Treacherous Skies

Chapter 18

Hailstorm sprinted across the Thunderpath, Clovertail and Sunfur right in front of him. The hard gravel tore at his pads, but he pushed himself forward. DayClan was killing other cats; he wouldn't give up so easily!

Duckflight and Ripplepaw wove through the forest, Twigfoot hard on their paws. Twilightfoot fell behind, panting as old age caught up with him; but the black and white tom's eyes were narrowed in determination as he raced alongside Sparktail and Gravelpelt. Creekfall leapt over a boulder behind them, his pace not slowing as his gray eyes smoldered with hatred. He panted and his flanks heaved, but he kept going, bolting ahead to catch up with Twigfoot.

Sparrowtail and Prairiefoot passed Hailstorm, and Hailstorm realized that his own pace was slowing. His muscles ached and his chest heaved. He took a few shallow breaths, ragged with exhaustion, then gave an extra push, catching up with his Clanmates in front of him.

Soon the thick pine and spruce trees blotted out the moon, and the darkness washed over the cats as they darted, half-blinded by darkness and by the unfamiliar territory, through the NightClan forest. Ripplepaw and Duckflight seemed to know the way, however; despite the darkness, they led the DawnClan patrol swiftly through their territory.

Soon high-pitched yowls echoed ominously through the air, and shrieks full of rage and agony chilled Hailstorm to the bone. Heartbeats later, he burst into a clearing lined with brambles and tall pines. NightClan and DayClan cats blurred in the clearing, tumbling blurs of fur and claws. There were so many, each as furious as the next, and Hailstorm couldn't tell which cats were from NightClan and which were from DayClan.

Ripplepaw let out a yowl of defiance and raced to his mother, Brownear. A small, long-haired ginger she-cat fought beside them, and Hailstorm heard Ripplepaw gasp, "Flowerpaw!"

Duckflight raced to Goosefur's aid as a large, broad-shouldered DayClan warrior bowled him over. Hailstorm was about to leapt forward and help, but he was shoved to the ground. He felt the pine needles stab into his sides as he slid across the NightClan camp, hitting a log. He looked up, bewildered. A light brown tom with a scarred white muzzle stood over him.

"What are you doing here?" Cougarfang snarled. "This isn't your fight!"

Hailstorm kicked up with his hind legs, raking his claws across Cougarfang's white belly. The DayClan warrior gave a snarl of surprise, then leapt aside. Hailstorm quickly scrambled to his paws and faced the DayClan warrior again, back arched and ears fattened.

He let out a hiss of rage. "This is NightClan territory. Get out."

"Why don't you come here and make me?" Cougarfang taunted, yellow eyes burning with a challenge.

Hailstorm couldn't back down, for the sake of the suffering NightClan cats. He reared and let out a high-pitched caterwaul, then launched his body at the DayClan cat's. He landed on top of him, rolling in the dirt. Hailstorm felt himself crash into another cat, but he didn't look up to find out who it was. He buried his claws into Cougarfang's shoulders, and the DayClan warrior retaliated. Hailstorm felt teeth sink into his side and he screamed in agony. The pain burned like fire, and he felt throbbing as blood gushed from the wound.

Suddenly the weight was lifted. Hailstorm jerked his head up and saw Clovertail spitting with rage at Cougarfang, swatting at him with outstretched claws. Hailstorm admired his sister's courage and watched as Cougarfang sprinted away. But to Hailstorm's disappointment, the DayClan warrior wasn't fleeing, he just joined another fight.

Hailstorm turned just as Burningwood and Weedfoot raced toward him. He dodged heartbeats before they reached him, and he turned, wide-eyed, at the two DayClan warriors. He lashed out at Weedfoot, claws extended, feeling the smaller tom's muzzle beneath his paws as he knocked him aside. Then he turned to Burningwood, eyes narrowed. The red-brown tom jumped forward, landing on Hailstorm's shoulders. Hailstorm collapsed and felt claws tear through his fur, and scorching pain turned to a scream of agony. But Burningwood didn't stop there. Hailstorm saw a flash of the DayClan warrior's green eyes before his thorn-sharp teeth met his throat. Hailstorm jerked away, but Burningwood's grip was strong.