|Warriors| Hunted [Hiatus]

Chapter 10: A Day Of Great Mourning

I smile and congratulate Poppypaw as she presents her catch to me. She's got a large fish. "Okay, let's head back to camp," I say and after I finish speaking a large clap of thunder sounds in the sky. The sky releases rain and it comes pouring down.

"Let's get back!" Poppypaw takes off at a run and I follow close behind. We make it back to camp and she deposits her prey to the pile. Leopardfoot purrs and calls her kit over. They exchange conversation and I look around camp, listening to the pattering rain. Troutfur and Ferrettail are play fighting. I purr at how they act like kits.

I hear pawsteps enter camp and see a patrol pad in. Tigerstripe, Stormberry, Dawnpool, Mosseye, Mistytail, Coaldust, and Adderfang. Dapplestar stands up, Flamefoot beside her. "How was the patrol, Adderfang?"

"The dogs have been reeking destruction all throughout RiverClan territory. Prey remains, upturned undergrowth, its leading a trail and its getting frighteningly closer to our camp."

Hearing their deputy the Clan gathers around murmuring in fear. "What do we do?" Thistlepaw asks and I look around at camp. The rain's still coming down hard. "I think instead of wasting precious time on the dogs we should focus on reinforcing the camp in case the river swells," I say and Dapplestar turns to look at me.

Heat floods my pelt as I'm filled with embarrassment. "Echowish is right, we need to focus on making the camp safe," Dapplestar announces agreeing with me, I perk up. Birchpelt licks the top of my head. "Great idea, Echowish." I purr in thanks and Adderfang starts assigning tasks for Clanmates.

Troutfur and I are tasked with fortifying the nursery. Embercloud and Onyxshade go in search of herbs with Robinpelt. Stormberry and Boneclaw enforce the walls of the camp. Warrior patrols are sent out to get more food in case we're stuck in camp. 

The Clan works together all day until we feel the camp is safe. The sun has set and the moonhigh patrol is getting ready to go. "Can I come with you guys?" Embercloud asks trotting over to them. I stare at her how can she still have so much energy. Flamefoot, leader of the patrol, turns to her with a look of amusement.

"I think you've worked hard enough for one day, Embercloud," he says and the ginger she-cat droops with disappointment. "Tell you what, you can be on dawn patrol?" She perks up and nods, causing Flamefoot to purr. 

The dark ginger tom looks over us. "You all did great work today now get some rest, you've earned it. See you all in the morning." We all waved our tails in goodbye and he turns and leaves camp with the others.

I enter our den and curl up in my nest, my friends file inside and curl up as well. It seems only a few moments have passed but it must have been hours, when a screech echoes through the forest. All the warriors around me jump to their paws, I follow suit.

We race from the den, looking around wildly, Onyxshade pads out of the den with her mentor and looks around eyes wide. "What was that?"

"It sounds like a cat in trouble," Tigerstripe says eyes narrowed. His brother, Troutfur stands beside him, fur on end like the rest of ours. Some senior warriors race out the camp entrance. Dawnpool doesn't hesitant before running after them.

I wasn't about to let Dawnpool go off on her own again, I signal my friends and race after her, my friends behind me. We meet up with the senior warriors and Dawnpool, forming a small search party, trying to figure out where the screech came from.

After a few minutes we are able to find where we thought the yowl had come from. The rain had finally stopped but the air is heavy with the smell of plants. Embercloud quickly figures that out as she tries sniffing the air in search of scents.