Crossing borders is bad. (Ivy)

[Thyme]

The tom stomped through the undergrowth, carelessly stepping on ferns and twigs. A vole skittered out of the way from beneath his huge paws but he didn’t try and pursue it. He wasn’t looking for prey. In fact, he didn’t know what he was even doing out of camp. No cat had instructed him to slip by the night guard with a quick word and slink into the chilly shadows of leaf-bare. No cat had sparked an unknown anger in his chest, causing him to flare up and become hostile. At least, he didn’t think so. All that he could feel right now was an unfettered fury that begged him to find something to sink his claws into.

Whipping around with a snarl, the tom turned on a nearby tree, digging long claws into the rough bark. Rough brown flakes of bark drifted to the ground as he dragged them down the trunk. He battered the riveted surface again with his claws. His long-furred tabby pelt was flecked with pieces of bark and small leaves, and his chest heaved as he stood panting. With a confused and frustrated yowl, the tom tore off through the trees, his paw pads crunching into the frozen soil. The darkness and his mind seemed to shut off his vision; all he could sense was whipping foliage and freezing breaths of fast-fading scent. It was so cold that his pads soon grew numb, but he kept running until the forest came to an abrupt stop. Taking a deep breath to soothe his burning throat, the tom smelled the strength of the ThunderClan border markings. He paused to add his own scent to the communal mark and leapt onto one of the slippery stones peeking above the dark water of the stream. It was a small enough stream that he didn’t feel threatened despite that he didn’t care for water. Granted, he had taken steps to ensure that he knew enough to at least flail his paws a little and keep himself afloat for a short time, but he didn’t make a habit of going for a routine early-morning swim.

His ears flew back, flattening to his skull in an attempt to protect the delicate flaps of skin. It was so cold, and he was so angry. Claws scrabbled at the slick surface of the rocks, seeking a hold anywhere to prevent an unwanted icy plunge. Freezing wind gusted down the bank carrying WindClan scent with it. Although surprised to find himself at the WindClan border, the tom just fluffed up his fur to try and stay warm. He couldn’t imagine how those WindClan cat’s managed with their short pelts and scrawny bodies. He let out a sudden yowl as if he’d been surprised by his own noise and took a step forward onto the next stepping stone.

[ivyy]

Dapplepaw limped through the undergrowth, her left hind-leg ached fiercely. She didn't know why this happened, occasionally she'd find herself being yelled at by the night guard, unknowing that she'd left the apprentice den. This was the first time she'd ever awoken to find herself outside of camp. It was dark, nearly pitch black as she tried to recognize where she was. Dapplepaw froze, a breeze carried the scent of cool water and ThunderClan markers. "Oh," she thought, "Have I really come this far?". The apprentice turned, wide amber eyes peering into the seemingly empty darkness.

It was odd for her, a cat, to be so visually impaired in the night.. But tonight was strange. There was just the smallest sliver of moon over head. She took a few steps forwards, letting the frosty breeze tell her which direction camp is.. At least she thought that was the right direction. "Oh, where to go.." she murmured to herself absently. Quite truthfully, she was somewhat excited. She had never been outside camp without instruction before. It was a rush. Something made her feel out of the norm, a rebel for once in rule-abiding life. She tutted at herself internally, "This is bad" she reminded herself, face screwed up in pain as her leg was beginning to really smart. "I've got to get back quickly.. Icewhisker'll chew me to bits." she gulped.

The young she-cat inhaled deeply as she started to walk along towards camp. Dapplepaw gulped, ears pricking at the sudden sound of a yowl and scrambling. She turned, pausing as the commotion died down. She didn't move. Perhaps it was fear.. but something in her gut wrenched. Something bad was coming.

[Thyme]

Pinestorm continued on the stones, reaching the border. His paw slid over the invisible line without any thought; common sense had been pushed to the back-burner while his logic called away on business. A rush of heat flushed to his head, causing it to pound mercilessly. He grimaced, feeling the blinding dizziness, stumbling across the small tufts of grass on the moorland. The tom fell once as his claws snagged on a rock he couldn't see, and he gasped as the nail was torn out and staggered.

