A Rogue's Tail(A Warrior Cat Fan-Fic)

Chapter 8 Words

           "Nightclaw, how about you take Jaypaw and Mistpaw out to practice their crouches while Watersplash and I teach Bluepaw partner hunting?" Fogmask suggested. Nightclaw nodded and padded out into the forest with the two apprentices. Watersplash looked at Fogmask pointedly, gesturing for him to lead the way. Fogmask lead the two she-cats to what looked like a burrow. "This is a mouse burrow," Fogmask told Bluepaw. "It will usually have two or three mice inside, which is why it's great to know partner hunting," Watersplash added. "Now, sniff the air and tell me if they're still in there," Watersplash mewed to Bluepaw. Bluepaw sniffed the air and nodded a yes. "Alright Bluepaw, pay attention to this part," Watersplash said. "I'm going to go behind the burrow and scare the mice out. They're going to come either to you or Fogmask, so be ready," Watersplash mewed. Bluepaw nodded, tail twitching excitedly. Watersplash crept silently behind the mouse burrow and nodded to Fogmask and Bluepaw, who were already in their hunter's crouch. Watersplash gave a loud yowl and saw the mice flee out of the den, straight into the cat's waiting paws.

           "Nice catch Bluepaw!" Watersplash purred. Bluepaw nodded, eyes glimmering. "And how did I do, mentor?" Fogmask asked amused. Watersplash rolled her eyes and padded up to him. "Your stance is a bit crooked!" Watersplash laughed. Fogmask straitened up from his crouch and playfully swung a paw at her. "Well, you were always strict like an elder!" he said mockingly. Watersplash purred and turned back to Bluepaw. "Could you go tell Nightclaw and the others that we'll be returning to camp soon?" Watersplash asked. Bluepaw nodded and bounded off in the direction the others had taken.

          Watersplash turned back to Fogmask, whiskers twitching playfully. "Now what was that part about me being an elder?" Watersplash asked prodding him. "Oh nothing!" Fogmask purred. "Only that you act like one!" he purred in amusement. Watersplash gave a playful growl and leapt at him, and Fogmask gave a squeak of surprise as he found himself pinned. "Now who's the elder?" Watersplash taunted him. "Still you!" he said as he forced her off. The two burst out laughing just as Nightclaw, Jaypaw, Mistpaw, and Bluepaw came around the corner.

           Nightclaw's whiskers twitched in amusement. "Come on you lovebirds! We have to get the fresh-kill back the clan," Nightclaw mewed. Watersplash blushed and sat up, licking her chest fur embarrassedly. The patrol of cats padded into camp. Bluepaw set down the mice she had caught, and Jaypaw set down a squirrel she'd caught with Nightclaw.  

         It was now noon, and Watersplash could see the sunlight filtering through the trees. She was grooming herself by the warrior's den. Willowwhisper had come back from patrol and went straight back out to talk with Shadowfire. Snowfrost had torn a claw while chasing a rabbit, so she was in Whispersong's den. Watersplash had seen her earlier, and now she lay boredly outside the warrior's den.

          Watersplash opened her eyes sleepily to see Fogmask walking up to her. "Want to go for a walk?" he asked shyly. "Don't you have important deputy stuff to do?" Watersplash purred. Fogmask flicked his ear. "I can do it later," he said. Watersplash stood up. "Sure then," she mewed. The two cats padded out into the forest. Watersplash let the birdsong and the smell of Greenleaf wash over her. She'd never felt like this when she'd been a rogue, always wondering where she would sleep next, or when her next meal would be.

          "Follow me," Fogmask mewed. Watersplash cocked her head curiously, but followed him. They stopped at a large pine tree that looked as if it went up to the stars. "Wow," Watersplash said breathlessly. "And that's not even the best part!" Fogmask mewed. He vaulted himself onto a lower branch, just above Watersplash's head. "Come on!" Fogmask mewed encouragingly. "Are you sure it's safe?" Watersplash asked. "Trust me," Fogmask mewed. Watersplash nodded and clawed her way onto a branch. Fogmask leapt to another branch in front of them. Then Watersplash saw the path. The branches winded up the tree, so they were like sturdy platforms. Finally, Watersplash and Fogmask clambered to the top, a branch large enough for three cats to sit side-by-side.

           Watersplash gasped, looking at the scene around her. She could see all of clan territory! "This is amazing!" Watersplash mewed in awe. "Thought you'd like it," Fogmask purred. They sat together on that top branch for a while, staring out into the world. Watersplash purred. She liked Fogmask, and the way he made her feel. She'd never felt anything like it when she was a rogue. Was this what Shadowfire and Willowwhisper felt for each other?

          Watersplash saw the sun slowly dipping into the sky. Wow! Time flew fast! Apparently, Fogmask was thinking the same thing! "Well, I guess we better get back to the clan," Fogmask said uncertainly. "Ya, you're right," Watersplash mewed. But maybe they could still have some fun on the way.....

           "Race you!" Watersplash mewed as she bolted down the winding branches. Fogmask purred and raced after her. Right before Watersplash reached the bottom, Fogmask leapt and landed on the ground. "No fair!" Watersplash scolded him. "Alright, alright!" he purred. "Then.... I'll race you back to camp!" he mewed as he bounded away. Watersplash laughed and ran after him, beating him as they came toward the gorse tunnel.

         The two cats stood away from the entrance tunnel, panting for breath.  "Watersplash..." Fogmask said, looking at his paws shyly. Watersplash looked at him curiously. "Ya?" she asked. "Well I just wanted to say that... I...." Fogmask broke off. "That I forgot a mouse I buried back there a while ago...." he said hurriedly. Watersplash rolled her eyes. Toms! "Alright!" she purred. "See you later!" she mewed as she bounded off into camp and touched noses with her sister.

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          Fogmask glanced at his paws angrily as he walked out into the forest. He sighed as he sat down. How hard was it to tell a she-cat that you... ya know, liked them? Fogmask really liked Watersplash.... she was beautiful, kind, funny.... But Fogmask just couldn't tell her, Starclan knows why! Maybe it was because he was afraid she wouldn't like him back.... Fogmask shook his head and sniffed for a mouse. If he didn't come back with the mouse he told Watersplash he had, she'd think he was a mousebrain!