Warriors: Beetlestar's Path

Chapter Twenty-Two

     "So, what's the plan?" 

     Beetlestar did not answer. He skirted along the bank of the river and sent tired glances towards the other side, eyeing the trees on DarkClan's territory with a sort of small paranoia. Hailstar's visit six days ago had left him anxious and bitter. The TreeClan leader's snobbery and cruel choice churned his stomach. With such great confidence, it was clear that Hailstar was confident in his Clan's strength, as well as their rights to Rippletail's kits. 

     "Well?" 

     Beetlestar paused and looked up towards the eggshell blue sky. "I'm leaving it up to Acornpelt." 

     Sorrelclaw's ear flicked and he rounded Beetlestar, standing at his side. "And what if she makes the wrong choice?" 

     "What is the wrong choice?" 

     He heard Sorrelclaw shuffle his paws. "I'm not sure," he confessed, and his uncertainty alarmed Beetlestar. "WaterClan hates half-Clan kits, and they hate TreeClan. We don't want them. But to give them up could be a show of weakness." 

     "That's the thing," Beetlestar mewed, "we are weak." 

     "No, we're not." 

     "Yes. Yes, we are." He started onward again, Sorrelclaw hot on his tail. "We lost the invasion. We lost the skirmish. And we lost the raid on our very own camp," he hissed.  

     Sorrelclaw huffed. "Because of Yellowfoot and Acornpelt! Without them to abandon us or give us away-" 

     "That's part of it too, though. We don't have Yellowfoot to help us, and we lost Shatteredstone and Troutpaw. We've lost a lot of cats over all of this." 

     "Sounds like you're giving up!" Sorrelclaw rushed in front of Beetlestar to block his path. Beetlestar paused suddenly and pinned his ears back. 

     "I'm not giving up! I'm simply trying to figure out what to do!" He found his tail lashing. Of all cats, how could Sorrelclaw suggest such a thing? "We're not in the position to keep fighting battles. Not right now! So yes, a peaceful solution would be very nice. But I don't care much for just handing those kits over, either."  

     "Then Acornpelt has to decide." 

     "Yes!" 

     Beetlestar shoved by Sorrelclaw with his fur prickling along his spine. But what if she makes the wrong choice? This is something that affects the entire Clan, and Acornpelt is biased towards her kits. She might want to keep them in exchange for territory that we all use.  

     But they're still members of WaterClan as well. They can grow to fight and hunt for us just like any typical kits, regardless of who their father is! It may be better in the long run to keep them. They'll bolster our numbers and maybe we can take back lost territory over time. 

     For a moment, he regretted everything. He regretted his deputy-ship, how he had accepted it in the first place, and he regretted his leadership as well. Of all the tough decisions he was faced with, it had be about half-Clan kits! 

     "I have . . . an idea. But I'm reluctant about it," Sorrelclaw muttered behind him, trailing along with his tail held close to the ground. "As a last resort, though. Maybe we should demand help from one of the other Clans? We could take plenty of territory then if we have their numbers with ours." 

     The suggestion stopped Beetlestar in his tracks, and he slowly turned to face the brown and ginger tom. Him of all cats . . . suggesting asking for help? "We'd have to repay them. And besides, how do you think that'd make us look?"