He groaned, wincing, but continued to make his way across the unfamiliar territory. The stream called behind him, coaxing him to return to the safety of ThunderClan land. It would have been a good idea to turn around at that point. It would have been a good idea to have simply stayed in camp. However, the tom's urging had led him here, and he wouldn't leave so easily. Not with the awful pain he felt. It was like an itch he just couldn't reach. A horrible, unrelentless itch.

A breeze carrying a fresh WindClan scent drifted towards him and his nostrils flared eagerly. Whiskers quivering, the tom quickly located the source scent nearby. He couldn't see anything except shadows upon shadows, but his nose had told him that it was a she-cat. Another hot wave flooded into his mind and his vision faded even more, turning to a deep purple-red. White spots blinked in and out of his eyes. He grunted in a frustrated manner, kneading the frozen ground with his paws. A chunk of frozen dirt flew up as he dug in, pulling up pieces with tunneled bottoms of icy crystals.

Brown crisps of grass brushed against his fur as he padded carelessly towards the other cat. His paws cracked twigs and frozen stalks; he hardly heard anything but his own ragged panting. Drawing in great breaths of the icy air, Pinestorm began coughing harshly with the sudden large intake, hacking at his raw lungs. He realized that where the claw had torn out was throbbing and bleeding and raised the paw to inspect it. It wasn't that bad - painful, to be certain - but it had probably bled out into the ground as he walked. The tang of blood now shot like an arrow into the murkiness of his concious. At this point it did more to fuel the intoxicating wrath that engulfed him more than to deter him.

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[ivyy]

Dapplepaw's breath came in gasps as she heard the large cat approach "Uhh.. Who ever you are, you aren't a WindClan cat," she stumbled over her panicked words stricken with intense fear, "You'd better go, or I'll uh, get a warrior." she said, words blurring together. Dapplepaw squinted through the darkness, all she could see was the silhouette of a large cat.. Her nose told her it was a ThunderClan tom.

Her chest spasmed as he continued to draw nearer and nearer. Dapplepaw began backing up, fur fluffed in a subconscious attempt to appear larger. She heard the mysterious cat's jagged panting and wheezing as he staggered to only a few tail lengths away, "P-please, just g-go." she whimpered, tail lashing in terror.

A cold breeze made her shiver, and she turned to run. Her injured leg slowed her down severely, she was going hardly faster than a light stroll. She cried out in fear and pain, hoping some kind-hearted beast would take pity on her and come to her aid. She gasped as her legs slid out from under her on a slippery patch of frosted grass. Dapplepaw braced herself for impact and hoped for a quick death, she didn't expect something far worse.

.

[Thyme]

A soft, stuttering voice spoke to him from the darkness. No crickets chirped – it was much too cold for that now – but the air felt heavy with the promise of rain or perhaps a few flurries. It weighed on his pelt, soaking into his fur and causing him a good deal of discomfort. He hated rain for exactly that reason: it was always a pain trying to get completely dry again. Hot, sticky humidity was a close second on his list of disgusting weather. In the dark, dense oppression of night, Pinestorm’s ears buzzed, distorting any sounds. The she-cat’s voice seemed far away now, and he took an unsteady step towards where he thought the voice had come from. He put weight on the injured claw and let out a small cry when an immediate streak of pain trickled slowly through his paw.

Unwilling to answer, the tabby tom padded forward a little in a confused direction, pawsteps heavy and awkward. He didn’t know if he was going the right way – what was the right way anyways? Surely he wasn’t supposed – now just wait a moment, what did that matter? He would have to do things his way, this way, right now. It wasn’t usually even a thought in his mind to decide things on his own, except when it came to defending his Clan. For ThunderClan, he would launch himself into battle without a command.

