Warriors Secrets of The Shadows: Foes of The Winter

Chapter 11

The dead AshClan she-cat's fur was streaked with blood, her throat was ripped open.
"She's gone.." Darkpoppy meowed, crouching beside Hollyheart. Fernstripe's eyes were ringed white. Rainfur nuzzled her. "She walks with StarClan. She'll be watching you and Echobreeze." He soothed her.
Foxstar padded up to Whitestar. "We cannot thank you and WolfClan enough." He meowed gratefully.
"You're welcome." The ViperClan leader meowed.
"I promise you, your territory will be free of AshClan warriors." The blue eyed leader meowed.
"Thank you." Feralstorm meowed.
"We must return to our camp now." Dawnreed meowed.
"Wait." A voice meowed. Bramble padded out of her den. "Should we treat your injuries before you go?" She asked.
The cats all looked uncertain.
"No thanks. We have practically four medicine cats." Whitestar mewed kindly.
"Are you sure?" The medicine cat asked.
Whitestar opened her mouth to speak but no words came.
Bramble tilted her head.
Dawnreed stepped up. "Of course you can treat our injuries." She mewed. Bramble smiled. "Yellowheart!" She called.
The yellow tabby padded up. "I put a poultice on Beetail's leg for her scratches." He meowed.
"Good." She mewed.
He nodded his head.
"Alright. Who's the most and least wounded?" Bramble asked the WolfClan and ViperClan patrol.
"I have a bite on my flank, but it isn't too painful. It's healing fast." Splashfur commented.
"I was quick enough to save myself from any deep scratches." Whitefang meowed.
"I have a deep scratch in my shoulder." Dawnreed put in, showing the long claw mark on it.
"I have deep scratches in my cheek." Rowanpaw meowed.
"You can come with me." Yellowheart meowed and gently guided them into the den.
Heronfeather was curled by Beetail. Rowanpaw hunkered down in a nest beside Stagpaw, who had a split ear tip. "That was a good fight." She mewed. "Yeah! Two fights in a day! We'll be warriors for sure!" Clawpaw beamed, who was in a nest in the back of the large den.
"That split in your ear doesn't look good Stagpaw." Sparkpaw mewed. Stagpaw puffed her chest. "A split ear won't stop me from being a warrior."
Rowanpaw admired her determination. Her fighting skills were also impressive like her sister's.
Stagpaw looked at Rowanpaw. "What are you staring at?" She asked him. "Oh nothing." He replied quickly and looked away, licking at a cut along his flank.
Delighted mewls made Rowanpaw's ears prick.
The apprentices turned their heads. Howlingdawn and Sweetheart's kits, Thunderkit and Nightkit, were playing with the other AshClan queen, Lithefoot's kits, Cinderkit and Smokekit.
"Feel my claws Sneakingfoot!" Squeaked the black and white she-kit Nightkit.
Stagpaw purred.
"I will be leader!" Piped up the dark gray she-kit, Cinderkit.
"Oh StarClan their just too cute." An elder, Tasha purred.
"No! I will!" A small gray almost black tom kit chirped and flopped on top of her.
Stagpaw stood up and padded over. "Mabye I should be leader." She teased. Cinderkit sniffed her. "Mama! It's a wolf cat!" She squeaked.
Lithefoot purred. "These are the cats that saved us."
Stagpaw purred. "Let's play a game. I'll be Sneakingfoot and you all be Warriors." She suggested.
"Yay!" The kits all cheered and jumped on their paws.
"Ok but here's the catch. You have to find me." The WolfClan apprentice mewed.
"Easy!" Thunderkit declared.
"Okay give me a few heartbeats to hide." She meowed.
They all nodded.
"Close your eyes." Stagpaw mewed. The kits all closed them.
Stagpaw walked off. Thunderkit sniffed the air for her scent. Copperwhisker padded past the kits playing and up to the AshClan leader. "Foxstar. We spotted a WolfClan patrol. We told them that they are being healed here for a moment," The tom explained. "Their leader Onestar and some of Whitestar's cats said that they were getting worried when one of their hunting patrols saw cats fleeing from their side of the lake." He meowed. Foxstar nodded. "I have chosen a new deputy." He meowed.
His ears pricked. "Great!" The tom purred.
"I will announce it once the WolfClan cats leave." Foxstar mewed.
The brown and white tabby nodded his head.
"You can't find me."  Stagpaw chimed out of sight.
Nightkit sniffed for her scent. Like her WolfClan father, she had a keen sense of smell. She pointed towards a fallen snow covered tree in the camp. Thunderkit stalked towards it. Nightkit scrambled up onto the tree. She wasn't there.
The kits all nodded, continuing their search.
Stagpaw flicked her tail sitting next to Rowanpaw.
Rowanpaw purred. "They're already stalking." The tom whispered.
"Mhm." Stagpaw watched purring. Sweetheart could be seen looking proud.
Smokekit sniffed, his muzzle pointing to Stagpaw's hiding spot.
Stagpaw purred quietly. Nightkit leaped and pounced. The dark brown apprentice rolled around playing with the kits.

Darkpoppy and Lakewhisper could be seen, lightly grooming Hollyheart's fur. By the time the sun sank, the cats had cobwebs, chewed up herbs, and near dry poultices on their injuries. Howlingdawn reluctantly drew away from Sweetheart and their two kits. The WolfClan and ViperClan made their exit through the gapping thicket entrance. They had helped AshClan from a coming corruption. Foxstar's promise would come to pass;no AshClan warriors on their territory.