City of Polaris (Warriors, Book 1)

Chapter 12

Ravenshadow lapped at the three tiny bundles sitting at her belly. "Wheat," She purred softly, wishing she could see her and Wolfspark's kits, "Tell me what they look like."

Wheat took a peaceful little breath, then seemed to study the kits before responding. "One of them is brown, like a little mole," He said. "One is black with little red spots." Suddenly he drew in a shuddering gasp, then snorted. "And one of them... is black and white." Ravenshadow heard fear in his voice.

"And, why is that a bad thing?"

"It... I don't know. It just... gives me a weird feeling. Like I'm being haunted." Stammered Wheat. Ravenshadow rolled her sightless eyes.

I remember that legend Deadhare told me, Thought Ravenshadow. 'Haunted'. Like Hauntedlight from the story. She let out a little growl at Wheat, then spoke. "The brown one will be Mole. The red and black one will be Widow. And," She thought for a second, then decided. "The 'haunted' one will be named Haunted."

As much as Ravenshadow didn't like how Wheat was talking about her kits, she did feel a little bit of tension in the barn. As if someone was watching her. Maybe its just me, She thought. Eventually, she switched her attention back to the kits.

Once these little scraps of fur are old enough to look out for themselves, I'll recruit some cats and attack WindClan. Just once there eyes are open and they know a trick or two about surviving. Not that I'll be gone that long, just need to recruit some cats, attack WindClan, then slink back out. Then my revenge will be gone.

***

"Woah!"

Mole and Widow's tiny squeaks echoed through the barn. They had opened their eyes, and after a moon Ravenshadow was letting them go outside. Haunted sat on her tail, shivering and curling up with her. "Haunted." Ravenshadow growled softly, nudging the kit with her muzzle. "Go play. Its nice and cool out th-"

"No!" Cried Haunted. "Its scary!"

Ravenshadow rolled her sightless eyes. "You can do it," She promised. "Just step out of the barn and walk around."

Haunted seemed to give in, as Ravenshadow felt the weight release her tail and his light paw steps slinking out of the barn. She heard the playful mews of his littermates, too, as they finally saw him walk out of the barn.

Wheat wasn't in the barn anymore. Ravenshadow promised him herbs and prey if he traveled to other territories in the forest and recruited some cats. I guess its nice, Ravenshadow thought. But I have to hunt and collect herbs... ugh.

I'll teach them hunting, Ravenshadow thought. Then I can go on a little... trip.

"Kits!" She called. "I know you're still small, but mommy has to go do something, so you might need to learn this."

The kits let out excited squeaks as their pawsteps rushed to Ravenshadow. "This is how you hunt." Ravenshadow put her best hunting crouch, her shoulders low but not too low and her ears down while her tail hovered a little. "Then, you creep forward and when you think you're close enough to the prey, you pounce!" She leapt forward, then landed gracefully on imaginary prey. She heard the little flops and squeals; her kits must've tried.

"Now, kits." Purred Ravenshadow, nuzzling all of them with her muzzle to help them back to their paws. "Mommy has to go on a trip, but she left some food in that spilled crate. It should last you a moon or two." She purred, then added teasingly, "If you share."

"We will, mom!" Promised Haunted.

"Bye mom!" Said Widow and Mole at the same time.

As Ravenshadow leapt to her paws and began to pad away, she called to her tiny kits. "Goodbye, little ones!"

***

The damp marshy-pine smell of ShadowClan was almost familiar to Ravenshadow, but she had never gone this deep into it. It was almost intense, but luckily no patrols had jumped out and shredded Ravenshadow. But, if I find one, Thought Ravenshadow, sniffing around. Then I can ask to speak to Nightstar.

Ravenshadow leapt onto a sandy area with not much undergrowth, hoping for a patrol to confront her. After only a second, she heard a snarl, and scented storng pine scent.

"Hey, you!" It was a tomcat's voice.

The next voice was a she-cat's. "Ravenshadow, the exiled cat! Get out of ShadowClan territory!"

Crud! Cursed Ravenshadow's mind. She tried to put on her best, 'wait, wait, wait, chill out' face before things got messy. "I-" She stammered. She took a deep breath. "I just want to speak to Nightstar, okay?"

Although she sensed confusion from the two cats, they answered. "Come on."

Ravenshadow padded after the two cat's scents. She knew they had entered camp when she was overwhelmed with smells of frogs, marsh, and pine, as if cats were made of sap. A few of the cats stopped their chatting, while others started growling definseively. Ravenshadow felt glares rake over her pelt. Great polaris!

"Nightstar," Said the tomcats voice eventually. The scent of the ShadowClan leader brushed Ravenshadow's scent glands. "A rogue wants to speak to you."

"Alright." Said Nightstar's voice. "Speak."

Ravenshadow spoke the words she had been practicing in her head for a while. "So, you've never really liked WindClan, have you?"

"No." Said Nightstar.

"They've always been smug and have been trespassing on your territory sometimes. Accusing you of things you didn't do, stealing prey! Anyways, you get my point. Why sit around and wait? Take revenge."

"Hmm."

"I'll offer you herbs and prey."

Nightstar seemed to think for a moment. "Fine, we'll help." He snorted. "And don't worry. I think giving them a taste of their own medicine will be enough of a reward."

"Glad to hear it," Said Ravenshadow. "Meet at Fourtrees tonight. I've recruited a few other rogues, and even though WindClan is big and ShadowClan is a little small right now- no offense- I think we should be able to show them what revenge can do. I promise, you'll never feel a need for revenge again after this battle."

***

"Hello, rogues and ShadowClan cats!" Yowled Ravenshadow. She was sitting on the tall rock of Fourtrees, where the ShadowClan cats and six rogues; Crooked, Fang, Sweet, Slash, Bloody, and Rusted. They were all Wheat could find, but they were bark and bite, so it was okay. Most of the other cats Wheat had found where apparently lazy or chased him off.

Ravenshadow continued. "Tonight we will attack WindClan!"

The cats cheered, so loudly that Ravenshadow had to raise her tail so they would shush and not send WindClan cats coming to investigate. "Come on," She ordered.

As Ravenshadow dashed forward to her old home, she felt the paw steps and quiet mews of excitement as she raced through the moor. This is it. Revenge. She thought. And some cats understand me.

She stopped as she reached the gorse barrier and crouched down beside it. She waited a moment for the rest of the cat's to do the same, then Ravenshadow cleared her throat quietly. This was it. After all the lies, the pain, her blindness... the cats who hurt her would pay for it. It was time to take revenge.

"ATTACK!"