Breaking into a fast trot and limited by his paw injury, Pinestorm came around to catch up the WindClan she-cat. His breath still came harshly and in short bursts as he surveyed her with his wild yellow eyes. Although he really couldn’t make out more than a silhouette because of the cat’s dark pelt, he could see the fearful glint in her eyes. “W-why are you out?” he finally grunted hoarsely, voice rough as he stalked around in front to cut her off. His furry tail lashed in the air while his view changed and seemed to look straight through her, as though he was glaring at a particularly interesting piece of shrubbery just behind the she-cat. She was limping too, he noticed with another hacking cough.

[/justify]

[ivyy]

Dapplepaw looked up, startled by the seemingly huge tom's reaction. She whimpered as she gazed over his shoulder, he was blocking her way back to camp. If only she could find some way around him.. Dapplepaw took a breath and hoisted herself painfully from the hard ground, her belly soaked with melted frost. She tried to weave around his side, but was blocked. Again, with his right shoulder, blocked. Dapplepaw shivered from a mix of the cold and damp, her shorter fur not doing much for her at the moment, though her face felt like it was on fire.

"I uh, I er- I got out of camp." she stuttered, continuing to look in every direction but at the ThunderClan tom. "Why are you on WindClan land?!" she mewed at him, fur bristling with fear, alarm, and perhaps just a tad of anger. The darkness and moist air of the night pressed in on her fur, making her claustrophobic. She began backing away again, her lungs swelling and deflating rapidly, producing harsh, scratchy wheezes and coughs. Dapplepaw turned, darting around him before he could make any movements, despite her leg's furious throbbing. She cried out in pain, a loud, agonized yowl as her rear-leg gave way, so much stress and movement, her injured limb couldn't handle it.

Dapplepaw struggled to get up, wincing and crying, the problematic ThunderClan intruder now at the back of her mind. Only when he coughed another broken, rumbley hack did she remember his presence. "Please, I won't get you in any trouble if you just go back to your territory." She whimpered, claws gripping the icy ground as she lay helpless in a crouching position.

[Thyme]

Harsh breaths continued to rattle from his throat while his eyes took on a confused, clouded look. As the young she-cat fell and let out yowl of pain, Pinestorm took a few more hesitant steps toward her. His ears flicked back as though unsure. Another cat could surely have heard that noise, but it didn’t matter now. It hurt so much; that unreachable itch tugging him forward, prickling hot through his pelt. Crouching vulnerably in the frosty dirt, she uttered feeble whimpers that sounded to be mostly pain-induced. His whiskers twitched once as his lips curled into a small frown and his eyes became almost clear for a moment as he focused on the she-cat, “You should have stayed there.” he muttered, his voice soft, distant, and almost tender. The words echoed ominously in his head for a moment, fading out entirely as another wave of heat pulsed into his mind. Then, in a rush of long tabby fur and ThunderClan scent, he sprang onto the she-cat.

Paws scrabbled in the dirt, clawing up great clods of frozen soil until he felt fur underneath. He flailed his limbs awkwardly as he sought purchase, but fell hard to the earth. Landing on his side, he winced and exhaled with a loud “whuff” of air. He immediately heaved himself to his paws and pounced on the she-cat again, this time seizing the scruff of her neck in his jaws. Panting heavily, the tom sunk his teeth into her fur and easily began to haul her towards the border. His breathing came faster and rougher, taking on a deep grunting noise as he blocked out everything surrounding the two cats. Blood pounded fiercely in his ears and he could feel his heart thumping unevenly against his rib cage. His nostrils practically burned with the scent of fear and body heat coming off the she-cat. It engulfed him, fueling his frustrated fury, and he let out a little snarl of anger.

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[ivyy]

Dapplepaw's ears flicked in confusion at the sudden clarity of the tom's words, "What do yo-" she began, and then he was on her. Dapplepaw yowled at the top of her lungs in surprise as the tom fumbled on her back, his claws drawing blood as he slid off of her and onto the ground. She dragged herself a few feet in a desperate attempt to escape, and he was upon her a second time. She shrieked in pain as his fangs sank into the scruff of her neck, her limbs flying blindly as he drug her backwards, towards Moonpool stream.

