literature

Warriors A.N.M Ch.37

Deviation Actions

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"The rogues live in a large clearing," Patcheye meowed, glancing at Eddie. The orange tom nodded. "We're far enough away from what they claim as their territory so they won't realize we're here."

Stoneclaw licked the last traces of his meal from his whiskers. "Our best tactic would be to find their clearing and attack. How many cats do you think follow Duskfur?"

"Eleven...as far as I know," Eddie sighed. "He may have found more followers since I left."

"But  you've only been gone a few days," Darkstorm pointed out, twitching his ears. "How many cats could he recruit in that short time?"

Eddie looked at the black warrior. "There was a meeting the day Blue and I left," he explained. "The last meeting we attended Duskfur announced the newest arrivals, two cats who used to be kittypets." Hawkcry growled, making Eddie shift uneasily. "Bandit, that's Duskfur's most trusted cat, came from a small twolegplace a few day's travel from here. He brought cats from there, and promised Duskfur he could find more. So I don't know if how many cats there are right now."

Silverfeather dug her claws into the ground. Bandit.  Anger rose inside of her as she thought about the black and white who tried to harm Rock and Sky. The thought of chasing off that dirty mange-pelt pleased her.

"Silverfeather?"

She looked up, meeting her father's confused gaze. Realizing her fur was bristling and her claws had left marks in the grass, Silverfeather ducked her head and took a deep breath.

"We ambush them," she said. "I know where the clearing is. Eddie and I could lead from two different directions. Attack from two sides."

Hawkcry's eyes gleamed as he looked at her. "Good thinking, thunder cat," he meowed. "But the rogue lead?" He snorted, glaring at Eddie. "I do we know we can trust him."

Silverfeather growled. Before she could say anything in Eddie's defense, Darkstorm padded up to Hawkcry and stood nose to nose with him.

"We can trust him," he growled.

Hawkcry bristled. Blossomfur pushed to stand in between the two toms. "Stop it," she hissed. "We won't get anywhere with bickering. We are one clan in this."

"Eddie is a friend," Silverfeather meowed, glaring at Hawkcry. "He fights with us."

The tabby tom turned his back on the rest of the group. Patcheye and Stoneclaw exchanged a glance. The black and white warrior moved to mumble a few words to Hawkcry. Stoneclaw swished his tail at the rest of the group, giving Eddie a friendly glance.

"What happens if we meet the rogues on the way to their camp?" Gorsefang cocked his head to one side. "It could ruin the whole plan."

"No cats leave the camp at night," Eddie meowed. "Duskfur makes sure of that. Two of the strongest cats stay on guard."

"Are there any queens or kits in camp?" Goldenheart looked worried, eyes wide.

Eddie shook his head. "No. Rock and Sky were the only kits...but I suspect Shadow is expecting. Even with all the greenleaf prey no cat gets that plump."

A purr rose from all the cats. Blossomfur gave Eddie an approving nod. Maybe Eddie would be excepted into the group after all. Silverfeather hoped he would but as  Hawkcry and Patcheye turned back to the group she worried that not all cats would accept the rogue. Hawkcry's expression was unreadable. Patcheye sat next to him, tail swaying behind him. The wind blew in the silence, making the silver warrior fluff out her fur uneasily.

"We can't hurt Shadow if she's expecting," Goldenheart meowed suddenly. Her eyes were wide with distress. "No queen deserves to be attacked. It's against the code."

Blossomfur rolled her eyes. "If some cat attacks me I'm not just going to stand there."

Patcheye raised his tail for silence. "Goldenheart has a point," he meowed. Blossomfur huffed, but he ignored her. "If you see a cat who looks as if they are expecting do not harm them. Chase them off. I don't want the blood of innocents on our paws. Even if we left clan territory we are still warriors who follow the warrior code. No queens should be harmed."

"I don't suppose there are elders there," Oakstep grumbled, giving Eddie a questioning look.

"The old and weak have no place there," growled Eddie. He shook his head sadly. "The only reason queens are allowed there is because they can provide more fighters."

Most of the cats looked appalled by this. Stoneclaw looked up at the sky, murmuring something too quiet for Silverfeather to hear. Was he asking Starclan how it had come to this? The other warriors stood quietly for a moment. Hawkcry looked disgusted, eyes narrowing to angry slits. Blossomfur ran her tail down his side then stepped forward.

