Warriors: A New Beginning #2: Midnight Rising

Chapter 14

"I found out something," Leafdawn whispered at their normal meeting place. "Frostclaw said that a few sunrises from now, a large patrol is going to the training area. Frostclaw will be going, along with a lot of the rogues. Bloodclaw will still be here with a few cats. We could escape then."

"That sounds good," Midnightpaw murmured. "So we're escaping in daylight?"

Leafdawn nodded. "It's the only way. Bloodclaw's very strict about keeping the camp guarded at night."

"We need to distract Bloodclaw somehow..." Midnightpaw mused.

"I can," Leafdawn said quickly. "You and Wheatwing will slip out while I keep Bloodclaw busy."

"How will you get out?" Midnightpaw's eyes widened.

"I'll find a way." Leafdawn's gaze became more determined. "We can do this, can't we?"

"We can." Midnightpaw grinned. "We can."

***

"Frostclaw said I need to rest up before the training tomorrow." Blackpaw grabbed a pawful of snow and threw it into the air. "So I don't think we're doing anything today."

"What training?" Midnightpaw pretended not to know about the training she had heard about a couple of days before from Leafdawn.

"Oh, I'm just going to train with a couple of cats," Blackpaw meowed.

Midnightpaw knew that he wasn't telling her the full thing. What for? He's a rogue and I'm a ThunderClan cat.

"Well, then why am I not stuck in the prison?" she asked.

"Frostclaw said the two of us have to stay together." Blackpaw rolled his eyes. "Like we're kits."

Midnightpaw shrugged. "I'm just happy to be out of the prison."

"Well, you won't be sleeping there soon enough." Blackpaw's murmur was very faint, but Midnightpaw heard it.

"Why?" she asked.

Blackpaw's eyes widened. "Nothing."

That made Midnightpaw worried. What if he's planning to kill me?

No, a voice reasoned. He wouldn't do that.

Really?

Midnightpaw glanced at the black tom. "O-kay."

Blackpaw looked around for a few heartbeats. "Uh... to tell you the truth, this Clan needs more cats. I thought... that you might like to join. The work would be lifted. You could do what you wanted. And... you have friends." He glanced down.

Midnightpaw's fur spiked. "No! I can't do that!"

"But...why?" Blackpaw asked.

"I was born in ThunderClan. I was raised in ThunderClan. I am ThunderClan!" Glaring at him, Midnightpaw stormed off.

"Wait! We have to stay together!" Blackpaw called. But Midnightpaw ignored him.

Join the rogue Clan? How can I do that? she thought angrily. How does Blackpaw expect me to do that?

She found herself anxiously waiting for the next day. Then a thought hit her.

I should probably tell Wheatwing about the escape plan.

Midnightpaw trudged over to the prison and to Wheatwing's nest.

"Um...Wheatwing..." she whispered. "I have a plan to escape tomorrow."

"You what?" Wheatwing's eyes widened. "How?"

"Um...so we're just going to slip away tomorrow at sun-high because all the cats will be training. Leafdawn will distract Bloodclaw..."

"Leafdawn?" Wheatwing mewed. "Don't tell me you've befriended a rogue."

"She hates this Clan!" Midnightpaw protested. "And I trust her." When Wheatwing made no comment, she continued: "Tomorrow."

Then she left the den.

***

The following night Midnightpaw and Leafdawn did not meet as they already knew what they were supposed to do.

And then the next sunrise came.

Blackpaw didn't speak to Midnighpaw as he left the camp with a very large patrol.

Peeking out from out of the prison, Midnightpaw saw Leafdawn enter Bloodclaw's den. Glancing at Wheatwing, whose blue eyes were fixed on her, she slipped out of the prison and hid behind a bush where she could hear Leafdawn and Bloodclaw.

"Hello, Bloodclaw."

"Leafdawn?" Bloodclaw's voice was sharp. "Aren't you supposed to be on the patrol?"

"No," Leafdawn responded fiercely. "I'm here because I'm done with this."

"With what?" Bloodclaw seemed to whip around to face the tabby.

"I'm sick of you batting me around like a moss-ball!" Leafdawn exclaimed. "You're my brother. You're not supposed to do this!"

Midnightpaw almost gasped. Bloodclaw and Leafdawn are littermates?

"I can," Bloodclaw growled. "I'm the leader here."

"I don't care!" Leafdawn retorted. "I've had enough. I'm not your slave!"

"You're a warrior of this Clan," Bloodclaw hissed. "And you will do as I say!"

"No!" Leafdawn yowled. "I'm leaving!"

"You won't!" Bloodclaw screeched.

Leafdawn shot out of the den. "Go!" she yowled. "Run like your life depends on it!"

"Wheatwing!" Midnightpaw didn't have to say it twice as she began to run. Wheatwing was there, dashing beside her.

"Get them!" Bloodclaw roared.

Rogues streamed out of the dens. Even though there was a large patrol that had left the camp, many more were still there. One of them leapt onto Midnightpaw. Midnightpaw hissed, unsheathing her claws and swiping the rogue's muzzle.

"Let me help!" Wheatwing barreled into the rogue and battered its side with her paws. "Get—off—my—kit!"

"We have to go!" Midnightpaw noticed that the rogues were beginning to crowd around them. "They'll block us off!"

"Where do we go?" Wheatwing asked, clawing a rogue's flank.

"Towards Highstones!" Midnightpaw leapt onto a rogue's back. She had to get back to ThunderClan.

"This is for Flowerpaw!" she said, swiping the rogue's head. "And for Leafdawn! And for Wheatwing! And for me!"

She sent blows after blows, and the rogue yowled, rearing up. Midnightpaw held on. When the rogue dropped to the ground, Midnightpaw jumped off. She tried to find a path towards where she could see the peaks of Highstones, but the rogues were blocking her way.

I'll have to charge.

Caterwauling, she charged, barreling into rogues who were in her path and jumping over others. She had to get her.

"Wait!" she exclaimed when Wheatwing arrived beside her. "Where's Leafdawn?"

Wheatwing looked around frantically.

"Midnightpaw!"

Midnightpaw whipped around and saw Leafdawn, pinned down by Bloodclaw. The tabby was losing consciousness, and there was a deep gash in her neck.

"This is for trying to leave!" Bloodclaw growled. With a roar, he grabbed Leafdawn's scruff and threw her at Midnigthpaw. The tabby landed at Midnightpaw's paws, unmoving.

Midnightpaw let out a yowl.

"Leafdawn!"