Her feeble attacks either made little to no contact, or the panting tom simply did not feel them. She yowled and screamed in pain and terror, "HELP ME! SOMEBODY HELP ME FOR THE LOVE OF STARCLAN!" she cried, voice breaking and cracking. She could summon no more of her voice, and petrified screams came out as rhythmic whimpers and moans. "Don't, I beg of you" she murmured, squeezing her yellow eyes shut as tightly as possible. "Please! Please let me go!" she said hoarsely, paws scrabbling at the frosty earth in attempts to pull herself away from the seemingly back-braking weight of the tom.

Dapplepaw felt everything. She felt the fangs of an unknown attacker in her flesh, his claws like thorns in her ribs, trying to hold her still. Her yowls and whimpers were almost gone, just random pleas of "Please," "Don't" and "Help me". The 9 moon old apprentice sobbed silently as she continued to writhe underneath him. She was unthinking, all she felt was pain and terror as she was pressed against the unforgiving earth repeatedly. "Please, please..." she murmured as she began fading in and out of consciousness.

[Heathclaw]

"Dapplepaw, where in StarClan's name are you?" Redfang muttered, stumbling around in the darkness of the WindClan moor. He had woken up some time before in the medicine den to find Dapplepaw's den empty, and had quickly alerted Icewhisker. She had gone to alert the leader, and search parties were being formed. Before she'd left, however, she'd warned him to stay put, that he was in no condition to be out of camp.

But Redfang would rather have his insides torn out by badgers than to sit in camp and do nothing while his apprentice was missing, and he stormed out of the den moments after Icewhisker, slipping out in the confusion. From that point, it was a matter of tracing his apprentice's scent, which should have been an easy enough task, had it not been confused and crisscrossed with the scents of other clan cats. The nearly full moon was no help either, as it's face was covered by thick clouds. And yet, slowly but surely, he was certain that he was closing in on her.

As he darted around as quickly as his injuries would allow, his mind swirled around in a haze of confusion and worry. Why had Dapplepaw left camp? What was she doing this far out in the territory? Were was she? Was she okay? She hadn't been attacked, had she? She was alright. She had to be alright.

"HELP ME! SOMEBODY HELP ME FOR THE LOVE OF STARCLAN!"

It was a scream that could have been heard from all over the moor- a sound that turned Redfang's blood to ice. "Dapplepaw!" he cried out, breaking into a full out run towards the sound of the cry, now heedless of any pain from his injuries. The cry did not repeat itself, which only served to heighten his anxiety. She was not okay.

He made it there within a couple of moments, moments that felt like hours, and was witness to an outrageous sight. There was Dapplepaw, pinned, no, worse than pinned, underneath an intruder, a heavyset tom that stank of ThunderClan. Redfang's blood boiled. His vision clouded in a haze of red. For a moment, he forgot that he was alone, injured, and fighting a large intruder. "GRAAAGH!!!" he roared, cannoning into the tom and bulling him off of his apprentice.

They rolled on the ground a bit, and Redfang got to his feet, with bits of the intruder's fur stuck between his claws. Another horribly familiar scent wafted up from that fur, a scent from a cat he would never have believed. "Pinestorm?! How DARE you? I'll rip you apart!!" he snarled, leaping back at him, claws flashing.

[Thyme]

Pinestorm didn’t hear the cry of rage only a few tail-lengths away, didn’t scent the nosy WindClan cat until he was upon him. A cat slammed into his side, knocking him away with a strength almost matching his own. Waves of WindClan scent flooded his nostrils, nearly wiping away the hot, frantic smell of the she-cat. He was tossed a few tail-lengths away, smacking sideways into a small sapling with a hoarse gasp as the air was torn from his lungs. Coarse stalks of grass cut savagely into his cheek and face and bark dragged roughly down his legs. Dark spots blurred his vision, but he could see enough to locate the other cat. He realized that he felt a fierce stinging where the WindClan tom had rake his claws down his side, ripping through fur and skin like paper. The cluster of wide gashes split open and he winced visibly with the sudden pain. Spinning around with a furious snarl, Pinestorm leapt to meet his attacker mid-air, aiming a hefty paw at the other tom’s head. He landed heavily, feeling the ground shake reality painfully into his legs.

