Emma
Emma still protested "I hate the Clan!"
Mottledheart
"It shouldn't be a question of how fondly we think of it. If you hate it so much, we'll be in and out as soon as both of us are patched up. Especially you. You won't be able to last long here with wounds like those," she replied, glancing at Emma's bloodied flank.
Emma
She huffed and stayed where she was even though there was one large scrape along her belly felt awful
Mottledheart
Mottledheart flattened her ears against her head. She glanced in the direction of camp, noting how far away it was from where they were currently at. She turned back to Emma. "If you can't walk, I'll bring you there. But you cannot be out here alone."
Emma
"Nuh uh," she shook her head
Mottledheart
"Come on, we need to get you patched up. Who knows how long you'll stay out here. You can get infected, we can't risk it," she retorted. It was odd having this kind of conversation with a kit she had just met the same day. But something inside of her was urging her to do what she was now. She needed to convince Emma to come with.
Emma
The yellowish kit still just sat there plainly
Mottledheart
Mottledheart took a few steps over to the kit. "Let's go." She stuck out a paw and gave a hopeful yet gentle push.
Emma
"Hey!" She growled after the paw had hit a dislocated shoulder
Mottledheart
She drew her paw back quickly. She couldn't have pushed her that hard.
Emma
The kit gritted her teeth and stared at the she-cat before nuzzling into her fur suddenly, the pain too overwhelming now
Mottledheart
Mottledheart looked around for anything that would be able to get Emma something to help. Getting Sleetstorm would be of no use. He ran off to Willowshard with Sparrowsky and neither Ivypaw nor Cassie were around. Could she bring Emma with her? Just carrying her? It wouldn't be that bad, she'd just have to be careful.
Emma
"It hurts." She wailed Into the warriors fur
Mottledheart
"I know, I'm taking you to the camp where you'll be taken care of," Mottledheart meowed, trying to hide the slight exasperation in her voice.
Emma
"Fine."
Mottledheart
"Can you walk?" she asked, whiskers quivering. The camp was pretty far away and Emma didn't look to be able to walk for long. "If you need to, you can have periodic rests."
Emma
"N-no." She whined, her left shoulder seemed to droop
Mottledheart
"I'll carry you. It will be near impossible for you to climb onto my back and hold on, but you can either lean on me or I just take you by the scruff."
Emma
"Carry!" She mewed quietly and stumbled forwards
Mottledheart
"On my back?" Mottledheart asked. "Alright. It won't be that comfortable."
Emma
"I don't care."
Mottledheart
"Well then." She bent down in front of Emma so she would be able to climb on without much trouble.
Emma
The kit bit her tongue as she weakly dragged herself onto the warrior
Mottledheart
Mottledheart waited patiently as the kit clambered on. "Tell me when you're ready to go."
Emma
"Okay." She whimpered and pulled in her paws
Mottledheart
She nodded and slowly got to her paws. Emma was a little heavy on the back but it was bearable. She flicked her tail and cast one more look around the forest for any more foxes before padding off in the direction of camp.
Emma
Emma ended up passing out from blood loss on the warriors back and felt heavier
Fish
Fish limped through the clearing, sniffing at the air as if she were anxious
Splash
Splash flattened his ears slightly and watched Fish from a foxlength away. He curled his tail over his paws. "You should probably get some rest," he commented, "The last few days have been crazy. I'm feeling like a nap would do a trick."
Fish
She looked at him "She's out there still," fish whined
Splash
"That warrior who wants our heads? Well, she's still gonna be out there until we return the favor," He meowed, flicking his tail, removing it from his paws. He glanced at the trees at the edge of the clearing.
Fish
She stared at him with a frown and she sighed "Why do cats like them have to be such foxes."
Splash
"I ask myself that question all of the time. I'm pretty sure they just like their boundaries." He stood up and padded over to her, trying to give Fish a reassuring look. "We shouldn't worry too much if we keep our heads down."
Fish
"That's the last thing I wanna do. I refuse to just let them bully us!"
Splash
He shrugged, "We've bullied them countless of times. Though, our messing about turned out for the best. As in; finding Ash a pleasant she-cat and an adoptive son." He gave a slight grin, "Maybe if we mess with them enough we'll have a 'Clan' of our own!"
Fish
"We teased them. Not bullied." She flicked her tail and sat down on her haunches, the small cat looking up at him
Splash
"I guess you could say that. But Ash and I bullied a lot of cats," he meowed.
Fish
"What the hell have we done?" She stared at him sadly
Splash
Splash shrugged, "Nothing bad. Why are you asking?" He tilted his head to the side, his ears perking slightly.
Fish
"I- I gotta deal with something." She mewed and turned towards the forest
Splash
"Wh- Fish, wait! Don't go running off like that!" Splash called after her, caught off guard. He tensed his muscles and sprang after her, cursing. "Wait up!"
Fish
She leapt into a bush and hid until he passed and backed up
Splash
"Great Stars, Fish! Where are you?" Splash called, racing past. He could smell a fresh scent, but they had recently come back this way so he could be following a new or old scent. Trusting his instincts, he lunged forward again and followed the thin trail.
