WARRIORS: THE STORM AHEAD

Chapter 8

Barktail padded through the path of trees that led out of horseplace. Fox was behind him.
The sun was just starting to rise, and even though Fox had said it was okay, Barktail still felt uneasy leaving the camp in broad daylight when he was supposed to be restricted to it.

"So, what are you talking about, Clan night patrols looking for us?" Barktail heard Fox mutter.
"When I went out at night, there was three cats. I catched two of their names, Minnowpool and Mudspots. The Clans seem to be sending out cats for us and our scents." Barktail replied.

Fox nodded at him as if she understood. The marshy ground of the Clan territory was getting closer. When they reached the border, Barktail saw the water stretching out in front of him.

Fox smirked. "Barktail, what do you say we go in again?"
Barktail's fur bristled. "Fox, I literally just told you that the Clans are sending out cats for us! What would happen next? What if they attack horseplace?"
Fox didn't blink an eye."We're going in that water again, whether the Clan cats like it or not."

Before Barktail could protest, Fox dashed to the water and dived straight in. Barktail cantered in after her. The water rippled around them.

Fox motioned the tabby tom to look a certain way, and when he turned, he saw an island.

"We're gonna go there."

Barktail couldn't contain his shock. "Fox, Clan cats could be living there!"
"Said the cat who snuck out at night, disobeying his own fathers orders, and giving us both the idea to come here." Fox snorted.

Barktail sighed. This is all your fault. he thought to himself. Fix it.
"Okay, we'll go to the island. And if we see any Clan cats, we immediately turn away. Got it?"
Fox nodded. "Let's swim, then."

As they were swimming, Fox turned her head to Barktail.
"You know, I remember when you used to think that Clan cats were innocent. You've clearly changed. Are you going to change your name now?"
Barktail ducked away in embarrassment. "I-I don't think 'Bark' would suit me well."

The island was a few fox-lengths away from the strays, and Barktail noticed a Clan patrol come out of the trees on the land.
Apparently Fox had noticed too, so she began pushing Barktail's head underwater and forcing him towards the island. Her body was drenched under too, so that made it harder for the both of them.

When Barktail needed air, he tried to push Fox to let go of him, but his claws hit earth.
The brown tabby sucked in air as he climbed up and onto the island. He didn't know if Fox was there yet, but he assumed she was doing the same as him.

When the stray reached the top, only then did he realize that two cats were up there.
Clan cats.

Barktail didn't know which group screeched first.
One of the Clan cats, a light brown tabby she-cat that looked about his size, was already scrabbling down back into the water.
The other cat, a white tom, stayed back with his claws unsheathed, snarling.

Barktail was just about to follow the she-cat when the tom leaped at him, sending a powerful blow at his right shoulder.
Barktail shrieked, frantically trying to claw the tom's belly, but he failed miserably.
This tom has clearly been trained. the brown tabby suddenly thought. Have the Clan cats been training against us?

Then Barktail heard a scream,
"Cloudpaw, stop!"

The white tom walked off Barktail, and the stray finally had a chance to breath. He saw the light brown tabby she-cat standing in the island clearing, confronting the other cat.

The she-cat turned to Barktail and whispered, "Please go back to horseplace. It's for your safety."
Barktail dived back into the water without a second thought. Only then did he realize that he had left Fox with the Clan cats.

He turned to go back, then immediately turned away.
The white tom would shred me.
Barktail continued swimming back to land as the island faded into the horizon.