At this point Pinestorm’s brain began to kick in again. Surprised to see that it was Redfang, the deputy of WindClan, the tabby tom flattened his ears in what might have been a sign of respect. He couldn’t hold the deputy’s gaze, instead focusing on the ground at his paws. The sight of the dark shape of the apprentice still crouching so helplessly in the dirt, however, drew him much more than the faintly fleeting warning of common sense. His panting quickened as his eyes raked hungrily over her battered body. There was no longer any reason to hesitate. He turned his attention completely over to the WindClan apprentice, forgetting the presence of the deputy, and heaved himself onto her again. Massive paws pinned her down by the shoulders while his outstretched claws dug into her skin. Again his mind grew distant as he funneled his physical energy into the she-cat underneath him.

[/justify]

[Heathclaw]

Redfang was spitting fury, which really meant one thing- he had lost the use of his caution in favor of blind rage. Consequently, he wasn't aware of Pinestorm's counter attack until a heavy paw clubbed into the side of his head. He felt the sensation of tumbling onto the ground, rolling over once, and then he blacked out.

He came to moments later, still dazed, and began scrambling to get onto his feet, but it was like the circuits in his brain were all tangled, and his body simply did not want to move. However, his ears were working perfectly, and he could hear every horrible sound from two fox-lengths away from him. You are NOT doing this to my apprentice. NO!

It was the worst feeling, listening to Dapplepaw suffering and being so close, yet unable to help her. He screamed at his body to move, and finally, mercifully, it obeyed, and Redfang staggered to his feet, and made a stumbling run back towards Pinestorm. Infuriatingly, the cat still wasn't aware that he was there, but Redfang announced his presence rather quickly... by swiping his claws across the cat's face. "Get OFF!" he snarled, raising a second paw.

[Thyme]

Pain slammed into his face as though he’d been struck with white-hot rods, and he was blinded momentarily with the incredible agony. The lacerations on his face practically screamed aloud, and his eyes welled tearfully with the sudden assault. He lashed out reflexively at the other cat, not seeing where his blow might have landed. Squeezing his eyes shut, when the tom finally tried to open them again, he found that he could only open them a crack. With an angry hiss, he stumbled and slipped to the wet ground, letting out a pitiful cry as the bloody, cracked stump of broken nail hit the earth with a jolt. He staggered to his paws, gazing blearily through teary slits to locate his attacker. The scent of WindClan still burned tauntingly in his nostrils, coaxing him with promises of further injury to return and finish the intoxicating performance.

Pinestorm cried out again in surprise as he crawled, belly fur dragging along the ground, and his paw bumped painfully against a large, misshapen rock that was jutting upwards. A chilly breeze blew towards him, carrying the too-close scent of WindClan. It was enough to hurry him on, away from the horrific event, and he broke into a full-out sprint for the border. Stones in the uneven terrain scraped his paw pads and rubbed his skin raw. His retreating steps were awkward and painful as he scrabbled fruitlessly for flat ground. One step forward and he found himself tumbling down the short, sandy hill to the Moonpool stream. Landing in the freezing water, the tom quickly found his paws and splashed through the relatively shallow creek the rest of the way. Water gurgled nearly up to his shoulders as he shook his head to clear the blood and water from his muzzle.

