Warriors: An Enemy's Victory #1, Fanfiction

Chapter 5

"Wake up!" A paw prodded him hard in his side. Thistlestep lifted his head drowsily. He still wasn't used to waking himself up ever since his warrior ceremony a half moon ago, and it didn't help that he had only just gotten back from Fireheart's camp a couple heartbeats before dawn. Thistlestep could hear Tigerstar discussing who would go to the Gathering later that night. He stood up, stretching as he gave a massive yawn.

"Finally! Your wanted on dawn patrol with Antpelt, Graystripe, Longtail, and Leafpaw, and I. Tigerstar doesn't want any border patrols going with less than four cats due to our last skirmish witg Bloodclan." He looked up and saw Sandstorm, her yellow fur golden in the bright sunlight.

"I sure taught Adder another lesson. He'll think twice before taking on a cat four times his size." He let out an amused purr, remembering the small brown tom trying to pull him down.

"He is only around seven moons. And he's built small. I mean, his mother was so small a mouse would think she was one of his own!" She snorted in laughter, padding towards the patrol. Thistlestep followed closely behind her, letting out mrrows of laughter as they mocked the Bloodclan cats.

"Could you walk any slower?" Anypelt growled, leading the patrol out. They followed, checking for any signs of intrusion. As they crossed by the river, a flash of red caught Thistlestep's eye. Fireheart! He thought. He had come into the forest, like he said he would.

"I'll be back. I didn't get breakfast and I'm starving. I'll catch up later though!" He called, padding towards the holly bush he had seen the tom hide in. "Fireheart!" he hissed, watching the red tom pull himself out the bush.

"We can't talk here. Anybody could be listening. I need you to come with me." Fireheart broke into a run, leading deeper into the forest. When he stopped, he got instantly into a crouch behind a yew bush. Tigerstar was talking with Blackfoot, Talltail, and Runningnose.

"Why are we here?" he whispered, staring at his clanmates.

"Shh." Fireheart hissed, focusing on them.

"The battle would be later if Bloodclan wasn't continuously fighting our border patrols. We can't let this slide but they have a larger number in warriors than Tigerclan. It's a good thing Feathertail is close to her kitting and even better since Ferncloud has joined the nursery. We'll have new apprentices in no time." Blackfoot narrowed his eyes at Tigerstar, and Thistlestep's jaw gaped wide open. They were planning a war with Bloodclan! The last battle had killed several cats, and injured more. Why was he so keen to through his clan into battle over border skirmishes?

He had missed what Tigerstar had said when he had began to pad away. Talltail quickly followed with Blackfoot slowly also. Runningnose looked at him with slight anger in his eyes.

"Tigerstar, their kits won't be apprenticed for several moons. Even Nightflower's kits still have five moons. What do you mean they'll be apprentices for the battle." His hiss startled Thistlestep. What was Tigerstar planning for the kits. He felt a low growl rumble in his throat.

"You'll see soon enough, Runningnose."

Thistlestep ran to catch up with his patrol. Fireheart had decided that he would wait up for him at moonhigh in three dawns sharp. He saw the back of Sandstorm and Graystripe and picked up the pace.

They turned to see him, and he licked his lips. He had ate a mouse on the way towards them, and his belly felt full.

"Good your back. We're going to set the scent markers from here to Sunningrocks and head back." Thistlestep gave a brisk nod, following them as they placed the scent markers.

"Go ahead and mark the next couple tail lengths and catch up, were gonna head back." Antpelt called as he lead the rest of the patrol through the forest. He set the markers, watching for Bloodclan cats. As he finished, he sprinted off to catch up with his clanmates.