Warrior Cats: The Thistle and the Feather

Chapter 4

   This time Bouncepaw and Yellowpaw rarely left their dens. They've become antisocial, won't let any cat go near them except Willowfoot. Thistlepaw flinched when they said these words as he came back in to sleep,

   "Go away, fleabag! No one wants you around!" Bouncepaw hissed.

   Thistlepaw noticed Featherpaw at the very end of the den, sulking in her nest. Sighing, Thistlepaw arranged his new nest and settled down next to her.

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   Thistlepaw purred as he heard his name mentioned for the dawn patrol, "Yang, lead the dawn patrol, take Thistlepaw, Sandcloud, Bouncepaw, Yellowpaw, and Willowfoot." The purr changed into a growl as he heard Bouncepaw's and Yellowpaw's name. Why did they have to take those rude furballs around?

   Yang touched his muzzle to Thistlepaw's head, "Blossomheart is just trying to get them up and going again," He sighed, "Only so many cats know why they're so negative and sulky." Yang turned around and headed out with the patrol, Bouncepaw and Yellowpaw dragging behind. Nervously, Thistlepaw dragged back with them.

   "Hey guys! Excited for the patrol? Who knows who we may encounter!" He tried to sound enthusiastic.

   "I hope we encounter Cloudkit," Bouncepaw murmured quietly, inaudible to Thistlepaw's ears. Yellowpaw nodded.

   "Cloudpaw," Yellowpaw corrected.

   Fur bristling, Thistlepaw snapped at them, "Who is this Cloud guy!? You were murmuring about him last quarter-moon, and you never stop talking about him!"

   Bouncepaw's eyes narrowed into slits and he opened his mouth to speak, but Yang beat him to it, "Thistlepaw, why don't you come up to the front of the patrol? It is your first patrol after all."

   The young tom bolted for the front of the patrol, that's right! He remembered, it's his first patrol! He'd been too busy with Bouncepaw and Yellowpaw that he forgot it was his first patrol.

   "Willowfoot, take Bouncepaw and Yellowpaw to that side of the border and mark it, I'll take Sandcloud and Thistlepaw and I will go mark this border," Yang nodded to the she-cat.

   The cats walked along the border, Sandcloud and Yang teaching Thistlepaw to mark properly and to recognize an intruding scent when there was one. Eagerly, Thistlepaw finished his job, and sat licking his chest fur whilst waiting for the senior warriors. Only now did Thistlepaw realize how old Sandcloud was, she had gray strands of fur in some places, even her whiskers were turning gray. Why wasn't she in the elder's den? He shrugged and started back up to meet with the other half of the patrol, but Yang stopped him. Thistlepaw looked at Yang, confused, then he realized why.

   It's a scent he's never picked up before, but it was easily classifiable through the noises that went along with it. Dog.

   Yang yowled, his eyes wide with panic, "Get the other part of our patrol! Quick!" Thistlepaw nodded and ran to Willowfoot and her kits, by the looks of it they had just finished marking.

   Bouncepaw was about to snap at Thistlepaw, but he figured otherwise, this looked urgent, "Dog!" Thistlepaw yowled.

   Willowfoot's eyes turned wide and followed Thistlepaw to Yang and Sandcloud. The dog was even closer, it's yapping seemed to break the young tom's ears. Everyone looked at Yang with panicked faces.

   Yang gulped, "Sandcloud, Willowfoot, run at it. Distract it away from our patrol and camp, Bouncepaw, Thistlepaw come at it from behind and claw at it. Yellowpaw, you and I will jump onto it."

   Everyone sprang into action except for Bouncepaw and Yellowpaw, but they had no time to notice. Sandcloud and Willowfoot hissed at the dog, turning its direction from the patrol to them. Yang caught up to the dog and jumped on it's back, clinging on with sharp claws. The dog stopped and yelped, kicking around, trying to get Yang off. Thistlepaw cursed under his breath, why were Bouncepaw and Yellowpaw still standing there?

   Cursing, Thistlepaw ran for the dog's hind legs and scratched at them. The dog barked, it's eyes filled with terror, it successfully shook Yang off, and started to run away, but Sandcloud was being too bold! 

   "You scared, you flea-pelt?" She hissed.

   The dog stopped, understanding the mock in her voice and growled and charged at Sandcloud. Before any cat could get there, the dog smashed against her, and she flew across the clearing, still and unmoving. Thistlepaw gasped, a deep growl forming in his throat.

   "How dare you hurt my Clanmate!" Thistlepaw leaped at the dog scratching it's muzzle, he leaped again and clinged onto its neck, biting it with fury. The dog yelped and pawed at Thistlepaw. Weak from hanging on, the apprentice fell. The dog was barking frantically and ran away for good.

   He looked around with triumph, he sent the dog away! Where was Yang and Willowfoot? He looked behind him, oh no. He ran next to them and stared at Sandcloud's cold and still body. She wasn't breathing.

   "She isn't... dead," He choked the word out, "Is she?"

   Yang sighed, "That dog was powerful, we were lucky it ran away so easily. We were lucky we survived with only..." His father stopped, he didn't know how to phrase it.

   Willowfoot buried her head, "You were like a mother to me."

   "Nettlestar will be sad," Yang mewed and picked up Sandcloud's body. Thistlepaw flinched as he saw the limp body dragged over the ground. Bouncepaw and Yellowpaw were frozen. Willowfoot stared at them with menace.

   "My foolish kits!" She yowled, "If you participated, like you were supposed to, Sandcloud would be alive! Get over it! Cloudpaw is BreezeClan now, he isn't coming back!" Her yowl turned into a whimper and trekked back to camp with Yang.

   The camp gasped when they saw the patrol come back in with not only no prey, but Sandcloud's body. Darkclaw's eyes were dark and hollow, Sandcloud must've been her mother. Blossomheart closed her jaws and walked solemnly into the leader's den. Thistlepaw could make out mumbling, and Nettlestar walked out, he stopped at the sight of his dead former mentor. The leader crouched down next to the body and nested his head in her fur, not speaking. The cats quietly came, one by one, to sit vigil.

   Featherpaw ran over to Thistlepaw, "What happened?"

   "Dog. Bouncepaw and Yellowpaw didn't help out." He murmured.

   "It's all their fault," She hissed, "Nettlestar needs to know!" She ran off in his direction. Thistlepaw couldn't stop her. Nettlestar was in too much grief, he'd give the apprentices a bigger punishment than they deserved.

   Nettlestar rose, his eyes slits as he focused on the two apprentices, "You just stood there!? Not only is it against the warrior code to stand by and do nothing in a battle, this isn't of any surprise from you two! You will be punished greatly!  From this day on, you are both known as Bouncekit and Yellowkit again until you earn your warrior name! You will train with a kit name, and both your warrior ceremonies will be delayed by two moons!" He yowled.

   Bouncekit and Yellowkit shrinked back and ran into the nursery. Every cat stared after them, their eyes filled with sympathy.