Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors. The Department of Redundancy Department will be back after these messages.
Okay, I'm mostly unblocked. Writer's block, I mean. What did you think I meant?
Chapter 9: Shadow Den
Stripedtail followed the quiet patrol also consisting of Sandyfur, Puddlemist, and Yellowpelt. For the past few days, since she had last talked to Rattail, Yellowpelt had acted like nothing was wrong. It slightly worried Stripedtail, but she decided that Yellowpelt would talk to her when she was ready.
When Stripedtail thought abut it, she hadn't seen Rattail, his sister Earthbrook, or any of the other exiled cats. Nor had any other cat in the clan. This presented a problem, as Stripedtail remembered that Earthbrook was ill and needed herbs that TreeClan was providing. But Stripedtail figured (or at least hoped) that she had gotten somewhat better if she and her brother had retreated to somewhere else in the forest.
The patrol stopped suddenly when it reached a small, thin creek. The miniature river, known as Middle Brook (it marked the middle of the forest where PondClan and TreeClan's territory met), was not big enough for fish to swim in and was easily waded across. It was better for a refreshing drink than for fishing.
"We should go up to Shadow Den. That's where the territory stops." Puddlemist said. Shadow Den was the gathering of rocks and boulders at the end of Middle Brook. There was open space inside, between all the sun-tanned rocks. The creek flowed through it, and into PondClan's territory on the side. No one clan owned Shadow Den, and no clan cats inhabited it. It was said there were a few rogues once before Stripedtail was born that stayed in it for a very short time. They left the forest completely, and all clans assumed that Shadow Den was not fit for living. Though it seemed to be defendable against the weather, it was probably filled with snakes or rats.
"We all know where the territories stop and begin!" Sandyfur snapped. "Let's just go on top of Shadow Den for a little while and then head back. We won't be noticed."
Sandyfur led the way down the slight hill that Middle Brook flowed and climbed nimbly up the rocks that represented Shadow Den.
Yellowpelt paused for a minute with her forelegs on one rock and her hind legs on another. "Hey, what are all of those?" She signaled with her head to a strange-colored pile on the ground.
Stripedtail jumped down two small rocks and landed on the large, flat, plateau-like stone that held whatever Yellowpelt was signaling to. Stripedtail looked at it in disbelief. She craned her dark-striped head around and shouted to the others her findings. "It's a big pile of… dead snakes!"
Yellowpelt sprinted down to join her. "What the…? Why?"
Stripedtail poked the pile just to make sure all of the snakes were dead. They were rather small, but they were venomous. There were at least five in the pile. "I have no idea. This is weird. Looks like someone went hunting for something… different."
Yellowpelt turned her head suddenly. "Do you smell that? It's Rattail!" Stripedtail couldn't identify the many feelings she saw in Yellowpelt's dark blue eyes.
Stripedtail opened her mouth to absorb the scents. "Yes… but it's stale. He probably just came by here to do some hunting or something."
Yellowpelt said nothing in response and went back up the way she and Stripedtail came down. Stripedtail followed. When they got up, the first thing they saw was Puddlemist's bristling and her tail twitching. Sandyfur was standing over a small tom, unfamiliar to Stripedtail.
"Who are you? Where are you from?" Sandyfur demanded.
"I… uh…" the tom looked to be Stripedtail's age, though he was shorter than her and Yellowpelt. He also looked rather scared.
The tom straightened up, trying to look brave in front of the group, his large eyes flashing. "I'm an exile from FlowerClan. I'm hunting." His tan, thick fur was standing on end in a few places. "My name is Rockpelt."
Sandyfur stood still, saying nothing for another moment. "Well, goodbye Rockpelt. We must be going." Sandyfur signaled to the others to get going back the way they came.
Yellowpelt turned around before starting off. "Are you friends with Rattail?" she asked. The tom nodded in response.
She mentioned nothing more of Rattail. "Okay, then. Watch out for snakes, Rockpelt. I think there are a lot around here."
"I know. There are." He responded, looking slightly dazed.
When the group had gotten well on their way back to TreeClan camp, Puddlemist spoke up. "Did you smell all of those other scents?"
Stripedtail shook her head. "No, how many were there?"
"A few. Rattail, Earthbrook, that tom we just met, and others."
"More rogues?" Sandyfur said. "There are getting to be quite a few. I hope FlowerClan gets their act together. Because when it's said and done, they're all scrambling."
"Which would make for an easy downfall, should something happen." Yellowpelt commented.
Foreshadow-y.
'Kay bye.
