The next day of traveling had been an actual secret war between two toms behind Leafpool's back. The two toms were doing their best to earn Leafpool's approval, compliments and adoring look. The only strange thing about it was that Crowfeather didn't know why he was doing it. When they had rose from their sleep he had spotted Raven's taunting eyes on him, challenging him to act, to do something. For the hunt Raven had made yet another impressive catch (in what world do you see a cat running in trees?!) for Leafpool, and it angered him that she was impressed by it, much less paying attention to it. The next thing he knew he was trying to earn her approval and it was working. His heart swelled when she watched him with gleaming eyes and his pride soared when Raven glared at him for it. Right now the two were walking on either side of her, just half a body behind her. They passed glares at each other, tails bristled and fangs bore threateningly at each other. Crowfeather narrowed his eyes as he saw the tom give a triumphant smirk. What was he up to this time? "Hey!" He called out when the black tom took off. Leafpool passed him a confused look and followed, both stopping by a bush.
"What are you doi-"
"Tracks!" Raven mewed, nosing the bush. On the bush was a clump of rusty red fur.
"Oh!" Leafpool exclaimed, eyes brightening in excitement. "I knew my instincts weren't wrong! Search the area!" They both split up, but not before the toms glared at each other. Crowfeather growled as he nosed a bush. He was going to find a lead! Leafpool found the lead however, and for a long time they followed it. They trekked cautiously when they entered some woods, eyes peering around for danger. Leafpool sniffed a bush, Crowfeather and Raven sniffing trees. Raven froze as he felt the fur on his back bristle, and he turned in time just to see yellow eyes glaring at Leafpool from beside her. "LEAFPOOL!" He yowled and pounced just as the cat did. Leafpool froze and watched with wide eyes as a white tom and Raven tumbled around, both spitting at each other and clawing. More cats came out and surrounded them. While Raven handled the white tom, Crowfeather and Leafpool were stuck with five others.
The five cats surround the traveling pair, fangs bared and growling. Leafpool glanced at each cat, trying to gauge their chances is running. 'That one looks really fast and that one could probably snap my leg,' she thoughts seriously. At the yowling noise she looked back between them. Raven was trapped under the large tom and fighting back, but failing. His mouth went for Raven's throat, and it was then that she broke.
"No!"
She rushed through them, knocking one of them over as she quickly made her way toward the fighting two. With a yowl she crashed into the white tom, knocking him off of Raven. The tom gave a surprised yowl and Leafpool used it to her advantage. She clawed at him vicious and jumped off just as he took as swipe at her. She landed back in front of Raven protectively, ears flattened as she snarled at him warningly. She heard the growls of the white tom's companions.
"Whitethunder, are you alright!" The small black tom of the pack asked.
"I'm fine! Whitethunder snapped, climbing to his feet and glaring at Leafpool. He bore many wound, turning to briefly lick at the ones Leafpool gave him on his shoulder. "Why are you following us rogue? You've been tracking us for half the day!"
Crowfeather ran up beside Leafpool, tossing a glance back at Raven. He was laying on the ground and licking his side feverishly, the blood flowing down his black fur. The black tom gave a small whimper as pain lanced through him. Leafpool kept cold eyes on Whitethunder as she backed away to Raven, then risked a glance down at him. "Dear Starclan," she whispered. His body was littered with claw marks and a deep bite was on his shoulder. Across his face was a particularly nasty scratch. All in all Raven looked a mess.
Leafpool licked a cut on his cheek. "Crowfeather, I need you to go and find some cobwebs and fast!"
"You aren't going anywhere until you answer the question!" The orange tom with spots snarled. Leafpool fixed him a glare.
"Autumnspot, unless you let me treat him I'm not telling you anything!"
Six pairs of eyes widened, and for a long time there was only silence.
"How do you know my name?!" He squeaked finally, green eyes gleaming in shock. The she cat snarled at him.
"Of course I know your name! I won't tell you unless you let me treat him!" Leafpool spat at him.
The rusty she cat growled at her, and Whitethunder advanced. "Tell us. How do you know his name? Do you know us as well?" Leafpool was silent as she glared defiantly at them. "Answer me!" Whitethunder hissed.
Leafpool sneered. "If you don't let me treat him, I won't take you to your mate."
His eyes widened in surprise, then he snarled. Crowfeather was in front of her instantly. "Don't. You. Dare."
"How do you know my mate?!" He roared. Leafpool snorted and rolled her eyes.
"Just as short tempered as she said you was." She licked Raven on his nose, stopping the blood flowing from the wound on it. "Can you stand?" Raven nodded slowly, hissing as she helped him stand. "Crowfeather, a little help here?" The dark grey tom narrowed his eyes at Whitethunder, but soon turned and joined them.
"I will let you treat your friend, but then I want answers." He turned to his group. "We will take them to our camp."
"Seriously Whitethunder?!"
"Shut up Longclaw!" He growled, then turned and trekked back into the woods.
~ooo~
"Ouch!" Raven hissed as he flinched in his nest. Leafpool send him am amused glare.
"Be still! You're such a kit!"
"Well sorry. Had I not intercepted his attack then you would be feeling this, maybe worse." He muttered in annoyance. Leafpool sighed and nuzzled his cheek carefully.
"I know, and for that I am grateful. Thank you, Raven."
Raven couldn't hold back his purr as he returned a gesture. "I would do anything for you, Leafpool."
It was an awkward silence after he said that, Leafpool staring at him with a weird look in her eyes. She finished smearing a salve on his thigh and rose. "That should help," she murmured and trotted away to wash her paws.
