Torn in Two



Story by Hawky.

Prologue
The stars twinkled in the sky, lining every blade of grass in silver. The trees stood tall, their leaves whispering in the breeze. Water trickled in a tiny stream, water crashing into tiny pebbles. Owls hooted in the distance. Prey sounds were echoing in the forest.

Two cats, their fur lined in silver, sniffed among the undergrowth, checking every scent. The tortoiseshell bit off a few stems of a large bush that was growing in thick clumps.

"What are those for?" asked a small silver tabby, staring at the leaves in the tortoiseshell's jaws.

The tortoiseshell set them down carefully, "Blackberry leaves," she meowed, pointing at the tiny black fruit growing on the bush, "Good for bee stings."

The small tabby nodded in understanding.

"Can you take some more please, Shimmerpaw?"

The silver tabby nodded and started to bite off a few stems of the herb, placing them into a beech leaf beside the ones her mentor picked.

The tortoiseshell padded toward the stream, sniffing around. The strong scent of watermint bathed her tongue, and she soon spotted the plant. She trotted towards it and picked a mouthful of leaves. As she padded back to her apprentice, who was sniffing around an oak tree, a scent stronger than the watermint caught her nose.

''Rogue. And fresh.''

Shimmerpaw snatched up a few oak leaves and placed them beside the other herbs. "How are we going to take all these back to camp?" she asked.

The tortoiseshell placed her watermint in another beech leaf. "Fold up the leaf like this, "she folded the leaf in half, "Then grab it from here." She sank her teeth into the two ends of the leaves, "You can carry more than one," she suggested.

"Okay, Splashpelt," mewed the silver tabby, her green eyes bright. Stars reflected in her eyes as they padded back to camp.

Splashpelt looked back to where she scented rogue scent, still following her apprentice. She blinked at it before turning back to pad back to camp.

We're not alone.

Chapter 1
Splashpelt dropped her bundle of leaves into a pile of dry watermint. She glared at the leaf scraps that littered the den floor, so she swept the den with her tail, making a pile of dirt and leaf bits. She flicked away a scrap if parsley that clung to her tail-tip.

Shimmerpaw waddled into the den, holding moss that was pouring out of under her chin. She was muttering curses to herself.

Splashpelt lay her tail-tip on her apprentice's shoulder. "I know, moss collecting isn't the best duty," she reassured, "But it's something you can do to help."

Shimmerpaw spat out her moss, a moss scrap clinging to her fur, "I'm not going to be the one to replace the elders' bedding," she muttered crossly.

The tortoiseshell medicine cat stuck her head out into the den. She listened as the breeze whispered into her ears, letting the purrs and snores of her sleeping Clanmates reach her ears.

"Be happy that there's a patch right outside of camp," she meowed, then her voice softened, "Get some sleep," she nosed Shimmerpaw into her nest, before she slumped down in her own nest.

Splashpelt curled her tail over her nose, the rogue scent pushing up in her mind. She could almost taste the smell, but then closed her eyes. Blackness swept over her as she drifted off to sleep.

. . . ♥ ♥ ♥ . ..

Pink dawn light filtered through the ferns and made a pink stain on the den floor. Splashpelt lifted her head, blinking sleep from her eyes. Shimmerpaw was sound asleep, but she didn't intend to wake her up. She rose to her paws and quietly padded out of the den.

Birdsong was the first thing that hit her ears, besides the dawn patrol gathering together. She recognized her sister, Finchfeather, padding up to the thorn tunnel.

"Finchfeather!" she called, trotting up to her cream-gray littermate.

Finchfeather stopped in her tracks, and turned her dark-blue eyes on the tortoiseshell. She broke into a purr as she saw her sister.

"Splashpelt," she greeted, dipping her head formally. Although she could get a little crazy, Finchfeather was calm and formal. Splashpelt admired her for her traits. "Are you coming with us to. . .gather herbs?"

Splashpelt thought for a moment, remembering that she was low on thyme, "Yes, I am low on thyme."

Finchfeather nodded, "Good to have you with us."

Another warrior, Russetfang, called them over, "Are you two going to gossip all day?" he meowed impatiently.

"Coming," the cream-gray she-cat mewed, "We'd better go."

"Agreed," Splashpelt nodded.

The patrol consisted of Russetfang, a dark ginger tom, Finchfeather, Silvermist, a silver tabby she-cat, and Hawkfeather, a mottled gray-and-black tom. As they padded through the thorn tunnel, thorns scraped her ears. They scrambled up the ravine and into the forest above.

Finchflight led the patrol through the towering trees. The stream trickled lightly and splashed as it hit rocks. Splashpelt looked around as they came upon a huge plant that was growing in thick clumps. Splashpelt gasped.

"Catmint!" she exclaimed, sniffing the plant of fresh leaves. They were bright green and the leaves were huge, which was unusual for Catmint.

Finchfeather gazed at the plant, "Wow," she breathed.

"Good luck collecting that," Russetfang teased.

Splashpelt let out a snort. "You should check the border, I hear FireClan has been trespassing on our territory."

Finchfeather beckoned her tail and the patrol left Splashpelt alone. She stared up at the huge plant. ''I should have waited till all of the dew has burned off. ''She thought.

Then, something she had wished to check out all day popped up in her mind.

The rogue scent!

Forgetting the Catmint, she raced towards the place where she scented the scent. She skidded to a halt and took a deep breath. It was much fainter, but there was still a trail. She followed it, nosing through the undergrowth.

Then, she stopped in her tracks as a shadow loomed over her. Her eyes widedned as she slowly looked up, her nose pointed to the ground.

In front of her there was a huge, dark brown tabby tom. His ice blue eyes glinted in the pale dawn light, and huge muscles ripple under his sleek pelt. His white paws were splattered with mud.

"Hello."