Warriors: Finding Home

Chapter Sixteen

Sootpaw was on a moss collecting patrol when Riverpaw was buried. When the group of cats got back, jaws laden with bundles of moss and bracken, Sootpaw could see the small bump in the ground where the silver tom would rest eternally. He felt bad for the apprentice, he was younger than Sootpaw, and had the makings of a warrior. The camp was silent apart from the slight scuffling of Nectarpaw who was sorting herbs in the medicine den. Ratstar and Bumblescar were whispering together near the leaders den, their head close together.

Sootpaw avoided Riverpaw's mother, though he could still feel her glares piercing through the fronds of bramble she hid behind. Soot paw deposited his bundles at the foot of the tilted rock that served as the entrance to the medicine cat den and slipped out of camp unseen. He had a plan just to check on his former clan. Willowpaw said at the gathering that she spent most of her time at the border, so maybe he would get lucky and see her there.

     Taking a shortcut, Sootpaw trekked through FireClan territory, careful not to be seen by a patrol. During the brisk leafbare air, not many patrols ventured yo the edge of their territory to hunt, only border patrols. Sootpaw knew from watching that FireClan sent out a patrol at dawn, sunhigh and again at dusk. The sun was climbing now, and a patrol would be coming by soon. Scurrying at the border, Sootpaw made it to the edge of MoonClan territory, and breathed in the scent. It didn't smell like it used to, it smelled foul and rancid. Sootpaw took a deep breath and Willowpaw's scent wafted through the air.

     "Sootpaw? What are you doing here?" Willowpaw hissed. Sootpaw whipped around to the source of the voice and smiled widely.

     "Willowpaw! I-I just wanted to see how you were doing."

     "Well were fine. But you are SunClan now, you can't live with a paw in two clans." Willowpaw sat down and sighed. "But although MoonClan is fine, I'm worried about FireClan. I've not seen a patrol for three sunrises, and the scent at the border was stale."

     Sootpaw thought back to the journey and realized his sister was correct. Sootpaw hadn't seen any cats or smelled fresh border marks. Only three FireClan cats had made it to the gathering. Maybe there really is something bad happening with the clans. Rustling in the bushes startled the two apprentices. From a holly bush emerged Thornpaw. He addressed Willowpaw but neglected his former clanmate and friend.

     "Clawstar wants everycat back at the camp. He said it was urgent."

     Finally acknowledging Sootpaw he hissed and unsheathed his claws.

     "As for you traitor, I thought we were friends! Get off of my territory now!" Thornpaw lunged at the large black tom and Sootpaw backed away quickly. He sprinted all the way back home, not looking behind him. He stopped at the FireClan border, where meadows gave way to thick, lush forest. Finding a clump of garlic, he rolled in it to mask the MoonClan scent.

     Something is definetly spiking every cats fur. Is this the war StarClan speaks of?