Fresh, strong ThunderClan scent from the border markers immediately hit him as he hauled himself from the water. His long-furred pelt was soaked, making him look bedraggled and skinny as a WindClan kit in leaf-bare, and he dripped a steady trail of water leading away from the stream. After his brief swim, it seemed as though his eyes were partially better. Blinking rapidly a few times, he found that the splashes of icy water from the stream had helped to soothe, or maybe numb, the agonizingly dulling ache. He could feel the scratches that had been dug like trenches into his face throbbing steadily, and he felt light-headed and dizzy.

His body tingled dully with the pain as he limped stiffly towards the camp. Dusky purple streaks hovered at the edge of the sky, covered by shadowy clouds. It would be dawn soon. And what would he do when the rest of ThunderClan began to stir in their nests and either found him missing, or worse, found him there? It was a tricky situation, to be sure. Something he was having a terrible time trying to sort out. There was no chance of any cat overlooking his appearance. Although he hadn’t seen himself after the scuffle with Redfang, he could certainly feel every scratch and bruise on his body as though someone was pounding at each repeatedly with a clump of thistles.

A dash of orange cut across the quickly-lightening sky, framed by the dark, claw-like branches of leaf-bare. Time was short, and his mind worked overtime trying to compensate for the sudden onslaught of demands. It wasn’t enough. Too soon he discovered the entrance to the camp in front of him, the familiar trampled path underneath his own four paws. He blinked a few more times, forcing his eyes to open. His shoulders sagged, chest heaved to draw ragged breaths, and his fur hung limply from his frame. At the sight of his home, he seemed to visibly deflate.

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[ivyy]

.: Dapplepaw slumped over as her attacker leaped away, unthinking, unmoving, unseeing. Her yellow eyes trained forwards into the forest, she wasn't trying to think. Dapplepaw barely heard the cries of battle behind her, she barely heard the broken sobs that rumbled out of her chest. An unsheathed claw came down, and stuck in her hind leg, awakening her from her dream-like state.

.: The emotions hit her like a paw to the head. Dapplepaw's body clenched, she curled into a ball and she cringed away from the dull, steady ache in her abdomen. The heavy musk of ThunderClan clung to her matted fur, but her nose was filled with the scent of blood. Dapplepaw's small body quaked with loathing for her attacker, but she couldn't move. She couldn't get up to help her savior ran off the monster. No, she wouldn't have been able to anyway. Her body was exhausted and battered, blood welling and dribbling from the puncture wounds on her shoulders and neck.

.: Dapplepaw's side heaved up and down quickly, short, raspy gasps that echoed through the cold night. She opened her eyes as the noises died down, she heard the shriek of pain and defeat as one of the cats fled. She prayed to StarClan it was the ThunderClan tom. She was beyond smelling anything but blood and... Dapplepaw cringed. The thick clouds that had covered the moon during her assault began moving across the night sky, slowly but surely she began to see the trees around them.

[Heathclaw]

Pinestorm's counterattack had opened up Redfang's old shoulder wound, dropping him to the ground before he could attempt another face slashing attempt. But that was a good thing, for Pinestorm's sake, because Redfang would surely have chased him across the border and attempted to slaughter him right then and there if he had been able. As it stood, he was just glad that Pinestorm was gone, for now.

"Dapplepaw. Dapplepaw," said Redfang, struggling around to stand next to his apprentice. He'd seen her like this, so weakened and vulnerable, only once before, but this time was far worse than the last time. "Dapplepaw. It's okay. It's okay. I'm here. You're safe now," said Redfang insistently. Oh StarClan... how had this been allowed to happen? The clearing was filled with the smell of blood, and a mixture of ThunderClan and WindClan scent- it was foul. But the strong scent was sure to attract one of the many search parties that were currently roaming the territory.

"It's okay. Help is coming at any moment," said Redfang, brushing his fur up against hers in a reassuring kind of way. "You're going to be okay." No she wouldn't. No... He had failed her. Again.

[Thyme]

Cloudfur had been roughly woken from a heavy paw tugging on her shoulder. She groggily shook herself to conciousness and glared blearily at the tom warrior through red slits. It had been late by the time she'd finally fallen asleep; kept awake by the deep snoring of her neighbor.

