Warriors: Starbound Paws

Starbound Paws: Chapter 9

Smokestar's patrol had gotten back without any problems, the steady stream of cats into the empty clearing warming Badgerpaw's chest. The moon had been covered by clouds shortly after Tigerjaw and Skunkpaw had returned; out of breath and covered in burrs. Skunkpaw avoided his questions and limped off with Heatherheart as soon as they had returned, leaving Badgerpaw to sit in silence with Tigerjaw until Smokestar approached.

"You seem uneasy, Tigerjaw," Smokestar observed. Tigerjaw looked to the cats that had entered the clearing, many of them retreating to their dens without a word.

"Monk is back," Tigerjaw mewed. Badgerpaw could see Smokestar's jaw clench, his gaze hardening.

"Did you drive him off?" Tigerjaw shook his head, looking over to the medicine den. "Then he's still on our territory?"

"No," his gaze was pulled from the medicine den. "He was after Skunkpaw; she said she lost him after climbing a tree." Badgerpaw shifted his weight from paw to paw, suddenly feeling as if he didn't belong in this discussion. "I smelled Waterclan scent," Tigerjaw hissed quietly.

"Did you recognize the smell?" Skunkpaw's head popped out from the medicine den, her ears flat against her head and her tail dragging in the dirt behind her. Smokestar sat down in front of Tigerjaw, his eyes still boring into Tigerjaw's.

"It was Fallencloud," Smokestar narrowed his eyes. Tigerjaw shifted his tail, wrapping it properly around his front paws. Badgerpaw wasn't sure he had ever seen Tigerjaw nervous before.

"Fallencloud? She was at the gathering..." His dark-green gaze was suddenly focused on Badgerpaw, his eyes burning into Badgerpaw's pelt. "Did you smell anything? Anything at all?"

"N-no," Badgerpaw stammered. Apparently Smokestar hadn't forgotten he was there.

"And it was just her, correct?" Tigerjaw nodded, his eyes landing on Skunkpaw once more. Her black and white pelt moved sluggishly across the clearing. She gave the kill-pile a tentative sniff, but flinched away as if it had swiped at her. "Then we must increase the patrols along the Windclan borders. A rogue and a Waterclan cat in one night," Smokestar shook his head. "Something must be done."

"Yes, Smokestar," Tigerjaw agreed. "I'll take a group at first light."

"No apprentices," Smokestar warned, rising to his paws and padding towards his den.

"Why did Smokestar seem surprised that it was a Waterclan cat?" Badgerpaw risked asking, looking up to Tigerjaw.

"We don't share a border with Waterclan," he answered. Without another word, he stood, padding slowly towards the warrior den and slipping in. The ferns fell back into place when he passed, the green strands shivering from the disruption.

Unease was consuming Badgerpaw's thoughts; the gentle warmth of the nursery seemed so far away now. They were only apprentices, but it seemed like it'd been many moons since he sat purring alongside his sister and mother. Sighing, Badgerpaw decided to settle down for the night, hoping tomorrows light would bring better tidings. He padded past the kill-pile, which smelled more tantalizing than it ever had before, but Badgerpaw couldn't bring himself to eat. He shouldered his way past the greens draped across the apprentice den, feeling warmth spread across his entire body. Feeling more tired than he had ever felt in his life, Badgerpaw collapsed into his nest, noticing Skunkpaw settled in the corner of the den, away from all the apprentices.

-

Skunkpaw was still curled in the corner when Badgerpaw awoke, twitching wildly in her sleep. Now that there was a steady stream of light pouring through the ferns, Badgerpaw could see she hadn't moved her moss to sleep on. The dirt below his feet was cold, despite the warm rays of light.