Chapter Twenty Three - Hunted
Mintpelt took one bemused look at the deputy Guard and made no objects to the two apprentices becoming patients.
Hazelpaw felt comforted by the soft, green moss, and quiet medicine cat den; but as the grey she cat sank down in her nest with a sigh, she suddenly felt very much like sobbing. Hazelpaw stared up at the den ceiling, brown eyes tearing, and tried very hard to gulp quietly into her nest. She felt herself quivering all over as if she was really sick.
Daisypaw, meanwhile, was gabbling away as always.
"Do you think we will get an honourable mention of bravery at a gathering from the Clan Guard?" Asked the cream she cat, her blue eyes glowing and distant as if imagining the possibility. "We were brave, weren't we?"
"Very." Replied Hazelpaw through chattering teeth, tears still leaking from her wide brown eyes.
"Hazelpaw!" exclaimed Daisypaw upon noticing. "Are you alright?"
"Yes - quite alright." Said Hazelpaw, pelt burning from embarrassment, before a wave of sobs overtook her.
"Hazelpaw!" Exclaimed Daisypaw again before rushing over to the grey she cat's nest and curling up around her comfortingly. "Oh, poor Hazelpaw!"
"I'm s-sorry." Stuttered the sobbing she cat. "I'm not behaving - very - very much like a detective."
"No Hazelpaw, don't talk mouse dung." murmured Daisypaw as she hung her tail around the grey she cat's shoulders and put her forehead against Hazelpaw's. "Throughout this case, you have behaved like the most amazing detective in the world. You have been ever so brave and clever. I would never have been able to solve this case on my own, without you - I couldn't have a better detective partner and best friend."
Hazelpaw blinked, brown eyes shining.
"Really?"
"Really." Confirmed Daisypaw as she gently groomed between the grey she cat's ears.
Hazelpaw let out a purr.
"Now for StarClan's sake," said Daisypaw breaking off her strokes, "stop sobbing and start thinking of a way past the Clan Guard outside.
That made Hazelpaw stop at once.
"What? But we're safe here!" She protested.
Daisypaw snorted.
"Who wants to be safe?" She said, scornfully. "I want to see Gorsestep arrest Ashstar."
Hazelpaw's stomach lurched.
I'm not sure I want to see Ashstar arrested. I feel safe and comforted here in the medicine cat den and I'm terrified at the mere thought of traipsing around the territory with Ashstar still on the look for us.
But Daisypaw, for all her changes in the last quarter moon, was still Daisypaw and her plans were as mad as ever.
Hazelpaw gave a resigned sigh.
"But how though?"
"Wait. I'm thinking." Daisypaw replied; before silently padding towards the den entrance. She motioned with her tail for Hazelpaw to follow.
"Voices." Quietly hissed the cream she cat. "It's the Clan Guard."
Sure enough, Hazelpaw could hear what sounded like another Clan Guard, a she cat, talking with the one outside.
"….having a meeting now." Said the she cat Guard. "The deputy's idea. Wants to get her to confess."
"Trust him to go for drama." Commented the other one. "Nice touch though, I admit. Where are they?"
"That clearing just beyond the Great Oak. I'm off now as reinforcement. You should come."
"Don't I wish I could! But I'm on kit sitting duty. Little she cats can't get hurt - his orders."
Daisypaw let out an indignant hiss at the Guard's comment before her blue eyes lit up with excitement.
"All right." she said to Hazelpaw. "An excellent plan has just come to my brain. Wait here."
Daisypaw then abruptly turned and went into another side room of the medicine den for when there were lots of patients. The cream she cat returned a heartbeat later with a 1st seasoner trailing behind her. It was Tulippaw.
"What are you doing here?" Hazelpaw asked the light silver she cat.
"Got a bad belly ache." She replied.
Daisypaw glared at her.
Tulippaw ducked her head beneath her harsh blue gaze. "Not really, I just wanted to get out of battle tactics."
"Right." Said Daisypaw with a nod. "And if you don't want me to tell then you've got to do something for me."
The silver she cat tilted her head quizzically. "What's that?"
"When I tell you, I want you to scream."
….
Daisypaw and Hazelpaw positioned themselves on either side of the den entrance. The camp outside had gone quiet; the she cat Guard must have left for the meeting at the clearing.
"Ready?" Whispered Daisypaw to Tulippaw.
The silver she cat nodded.
"Three, two, one, scream!"
Tulippaw screamed.
It was one of the loudest noises Hazelpaw had ever heard in her lifetime - like a high pitched roaring twoleg monster combined with a rock fall and the screech of angry cats during battle.
There was a yowl of shock for the Guard outside, before he burst into the medicine den followed by Minty. Taking advantage of Tulippaw's momentary distraction, the two she cats dodged around the two cats before scrambling out through the camp entrance.
