Red Snow

CHAPTER 6

A quarter moon had passed since Featherpool walked in Snowshade's dreams. Nothing had changed; leading BloodClan was still on his list. She's a mouse-brain if she thinks she can change my mind. But she said she couldn't, that only one cat could. Who?

"Finchfoot! What happened?"

Snowshade pricked his ears and heaved himself out of his nest as the tangy smell of blood hit his nostrils. Flintstar's demanding words roused him from his sleep, and with a sigh he realized he had overslept. He was the deputy, he was supposed to be awake and arranging the patrols, instead the dawn patrol was already back. He padded guiltily out of his den and into the clearing, where his Clanmates were circling around the patrol of Finchfoot, Gingerleaf, Birchflight, Winterpaw, and Foxtail.

The speckled brown tabby opened his jaws to speak, but Gingerleaf laid her tail over his mouth. "You've had a tough morning," she meowed, "go to your den and rest. We'll give the report." Finchfoot nodded weakly and limped to the warrior's den, where Snowshade got a good look at him. His ear was torn, he had blood dripping from a deep slash on his side, and a claw was missing. When he stretched his neck to look at the other cats, they looked just as beaten.

Someone needs to get Swiftprance! He thought in a panic, then remembered that they didn't have a medicine cat. Fox-dung! He padded into the circle and stood in front of Gingerleaf, next to Flintstar. "What's going on?"

Winterpaw's tail flicked angrily. "We were patrolling by the ShadowClan border when those fox-hearts attacked us from out of nowhere!" She screeched.

Snowshade looked on doubtfully. Why would ShadowClan attack them? They were the ones trying to avoid a fight. "Is that everything that happened? Who was leading the patrol?"

He noticed Birchflight rolling his eyes at his apprentice. "As much as I would like that to be true, the fight didn't come from nowhere. We got into an argument over BloodClan. Fawnstar was leading it herself." He sighed as if he was reluctant to go on, then continued. "Then Foxtail here made the first move, and leaped right onto Yarrowfur. That's when we all joined in." He added in embarrassment. "Snakewhisker nearly killed Finchfoot. This is more than a border skirmish, this is the beginning of the war."

Flintstar nodded thoughtfully. "Who won?"

"They did, Flintstar." Birchflight growled, kneading his claws in the ground. "If I could just go back there are rake my claws across Bumbleheart's face-"

"Enough." Flintstar raised his tail for silence. "We needed this. This is an awakening. We have to train harder, double the border patrols and lay off the hunting. Apprentices must be taught the most difficult battle moves. When the final battle comes, we will win." He yowled, and Snowshade joined in eagerly. When he looked around, he saw most of his Clanmates agreeing with his leader, while others shuffled their paws doubtfully. Sandfeather was one of them, she was sitting outside the nursery with Whitesong. Her kits played around her, oblivious to the danger that would be coming.

The cats broke apart and starting talking to each other in seperate groups, excitement hung in the air. Patrols! Snowshade remembered, and he leapt on the Highledge. "Goldensplash, lead a patrol down the WindClan border and try not to get in an argument if you see any cats, we've shed enough blood for today. Take Badgertooth, Sandspirit, Brindlepaw, and Dustclaw with you." The ginger she-cat dipped her head and lead the cats out of the ravine. Everyone else looked at him with impatient eyes. "Foxtail, you're not too injured, take some cats to go hunt by the old Twoleg den." He purposefully put the tom on a hunting patrol instead of a border patrol because it was him who started the fight that morning. He watched in approval as he rounded up Batwing and Spicepaw. "Birchflight?"

"Yes?" The brown warrior responded.

"Can you go back to the ShadowClan border and make sure everything is normal? You can take Winterpaw and-" He panicked when he realized there were no other warriors in the Clan that weren't already on a patrol. We really need more cats, so many fled. "Me."

"Sure, Snowshade." The older warrior nodded and lead the three cats out of the hollow. They padded in silence to the ShadowClan border and when they arrived, they smelled fresh ShadowClan scents.

"Birchflight-" His meow of warning was cut off when a ShadowClan cat jumped out of the bushes.

A slender tom with black fur strode up to Snowshade. "Have you come back to finish what you started?" He snarled slyly, unsheathing his long claws.

Snowshade raised his tail to stop Winterpaw from leaping on the tom. "We're only here to renew the border, keep your fur on. Besides, where's the rest of you?"

As if on signal, five more ShadowClan cats slid out of the shadows. Poppysky, Aspenfall, Sorrelflare, Yarrowfur, and Toadclaw stood next to Snakewhisker, their fur bristling. Yarrowfur flexed his claws, his paws were still caked with blood from the skirmish earlier. The BloodClan cats were badly outnumbered, and the only way they could have reinforcement was if the hunting patrol found them.

"Snakewhisker," Snowshade growled, "take your warriors and leave. We don't want another fight."

Snakewhisker scoffed, "you brought this on yourselves. You dare force us to join your dumb Clan? You will never have the satisfaction of ShadowClan on your side. There have always been four Clans in the forest and that's how it will stay!"

"No, not anymore." The deputy shook his head slightly. "You want a fight? You have one." He smiled evilly when more BloodClan cats came to stand behind him. While Snakewhisker was arguing, he sent Winterpaw off secretly to find reinforcements. The hunting patrol he had sent earlier was here, along with Flintstar and Finchfoot, who was restless in the warrior's den. Their claws slid up and their ears were flat to their head. Snowshade's eyes were locked on Snakewhisker's. This was a fight BloodClan would win.