Thank you so much for the reviews! Mooncloud: I know, Whitenose isn't the best name, but at least it's cute. Dewfrost: Thank you so much! I hear you and Mooncloud are both really good authors, so it's good to hear that. Halfpelt: Thanks so much! Okay, so my author's note is getting longer every second I type this, so I might as well get on with the story. -sniff- Okay, here I go... and... NOW!
Chapter 2:
Border Patrol
Light streamed through the roof of the warriors' den, landing in a pool of golden light on Brackenfur's golden tabby form. He twitched, opened one of his fiery eyes, and gave a mighty yawn as his gaze met with a tabby with dust-colored fur and fire-colored eyes, both coat and optics alight with the burning illumination of the rising sun.
The dark brown tabby, named Dustpelt, also the deputy of ThunderClan, blinked his amber eyes and meowed, "Great StarClan, Brackenfur, are you going to sleep until moonhigh?"
The golden-brown tom scrambled to his paws, a little embarrassed. "Sorry, Dustpelt... I was exhausted from last night..."
The deputy let his paw fall playfully on Brackenfur's shoulder, and Dustpelt purred. "Don't worry about it, Brackenfur. After all, you and Whitenose brought back more prey than I've ever seen in leaf-bare!"
"It's this new territory," came a new voice, belonging to a pale gray cat with blue eyes, Ashfur, a respected young warrior, and former apprentice of Dustpelt. "We've never seen this much prey, ever! StarClan have truly blessed us, even in leaf-bare."
Brackenfur nodded, then rose to his paws wearily. Snow, swirling with the gales brought into camp, hit him in the face as he started from the warriors' den. He winced as the freezing water melted over his furry face, and he shook the frost from his brown-gold pelt.
The cats of his Clan were huddled together while sharing tongues, and Brackenfur spotted Ashfur and Whitenose shyly talking, making his tail-tip twitch with amusement. Sootfur and Rainwhisker were conversing near the apprentices' den, and Birchpaw was with his mentor, Brambleclaw, although he told his apprentice something and went to lie down by Spiderleg and Sandstorm.
Brackenfur decided to go and visit his littermate, the pretty gray she-cat with the lovely blue eyes. Cinderpelt had been through so much, and with the pregnancy of her successor, Leafpool, she'd been shocked morally, and was almost as wounded as she had been on the Thunderpath at their old territory. Leafpool and Cinderpelt had been very close—it wasn't hard to believe the bond they had felt, as mentor and apprentice.
"Hey, Cinderpelt," Brackenfur meowed, giving his sister an affectionate rasp of tongue on her ear, "How are you doing?"
Cinderpelt's weary eyes turned on Brackenfur—she briefly shrugged. "My job's a lot harder since..." Suddenly, her sapphire eyes clouded, and she turned away from her brother, making him flinch with hurt.
"I'm sorry, Cinderpelt, I didn't..."
"It's okay, Brackenfur, really... it's nobody's fault but her's. I do wonder who the cat she is with it, though..." her sweet voice trailed off, and she sighed and went back to her herbs, sorting them into piles. Brackenfur had no knowledge of herbs like his littermate—he was more of a warrior, a senior warrior to help out the Clan in their time of need.
The tabby turned from his sister and padded over to the fresh-kill pile, knowing it was incredibly measly. He sighed and took a small finch, chewing it absentmindedly. His mind was on Sorreltail, now—she was chatting with Ferncloud and Squirrelflight, and, as usual, Leafpool was alone, her amber gaze fixed on her white paws, blending into the thick snow. Her tail was curled around her, and she was shivering as though the breezes and snow were blowing into her face.
As soon as he'd eaten his fresh-kill, Brackenfur stood and padded over to Sandstorm, Spiderleg and Brambleclaw, all of them chattering up a storm. He gazed at their happy faces, and settled down beside Brambleclaw.
"Hey, Brackenfur. We've been waiting for you," Sandstorm meowed, yawning and blinking her green eyes. "Soon we'll be leaving."
Brambleclaw nodded, showing his pink tongue and fangs as he yawned. "Well, Brackenfur," he mewed, "are you as anxious as I am?"
Brackenfur snapped into reality, his head dizzy. "Wha—what?"
The dark brown tom stared at him coolly. "I asked you if you were as anxious as me... you know... Squirrelflight, Sorreltail?"
"Oh," the gingerish-gold tabby meowed, nodding. "I'm stunned that a beautiful she-cat like Sorreltail and a... a... fleabitten tomcat like me are together."
"Aren't we all," Spiderleg joked, his amber eyes glowing with humor. Sandstorm let out a mrrow of laughter, and shook the snow from her fur, standing. "Well, we should be leaving."
Brackenfur and Spiderleg followed her, with Brambleclaw trailing behind.
