Book Four, The Building Task

Chapter Eight

Ivysong's POV.

It has been an entire moon since Batstar and the others left and I have been infuriated by the fact Rosefall is in charge.

On the plus side, Domino and Rosefall have come up with an agreement that I mentor him for a bit to see if he would be fit to join the Clan, which he wants.

I've been too busy with mentoring to even remember about Brambleheart. I'm glad she's gone though so I dont have to see that dumb face again.

Now I'm at Big Rocks watching Domino practice his battle crouch. "Good, but tuck your tail a bit or you'll snag it on something while sneaking around." I commented.

"I'm glad you're mentoring me, I've been so bored around camp." Domino said.

I silently agreed with him. I had no burden anymore so I'd been just a lying around camp all day.

"Let's go find some prey now." I flicked my tail and he followed me across the moors near camp.

"You sure we'll find anything out here? Y'know, since it's close to camp." Asked Domino.

He had a point but that's not why I came here. "Just shush." I hissed and got into a crouch; he obeyed and copied.

"So... what are we doing?" Asked Domino. He was getting on my nerves.

"I thought I smelt Batstar." I hissed annoyingly. I flicked my tail and took him forward past camp to our furthest border.

"Their scent is here but it runs toward ShadowClan." Maybe they patrolled the borders looking for prey before they came back.

"Hm.. perhaps they went to ShadowClan? And that's why they attacked?" Domino suggested.

We walked along the ShadowClan border now. "I dont know." I replied. "Their scent is just... everywhere along here."

I put a paw over the border and stepped into ShadowClan. I sniffed around for a few minutes and could only find their scent.

I came back to our side. "Their scent is all the way in there." I stated. "We'll have to find them."

"Okay, let's go get a patrol." Domino said, padding toward camp. I wanted to go alone but if I were attacked, I wouldn't be able to defend myself.

Domino and I quickly trotted back to camp and up to Rosefall who was laying down and watching her kits play. "I found Batstar's scent leading into  ShadowClan's territory. I think she and the others may be held hostage." I explained to her.

Rosefall nodded. "Okay. You can lead a patrol to find them but I do not want any fighting unless absolutely necessary." Rosefall explained sternly. "You can choose who accompanies you."

"Okay." I responded and turned toward the warrior's den. "Can I come with?" asked Domino. I shook my head. "No. You aren't experienced enough if it comes to a battle."

I left into the warriors den before he could respond. I looked to Dewfall and Larkfeather. "I've found Batstar's scent leading into ShadowClan. Would you two like to accompany me to get her back?"

Dewfall looked to Larkfeather. "Yeah for sure," Dewfall said. "When are we going?"

"Now. I'd like to bring a few others though." I responded.

***

Me, Dewfall, Larkfeather, Moonwish and Frostedwing now trekked through ShadowClan territory following Batstar's scent. We passed through lots of undergrowth and as the trees got thicker, the ShadowClan scent got stronger.

As we neared the camp I noticed Batstar's scent was the strongest. I growled to myself in anger.

I could sense the other cats rising anger at Batstar's scent and I led them to the ShadowClan camp entrance.

We marched in and saw Fawnstar and some of her other dumb warriors right in the center of the camp guarding Batstar, Sweetwish, Fallensky, Skywing and Oakleaf. The five of them looked half-starved and battered.

"Why do you have our leader and our warriors here?!" I hissed angrily at the pale-brown ShadowClan leader.

Fawnstar turned on her heels and glared at me. "Your precious leader happened to be trekking through our territory when we found them. We've kept them prisoners for many sunrises." She muttered in a deadly voice.

I growled. Larkfeather, Dewfall and Moonwish bared their teeth and spat toward them. I raised my tail to signify to them to stay back.

"What do you want then? It is obvious your Clan cannot take another beating, so you don't want us to fight for them, do you?" It was true; as tough as ShadowClan seemed, they were still bedraggled after the recent fight.

Fawnstar's gaze did not faulter once. Her deputy, Rabbitfur, stepped to her side and begun to speak. "It is true we do not want to fight. However, to gain your warriors back, you must give us something."

"Like what?" I said in a calm, angry voice. I could feel the hostility burning from my warriors behind me.

"Tons of prey and a bunch of moss-filled water." Rabbitfur's blue eyes flashed with defense. She slightly bared her teeth and rose up highly as to signify dominance.

I could hear the shock from the warriors behind me, but I had a plan. "Fine," I snarled, glaring at her. "But give us Batstar and the others back first."

"And why would we do that first?" Snapped Fawnstar. "How do we know you will follow through?"

"I can tell how badly you need the prey," I said in a calmer voice, attempting to make them believe my fake sympathy. "Surely, can't you trust us? In a time like this, prey is scarce for all the Clans. Can't you see how we understand?"

Fawnstar's gaze softened ever so slightly. "Very well." She growled. "Take them. If we don't get our prey soon we will attack again."

I snorted under my breath. ShadowClan's cats were too weak to fight, it was obvious. I let out a small smile at how easy it was to gaslight them. "Thank you," I said with an easy voice.

Fawnstar and Rabbitfur stepped aside to let Batstar and the others through. They padded swiftly to us and Batstar gave me a nod of approval.

***

On the way back to camp, Batstar and the other shared the tale of what happened. They had traveled for a long while, way past highstones and managed to find prey but ShadowClan took it all once they had found them outside their territory and attacked and forced them to give it up.

"What kind of loyal warrior would do that?!" Exclaimed Moonwish, astonished. I nodded, slightly agreeing. I had to admit it was smart though.

"The kind that have no honour or respect of the warrior code." Growled Fallensky.

We kept a steady pace back to camp and we reached it by sundown. When we returned, the Clan greeted the missing cats with warm licks and nuzzles.

I saw Rosefall burst out of her den and rush into Fallensky, nearly toppling him over. I rolled my eyes and settled myself and layed down to take a nap.