"Come on, Cloudfur. We've got to get going. Fernstar has sent out search parties." the tom was one of the younger warriors, a scruffy gray tabby, and still a little awkward on his paws.

"Quit shaking me, I'm awake!" Cloudfur growled, staggering to her feet with a yawn. "What are you talking about? Search parties?"

"Yeah. Dapplepaw is missing. We're supposed to go look for her."

"Dapplepaw. Redfang's apprentice." Cloudfur meowed softly, mostly to herself. She padded up beside the young warrior as he called another cat to their side and the three cats left camp.

"Yeah." the tom replied absentmindedly, tail twitching stiffly. His whole body appeared tense, as though expecting a badger to lunge from a rabbit burrow and swallow him.

"I'm not surprised." she muttered sourly. "He can't even keep track of his own apprentice. Some deputy. And why am I expected to clean up his mess?"

"What?" The other warrior glanced over at the she-cat with a curious look, but didn't ask or say anything more.

It was freezing on the moorland, and the icy wind whipped up the grasses like a rambunctious sea. The wind buffeted Cloudfur fiercely, tugging her to the side while her claws clung to the stringy roots in the dry, crumbling ground. Although the sun was still rising, the earth had not yet begun to warm, and she suspected that it wouldn’t be warmer for quite a while. If they were lucky, it might be somewhat warm by the time the sun-high patrol went out. With the constant chilling winds, however, it was unlikely.

She raised her head and caught the stale scent of rabbit amid the swift intake. Several rabbit burrows had been dug into the side of a small rise, but they were obviously long-deserted. The she-cat padded over and climbed sleepily up the hill, blinking against the wind. From her new vantage point she could take in more of WindClan’s territory.

"I'm going to look over here." Cloudfur raised her voice to nearly a shout in order to be heard over the rumbling whisper of wind. Taking a nod from the tom as a go-ahead, she took the final steps to the top. If Dapplepaw was somewhere out here, Cloudfur would be the one to find her. And then, she would make sure that Redfang knew and would not forget who brought his apprentice home.

An unusual scent trickled through her nostrils, and her face contorted in a moment of confusion. It was unmistakably ThunderClan – the dry, musky odor of the neighboring Clan was one of the first she’d learned as an apprentice. But how could the scent transfer so strongly across the territory? She was a good distance away from the border. Even with the powerful winds that swept across the moors, scents wouldn’t be able to present themselves on such an intense level. Her nose wrinkled in disgust and frustration.

The next moment another smell swirled into the mix, and she realized with alarm that there was a faint trace of blood as well. Her whiskers twitched with concern as she bounded quickly down the hill towards the ThunderClan border. Blood scent hung heavily in the air, the rapidly-increasing stench urging her to reach whatever might lie before her. She began to hear gasping breaths as she made her way into the forested area of their territory and witnessed the horrific scene. One of the Clan’s apprentices was slumped nearly motionless on the ground, her only movements the uneven rising and falling of her chest. Blood was spattered in varying scarlet patches on the frozen earth, and she felt a chill of anxiety shiver icily through her. This was wrong. Whatever had happened, it was awful.

“Dapplepaw?” she gasped, recognizing the small tortoiseshell apprentice. She was bruised and broken-looking, bleeding from a collection of smaller scratches and bites, mostly located on her back and shoulders. “Oh no…” Cloudfur trailed off, her eyes wide with worry. Redfang lay nearby, bleeding from a wound in his shoulder. She whirled around to glance at the tom, eyes narrowing as she quickly surveyed his injuries. “Redfang, what did you do?” her voice rising shrilly as she asked – no, demanded his responsibility in this horrendous crime. The poor apprentice. Her mind raced back to the day she saw her son’s body carried into camp. To a certain sense she was pleased that the entire Clan might now see this failure, and was looking forward to his undignified return to camp. She should have anticipated something like this – almost expected it, really – but couldn’t resist yowling, “How could you let this happen?” with a furious lash of her tail.

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