Rainpaw was quite sleepy. He had just come back from the morning patrol, in which he had to drive off a small group of rouges. The clan was still small - two apprentices, a leader, and a kit was not much. It wasn't many mouths to feed, but every cat had more to do then usuall.
He yawned, dropping a mouse, a vole, and two sparrows on the pile before taking the rid sparrow he had caught for himself. He padded towards the side of the camp, lying down and devouring the plump bird. It tasted marvelous - an empty belly tended to make things seem much better then they usually are.
The scents of the forest drifted past his nose, mingling with the scent of the mouthwatering fresh kill he was devouring. The trees, the stream, the medical herbs, Leafstar's scent - Rainpaw sat up, his whiskers twitching.
He opened his mouth slightly, allowing the forest scents to wash over him again. There were the same familiar scents, but there was something mingled with them. It was a scent he wasn't sure what it came from.
Rinpaw would have kept eating, had there been at least another cat in the camp. But here was, alone in the camp. And for all he knew, a rouge or a loner was about to burst through the bushes and claw his pelt off.
The scent vanished, and Rainpaw stretched. Whatever it was, it was gone. Probably just a stray that had wandered to far into the territory. Leafstar came through the camp entrance a few moments later.
She choose the vole that Rainpaw had caught, and padded over to share tounges with him as he ate. "Did you catch all of those by yourself?" Rainpaw nodded, taking another bite of the sparrow. "Your becoming quite a fine hunter, if I say so."
She suddenly shot up, her hackles raised. "Fox!" Rainpaw stopped eating, unsheathing his claws. That was it! The scent he couldn't place earlier! He knew it was familiar! As if a silent answer had been given to the unasked question, three foxes padded through the camp entrance, their lips curled back in a snarl. Leafstar and Rainpaw both hissed. How could three foxes just waltz into a camp? Was that even possible?
Two of the foxes were limping, and seemed hurt. Probably rouges or loners had attacked them. The better looking of the foxes snarled at us, seeming to protect the other two. Rainpaw leaned closer to Leafstar.
"I think it's trying to protect its mate..." Leafstar answered with a hiss. "Don't do anything stupid. We don't want any unnecessary deaths." Rainpaw nodded. He wouldn't kill them if he had to, but if need be, he wasn't afraid to kill the foxes. They had some nerve to just waltz into a camp!
Leafstar leapt at the stomach of the back injured fox, clawing at it, causing blood to well up from the wound. Thr fox hissed, swiping at her, but missed completely. Rainpaw jumped up on the other injured foxes eyes, sinking his claws deep into the head of the predator. It squeezed, blood trickling into its eyes - it dashed off back through the entrance after Rainpaw leapt off.
The remaining to foxes slashed at the two cats, but we're obviously exhausted - they missed completely with each swipe, and after a few more scratches to the stomach, the only fox that remained was the un - injured one. Leafstar nipped at its legs while Rainpaw slashed at its stomach with his claws - but to no avail. The fox snarled, shaking its head before trying to bite Rainpaw, but Rainpaw was ready. A well timed slash to the eyes, and the fox whimpered away, following the foxes that had stumbled upon the camp.
Both Rainpaw and Leafstar were panting heavily, but neither had been touched by the foxes wildly thrown swipes. Leafstar twitched her tail, breathing out a sigh of relief. "You okay Rainpaw?" Rainpaw nodded. "Yeah. I think so."
They both stop there for a moment, scenting the air. After the time, Leafpaw let her fur lie flat again. "They are gone." Rainpaw let his fur lie flat as well, and sheathed his claws. "I hope that NEVER happens again. NEVER." Leafstar let out a our of amusement, rubbing muzzles with Rainpaw. "Thats not true. I would rather wish for them to come and I beat them, rather then I come and they are able to get to the nursery."
Rainpaw purred, rubbing his muzzle agains Leafstar's in return. "True. But I would rather have them in the forest, where we can track them down and fight when we were ready. What would have happened I'd you has not came back to the camp only a little while before the foxes decided to raid our home?"
Leafpaw flicked her tail in amusement. "Your an apprentice now Rainpaw. You can't always count in somebody else to fight battles for you now. One day, you MIGHT have to fight the three foxes alone, but I know you'll be able to do it. Your not one to go off and die without good reason. If there is some sliver of a chance of victory - some sliver of a chance that you can win, you leap at it with all of the might you have, and pray that Starclan is watching over you."
Rainpaw padded back over to the sparrow he had been eating before the foxes had attacked. It was still there, but the aroma now smelt like foxes - which, needless to say, he had enough experience with to last for the rest of the day. He slowly rolled it over next to the vole Leafstar had been eating, and stretched. Leafstar looked at him suprised.
"Your not one to usually turn down food." Rainaw felt his whiskers twitch. "Well, I do have to go on the patrol. I should probably see what happened to the other apprentice while I am out there - make sure he didn't get eaten by one of the foxes."
And with that, Rainpaw dashed out of the camp.