Chapt 8
"Heavystep?" Wolfpaw nudged the elder hard with his nose. Dapplenose stirred in her nest.
"What's going on," She looked down to Heavystep,"Starclan no! Heavystep! Oh Heavystep!" She threw her nose into his fur, breathing in his scent.
"Dapplenose...?" Wolfpaw murmured. Dapplenose's head shot up, her eyes blazing angrily.
"You! Get out of here! Now!" Dapplenose spat. Wolfpaw turned tail and ran out into the camp, in search of his mentor. She was talking with Minnowtail at the fresh kill pile.
"Icewing! Icewing!" Wolfpaw ran over to her. As he approached, he saw her roll her eyes in contemp as she excused herself.
"What do you need?" Icewing snorted. Wolfpaw moaned inwardly.
"I think Heavystep is dead!" Wolfpaw breathed hard. Icewing's eyes grew large and she looked past Wolfpaw to the elders' den, her breath caught in her throat. She looked back at Wolfpaw, growled intensely, and sulked off to the elders' den. Wolfpaw followed her, when they arrived at the den, Dapplenose was lying on her clanmate and Pouncetail was talking urgently to Beetlewhisker. Beetlewhisker looked up and greeted the pair.
"Pouncetail just fetched me," Beetlewhisker informed them,"He says Heavystep is dead," He glanced nervously at the elders.
"Go and get Willowshine,: Icewing turned to Wolfpaw. Wolfpaw nodded, at least she wasn't barking orders at him like usual. He ducked out of the den and quickly made his way to the medicine den. Poking his head in, he called for Willowshine. No one answered. He ducked out again and looked around camp, he couldn't see, scent, or hear her anywhere in camp. He pondered going out of camp and looking for her, but that would just bring more trouble.
He saw Reedwhisker organizing patrols in the front of the camp, so he decided to ask him if saw the milky furred she-cat.
"Have you seen Willowshine?" Wolfpaw stood at least a tail length over the deputy.
Reedwhisker nodded,"She just left camp to go looking for some comfrey, why?"
"Heavystep is dead," Wolfpaw gulped, expecting some snide comment, but Reedwhisker just looked alarmed.
"Theres nothing Willowshine can do now, go and fetch Mistystar, she should hear about this," Reedwhisker ordered. Wolfpaw ran off, running towards the leader's den. He poked his head in. Mistystar was talking to Graymist, their gray pelts blending together.
"Mistystar?" Wolfpaw murmured. Mistystar looked over.
"Yes?"
"Can you come to the elders' den, please?" Wolfpaw didn't want the whole clan to think he had killed the grumpy elder! Mistystar whispered something into Graymist's ear and followed Wolfpaw out of the den.
"What is this about?" Mistystar asked, flicking her tail back and forth.
"Heavystep is dead," Wolfpaw repeated for what seemed like the hundredth time today. Mistystar's eyes glazed over momentarily, she looked over his shoulder at the elders' den. Icewing was dragging the frail elder's body out of the den.
"Go and find Willowshine," Mistystar ordered, her blue eyes blazing with grief.
"But I-"
"No buts," Mistystar interrupted,"Its an order," She ducked past and trotted quickly to Icewing's side. Wolfpaw looked back, if he left camp, he might get in trouble, but if he didn't find Willowshine, he still might get in trouble. He figured that he better follow Mistystar's most recent orders and find Willowshine now. He dashed out of the den, thankfully not to be stopped by anyone, and scented for Willowshine. Nose pressed to the forest floor, he followed a scent trail through the grasses, her scent faded in some places, while others it seemed as fresh as if she had just been through here a few moments ago. A twig crunched behind him. Wolfpaw looked up, his head rising above the reeds. Bodies were wriggling through the reeds, their fur stuck out and their fear scent flowing off them. Wolfpaw took a deep breath. WIndclan. What were they doing on Riverclan territory? He took a step forward and gazed through the reeds, the Windclan cats were approaching a small stream that Wolfpaw could easily leap over. Wolfpaw saw the cats eyes flash in disgust.
"I'm not getting my paws wet!" A black tom hissed, his tail lashing in annoyance.
"Hush! Do you want every Riverclan cat to hear you?" A tawny brown tom spat back, hunching his hind legs together to make the leap. Wolfpaw growled, there was no way for him to get back to camp without the Windclan cats noticing. He carefully stepped forward, small leaves crunching under paw. A jet black she-cat's ears flicked up.
"Did you hear that?" She hissed to another black tom. The black tom's ear flicked up, Wolfpaw held his breath.
"No, but I can smell fresh dog-scent," The tom commented, his fur rising slowly. The patrol started to look around, Wolfpaw ducked down under the reeds, trying to make himself as small as possible. He heard pawsteps approaching his hiding place, Wolfpaw gasped. He could imagine a whole patrol of Windclan cats rounding the corner, fur bristling and claws slashing at his throat. What he didn't imagine was a pair of squirrels chasing after one another. Wolfpaw's mouth watered, the clearly didn't notice the cats or dog only a few tail length away. He scrunched closer against the reeds, his fur quivering in fear. He was strong, but there was no way he could take on a whole patrol of Windclan warriors. The squirrels came closer.
