Flame crept through bushes and thorns warily. He'd been gone for what it felt like a moon, and he almost lost his den.
Familiar scents flew into his nostrils, him giving a sigh of relief. He scrambled toward the den, mud spraying the grass.
Rain still poured, but he was able to track down the scents. "Orange? Red?" He called, poking himself into his birth den. A blur of red flew into the air, barking furiously and biting him. He growled and clawed the other fox in return.
"Get out, cat dung!" The she fox growled. He widened his eyes. His sister! "Cherry! Cherry! It's me, Flame! Can't you tell?" He begged. He couldn't even recognize her at first. Cherrys paws were streaked with blood, and her expression looked tired and angry, not like the normal cherry.
"That's why I want you to leave."
ANTPAWS POV
Antpaw dove in the water, water sprinkling the air with the rain. "Antpaw! I'll go farther ahead, I might find Crowkit!" Shadepaw called from above. Antpaw kept swimming, the rain pushing her down.
A pang of determination hit her like a claw. She pushed her hind paws forward and she rocketed foward, water filling her mouth. She spat it out with a breath and kept swimming.
"Crowkit! Crowkit, where are you?" Antpaw would call every few times she popped out of the water to breath.
She swam until sunset. Her legs ached and felt like they would fail on her, even if her heart disagreed. With a hiss, she pulled herself out of the water. Antpaw limped toward camp, her gaze looking for one person: Shadepaw. She glanced near the medicine den, and saw Hazelpaw, the medicine cat apprentice, who seemed to be talking to Bluepaw. The wet apprentice padded to them. "Where's Shadepaw?" Antpaw questioned gently. "I don't know..." Bluepaw replied, a worried expression plastered on his face. "Have you seen her?" Antpaw only shook her head, her ears pinned to her head. "Antpaw! Bluepaw! Hazelpaw!" A voice yowled from behind. The three apprentices spun around. "Shade-" Bluepaw started, but was stopped by Shadepaw. "I-I found Crowkit." Shadepaw said, out of breath. She dropped the body at Antpaws paws. "Is he alive?" Antpaw asked the medicine cat apprentice, worry dripping from her voice. Hazelpaw gulped and lifted a paw and gently placed a paw on the limp body.
"He's..." Hazelpaw paused. "He's dead. We're too late."
Antpaws blood froze. Silence flooded the group for a few long heartbeats. "O-Oh. I understand.. I'll tell Beetlemask." Antpaw stammered. She couldn't even get out the words. She ran off, her head hung low. She flew past the Nursery, and ventured on. "Antpaw, please stop!" Bluepaw cried. Antpaw bit back a reply and her tail lashed.
I'm not stopping.
:(