The Cat and the Fox

Chapter 32

            Half a moon had passed since Marshmallowheart and Ashclaw became mates. Marshmallowheart had no idea what she was getting herself into. Stoneclaw decided to let Cottonnose tell his family about Ashclaw.

            "You're sure?" Cottonnose asked.

            Stoneclaw nodded. "Just make sure Snowtail doesn't murder him."

            "Will do," Cottonnose said, padding over to Snowtail and calling Fuzzytail over.

            "I hope everything goes well," Stoneclaw said to Ivygaze.

            Ivygaze nodded.

            "Guess all we can do is watch," Stoneclaw said.

            Ivygaze dipped her head then stared intently at the family.

            Although Stoneclaw couldn't hear Cottonnose from across the camp, he knew what he was saying. As Cottonnose explained, he watched as he saw Snowtail sheathe and unsheathe her claws rapidly. Fuzzytail seemed utterly confused. As Cottonnose finished, he had to hold Snowtail back from lashing at Ashclaw. Cottonnose spoke some more words to her, making Snowtail sheathe her claws and act calm.

            Stoneclaw glanced, seeing Ashclaw staring wide-eyed at the family who were whispering. Ashclaw quickly beckoned Marshmallowheart to the forest to hunt.

            "WHERE ARE YOU GOING?!" Snowtail hissed.

            Ashclaw ignored her, quickly running into the woods.

            Stoneclaw and Ivygaze padded over quickly to Snowtail, Cottonnose, and Fuzzytail.

            "What's he doing?" Stoneclaw asked.

            "I don't know," Cottonnose replied. "But I don't think it's something good."

            "They were fighting just before we began to talk," Fuzzytail explained. "When Cottonnose finished talking, Ashclaw acted all nice again and ran off with Marshmallowheart."

            "Maybe they're leaving the clan!" Snowtail hissed. "My daughter can't run off like that! Tell Smokestar! Tell the clan!"

            Ivygaze hissed, shaking her head.

            "No," Cottonnose said. "The five of us will go after them. For all we know, they could really just be hunting."

            "Okay," Stoneclaw said. "Should we split up?"

            Cottonnose nodded. "My family will stick together. Stoneclaw and Ivygaze will be a team too."

            They both nodded, padding into the woods. Cottonnose and his family took a different route into the woods.

            "MARSHMALLOWHEART! ASHCLAW!" Stoneclaw yowled as he and Ivygaze pondered through the forest.

            No sound came. All Stoneclaw and Ivygaze heard was the falling of leaves. They were in the middle of leaf-fall.

            "MARSHMALLOWHEART!" Stoneclaw yowled.

            As they continued to walk, Stoneclaw and Ivygaze heard a loud screech. It sounded like Marshmallowheart!

            "We have to run!" Stoneclaw hissed. The two ran through the forest, running to find Marshmallowheart. They heard a loud crunching of leaves ahead of them. Something had run away.