A Time To Travel/Chapter 4

Poppypaw's heart beat fast as he squashed himseof as flat as he could against the trunk of the bush.Peering through the branches,he could see a dappled tortioseshell.She was too young to be a warrior,probably an apprentice.There was another apprentice,with a grey coat.And two warriors,probably their mentors.

One of the warriors began speaking,but Poppypaw couldn't hear them.He could see them hissing at the thing,and he knew they wanted to know where it had come from.

One of the apprentices looked their way,and the three apprentices froze.

DON'T COME OVER HERE,he yowled silently as the young grey she-cat padded over to the gorse bush,lashing her tail back and forth.

“Come out of there,mousebrains,"she hissed at them,her companions coming closer.Her eyes widended suddenly.“ThunderClan scent."She looked to her companions in frustration.

One of the warriors,a grey tom with small ears,glared at them.His amber eyes sparkled in anger.“Who are you,foxhearts?"

Poppypaw stood as brave as he could,worry sparking in the pit of his stomach.These cats were strangers - what could they do to them?“I am Poppypaw of ThunderClan.These are my siblings,Ivypaw and Mosspaw."

The other warrior,a grey tabby,snarled,“You aren't ThunderClan.We don't know you."

“The de-thing,the thing brought us here,"stammered Ivypaw.

The cats looked toward the thing,unconvinced.

“We should take you to Pinestar,"the small eared tom hissed,“The leader should know of your arrival."

“But Yellowstar is leader of ThunderClan!"Snarled Mosspaw.

The apprentice who found them bared her teeth.At close range,Poppypaw could see her eye was milky,probably blind or with poor vision.

“We will come with you,"Poppypaw agreed,“If you promise to let us go as soon as we find a way home.We do not know this forest.We have always lived by the lake."

“Lake?"the grey tabby asked with confusion,“What lake?ThunderClan has never lived by any lake!"

With that,he bounded off into the woods,the apprentices and the Smalleared tom at his heels.Poppypaw took off,falling into their pace easily.Mosspaw was behind him,and Ivypaw,panting,brought up the rear.

Suddenly Poppypaw felt the need to ask the cats to slow down.But before he could,they were running into the camp.

Ivypaw stopped in relief,nearly falling to the ground.She panted so hard that Poppypaw could hardly watch her.“Ivypaw,"he said worriedly,“You need help.You're sick,and by not admitting it you just made it worse."

She didn't reply.“Where's your medicine cat's den?I need to borrow some eerbs for my sister,"he told the small eared tom.

“Through the fern tunnel.I'm Smallear by the way."Poppypaw didn't respond.Just bolted through the tunnel.