Chapter Nine: Twolegplace Patrol
To answer XxFireXx: Wait and see. ;) Sorry for responding so late!
I am so sorry for keeping you all in the dark! I've had a bit of a writer's block, and I've been busy with the holidays and school.
Love you all and enjoy~!
Sandstar sniffed the muggy air, emerging from her burrow. A wet tendril of pine brushed her golden pelt. It's supposed to be leaf-bare, yet today it feels as though it's new-leaf. The warm weather was welcome, but quite a surprise; it had snowed a few sunrises ago. The surface of the clay-dirt under her paws felt soft and unstable. The she-cat quickly bounded off, landing on the moist soil of the camp.
Soft footsteps sounded beside her and the she-cat turned around, to see Gorsestripe, the medicine cat. "Hello Sandstar. I need a warrior to accompany me –I'm gathering herbs." The tom yawned, revealing a few yellowed canines.
Sandstar nodded, her brown eyes scanning the camp. "Take Falcontalon, he seems to be idling..." The she-cat saw Meadowsong sharing tongues with Thrushpelt in a shady corner of camp. Oakfang was chatting with Galestorm. Featherbreeze was leaving camp with Cedarpaw, being the temporary mentor of the young apprentice.
Scorchcloud was with Quietwhisper, the pink flesh of his scar showing plainly against his black pelt. Sandstar recalled that memory. The warrior had only been a warrior for a quarter-moon when a vicious dog had been seen loose in the territory. Scorchcloud had raced towards it -a rash decision- to have his neck ripped apart. He'd almost gone to StarClan.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Gorsestripe still standing beside her, pausing, before he left in search of Falcontalon.
Now I need to lead a patrol into the twolegplace… Sandstar flinched, remembering the time when another cat had found that SwiftClan would eat kittypet prey and rats in leaf-bare. They say that rogues killed him, but Sandstar knew it was one of her warriors. But that had been many seasons ago.
Shaking her fur, the leader loped towards Berrywing and Oakfang, who were sharing tongues. Oakfang looked up briskly, and Sandstar thought she saw alarm flash in his green eyes.
Berrywing smiled, and licked Oakfang's forehead, before standing up. "Good morning Sandstar. What do you need?"
"I need you to find a few other cats that are willing to go into the twolegplace." Sandstar mewed, her black-tipped ears flicking. Berrywing dipped her head, and murmured a few words to her mate, before heading off. Sandstar watched them go, feeling slightly suspicious about Oakfang.
The she-cat bounded over to the entrance of camp, a barely visible pathway cutting through the sloping hills surrounding the camp. She watched her deputy gather a few cats and then hurry towards her. "Is this enough?"
Sandstar studied the cats Berrywing had chosen. Thrushpelt was licking Meadowsong's cheek, and the she-cat flinched away, shooting a surprised look at the russet tom. Toms...
Hawkpaw was at Thrushpelt's side, talking to Oakfang. Quietwhisper yawned, and looked intently at Sandstar. The leader nodded, approving. They were all experienced warriors, except for Hawkpaw, but it would do the apprentice good.
"We'll be passing through the rogue pack's territory as we head to the twolegplace. Don't forget that they're our allies."
The assorted cats nodded, and trotted out of camp, into the moor. Tall grasses surrounded them, mixing the scent of rain and wildflowers. Sandstar bounded over a large boulder, and moved aside to allow the others to cross. Hawkpaw struggled a little to get over, but made it.
Sandstar could hear the murmurings of Oakfang and Berrywing behind her as the patrol headed towards the twolegplace. They were approaching a section of forest, which the rogues' camp was located. They'd have to go through a small section of their territory, however.
Hawkpaw eyed a pigeon cooing in the treetops above him, and the sandy-colored she-cat shook her head. "No hunting in their territory. We're allies, so it would be rude."
The brown tabby-tom nodded, bowing his head in embarrassment. Thrushpelt licked his apprentice's ear in sympathy. Meadowsong yawned, and kneaded her paws on the leaf-littered earth, crinkling leaves. They moved on, and every snap of a twig or crunch of a leaf made Sandstar wince; she didn't know how MapleClan hunted like this.
Sandstar expected to encounter rogues, but they made their way through the territory without any disruptions. A section of the twolegplace stood before the patrol, and a monster roared through the area, but there didn't seem to be many twolegs.
"Maybe the monsters don't like waking up early?" offered Quietwhisper, her gray tabby-fur bristling slightly at the sight of the brightly-colored monster sitting at the side of the twolegplace.
Berrywing shrugged, flicking her tail. Oakfang's pelt was pressed against the deputy's.
Sandstar mewed, "Let's go, and try to stay clear of twolegs. If one comes near, run. Run behind a bush, they usually give up after that." Hawkpaw nodded, and the cats headed past a tall fence. Sandstar could feel her fur brushing the object. The scent of kittypet filled her nose. She froze, and looked up to see a curious brown-tabby she-cat. Meadowsong let out a menacing growl, curling her lip.
The kittypet leapt off the fence immediately, her collar jingling loudly.
Berrywing stared at a squirrel cracking a nut nearby, and quickly crept behind a rock. Sandstar quietly led the patrol to a clump of brush, studying her deputy.
The cream-and-white she-cat was creeping up on the unsuspecting creature, aware of the terrain. Once Berrywing was a few mouselengths away, she pounced, landing squarely on the squirrel. It squeaked, and attempted to squirm out of the deputy's grasp. Berrywing snapped her jaws around its neck, ending it.
