Lost Stars

Chapter eighteen

"Seems like FireClan has marked our side of the border and theirs." Stormstar spoke lowly. Adderfrost looked away, glancing across the stream. Applepaw looking between the two.

Blizzardclaw nudged Redpaw and flicked an ear. Whitepaw pushed her way past the white she-cat and stood besides her mentor. Adderfrost flicked his tail in annoyance. Redpaw purred lowly, eyeing the two. "What do you suppose we do??" The black tom muttered lowly.

Blizzardclaw closed his eyes and sniffed quickly. He scented Stormpelt, Amberlight, Aspenpaw, Nightfoot, Rainstream, Beaverpaw and Blackheart. Then Hazelnose and Smokefur. "Looks like a patrol is coming." He called to Stormstar. He saw him nod slowly before the cats' he scented came into view. All staring and sneering. Blizzardclaw knew that they were showing his Clan that they had a fighting force.

Moments later Stormstar flicked his tail before moving down the border, his scent being left all over the bushes and trees that lined CloudClan's side of the territory.  He heard Stormpelt giving quick instructions.

He felt Redpaw fidget beside him and saw Applepaw giving Adderfrost worried glances in which the black tom payed it no mind. He kept staring at FireClan warriors, unsheathing and sheathing his claws. Whitepaw hissed defiantly and spat harshly to them. The brown she-cat would be the reason they fought. Stormstar appeared and roughly cuffed the she-cat across her ears. "That's right Stormstar. Keep your apprentices' in line." The gray, black and white tom commented. His Clanmates agreed and flexed their claws.

"You overgrown, incompetent, badger-faced-" Whitepaw began but Stormstar quickly put his tail over her mouth. He gave her a look and she hushed but still sent glares at Stormpelt. Then he moved away from the FireClan border with Blizzardclaw and Redpaw behind him. Adderfrost, Applepaw and Whitepaw brought up the rear.

A quarter-moon passed since Blue was found to be plotting with Moonfur. Milo had told the Clan that Reedheart claimed that SpiritClan had warned him about Blue but he ignored the warnings, wanting the tom to prove himself.

The gathering had came and went with the leaders' reporting little to nothing. All wanting their problems to be kept a secret. The prophecy still rang in the air like a dead mouse hanging limp from a eagle's talon.

Blizzardclaw glared ahead of him and found himself thinking of the history of all the Clans. Then his thoughts were on Hazeleye and her kits'. He purred lowly when Milo told Sunstorm that he had passed out. The golden tom had chuckled softly at the memory but knew that it was true. He had become an great father to Buzzardkit, Lightkit and Duckkit. Then his thoughts traveled to Otterkit and Dewkit. All five kits' were almost a moon old and he knew that they would be apprenticed and be the next warriors of CloudClan. This leaf-bare has been hard with less prey but they had been awarded with kits'. He heard from Gingerfoot that kits' born in leaf-bare were considered an omen.

The six cats' pushed past the ferns that protected CloudClan's camp and Adderfrost flicked his tail towards Weaselfur and Applepaw caught on. Blizzardclaw looked at Redpaw then then elders den where Weaselfur was sitting outside grooming himself. She huffed but padded over. "Have fun with those duties! I'll be relieved of that when I become a warrior." Whitepaw sneered and turned her head up proudly.

"As a matter of fact, you will tend to his needs and wants today, Whitepaw. You two can get ready for hunting." Stormstar spoke up with a glance at his apprentice. She turned to look at him appalled but surprisedly said nothing.

"I don't mind helping him." Applepaw mewed softly before heading over. Redpaw soon did the same.

"You have an paw-full with her don't it??" Blizzardclaw asked when they padded away.