Just as they were padding deeper into the pine forest, however, Hazelpaw looked over her shoulder and saw the one sight she was hoping like anything to avoid.
Ashstar was following them.
The two she cats exchanged panicked looks. Daisypaw, with wide blue eyes and bristling fur, looked as terrified as Hazelpaw felt.
Hazelpaw turned again and at that moment, the grey she cat could tell Ashstar knew she had been seen.
The most awful expression came over her face, like a hunter about to pounce on two mice, before she began to stride purposefully towards them.
"Quick!" Hissed Daisypaw. "RUN!"
Hazelpaw didn't need to be told twice.
The grey she cat had never felt so terrified in her life as she ran like a hunted hare beside her best friend.
Her fur felt hot with panic as she ran and she could feel her heart pounding widely along with her shaky, panting breaths.
Though Hazelpaw didn't risk sneaking a look behind her, she could tell Ashstar was right on their tail - and gaining. The leader's steady, rhythmic foot falls echoed around the forest.
"Apprentices!" Ashstar called after them. "Come here at once! I need to talk to you! You are missing training without permission!"
"Ignore her!" Panted Daisypaw.
Hazelpaw nodded before putting on a burst of speed to almost a full sprint.
We've got to lose her! The grey she cat thought frantically. But how? Where can we hide?
Behind her, Hazelpaw could hear Ashstar's steady stride even closer. She seemed to be running almost effortlessly. While Hazelpaw and Daisypaw were panting heavily and beginning to tire, the dark grey tabby she cat barely seemed to be out of breath.
Hazelpaw's eyes scanned the surrounding trees frantically, looking for a hiding place. Her stomach sank when she recognised at once where they were heading; the abandoned training hollows, but the grey she cat then glanced at Daisypaw who breathlessly mouthed a single word.
Tree!
Hazelpaw blinked.
The beech tree! Of course!
Upon understanding what her friend was saying, Hazelpaw tried to push her body to go faster.
We just need to make it to the beech tree next to the hollow and then we might be okay.
But then the unthinkable happened.
Hazelpaw tripped.
It was only a tiny branch, but it was enough to cause the grey she cat to stumble; slowing her down considerably.
Hazelpaw gasped as she scrambled to regain her balance before continuing her sprint.
Daisypaw was now a few fox lengths ahead of her. Hazelpaw could see her cream tail streaming behind her as she raced, oblivious to her friend's momentary disaster.
Beyond, Hazelpaw could make out the hollow and the beech tree beside it.
Come on! Almost there.
Suddenly, Hazelpaw thought she felt a breath on her tail. Her brown eyes widened with horror.
I'm not going to make it! She's going to catch me!
Hazelpaw braced herself to feel a blow to her side and claws digging into her pelt.
It never came.
Upon risking a confused look over her shoulder, the grey she cat's eyes widened with shock.
Ashstar was gone. Vanished.
When she listened, Hazelpaw could no longer hear the grey tabby's foot falls either.
The grey she cat eventually slid to an undignified stop, legs shaking, upon reaching the hollow, only to be suffocated by a frantic Daisypaw.
"Hazelpaw!" Exclaimed the cream she cat as she pulled her friend close, head butting her shoulder gently. "Don't ever do that again! I thought Ashstar had gotten you!"
"She's gone." Croaked Hazelpaw. "I can't see her anywhere behind us."
Daisypaw pricked her ears, mirroring her friend's surprise.
"Really?"
The cream she cat stepped away from Hazelpaw, before padding towards the beech tree; her tail lifted proudly.
"Well, I guess we showed her! We out paced her easy, she must have given up."
"I wouldn't be so sure about that, apprentice Daisypaw." Spoke an ice cold voice.
A pair of glowing dark blue eyes where visible in the beech tree.
Hazelpaw's heart leapt into her throat when she padded over to Daisypaw and saw who they belonged to.
Sitting upon the lowest branch, with her tail neatly round her paws, was Ashstar.
"Ashstar!" Hazelpaw heard Daisypaw say with an uncharacteristic squeak.
The dark grey tabby passively blinked down at the two she cats as she flicked her tail to and fro.
"I think it's time we had a little chat. Don't you agree?"
Hazelpaw began to back away slowly from the tree, fur bristling along her spine. Glancing out the corner of her eye, the grey she cat saw Daisypaw do the same.
If we're quick enough, we might be able to run back the way we came.
"I wouldn't even think about running if I were you." Spoke Ashstar again, as if she had read Hazelpaw's mind. Her voice was full of threat. "It will only increase the trouble you're in."
The two she cats froze.
"Wh-what trouble?" Daisypaw stuttered.
The leader snorted.
"For skipping training of course." She said in a soft but stern voice, like a queen scolding her kit.
