Lost Hope: Book 5: Forest of Vipers

Chapter 21

"Viperfang has a mission for you two," Jaguar told them one day, stepping into their prison stall.

    Lilacsnow twitched her ears curiously but warily. "What kind of mission?"

    "You'll find out soon enough," the golden tom said gruffly. He stepped to the side as Dogtooth entered, followed by Viperfang herself. Foxflame was still puzzled by how the she-cat was able to have a physical form when she was dead.

    "A mission regarding your former apprentices," Viperfang said, showing all her teeth.

    "Claystream and Lilypetal?" Foxflame asked.

    "I don't care what they're called, but they belong to the rogues, do they not?"

    Foxflame stiffened a little as he remembered that yes, they had in fact 'stolen' the kits from the rogue's cave when they realized that their mother was dead.

    "They are apart of EchoClan," Lilacsnow hissed. "They are not rogues any more than we are."

    "I beg to differ," Dogtooth said. "No part of them is Clan blood."

    "Well that's not entirely true, Dogtooth, but that's besides the point," Viperfang said, flicking her tail nonchalantly. Foxflame wondered what she meant by that. "The point is, their mother may be dead, but their father isn't, and he would like them back where they belong."

    "Their father?" Lilacsnow asked dubiously. "He finally wants them back after all these moons?"

    "Well, it's after all these moons that I have learned where they went," Dogtooth said. "My kits belong with me, and you are going to help me get them back.

***

Foxflame didn't like any part of this plan. But it was either him and Lilacsnow died or not, so Foxflame supposed he didn't have much of a choice. Although come to think of it, it was a little selfish.

    Lilacsnow and him crept forward into EchoClan territory with about a dozen or so rogues behind them, hidden. It was night, so they were supposed to get in, get Claystream and Lilypetal, and get out. "Simple," Viperfang had said. But what part of this was actually simple?

    "And what do we do about the guard?" Lilacsnow had asked.

    "Oh, my cats will take care of that," Viperfang had said, her eyes glinting maliciously.

    So it was actually more like one cat die, or two cats die. Foxflame was really beginning to dislike this second option, just because it was choosing his own life over another cat's, but it was undesirable either way.

    Foxflame and Lilacsnow paused as they reached eyesight of the camp. One cat stood guard and Foxflame opened his mouth to breath in the scent.

    Mousesqueak.

    Foxflame shot Lilacsnow a look. "We can't let them kill her," he whispered desperately.

    Lilacsnow shook her head helplessly. "What can we do then?"

    "Nothing." A rogue came forward and stalked past them, creeping around to Mousesqueak's side.

    NO! Foxflame wanted to shout, but his mouth felt dry and his limbs were paralyzed where he crouched.

    The rogue crept ever closer, and still neither Foxflame and Lilacsnow made a move to stop her. StarClan help me! he thought. But not even StarClan could prevent what happened next.

    It was over in a matter of seconds.

    The rogue sprang forward, her jaws latching onto the small she-cat's throat and killing her instantly before she could even utter a sound. The rogue then dragged her body away to StarClan knows were.

    "Well? Go on." Foxflame was roughly nudged forward and he swiveled his head back around to see Jaguar standing behind him. He didn't have time to mourn for Mousesqueak, he had to keep to the mission, or him and Lilacnsow would both die.

    Foxflame and Lilacsnow shared a glance and then began padding quietly towards the camp entrance. He took in the familiar curve of the branches of the walls and the way the ground felt beneath his paws. One day, he knew, he'd be able to come back here to his Clanmates. But tonight wasn't that night.

    He took the lead and walked over to the warriors den and paused before entering. How does one wake up two cats without alerting the rest of the camp?

    Lilacsnow poked her head in, and then after another pause, she ducked inside, Foxflame staring after her. She went over to Lilypetal's nest and nudged the side of her former apprentice's head with her nose. The she-cat mumbled in her sleep a little before stirring and fluttering her eyes. It took her a few heartbeats to register Lilacsnow's face, but when she did, she gave a little jump and Lilacsnow slapped her tail over Lilypetal's face.

    "Shh! Get Claystream and meet me in the clearing, I'll explain everything, ok?"

    Lilypetal gave a little nod, her blue eyes wide and Lilacsnow removed her tail and padded swiftly, but quietly, out of the den.

    Foxflame watched as she reemerged. She sat beside him and waited with bated breath for the sisters. When they did emerge, they bounded forward to touch noses with them.

    "Oh!" Claystream said, giving Foxflame's neck an affectionate nuzzle. "I'm so glad you're safe."

    "I wouldn't say safe exactly," Lilacsnow said. "Alive, but we're not safe yet, and neither are you two."

    "What?" Lilypetal said and exchanged a confused look with her sister.

    "What does that even mean?" asked Claystream.

    "It means that we're not coming back to the Clan," Foxflame explained. "We can't. The rogues are holding us hostage. And. . . ." He took a small breath. "And they told us to bring you back to them, otherwise they'd kill us."

    Claystream's eyes widened even more. "Bring us back?"

    "You were originally apart of the rogues' group," Lilacsnow said and Foxflame looked away. "We found you after the battle was over and took you back to EchoClan."

    "Right," Lilypetal said, nodding, a disconcerted look upon her face. "But why do they want us back?"

    "I suppose you'll have to ask them when we get back," Foxflame said quietly.

    Lilypetal shivered a little. "Do we have to? Why can't you just stay here. . . ?"

    Lilacsnow shook her head. "They have more than a enough cats to attack the camp and win right now. We'll have to lie low for now until we can think of a better plan."

    "I'd rather fight than join the likes of them!" Claystream declared.

    Foxflame smiled slightly. "We all would, but we're facing impossible odds right now."

    Claystream still looked adamant, but she and Lilypetal finally agreed that they didn't have a choice but to follow Foxflame and Lilacsnow back to the rogues' barn, flanked on all sides by rogues.

    Dogtooth was waiting for them at the entrance to the barn and he smiled as he saw them approaching. "Welcome home, my kits."