NightClan's Threat

Chapter 5: The Sign

  Flowerstem's patrol returned to camp carrying only a puny mouse and a sparrow. 

  "Is that all you could find?" Nightstar was surprised. The patrol contained some of the best hunters. 

  "It's the rogues. Again!" Tigerstripe snarled. "They were so loud, all the prey got scared away! All they make are messy catches. They're attract foxes if they're not careful!"

  "What?" Nightstar bristled. The rogues were causing more trouble than she thought. "How many cats were hunting?" 

  "Three of the skinnier ones." Breezetail replied. "They were slightly better. Two of the larger ones were also hunting. Obviously they don't know how to do it properly!" 

  "Some of them look like they need the prey by their body! But that isn't an excuse to steal our prey and live on our territory. We claimed it first!" Mosswing added. 

  "Okay, we'll wait until the other patrol comes back. I've sent them to watch the rogues. We'll find out more. Have some prey. You did your best." Nightstar mewed reassuringly. 

  Tigerstripe picked up his sparrow and headed over to the warrior's den to eat with Mosswing. Nightstar noticed that they were always sticking together these days. 

   "Nightstar!" Blackcloud's watch patrol charged into camp. 

  "What is it? What happened?" Nightstar demanded. 

  "There are six kits, and three queens. Casper and Claws are there, sunning, waiting for cats to hunt for them. We saw the other cats leave to hunt. They gave Casper their prey, and he doesn't even finish them! He just gives his scraps to the queens. Same with Claws." Skyflower reported.

  "That's terrible!" Flowerstem gasped. 

  "That's not all." Blackcloud mewed grimly. "They are sleeping in the trees, some among the roots. Their nests, except for Casper and Claw's, doesn't even look comfy! The queens look like they're starving, and the kits are wailing for milk." 

  "Casper and Claws play with their prey, and only when its practically coated in dirt or squashed they allow the queens to have it." Russetfang mewed in disbelief. 

  Nightstar shook her head. That’s awful. I’m sure Casper and Claws are behind this. If we are going to fight, Casper and Claws are going to force the other cats, maybe even the kits, to fight us. We won’t be soft on Casper, Claws and the toms, but we will fight lightly on the queens, and just push the kits gently away. The warrior code says we can’t harm any kit, whether Clanborn or not.” 

  The cats murmured in agreement as the other hunting patrol returned to camp, carrying much more prey than the other patrol. Nightstar called Blackcloud and Darkpelt to eat with her in her den. 

 “What are we going to do?” Nightstar sighed. “I’m sure that its just Casper and Claws that we need to fight. If we don’t fight the other cats, they will surely think that we are cowards.” 

  “I think they didn’t follow Casper and Claws so that they could lead them.” Darkpelt suggested. “I think they followed Casper and Claws so they could have better lives, more food. Casper and Claws must have somehow persuaded them, and threatened them if they tried to leave. That must be how he got that terrified band of cats.”

  “That’s what I think, too.” Blackcloud agreed. “If they recruit more cats during this time, we might be outnumbered. NightClan is a small Clan. We need to more kits for NightClan to survive.” 

  "Nightstar?" A small voice called from the entrance. "Could we talk?" 

  "Sure. Come right in," Silverleaf stepped into the den, and took a seat. 

  "Yes, Silverleaf?" The three cats looked expectantly at her. 

  "A few nights ago, StarClan visited me." The pale she-cat began quietly. "They told me that a threat will bring us famine and if we're not careful, destruction. I wasn't sure if it was the rogues back then, but now I'm certain." 

  "If StarClan needs to warn Silverleaf, it must be bad." Nightstar decided. "If they keep stealing our prey, we will visit them. I'll give them a quarter-moon. By then, I will pick a patrol of our strongest cats to their camp and give them three days to leave. If not, we will attack them at night, where we have the upper paw." 

  "I think you should start collecting herbs in case of battle." Blackcloud told Silverleaf, who dipped her head politely. 

  "I'll leave now. I need to sort out some things." Silverleaf left the den.

  The remaining three cats ate in silence, then Blackcloud returned to the warriors’ den, and Nightstar slept with Darkpelt’s warm fur pressed in hers.