They slipped through the bramble opening and raced across the forest floor.
Aspenpool felt that something horrible was about to happen. The damp morning forest seemed to press against Aspenpool's heart, making it beat wildly. Every noise made her shy away, even the flutter of some finches.
"What's wrong Aspenpool?" Ravenwing asked concernedly from besides her. He never got an answer.
Before Aspenpool could even open her mouth to reply, three dogs burst out of the trees, saliva dripping from their gaping jaws.
Aspenpool shrieked and came to a dead stop, wildly scrabbling for a foothold on the wet leaves.
One of the dogs, pounced onto Badgerfang, pinning him to the ground. He howled as the dog tore clumps of fur out with his powerful legs.
Aspenpool gasped in shock as a huge weight slammed her to the ground, pressing against her spine. She felt the hot breath of the giant dog flatten her fur as it leaned down to grasp her throat.
Suddenly, the weight disappeared as Ravenwing barreled into the beast, knocking it off of her.
Aspenpool scrambled to her feet. Stormclaw and Darkshadow were nowhere to be seen. Aspenpool only hoped that they had gone back for reinforcements. Ravenwing was backed up against a thick clump of brambles, jabbing at two growling dogs. Aspenpool started to go help him when an ear splitting yowl stopped her in her tracks.
Whirling around, Aspenpool's eyes stretched wide as she glimpsed Badgerfang crumple to the ground, his belly gushing blood.
"Badgerfang!" Aspenpool dove forward, ignoring the branches ripping at her pelt and slid to a stop at her brother's side. His eyes were glazed and dull, and his flanks weren't moving.
One of the dogs padded forward, his eyes seething with hate. Aspenpool faced it, ready to shred it into bits.
Snarling, she leapt forward, slicing her claws across its snout. The dog yelped in pain and stumbled backward, but Aspenpool swerved in back of it and sunk her teeth into its back leg.
The dog howled and shook her loose, racing away into the trees. Aspenpool didn't have time to savor her victory.
"Aspenpool!" Ravenwing screamed as he fended against the remaining two dogs.
Aspenpool snarled and raced to his side, swiping her claws against their tough skin.
One dog snapped dangerously close to her leg, and she backed away, hissing. It followed, snapping and barking until Aspenpool was forced away from her brother and backed up against a large ring of trees.
She stopped, her sides matted with blood and sweat. The dog eyed her smugly, like he knew that she was finished already. Aspenpool straitened, ready to start her journey to Skyclan, when a yowl interrupted her thoughts.
"Aspenpool!" Windstrike leapt out from the bushes and lunged at the snarling dog. He raked its sides and sank his teeth into its foreleg.
Aspenpool almost laughed in relief when more warriors poured into the scene.
Winterpelt, Foxtooth, and Snakefoot leapt onto Aspenpool's attacker and Mistclaw and Flowereye pelted to where Ravenwing stood fighting. Windstrike turned and dashed over to Aspenpool.
He started licking her shoulder. "Are you okay? Thank goodness Stormclaw sent me on this hunting patrol. We heard you fighting from the abandoned twoleg nest and came right away."
Aspenpool leaned into his shoulder, soaking up his warmth. "Badgerfang is dead. The dogs came out of nowhere." She said wearily.
Besides her, Windstrike stiffened. "I'm so sorry." He murmured.
Aspenpool didn't rely, only buried her face into his soft fur. It felt good to have someone to lean on.
Windstrike nudged her gently. "Let's get back to camp. The patrol almost is finished driving the dogs away and you need to see Sweetberry."
Aspenpool didn't resist and he led her away into the trees. They limped along until finally emerging in the camp.
"Sweetberry!" Windstrike called. "Aspenpool is hurt!" The brown she-cat came hurrying out of the medicine den, a clump of leaves in her jaws.
Aspenpool sank to the ground in relief as Sweetberry attended to her wounds, rubbing paste into the cuts.
Other cats gathered around her, murmuring quietly and staring at the long gashes in her side.
"Those are dog bites!" Beachpelt exclaimed.
Aspenpool nodded. Suddenly, she was extremely sleepy. Leaning on Windstrike, she dozed off into a dream...
Aspenpool looked around the clearing. No one else was there except her. The wind rustled softly through the oak trees, stirring up the leaves.
Wait, oak? Aspenpool thought. There were no oak trees in Boulderclan forests.
A small pool reflected the moonlight and seemed to shine with all the brilliance of the stars. Wind stirred up rippled on the smooth surface.
Aspenpool padded towards the pool and looked into the reflection. To her suprise, she didn't see the reflection of a eight season old cat. Instead, a kit gazed back at her. It was a beautiful she-cat with black ears and silver fur. Her green eyes seemed to call to Aspenpool, whispering the future...
