Warriors: Into The Wild - Book One (Completed)

Chapter Fifteen

Bluestar knew something was going on with Brokenstar and Crookedstar. She, too, had seen their glances at each other when the meeting ended. She jumped up onto the highrock. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the highrock for a Clan meeting." She yowled.

Most cats were out in the clearing already, and lifted their heads to hear what she had to say. Spottedleaf and Waterpaw sat outside the medicine den. Longtail, and Darkstripe came out from the warriors' den and padded into the clearing near the others, their tails twitching furiously. They knew it was going to be bad news. Had to be something about WindClan being gone from what was herd in the Gathering.

Waterpaw yawned, not really wanting to know what Bluestar had to say. She just wanted to get the Clan cats better and go to sleep. Medicine cat stuff was exhausting, despite staying in camp almost all day.

Bluestar looked down at her clanmates. "WindClan is missing," She began. "Brokenstar has driven them out, and I'm sure they'll be hunting in their lands."

"Like they can catch any prey there!" Scoffed an old tom. His patchy fur was matted, and his voice was raspy.

Bluestar silenced him with a lash of her tail. "We will bring them back." She meowed. "Just keep a close eye on any border markers being crossed onto our territory and on WindClan. We will fight if we have to."

Waterpaw looked at Spottedleaf with wide eyes. "Is Bluestar serious?" She mewed quietly. "We aren't ready to fight!"

"Hush!" Hissed Spottedleaf.

Waterpaw scrunched up her nose at the hiss from Spottedleaf. She rarely was hostile toward anyone, but seemed on edge today with Waterpaw. Perhaps it was her lack of ability to remember to keep the store stocked.

When the meeting was finished everyone slumped back into their dens. It was a cold night, and no cat was out hunting today. The bitter cold made everything freeze and each paw-step was agony. Bluestar set a border patrol out after the clan meeting. Waterpaw flattened her ears and headed back into the den. She missed going out on patrols and hunting. Despite it being leaf-bare, she itched to go outside of the camp.

***

Waterpaw woke up with a jolt when the patrol came back. Yowling was heard across the clearing. Every cat peered out from their dens with sleepy eyes to see what was going on. A dark gray she-cat with a broad, flattened face was being pulled by the scruff of the neck. It was Darkstripe who had her by the scruff. "Let me go!" She spat.

Waterpaw stretched out her neck to see who it was they were bringing into camp. She gasped when she saw who it was. It was Yellowfang! Spottedleaf gasped as well and raced to her side. "Drop her, she's sick!" She growled softly.

Bluestar jumped up onto the Highrock again. Her voice rang out as she spoke, "Let her go." She demanded. "Now tell me, what happened?"

"We caught this fleabag near our territory. She claims to be a rogue." Hissed Darkstripe, dropping her in the middle of the clearing. Yellowfang shot him a scornful glance and hissed. "Firepaw found her, and was sharing some fresh-kill with her."

Bluestar looked at Yellowfang, "Is this true?" She asked.

Yellowfang looked up at Bluestar, clearly, still upset that she was dragged by the scruff of her neck all the way to their camp. "Yes, it's true." She glared at Darkstripe again. Then she looked back at Bluestar. "I was chased out by my own Clan."

Bluestar didn't turn her gaze from the old she-cat. She kept still for a few short moments, thinking on what to do. "We'll keep her here as of now."

Yowls of disagreement rose from the cats. Yellowfang made a low growl, and Bluestar lashed her tail for silence. The Clan stopped yowling at once, but their eyes were narrow and glared at Yellowfang.

"She will stay. She will be treated fairly, but as our prisoner until further notice."

Waterpaw was quite glad that she was staying. She remembered her dream at the Moonstone. Yellowfang was going to be in danger. If she was kept here, she would be safe from Brokenstar.

"And as for you, Firepaw." Bluestar's voice rang out. "You broke the code by eating before bringing it back to the Clan, and before the elders and queens. You will stay in camp with no training. And as your punishment, you'll be taking care of Yellowfang."

Firepaw flattened his ears. Every cat was looking at him and he felt ashamed. He didn't mean to break the warrior code. He thought he was doing the right thing, but obviously it wasn't.

Waterpaw looked at Yellowfang's reaction. She didn't seem too thrilled about an apprentice taking care of her. Her mood didn't change at all. She was still hostile as ever, even when the meeting ended. If only she knew how much safer she was here! Waterpaw padded up to Yellowfang. "Hi." She mewed softly. "You said that Brokenstar exiled you?"

Yellowfang gave her a stern look, like she was going to hiss, then perked her ears when she recognized her. "Waterpaw." Her mew was raspy, but much calmer than before. She looked down with sadness. "Yes, he exiled me."

"I'm sorry to hear that. But you're safe now."

Yellowfang didn't look up at Waterpaw. "Thank you." She meowed almost too low for Waterpaw to hear. "I don't think I'll be safe anywhere though."

Waterpaw didn't know what to say. Maybe she did know of the dream? Yellowfang's eyes were filled with sadness. Waterpaw tilted her head to the side when she saw a flash of regret in her eyes as well. What did she regret? But perhaps more importantly, why did she have regret?

Waterpaw shuffled her paws in awkwardness. "I'll leave you alone to your thoughts." She murmured then padded away. Yellowfang didn't object. She wanted to be alone. Then Firepaw padded up to her.

"Can I you get you anything?" Asked Firepaw, twitching his whiskers nervously.

"Yeah, and hedgehogs fly!" She rasped. "Haven't you got in enough trouble?" She spat.

"Didn't you hear Bluestar say that I have to take care of you?" He protested.

"I don't need a kittypet taking care of me!" Her haunches sprang up, like she was ready to pounce in fury.

Firepaw backed away, and dipped his head. "Let me at least get you some bedding to sleep." He mewed softly.

The old medicine she-cat was about to object, but realized it was probably for the better. She really did need the care. Her body ached and she felt more alone than ever. "While you're at it, ask for some poppy seeds from Spottedleaf. My body needs a good night's rest."

Firepaw nodded and trekked away to the medicine den. He poked his head in. "Spottedleaf?" He mewed.

"Spottedleaf is treating someone right now," Mewed Waterpaw, padding up to him. "What can I help you with?"

Firepaw stared at her. He had forgotten that she switched to being a medicine cat. "Some poppy seeds for Yellowfang."

Waterpaw padded to the storage of herbs they had neatly tucked away. She sniffed through them and found the poppy seeds behind some burdock. She grabbed a few poppies in her jaws and dropped them in front of Firepaw. Firepaw dipped his head, picked them delicately and bounded off. When he was just half a tail-length away, he looked back. Waterpaw followed his gaze. He was glancing at Spottedleaf. Then he bounded off towards the new prisoner of ThunderClan.

Waterpaw watched him leave. Her eyes were slightly wider than normal. She didn't want to believe what she thought had happened. Firepaw had some sort of crush on Spottedleaf. She's a medicine cat. Why would he love something so forbidden? Then she remembered her own love for someone.