Warrior Cats: The Deaf Warrior

Chapter Seven

Oakfang helped Goosepaw and Fuzzypaw reach the other side of the stream. He called out something to Applepelt, but the reddish she cat was already running in the direction of the camp.

Bramblepelt and Lilypaw were talking very fast, fear scent wafting about them. Bramblepelt said one word that Goosepaw recognised.

Fox.

Oakfang gave Goosepaw a nudge, and he started running alongside the rest of his Clanmates. Himself, Fuzzypaw and Lilypaw were clearly slower. Oakfang turned around, calling to Goosepaw, "There's a fox! Applepelt's gone to get more help."

Goosepaw had never seen a fox before, and he could already feel his head spinning with fear. He had of course heard stories. Foxes weren't frequently found in RiverClan territory. It was likely the fox had come from ShadowClan territory.

It doesn't matter. It's our problem to deal with now!

Then, Goosepaw saw the fox.

Reddish fur, a long, black muzzle, and huge, snapping teeth.

It charged straight at Oakfang, who leaped to the side with powerful back legs.

Everything around Goosepaw was a blur. Bramblepelt was quickly meowing orders to Lilypaw. He didn't understand that. Oakfang was yowling something to Goosepaw, and he didn't understand that. There was too much panic. Goosepaw wasn't ready.

Fuzzypaw was frozen. She looked terrified.

Just a few moments ago, Lilypaw had spoken about how she had been excited for her sister's first battle.

He could tell this wasn't what she had wanted. Glancing in Lilypaw's direction, who was trembling, ears flat against her head as Bramblepelt spoke to her, he could tell she was as scared as her sister, and as scared as Goosepaw.

Bramblepelt didn't have time to finish giving orders. The fox sank its teeth straight into Bramblepelt's back. Oakfang leaped at the fox, raking his claws across its face.

"Goosepaw!" despite the chaos, Fuzzypaw still spoke slowly enough for Goosepaw to understand, much to his relief. "What do we do?"

For a few moments, he didn't reply, feeling sick to the stomach. Glancing in the direction of the warriors, he could see Oakfang on top of the fox, trying to wrestle it to the ground. The fox let go of Bramblepelt. The brown tabby was covered in blood, but he still fiercely faced the fox despite his injuries.

"Whatever we can do." Goosepaw told his denmate.

Goosepaw ran at the fox, feeling his legs trembling. Was he about to faint? Fuzzypaw was at his side.

Goosepaw raked his claws down the fox's side, but it paid no attention to Goosepaw, trying to shake Oakfang of its back.

Fuzzypaw sank her teeth into the fox's leg. The fox glared at her, shaking her off. Fuzzypaw went flying, and Goosepaw raced over to the fluffy she cat.

"Are you okay?" He asked. She gave a terrified nod.

Suddenly, Fuzzypaw looked in a completely different direction. "Lilypaw!" She called out.

Lilypaw was gone. She probably ran away. I don't blame her. I want to do the exact same thing.

Fuzzypaw raced off into the distance, heading straight past the fox. Goosepaw was at her side. Fuzzypaw turned to him. "I heard Lilypaw screeching," she explained. "Something bad is happening!"

No.

StarClan, please protect Lilypaw!

They were quite a distance away from Oakfang and Bramblepelt now.

And very close to another ginger creature, with a long, black, muzzle, and sharp teeth.

Another fox.

And it was glaring straight at Lilypaw.

Goosepaw was ready to sacrifice himself. Sure, Lilypaw had treated him badly, but she was still his Clanmate, and he still cared for her.

But Fuzzypaw got there first.

The fuzzy furred apprentice ran as fast as her short, stubby legs could carry her, so that she stood in-between Lilypaw and the fox.

The fox stared at Fuzzypaw for just a moment. Then it leaped.

"Fuzzypaw!" Goosepaw could feel from his body vibrating that he was yowling.

The fox pinned the grey tabby to the ground, clawing at one of her eyes, sinking its teeth into her shoulder.

Lilypaw raced away.

Goosepaw knew he couldn't help. They needed to get help, so he quickly caught up with Lilypaw.

Lilypaw stared at him for a moment or two, before giving him a small nod.

There was a bigger group fighting the first fox now. Oakfang, Bramblepelt, Bluetail, Dawnpaw and Applepelt. The fox was clearly beaten, heading back in the direction of ShadowClan territory.

Lilypaw screeched something to the rest of the cats, and they immediately ran in the direction of the second fox.

Goosepaw and Lilypaw were quickly left behind, being much slower than the rest of the cats. Goosepaw noticed how quickly Dawnpaw was running, keeping up with the rest of the warriors.

She's so strong.

Despite his slowness, he still ran, as did Lilypaw.

The patrol started to fend off the fox. Applepelt pinned the fox, and Bluetail raked her claws down the fox's stomach.

Oakfang headed over to Fuzzypaw, nudging to her paws. Lilypaw bounded over to her sister, and snarled a few things to Oakfang.

They ended up dragging Fuzzypaw along together.

The fox fled, heading in the same direction as the other fox.

Bramblepelt was quite badly injured, and Fuzzypaw was, from what Goosepaw could see, unconscious. He could see the terror in Lilypaw's eyes as she walked past him with her sister's body. That so easily could have been either of us.

Dawnpaw bounded over to Goosepaw. She didn't look hurt at all, but unlike Goosepaw, there was blood on her paws. "Fox's blood," she reassured him, noticing him examining her paws. "You look well."

"I didn't even fight," he answered, lowering his head guiltily. "And now Fuzzypaw is hurt."

"It's okay," Dawnpaw answered, placing her tail on his shoulders. "You were scared. It's fine. You were only apprenticed a few days ago. Experiences like this will make you stronger."

Goosepaw found that hard to believe. He was pretty sure this experience had traumatised him rather than make him stronger. He still felt like he could faint at any moment.

He just kept imagining Fuzzypaw's body.

He hadn't really seen much, but there had been a lot of blood covering one of her eyes, and her shoulder and her stomach had been bleeding pretty badly too.

Those foxes had better stay away from our territory.

He kept thinking of Fuzzypaw's body. It made him feel sick.

He felt himself falling head first to the ground, the world spinning around him. And then everything went black.

For a moment, it was almost as though he could hear Dawnpaw's voice, calling out his name, urging him to get back to his paws.

Oh, he only wished for that to be real.