Sorry for the delay in chapters! I've been busy with Homework and School,, and I didn't feel motivated to do this for a while. Thanks to everyone who's been reading along!!
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"Mudstripe and Sagebreeze, you will be going on a border patrol. Sagebreeze, you'll be taking Foxpaw."
Sagebreeze dipped her head at Antpelt's demands and padded over to the apprentices den. She woke him up and made her way out of camp, Mudstripe dragging behind. It felt uncomfortable, especially since Mudstripe was talking behind her back, enraged by how much she followed the mouse-brained rules Dogstar had made.
"Why is the border so far away?" Foxpaw asked, his eyes lit with slight concern.
"I think another clan used to live here." Sagebreeze didn't really know herself, she just remembered a battle a long time ago and running off with Quailcall - Quailpaw at the time - to a secret cave. They stayed there the entire battle, no one ever found the cave. Quailpaw, however, was still punished for leaving the battle early.
Mudstripe stopped, "This is the end of our territory, the border. You got that, Foxpaw?"
Foxpaw nodded. Mudstripe started to mark the border, Foxpaw observing quietly as Mudstripe moved along.
"I think I get it," Foxpaw muttered, still examining Mudstripes actions. "I can help if you want!"
Mudstripe turned to look over his shoulder, looking Foxpaw in the eyes. "I want you to go further up the border by yourself. I need to discuss things with Sagebreeze on my own."
Does he think I'm mousebrained? He's going to attack me! He just doesn't want Foxpaw to witness so he won't get in trouble.
Foxpaw nodded, as if he either thought Mudstripe would never do anything wrong or was just too naive to understand the situation, and bolted up the border. Mudstripe smiled, then caught Sagebreeze's gaze.
"You're a fool," Sagebreeze growled. "How can you think this is right?"
Mudstripe's unsheathed his claws, "You are disgusting, Sagebreeze. You're either pathetic and too weak to stand up for yourself or you're just like Dogstar, a disgraceful, dirty traitor."
With that, Mudstripe sprang at Sagebreeze. She dodged just in time, if it were a second late she would've had a scratch raking across her side. Sagebreeze lunged at Mudstripe, knocking him onto the ground. She lifted a paw to slash it across his muzzle, but he kicked his hind legs into her belly fur. She winced, leaving Mudstripe time to scramble away.
"Mouseheart!" He hissed, running at Sagebreeze. Before she could move he had raked a claw across her cheek, blood being thrown into the air.
"Coward!" Sagebreeze yowled, throwing a strong blow at Mudstripe, knocking him backwards. She ran over to him and raked her claws over his face. Mudstripe flinched, his breathing heavy. Sagebreeze nicked his ear and stepped backwards to dodge a blow from Mudstripe.
"Dogstar picked a smart one, I see!" He snorted. "But I'll never die to the likes of you."
Sagebreeze backed away, observing Mudstripe. How is he still standing? Sagebreeze's heart skipped a beat. She'd heard gossip about Mudstripe being strongest young warrior the clan had to offer, but she expected it to just be exaggerated. I can't fight him forever.
"Scared, little mouse?" He smirked, lifting his claws to show them off. "Run all you want, but I will catch you and kill you, as duty to Starclan."
Run.
Sagebreeze turned heel and ran back to camp, faster than she'd ever ran before. She couldn't breathe, all she knew was that she needed to get back to camp, and she'd do anything to get there. She looked back, surprised to see Mudstripe falling behind. She didn't stay to question it, there wasn't time.
Jaytuft and Owleyes sat guarding the entrance to camp. Sagebreeze didn't catch their expressions, but she assumed they were in a state of shock. "Antleap!" Sagebreeze yowled, her eyes scanning the camp, finally meeting the eyes of the clan deputy as he exited the nursery.
"What is-" He paused as he saw Sagebreeze's wounds. He was completely silent for a second. "That stupid Foxbrain," He cursed under his breath.
A few seconds later, Mudstripe tumbled into camp, snarling for his 'little pal' to come out. Sagebreeze could almost feel the heat of Antleap's fur come off of him.
"You'll die for this."
Antleap launched himself at Mudstripe and bowled him over easily. He held him down with a strong paw, glaring down at Mudstripe. Mudstripe wriggled under Antleap's grasp, his eyes suddenly wide, his throat rasping out begs for mercy. Sagebreeze's gaze travelled over to the leader's den, where Dogstar emerged and gracefully padded over to them.
"Hello Mudstripe. Are you ready for you're punishment?" She smiled coldly.
"You're terrible. Ghastly."
"You've always been a trouble maker, Mudstripe. Don't act as if I'm unjust. You deserve what's coming to you."
Mudstripe was quiet, though fury still burned in his eyes.
"Antleap, you and Thistlepool, take him down to the river and toss him about, then put him in the old camps and lock him in the dirtplace. We'll be leaving him there for a day."
Antleap nodded and Thistlepool padded over to join him, her muscles rippling under her pelt. She picked Mudstripe up by the scruff and walked silently out of camp. Dogstar's gaze lingered on the exit, then moved over to Sagebreeze.
"Thank you," She whispered. "I always hated him, but I needed a reason to do this to him that wasn't petty." She wordlessly left Sagebreeze for her den. Sagebreeze stood in silence, unable to think for a brief minute.
She done this.
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Word count: 878
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