Post by Deleted on Jun 30, 2019 11:31:37 GMT -5
StoneClan’s territory was dry as dust after the lack of rain and intense heat that had thus far pervaded since the beginning of greenleaf. Things were far more brown than green. The heat was oppressive, especially for those with longer coats. Like Minkfire. But at least the clouds blocked the sun today, and the stifling humidity seemed to promise a storm.
It was her first patrol since the eagle incident, her wounds mostly healed. The eagle’s talons certainly hadn’t shown any mercy. Her shoulder still stung a little as she followed behind the rest of the patrol. They mostly ignored her, only casting wary, disapproving looks back her way to ensure she was still with them, bitter murmurs about her running off and leading a fox back to them were uttered from Yarrowstorm but silenced by Crimsonshadow, leading the patrol. Minkfire’s ears pressed back against her head and she fought the urge to run off as Yarrowstorm had said. Instead she sneered at the older tom, “Scared of foxes, Yarrowkit?”
The tom whirled around to confront her as she smirked at the predictable reaction, but Crimsonshadow spoke sharply before he could say anything, “Yarrowstorm. Why don’t you go on ahead and renew the next scent mark.”
Minkfire took the chance to escape the uncomfortable patrol instead, “I’ll do it, since Yarrowstorm is so scared of foxes jumping out of nowhere.”
“I’ll show you scared-”
The tom began to spit a response but Minkfire was already trotting ahead with her nose in the air and her tail held high, ignoring him. Her shoulder hurt but she managed not to limp at all until she was out of sight around a copse of scraggly mountain pines. She found the scent mark and renewed it, but she certainly didn’t want to return to her patrol. Tail lashing back and forth, she cast a quick look back in the general direction of the two toms, snorted dismissively, and padded across the scent line into unclaimed territory. The fresh scents that lacked the familiarity of StoneClan’s territory drew her onward, and though her shoulder was stinging and the heat was nearly unbearable, she broke into a run.
Her paws seemed to find a path of their own volition, but after a few short moments she knew just where she was going. Tadpole’s den. Well, for now. She only hoped he was still using it and hadn’t moved on yet. Wincing, she slowed, panting, as the pile of rocks that marked his den came into view. She sat a few foxlengths away, turning her head to rasp her tongue over the wound on her shoulder in some attempt to soothe it. She couldn’t help thinking about Hawkstar and the life he’d lost. Any time she’d seen him since, all she’d felt was intense shame. Normally negative attention from her Clanmates was just as well as positive, but knowing that she’d caused her father’s death and that was the reason for all the looks and whispers aimed at her was getting to be too much to bear.
She wanted to get away from it, an escape. So she stood back up and padded forward at an easier pace until she had reached the entrance to the loner tom’s den. Whiskers twitching with some amusement, she called inside, “Hellooooo~ Anyone home? It's your lucky day, your favorite StoneClan warrior is here!”
Taxx
Greenleaf 9 - Clouds congregate above the valley, absorbing the sun's rays and promising rain.