Broken Truce (Warriors Fan-book) ON HIATUS

Chapter Six

Everyone stared at them in shock. Lightningpaw felt his chest tighten. Snowheart looked at her paws. Looking thoughtful. Then Snowheart met Lightningpaw's gaze. Her amber eyes narrow with fear.

"Was one of them a ragged brown tom?" She asked, her tone serious.

"Yeah!, It was the tom who attacked us!" Scarletpaw blurted out.

Lightningpaw could see that Snowheart was forcing her perlt to stay down. The white tabby's tail flick once. Then she turned to Russetspots and the two other apprentices.

"That might have been Lucas, he's one of the rogues that keeps attacking our patrols. If they're this close, then we need to inform someone now.", Snowheart turned to Oakpaw, "Can you go back to camp and inform either Basiltail or Silverstar."

Oakheart gave a brief nod, before leaping to his paws. He briskly turned away and leaped into the bushes. His tail whisked up and out of sight. Lightningpaw turned his icy blue yes to Snowheart.

"What do we do?" He asked.

Snowheart stood up. Lightning Fur could tell that she was forcing her fur tolay flat. He looked over to see Scarlet Paws fur was still bristling. He guessed that she was still shell-shocked from the whole ordeal.

"We can try to pass in front of them-" Snowheart started

"Won't we be attacked?" Scarletpaw asked, her voice quivering.

Snowheart shook her head.

"We'll see if we can pass a ways in front of them. They'll smell our scent and maybe stall on the plan that they have." The white tabby she-cat explained

She beckoned the others with her tail. Splashpaw hurried to her paws. Interest sparked her gaze. Scarletpaw got to her paws shakily. She took a few deep breaths and made her shoulder fur lie flat. Lightningpaw got to his paws. Worry sat like a stone in his stomach.

They all followed Snowheart through the undergrowth. They were quick but silent. Lightningpaw could smell the scent of the rogues. His felt his fur rise when he realized where they were heading. He quickly padded up to Snowheart

"Snowheart, the rogues-..., they're heading towards the camp!" He hissed

Snowheart's amber eyes narrowed with fear. She briskly turned around to inform the rest of the group.

"Change of plans, the rogues seem to be headed towards the camp. If we can beat them there, we may be able to stop them." She mewed

All the cats nodded. Then they pressed on. What seemed like ages passed. His muscles tensed as they neared the camp entrance. He jumped as he heard yowling. Before any cat had time to react, he dashed to the entrance of camp, Splashpaw at his tail. The others, not to far behind. He rushed in the see Moonpelt and Dapplewing guarding the entrance to the elder's den. He knew that there were no more kits lefts in the nursery so they didn't need to move any kits. He saw another brown tom. It wasn't Lucas, because this one had darker spots on him. He saw Cinnamonfur wrestling silver-and-white she-cat. He leaped at the she-cat. The scent of Twoelegs filled his nose. This cat was a kittypet. She just didn't have a collar. The silver-and-white she-cat let out a yelp of shock as Lightningpaw landed on top of her. The two rolled over into the dirt. Kicking up dust as they wrestled. He manage to squirm on top. He froze for a heartbeat. He didn't know what to do. Fear rushed him like water. He felt paws push against his stomach. He hooked his claws into the she-cat's shoulder. THe she-cat managed to kick him of. He let out a yelp as he landed on his back. He looked into the she-cat's yes. Confusion sparked in her green blue-ish-green eyes.

"Mellow?" she meowed, tilting her head to one side

"Who?" Lightningpaw spoke shakily.

The kittypet's ear flicked, "you look like Mellow."

"Again who's Mellow?"

"He is-er-was Jade's mate."

"Jade?!" Swanfeather mew cut through the crowd.

Everycat turned their eyes to the three cats. Surprise shone in her eyes.

"You know her?" the silver-and-white she-cat asked

"Yes, she was here. " Swanfeather spoke calmly

The fur bristled on the kittypet's shoulders.

"Where is she?! Where is my sister?" the silver-and-white she-cat hissed

Swanfeather's eyes grew big. Lightningpaw heard pawsteps behind him, he turned to se Silverstar pad over to the kittypet. The kittypet's fur was still bristling.

"We found Jade lurking on our territory, we thought she was one of you, and you keep attacking our patrols, we weren't gonna take any chances. She said she just needed a place to stay. We....we kept her prisoner." Silverstar explained

"YOU DID WHAT?!?!?!?!" The silver-and-white she-cat yowled

"Calm down. We didn't't torture her, we just kept her confined. But we didn't realize she was expecting kits. She started kitting when mostly everyone was asleep. It was Swanfeather, who was Swanpaw then, who noticed her. We did everything we could but Jade still died from the blood loss."

The kittypet was quiet for a few heartbeats. She looked down, her eyes were round with sorrow. Then she looked back up into Silverstar's eyes.

"Did...did the kit die too?" The silver-and-white she-cat asked, he voice cracking

"No, in fact he's right there." Silverstar meowed flicking her tail at Lightningpaw.

Lightningpaw was conflicted on how he should feel. He now knew of his father. He attacked his own kin. But what would happen. Would the rogues take him to their home? Would he be allowed to stay. He met the kittypet's blue-green eyes. The she-cat took a deep breathe.

"Hi, my name is Willow, as I've said, I'm your mother's sister. Your kin." She turned to the clan cats, "I'm sorry. This attack was my idea. I found Jade's scent and other cat scents. I assumed they attacked her. I was scared. I persuaded the rogues to attack, and see if we could get Jade back. I'm ready for whatever punishment you have for me."

Her head hung low. Sticks cracked. Everyone turned their heads to see Stonepelt leave the elder's den. Lightningpaw could see Moonpelt hiss something at the blind elder. The gray she-cat stalked over to Willow. The elder lightly laid her tail on the kittypet's shoulders.

"I've been alive for a while. I'm actually older than this clan. I've experienced the weight of loss for a while now. I've lost my parents, my mate, my kits. Even my apprentice, that I train to be a deputy, and he died to a badger attack. " the old she-cat rasped, "It's ok to be angry, but never take that anger out on others. It's a lesson I learned the hard way. I can't stop your punishment, but I can help you learn from it."

Stonepelt padded back to let Silverstar speak to Willow

"Willow as your punishment, you and the other rouges will stay here and help clean up the camp. You can stay over there." Silverstar flicked her tail over at the crecise in the mountain. The rogues nodded. Lightningpaw heard pawsteps behind him. He turned to see Snowheart.

"Go rest, you've earned it.", the white tabby turned to Splashpaw ad Oakpaw, "Can you two gather moss for the rogues."

The two apprentices nodded. Splashpaw bounded away, Oakpaw just walked. He headed for the apprentices' den. He curled up in a nest and closed his eyes.