"Wait here, I think I can catch these squirrels," A cat mewed quietly.
"What do you mean? If Riverclan finds out, they'll have out tails." Another hissed.
"What Riverclan doesn't know won't hurt 'em," The tom answered, sliding through the reeds carefully. Wolfpaw tried his best to slide back, but the quagmire he was sitting in squelched noisily under paw. The tom came around the corner, the squirrels running full speed to the trees. The tom raced out, his tail streaming out behind him and leaped. But he was no match in the thicks reeds. One tripped his back paw and he flew into the mud.
"Owlwhisker!" A cat hissed,"Are you alright?"
The tom stood, his fur caked with mud and his whiskers drooping irritably. He took a few stops, jerked hs head to shake off the mud and stopped in his tracks.
"Dog!" He launched at Wolfpaw, his claws extended and his eyes gleaming furiously. More cats ran around the bend. Wolfpaw reared back barked viscously, his teeth glinting in the sunlight. But instead of fighting, Wolfpaw jumped over the cats and ran full speed through the forest.
I can't lead them straight to camp, Wolfpaw couldn't think of any other place to go except for the deepest part of the river, where the Windclan cats wouldn't follow. He could hear the cats gaining on him, their lithe bodies sleeping through the reeds. He could imagine tripping over a reed and being savagely ripped apart by the Windclan warriors. He could hear the cats yowling behind him, their claws tearing through the forest floor at lightning speed. Wolfpaw jumped into the river, head first. Churning his paws he swam through the water until he was centered in the middle of the river, the water current pulling at his heavy fur.
"Coward!" A tom hissed angrily, his paws in the water. Another she-cat tried to wade her way in, then ran back as her paws slipped from under her.
"Onestar!" A cat hissed to the small brown tabby tom,"What are we going to do?" The brown tabby narrowed his eyes at Wolfpaw, the large apprentice still churning in the water.
"Come on," Onestar snarled, running back through the undergrowth, his tail vanishing from sight. The warriors followed angrily. Wolfpaw waited until he couldn't hear their footsteps padding over the peaty dirt. Wolfpaw cautiously walked out of the river, his fur dripping with water. Looking behind him, he ran through the reeds.
"Oof!" He fell to his side as a large tom leaped onto his back. Wolfpaw bucked the tom off, only to be attacked by two more, their claws raking his sides painfully and ripping hair from his skin. Another cat bit his flank and another yanked at his tail angrily.
"Twoleg pet!" A cat hissed in his ear spitefully. Wolfpaw snapped at a light brown she-cat her ice blue eyes shining brightly, but she jumped out of reach every time.
"Clumsy oaf!" She spat, whipping her claws along his face. Wolfpaw whimpered in agony. He fought through the blood hat covered his eyes and raked his blunt claws across the a black tom, his amber eyes shining with anger. A black she-cat yowled in fury and flung herself at his face. Wolfpaw grabbed her mid-air with his mouth and flung her away, turning back to the cats attacking his flank.
"Foxhearts!" Wolfpaw barked wildly, tail lashing in anger. He reared back and knocked the Windclan cowards from him, stamping their faces in the mud. But more flooded from the bushes, their eyes wild with rage. Wolfpaw growled angrily and began to launch himself at the large cats. But then he saw Reedwhisker at the head of the patrol, mouth drew into a snarl.
"Get off our land!" Reedwhisker howled, leaping onto Onestar with his claws. More Riverclan warriors streaming down into the battle, claws extended and tails lashing. Wolfpaw saw Mossypaw running into the battle, eyes wild. A Windclan apprentice tackled her from behind and she clawed at his muzzle angrily. Wolfpaw rushed to her side to help, but Hollowpaw was one step ahead of him and launched himself right at the apprentice. Wolfpaw narrowed his eyes, what was Hollowpaw trying to do anyways?
Wolfpaw jumped forward and pinned a tabby tom down with one paw. The tom struggled under Wolfpaw's size and strength. Instead of fear, the tom's eyes burned with a fiery hatred.
"Fox dung piece of crowfood!" He spat, raking his claws down Wolfpaw's leg,"Go back to your own kind!" Wolfpaw nipped down at the cats face and tore away to fur. He let the tom go as he squealed away in pain.
"Retreat!" Onestar yowled. Instantly the cats sprang apart, Riverclan stopping to watch Windclan run from the scene. The only cat left was Onestar, he was face to face with Reedwhisker, their whiskers almost touching.
"Foxheart," Reedwhisker murmured.
"Your clan started this war," Onestar snarled,"By bringing that mongrel to the clans, you have created something out of your control. Unless you send him away immediately, this war will wipe out Riverclan before Leafbare," He whipped around, leaving Riverclan to cast wary glances at each other.