NightClan's Threat

Chapter 1: Another Life Lost

 Russell, Scratch and Sky were patrolling the border close to the Moonlake, where StarClan would speak to them at night. Midnight, NightClan’s deputy, had ordered them to patrol there, as Muddy, Smoky and Russell had scented rogues and saw a half-eaten rabbit. 

  They sniffed carefully around the border, and scented fresh rogue cats. The patrol quickly left strong scent markers on their border. 

  “Scratch, you have a strong sense of smell. Try to find where the mangy rogues are.” Russell hissed. Russell is one of the eldest cats of NightClan, the father of Night, Russet and Tiger, with Daisy, his mate. However, Daisy died a moon before, defending a badger from the nursery, while Night, NightClan’s leader, was kitting. 

  Scratch sniffed the ground, and followed the scent trail. Then he spotted two huge rogues in a sunlit clearing behind a bush. 

  Sky snorted softly. “They love light so much, I bet they can’t even smell anything in the night!” She hissed. Russell silenced her, but the rogue cats were too busy eating two rabbits and a sparrow to hear. 

  “Prey-stealers!” Scratch snarled softly. His dark fur bristled and he unsheathed his claws. 

  “Wait, not yet.” Russell ordered. “Let’s listen to their conversation. When they’re done, we’ll attack them. They’ll get so full with all those food in their stomachs so they can’t even fight.” Sky nodded in agreement, while Scratch sheathed his claws. 

  “This prey is good. We should bring the others here someday. Then at least they’ll be able to catch something here than rubbish.” A huge white tom purred menacingly. 

  The ragged gray tom beside him nodded in agreement. He looked thoughtful, but at the same time, much, much more dangerous and bloodthirsty-looking than the other. He ripped off a huge piece of rabbit and chewed it slowly, revealing his long and sharp fangs. 

  Sky’s fur bristled and her tail lashed angrily when she saw the rogue eating NightClan prey, and Scratch can barely stop himself from snarling and leaping out to face the rogues. Russell watched carefully, with narrowed eyes and pricked ears. 

  The white tom started flinging around the other rabbit, nibbling it occasionally. The two rogues sat in the sunlight, picking on their prey. The sparrow lay uneaten, and the white tom hooked it with his long claws and flung it into the leaves, then trotted over to retrieve it. 

  Russell had his eyes wide. He whispered angrily to Scratch and Sky, “Warriors don’t play with prey like this! When they are about to leave, I’ll signal you, and we’ll attack! I’ll attack the gray one, and Scratch, you will attack the white one. Sky, you wait here and see which one of us needs more help.” Russell’s fur bristled, and he is flicking his tail. 

  “I’m full.” The gray tom announced. The rabbit he is eating still has a few scraps on it, but he didn’t bother to finish it. “Are you done, Claws?” 

  The white tom respectfully dipped his head. “Yes, Casper.” 

  Casper, the gray tom, looked down at the unfinished prey. “We’ll give these to the useless others. They can’t even look for prey to eat. They’re lucky to have me as their leader, or they won’t even have food to eat! The she-cats are stupid. All they do is sit around and guard the kittens. Why don’t they just let the kittens fend for themselves? Then the kittens will learn how to survive.” 

  Claws nodded. “They are so stupid. All those other toms do is look for rats and rubbish in the alleys. You don't deserve to catch your own prey. They're your followers so they're supposed to serve you. They're so useless, especially Devin. He claims he's a tom but what does he do? All he does is bring back Nofur trash. Useless maggot-brain.” 

  Casper growled. “You are the only cat worthy of being leader after me. At least you can fight and hunt and have some sense.” Casper looked at the prey. “We’ll give the rabbits to the she-cats and the sparrow to the toms. They should have something to eat already!” Casper hissed. 

  “Yes, Casper.” Claws meowed. They picked up their prey and started heading in the opposite direction of the NightClan patrol, hiding in the bushes. 

  Russell sprang out of the bushes, and let out a yowl. Scratch bounded out, claws unsheathed, fur bushed out so he looked twice his size. Sky stayed still in the bushes, eyes gleaming and fur bristling. 

  The two rogues looked back. Casper dropped his prey. Claws did the same thing. 

  “Well, well, well. What do we have here? Two skinny, weak cats.” Casper hissed. Claws snorted and meowed, “We can easily finish them off.” He started padding over to the NightClan cats, but Casper stopped him. “Let’s see if they have any last words.” 

  Russell snarled. “You will not continue stealing prey from NightClan territory!” 

  Scratch hissed beside Russell. “You will leave and never come back, or you will feel our claws in your flea-ridden pelts!” 

  Casper meowed teasingly. “Oh, I’m so scared!” Claws purred menacingly as well. 

  Russell let out a furious yowl, and he crashed into Casper. Scratch leaped onto Claws. 

  Sky watched with careful eyes. Scratch was smaller than Claws, but he was definitely faster. Casper might have strength and nimbleness, but he doesn’t think as fast as Russell. 

  Sky watched in horror as the rogue cats started to overpower the NightClan cats. She scented desperately for a NightClan patrol, but she can only scent blood and her own fear-scent. 

  “No! Russell!” Sky heard Scratch yowl, and she saw Russell lying on the ground, feebly lashing out his paws, while Casper scratched his body over and over again. Then Russell jerked and laid still. He was dead. Casper let out a triumphant yowl. 

  Scratch saw the still body of Russell, and he yowled. He was injured, too, but he seemed furious over the death of Russell and fought ferociously with Claws. Sky saw Casper creeping up on Scratch, and she launched herself onto Casper’s back, claws extended, dug deep in his back. "How dare you kill Russell? You mangy rogue!" 

  Casper hissed, and tried to shake off Sky, but she kept her grip. She kept twisting her claws and dragging it along Casper’s pelt. Casper yowled, and Sky released her grip, and neatly jumped off Casper’s back, then when Casper leaped at her, she dropped onto the ground and rolled in his direction, tripping Casper and causing him to fall. "You! I can kill whoever I like. Who's there to stop me?" Casper snarled, pinned under Sky. 

  Sky repeatedly scratched his exposed belly, while Scratch chased Claws into the trees. Claws stood there, injured and staring at his beaten leader. Casper yowled in fury and in pain, and Sky stopped scratching him. Casper then quickly picked up the trampled prey and raced into the trees, Claws hard on his paws. "You should have helped me get her off me. You worthless little maggot!" Casper roared at Claws, cuffing his ear with unsheated claws. The NightClan cats didn't hear the rest of their conversation.

  Scratch had a torn claw and a badly bitten hind leg, and Sky had a few light scratches on her muzzle. The two cats stared at the lifeless body of Russell. 

  Scratch touched his nose to his head, and murmured, “Thank you for giving Night to me. I will take care of her forever, and her kits, your grand-kits. The whole Clan will mourn you, and we will remember you forever.” 

  Sky looked sadly at Russell’s body. “NightClan will avenge your death.” She mewed firmly. “We will not let you die for nothing.”