She followed her apprentice and could hear the mewling of kits in the nursery. Stoneheart came in to camp with one measly mouse and went to the nursery with out dropping his catch in the pile.

Mousepelt wasn't hungry. She trotted after Stripepaw to where Jumbledstar, Yellowstone, and Ravenclaw waited. Mousepelt tilted her head, wondering why there were so many cats for a hunting patrol. Then Mousepelt had the realization, cats were getting sick and kits had just been born. Jumbledstar probably wanted as many cats' help to keep his Clan alive and strong. He didn't want it to look weak in front of the other Clans.

The patrol searched high and low, but there was very little prey. A scent then filled Mousepelt, making her mouth water. She turned her head to see a white rabbit a few fox-lengths away. It was chewing on a leaf, getting plumper by the moment. Mousepelt licked her lips and got in the hunting crouch. She slowly made her way to the rabbit and unsheathed her claws. The rabbit lifted its head and its nose twitched. Mousepelt then saw how plump it was. It was probably expecting its kits. Mousepelt purred in delight.

She pelted off and chased the fat prey. It was too plump to run faster. Mousepelt pounced and landed on the fresh-kill. Before it could let out an alarm, the warrior bit down on its neck, making it go limp. Just when it seemed that StarClan was on her side, hot breath and snarling sounded over Mousepelt's head. She looked up to see a huge black and brown dog. Its teeth bared and drool mixed with foam flooded its mouth.

With a shriek and the rabbit still in her jaws, Mousepelt bolted off, feeling the beast's mighty paws strike the ground. She spotted Stripepaw and Jumbledstar as she ran. Their eyes grew with terror at the sight of the dog chasing the brown warrior.

"Give it the rabbit!" Jumbledstar cried out.

"No!" Stripepaw hissed. "Blackclaw needs to feed her kits! Follow me Mousepelt!" the golden grey apprentice shot off to RiverClan territory. Mousepelt followed, not wanting to argue with a dog chasing her. Luckily, it was so intent on getting Mousepelt, that the dog ignored Jumbledstar.

Stripepaw pounced over the stream and waited for Mousepelt. She jumped over, but barely. She held on to the side and tried getting up to Stripepaw. He held on to her paws with unsheathed claws, digging in to Mousepelt's fur.

The dog stopped at the other side of the stream and snarled as it walked back and forth, waiting for its prey to come to it. Mousepelt looked up to see her apprentice had his head bowed and mumbling under his breath.

Suddenly, a crumbling noise was heard and Mousepelt looked back to see the ground underneath the dog begin to fall apart. The dog tried backing away, but the ground was to break apart at every inch it took. With a whine the dog fell and in to the water. The current took it away, leaving Mousepelt, Stripepaw and Mousepelt. The apprentice helped her up and they quickly went back to their own territory.

Ravenclaw bolted out from the bushes and pressed his nose to Mousepelt's muzzle. "Mousepelt, you're alright!" he mewed happily. "Thank you Stripepaw, thank you!"

"Jumbledstar, I think we have a new warrior for the Clan!" Yellowstone purred, making Stripepaw lift his tail with excitement.

"I agree," The grey leader nodded in agreement, "we must return to the Clan immediately!"

"I, Jumbledstar, leader of ShadowClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn." Jumbledstar announced on top of the hazel branch. Stripepaw puffed his chest our proudly as the she-cats watched admirably. Viperfang let out a long disinterested sigh and Mousepelt sat close to Ravenclaw.

"Stripepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?" The leader went on.

"I do!" Stripepaw blinked, battle ready.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name." Jumbledstar jumped down and stepped up to the new warrior, putting his head on his black striped head. "Stripepaw, from this moment you will be known as Stripeback. StarClan honors your stupidity and energy, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ShadowClan."

"Stripeback! Stripeback!" the Clan yowled out, greeting Stripeback as a warrior. Silversun bolted over and licked his cheek. Stripeback purred and pressed his head under her chin before making his way to the ShadowClan entrance to take up his silent vigil.

Mousepelt looked over and saw Vinetail cringe at seeing her sister get all loving with the tom. Mousepelt purred and followed Ravenclaw in to the warrior's den.