ClawClan (Season 1: Episode 1-The Beginning) -Warrior Cats Fan Fiction-

Chapter 10

The grass of the forest were now covered in snow as the middle of leafbare came. The herbs that the Doctor and her Assistant might need were now gone until next season, which will be long. The snow crunched as Fangclaw puts his paw down, for that he is out of the den. The sun was high but it did not warmed ClawClan nor the clanmates.

"You think it was that easy to survive in this forest?" Moonstar roared with laughter after the two met again in a border patrol. Fangclaw was annoyed with the pale gray leader, and wondered if they'll kept meeting like this every border patrol. Fangclaw ignored her, not wanting to deal with her nor her patrol.

Fangclaw shivered, feeling the chill reach to his spine. It could be the cold wind of leafbare... or the fact that Moonstar's words were right; it was not that easy to survive in a forest when there was every danger lurking in the corners: Predators that can harm the warrior's clanmates. a natural disaster like a fire. Or a brutal season that takes away the warmth, the herbs needed for the injured warriors, apprentices, and guards.

Looking into the Nursery, Fangclaw can see the skinny body of Minkbounce who was trying to feed her mate's kits: Wavekit... and the other was still unnamed. Just like the herbs, fresh-kill was harder to find too, so it was hard for the queen to raise and feed the kits. 

The ginger tomcat could see his clanmates shivering  and huddling together. Fangclaw expected them to move on their duties, but he realized that it was the Right-Hand's job to order them. Was it now the leader's second duty? Were they expecting him to order more patrol and other duties? Coming up the frosted tree trunk, the warrior announced the patrols for today. Dawn Patrol: will mark the borders. Morning Patrol: finding more fresh-kill for the queen and her kits. And somehow... that was it? Fangclaw thought there was more, like an assessment for an apprentice. But he also realized that there were none. The future apprentices, the kits, are still young. The leader can guess it will be a boring, long day. Going back to his den, he sat down and closed his eyes-

Yet he felt that something needs to be discussed...He could ask DeadClan, but the gateway -the connection- was incontrollable as it was new for the ancestors of the Clan Up Above. So it was up to Fangclaw to figure out. But to no avail, there was nothing he can think about. He tried to ignore the feeling, going back to his nap.

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As the elderly warrior checked each den (Apprentices', empty; Warriors', full; Staffs' few), Fangclaw frowned as he cannot think of something that must be discussed. But he continued his duty to watch the dens, for that he is the leader who must keep a watchful eye for his friends, or clanmates he formally calls them, and the environment. When crossing his head away from the Warriors' den to the Apprentices', the surprised warrior could've sworn that he saw still figures at the corner of his eyes. Turning back, he saw about 10-12 warriors standing around, fidgeting and waiting in the clearing. Some of them were gossiping, others looked at the snow and shuffled it around with their now-cold paws.

"What in DeadClan are you warriors doing?" Fangclaw asked with a exasperated tone.

"We're waiting for your orders, Fangclaw,"  Deadeagle explained, "I- we didn't want to disturb your checking."

Fangclaw opened his mouth to argue, but there was no point of it. He soon find that if he keeps this up with the checking and the ordering, time will be wasted. He cannot do it at the same time, he knows he can't. Then, the leader knew what he was missing and stung his heart. He needed a new Right-hand, somecat that can replace Troutclaw. Will Fangclaw really give the rank away for his friend? What are the results? the tomcat wondered. 

He knows deep inside that he has to do it for his clanmates and for himself, but then he will be replacing his friend, Troutclaw....The decision was tough. The decision was tough.