Secrets
I don't own Warriors.
Chapter 5
Hawkpath woke to thin moonlight filtering through the mouth of the cave. Carefully, she crept to the front of the cave and peered at Poppyfur. She let out a soft sigh of relief when she saw Poppyfur was asleep. She padded slowly out of the cave, setting each paw down as lightly as if she was stalking prey, being careful not to wake Poppyfur up.
Once Hawkpath was a good distance away, she ran lightly out of the camp, wincing at the sting of her wounds. "They're still infected...maybe I could sneak some marigold from the medicine cats' den." Hawkpath quickly ruled that out; even if she didn't wake the three medicine cats up, they would notice that some was gone.
Hawkpath stopped; she could smell mouse. She saw two mice scuffling at a few seeds and went into the hunter's crouch. Slowly, she inched forward, putting each paw down as lightly as she could. Then, Hawkpath pounced. She slammed her paw down on one mouse, breaking its neck. The other mouse scrambled into the shadows, but Hawkpath had excellent night vision. Soon, she was scarfing down both of them.
Hawkpath let out a happy purr; she had gotten her first good meal in days. She was going to head back, but stopped. She was free! "Why should I go back? I'd just be trapped! Maybe I can find my clan mates!"
Hawkpath felt giddy; she could leave now and no one could know! Who cared if her clan mates didn't come back to her? She could find them!
Electrified, Hawkpath was about to race away when she smelled something. Nervously, Hawkpath tasted the air. Yes, she was right: fox! Hawkpath froze. Part of her wanted to run away, but the other part knew she should track the scent to chase the fox away. She followed the scent, winding through the trees.
Suddenly Hawkpath stopped. She had been so intent on following the scent, she hadn't realized that it had led her back to the Darkclan camp! "Oh no! If the fox is here, it could kill some cat!'
Even though the fox would be attacking Moonclan and Sunclan cats, it would be cruel to let it kill them. "Besides," Hawkpath thought, "what if it kills one of the kits?"
She scanned the clearing and soon saw the fox. It was very skinny, with a matted pelt and crusted wounds. "Is that the fox that attacked Ripplegaze?" Hawkpath thought in alarm. Then she realized, horrified, that it was entering the nursery.
With a yowl, she streaked towards the fox. Hawkpath saw Poppyfur jerk her head up in surprise as she tore past, but she didn't care.
There was a screech from the nursery and Hawkpath skidded to a halt. Dangling from the fox's jaws was Daisykit. Bluegaze, Daisykit's mother, was stiff with shock. The other queens were looking around in bewildered alarm.
With a snarl, Hawkpath slashed at the fox, giving it a sharp blow on the side of its head. It staggered back, then snapped at her, nicking her nose with its tooth. Hawkpath's nose stung, and blood began to trickle out of it.
Suddenly Poppyfur was beside her, raking her claws through the fox's pelt. Hawkpath looked at Daisykit and knew there was no saving her. She felt a pang of grief for the tiny kit, then turned to the fox.
She gasped; it had bit Poppyfur on the leg and was shaking her like a leaf. Hawkpath leaped at the fox, landing on its back and digging in with her claws. With a yelp the fox dropped Poppyfur, who slumped on the ground. Then next thing Hawkpath knew, she had been shaken off and was crashing into the nursery.
Brambles tore at her pelt and stung her sides, but she dragged herself free, leaving clumps of golden brown fur behind. Hawkpath heard the other kits squeaking in fear and hoped none of the others had been hurt.
More warriors were closing in and he fox had evidently had enough. It streaked out of the clearing, red fur bristling. Leapstar gave the order for some of the cats to give chase.
"Make sure that fox doesn't come back!" he growled, lashing his tail.
Thorntail shouldered past Hawkpath, staring in shock at Poppyfur. Hawkpath winced; she didn't want Poppyfur to be hurt and hoped Thorntail wouldn't blame her for his sister's wound. Thorntail swung his head around to glare at Hawkpath, who flinched at his orange gaze, then shouldered his way into the ruined nursery.
Nettleclaw, Swallowstep, and Pebbleshine had come dashing over. Hawkpath watched Pebbleshine lead out the shaken queens and their kits. Leapstar rushed over to Bluegaze and buried his nose in her fur.
Hawkpath was surprised when Nettleclaw came over to her, carrying cobwebs and other herbs. She had forgotten she was hurt, but when the mottled grey medicine cat came over to her, she remembered. Pain shot through her nose, her head, her whole body, and Hawkpath sat down with a bump. Nettleclaw mewed, "Press these on your nose," handing Hawkpath a wad of spider webs. Obediently, she pressed them gently to her nose, wincing.
Nettleclaw muttered something under his breath as he tended to Hawkpath's wounds. "What?" she asked curiously. "Oh, nothing," Nettleclaw meowed nonchalantly, "I'm just going to get some marigold. Eat these," he added, swishing his tail to indicate some poppy seeds. Hawkpath nodded and gulped them down as he headed back to the medicine cat's den.
As Nettleclaw passed Swallowstep, he touched his tail tip to her shoulder and Hawkpath overheard him murmuring, "Does she get enough to eat? She's awfully thin." I wish, Hawkpath thought, changing the position of the spider web.
Yawning, Hawkpath pushed the moss lining the cave into a bundle. She nosed her way into the bundle, curling up tight to keep out the tree-bare cold. Hawkpath found herself yearning for her clan mates and the warm, snug warriors den. Was Ravenpaw a warrior now? Had he taken her place? Did her clan mates miss her? Hawkpath shook the thoughts out of her head. "Don't be mouse-brained!" she told herself. "No cat can replace you! Of course your clan mates miss you!"...Right?