The she-cat dropped her basket on the ground below her, and stretched. "Alright then." she mewed. "You go to… what was the name…… LightningClan?"
"You mean ThunderClan." he corrected.
The she-cat blazed into him. "Don't correct me." she hissed. "Take these to that Clan right now!" She shoved the box into his paws.
"Go now, before my anger and frustration gets to you." she added sarcastically.
The tom nodded and began to pad through to where he thought ThunderClan was. He looked unhappily at the roaring bees overhead, and sighed.
A rush of paws clattered into him. With confusion, he turned to his attacker. It was a rather muscular dark brown tabby standing right in front of him.
"What are you doing on ThunderClan territory!" he spat.
The tom felt a mixture of feelings. One was relief because he was on the right track, and one was fear of this cat. "I- I came to show your Clan about the bees that are raging through the forest trees right now. See, these are the silver boxes from the Twolegs." He placed one paw on the top of the box.
The tabby stared in bewilderment. "You know about the bees?" he meowed.
"Yes." the tom responded. "What is your name?"
"Mapleclaw. I was sent here by Leafstar to patrol. And you?"
The tom hesitated. He thought urgently for a name. "Call me Crater." he finally mewed.
"Nice to meet you, Crater. I must bring you to Leafstar immediately." Mapleclaw signaled him to follow before rushing through a large mass of leaves before them. The tom carried the box carefully before attempting to match the pace.
Waterpaw and Wave, meanwhile, were discussing the bee problem.
"Do you really think the Clan's in danger?" Wave mewed softly.
"Of course it is!" Waterpaw meowed back. "But we need to know for sure. In fact, do you want to explore?" There was a daredevil gleam in her eyes.
"Explore? Out there? With the bees?" Wave gasped. "No, I can't possibly!"
Waterpaw didn't seem to mind. "Ok, then. I'll go by myself."
"What? I can't let you do that!" Wave cried again. "Ok! I'll go with you. Happy?"
Waterpaw smiled. "We have to bring something hard to hit bees with, and a something thin and silky to protect our bodies. Oh, and two plump mice with gray fur."
"Why the mice?"
"Because I'm hungry." Waterpaw laughed. She licked her lips. "You go get the hard things, the silky things, and I get the mice."
Wave rolled her eyes. "Got it. Be right back." She got to her paws and padded to the medicine cat's den to find things fitting the description.
But she was still worried. Will it be safe? Will the voyage end with accomplishment or loss? She sighed. "Tribe of Rushing water and StarClan," she whispered, quickly adding ThunderClan's ancestors, "Help us and guide our paths, like you always do… please."