Warriors Deadly Echoes: A Dangerous Hour

Chapter 15

The leaves lay still in the sunshine of the part of the forest that TimberClan called home. Everything was quiet and peaceful as a bird or two chirped and flew by. And yet it felt all too chillingly silent for Hollowpaw. She couldn't shake her uncle Bash's omen. Spirits of white and stars will help you. Spirits of black and cold will kill you
Then his next set of words. A seer a fighter a giver a beauty. The world shall quake and worry for here comes the four to save us all. There is a bond of gold that can be broken or bent. This golden bond is wrapped around the hearts forever intertwining the four apprentices of the prophecy
And then... the darkest words of all. Spirits of white will help
Spirits of black will kill. Spirits of white will help
Spirits of black will kill... White will help black will kill. Watch out for the spinning mill.
What was the spinning mill? What did any of his words mean? The medicine cat apprentice blinked up to the sun. She saw her father and Clan leader, Bravestar, talking with their senior warriors.
"We need to deal with this." Flintnose meowed. "So do you have any ideas?" Mallowtail asked. "Maybe we could keep a reserve of our strongest cats. Then when the enemy thinks they're winning the fight, we'll send a second wave of cats to flay them." Runningfall suggested.
"Or we could just drop into their little camp, shake them like rats, kill their leader, and go home." Stonewhisker meowed, whisking his tail. Bravestar stayed silent. Leopardheart looked at her mate and Clan leader. "What do you suggest Bravestar?" She asked him.
"Darktalon is a shifty rogue--with fierce calculating skills. There's no telling what he could pull next." He told his senior warriors and deputy. The TimberClan leader was right. Leopardheart looked deep in thought. "But why did he let us go last night during the battle when we rescued you?" She asked curiously. "Maybe he realized how strong we were." Stonewhisker purred, giving his chest a lick. "Or maybe he has another plan." Meowed a voice. Bash padded over to sit and join them. "A cat just doesn't concede so easily." He pointed out.
"You are right my brother." Bravestar agreed. Hollowpaw padded to the medicine cat's den as Barkpelt was treating Eaglespring's injured shoulder. "You should have seen the way I slashed that cat's eye!" She mewed. The medcine cat apprentice looked at the gray she-cat. "Hi Eaglespring. Do you need anything else for your injuries?" She asked. The she-cat shook her head. "No thanks. Barkepelt's got it. I think you should see Spruceleap. Somecat knocked him down and he twisted his paw. Looks pretty nasty." She shuddered for a bit. "Alright." Hollowpaw got some herbs and padded over to the brown mottled tom. Suddenly, a wail broke out. It was Poolhawk. "My kits! Someone took my kits!" She cried. "Apprentices, search the dens! Leopardheart, do a high search of the boundaries! Anyone else, follow me! We'll search the outskirts of the woods!" Bravestar yowled. The camp was in a flurry of activity and quick moving. Cats rushing and running like rabbits. Pikestalk comforted his mate. "We'll fine Acornkit and Chestnutkit." He vowed comfortingly. A feeling of unease tugged in Hollowpaw's belly. A hunting patrol left the camp. The cats who usually guarded camp were on a border patrol. And there so few cats in the camp. How was that even so?

The cats sniffed and scanned the forest for any sign of the lost kits.
"Looking for these?" Purred a voice. A cat slinked out the shadows with two others behind him.
"Darktalon!" Bravestar snarled. The black tom blinked slowly while his companions had two mewling lumps of fur in his jaws.
"Our Clan's kits!" Flintnose yowled. "Give them back!"
"Are you so sure you're worthy enough to have ownership of these little playthings? If so, outrun that rolling thing on the black path and back." Darktalon meowed eyeing each cat closely. They all blinked and their eyes shone with terror.
"But be careful. Cats know what happen if you aren't fast enough.." Boarclaw taunted.
"You want us to outrun a monster?!" Vinewhisper sounded completely bewildered. "It's either that, or we put your precious kits on the path." Darktalon told them coldly.
"No! You wouldn't dare!" Crouchfoot wailed, his claws ripping up grass.
"Boarclaw, Harestalk. Put them on the," Darktalon was stopped as Pikestalk yowled, "No! They're my kits! I'll do it!" His eyes were filled with fear.
Darktalon meowed,"Very well, go, do it now." He gestured with his tail towards the thunderpath. His eyes cold. The white and ginger tom raced across the path missing a monster. He panted on the other side. The tom looked both ways and raced back quickly. Darktalon nodded his head to his companions. They gave the kits back to the clan cats. Boarclaw suddenly slashed at Pikestalk's face. But his wail of pain was drowned out by a deadly roaring as he swayed and took a step back.
"No!" Bravestar wailed.