River Of Blood (The Forest In The Sky (book 1))

Chapter 31

Wrenpaw's pov

Wrenpaw's head shot up from where he was laying next to the nursery. He ignored Cedarpaw's looks at him and bolted over to his brother.

"Wirepaw!" He yowled as he reaches him and collapsed onto the ground next to him. Tilleypaw has just come back with Ackleyfire. Cloverfern and Tulipvine were poking their heads out of the warriors den. Lindsaystream was cautiously looking at them from a hole in the nursery wall. Sunflowerstem and Fleurface had appeared for the first time in a while with two sparrows. The FallenClan apprentices were watching them with unreadable expressions. Wrenpaw sniffed in his brothers scent, not taking notice of his surroundings. Wirepaw's flank was almost stone cold.

"Wrenpaw, let me help Wirepaw, he needs urgent medical help." Cinderpaw's comforting mew made Wrenpaw accidentally lash out at her with a sheathed paw. His paw met her face and she was knocked out of the way. His gaze met hers and he stared at her.

"N-no, I-I-I'm, no." Wrenpaw jumped over to her side.

"I-i'm fine." She meowed and sat up. "Don't touch me." She growled as she grabbed the herbs she dropped. Wrenpaw looked taken aback.

B-but.......

"Cycloneheart, get me something for the shock." Cinderpaw mewed our to Cycloneheart who had just come out of the den with cobwebs. He rolled his eyes and headed back into the den. "Who did this!" Cinderpaw mewed into the sky. Wrenpaw was now shaking from accidentally hitting Cinderpaw in her face. He was scared she wouldn't forgive him. he watched as some cats started to lick the other apprentices and warriors, so they would warm up.

Ombrépaw and Yinpaw were shivering which was a sign that they were still living. Wrenpaw couldn't tell what Branchgaze was doing and Wirepaw couldn't be seen. All he hoped was that they survived.

Foxpaw's pov

Almondpaw had told all the apprentices what had happened. Foxpaw decided to go ask a few others if they wanted to hunt for Branchgaze, Yinpaw, Ombrépaw and Wirepaw when they woke up. A few had agreed. Unitedpaw, Grasspaw, Brackenpaw, Sparrowpaw and Weedpaw had agreed and they'd already told Dolphinstar and Duskystar that they were going to go hunt. But, the downside was, they needed warriors with them too. So they decided to get Hamsternose and Shadowstep to come as well.

i can't believe i actually got some cats to come with me. Foxpaw thought inside her head. She smiled to herself and padded out of the camp and went towards the plains.

*

Foxpaw crouched and waited for the right time to spring. Hamsternose, behind her, was instructing her. Foxpaw and Grasspaw has agreed that Grasspaw would go around the other side while Foxpaw pushed the squirrel towards him. They both agreed and got into position. Tasting the air once more, Foxpaw felt the direction of the wind pushing her scent the other way. the squirrel would have no idea.

"Go." Hamsternose whispered in her ear, making Foxpaw nod to Grasspaw. She sprung out of her hiding spot and alerted the squirrel, who then ran into the bush where Grasspaw was. Foxpaw felt the urge to laugh for no reason, but held it in. She waited a couple of heartbeats, waiting to Grasspaw to come back with his catch.

"Where's Grasspaw?" Unitedpaw asked them as he looked around for him.

"I dunno....."

Foxpaw called out to Grasspaw, hoping to hear an answer. No answer. Strange..... Foxpaw weaved around a rose bush. Up ahead, near a daisy bush, a cat was holding a squirrel. Foxpaw breathed a sigh of relief as she ran up to him.

"You caught it....." Foxpaw meowed happily but she sensed something off about the cat.

"I know i did......" The cat scowled, turning around to reveal its unpleasant looking face. Foxpaw didn't breathe, she looked at the cat looming over her, big broad shoulders with beady - almost black - eyes. A few other cats appeared, some wearing collars around their necks while some had razor claws that were the same size as their paws.

"Where. Did you put Grasspaw....??" Hamsternose sneered, padding up to them.

"I-i'm here Hamsternose!" Grasspaw croaked from nowhere. Foxpaw whizzed around the corner to see Grasspaw on the ground under the paws of another small apprentice-looking cat. The tom was standing with a paw on Grasspaw's shoulder, making sure he wouldn't move. A few more appeared from the shadows so that there was now about five warrior looking cats and three apprentice looking cats. All were baring their teeth in an unkind manor, making Foxpaw have the urge to shred them up like tree bark.

"What do you want......." Hamsternose sneered while sighing softly and tiredly.

"ahhh. see, that's the question, who are you. not who are we.....you've obviously got your facts tied and mixed up, haven't you?" The tom-sounding cat padded in a circle, it's yellow eyes flashing indignantly. "How 'bout we make a deal.......you stay away from us, we stay away from you."

"You don't even live here." Unitedpaw fumbled for words.

"Oh you are quite the daft one aren't you, mister, is it......Unitedpaw, am i right." Foxpaw winced as he said the right name, making Unitedpaw hiss.

"No one cares, anyways, we have business cleaning up here." The tom said with a bite of sassiness on his tongue.

"Cleaning up what.......?" Weedpaw mewed slowly.

The tom hesitated before letting another one of his patrol speak. "Cleaning up you...." they sniggered and they jumped onto Brackenpaw. The tom cat that was taunting them before had sprung onto Hamsternose, while an apprentice sized cat sprung onto Shadowstep. Foxpaw saw as her opponent flew and landed squarely, knocking her down to the ground. She hissed and struggled underneath as the night-black cat dug their unsheathed claws into her flesh. Not even hesitating, Foxpaw batted at their back paws. As they kept dodging her blows and delivering precise blows, Foxpaw began to lose herself. Another cat had joined in to claw Foxpaw to shreds. Her pelt was burning in pain as she was hit in the flank tremendously hard by a powerful amber eyed she cat. She flew a couple of tail-lengths before flying back to the ground. Landing on the hard ground, bruising herself, she twitched and just lay there.

This is what Dawnblaze would've felt like......