Oakfang leapt out of the bush first, and purred, "Great catch." Berrywing's eyes gleamed in satisfaction, the squirrel at her paws. Sandstar nodded in approval.
"Bury it in the bushes, and when we come back we'll get it." The leader ordered, and Berrywing brought it over to the shrubs, and scraped dirt over it.
Sandstar flicked her tail, swiping her tongue over her lips. She swept her gaze around the patrol, satisfied to see that each cat had a piece of freshkill, scrawny or plump. "Let's go back to camp now." The sun was casting its last rays upon the ground, the sky bathed in a orangey-pink, with wisps of clouds still drifting across.
The patrol nodded, and Berrywing dropped her squirrel. "The quickest way back is to cross the thunderpath. We'll be in the territory right after crossing it that way, instead of crossing through the rogues' territory again."
Sandstar nodded, flicking her black-tipped tail, and picked up her robin, leading the patrol to the thunderpath, which wasn't that far away.
The sky was darkening by the time they arrived there, the moon beginning to rise into the clear sky. The acrid scent of the road filled Sandstar's nostrils, and she bristled, crouching at the side of the thunderpath, the ground hard and prickly underneath her feet.
"When I give the command, go. Oakfang and Meadowsong, you two are first." The golden she-cat ordered, scanning the thunderpath. "And don't forget your prey."
After a monster had passed, the she-cat nodded. "Go!" she yowled.
Soon, the entire patrol had gone, and Sandstar and Hawkpaw were left. The young tom was quivering in anxiety. "Come on Hawkpaw, we have to go now." He'd never crossed one before.
The brown tabby-tom nodded, swallowing. Sandstar raced across the thunderpath, paws thudding heavily over the hard substance. She almost dropped her piece of prey, and looked back to glance at the apprentice. Hawkpaw had stumbled, and a monster was approaching, its blinding lights growing increasingly bright.
"Hurry up!" Thrushpelt hissed from the other side, but the younger tom still wasn't moving quickly enough, he leapt forwards and grabbed his apprentice's scruff, hauling him onto to the grass.
Sandstar wiped her paws on the ground, relieved to feel grass and dirt under her feet.
"I-I left my mouse on the other side…" Hawkpaw murmured quietly, barely audible. He licked his chest-fur in embarrassment.
Thrushpelt sighed. "Here, have one of my voles." His apprentice murmured thanks, and they set off, the moonlight guiding them back to camp.
"They're back!" Sandstar heard a yowl, and the camp came alive, cats streaming out of dens, excitement prickling the air.
"We can feast tonight!" the triumphant caterwaul of Oakfang rang throughout camp, as the patrol dropped their prey into the freshkill pile, adding to the prey already there.
Yowls filled the air as SwiftClan cheered, but they were drowned out as Gorsestripe strode towards Sandstar.
"Silvermeadow has given birth to three kits: a brown-tabby-tom, a brown-and-white-she-cat, and a silver-tabby-she-cat. She's named them Sparrowkit, Leafkit, and Willowkit. She's sleeping at the moment. I had to chase Falcontalon off to let his mate rest." The tom murmured into her ear, before dipping his head and padding off, amid stares.
Sandstar bounded over to the large pine tree above her den, its needles drifting down from branches. The she-cat leapt onto a bare branch marked with scratches, opening her jaws to yowl.
"Cats of SwiftClan gather under the Tree!" A few warriors had already gathered, their eager faces looking up at her.
There were many murmurs of excitement and she caught Hawkpaw and Cedarpaw grooming themselves hurriedly. She felt a pang of sympathy for them. You won't have your ceremonies in a while, I am sorry to say.
"I have gathered you here to announce the birth of three new kits: Sparrowkit, Leafkit, and Willowkit! We welcome them into the Clan, and as we have bountiful prey tonight, we will feast!"
This was followed by chanting and yowls: "Sparrowkit! Leafkit! Willowkit!"
Sandstar purred, before leaping off of the pine tree and grabbing a brown-furred rabbit, and gave it to the three elders that were seated outside of their log-den: Fernpelt, Lichenfang, and Blackbark. She saw Cedarpaw and Hawkpaw looking dejected, but they brightened as a small grouse was given to them by Falcontalon.
Sandstar padded back to the freshkill pile, selecting a meadow vole, before glancing around camp.
If only it were quieter… the she-cat's gaze settled on the nursery, and she padded towards it, and nosed her muzzle into the entrance, fronds of fern tickling her pelt. "Silvermeadow? Are you awake?"
"Sandstar? You can come in, y'know." a voice that had to be Silvermeadow answered, and the sandy she-cat stepped in, dipping her head in greeting. She settled down a few mouselengths away from the queen.
"Congratulations on your kits!" Sandstar purred, looking at the kits nestled into her the queen's fur.
Silvermeadow purred. "But they'll be hard work once they can see." The silver she-cat bent her head down to groom her offspring, tail curled around them protectively.
"Would you like to share the vole? I'm not that hungry tonight."
"Of course!"
They ate in silence, listening to the ruckus outside. Finally, Sandstar left the nursery, wishing Silvermeadow a good night.
What about the Prophecy? Her mind wandered as the she-cat settled into her nest of heather and moss in her den. Her kits were born at night, or sunset. They could be of great importance!
Sandstar lay staring at the ceiling of her den for awhile, thinking of the Prophecy, anxious and unable to sleep. Finally, the leader of SwiftClan drifted off in an uneasy, dreamless sleep.