Flamepaw's Quest

Chapter 17

            Flamepaw paced back and forth impatiently outside the foxes' cave. The others sat nearby, twitching their tails, impatiently tapping their paws on the ground. It was mid-afternoon now, and Snowheart had not returned with Goldstar.
             Burdock, the kind fox, had offered them refuge in the cave, but they had refused, explaining how Snowheart would return soon. But that was hours ago, and now, all the cats were beginning to worry. Where was the leader and their friend?
            "I'm bored," Neko complained.
            "Why? Isn't this what kittypet life is like? Just sitting outside?" Rosepettle teased.
            "Hey, I'm going to be a warrior now!" Neko argued.
            "This is no time for jokes!" Daisyflower hissed. "Snowheart still hasn't returned with Mothwing or Goldstar. I'm starting to get worried."
            "Me too," Flamepaw sighed.
            Burdock peeped his head out of the cave. "Oh, you're still here," he spoke, stepping out. Hours ago, Flamepaw would've been frightened of the large fox, but she knew now that he never planned to hurt them in the first place.
            "She's still not back," Flamepaw sighed.
            Burdock frowned. "Once again, I offer the cave as shelter. Perhaps it's best you look for her."
            "I don't know if that's a good idea," Flamepaw began, but Daisyflower cut her off.
            "Burdock is exactly right! We can't just wait around for Snowheart and Mothwing! They could be in danger!"
            "But Fang is in the forest still," Flamepaw reminded her.
            "This is true," Burdock agreed.
            "But they're vital to RiverClan, Flamepaw," Rosepettle argued.
            Flamepaw shrunk down. It seemed like everyone was against them.
            "I'll go with Neko!" Rosepettle immediately decided. Flamepaw rolled her eyes. What an obvious decision.
            "I guess that leaves you and me," Daisyflower explained, poking Flamepaw with her speckled tail.
            Flamepaw laughed nervously. "Yeah..."
            She had never known Daisyflower that well, and she was more comfortable going with Rosepettle and Neko, but she supposed this is what Daisyflower meant by splitting up.
            "Good luck finding those cats," Burdock spoke, dipping his head. "Hopefully everything goes well."
            "Thank you, Burdock," Flamepaw said, leaving with Daisyflower. They walked in opposite directions, Flamepaw nervously glancing over her shoulder at Rosepettle and Neko. She knew Rosepettle could take care of herself, but what about Neko? He was only a kittypet, after all.
            "Which way?" Flamepaw asked Daisyflower as they disappeared into the forest, leaving the cave behind. Flamepaw began to get nervous, wondering if Fang was lurking nearby with Goldstar's limp body hanging in her jaws.
            She shuddered, and Daisyflower turned.
            "Let's follow the pine tree path," she decided, pointing to a thick forest of pine trees in their direction. Flamepaw nodded, not sure why Daisyflower would've decided that way, but she supposed the senior warrior had a better idea about scouting for cats.
            Flamepaw trotted alongside Daisyflower, an awkward silence forming between them. With such a gap in moons, they did not have much to talk about, and Flamepaw kicked a small pebble as they padded along.
            "How is your training coming along?" Daisyflower asked.
            "Oh," Flamepaw replied, surprised Daisyflower was trying to spark conversation. "Um, well, it's good...or was good. Hopefully I'll be back training soon."
            "Of course," Daisyflower agreed. "An apprentice needs good training. Maybe I can teach you some tricks while we travel."
            "Really?" Flamepaw asked, her voice raising.
            Daisyflower nodded, smiling. "I was one of the best apprentices of my day," she purred.
            Flamepaw nodded, though she didn't see it. She had never heard any cats really speak of Daisyflower, just mostly Goldstar, but then again, she had not spoken to many warriors, so perhaps Daisyflower really was a good apprentice.
            "My fishing skills have definitely improved with this quest," she explained.
            "Oh, have they?" Daisyflower asked.
            Flamepaw nodded. "Rosepettle and I would catch breakfast in the morning. If I woke up before her, sometimes I'd catch us something to eat."
            "Well, good for you," Daisyflower replied, glancing around the woods.
            "Do you smell any scents?" Flamepaw asked.
            "Quiet," Daisyflower hissed, causing Flamepaw to shrink back.
            Daisyflower immediately turned to Flamepaw. "Sorry. I thought I heard something."