"We should scout out paths near the border. That way we'll have no problem finding our way there tomorrow and if we should be wary of anything. Nothing will delay us."

"I agree." With a sigh, Patcheye gazed at each cat in turn. "I think we should send four cats for this. Gorsefang, Hawkcry..."

"Silverfeather and Goldenheart," Stoneclaw meowed quickly. Silverfeather got to her paws at her name. Goldenheart stood next to her, casting a nervous glance at the two Windclan toms.

"Be back before moonhigh," Patcheye meowed, looking up at the sun. "You know the way?"

"I can get us there." Silverfeather felt uneasy as she spoke, trying not to show it. Fear at what they would find made the fur along her spine rise, but at the disapproving look Hawkcry gave her she stood tall.

"I'll lead the patrol."


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Silverfeather scented the air, gesturing wit her tail for the others to follow. Goldenheart nodded and padded quickly past the scent markers of unknown cats. Gorsefang bristled as he walked beside her. Narrowing his eyes, Hawkcry followed with ears perked and alert. Silverfeather held back a sigh. The grumpy Windclan warrior had grumbled the whole way from the meeting place the cats had found. She had to stop herself from boxing his ears. She remembered the encouraging look Darkstorm had given her as she led the patrol away. She could do this.

"This is far enough," Silverfeather meowed quietly to the others. She hadn't planned the border being so close to where they'd stayed and venturing inside was the only way to make sure they knew where to go when the time came. "Stay alert."

"What are we looking for?" Gorsefang sniffed at the ground. "We found the border. I don't think we should have crossed it."

"We had to," Goldenheart sighed, her pelt growing in the low light. "It was too close not too."

Hawkcry growled. "They're claiming more territory. I hate to say it but maybe we should look around. It's not even close to moonhigh. If we go back now we aren't any closer to knowing a route to take tomorrow."

Gorsefang and Goldenheart looked at her, waiting for a decision to be made. Silverfeather swished her tail. She didn't want to admit it but Hawkcry made a fair point. Giving a curt nod she turned and slowly stalked into the trees of the forest. Quietly the others began to follow and their pawsteps only made the blood pounding in her ears worse. The shadows were begin to gather and night claimed the sky above. Silverfeather sent a silent prayer to Starclan that she had made the right choice.

A quiet hiss came from Goldenheart. With a twitch of her ears she motioned for the others to join her as she pulled herself underneath a holly bush. Gorsefang followed quickly, while Hawkcry grumbled. His large size made it hard to fit comfortably under the prickly bush. Silverfeather had to remind herself they were on a mission and held back a purr. She slid next to her companions, eyes widening at what she saw.

A young brown tabby lay in a small clearing. She shivered, looking around at the other cats wildly. One green eye was swollen shut, and scratches covered her body. A large white tom stood over her with blazing yellow eyes and sharp claws unsheathed. Though his fur was bloody he didn't look as bad off as the she-cat. A familiar black and white pelt moved behind them, sending a shiver through Silverfeather's fur.

"Get up and fight!" Bandit snarled, baring sharp yellow teeth as he leaned in close to the she-cat. "Fight or die!"

"I can't!" the brown tabby screeched. She tried to stand but her legs collapsed beneath her. "I can't fight anymore!"

The white tom turned to Bandit. Icy blue eyes gleamed menacingly Bandit lunged, front paw slashing at the injured cat. There was a yowl of pain as he struck her. Silence followed.

Bandit sniffed, lips curling in disgust. Blood began to stain the ground around his paws. The white tom snickered and the two cats padded out of the clearing.

Goldenheart was shaking beside her. "Great Starclan," she rasped. "Do these cats have no honor?"

Silverfeather shook her head. No...and that's why we have to stop them. She closed her eyes and looked away from the small she-cat as the blood dripped from the dead she-cats throat, her uninjured eye dull and wide in shock.
This was a good place to leave this at XD

Previous in folder...next to come soon.
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TheEndlessHourglass's avatar
Eek! Scary! =) Something tells me Goldenheart is going to have to make a tough decision real soon, and I'm not entirely certain she'll choose the right path. O.O