Dragging his tired paws back into the apprentices, Pinepaw tried to ignore the scent of mouse bile that clung to his pelt. Sitting himself down in his nest, he had just started to wash the sour stink out of his fur, when Firepaw entered the den, fresh moss in his jaws.
"Oh StarClan, Pinepaw. You stink!" He commented, dropping the moss next to Tidalpaw's nest.
"Don't remind me, I had to get rid of Featherpelt's fleas and ticks all afternoon." He grumbled, Firepaw grunted as he worked moss into the nest.
"Yeah? I just replaced the moss in all the apprentice's nests." Firepaw complained. Pinepaw felt like his limbs were made of water, he was so exhausted after the patrol, then battle training then when he got back to camp, Palepaw had asked if he could help her because she had so much to do. All he wanted to do now was have some prey and then curl up in his nest to sleep. He heaved himself out of his clean comfortable nest to fetch some fresh kill, wandering over to the pile, he noticed a disturbance in the clearing. A group of cats, most of the clan actually, were gathered near the camp entrance, they seemed to be surrounding a patrol and Pebblespot was trying to push through the crowd with Palepaw right behind him. Whiteblaze was standing at the entrance to the nursery, looking on with interest and concern, her tail curled protectively around her two small kits who had still not opened their eyes but were awake.
He rushed over to her, "What is happening?" He asked
"A patrol was attacked by Rogues again!" She replied, her face twisted with worry.
Pinepaw pelted over, managing to slip under and through the legs of his clanmates until he reached the front, he saw Ambercloud, Silverwater, Quickfox, Lionfur and Tidalpaw. They were bloodied and looked defeated, Palepaw was patching up a large gash in Silverwater's shoulder and Pebblespot was tending to a heavily injured Tidalpaw. Pinepaw rushed forward to assist his mother, Quickfox was limping heavily, supported on one side by her mate and Pinepaw's father, Lighteningstreak. Pinepaw took the rest of the strain off her leg by supporting her other side, pushing through the crowd they managed to get to the medicine den, where they lowered her into a soft nest.
"Thank you." She said, through her wincing, Pinepaw could tell she was in a lot of pain, not only the look of her damaged leg, but because his mother always acted like she wasn't in pain or worried but now she was struggling to hide it.
"I'll fetch Palepaw she should be done by now." Lighteningstreak concluded, hurrying out of the den despite Quickfox's protests.
"Pinepaw have you been playing with mouse-bile?" His mother asked, he realised he still stunk of the wretched substance.
"I had to get rid of Featherpelt's ticks." She frowned at him.
"Did you do something wrong?" She asked.
"No, just helped out Palepaw." He replied, she beamed at this, happy to see one of her kits being so helpful.
At that moment, Palepaw entered the den.
"Quickfox! Let's have a look at this leg."
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Leaving the den, his mother and the others fast asleep and treated he retired to his den and collapsed into his nest.
"Is Quickfox ok?" Birdpaw asked, she had obviously been awake for a long time waiting for him to return, though Firepaw was fast asleep, after he had done the nests, he had somehow slept through the whole ordeal.
"She's asleep and the others are too." He replied, realising he still hadn't had any prey and he still stunk. Deciding to go down to the pond, to wash of in the surprisingly clean water and catch something to eat he pelted over to the entrance. Nettlestar stood guard, her ears pricked, she was very alert for any sign of the rogues, so she sensed him as he approached.
"Pinepaw. Where are you going?" She said, not turning her amber gaze off the territory that surrounded camp.
"I wanted to go down to the pond to wash off the scent of the mouse-bile, and catch something to eat. I haven't had anything all day." He replied sitting next to her. He looked out across the scene that lay before him, the camp sat on top of a small, flat hill in a clearing, it was shielded by bushes and a wall of rocks. The territory itself, was a hilly landscape that stretched on for ages, until it collided with Animalclan territory, where the land flattened out and became much denser with forest, whereas the sparse trees of LightClan territory, provided homes for prey and protection.
"Take a warrior with you, and watch out. Don't stray." She replied. Pinepaw suddenly felt scared, what if he was attacked ? As he went to fetch a warrior he revised the moves he was shown in the short lesson he had had.
"Pinepaw? What are you doing still up?" Lighteningstreak whispered when Pinepaw poked his head into the warriors den.
"I want to go to the pond and Nettlestar asked that I have a warrior with me." He explained in a hushed voice.
"Umm... alright I'll come." His father answered, a flicker of fear in his eyes.
They padded out of camp, nodding to Nettlestar as they passed, and nearly running into Eaglefeather who was on watch as well, as they walked Pinepaw felt more and more anxious, until every single snapped twig or owl's call made him jump a fox length in the air. Lighteningstreak had his eyes wide, scanning the bushes for any sign of rogues, when they reached the pond Lighteningstreak stopped, his ears pricked and gestured for Pinepaw to get closer to him. He did as he was told and eyed the bushes that surrounded them, but after a few moments with both of their noses raised, searching for any scent that could be threatening but, after a few minutes they relaxed. They were alone.
"Why did you want to come here?" He asked not daring to raise his voice above a whisper.
"I need to wash off the mouse-bile and I haven't had any prey." He said, feeling the rumble of his stomach once more.
So Lighteningstreak cast one more cautious look into the bushes and trotted off to hunt for his son, Pinepaw shook himself and stepped into the pond, he wandered deeper until the refreshing ice-cold water lapped at his stomach. He rolled over, making sure his paws felt the ground, LightClan didn't hate swimming, in fact they used it to clean themselves and for fun but they didn't rely on it for fish like PlantClan did. A short time later his father returned with a vole which Pinepaw graciously gulped down, Lighteningstreak then went off to find some more for the injured cats and Pinepaw was left alone again.
"Well, Red look what we have here."
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Hey guys, this chapter was a bit longer that previous, just thought I'd mention that I am still editing these so.., comment if you find mistakes! As always Thx for reading!!! Also check out my other story which is just a quick horror story!
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Warriors: The Darkness Within
Fanfiction"One will join the black stars, young but powerful, Trees will fall and rivers will burn as the sun sleeps. There will be two, as young who will quench the fire and there will be peace as the sun wakes." The prophecy is thrown into three young lives...