"Wait!" Aspenpool leapt to her feet, and banged her head against the stone ceiling. Taking a deep breath, she looked around. She was only in the medicine cave, in a makeshift nest made of moss.
Shaking the dust from her fur, Aspenpool gingerly stepped out of the nest. Her cuts weren't throbbing, so she padded out of the cave.
Aspenpool nearly collided with Windstrike as he ducked to enter the cave.
"Oh! Oh hi Aspenpool. I was just coming to check on you, you know, to see if, I mean how you, or whether you were okay." Windstrike said quickly.
Aspenpool purred amusedly. The black and white tom was tripping over his words in an attempt to dignify himself.
"Aspenpool!" A shout interrupted Windstrike from his awkward excuses. Oakheart bounded across the clearing towards the two friends.
"Are you all right?" He asked Aspenpool as she sat down. His eyes gleamed with worry and something else Aspenpool couldn't identify.
She nodded, aware of Windstrike's bristling fur. What was wrong with him?
Oakheart smiled. "Well, I thought that if you were feeling fine, then maybe we could go hunting together. I need to talk to you about something."
Aspenpool glanced over at Windstrike, who looked like a tree for all of the expressions on his face.
"Do you want to come?" She ventured. There was a pause before Oakheart put in, "Oh, actually, I wanted to speak with you alone."
"Oh," Aspenpool said slowly. "Sure. I'll see you later Windstrike."
The black and white tom didn't reply as she and Oakheart slipped out through the tunnel.
Oakheart swerved to the left and headed for the lake. Aspenpool followed, enjoying the feel of the wind rushing through her fur. The sun was beginning to set over the mountains, and the sky was a beautiful red and orange.
Oakheart skidded to a stop besides the glittering lake, panting from the run. The sun turned his coat a sort of red color.
Aspenpool padded to his side, wondering why they weren't hunting.
Oakheart suddenly turned to her. Urgency and need reflected in his eyes.
"Aspenpool, I... I didn't bring you out here to hunt with me." He said softly so that she had to strain her ears to listen.
"I wanted to ask you something. Will you... do you want to have kits one day?"
Aspenpool blinked in surprise. "Um, well... I suppose so. Yes." The image of the silver kit in her dream flashed into her mind.
Oakheart turned away from her towards the sunset. He closed his eyes and breathed in a beep breath.
"Aspenpool... would you mother my kits?" He asked gently.
Aspenpool nearly fell down in surprise. Mother his kits! That meant...
"You want to be my mate?" She asked disbelievingly. Her heart was pounding in her chest and blood rushed to her ears.
Oakheart faced her again. "Yes. That's what I mean." He said firmly.
Aspenpool slowly turned to look at the sun that just dipped under the mountain peaks. Her dream flashed back into her mind. The silver kit. Hers and Oakheart? The wind swaying the oak trees. The oak trees. Skyclan had given her a vision. The wind rustling through the oak trees...
Wait. The wind. Wind stirring up the pool. Wind. Pool. Oak. Windstrike, Aspenpool, and Oakheart.
Aspenpool dipped her head, dizziness making the world spin. Did she love Oakheart? Did she love Windstrike?
Shakily drawing a breath, she opened her mouth to reply, when a small movement caught her eye.
A small kit bounded out of the forest. Her fur was silver grey, and her paws and ears were black. It was the same kit from her dream. The kit leapt onto a small branch of a oak tree, and drew back with a small yelp. A long splinter hung from her paw, and it was bleeding.
Aspenpool watched in amazement as the wind picked up, swirling around the silver kit. It seemed to take the form of a cat, which grasped the splinter in the kit's paw in his mouth, and gently tugged it free.
Then both the wind cat and the kit turned to look at Aspenpool. She blinked, and then they were gone.
"Aspenpool?" Aspenpool nearly jumped when Oakheart spoke.
"Oh, sorry. I... I'm sorry Oakheart. I don't think being together would turn out. I have different goals than you. But there are different cats who would always be there to support your ambitions in life, if you know what I mean." She said.
Oakheart bowed his head. "I understand. I'm sorry that we won't be together though. Let's get back to camp."
They turned and slowly padded into the forest, this time much less energetic and enthusiastic than before.
When they entered camp, Oakheart immediately peeled away from her side and joined Bluewhisper, who was lying in a corner eating a mouse.
Aspenpool watched him go, wondering if she had made the right decision.
Sighing, she turned and slipped into the warriors' den, hoping for a good nights rest. The whole surprise had almost made her forget about Badgerfang, but now that she was safely curled up in her nest, the images came pouring in.