Heronpaw tried to yowl but his body felt like stone. His eyes were stuck to the strange cat.
It opened its jaws as if it was speaking but Heronpaw couldn't hear anything over the rush of the river. The cat closed its mouth and turned to look over its shoulder.
The moment eye contact broke Heronpaw felt his muscles release. He was just about to yowl after the apparition when four cats burst from the undergrowth and bounded straight towards it. Instead of colliding with it, the WillowClan warriors ran straight through the white cat. Its form scattered like mist.
Still stunned by what he had just seen, Heronpaw didn't hear Kestrelfeather call out a greeting. The WillowClan cats began to pick their way down the slope and head for the stepping stones. There were four of them; a large tabby tom, a smaller black tom, and two apprentice-age cats. The apprentices' jaws were bursting with bright green stalks.
Kestrelfeather padded up beside Heronpaw. Heronpaw jumped.
"Keep your fur on." Kestrelfeather said with a half-amused, half-concerned purr.
Heronpaw tried to gather his wits. His heart was still thundering in his chest. Had Kestrelfeather seen too?
But Kestrelfeather looked completely unphased. If he had seen a cat appear and then vanish he would have reacted in some way. Heronpaw cast a glance at the others in the patrol. Neither tom looked particularly shaken.
Heronpaw had been the only one.
"Welcome, Twistedroot. Yarrowfang." Kestrelfeather called to the WillowClan patrol. They had made it across the river and were gathered on a large flat stone just inside the CedarClan boundary.
The large tabby tom,Twistedroot, bowed his head in greeting. "Kestrelfeather."
His companion said nothing.
Kestrelfeather turned and beckoned Dawnheart forward. Dawnheart made his way across the stones on careful paws.
Twistedroot gestured to one of the apprentices. The she-cat stepped forward cautiously. As Dawnheart grew nearer, Heronpaw saw the other warrior's eyes flick to Dawnheart's forehead.
"Wait a moment." Yarrowfang said in an oily voice.
Everyone paused, looking confused.
"Is there a problem?" Kestrelfeather asked.
Yarrowfang slipped forward so that he was at the head of the patrol. He pointed a slightly bristling tail tip at Dawnheart's face. "Is that what I think it is?" His voice was dripping with malice and, strangely, disgust.
Dawnheart continued to look bewildered. Kestrelfeather looked from the WillowClan cat to Dawnheart and back again.
"What, his warrior-mark? He got that this-"
He was cut off by an angry hiss. Yarrowfang's lips were drawn back in a snarl and Twistedroot's eyes were wide with disbelief.
"Isn't he that kitty-pet?" one of the apprentices piped up through his mouthful of herb.
Heronpaw's stomach sank. Not again.
Kestrelfeather didn't miss a beat. He snorted. "He's a CedarClan warrior." he said simply. "Now, can we get on with-"
Yarrowfang interrupted him again. "Blizzardstar actually let a kitty-pet have a ceremony?"
Slatefang stepped off the bank and leaped to Dawnheart's side. His green eyes burned with anger. "Are you questioning our leader?" he snarled.
Yarrowfang spat to the side. "And if I am?"
Slatefang bristled. Yarrowfang lashed his tail. Kestrelfeather stepped between the quarreling warriors. "Calm your tails." he hissed. He turned to Twistedroot. "Let's put this aside and do what we came here to do."
Twistedroot hesitated for a brief moment. "Fine." He flicked his tail at the apprentice. She began to move forward again.
Every pelt was on end. Yarrowfang and Slatefang were still staring each other down. Twistedroot looked distinctly uncomfortable, and Heronpaw could feel the tension coming off of Kestrelfeather. He had never had such an awkward encounter with a rival Clan before.
Kestrelfeather stepped forward to take the WillowClan apprentice's burden. Dawnheart, who had been silent so far, stretched out his neck so that Yarrowfang could reach him with ease.
"Wait." Twistedroot boomed.
Kestrelfeather lashed his tail. "What now?"
Twistedroot looked conflicted. "I want to consult with Cougarstar first," he said.
"About what?" Slatefang spat.
Twistedroot's tail twitched but he held his ground. "I don't know if she would be comfortable trading with a Clan that gave a," he glanced at Dawnheart and then away again, "an outsider a warrior ceremony."
The CedarClan cats were stunned into silence.
Heronpaw cast a glance at Dawnheart. His friend's blue eyes were wide with disbelief.
Kestrelfeather shook his head. "How does CedarClan business affect WilllowClan?" he said. He seemed to be having a hard time keeping a mocking tone out of his voice.
"We can't control what you do." Twistedroot's eyes narrowed. "But we can choose not to support it."
Yarrowfang nodded vigorously, his pinched face filled with smug satisfaction.
"You can't do that." Slatefang snarled. "Every Clan is entitled to fair trade."
Twistedroot eyed the bristling new warrior. "Are they? Where in the Warrior Code does it say that?"
Heronpaw scraped his claws against the flat rock. The Warrior Code didn't have any rules about the trade. The Clans had formed the pact themselves.
