Diverging Paths (Warrior Cats Fanfiction)

Chapter 15

Four days later...

"Yeah? I could've sworn I smelled other Clans' scent somewhere around here," Sunroar mewed uncertainly. The ginger, black-striped she-cat observed the area with orange eyes, her nose twitching noticeably.

"You're probably just imagining things," Murmuringsoil huffed gruffly as he slunk through a great bunch of brambles and thorns without a scratch on his pelt. "The other Clans are too preoccupied with each other to care about us right now. I doubt they'd cross borders." The deputy glanced over his shoulder with an infuriated glare. "Hurry your tail, Highwings, this is your last warning!"

She came around the bush, panting. "I'm sorry! There was just a lizard, and I thought I could catch it." Continuing with a grumble, she muttered, "Then this patrol would probably at least be worth something..."

Murmuringsoil rolled his eyes. "While I agree with you there, we can't just dawdle off. Enemies could be anywhere."

"Nyeh-nyeh nyeh-nyeh nyeh," Highwings mocked him, rolling her eyes and pulling a silly face. Though Murmuringsoil took deep offense, Sunroar and Doublepelt, both also on the patrol, couldn't help but snort.

"Amazing how you went from one of the most respectful warriors in this horribly-coordinated Clan to an overgrown kit," the deputy hissed in response.

"Ugh. Sorry..." she muttered in reply.

Murmuringsoil made a small growling noise before continuing on the patrol. Highwings, Sunroar, and Doublepelt followed fast, as it was rare he would let such an offense go unpunished, and they were not keen on offending him a second time.

Besides, tempers were high in the heat of newleaf, and with almost nothing to do for the Clan. Admittedly they had been prospering, but that left their warriors with little to do. Besides, it put everyone on edge, not knowing when the next disaster was going to strike, like a rogue invasion or predators on their territory. And with what Battlestar had informed them about with RiverClan, a sudden, crippling rogue invasion was seeming more and more possible.

The border patrol had mainly passed by with little discoveries. The shade of the swamp had hidden them mostly from the burning sun, but its dampness held in lots of heat, so it was warm under their paws and all around them. The air was humid and hot just like the ground, and Highwings felt like she was being suffocated a bit more each time she breathed.

Then, out of the blue, Sunroar snarled intensely, quietly, and bluntly, "I smell an intruder that way." She gestured with her muzzle to a small opening between two trees in the thick forestry.

Normally a border patrol would have gone low and stalked the intruder before pulling any harsh moves, but the greenleaf-infuriated Murmuringsoil did not work that way. The deputy lunged in the direction Sunroar had indicated, forcing the rest of his patrol to come crashing through the trees to follow.

What they discovered was a small cat, one that had already been effortlessly pinned by Murmuringsoil, crying out for mercy. It wasn't fully-grown, but near to it; probably an older apprentice. A distinctive WindClan scent was multiplied and amplified by the thick air, making it clear where this tom came from. He was very thin, ribs showing, and his fur was white, gray, and beige, his eyes a faded yellow. What drew most attention from Highwings was his face; sleepless, sickly, starved. It made her fur prickle.

Not so with Murmuringsoil. "What is WindClan doing on ShadowClan territory?" he interrogated the apprentice harshly. Turning back to the rest of his patrol, he ordered the other cats around. "Sunroar, sniff for his accomplices. Highwings, Doublepelt, keep an eye out. They could attack any moment."