Warriors: The Gates of StarClan

Chapter 8

The gray tom spun around and stalked back across the moor with the other two WindClan cats. He flicked his tail for Ivysplash and Lionstorm to follow. Lionstorm matched his step paw for paw. "My name's Lionstorm."

"Shadowstream." The tom looked out across the moor.

Ivysplash desperately hoped that Shadowstream would not ask for her name, in case he recognized they were from different Clans.

As they arrived at the natural dip in the ground, the WindClan camp, a cat mewed from the bracken, "Hello, Shadowstream. What have you brought back?"

"Trespassing cats, Bramblestripe."

The she-cat's eyes narrowed. "You may enter."

Shadowstream led them through the gorse to Dovestar's den. The light gray she-cat emerged to meet them. Shadowstream dipped his head to his leader. "Hello, Dovestar. My patrol has brought back intruders, and the tom says he is from ThunderClan." He threw a threatening glance toward Ivysplash and Lionstorm and added, "Even though we found them at Horseplace." Shadowstream narrowed his eyes into blue slits at Lionstorm and Ivysplash, and then turned back to his leader.

Dovestar nodded as her gaze raked the two cats up and down. "Escort them back to their Clan," she ordered. "And tell Pinestar where they've been."

As Shadowstream led Ivysplash and Lionstorm out of the WindClan camp, he called to a dark orange she-cat who was lying near Dovestar's den. "Sandfoot! Can you come with me to make sure these cats don't cause any trouble?"

Sandfoot padded up to them. "Sure," she mewed cheerfully.

The four cats padded out of the gorse tunnel and headed across the stream into ThunderClan territory. They had just crossed the stream when Shadowstream looked over his shoulder in alarm.

"She's gone!"