"Still," Kestrelfeather said, stepping forward, "you need these as much as we need that catmint."
Yarrowfang sneered. "Minnowflash has not been wasteful. We have plenty stored away."
Heronpaw did not miss the subtle jab at CedarClan's own medicine cat, Plumleaf. He felt a surge of anger. Plumleaf wasn't wasteful!
Kestrelfeather looked skeptical. He turned his gaze to Twistedroot. "Surely you would not deny our kits and elders medicine over this."
Twistedroot's expression flickered, then hardened. "It's of no concern of mine if CedarClan cannot care for their own." He flicked his crooked tail at his patrol. They moved away from the border, preparing to leave.
"Typical WillowClan," Slatefang hissed. "Refusing to take responsibility. No wonder Cougarstar is the least respected in the forest."
Yarrowfang whipped around and bore his teeth. "How dare you, you piece of foxdung!"
Slatefang lashed his tail and arched his back. Things were starting to get out of control.
Dawnheart dropped his bundle and moved between the quarreling warriors. "Stop this, both of you." he said.
"No one asked you, rat spawn." Yarrowfang spat. His claws glinted on the slick rock beneath his paws. "Get out of my way."
Dawnheart stood his ground. Slatefang looked like he was going to tell Dawnheart to move too, but barely kept his composure. He was still glaring at Yarrowfang over his Clanmate's shoulder.
"Settle down." Kestrelfeather ordered.
Twistedroot's neck fur bristled. "Stop giving my Clanmates orders." he snapped.
"Then you tell him to knock it off." Kestrelfeather shot back.
Twistedroot considered for just a moment before giving his kinked tail a single lash. "Get over here, Yarrowfang. This is their territory."
Yarrowfang's eyes were still fixed on Dawnheart. He made no move to back down.
"Don't give them a reason to attack you." Twistedroot growled.
Yarrowfang drew his lips back in a snarl. "Like they'd have the guts." he tossed his head and started to turn. "They're all cowards, just like their leader."
Dawnheart took a step forward. His eyes were darkly serious. "Leave my territory," he said. His long claws slid out. "Or I will make you."
Yarrowfang faltered despite his aggressive front. He recovered quickly and his regular sneer returned to his face.
"You're blocking my way," he gestured to the next stepping stone. Dawnheart was barely an inconvenience. He set his jaw and began to move aside.
Yarrowfang barged past, making sure to bump into Dawnheart as hard as he could. Dawnheart stumbled on the slippery rock. Slatefang jumped forward to steady his Clanmate, and blocked Yarrowfang's way again.
Yarrowfang tried to avoid a collision and, in doing so, misstepped. One black paw slipped over the edge of the rock and into the water. With a cry, Yarrowfang reached out with flailing paws to grab onto something. His claws found Slatefang's pelt.
In a mere heartbeat, both warriors were being dragged backwards into the river. Before any cat would twitch a whisker, Slatefang's claws scraped the edge of the stone and vanished into the swift water.
Cats from both Clans yowled in shock. Kestrelfeather immediately took off running down the bank. His eyes were trained on Slatefang's bobbing head.
Heronpaw bolted after his mentor. Fear made his heart pump painfully in his chest. The river was fast. Fast and cold.
Heronpaw and Kestrelfeather raced along the stony bank. Out of the corner of his eye Heronpaw could see the WillowClan warriors doing the same on their bank. Slatefang's gray head was rising and falling under the surface in a violent struggle. There didn't seem to be any sign of Yarrowfang.
"Heronpaw! Log ahead!" Kestrelfeather shouted.
Heronpaw understood and obeyed without question. The pair flexed their legs in unison. As one Heronpaw and Kestrelfeather overtook Slatefang's thrashing form and left him behind. The two cats veered off of the pebbly bank towards a fallen trunk that lay across the churning water. With a mighty leap Heronpaw launched himself onto the rough surface. Kestrelfeather landed beside him a half a breath later.
By gripping the rotting bark with their claws, Heronpaw and his mentor could drop their heads below the log. Blood was roaring in Heronpaw's ears. They had mere seconds until Slatefang reached them.
The gray warrior lashed out with his paws for something to hold on to. His forepaw caught a branch from the fallen tree. With a tremendous effort Slatefang wrenched his head around to grasp the branch with his teeth. He managed to stop himself for a heartbeat until the branch snapped off in his jaws and he was swept away again.
"Ready!?" Kestrelfeather howled.
"Ready!" Heronpaw shouted back.
They both stretched out and grasped some of Slatefang's gray fur in their teeth.
Slatefang reached out with his own claws to grasp the bark.
Heronpaw pulled upward as hard as he could. For a moment it seemed that they would be able to pull Slatefang to safety. His muscles screamed in protest and he briefly wondered why Slatefang was so heavy. He looked down into Slatefang's wild eyes and pulled harder.
There was a loud 'pop' and Heronpaw's right foreleg suddenly gave out. The shock of it caused him to lurch forward.
Reeling, Heronpaw lost his balance on the log. He toppled with a cry into the churning water.
