Framed Feathers

Chapter 2

     Parrotclaw's steps were near-silent, the pine needles throwing off her with their prickling, but Sweetblossom seemed almost... at home here. The calico's eyes made her think different though. They were wide with fear and a spark of some sort of memory.
    The gray she-cat reminded herself that Sweetblossom had been injured at wild cats' claws before. It was natural for her to be scared. Before she could think more, ShadowClan scent flooded her senses.
    "We're near camp, I think," Parrotclaw muttered to Sweetblossom, who nodded stiffly back.
    The white-pawed cat stalked forwards. There was a break in the undergrowth up ahead, the entrance to the camp, Parrotclaw assumed. Her paws tingled with excitement. ShadowClan would help her take ThunderClan back! She shoved her head through what she assumed to be the entrance.
      The gray cat stopped, eyes widening. Below her was not normal Clan activity, but instead defeated, wounded cats laid while the more lively cats fought over food and mocked the other cats. The scent carried to her was familiar to Parrotclaw, but she couldn't place what. A soft pelt sidled up beside her as Sweetblossom appeared. Her multi-colored eyes were full with-
     Wait? Was that anguish and a glimmer of memory again? Why would a Kittypet have that strong of feelings towards a Clan? Her eyes seemed pinned to one cat in particular. Up on following her gaze, Parrotclaw recognized the marsh-green eyes of the warrior Frog(???). Why him specifically?
   A murmur came from Sweetblossom, too low for Parrotclaw to distinguish words, but louder Sweetblossom said, "it seems like ShadowClan as a whole wouldn't work, but maybe we could find a diversion and get some out?"
     "Maybe, but their wounds don't seem well-tended to." Parrotclaw looked until she saw a spiky-furred russet tom. His eyes from here looked anguished. "I don't think they're letting Foxnose heal them."
     "We can find a cat in twolegplace who can heal I'm sure," Sweetblossom replied, tail lashing behind her.
     Parrotclaw nodded and turned quietly, but her unfamiliarity with how pine needles worked breaking-wise struck and her weight cracked the stick. She could feel the stares of everyone in the camp on her.
   "This is our distraction I guess! Go! Don't worry, I can get some out I'm sure!" Sweetblossom's voice was almost drowned out by another louder yowl.
     "It's the escapee! Get her!"
     The gray cat's heart raced and her eyes filled with terror. StarClan knew many cats were going to be chasing her! Parrotclaw didn't wait another second as she pelted off. Terror was what filled her mind. Her mother's voice seemed to break through the chaos.
      "ShadowClan territory is confusing, I'll tell you that! All the trees are the same, but you know what isn't? The stench! Decaying stench is a good marker for the carrionplace, and from there I'm sure you could find your way to the twoleg stench of twolegplace. Or, if you need familiar territory, scent for the acrid scent of the thunderpath."
     Parrotclaw and Ferretclaw would always question how their mother knew so much about ShadowClan, and her reply was always the same
"You just need to have a flower in the shadows!"
    The reply's mystery didn't have time to vibrate in Parrotclaw's mind as she opened her jaws. She could scent the acrid tang of the thunderpath. She continued on, newfound hope on her heart. It wasn't too much safer, but she knew it, and she could loose the cats yowling behind her on the path of she got enough luck.
    The black surface of the thunderpath appeared before Parrotclaw's vision. The ThunderClan border! Her white ears were filled with the roses of monster. She could hear the pursuing pawsteps behind her.
'StarClan! Please let there be an opening when I get there or else I'm crowfood!'
    Parrotclaw didn't have time to pause an wiat for an opening. She narrowed her green eyes. Now or never! The gray molly pounded across the hard surface. The end seemed to come fast.
'I'm going to make it!'
    She was in range now, a good leap would get to to the grassy expanse. Her setup was disturbed by a loud roar and then a shot of pain as she was shoved onto the expanse. Her reflexes weren't fast enough and she hit the ground headfirst. Pain flared through her before numbing cold and darkness took over.

    Parrotclaw opened her eyes. Her vision was blocked by green, amber, and calico colors.
     "Sweet- Sweetblossom?" She rasped.
     Her throat hurt, how long had it gone without use? Slowly the rest of her strength came back, along with a blazing pain from her leg. She let out a howl of pain.
    "Hey! No! Just rest Parrotclaw. You broke your leg and it looks like a pretty nasty collision," Sweetblossom's voice mewed.
    The events of the last memory she had came rushing in. ShadowClan... rouges.... ShadowClan! Her eyes sparked in fear.
    "Did you free some ShadowClan cats?"
    Sweetblossom backed up, revealing her own yard, but one thing was different; lots of cats gathered around, all with the ShadowClan scent.
    Relief flooded Parrotclaw, but the next question had to come up, "What happened exactly?"
    "Well, when you left with like... half the rouge force after you, I snuck in and rallied together as many cats as I could, but before we could get out, the rouges that had left came back, though they seemed to have less numbers. They were dragging you behind them. They kept boasting about how they'd chased you right to the thunderstorm and got you hit by a monster. You seemed to have been hit more from behind; it seemed like you had just a broken leg from the incident. So we retrieved you as soon as they turned their backs, and nearly got caught, but we all got back here where my housefolk were able to drive back the rouges that had followed."
    Parrotclaw tilted head towards her leg. It had a sort of white lead around it. The thing was stiff and she couldn't move her leg on it.
    "Sweetblossom.... what is this thing on my leg?" She questioned.
    "My housefolk call it a 'cast'. It'll help your leg heal." Sweetblossom looked embarrassed. "I gave them enough f and earful so they'd bring you back out here. I was guessing you wouldn't be pleased to wake up in a twoleg nest."
    Parrotclaw struggled to a sitting position, the leg with the 'cast' outwards on an odd angle compared to the other legs. "You were right about that. How long has it been?"
    "Oh... a few days," Sweetblossom mewed. "But don't worry! I'm sure your sister is fine, and good news! I found someone to heal the ShadowClan cats. I couldn't get Foxnose out though."
    "Do you think every Clan is going to be like ShadowClan?" Parrotclaw sighed the question out.
    "There's only one way to find out."