Faith's Journey - Book One (Warriors Fanfiction)

Chapter 13

Faithpaw padded beside Shadowpaw while Hollyhawk and Raggestorm led the way to the FoxClan border.

The breeze felt warm as it tickled Faithpaw's whiskers. She let a smile cross her face, greenleaf was on the way.

As the patrol continued on, the trees thinned out and soon it became a wide expanse of grasslands ahead of them.

"We're at the border. Can you smell our scent and FoxClan's?" Hollyhawk addressed the two apprentices.

Faithpaw and Shadowpaw both opened their jaws and tasted the air. Faithpaw could scent the forestry smell overlapping with a grassy scent where the two territories met. She nodded and Shadowpaw nodded as well, looking less certain than Faithpaw.

"Good. Raggedstorm, could you show them how to set a marker?" Hollyhawk asked, directed her gaze to the large brown tabby beside her.

Raggedstorm cocked an eyebrow as if to say "Do I have to?". 

"Now." Hollyhawk huffed.

Raggedstorm shot her a look before preceding to roll his amber eyes and begrudgingly stalk up to a nearby tree. He raised his head and rubbed his cheek along its trunk, leaving FernClan scent behind.

"Border patrol as well?" A voice meowed to them. Faithpaw turned and saw a small patrol of FoxClan warriors padding up to their side of the border.

"Yes." Raggedstorm replied, matter-a-factly.

Hollyhawk sent him a glare that he noticed out of the corner of his eye. Letting out an agitated sigh, she turned to the patrol of newcomers. "I presume Darkstar wants his borders secure as any leader would?"

"Of course."

They were close enough now that Faithpaw noticed the cat in the lead was brown tabby tom with white paws and had eyes the color of sage. At his sides were three cats, a black tom with patches of orange coating his paws and ear tips, a large red tom with a white tail tip, paws, and ear tips that reminded Faithpaw of the tom she had sat by at the gathering, and on the leader's right stood a silver she-cat, her dark blue eyes brought the color of juniper berries to mind, watching the group of forest cats with the intent of keeping an eye on them.

"What, is Darkstar's worried this group of good-for-nothings is going to threaten his pathetic territory?" Raggedstorm laughed gruffly under his breath. The red tom took a few steps forward, his fur being to bristle along his shoulders. The brown tom angled his body so his shoulder caught his clanmate in the chest.

"Don't do anything, Crimsonclaw." Faithpaw heard the brown tom mutter to his bristling companion.

"We're not here for a fight." The silver she-cat retorted roughly, her gaze not leaving Raggedstorm for a second.

"You being here is enough to make me think something otherwise." Raggedstorm flicked an ear, indignantly.

"Raggedstorm, we not here to fight each other." Hollyhawk growled, taking a step toward her fellow warrior, motioning her tail toward Faithpaw and Shadowpaw to back up. 

"There's no need to be hostile toward each other, we're only marking borders." The black tom across the border from them added, glancing in Hollyhawk's direction.

"Agreed." Hollyhawk dipped her head, her face showing no strong emotions.

The brown tabby swept his gaze over the group, before motioning for his patrol to spread out and begin marking their border to their territory.

"I'll be calm if they are." Raggedstorm hissed, just loud enough for the rival patrol to hear. The red tom came to a stop and Faithpaw tensed as she saw the glint of silver peaking out from between his paws.