Chapter 3 - Getting out of it?

The badger was now lying at the bottom of the tree. Both the cats looked down on it and Diamondfur shuddered at the memory of what had just happened.
“Any plans?” Rosepaw asked Diamondfur hopefully.
“Just one…” she replied nervously. Diamondfur gazed at a branch that reached out from a tree that stood next to the one they were stuck in. “Climb across that branch. I’ll stay here and look for danger.” Diamondfur mewed. Rosepaw cautiously made her way to the outstretched branch and placed a paw on it. It seemed fine and so she continued. Rosepaw was half way across the branch when a loud ‘Crack’ came from the opposite end of the branch, where Rosepaw was heading. She felt herself fall. With sheathed claws she managed to grab the tree trunk. She continued falling, but she slowed down a lot.
Rosepaw hauled herself up the tree and sat shaking on the nearest branch. She was pressed right up against the trunk.
“Rosepaw!” Diamondfur whispered, being careful not to alert the badger below.
“I-I’m f-fine,” Rosepaw stuttered. “but how do we get back to camp now?”
“Do you mind going back to camp and telling a Blackstar where I am?” Diamondfur asked softly. She wanted Rosepaw’s help so badly, but she would understand if her apprentice didn’t want to go.
“Sure. But how do I get past the badger? Rosepaw mewed
“Just climb down the tree on that side,” she flicked her tail to the side of the tree that was facing away from the badger “and run. But remember to go softly.”
Rosepaw nodded and then headed to the hidden side of the tree. She gracefully landed on her paws at the bottom and ran off, being careful not to let the black and white beast that she was there.
“Blackstar!” yowled Rosepaw as she ran into the ForestClan camp.
“Yes Rosepaw? What is it?” the clan leader asked. She looked at Rosepaw and shuffled her paws in impenitentness as Rosepaw caught her breath.
When Rosepaw did speak, it came in short bursts. “Diamondfur is…trapped by a…badger!” she mewed urgently.
“A badger! Can you take me to her?” Blackstar asked.
Rosepaw just nodded and made her way back to the tree where Diamondfur was sat. The blood was drying on her leg now and her pelt stood up in little peaks.
“Diamondfur!” Blackstar hissed softly “Are you alright?!?!”
At the sound of her name, Diamondfur turned quickly and looked at Blackstar and Rosepaw. She had never been so relieved to see a cat in her life.
“I will be as soon as I get out of this tree.” she answered.
“Alright then. Let’s get you down then. Rosepaw, have you caught your breath yet?” Blackstar asked.
“Yes Blackstar.” Rosepaw mewed in response.
“Then lets fight this badger off.” The ForestClan leader mewed boldly.
Rosepaw didn’t have any objection to that, and even if she did, she wouldn’t have had time to say anything. Blackstar had already hauled herself towards the badger and Rosepaw was following closely.
The badger wasn’t at all prepared for the sudden attack, which gave the cats an advantage. It barked something at them, but it was imposable to understand it. Rosepaw bit hard into the badger’s hind leg, just as it had done to Diamondfur, and Blackstar dug her teeth into the badger’s shoulder. Together the two cats managed to force to badger to flee, leaving blood on the ground as it went.
Diamondfur stared in awe at her apprentice and her leader. “Thankyou so much! Both of you! If it wasn’t for you then I would be crowfood!” she gasped.
“S’okay” Rosepaw replied to her mentor. If it wasn’t for your plan to get me back to camp then we’d both be crowfood.”
Diamondfur shook her head in confusion after climbing down the tree. “But that mouse brained plan almost got you killed!”
“Ah, but I wasn’t killed, was I?” she replied. “Come on. You were great! You saved my life! Another heartbeat and I’d be with StarClan right now. That disgusting thing was only a few steps away from me! But then you came and confused it.” Rosepaw paused and then added quietly “You risked your life for me. That badger could have killed you, and I don’t even want to think about how long it will take your leg to heal. That was one nasty bite!”
“Yes,” Diamondfur mewed, and then shuddered at the thought of the badger “I do realise that. But can we please get back to camp now? I want to go see Silverleaf.”
Blackstar, who had just listened up till now, mewed in agreement to Diamondfur’s request. “Yes, I’m worried about that leg. It’s not too far to the camp; we should be there very soon.”

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