Swiftpaw was now just exploring, he had caught a large bird far off, and was proud to call it his first kill. He smelt the border in one inhale, it hit him like a brick wall, sending him stumbling back. Despite the horrid smell of the mud around him, the fishy scent was ten times worse.

Hunting the bird was a huge add on to his ego, and it was obvious from the way he was walking, that he was already growing cocky. His bright green eyes glittered happily as he walked back and forth, searching for something else to hunt. He smelt nothing around here though, and he debated if he could go back.

((from RC camp))

Gustpelt sniffed the unpleasant ShadowClan scent markers, not really used to them even though he had spent many sunrises among them. "I never really had occasion to run into ShadowClan when I was in WindClan..."

He caught sight of something ginger along the border...pacing. His eyes narrowed as he tried to identify it.

He called out, "Swiftkit? Is that you?"



((Gusty doesn't know he's an apprentice xP))

Rabbitpaw followed after her mentor, You think I’d be used to that scent, we were just there not to long ago. She wrinkled her nose at the scent, it was still unpleasant to her and it still bugged her, however she unwrinkled her nose, If they ran into a Shadowclan cat they would be offended and she really didn't want to offend someone, she'd rather take the smell. She tensed up when she saw a ginger form pacing along the border, narrowing her eyes as she tried to identify it. It looks a lot like Swiftkit… She thought, stopping herself before she smiled as she thought of the Shadowclan tom she had spent time with when they were over there.

Swiftpaw tensed looking towards Gustpelt, but he was on his side of the territory, it wasn't an issue. "Swiftpaw actually," he corrected strongly, suddenly noticing the she-cat behind him. He instantly stood taller, trying to look as big as he was capable of. He didn't want to make Shadowclan look bad.

The she-cat looked like Rabbitkit, but he couldn't be totally sure. She looked different, older. Of course she looked older, she was older. He purred softly, but caught himself, and stopped instantly. "Nice to see you again Rabbitkit."

Rabbitpaw wasn’t on edge as much as soon as she heard Swiftpaw’s voice, her eyes lighting up a little when he told them he was an apprentice. It took every single part of her to resist smiling at him when he tried to make himself seem bigger, Ah Swiftpaw, Trying to show off I see. She felt a purr start to build up in her throat but she stopped herself. No I can’t let him effect me like this… I’m on patrol, we aren’t kits anymore, We can’t be friends.

“It’s nice to see you again Swiftpaw, but, it’s Rabbitpaw now.” She allowed herself to smile at him, her green eyes briefly showed how happy she actually was to see him and to hear he was apprenticed but it was only a flash and it was gone as fast as it came. Maybe we can be friends, We do have a common enemy in Thunderclan currently

The snowshoe tom narrowed his eyes at the ginger tom. "You're an apprentice...? Where's your mentor, then? Are you supposed to be on your o--" Gustpelt became quiet, the wind having blown a nearly familiar scent towards them.

"Rabbitpaw...do you smell that...?"



((Go ahead and find Stretchtail, Silv!))

Rabbitpaw wrinkled her nose when the wind blew a scent near them, “What’s that?” She whispered; she barely heard her mentor as she followed the scent. “Yeah I think… Strechtail?” She ran to his body, bowing her head in grief. “Why, oh why?” She cried, closing her eyes. Poor Beestripe, how is she going to react when she hears her mate died… what about their kits...

Swiftpaw growled, "I'm fine on my own. Thank you for worrying, but my mentor, Spiderstrike, is fully aware of my acti-" he inhaled deep, not only scenting, mud, and fish, but death.

He didn't respond much, just slightly froze in shock. He couldn't see what was going on, it was too far away. "Shadowclan didn't do this, and this isn't an act of starvation either, I smell the blood." He was saying things in a gasp of words, trying to defend his clan. He kept sniffing, hoping that a breeze would come by, and give him a better idea. "I am sorry for the lose," he grumbled, debating between running back to his mentor, and explaining what was going on in Riverclan, or offering to help carry the body to camp.

He couldn't see any of them, and felt a little left out.

Willowclaw trotted over to the other cats, she'd taken a while to follow them, her leg wasn't overly strong after six moons of doing nothing and it was aching like it hadn't for a long time, however as she followed the warrior and apprentice she felt stronger than she ever had, her good mood failing however as she reached the cats and the scent hit her nose.

"Oh StarClan, no! Stretchtail! What about Beestripe and their kits? Oh StarClan..."

She cried in shock, how many cats had to die before StarClan stopped punishing them? What had they done? She stared down at her Clanmate's prone corpse, she stared numbly at the cat as she stood next to her daughter, shaken deeply. She had thanked StarClan for the safe return of Snowdapple and Nightfeather - incidentally now the mentors of her children - yet now they took Beestripe from them?

Staring down at Stretchtail's lifeless body, Gustpelt tried to keep the rolling in his stomach to a minimum. "No one is blaming ShadowClan, Swiftpaw..." He sniffed at the body, the humidity doing the scent no favors. "...But I can't smell anything else besides RiverClan scent...and death."

He narrowed his eyes, trying to weigh the options. ShadowClan couldn't have done it, not after having sheltered RiverClan and lent them Raineyes to help Minnowstream. How could Gustpelt suspect them after that?

WindClan had given shelter to ThunderClan, and it was one of their warriors that killed Leopardheart and Snowfeather. What's to say they hadn't murdered Stretchtail? Gustpelt knew what hunger could do to a cat. Perhaps this Sparktail had gone mad with starvation.

Gustpelt sighed, mourning the warrior's death. He too had had to prove his loyalty to RiverClan, having come from BoneClan. There was a light between Stretchtail and Beestripe, stemming from their deep love and devotion. How would the tabby she-cat react?

"Swiftpaw, you should return to Spiderstrike and tell her what happened. Willowclaw...we should take him back home. You lead the way, Rabbitpaw." Wrinkling his nose, Gustpelt took Stretchtail's scruff in his jaws.

Rabbitpaw felt safe when her mother came and stood next to her. Mom’s here now... she won’t let the monster who did this near me. She thought, opening her eyes. She barely heard Swiftpaw, as numb as she felt. The little apprentice nodded when her mentor said to lead them back to camp, turning to Swiftpaw temporarily she forced a smile. “Bye Swiftpaw.” And with that she turned and started walking towards camp.

Willowclaw gave her daughter a swift lick over the ear before nodding to Gustpelt, the snowshoe tom had a point, they really needed to bring home Stretchtail’s body, Poor Beestripe... she thought, helping Gustpelt pick up their fallen Clanmate’s corpse, thankful he’d had Rabbitpaw leading them home instead of helping them to carry Stretchtail, the little ginger and white she-cat wasn’t ready for that. With her heart heavy with all the death RiverClan had seen the silver spotted tabby began to move forwards, ignoring the stiffness in her leg.

((Back to camp?))

Swiftpaw grunted a goodbye, and without warning, sprinted off to his mentor. He wasn't afraid, he was too excited on what he had just witnessed. "One huge bird as my first catch, and I was the one to hear about a murder on Riverclan."

He beamed with almost more pride as he started back to the deputy.

[[ Off to SC border patrol ]]