Warriors: A New Beginning #2: Midnight Rising

Prologue

The sounds of pawsteps were heard as a cat padded through the forest. Tonight he was sharing dreams with someone in particular— he knew that the cat chosen could do what he wanted.

My Clan is holding strong, he thought. When the leader before had died, he had felt a sense of satisfaction.

She was weak. He can do better.

He knew that he was drawing close to his cat. Soon it appeared— a she-cat.

"You again?" She sighed. "Haven't you had enough with me?"

"I have a favour to ask you," the tom said. "If you do it, you can save your Clan. Otherwise..." He waved his tail. Two muscled cats came forward dragging a white she-cat.

The other she-cat gasped. "You wouldn't—"

"Oh, she's not dead," the tom mewed cooly. "If you do my favour, you can save your cats. Otherwise, say good-bye to you and your whole Clan."

The she-cat glared at the tom. "What do you want, Fang?"

"I want you to spy," Fang explained, "on them."

"I can't do that," the she-cat protested. "Not after all I've done..."

Fang unsheathed his claws. "You will do that."

The she-cat's eyes widened. "Fine. I'll do what you ask. Just tell me your instructions." She turned away.

"I'll tell them to you. But first..." He faced the prisoner he had. The white she-cat unsheathed her claws and growled. In a swift moment, Fang had slashed at her throat. The white she-cat screeched, then went limp.

The other she-cat whipped around. "You monster!"

"That was for protesting." Fang sheathed his claws. "Now, I want you to do.." He started toward the she-cat, who regretted every moment of what she was about to do.

***
"How are things going?"

A dark ginger tom peered over at a cream and grey tom who had just thrown a squirrel onto the measly fresh-kill pile.

"I still don't see why I can't be leader," the cream and grey tom growled.

"Don't forget, Berrytail, that I was born here," the dark ginger tom countered. "I made you my deputy."

"That's true." Berrytail looked up. "I can't believe it. We were so close to destroying Wavepelt last time. How did we fail?"

"Our Clan is growing." The tom motioned to a light brown she-cat. "Raintooth recently kitted. And Streamclaw's close too. Clan cats are joining us. We can vanquish Wavepelt. Don't worry."

"I'm not worried about Wavepelt," Berrytail growled. "It's the exasperating part that we can never kill her! How many times has she almost died? And Ironstrike, too. Flyfish almost killed him— and almost drowned Wavepelt. She's remarkable, Bloodclaw."

The dark ginger tom nodded in agreement. "She would make a good RogueClan cat."

"I need to find her. And hopefully, she will accept."

"Oh don't worry," Bloodclaw repeated. "I got news from him saying that our spy is recruited. Berrytail, no worries. You'll get that moment to go all out on Wavepelt soon enough."