Injured
The wind whipped through the tree's as the storm raged. Mice cowered in there dens, birds settled into hollows in tree's, squirrels scurried to there nests. The sun was hidden behind the thick black clouds, rain pelted the ground turning the soft grass into a swamp. Any sane cat would be settled into there nest, but four apprentices were unfortunately not as cautious as many in there clan.
"C'mon Silverpaw" said a soft voice rising above the storm. A silver striped she cat slunk out from under a bush, her grey eyes darted around warily as she took in the sights of the storm. Three more cats padded out behind her.
"Blackpaw, this is a bad idea" mewed a white she cat glancing at the most confident looking of the cats, a white tom with a deep black tail.
"Don't be a mouse-tail Whitepaw, Silverpaw and Greypaw are up for it" said the tom his brown eyes catching what little light there was, they almost glowed in the gloom. Whitepaw shook her pale head and her older brother, a thick furred grey tom shifted closer to her to keep her warm.
"Blackpaw...Blackpaw is right. The clan needs prey, this storm has raged for two sunrises. We are starving. They will see us as heroes when we go back with food" mewed Silverpaw glancing at her three siblings. Blackpaw smiled proudly, if Silverpaw would go along with him he knew the other two would happily. Whitepaw and Greypaw gave each other a look, brown eyes met green and they seemed to sigh in unison before nodding.
"Were in" said Greypaw finally.
The wind whipped through the tree's as the storm raged. The tree's were battered and there branches whipped through the air. Leaves were torn, scattered coating the muddy ground. The apprentices fought on fighting off the storm.
"Silverpaw, Silverpaw look what I caught" mewed a chirpy voice. The silver she cat turned around and smiled, Whitepaw was dragging a large crow towards her. Her white fur was plastered to her sides, coated with mud but her brown eyes were bright.
"It was sat in a tree hiding from the rain, I leapt up and got it" she said tail lashing happily almost bouncing on her paws. Silverpaw let her grin widen and she padded to her sister helping her bury the prey.
"That a crow and three mice, I wonder what Greypaw and Blackpaw have" she mewed thoughtfully, it seemed her brothers heard as moments later they emerged from the surrounding tree's. Greypaw proudly held a large squirrel, Blackpaw carried two voles.
"The squirrel was darting up to its hideaway when Greypaw leapt for it" said Blackpaw laughing. The four cats laughed merrily when a large snapping made them look around fearfully instantly on alert. Greypaw sniffed the air his eyes wide.
"Pheasant" he said slipping into a crouch and padding towards the bushes. Whitepaw slid into an equal crouch and followed while Blackpaw and Silverpaw waited cautiously.
The wind whipped through the tree's as the storm raged. Smashes, shattering, breaking, flooding. The apprentices didn't stand a chance. A yelp of pain and fear shattered the wind filled air as a branch fell, it whipped through the air and slammed the young cat to the ground. Her siblings screamed in panic, the oldest bolted towards camp, his grey tail flying out behind him. A quiet whimper left the trapped she cat as her two remaining siblings slunk forwards. The two cats shared a scared look before curling around there sibling hoping there pelts would keep her warm. A pitiful mew echoed from between them, the scent of blood was evident but faint. The two cats shared another look praying to Starclan that they would be found soon.
The wind whipped through the tree's as the storm raged. Camp was chaos as the young apprentice ran in, his fur was plastered to there sides, mud was splashed up his legs, and his eyes were wide with fear.
"Greypaw, where have you been, where are your siblings" mewed a silver she cat leaping forwards her grey eyes angry and scared.
"Help, in the forest. Whitepaw is hurt" he said sinking to the ground with a pitiful mew. The silver she cat and a huge black tom shared a look of fear and the two sprang out of camp in an instant.
"Oakpelt, Dappleshine go with them" said a powerful voice as a golden brown tom cat leapt down from the Highstones that hung over camp. The brown tabby and dappled grey she cat nodded and bounded after the two frantic warriors. Greypaw lay on the ground trembling as the golden brown tom and a light brown she cat padded over to him.
"Come on Greypaw, your parents will get the others back here. You should come with me" she said gently helping him to his paws. The leader dipped his golden head and helped her support the young tom.
The wind settled, the clouds cleared. Four muddy warriors re-entered camp, all carrying a bundle. Two apprentices padded at there paws eyes hollow. All of the cats were splattered with mud. The golden leader left the medicine den and padded to them his paws sinking slightly in the swampy earth that currently made up there camp.
"Birchfur is waiting" he said softly to the silver queen who split of from the others. The two apprentices trembled as there mother walked away.
"Silverpaw, Blackpaw...I think you should spend the night in the warriors den with your father, if thats okay Nightclaw" the noble leader said softly. The two apprentices looked at each other and then up at the large black tom. Nightclaw nodded gently and herded his two kits towards the warriors den. The rest of the clan had gathered by now, the crowd was a mass of colour pelts as the two remaining warriors dropped there bundles on the ground, bundles that consisted of two voles, three mice, a crow and a squirrel.
"Well they certainly proved themselves tonight. Even if was against the rules" mewed Dappleshine softly. Oakpelt nodded in agreement before padding through the crowd towards the warrior den.
Morning rose over the clan swiftly, cats shifted from comfortable positions glad to hear the rain had stopped. In the warrior den two small apprentices snuggled closer to there fathers warm body as he gently shook them awake.
"Come on you too, we can go and see your brother and sister" he mewed softly. The young silver she cat leaning on him lifted her soft head, her grey eyes were clouded with fear.
"Will Whitepaw...will she blame us. It was all our idea" she mewed softly. Blackpaw also looked up his ears flattening to his head, the two cats looked at there father warily.
"I can't promise she won't, but as long as you didn't force her into it...she will forgive you with time" he mewed nudging them to there paws and out of the den.
The medicine den was warm when the two apprentices crept in with there father. A sweet, soft, soothing scent bombarded there noses and there worries seemed to drift away like mist on a lake. A soft purr reached there ears and in unison, born from moons of practise they turned to see there silver furred mother curled around there two siblings. Greypaw was awake and was gently being groomed. Whitepaw was curled up, eyes bleary and cobwebs wrapped thickly around her back leg. She lifted her head when her siblings entered, a soft smile lit up her muzzle as they padded over to her. She sat up nuzzling the two of them gently.
"I'm sorry if I got you in trouble" she mewed leaning back. Her two siblings muzzle's dropped and they looked confused.
"We got you injured, and your worried about us?" mewed Blackpaw in disbelief.
"You kept me warm, and you kept me awake...Thats what matters" she mewed softly as she gently lay back down wincing slightly.
"How...how bad it is?" mewed Silverpaw softly. There mother shook her silver head.
"Sprained, she will be stopped from training for a moon. Birdsong isn't happy with any of the four of you. She has no apprentice for a moon now, but...well" Frostwing cut of with a smile and looked at her daughter who grinned.
"No way are you three becoming a warrior without me" said Whitepaw bluntly flicking her tail happily. Her siblings all smiled, Greypaws was slightly more forced but he nuzzled his sister happily.
"We would wait for you" he promised and the other two nodded.
"We would always wait for you" promised Blackpaw lashing his black tail. Whitepaws face lit up as Birchfur padded over.
"Right, let your sister rest. Your going to aggravate her injury" she mewed sternly. The two apprentices nodded as Greypaw leapt to join them.
"You three are lucky. It could have been worse" mewed Nightclaw as his three bouncy, hyper, living kits bounded out.