Longshadow's curse

Chapter 2

“Why do we always have to get this job…” Vinepaw grumbled, scrunching up her nose while she clawed at the wet moss.
        “Oh come on, it’s not so bad!” Rabbitpaw smiled and continued chatting with one of the elders, Lightpatch, who was Whiteclaw’s mother. “So, Birchpaw told me that your daughter has had her first kits!”
        Lightpatch’s eyes lit up, and she smiled. “My daughter has had her kits? We must see them! You dears can finish this later, I’ll tell Barkface that I had you help me with, something else!” She winked at the apprentices and walked out of the den.
        “Awesome!” Vinepaw smiled and jumped out of the den, along with Rabbitpaw, and the other apprentice Rockpaw. They walked into the bright sunlight, following the cream coloured elder towards the nursery, their paws padding across the warm rock below them.
        “What are you all doing! You should be cleaning the elder’s den!” Barkface butted in between Lightpatch and the apprentices. His face was dark and his dull brown eyes glared. He was huge compared to the young cats, and they cowered in fear.
        “W,w,we, we’re sorry, B, Barkface…” Rockpaw choked out, his eyes wide. Vinepaw jutted in front of him.
        “No, we aren’t. Lightpatch wants us to help her on her morning walk, right Lightpatch?” Vinepaw said bravely. Lightpatch walked in between Barkface and the apprentices.
        “Yes, I did bring them out to help me with my walk. Now Barkface, if you could excuse us…”
        “I am afraid I cannot, Lightpatch, for Sparrowstar has ordered me to take these apprentices on a hunting patrol.” Barkface replied, his voice dull and annoying as always. Hissing under their breath, the three apprentices followed Barkface away from the camp. At the forest edge they met up with Stonepelt
        “Rockpaw! Why are you here! You worthless minnow-brain! I only asked for Vinepaw and Rabbitpaw!” Barkface growled.
        “I, I’m sorry! I’m sorry, Barkface.” Rockpaw spluttered. He started to sob a little, then turned tail and ran back to camp.
        “Hey! Don’t treat my son like that, Barkface! You never specified which apprentices you were bringing!” Stonepelt growled back. He got into a battle stance and began to hiss, his tail was all fluffed up and was rigidly pointing towards the sky.
        “My oh my, Stonepelt, this sure would be an interesting story to tell Sparrowstar.” Barkface drawled, sharpening his claws on a rock.
        “It sure would, of you abusing my kit!” Stonepelt hissed. Vinepaw and Rabbitpaw, unsure of what to do, huddled back into the leafy underbrush of the forest edge.
        “Fine. If you refuse to leave your threatening stance, then I suppose I will have to  fight back in self-defence.” Barkface replied, and with that, he pounced on Stonepelt, his claws unsheathed. Stonepelt was knocked back. He tried to recover, but Barkface was much larger and easily overpowered the small grey tom. He slashed at Stonepelt, causing a red gash to appear at the side of his face.
        “Barkface stop!” Vinepaw yelled out. He turned his head, his eyes red and his mouth twisted into a sickening grin. “AAAHHH! Rabbitpaw, we have to run!” Vinepaw yowled, and began to quickly clamber up the birch tree right next to them. Rabbitpaw shook herself out of the underbrush just before Barkface pounced on where she would have been
        “AAAHHH! Barkface stop!” Rabbitpaw squealed. What has happened to our boring, yet extremely loyal warrior? Rabbitpaw thought as she climbed up to the branch where Vinepaw was sitting, panting from climbing up so far so fast.
        Barkface was quickly advancing towards them, when he was hit in the back of the head with a small rock, and fell from his hold in the tree.
        “Sparrowstar!” Vinepaw meowed in delight. “You found us! But how?”
        “Later, Vinepaw, first we have to take care of this traitor! Foxtail, Thornpelt, Snakewhisker, Drizzletail, and Cindermask, attack! Rippledpool, take care of Stonepelt, and Leafglide, you and I will get the apprentices!” While the warriors were fighting Barkface, Sparrowstar and Leafglide, the best tree climbers in all of the clans, leaped up the trees, as though they were flying.
        “I’ve got you, Vinepaw. Leafglide, you take Rabbitpaw.” And with that Sparrowstar and Leafglide each took an apprentice and leaped down the tree. So confused and tired by what was going on, the two apprentices passed out before Sparrowstar and Leafglide even touched the ground.