The cold took his breath away. Water filled his ears, his nose, and his mouth. Disoriented, Heronpaw flailed in the freezing current. His right leg burned with sudden excruciating pain. It refused to respond as he thrashed.
As he desperately tried to find out which way was up, he felt the tug of his soaked fur dragging him to the bottom. Panic took over and Heronpaw thrashed his numb paws in the water. His head broke the foamy surface of the water and he heard distant yowling. He barely had time to gulp a lungful of air before a wave crashed over his head and forced him below.
Without warning Heronpaw's stomach dropped as he careened over a waterfall. He fell for only a moment, but the impact at the bottom of the fall made him choke as the breath was forced from his lungs. He tumbled over and over in the vortex of thundering water.
He couldn't see. He couldn't breathe. Adrenaline was shooting through his veins like fire. Every second seemed to drag on forever.
The river tossed his exhausted body to and fro like a dead mouse. He slammed into a large rock face first and new pain shot through his cheek. He tried to paddle with both forepaws but his injured leg refused to move. Water was surrounding his every sense. Lack of air combined with pain made his thoughts start to fade.
StarClan help me!
His head broke the surface again and he took a huge gulp of air. His mind cleared enough to register that another cat was near him. He felt teeth sink into his scruff and a familiar scent filled his mouth.
Kestrelfeather?
After a few moments of intense struggle Heronpaw felt stone underneath his pelt. He tried to help Kestrelfeather drag him up the rock's surface, but his leg was still useless. Once the top half of Heronpaw's body was free from the water Heronpaw felt his rescuer collapse beside him.
Another set of teeth gripped Heronpaw's scruff. This time the scent told him it was Dawnheart.
Dawnheart hauled Heronpaw further up the rocks to safety. Once Heronpaw's tail was clear of the rushing water Dawnheart hurried to Kestrelfeather's side and pulled him up too.
Heronpaw lay belly down on the rock with his head turned to the side and his right foreleg dangling uselessly over the edge of the rock face. He had a perfect view of Kestrelfeather's heaving flank. Heronpaw tried to breath in deeply too, but found it impossible. Instead, he made a gurgling sound and spat out a mouthful of water. He spent a few moments hacking up more water until he could breathe again.
"Slatefang?" Heronpaw croaked once his lungs were clear.
"Fine." Dawnheart panted.
Heronpaw closed his eyes and let exhaustion coupled with relief wash over him.
"You all right?" Dawnheart's mew was full of concern.
"My leg. Can't move it." Heronpaw grunted. The numbness in his face was wearing off. He could now feel his bruised and bloodied cheek. It throbbed.
"You've dislocated it." Kestrelfeather's gruff voice indicated that the warrior was standing up.
Heronpaw heard his mentor's pawsteps circle around his head. Kestrelfeather bent down to sniff Heronpaw's shoulder. He prodded it lightly with his nose.
Heronpaw flinched away.
"Yeah. That's lucky. If it had broken…" Kestrelfeather's mew trailed off and he didn't say any more.
"Can you sit up?" Dawnheart asked Heronpaw.
"No." Heronpaw replied. He was completely exhausted.
"We need to get you on the shore." Kestrelfeather interjected. He padded over and grabbed Heronpaw by the scruff.
Heronpaw had no choice but to use his painfully weak muscles. He steadied himself with his good forepaw so he could get his back legs in the right position. With Kestrelfeather and Dawnheart's sturdy shoulders to support him Heronpaw got to his three uninjured paws. His Clanmates carefully stepped away from him so he could find his balance. Heronpaw glared through the pain, his eyes fixed on the opposite edge of the large rock.
Yarrowfang exploded from the surface with a loud splash and grasped at a boulder with his claws.
Heronpaw was so startled by the WillowClan cat's sudden
appearance that he toppled over. Dawnheart leapt to his side to steady him.
Kestrelfeather padded over to Yarrowfang and dragged the sodden cat out of the river. He dropped the black cat's scruff with a look of disgust.
"What in StarClan's name were you thinking?" He spat.
Yarrowfang slowly sat up. He was breathing heavily and glaring up at Kestrelfeather with hateful yellow eyes. Kestrelfeather leaned down so he was muzzle to muzzle with Yarrowfang.
"You almost killed my apprentice, my Clanmate, and yourself." Kestrelfeather snarled. "Cougarstar will hear about this." With that he turned and stalked back to Heronpaw's side.
"Come on. You need Plumleaf." Kestrelfeather said in a calmer voice.
"What about Slatefang?" Heronpaw protested.
"I'll take him home." Dawnheart said.
"Fetch Plumleaf, too." Kestrelfeather ordered.
Dawnheart nodded. He made sure Kestrelfeather would be okay supporting Heronpaw by himself, then the pale warrior took off.
Mentor and apprentice made slow progress back to the bank. The outcrop of rock was full of water filled holes and sharp corners so each step had to be made with care. Heronpaw tried his best to hop alongside his mentor.
Once they had reached the bank they were out of immediate danger. Now they just had to make it home.