Moonstar's Rise

Chapter 11

A few weeks had passed since Moonstar had made her announcement to the clans. So far, they had gotten over fifty cats to join the battle. Winning would be simple.

But today, however, was a more important day. Today, they would be capturing Blackpaw from SnowClan to prove they did not want to be messed with.

Moonstar stood in the center of the camp, chatting with the other warriors. "CAPTURE PLAN!" she yowled.

Bone, Screechshade, and Tooth padded out of the den, as well as Tigerpaw and Leopardpaw. Her son and daughter had begged for her to let them join in to prove they were strong warriors. Moonstar had agreed.

If only Chesnutpaw and Hazelpaw would've come too, she thought.

"Bone, repeat the plan!" she hissed at her deputy.

He looked up, pausing for a few moments to recover the plan. He then spoke. "Screechshade and Tooth," he said. "You will distract SnowClan. Tigerpaw and Leopardpaw." Moonstar's children looked up at the deputy. "You will go through the hole. I will meet them and run off with Blackpaw."

Moonstar nodded. "And Bone, I will be coming as well," she told them. "I will make sure this plan proceeds, and I must test your loyalty," she grinned.

Together, the six cats made thier way to SnowClan to gain their vengeance.

As they walked, Moonstar quickly hissed, "STOP!" The cats froze, and she looked around carefully. "We're at the border," she quietly hissed. "There might be patrols out. Follow me," she said, carefully creeping into the bushes. All was silent until Tooth clumsily stepped on a stick.

"Quiet!" she whispered.

They quietly crawled through the bushes, careful not to make a sound.

"I made a tunnel through these bushes earlier," Moonstar explained. "Walk carefully. If we get noticed, one of you will die," she growled. The five nodded, fear shining in their eyes. They were obviously afraid of their leader, just like Moonstar expected them to be.

They looked out into the SnowClan camp, watching as no cat stirred.

"Good, they're asleep," Moonstar said. She looked at Tooth and Screechshade. "Keep watch! If you need to make a distraction, then go ahead!"

Tigerpaw and Leopardpaw closely followed behind their mother as Moonstar padded to the back of the apprentice den. With her sharp claws, Moonstar poked a hole out of the apprentice den.

Not very strong den builders, she thought.

She carefully walked through, hoping not to step on any apprentices. She looked past some cats until she noticed the black tom sleeping peacefully near Thornpaw. As much as Moonstar wanted to kill Thornpaw in her sleep right now, she knew it would mess up the plan.

"Bone," she whispered.

The tom eased through the hole. He was not slim like Moonstar, though he still managed to get through.

"Grab him," she motioned.

As Bone neared the tom, Blackpaw slowly opened his eyes.

"MOONCLAN!' he screamed. Moonstar quickly swatted him on the head, knocking him out.

"Go, go, go!" she hissed as cats began to awake. The silver tabby she-cat was first to awake, and Moonstar quickly slid through the hole, covering it up quickly. So what if it fell apart? They wanted the clans to know.

Together, the cats rushed as fast as they could out of the SnowClan border and into the foothills where the clan lied. Bone held the unconscious Blackpaw in his grip, and finally, they reached the MoonClan camp.

"How'd it go?" Bloodfur asked as the exhausted Moonstar padded into the camp.

"WE GOT HIM!" she screeched.

All the cats cheered triumphantly at the victory of their plan.

"Stick him in the elders' den," she growled at Bone. "Tooth! Bloodfur!"

The white tom and brown she-cat stared at Moonstar, waiting for her to speak.

"I trust both of you. You will guard the den. And if he does happen to escape, or you aid him, I'll easily kill you," she growled.

The two cats gulped and nodded, standing guard by the den.

Moonstar apdded inside the den, waiting for the black tom to awake. He was still knocked out, though after a few moments, his green eyes came into view. At the sight of Moonstar, he gasped.

"YOU! I KNEW IT WASN'T A DREAM!" he growled.

Moonstar smiled as he tried to launch at her. As he launched, she quickly knocked him back down. Blackpaw growled fiercely at her.

"Now, now, that isn't the way to treat a host, is it? Welcome to MoonClan, your prison," she growled.

"Icestar won't like this! They'll come! You'll see!" he growled.

Moonstar laughed as Blackpaw struggled underneath her. The tom might have been bigger, but Moonstar was stronger and faster.

"If they do, we'll make sure to have a nice army set around the borders. Then, your precious clanmates will die!" she hissed.

"I don't believe this!" Blackpaw growled. He launched himself at Moonstar once again, only to find himself unsuccessful.

"Naughty, naughty, kitty. We don't attack our hosts," she growled. Her eyes gleamed a fierce red, and she launched herself at Blackpaw. He tried to knock her off, but Moonstar was fast, and she quickly clawed at his pelt. He yowled, blood pouring onto the ground.

Moonstar growled, throwing him against the wall where he stayed in place. Blackpaw was exhausted, and Moonstar could tell he didn't have the strength to attack her anymore. She headed towards the exit, gasping as Blackpaw suddenly raced in front of her.

"Coward!" he called as Tooth and Screechshade grabbed ahold of him.

Moonstar smiled. "Say good-night," she purred, swatting him on the head. He fell unconscious, and Moonstar took the opportunity to leave more claw streaks down his pelt. Blood soaked the floor, and Moonstar laughed, padding out of the den.

"He shouldn't be a bother anymore," she told Tooth. "In fact, he might just die," she said, smiling as she padded away to her den, her paws stained with blood.