Bravepaw knew he had to do something and quick! Before he even had time to think, he jumped into the clearing below and started hissing at the coyote trying to distract it from the RiverClan apprentice.

"Over here! You mangy fleapelt!" Bravepaw growled.

As the coyote turned and fixed her eyes on Bravepaw, he continued weaving back and forth and spitting. Then to his horror, the coyote started charging wobbly towards him.

Realizing that he was going to have to high tail and run, he started to turn, only to see that Crimsonstar, (the RiverClan leader) had leapt behind that coyote and scraped it's back left leg.

It growled in pain as it turned its attention now toward Crimsonstar.

"Hey! Fox-breath!" Bladestar yowled at the coyote from the opposite direction it was headed, "This way!"

Bravepaw could now see that all the leaders and most of the warriors had come back and had formed a circle around the coyote as they were hissing, spitting, and yowling names at the coyote, who continued to loll her head around, shaking the foam from her jaws.

The ShadowClan deputy came up quickly behind it and delivered a quick bite to its left hind leg.

The coyote gave a loud, pained yowl.

With that, the coyote started running out of the clearing and in the direction towards WindClan territory.

Swiftly, Hedgestar assembled her cats and meowed, "Let's get that crazy beast out of Clan territory for good!"

As they charged out in pursuit of the coyote, leaving the clearing, everything became still, the only sound you could hear was the sound of the warriors breathing heavily as they tried to regain the breath.

"What was wrong with that animal?!" Bravepaw exclaimed.

"I've never seen anything like it!" A RiverClan warrior added.

As the others continued discussing, Bravepaw made his way over to the RiverClan apprentice who was receiving attention from their medicine cat.

Bravepaw could still faintly smell her fear sent lingering, but noticed that at least her fur was beginning to lie flat.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

She stammered "I… I'm just a little shaken, that's all."

Satisfied that she wasn't hurt and that she was receiving attention from their clan's medicine cat, he turned to go and find Redpaw, but before he did she continued, "Thank you, for er'… uh, helping. I don't know why I froze up like that."

Flattered he responded, "It was nothing, any other cat would've done the same thing in my place."

Not seeing Redpaw, he noticed Grayleaf sitting on the outside of the big circle of cats and trotted up to her.

"Have you seen Redpaw?" He asked.

"Bravepaw! I'm so glad you didn't get hurt!" She exclaimed. "That was a very brave thing to do. Though next time, you should've waited for a warrior to help you!"

"Well guess that's the closest I'm getting to praise from her." He thought.

She continued, "Watch. You're going to need to listen to this."

Then from somewhere in the crowd, revealed a small ShadowClan tom, Yellowrise, the oldest medicine cat from all the four clans. His eyes reflected cold fear as he meowed, "I've only seen an animal like that once, many many moons ago. Though it was not a coyote, it was a fox. I noticed the same off look in its eyes, how it couldn't focus and could barely walk straight. My mentor had said they called it rabies. One of my clanmates got bit, trying to redirect it… He died and we couldn't do anything to save him."

Everything went quiet as the cats took in what the old medicine cat had said.

"Well let's just hope Hedgestar and her warriors will drive it off and it will never come back" CrimsonStar meowed.

"I believe the gathering is over now," Bladestar concluded "let's all go back home."

"Yes, and if anyone of us sees anymore of animals with these symptoms we will send a patrol to the others to warn them." She added.

With that, all the cats dispersed and headed back to camp.

"Elmfur, I want you to journey to the Moonpool and speak with StarClan, see if they can tell us anything about WindClans hostility toward us and their obvious, disrespect for Clan boundaries. Things have gone only worse since the gathering, not better as I had hoped." Bladestar spoke quietly.

"Of course. When do you wish me to leave?"

"As soon you think wise." The leader replied.

"I will go as soon as I can. I would like to take stock of my herbs first, to see which ones I'm low on and then maybe I can pick some on my way to the Moonpool."

"Yes, excellent. But I want you to take Bravepaw and Redpaw with you. They haven't made their apprentice journey to the Moonpool yet and I would feel safer knowing you had them with you, considering that coyote might still be on the loose, if anything happens you could send one of them for help."

"If you want me to, that's fine," The medicine cat replied, "Would you like me to go get them?"

"No, that's alright you may go and check your herbs, I will tell them."

Exiting from his den, Bladestart gave a deep stretch, allowing himself to pause a moment and feel the pleasant breeze ruffle his fur. As he shook himself, he spotted, the ThunderClan deputy sunning herself, enjoying the sun.

"Velvetfoot, have you seen Bravepaw and Redpaw around recently?" Bladestar asked.

"Yes I believe they are with their mentors, learning to practice stalking prey by the south end of our territory. Would you like me to go and fetch them for you?"

"No, thank you though. I'd like to see how they're getting along with their stalking techniques. It's been quite a while since I've been out and checked in on them."

With that Bladestar set out to go find them.

Author notes/ I would like to give a BIG shout out to One-eye for being my second follower! :) Also please leave me a review if u like the story! Even just a short little Hello to let me know you're reading would be appreciated