Raven sighed and hung his head. 'No no no you idiot! You haven't finished wooing her yet! All of Cherry's advice to you has been ruined because of your eager feelings you bird brain!' He held back a whimper in his throat as he carefully set his head on his paws. 'I pushed it. She might start avoiding me now,' he thought glumly. Crowfeather walked by with a strangely pleased look in his eyes that made him want to seriously sink his claws into the tom's throat.
"Have you treated him?" He heard Whitethunder mew.
"Yes," Leafpool answered.
"Good. Now-"
"I know that, hold onto your fur!" She snapped angrily. Raven raised his head to watch them, Crowfeather settling down a little ways away from her from the right. He was sitting too close to her for his liking.
"Now, as you know, there is a prophecy going on involving your mate and daughter..."
"How is she?" Whitethunder asked eagerly. Leafpool gave an annoyed huff.
"Cherry is-"
"Not her, my daughter! How big is she? What does she look like? How strong is she?"
Leafpool growled warningly at him for the onslaught of questions, but she softens as she looked into his eyes. The need to know about his kit was so powerful; it was like a kit eager to see its mother. "Your daughter is fine. She is," she looked around, "about my size, and maybe a bit bigger. She isn't as red as her mother, more like a pinkish red or a scarlet. She has Cherry's green eyes and both of your features. She is also a fierce warrior. She's very good in battle, very fearless."
"She's also polite and funny, and very sarcastic when she's annoyed or mad. But she is an excellent climber, excellent huntress and she has the softest fur," Raven continued, eyes half lidded. "Ah, what I would give to have such a talented kit. She's like a daughter to me."
"Excuse me, but who are you?" Whitethunder growled, Leafpool sending him a warning look. 'How dare he refer to my daughter as his own?'
"I," Raven started, rising slowly and walking over to him, "am Raven, Ocean's apprentice and Sakura's guardian." He raises his head high as he stared at Whitethunder. "And that wound on your neck," he motioned to the semi deep scratch he managed to give the white tom on the side of his neck, patched up by Mudfur, "that was for Cherry and the pain you've caused her. And that's only a fraction of the pain; when your daughter meets you she will Mark you. She hates you now you know." He finished nonchalantly
"You lie!" Whitethunder snarled, now nose to nose with the long legged tom. Raven stared back at him calmly.
"I do not. "I will sink my claws into him and Mark him for being the main cause of my siblings death!" her words exactly." He mewed as he imitated her voice.
Whitethunder's breath was labored as he ran the words over in his head. The tom had to be lying, he had to be. 'But he is our kit's guardian. He can't lie!'
"Need I remind you that I've saved her countless of times and this is how I get repaid?" He lifted his injured paw and waved it a little. "Cherry said that you were an intelligent deputy and always thought first before your actions, but the fight back there clearly brushes away one of the small praises she gave you."
"Who is Cherry?" The small back tom beside a white tabby one asked.
"Cherry is Cherryblossom, Ravenpaw." Whitethunder answered lowly, eyes on the ground. 'She still praises me,' he thought with wonder. He gave a reluctant glare to Raven. "I am, sorry, for the attack. I was aiming for her," he nodded over to Leafpool. "Had you not jumped in the way-"
"Had I not jumped in the way you would have done worse to her. And that, Whitethunder, would have made me kill you, regardless of you being Sakura's father and Cherry's mate. If I had died by your paws then I would come down from Skyclan and kill you. You will not harm that she cat or lay a claw on her hide." He hissed lowly, voice taking a dangerous nosedive, eyes challenging and ears flattened. His fur was bristled and his fangs bore, he all but forgotten about his previous wounds.
'He will seriously attack me if I hurt her,' Whitethunder thought in admiration. He didn't miss the tall stance the tom took on, and the very familiar flick of his tail. It dawned on him that Raven was protecting the she cat he was wooing. 'Cherry must have taught him that,' he thought lovingly as he remembered doing the same thing for Cherry. No cat would dare step up to try and challenge him for her though, so it was easy.
"I didn't know, and I am sorry," he murmured, bowing his head slightly with a swipe of his tail. Raven eyed the thick appendage warily before relaxing, nodding his head. The other stared in curiosity. For some reason it seemed that a sort of truce has been made between the two.
"Uh," Autumnspot mewed, "we are completely off topic here."
"Oh," Whitethunder murmured and turned back to Leafpool. "How is Cherry?"
"She is healing," she replied steadily. Whitethunder and Autumnspot were instantly tensed.
"What happened?!" The orange tom shrieked.
Leafpool snorted. "I will tell you on the way to the clans."
"The clans!" Ravenpaw yelped excitedly. "Is Firestar still there? Did Graystripe have another litter of kits?"
Leafpool fixed him a sympathetic look. "Firestar is dead, as well is Graystripe. Bramblestar is the Thunderclan leader now." The crestfallen look on the small black toms face was horrible. "I will tell more on the way, but for right now we need much needed rest." A mute and sad nod from the black tom and Leafpool turned to the others. "It is however, great to finally meet the cats I have been dreaming about. I am honored."
"As are we," Mudfur answered. Barley was busy comforting his mourning friend.
"One more question?" Longclaw asked, looking between her and Crowfeather, who was now much closer to her. "Are you two mates?"
Both of their eyes widened before Leafpool growled. "We are ex mates," she said with barely hidden venom, one that made Crowfeather flinch. Raven threw him a triumphant smile as he let Leafpool usher him back to his nest. There was no way they were getting back together. The path was clear. 'She's all mine.'