Warriors: War of the Clans - Darkness

Chapter 20

Lion led the way through the barnyard, slipping under fences and weaving around the chicken coop. All of the grown Rising Dawn cats followed her silently, careful not to make a noise. It didn't matter in the barnyard, but once they were out near Clan territory and in Dreaded Night, they couldn't let any cat know they were there. Lion kept low to the ground, and Rising Dawn copied her as they left the farm behind and headed towards Dreaded Night territory.

They entered the small neutral area between Clan territory and Dreaded Night. Dreaded Night's territory and the Clan's territory were both strongly scent marked. Lion tried to ignore the Clan boundaries as she slipped out of the lead and let Tree show the way. Tree stepped over Dreaded Night boarder, and every cat became more cautious. They were alert for any small sound or mew that would alert the presence of a Dreaded Night patrol. Tree lifted his tail slightly, to signal they had arrived at Julie's den.

Lion nodded and took the lead, signaling Cheetah to come with her. The two slipped into Julie's den silently. "Julie," Lion whispered urgently.

Julie leaped up, claws unsheathed. But she slowly sheathed them when she recognized the voice. "Lion?" She asked quietly.

"Yes. No time to explain, Julie. We're Rising Dawn, and we're here to offer you a choice; let us destroy the Dreaded Night herbs, or force us to fight you."

"Lion, I'm not about to fight you! Where does Rising Dawn live?"

"At the barn."

Julie hesitated. "Are Dog and Mud here?" She asked quietly.

"Yes, they are."

"In this patrol?"

"Julie, we don't have time for this. I'll send you back with Thicket." Lion poked her head out and softly called Thicket's name. The brown tom creeped in and nodded to Julie. The two left, and Lion watched as Mud and Dog stayed hidden at the back of the group. She looked back in the den, and saw that Cheetah was smashing and tearing up all of Julie's herbs. Lion quickly helped her, and together they destroyed all the herbs. Lion padded out of the den.

"Now, we split up." The cats nodded and went to their respective groups. Cheetah left Lion's side to lead Mud and Dog through Dreaded Night. Lion beckoned to Okapi and Flame, and the three set off into the night, as Rising Dawn seperated.

Lion led her small patrol through the woods. She crouched down as she noticed a den up ahead. "Right up ahead," Lion hissed to her companions. They nodded, and blocked the entrance.

"Hello," Lion meowed into the den. Two pairs of eyes blinked open and stared at Lion.

"Y-you can have this den!" One cried loudly. He was a tom.

"No, we don't want this den. Listen, if you want to leave Dreaded Night, come with us. If you don't, spread the word around your group that Rising Dawn has come." Okapi and Flame flexed their claws.

The other cat, a she, spoke up. "Of course we want to leave Dreaded Night, but we can't. Jay'll kill us!"

"No she won't. Just come with us." The two hesitated a moment, then stepped out of the den into the faint moonlight. The tom was reddish-brown, while the she was silver.

"Come on!" Okapi and Flame beckoned. The five cats raced through the trees, until they came to another den.

"Hi," This time it was Flame who woke up the cats inside. Only one pair of eyes blinked open this time, and they rose threateningly off the ground.

Okapi blinked. "Um... Do you want to leave Dreaded Night?"

The cat stepped out of the darkness of his den, and Lion could see that he was a large tom. He glared at the five cats. "No. I'm guessing you're intruders!" He looked up at the sky, and yowled loudly, a yowl that echoed around the forest.