Mapleshade padded towards the camp entrance, purring as she spotted Larchpaw and Nettlepad standing ready with Frecklewish. A small patrol but plenty for a border patrol. Many sunrises had passed since the apprentice ceremony and from what Mapleshade was hearing and seeing, her kits were learning quickly. Starclan guide them to be the best warriors they can be for Thunderclan.
"Mapleshade! It's a nice morning, isn't it?" Frecklewish purred, Nettlepad was nodding while Mapleshade swished her tail.
"Indeed it is. Prey is still plentiful, though leaf-fall is right there," Mapleshade blinked and glanced warmly at her son who looked oddly awake for such an early start.
"We've plenty of paws to help us prepare for the hard times ahead. Larchpaw here is an excellent hunter already!" Nettlepad purred and flicked his tail over her shoulder playfully.
Frecklewish snorted and pushed through the camp entrance, leaving the two warriors and the young apprentice to follow her lead. Mapleshade kept an eye on Larchpaw, noting his attentiveness as he kept scenting the air and looking around, his ears swiveling and twitching as he listened. Mapleshade felt pride well up in her chest as she silently praised his guard. He's certainly going to be an amazing warrior.
"Has Riverclan been scented on Sunningrocks lately? With leaf-fall coming up they're sure to try to claim it again," Nettlepad asked Frecklewish carefully.
"Not yet," The speckled warrior replied tartly, her tail tip twitching angrily. "And they'd better not even try it."
"I give it until the next gathering," Mapleshade meowed coldly. "They'll be asking Oakstar for Sunningrocks and once he denies them they'll try to claim it. But we have more claws to defend what's ours now."
Larchpaw growled, "I'll fight tooth and claw to defend what's rightfully Thunderclan's. Those fishfaced cats don't deserve our territory."
Frecklewish purred at the young tom's loyalty and looked at Mapleshade, "You're right, Mapleshade. And I'm happy to see Larchpaw is as ready to defend our territory as the rest of us." Mapleshade nodded as they neared the Riverclan border, raising her tail to silence everyone.
"Or they're not waiting," Mapleshade hissed quietly, looking at the Riverclan patrol that sat on Sunningrocks.
Nettlepad snarled and Frecklewish bristled. "Larchpaw, fetch the others, we're outnumbered," Frecklewish ordered quietly.
The dark furred tom looked annoyed but nodded and ran back towards camp, leaving Mapleshade and her clanmates studying the patrol on Sunningrocks. A familiar pale brown pelt caught her attention and she sank her claws into the soil with a growl in her throat.
"As much as I'd like to take my revenge, I'll let you take him, Mapleshade," Frecklewish murmured, her voice cold as ice.
"Much appreciated," Mapleshade uttered back, hearing the faint sound of more of her clanmates as they approached from behind.
Mapleshade padded out of the brush and growled at the Riverclan cats, "You're trespassing on Thunderclan territory. Leave."
Appledusk's holly colored eyes, which used to make her heart skip, only made her heart feel cold with rage. "Riverclan is reclaiming Sunningrocks for leaf-fall and lead-bare."
Mapleshade narrowed her eyes and unsheathed her claws, baring her teeth, "No you aren't. This is our land, not your fish eating clan's!" Mapleshade flicked her tail and lunged at Appledusk, slamming into him while sinking her claws into his shoulders.
The thundering of paws as her clanmates joined in the battle pounded in her ears while Appledusk hissed in pain and anger, kicking at her belly. Mapleshade snarled in his face, baring her teeth at him as she kept him pinned.
"You will not take from my clan or my kits you foxhearted fishloving traitor," Mapleshade hissed, sinking her claws into his pelt harder, earning a pain yowl from the musclular tom.
He kicked at her and she fell back, grunting in pain and lashing her claws out over his muzzle when he neared her, her eyes cold as they locked on him. The pain searing her pelt from his claws only enraged her more and she scrambled to her paws, listening to the snarling around her. Mapleshade reared up, causing Appledusk to pause in his tracks, his eyes widening as he scrambled back slightly, but not fast enough to avoid Mapleshade's claws raking over one of his eyes. He screeched and stumbled back, shaking his head and spraying droplets of blood onto the rocks.
"Appledusk!" A gray and black tabby yowled, rushing to his side, her amber eyes wide. The cats around them fell silent and Appledusk was crouched against the rocks.
"You should retreat," Mapleshade growled, glaring down at the cowering tom.
"Riverclan retreat! You've really done it this time, Mapleshade," The Riverclan she-cat shielding Appledusk snarled.
"You tried to take Thunderclan land, she did nothing worse than what he did when he caused Flowerpaw's death and nearly Birchface's. Being blinded in one eye is short of what he deserves," Larchpaw spoke up from a few pawsteps away.
Eeltail hissed, glaring at the apprentice, "But Birchface survived! Mapleshade shouldn't have carelessly struck Appledusk!"
Petalpaw growled in frustration, "It's not like she was trying to kill him! She didn't break the code, now take him and leave!"
Eeltail flattened her ears, glaring at Mapleshade and her clanmates. "He has a mate and kits waiting for him back at camp, how can you be so cruel?" Reedshine no doubt.
"Did I not have the same when he caused my near death and Flowerpaw's death?" Birchface limped over, his blue eyes cold as ice. "He is not going to die, he will simply lose his vision in that one eye at worst. Take him to camp to be treated instead of making a fool of yourself by remaining here while your clanmate suffers."
The Riverclan warrior let out a low growl before grabbing the pale warrior's scruff and helping him acriss the river. Mapleshade felt a small surge of satisfaction at the permanent damage she dealt the selfish tom and pressed to Birchface's side. Well spoken, Birchface. My brave warrior, I love you with all my heart.
"Mapleshade, you did good," Frecklewish purred, a scratch on her shoulder bleeding as she limped over, her dark amber eyes glowing with gratitude. "You acted like a true warrior while still taking revenge."
Birchface nodded and nuzzled Mapleshade's cheek, a purr rumbling in his chest as the two leaned on each other while the patrol headed back to camp.
"Careful!" Mapleshade hissed at Ravenwing as he applied a poultice to her shoulder scratch, it burned. "Honestly, you'd think to be more careful with your clan's warriors."
The black tom mumbled an apology and a giver and white head popped from the back of the den, "Ravenwing, we're going to need more poppyseeds soon."
Mapleshade purred as she spotted her son, he padded over and touched his nose to her cheek before examing the clawmarks on her pelt. "I've got her, Patchpaw, she's a tough warrior."
"Don't worry, Patchpaw," Mapleshade meowed gently. "It's just a few scratches."
Her son blinked and then nodded with a soft purr before he turned and started applying a poultice to Frecklewish's flank.
"Your kits are growing and learning very quickly, I'm impressed," Frecklewish looked at Mapleshade. "Though I wouldn't expect any less from my brother's and his mate's kits."
Mapleshade felt the warmth of pride swelling in her chest as she dipped her head slightly, "They're making Thunderclan proud and will continue to I'm certain."