Fish
She came out and ran/limped towards where Swan lived, her eyes narrow
Splash
Splash skidded to a halt, the scent of Fish growing staler. He cursed again. He had followed a false trail. Splash looked over his shoulder to where he had come from. "Fish!" he called, worry spiking. The last time he had left her alone, that Clan cat had tried to murder her. He didn't want that to happen. "Where are you! Hello?!"
Fish
She whined and collapsed. She couldn't do it. Great, now she was lost in the middle of nowhere. Fish curled up and stared around
Splash
He scanned the trees, trying to pick out any moving shapes or flashes of white pelt. The brown and white tom turned fully around, wondering where Fish was now. Her scent was everywhere near the clearing. It would be impossible to track her if he scaled a wide perimeter around the stump's clearing. He shifted his paws before heading back, casting glances over his shoulder in case she burst out of the undergrowth.
Swan
Brown fur flashed the grass, heading towards Fish's numb figure
Fish
Fish screamed "Splash?!"
Splash
He heard a faint call. Was it Fish? He ran forward, hearing the noise slightly to his right. Did that warrior get her? He wasn't sure but whatever it was, she was in need. He crashed through the undergrowth, soon trying to remember where he had heard Fish's faint voice.
Fish
"SPLASH?!" She screeched louder as she saw the grass rustle
Splash
He perked up, hearing the screeching. It was near. It sounded like she was in trouble. "Fish!" he yelled back, sprinting forward. Little by little, he started picking up her scent.
Fish and Swan
"SPLA-" she was cut off as Swan lunged forwards. Fish used her forepaws as swiped out clumsily
Splash
Splash perked his ears, hearing noises. He flattened his ears and continued to run.
Fish
Fish growled "I could really use some help here." She forced herself to stand and she ducked out of the way of Swans paws
Splash
"I'm coming!" Splash yelled back, locating her voice. He surged forward and burst out of the undergrowth. He didn't hesitate to leap into battle. Splash unsheathed his claws and bowled into the aggressor, not thinking of who it was.
Swan
Swan yelled and kicked the tom off with a struggle before she wailed in pain and her legs collapsed
Fish
Fish had wrapped her jaws around the she-cats throat and torn it away. The white cat held the putrid thing in her mouth before she, too, fell over in tears
Splash
Splash felt the air leave his chest. He gasped and fell. He twisted his body to stop himself from falling flat on his back. He semi-succeeded by falling on his stomach.
Fish
Blood dribbled from fish's jaws and pooled at her paws before she threw it to the side of her, the salt of her tears was visible in the crimson
Splash
Splash scrambled to his paws and leaped to Swan, realizing who it was. His blood boiled somewhat. Wasn't Fish supposed to protect her? Why were thy fighting now? No matter, Swan has hurt Fish. He leaped at the she-cat again.
Fish
Fish stared at him "Stop!" She cried
Splash
He pulled away, taking a few steps back. He still glared daggers at Swan. Splash gave Fish a glance of brief curiosity before snapping his gaze back to the brown cat in front of him.
Fish
"She's- I-" she couldn't bring herself to speak and she kept crying
Duckwing
Duckwing shifted in her nest, she blinked slowly. She buried her muzzle between her paws before closing her eyes.
Splash
He cast a nervous glance around, his fur on end. "What is going on?" he shifted his paws, his claws still extended. He lashed his tail.
Fish
"I killed her. . ." fish muttered, her face still buried in her fur
Ash
Ash shifted in his own nest, his breathing slow and rhythmic. His tail was curled over his nose.
Splash
"Wh-" Splash snapped his gaze back to Fish.
Duckwing
Duckwing's short tail flicked rapidly in her sleep.
Fish
She looked at him, half in fear of herself and of Swan. She had just murdered the cat she had been told to help "I - I thought for a moment that your life was more important than mine, she was gonna kill you."
Splash
Splash didn't say anything. He took a few more steps away from Swan. He flattened his ears yet didn't say anything.
Ash
Ash opened his light blue eyes slowly. He lifted his head, moss clinging to his chin. He stretched, loosening his taut muscles.
Duckwing
Duckwing whimpered and mewled, her ears flicked in all direction as she napped.
Fish
Fish got up and limped off towards the river
Splash
"Are we going to get rid of the-... Fish?" Splash looked down at the cat in front of him, his blood chilling. The last time he felt like this, he was running to MossClan with Ash before Heaven's "betrayal." He looked back up to where Fish was going. "Wher- Where are you going...?"
Fish
"The river." She whined and tried to walk, her leg won't heal now. It looked beaten up and bloodied
Splash
Splash cast one more glance at Swan's bloodied form before hurriedly running after her. He wanted to leave that sight. He had never seen a dead cat like that.
Fish
Fish had blood dripping from her mouth and paws, her fur sticking on end
Splash
He walked after her, feeling slightly numb. He had a paw in this. He had helped. He looked back over his shoulder.
Fish
"I'm a monster." She said over and over to herself
Splash
He didn't say anything. He continued to walk behind her.