Fox Patrol Response

It was more than an hour or so ago after Mistsky and Shadowpelt had gone off to do their fox patrol assignment given to them by the Cloudclan deputy, Acornrush.

Creekstrike looked around the camp as they all worked to prepare for the festivities of the evening and had immediately taken notice that two of his clanmates, had not yet returned. A bad feeling of something happening to them shivered down his spine.

He looked over at his sister telling a scary story to some of the kits. She looked happy. More happy than she had been in awhile given all that had happened recently. He couldn't tell her about Mistsky and Shadowpelt missing.

He began making his way to the camp entrance to go and look for them when he was spotted by Goldsky, Arrowgaze, Cedarheart, and Willow.

"Where are you going Creekstrike?" Goldsky asked padding up to him with the others.

Creekstrike quickly looked around to make sure no other cats were in earshot. When he saw no one within close hearing range he whispered "Mistsky and Shadowpelt haven't come back from their patrol yet. I am going to make sure they're alright."

"We're coming with you then." Arrowgaze replied seriously.

"Whatever happened with them I'm sure I am more than capable of handling it." Creekstrike replied shaking his head. He didn't want them to come with him so not to risk their safety especially the safety of his brother Cedarheart and his brother's mate Willow.

"If they haven't come back yet that means something must've happened to them and whatever happened would certainly be something serious which means you're gonna need help." Cedarheart tried to reason with his brother.

Creekstrike hissed with annoyance. Why did his brother have to be right? "Fine..." Creekstrike grumbled before racing off with the others right behind him.

Once they got out into Cloudclan territory they all began to follow paw prints left from Mistsky and Shadowpelt.

"I hope we find them before it's too late..." Willow couldn't help but mutter worriedly. Mistsky had been her very first apprentice and he and Shadowpelt were her clanmates. To imagine something terrible happening to them was the worst thing for her.

On and on the small Cloudclan rescue patrol went on to search for their missing clanmates. Before long they manage to pick up a faint scent trail. One led to the end of Cloudclan territory and the other led outside of it. The scent trail also carried a faint scent of fox as well.

"Now what?" Cedarheart asks the others.

"Simple. We split up. One group stays here and the other goes outside Cloudclan territory following the other scent trail. If any other cats ask we are looking for a missing clanmate who could be hurt if not worse." Arrowgaze replied.

"So who stays and who goes?" Willow asks.

"Willow, Goldsky, and Cedarheart will stay here." Creekstrike decided. "Arrowgaze you and I will go out of the territory." He added though he didn't sound to pleased about it.

"Good luck." Goldsky told Arrowgaze and Creekstrike before he and the other two went to go find Shadowpelt.

"Same goes for you, may Starclan be with you." Arrowgaze added before he and Creekstrike went off to find Mistsky.

Willow, Goldsky, and Cedarheart managed to find Shadowpelt trapped in a tree as a couple very annoyed foxes waited for the cat to come down.

"What do we do?" Willow whispered to Goldsky and Cedarheart. She had never faced foxes before and was trying hard to hide her fear rising inside her but was failing miserably as her fur along her back began to spike up.

Cedarheart licked her cheek to calm her down while Goldsky replied "We charge at them and fight distracting them long enough for Shadowpelt to climb safely down."

"I-I don't think I c-can d-do this..." Willow replied fearfully.

"You can. I trained you to fight remember? Don't worry Goldsky and I will be there to help you every step of the way I promise." Cedarheart whispered reassuringly to her.

"O-okay.." Willow replied.

Then the three cats charged towards the foxes diverting their attention away from the tree where Shadowpelt was for the temptation of catching easier prey.

Claws unsheathed they attacked the foxes. Cedarheart darted under the legs of one of them biting down hard on the foxes tail sinking his teeth deep down into the fur drawing blood causing the fox to let out a loud wail of pain.

Goldsky jumped on one of the foxes' back sinking his claws into the foxes sides to hang on tightly as he bit into the foxes' scruff on the neck.

Willow darted to the side to avoid being snapped at by the last fox's teeth slashing it on the side with her claws.

For several moments all Shadowpelt could do was to remain frozen and watch in surprise as his clanmates who had come to rescue him took on the foxes. He managed to snap out of it when Willow yowled up at him "Climb down while you can!" as she slashed the fox across the muzzle before it could manage to bite her again.

Shadowpelt nodded and as quickly as he could climbed down from the tree to join the fight with his clanmates.

Outnumbered by the group of cats the foxes took out whimpering with their tails between their legs.

"We need to go help Mistsky." Shadowpelt told them.

"Don't worry Creekstrike and Arrowgaze went to go help him." Goldsky told him.

"But Mistsky was chased by the adult foxes." Shadowpelt told them.

A large look of worry spread across their faces before they all took off to find Creekstrike, Arrowgaze, and Mistsky.

Meanwhile it didn't take long for Creekstrike and Arrowgaze to find where Mistsky had been trapped by the two adult foxes and began to fight them.

"What are you mousebrains doing?! Run away! You'll both be killed!" Mistsky yelled at them from up in the tree as he watched in horror as his clanmates continued to fight for him.

"And miss the chance to fight a good battle? Never." Creekstrike joked as he darted away from the fox he was fighting running straight for a small bush easily being able to make his way through it due to his smaller size while the other fox got it's head stuck after trying to follow him.

Creekstrike smiled biting and slashing at the fox with no mercy sending blood everywhere.

Arrowgaze meanwhile had been pinned down by the other fox and no matter how much he squirmed, bit at the fox's leg, and scratched at it the fox would not budge.

Just then Shadowpelt, Cedarheart, Willow, and Goldsky came running to their aid. Goldsky, Cedarheart, and Shadowpelt charged towards the fox who had pinned down Arrowgaze attacking it causing it to leave Arrowgaze and focus on the cats now attacking it.

Arrowgaze immediately got to his feet grateful for their help.

"Come on Mistsky, we need to retreat!" Willow yelled up at her former apprentice.

Mistsky didn't look happy at being ordered around by his former mentor but didn't object as he climbed down as quickly as he could.

Now all together again the cats ran off to retreat. By this time the other fox Creekstrike had trapped was killed and the other fox was angry for revenge. It charged after them. While running as fast as their paws could carry them for their lives Willow tripped and gazed up in horror as the fox stood over her drooling.

Before any of the other cats could react Arrowgaze charged at the fox leaping for it's neck causing it fall backwards from impact sending them both down a large hill into the river.

"Arrowgaze!" All the cats screeched.

Creekstrike jumped in the water going after his clanmate fighting hard to keep his head above the water swimming towards Arrowgaze who fought with the fox in the water as fast as he could.

However he arrived to late as the fox with it's last effort bit Arrowgaze on the neck dragging him under the water with him.

Creekstrike gasped in shock before diving down after them and resurfacing a few moments later alone solemnly making his way to shore.

Shadowpelt and Cedarheart helped Creekstrike out of the water before they made their way back to camp without Arrowgaze knowing he was now dead and would not return.