Warriors || Rose's Path

Chapter 3

Snow crunched beneath Rosepaw's paws. She padded over the snow laden ground behind her ginger mentor. It was her third border patrol. Crookedwing led the patrol with Dapplesplash and Puddlepaw following her as well.
They would patrol the ThunderClan scent markers and then hunt before returning to camp. The morning leaf-bare air was crisp and light. Rosepaw could see her breath billowing in front of her.
Rosepaw remembered the day that Amberpaw and Puddlepaw had crossed the RiverClan border to explore. No one had caught them, and since then it had snowed, so their scent would be lost. Rosepaw felt guilt prick at her paws. She didn't know whether to tell her mentor, or keep quiet for her brother's sake.
She had decided that if Puddlepaw had wanted trouble, he would have told on himself. Although Rosepaw hadn't said anything, she was against her fellow apprentices breaking the warrior code. Brackenpaw would have told his mentor, Rosepaw reflected. Thank goodness I was able to convince him not too.
Barren moorland started to give way to a few trees. They had reached the stream that marked the ThunderClan border. A few trees dotted the land on the WindClan side as well as ThunderClan's. This was the best place on WindClan territory to hunt sparrows, and sometimes squirrels if you were lucky.
      Dapplesplash whisked her tail, signaling for the patrol to stop. The white she-cat with orange spots turned to face the patrol.
       "Crookedwing and I will mark the border," Dapplesplash mewed. "You two can hunt near those trees, but don't stray too far away from the stream."
        Crookedwing gave an annoyed grunt. "I thought I was leading this patrol."
       Dapplesplash flicked her sister's tail with her ears, amusement sparking in her amber gaze. "Of course you are, Crookedwing."
       Rosepaw turned toward the trees Dapplesplash had motioned towards. Puddlepaw bounded past her, flicking his white tail in her face. Rosepaw scowled after her brother, but trotted after him.

A blackbird dangled from Rosepaw's jaws. She flicked her tail in satisfaction. Crookedwing would be pleased. Maybe. She had spooked the bird while she was crouching, but she had been close enough the jump up and claw it out of the air.
Rosepaw followed the stream down towards the lake, but before she could reach the place where the trees ended, paws thundered over the ground behind her.
Rosepaw turned around in confusion, dropping her prey. Snow sprayed her pelt. Puddlepaw dashed by. "What are you—?"
Before Rosepaw could finish the sentence, she spotted the squirrel her brother was chasing. Rosepaw twitched her whiskers. What a show off.
But as she watched the chase, her stomach turned over. The squirrel was racing straight for the ThunderClan border. It leaped the stream, clearing to land on the other side, turning around as if mocking Puddlepaw.
If Puddlepaw had known he was about to cross the border, he didn't seem to care. He leaped it quickly, springing at the taunting squirrel. It squeaked in surprise, turning to dash into the bushes.
"Mouse-dung!" Puddlepaw muttered.
Rosepaw opened her jaws ask her brother to return to WindClan territory, but the bushes the squirrel had taken cover in rustled.
Rosepaw stiffened. ThunderClan scent wafted through her nose. Puddlepaw had clearly scented them too, and he bushed his white tail and arched his back.
Just as the ThunderClan patrol emerged from the brambles, Crookedwing and Dapplesplash came bounding up the slope to stop beside Rosepaw.
"We finished renewing the scent markers and thought that you—" Dapplesplash was cut off by her sister.
"What in StarClan's—!" Crookedwing growled. "Mouse-brained apprentice!"
A black she-cat with hazel eyes led the ThunderClan patrol, followed by a gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes.
"What are you doing on ThunderClan territory?" The black she-cat growled, hazel eyes turned to slits.
Dapplesplash stepped forward, without crossing the border. "Puddlepaw hadn't realized he crossed the border. It was just a mistake, Hollyflower," the white she-cat dipped her head politely to the ThunderClan cats.
Hollyflower exchanged a quick glance with her Clan-mate.
"There is no excuse for a cat crossing a scent line," the gray tabby meowed, her fur fluffed out.
Crookedwing padded up to the stream until her paws barely touched the water. "Puddlepaw has only been an apprentice for a moon, give him a break," Crookedwing eyed the white tom.
Rosepaw flicked her tail in surprise. Although her tone had been harsh, Crookedwing had just defended another cat. She gave a sideways glance at her mentor. If course she did. Although she's a cranky cat, Crookedwing cares for her Clan-mates, just as I do.
"Be more careful," Hollyflower growled. "Or else next time your apprentice won't be so lucky. Lets go, Littlefrost."
Littlefrost turned away, padding back into the trees. Hollyflower waited as Dapplesplash beckoned with her tail for her apprentice to return to WindClan territory. As Puddlepaw prepared to leap the stream, Hollyflower lashed out, claws quick as lightning.
Puddlepaw had managed to escape the worst of the blow, but Hollyflower's claws caught on his white tail. Once he had cleared the border, Puddlepaw glanced at his wounded tail, and then scowled coldly at Hollyflower.
"Next time, there won't be any hesitation."
The black she-cat slid through the brambles, silent as the night. Rosepaw shuddered. Why had they been so hostile?