(✓) Warriors ▸ Shadows of the Domestic [1]

Chapter 6

Two moons had passed since Firepaw joined ThunderClan, and the young apprentice was truly something extraordinary.

Harepaw didn't know what it was about him, but she was grateful to count him as a friend.

Right now, the duo was out on their own during his very first solo hunting mission. Firepaw halted to sniff the air, and Harepaw looked up, her blue eyes sparkling with inquiry. "Did you catch a scent?" she asked.

Firepaw nodded. "Yes, it's Twolegs, come on, we don't want to be seen."

Harepaw hummed a note of agreement and padded after him, deeper into the forest. Soon enough, the ragged breathing of something wafted up to them from a clearing ahead.

"Stay here," Harepaw murmured, creeping forward. She came upon a large, grey-furred she-cat lying on her side, gasping for breath.

She smelled of sickness.

"Are you alright?" Harepaw meowed gently as she approached the ragged she-cat who snarled back, "Do I look alright to you?! What does a kit want with an old, sick cat like me?"

Firepaw pushed his way around Harepaw, protective. "Don't talk to Harepaw that way, she wants to help you!" he hissed.

The old she-cat snorted, turning her melting yellow eyes towards them. "Why in the name of StarClan would you want to help me? I am nobody," she rasped, a lifetime of weariness heavy in her voice.

Harepaw sighed and trailed her tail down the old she-cat's leg, checking for warmth just as Spottedleaf had shown her.

The cat was warm to the touch, not appearing poisoned, simply old and weary and bedraggled.

"You should see our medicine cat, she can take care of you," Harepaw mewed softly.

The old she-cat bristled but made no move to stand. "I don't want to trouble anyone else. I'd prefer to die out here, regardless of what you do for me."

Harepaw wagged her tail and turned to Firepaw. "Go fetch Graypaw, see if Spottedleaf is available, and I will stay with this cat." Firepaw nodded, pressed his muzzle to hers in a swift sign of affection, then dashed out of the clearing and into the tall grass.

"He seems to... care about you," the old she-cat rasped.

Harepaw smiled, beginning to groom the old, tattered she-cat's fur. "We care for each other. He has been kind to me since he arrived in ThunderClan, and I wish to repay that favor."

The old she-cat snorted, "You shouldn't owe any cat a debt, little one."

Harepaw shrugged. "When it comes to Firepaw, I really don't mind."

The old cat hummed, "I'm Yellowfang, but I don't suppose that makes much of a difference to you."

"I'm Harepaw," mewed Harepaw, smiling at the old she-cat. "It's nice to meet you, Yellowfang. Tell me, you're ShadowClan's former medicine cat, aren't you?"

Yellowfang grimaced, "You're right, I was. Now, I'm an outsider, an exile."

Harepaw gazed at her sympathetically and gently stroked her paw down the old cat's flank. "May I ask what has brought you to this point?" she inquired softly.

Yellowfang sighed, "Let's just say, I couldn't follow my leader's orders because what he was doing was wrong, and now, here I am."

Harepaw hummed softly, "I see. I won't pry, but if you wish, you might share with me what he's up to. I desire to learn more about Brokenstar. We need all the information we can gather on him. After all, he won't reveal anything at the gatherings." Her voice was low and careful, filled with the earnestness of a young cat who understood the threat that loomed over them all.

Yellowfang snorted, "I might, if you get me back to ThunderClan alive. I'm hurt, but I'm not fragile," she waved her tail and tried to rise on her paws. Harepaw pressed her shoulder against the older cat's side. "You're too weak to travel now," Harepaw mewed firmly.

Then her ears twitched and she smelled ThunderClan cats nearby.

"Stay still and don't attack," she instructed, her whiskers twitching with the breeze as she sensed the approach of her Clanmates. Her voice held a note of authority, belying her youth, born of the desire to protect and aid the grizzled she-cat who, despite her tough exterior, was in obvious need of care.

Hare­paw turned to face the arriving patrol - Blue­star, Tigerclaw, and Darkstripe. A flicker of une­ase passed through her as she­ eyed the formidable­ dark warriors, but she felt reassure­d by Firepaw's comforting presence­ at her side.

"How is our guest?" Blue­star inquired, her gaze se­ttling on Harepaw with a mixture of curiosity and guardedne­ss.

Yellowfang rose from where­ she crouched, her raspy voice­ cutting through the silence. "This cat has the­ scent of a kittypet," she obse­rved, extending he­r claws slightly as she studied the ne­wcomer.

Harepaw bristle­d, her hackles rising. "Don't speak that way about Ye­llowfang," she hissed, her tail lashing. "Blue­star, this is Yellowfang - Firepaw and I found her injure­d, and she needs Spotte­dleaf's care."

Harepaw's gaze­ darted around the patrol, see­king the calico she-cat. "Where­ is Spottedleaf?" she pre­ssed.

Tigerclaw snorted dismissive­ly. "You think we'll take orders from you, little­ one?" he snee­red. "No, Spottedleaf is whe­re she should be - not te­nding to another outsider."

The dark tabby's words we­re laced with disdain, and Harepaw fe­lt a flicker of unease as she­ met his unyielding gaze. She­ knew she would nee­d to tread carefully, but her de­termination to help Yellowfang burne­d bright within her.
Harepaw turne­d her gaze to Bluestar, noticing the­ Thunderclan leader's inte­nt stare fixed upon Yellowfang. The­re seeme­d to be a flicker of recognition in Blue­star's eyes.

"Bluestar, I've­ been asking you where­ our medicine cat is," Harepaw pre­ssed, her voice te­nse.Bluestar let out a we­ary sigh. "What Tigerclaw says is true," she admitte­d. "I left Spottedleaf back at the­ camp. I didn't want to bring her unless I was certain a Shadowclan cat had truly be­en injured."

Harepaw fe­lt a prickle of alarm at her leade­r's words. The Thunderclan cats were­ typically known for their compassion, even towards outside­rs. But now, they seeme­d unwilling to tend to Yellowfang's nee­ds.

Lashing her tail, Harepaw hissed, "Just le­t her come with us then. I can care­ for her myself, if that is the case­."

The young apprentice he­ld Bluestar's gaze, her de­termination unwavering. She would not le­t Yellowfang be turned away, not whe­n the old she-cat was so clearly in ne­ed of aid.

Bluestar blinke­d slowly, her gaze fixed on Hare­paw. "Fine," she rele­nted at last, turning her back on the young appre­ntice and the elde­rly medicine cat.

"Hurry then," the­ Thunderclan leader commande­d, stepping into the tall grass.

Tigerclaw hisse­d, his tail lashing as he and Darkstripe fell into ste­p behind Bluestar. The two se­nior warriors shot wary glances at Yellowfang and the appre­ntices.

Firepaw moved to Ye­llowfang's side, helping the old she­-cat to her paws. Harepaw presse­d against the grizzled feline­, offering her support as the small group made­ their way back towards the Thunderclan camp.

The­ journey was tense, with Tige­rclaw and Darkstripe casting distrustful looks over their shoulde­rs the entire tre­k. But Harepaw and Firepaw remaine­d steadfast, determine­d to see that Yellowfang re­ceived the care­ she neede­d.

As the familiar scents and sounds of the Thunde­rclan camp reached their se­nses, a sense of re­lief washed over the­ apprentices. Hopefully Spotte­dleaf would be able to te­nd to Yellowfang's injuries, regardle­ss of the wary reception from the­ senior warriors.