Black Sky

Chapter 13

Fernstar's patrol ran out of the cave, Blackpaw at their heels. As they ran, Redpaw fell in beside him, and he pushed on. They scrambled up the slope on top of the cave and slowed down as the trees thinned out. Fernstar crouched down, and signalled for the others to do the same. The setting sun laid an orange glow on the patrol, letting them blend in with the yellow grass. Blackpaw held his breath as they crossed the border.

Strong and fresh DustClan scent washed over him, and he shivered as he picked out Honeypaw's scent from the others. Careful of where he was putting his paws, he felt the familiar approch just like when he was hunting. But today, CaveClan wasn't looking for prey.

"Everyone here?" Fernstar mewed, looking back.

Every cat nodded.

"Okay, then," Fernstar mewed,

As they trekked through unfamiliar territory, Blackpaw detected the scent of Twolegs. Of course! DustClan lived in the Twolegplace. They'd have to enter it to get to the camp. Blackpaw felt a surge of dread as he realised Honeypaw, who had been such a friend to him, would be in the battle, and he'd have to fight her. He recalled the day Mangoleaf had taught him about the warrior code.

"Now, the next rule of the warrior code," Mangoleaf meowed, his voice more firm than usual. "Is that you should always stay loyal to your Clan."

Blackpaw nodded. "That's the obvious one."

"Some find it hard to obey," Mangoleaf meowed. "They make friends from other Clans and dread every battle against their Clan because they don't know what they'll do if they see that friend getting hurt. Some have even gone beyond being just friends."

Blackpaw widened his eyes. "That's terrible!"

"Are you saying it's terrible that they're being disloyal to their Clan," Mangoleaf asked. "Or that they are split between loyalties?"

Blackpaw thought for a moment. "Both." He said at last.

"Really?" Mangoleaf replied, surprise in his eyes. "Most apprentices would've picked one or the other."

Blackpaw looked at his mentor for a moment. Did other cats really have friends in other Clans? Did they really have to suffer the consequences?

Blackpaw now realised he was experiencing what those cats had. Having a friend in another Clan? He wished he didn't.

"We're nearly there!" Redpaw whispered to him, her voice full of excitement and a trace of fear.

Blackpaw realised that while he was having the memory the patrol had gotton to the camp. Fernstar paused and leapt up on a wall, gesturing for her cats to follow her. Blackpaw scrambled up the wall of red stone, feeling uncomfortable in Twoleg and DustClan territory. He kept looking down as he stalked along the wall. He nearly jumped out of his fur when a Twoleg kit let out an astonished squeal. An older Twoleg hushed it but stared at the cats. Blackpaw padded quickly past with his Clanmates.

"Halt!" Fernstar hissed, raising her tail to stop the other cats from continuing.

Blackpaw was near the front, and he peered over Stormwhistler's shoulder and stopped himself from gasping.

Cats milled around the camp, oblivious of the attacking cats. But they didn't have the happy air that most Clans did. The cats were thin and hungry, and kits were protected by their mothers from any other cat. Only their leader, Volestar, looked well-fed. Then he spotted Honeypaw with a black apprentice. He pricked his ears.

"Don't you want peace, Emberpaw?!" Honeypaw was hissing.

The black cat she called Emberpaw growled. "I think there's something going on. Why else would you refuse to Volestar to take CaveClan prey this morning? And a moon ago, with that black and white cat with his mentor, you refused Volestar too! Don't you know that the leader's word is law?"