~Land of Secrets~ Chapter 4.

[Shadowstar1922]

Chapter 4

Oakpaw rose from his sleep. He yawned, flicked his tail and ears, wrinked his nose, and blinked. The sun rays shot through the tiny cracks in the apprentice's den, which made the den not so dark, but during the rainy months and winter the open tears had to be patched up to protect against the wet and coldness.
He stretched and padded towards the entrance. A cold breeze rufled at Oakpaw. It tugged out his fur. Oakpawwas to tired to puff out his fur. He dragged his lazy body over to the Fresh-kill pile.
His mouth opened. Th-theres nothing!
“We had to give the last food to Goldenfur so she could feed her kits.”
Oakpaw turned around to see Thorntail. Oakpaw's belly then rumbled and Thorntail gave a murmer of luaghter. The tall brown tabby tom also had some sorrow in his eyes.
“We could go hunting.” Oakpaw suggested. Thorntail nodded in aggreement. The brown tom turned around. At that same time, Spiderfang and Minttail came out on the warrior's den.
“Hey! Spiderfang! Minttail! Wanna go hunting?” Thorntail shouted to them.
Spiderfang nodded and Minttail flicked her tail to show a yes. The two warriors made their way to Thorntail and Oakpaw.
Spiderfang yawned. “Why do we need to go hunting? Stoneclaw hasn't even made any patrols yet.”
Thorntail lashed his tail. “We're going hunting because there is nothing in the Fresh-kill pile!”
Spiderfang flinched and Minttail giggled. Oakpaw looked down and shook his head.
“Come on. We don't need Stoneclaw to tell us to hunt.” Thorntail meowed, with a hint of anger.
Thorntail stomped over to the entrance. Oakpaw followed Thorntail along with Minttail and Spiderfang. They followed a dirt path that lead deep into RockClan territory. They stopped, when the trail split into four. The left one lead to south, towards TreeClan land, the right one lead to MoonClan, and the two in the front lead to another part of TreeClan, and the newly formed clan, BreezeClan.
Oakpaw was thinking about if his friend, Grasspaw was finding the life in BreezeClan suitible.
“Take your own path.” Thorntail ordered.
Thorntail's words broke through Oakpaw's thoughts.
“When you're done hunting, come back here, and we'll bring the prey back to the clan,” Thorntail continued, “Try to find as much prey as you can.”
Thorntail took the route to the southern TreeClan, Spiderfang took the route to MoonClan, Minttail took the route to north-western TreeClan.
All that left was BreezeClan for him.
Oakpaw gave a big sigh. He dragged his feet through the snow, now walking on the trail to BreezeClan. Up a head of the trail, he saw a brown blurry figure scuttling through the snow. Oakpaw squinted his eyes, and saw that it was a squirrel. Food!
Oakpaw slowly stepped through-out the snow. His brown fur covered in snow blended just enough to creep on the squirrlel.
As he got further, he realized that the squirrel was digging for it's nuts. For food. Just like I am... Oakpaw pounced forward, but the squirrel had already heard him. As Oakpaw landed, his claws latched on the squirel's tail.
The squirrel squirmed to get free, but it couldn't. Oakpaw dragged it closer, and bit it's neck. He then realized that the squirrel's tail was not puffy like they always are, but covered in it's own blood.
Oakpaw shrugged. “We don't even eat the tail.” He muttered.
He continued his way, but found nothing. His paws were beginning to ge numb. This always happens. You just gotta get use to it, Oakpaw told himself.
When he took a breath of air, Oakpaw stop idmediately. He looked down, and saw the border between RockClan, and BreezeClan.
He was about to turn around, when-
“STOP RIGHT THERE!!!” Oakpaw froze. He listened closer to the sound and heard paws crunching against the snow.
It's a patrol! Mouse-dun! Oakpaw slowly turned around, to see three warriors, but could only recognize Dawnstrike and Beetletooth out of the three.
As the patrol approached, Beetletooth opened his mouth. But Oakpaw cut him off.
“I didn't cross the border! I swear! RockClan recognizes you as a Clan!” Oakpaw meowed, trying to sound defiant.
Dawnstrike luaghed. “We're not talking about that, little one. We just wanted to talk to a RockClan cat. I stand as a representitive of BreezeClan We'd like to talk to your leader. About trading.”
“What? I've never heard of a repre-who now,” Oakpaw replied. “We are trying to do a different form of er... leadership you could say. And we'd like to share this way with Rockstar.” Beetletooth explained.
What to do, what to do? Wait, training. Remember what Deadfire told you!
Then it hit him.
“If what you are saying is true,” Oakpaw finally said, determined to sound tough, “Then I will only bring the er... what you call, representitive to camp. The rest of you will have to return to your camp, and we will then escort her back to you, if Rockstar or Stoneclaw aggree to these terms.”
Dawnstrike giggled like a little kit. “Boy, don't you speak like a warrior! I see that you will become one soon, no?” Oakpaw the hestitated. A moment from training with Deadfie flashed in his mind.
What do you do when you confront a cat from another clan?” Deadfire's deep voice rumbled. Oakpaw thought hard. The beginning of the winter winds brushed the two cats.
“Having trouble, eh?”
Oakpaw nodded sadly. “Take a guess,” Deadfire said.
“Well, you would ask them what they want,” Oakpaw answered. “But what if they were a border patrol? What they wanted was to refreash the border,” Deadfire said.
Oakpaw tilted his head to the right. “But how would I-”
“Know? How would you know?” Deadfire mocked, with a hint of luaghter, “You have to look at your surroundings, look at the cats, see what they are doing. If they want something, it's easy to tell, but don't give too much information about you, and your clan's recent activities. If they want to meet Rockstar or Stoneclaw, let them. Anything besides that, say no. If they refuse, then get help. You are only an apprentice. You always need help. . .”


“Do you aggree?” Oakpaw said, ignoring Dawnstrik's remark. Oakpaw was a bit consitrated on the third cat, who had never spoken in this conversation.
Dawnstrike smirked. “Fine. I will go with you.”
Beetletooth gasped, but the third cat was still silent. He blinked, and walked away. Beetletooth frowned, and followed his clanmate.

[kaidman12]

impressive

[Lex]

Like I said, keep up the good work. You'll only get better.

[Shadowstar1922]

Thanks guys. It mean alot.