Warriors: Third Strike: Book 2: Hunt for Survival

Chapter 16

[Dustyleap's POV]

I just woke up from being nudged. I opened my eyes and saw Witheredsoul staring at me. Had I done something wrong already or was he trying to get me for patrol? I opened my mouth to say something but he quickly talked over me.

"You are going on a small search party for Icehowl. He has been missing, and the last time anyone saw him was right after he brought the SmallClan's medicine cat over to Roseeyes. I heard that a tom from SmallClan is also missing. The two clans are joining together to look for them both. Hurry up and go to the camp entrance with Honeydrip and Swirlpool." The black and white tom hissed before exiting the den quickly.

I flicked my ear and slowly got up. My eyes adjusted to the darkness and I looked around the den. The two younger warriors must already be waiting for me. I couldn't see either of them in the den. I guessed that they wanted to go out as soon as they could, Honeydrip especially. That was her brother that was missing.

I soon went out of the den and headed toward the camp entrance. I just gave them a small nod and followed after them as they started to walk. I didn't even know where we were going, but I would keep an eye out for danger. They were two young warriors that needed more protection. They might have been warriors for a little bit, but I was still more experienced.

After we got to where a place scented of Roseeyes, Icehowl, and a few other cats, the other two stopped. I looked around trying to figure out what had happened here. There was some blood, but it scented of Roseeyes and a SmallClan warrior. None of it was Icehowl's. That was always reassuring. I scented someone coming. I glared toward the scent and saw three cats come out of the underbrush. Three SmallClan warriors. They must be the other half of the patrol.

"Hello, I am so glad you are here to help us. Sagecall is our missing warrior. He had a fight in our clan with your warrior. I hope neither of them are that hurt." The warrior said and I could tell the shecat was hurt by it all. She must be close to the tom.

"I'm Dustyleap. We have lost Icehowl. He's the warrior we assume had the fight with Sagecall. This is Honeydrip, his sister, and Swirlpool. If you look here, there is some blood with a SmallClan scent. Is this his scent?" I asked the three on the other side. The shecat walked up and sniffed the blood. Her face changed slightly and lifted her head back to me.

"It's his scent, but it's fresher than the other scent. We should hurry and try to find them. I don't think it's a good idea to let them stay out here this long alone. They will end up hurting each other, and it won't be good." The shecat said flicking her ear.