For a fleeting moment, Hazelpaw thought perhaps this was only what all this was about, and maybe Ashstar didn't realise how much they knew; but that feeling didn't last long after Ashstar spoke again.
"But never mind that at the moment. I think we need to talk about a little misunderstanding that occurred earlier this morning."
"M..m.. misunderstanding?" Stuttered Hazelpaw.
The dark grey tabby she cat suddenly leapt down from the beech tree, elegantly landing a few tail lengths away from the two apprentices.
The two she cats flinched, and Hazelpaw felt her muscles tense with anticipation.
This is it! She's going to kill us!
The slate grey she cat exchanged a frightened look with Daisypaw. The cream she cat's blue eyes were wide with terror, her fur fluffed out so she looked twice the size, and Hazelpaw noticed her trembling legs. The grey she cat expected she looked the same.
"There's no need to be alarmed, apprentices." Said Ashstar in the same soft but stern voice.
"I just want to clear up what happened this morning about the violet flower. Mothfur gave the wrong impression earlier."
The leader began to pad towards the apprentices.
Hazelpaw's heart thumped under her chest fur as she gradually backed away towards High Cliff along with Daisypaw.
"We don't know what you're talking about." Said the cream she cat bravely.
"Oh, I think you do." Retorted Ashstar, a knowing glint in her eye. "I also think," she continued as she crept towards the detectives, "it would be in everyone's best interests if we just forget the whole - incident - and I will forget that you missed half a day of training."
Hazelpaw gulped nervously as she felt her tail touch the rock of High Cliff.
The two detectives had, quiet literally, backed themselves into a corner.
Ashstar calmly sat back on her haunches; blocking the she cats' path of escape.
"So, what do you say?" The leader asked in a casually pleasant tone, as if she were just asking their opinion about their preferred fresh kill.
Hazelpaw exchanged another glance with Daisypaw out the corner of her eye.
"You must remember," began Ashstar again, unsheathing her claws, "I can make the punishment for missing training as severe as I please."
Hazelpaw had no idea if it was the absolute feeling of terror, the adrenaline, the thought of all Ashstar's victim's along with Oakbranch and Leopardpaw or just all the stress of the past quarter moon; but something inside Hazelpaw - snapped.
Hazelpaw flicked her tail and stared hard at her leader - right into her dark, cold, blue eyes.
"So this is your deal! You let us off missing training in exchange for us letting you off murdering three cats!" The grey she cat spat, not even trying to keep the contemptuous snarl from her voice. "Well, I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure that deal is a tad uneven and just because you don't have a problem breaking the warrior code, doesn't mean we're alright with it.
Not to mention we've worked too hard solving the case to just let you get away with….to get away with it all…..." Hazelpaw trailed off, her sudden bravery dissipating as quickly as it had appeared.
A flash of furry appeared in Ashstar's eyes and with a jolt of horror, the grey she cat realised what she had done.
Great StarClan! I've just told her that we know everything!
Hazelpaw's legs shook as she realised how she'd made the already grave situation she and Daisypaw were in, much worse.
Hazelpaw snuck a glance at Daisypaw. The cream she cat's eyes seemed to reflect a mixture of respect for how she'd spoken out and annoyance at the danger she'd put them in, along with pure panic.
Ashstar, meanwhile, just stared at the grey she cat, silently, unmoving.
Hazelpaw swallowed uncertainly.
"Brave. Very brave." The leader whispered quietly at last, her dark blue eyes betraying nothing. "Reminds me of someone else I once knew."
She seemed to let out a resigned sigh.
"Well anyway; thank you for your answer Hazelpaw."
The dark grey tabby pounced.
Sup everyone! Sorry about the late chap but yesterday was a holiday and I was too lazy so I waited till today. And how about that?! Ashstar is on the hunt and showing how truly terrifying she can be! And an honest to goodness cliff hanger just to make you guys worry about our endearing little detectives :.) Tune in next Mon/Sun to see if they survive Ashstar's attack. See ya then!
-Fastbreeze37
QOTD: Who's your fav PineClan warrior? Mine is Jacklecall. Her relationship with Lilypaw is so cute!
Russetmoth – Thanks so much! Yes there will be more books about Daisypaw's and Hazelpaw's detecting adventures. I don't want to spoil too much but I can tell you that the sequel is going to be another murder (which the two apprentice's will be investigating, naturally). There is also another book coming out which is a collection of one shots, backstories and behind the scenes about the characters from Murder Most Unwarrior Like (and later from other books in the series). This book will explain things such as Ashstar's, Oakbranch's, Whistlesong's and Cinderpaw's backstory along with Hazelpaw's and others.
Guest – Yes and hold on to ya whiskers cuz the drama rollercoaster is only getting faster! I also have a sweet spot for Robin's Call and her CloudClan accent :.)