Chapter 1
"Redclaw! Redclaw! Redclaw!" the ThunderClan chanted. Redclaw worked hard for this moment, he was finally a warrior! He had spent moons training as an apprentice, he remembered all those days hunting and training for battle.
"So, as tradition, Redclaw must guard the camp in silent vigil while we sleep," with that, Firestar climbed down from the Highledge, dismissing the clan. Redclaw, having already eaten, went to prepare for his vigil.
The other cats went to their dens, leaving Redclaw alone. The night was quite, which was very unusual for green-leaf. At moon-high, Redclaw heard a strange rustling noise at the top of the highest part of the camp walls. It must be huge! Redclaw thought. The rustling noise got even louder than before, leaving Redclaw wondering how it didn't wake the other cats. Redclaw was urged to go up there, to see what could be making so much noise, but he knew if Firestar found out, he would be in big trouble. Soon the noise became gradually getting quieter, signaling that the thing has left. Redclaw continued sitting through his vigil, not uttering a single word. The rest of the night was quiet.
Ω
"You're vigil's over, you may rest now." Redclaw was relieved when Brambleclaw talked to him as he left on the dawn patrol. Redclaw began heading towards the apprentices den, but remembered his warrior ceremony and headed instead for the warriors den, slightly excited by the prospect. He found a unused nest, curled up, and went to sleep.
Ω
When Redclaw woke, it was already sun-high. Leaving the warrior den, he looked around the camp, hoping to catch sight of Firestar or Brambleclaw. Not seeing them, Redclaw asked the nearest cat, who happened to be Berrynose, where they were.
"Firestar left to patrol the ShadowClan border and Brambleclaw left on a hunting patrol."
"Thanks," Redclaw responded. With that he left the camp and went immediately to where he had heard the noise the previous night to investigate. There was a badger-sized hole going through the brambles like a tunnel, with a lot of really dark brownish fur clinging to the bramble's thorny stems. He opened his mouth so he could catch the scent, which was very strange. The scent also had a bit of something he had smelled before, but he couldn't remember what it was. He followed the scent trail for a few fox-lengths before he realized where it was going. The scent trail led towards the Shadowclan border. Firestar's patrol! Redclaw raced after the creature, following through the tunnel it made through the undergrowth. As he approached the ShadowClan borderline, he detected new smells in the air: the strange creature's smell, ShadowClan, and ThunderClan blood! The smell of his clanmate's blood lent wings to his paws. He dashed out into a clearing, nearly tripping over his injured clanmates.
Redclaw looked around the clearing, noticing that everyone there was injured. Of all the cats, Firestar was the most injured. He had a long scratch along his right side and was holding his left paw to his chest. "What happened?" Redclaw asked Firestar.
"Something attacked us, I still don't know what it was," Firestar responded.
"What did it look like?" Redclaw asked.
"It had a thick, dark brownish coat and was about the size of a badger. I would say it was a badger, but it's claws were way to sharp for it to be a badger."
"Which way did it go?" Redclaw questioned Firestar.
"No, don't go chasing it. Go get Leafpool and Jayfeather. Quick!" Firestar told him.
Redclaw wasn't one to argue with his leader. Redclaw raced back to camp, following the same route for more speed. As he raced through the undergrowth, thoughts were racing through his head. What could do that much damage to so many cats?! What was it even doing here? Why haven't we encountered this thing before? Redclaw remembered the tales the elders had told him about badgers, about the time a large group of them attacked the ThunderClan camp. He heard of the damage they could do. But this was worse. Not even a badger would be able to do that to a patrol that size. Maybe two or three cats, but not five! Redclaw nearly dashed head-long over the highest part of the camp wall. He redirected his route and ran through the thorny tunnel leading into camp.
"Leafpool! Jayfeather!" Redclaw yowled out.
"What is it?" Leafpool asked calmly.
"Firestar needs you and Jayfeather quickly. He and his patrol have been injured," Redclaw responded.
"Coming. Jayfeather, get the marigold and cobwebs, I'll get the rest," Leafpool told Jayfeather, who was standing next to her. Jayfeather dashed into the medicine cat den with Leafpool right being him. Then they dashed back out with their mouths full of herbs. "Lead us to them," Leafpool told Redclaw. Redclaw immediately dashed out the camp, with the medicine cats right behind him. He took them to the tunnel that he had used twice before. "Redclaw, slow down some. We can barely keep up!" Redclaw had realized how fast he had been going and slowed down until he was right in front of the medicine cats. He lead them through the tunnel and into the clearing. The medicine cats immediately went about helping their clanmates.
"Now will you tell me where it went?" Redclaw asked Firestar.
"No, trust me, you don't want to fight it alone. If this whole patrol didn't hurt it, a single cat won't either," Firestar told Redclaw, who was trembling with rage.
"I don't care, it won't do this to ThunderClan and get away with it. Now where is it?" Redclaw asked again.
"Not right now. At least wait a while so we could help," Firestar stated.
"Okay, I'll wait," Redclaw reluctantly told him.
Leafpool came to Firestar with some of the herbs she had brought with her, but he moved away from her, telling her to treat the others first. "The others are treated, I did them first because I knew you would do this. Stand still and let me put these herbs on you're wound before you loose to much blood." Firestar stopped moving away and sat down, allowing her to put a marigold pulp on his side. Redclaw looked around at his now treated clanmates. I will kill this thing, if it's the last thing I do.
Please tell me what you think.