Sandstorm parted her jaws to scent the air, her tail-tip twitching as she continued, the cats' paws crunching snow beneath them. Spiderleg blinked and let his fiery gaze land on a clump of frosty brush.
He threw himself—rather noisily, if Brackenfur said so himself—into a hunting crouch, and his eyes narrowed. The young warrior crept forward, his tail-tip twitching, and his brown belly fur barely touching the ground beneath him. Sandstorm and Brambleclaw watched the young warrior's progress.
Spiderleg was swift, despite his slight clumsiness. He jolted out, nothing more than a streak of jet black fur, and pinned a vole, round and plump despite the harshness of leaf-bare. The tiny, fat rodent squealed and squirmed, but not for long.
The black warrior let his jaws close around its throat in a death-grab, and let it lie there in the snow, bloodstained mouth twisted into a sly grin.
"I caught a pretty big vole," he announced, standing erect, his tail curled around his black paws. "Am I great, or what?" He joked.
"The only great cat here is me," Sandstorm meowed firmly, but joyfully, as she padded over to scrape snow over the vole, leaving a red and white clump where Spiderleg left it. "Now, let's get moving."
As they headed over towards WindClan's border, Brackenfur heard a loud growl, and he blinked, straining to see what was there.
A very small brown and white cat—Owlpaw, he assumed—was alongside Weaseltail, one of his Clanmates. The older brown tabby warrior was showing him a technique, quite unique. Weaseltail had taken over Owlpaw's training, since his old mentor, Tornear, had died of blackcough.
Blackcough... he shivered, his fur rising slightly at the thought of the deadly disease. Nearly all of WindClan was ridden with greencough, as well as there deputy, Ashfoot. Onestar was said to have lost one of his lives during it—Ashfoot, though, had blackcough, and worried her entire Clan.
Brackenfur noticed Brambleclaw stare at Weaseltail with understanding—being a new mentor was hard. Brackenfur knew that, both from Graystripe and himself. His first apprentice, Tawnypaw, had run away, and he had no one but himself to blame. Now Tawnypelt, his former apprentice dwelled in ShadowClan, and was a hero known to all four Clans, as well as Brambleclaw, Crowfeather, Squirrelflight, Feathertail, and Stormfur.
Sandstorm padded over to Weaseltail, nearer the border, and dipped her head, her pale green eyes narrowed into slits.
"Greetings, Weaseltail, Owlpaw," she meowed, and Spiderleg nodded to them. The pale brown warrior nodded.
"Hello, Sandstorm, Brackenfur, Brambleclaw, Spiderpaw."
"Spiderleg," the black warrior corrected, smirking.
Weaseltail's eyes widened, but Sandstorm went on, firmly, "So, Weaseltail, Owlpaw, I hope you're planning to keep to your side of the border?"
Brackenfur nodded. "We can't afford trouble, and really, neither can you."
The brown tom nodded, but his ears were flat against his head. "I'll make sure I don't take a step over the border," he mumbled, turning away. Owlpaw stared at Sandstorm's patrol, and let out a cute, kitten-like hiss.
"I'm gonna' guard my borders with my life, and when I'm a warrior, I'll-"
"Coming, Owlpaw?"
Weaseltail was already walking back towards his borders, and, embarrassed, the tiny brown and white warrior followed.
Sandstorm nodded, and her patrol went on, through the snow. RiverClan's border with ThunderClan was calm, peaceful, as was ShadowClan's.
As they returned to camp, each of them with a mouthful of prey, Brackenfur, extremely worried, as the entire camp was gathered around the nursery, Brackenfur hurried over, his eyes wide with fear.
Sorreltail, Ferncloud and Squirrelflight looked devastated, as Cinderpelt huddled over a light brown tabby shape, which was racking uncontrollably.
Firestar and Squirrelflight were staring with misty, sorrow eyes, and the ginger she-cat leaned on her father's should, sorrow clouding her green gaze. Sandstorm halted in her tracks, her fur rising, and Cinderpelt's eyes were huge with discomfort.
"Leafpool..." breathed Spiderleg beside Brackenfur, and Brambleclaw hurried over to comfort Squirrelflight.
The light brown colored tabby she-cat was a tiny heap of untidy fur, and she was shivering, hacking, and wheezing all at once.
"Greencough," whispered Cinderpelt, turning to Brackenfur. "I just hope the other queens haven't caught it as well."
At this, Brackenfur's limbs were covered in a sheet of thin, freezing ice.
He just hoped Sorreltail hadn't caught whitecough, greencough, or even worse, blackcough. If she had, Brackenfur just knew their kits would die... or worse... Sorreltail would.
Ah... finished with chapter two. Almost five pages! Not bad for a lazy writer like me, xD. Anyways, please read and review! I hope you like this chapter! -OMG, the author's note isn't that long! The world is... ending...-