            Flamepaw nodded, following alongside her. Pine needles prickled across her ginger pelt as they padded through the maze of pine trees. It was beginning to get uncomfortable, and Flamepaw for once wished to be ThunderClan cat. They seemed to enjoy walking through brambles, as if it were a past time hobby.
            "I think I see a clearing!" Daisyflower exclaimed.
            Flamepaw, happy to be free of pine trees, followed after her, noticing light peek through a hole in a bush nearby. Daisyflower padded inside the bush, Flamepaw bouncing after her. They came through the bush, stepping into a clearing.
            It took Flamepaw awhile to process everything. In a split second, her joyous attitude turned into one of fear and terror.
            Goldstar and Snowheart lay on the ground, limp and unmoving, blood staining their pelts. Flamepaw wasn't sure if they were alive or not, causing her heart to beat rapidly.
            Following the trail of blood, Flamepaw looked up, seeing five foxes standing nearby. A larger one stood in front, obviously the leader. When he growled, one fang seemed to come down longer than the other.
            "Fang," Flamepaw whispered.
            Flamepaw felt Daisyflower stiffen beside her. The foxes had only just caught sight of them and now were approaching slowly. Flamepaw wanted to turn and run, but she knew she had to help her clanmates.
            "Daisyflower, what do we do?" Flamepaw whispered loudly. "We can't fight all five!"
            "Ah, are these the brave cats come to rescue these clanmates?" Fang growled.
            "I don't know," Daisyflower honestly replied. And for once, Flamepaw was completely frightened. Not even a full grown warrior could protect her.
            A sweet scented drifted past Flamepaw's nose, one she had smelled before. Gingerkit's voice whispered in her ear, Goldstar is in grave danger.
            "I know," Flamepaw spat, not appreciating Gingerkit's obvious words.
            "What?" Daisyflower asked.
            "What do we do?" Flamepaw asked, the foxes coming closer. She had her eyes focused on them, watching as they approached, their claws sharp and ready to kill.
            "Daisyflower," Flamepaw murmured, turning towards the she-cat. She was surprised to find the tortoiseshell gone.
            "Daisyflower!" Flamepaw gasped, watching as the she-cat marched towards the foxes with no fear.
            "Excuse me," she growled.
            The foxes only growled back.
            "I believe you have some of our friends here," she growled.
            "Maybe," Fang replied.
            "Daisyflower, come back!" Flamepaw called.
            But the she-cat would not budge. For Flamepaw's sake, the foxes did not seem to think of her as a threat, and so none of them came towards her. All of them stood in front of Daisyflower, leaving Flamepaw to cower in fear.
            "Well, that just won't do!" Daisyflower hissed, swiping Fang with her sharp claws. Blood poured from his muzzle, and he growled in anguish.
            "Daisyflower, don't fight them!" Flamepaw shouted. "There are too many!"
            "Is she with you?" Fang growled, pointing at Flamepaw.
            "Too late, Flamepaw!" Daisyflower shouted, ignoring Fang's question.
            Daisyflower let out a loud screech, meant to be a battle cry she supposed. All at once, she launched at the foxes. Flamepaw gasped, yelping as she felt fox claws rip at her pelt. She spun around, noticing a fox grinning at her maliciously.
            Doing only what she could think of, she scraped at the fox's eyes, causing the fox to fall back, yelping loudly.
            The foxes enclosed Daisyflower, and Flamepaw, trying to move away from another fox approaching her, tried to get a good view of Daisyflower. As far as she knew, Daisyflower's bizarre attempt at battle was working. Blood was thrown into the air, and Flamepaw glanced, watching as blood oozed into her fur from the wound the fox had left. She was beginning to get woozy.
            "Quick, get them!" Daisyflower shouted over the crowd of foxes. "While they're distracted!"
            "But what about you?!" Flamepaw called.
            "DO IT!" Daisyflower yowled.
            Flamepaw raced towards Goldstar and Snowheart, relieved to see they were still breathing. With all her might, she grabbed them each and dragged them from the scene, glancing nervously over her shoulder to see Daisyflower still fighting. The foxes fortunately did not notice Flamepaw, and she quickly heaved the two she-cats from the clearing and into the forest.
            But Flamepaw did not stop there. She heaved them for awhile longer until she was sure the foxes would not come after her. Seeing a meadow up ahead, she brought Snowheart and Goldstar there, struggling to stay awake.
            As soon as she dropped them, the world began to get blurry, and Flamepaw watched as it faded from her view, trapping her in darkness.