Riverstone's Betrayal

Five

"Blazescar." Silentwing's amber eyes narrowed.

"You promised Amberstar," Snakeeye snarled, claws flexing and tearing into the soft earth below. "You told him you would stop expanding if we let you keep what you had."

Blazescar laughed, a deep, malevolent, hissing laugh. "As if a weak leader like yours would be able to keep us contained. Amberstar is no leader."

"And where is Flintstar?" Eaglecry asked, stepping forward.

"Flintstar is in camp." Blazescar's eyes narrowed. "And here I am."

"We can discuss this, deputy to deputy," Snakeeye warned, pushing to the front. "You don't have to show your claws."

"The discussion is overwith. Flintstar has made his choice. We will expand, no matter what we promise to your pathetic excuse for a Clan leader."

"At least our Clan leader is strong enough to stand up to you!" Myrtlepaw cried, leaping up to stand beside her mentor.

"Then where is he? I happen to know he's usually hiding like a turtle."

"Amberstar's in camp," Snakeeye hissed, taking on an imitation of Blazescar's cruel tone. "And here I am."

Blazescar hissed. "Vipers!"

And the trees and bushes exploded with claws and teeth.

Silentwing tussled with a warrior twice her size, his dark ginger fur crisscrossed with scars and new wounds. Riverpaw recognized Alderleap, Cypresspaw's vicious mentor.

Silentwing broke away from the tom, looking to Riverpaw with bloodstained black fur. "Riverpaw, go back to camp if you can," Silentwing panted. "Tell Amberstar. Get as many warriors as you ca-AAH!"

Silentwing broke off with a cry as Alderleap barely missed clawing at her throat, instead drawing a long gash across Silentwing's face. Riverpaw took her orders and scrambled to the edges of the fight, clawing past a whirl of fur and claws.

Riverpaw was thrown to the ground by a massive bundle of dark grey fur.

Riverpaw hissed and clawed at whatever she could, making contact with a large paw. She heard the deep bass of an apprentice much older than her.

Cypresspaw!

Riverpaw snarled. You are not getting your claws on me and my mother!

Riverpaw curled into herself and twisted, using a well-practiced escape method. Her small size and bloodstained ginger and white fur helped her, making Cypresspaw slip and release her. Riverpaw scrambled up and started running, hearing the pounding of large paws behind her. Cypresspaw was giving chase.

Soon Riverpaw couldn't hear the pawsteps anymore, and as she chanced a look back, she saw Cypresspaw glaring after her. He wasn't going to give himself away by chasing her into camp.

So Riverpaw burst into camp alone, gaining attention by the racket she made coming in along with the sunlight refracting the light around her into crimson and ginger.

"Amberstar! Amberstar, where are you?!"

Hawkwish, eyes wide, stared at her for a second, then dashed into Amberstar's den. He came back not a moment later with Amberstar tailing him, an urgent look in his wide blue eyes.

"Riverpaw? Where's Silentwing and the others? What's happening?"

"Amberstar! An ambush, by the ViperClan border. We're under attack!" Riverpaw cried, paws swaying under her.

"Hawkwish, get as many warriors gathered as possible. Get Rubypelt, too! Quickly!"

Talonswoop poked his head out of the elder's den. "What's happening?"