The Dream SMP War as Warrior Cats

Chapter 14

As StrongClan trekked back to their territory Tussockflame's chest continued to swell with pride. They had taken on Dreamstar and his cats, and won! There was no way this night could get any better!

"Sootstar, my friends," Rattooth began suddenly. "I have something I feel I should tell you now as it will lift our spirits even higher than they already are."

Sootstar tilted his head. 

"Go on," he said, intrigued.

"During our preparations for this war I created something that will surely secure us victory," the brown warrior explained. "I ask you now to follow me and I will show you."

Sootstar dipped his head. 

"Lead the way Rattooth."

With a nod the brown tom struck off along the edge of the trees rimming a part of their territory. It wasn't long before he paused at a thorn bush. 

"This way," he said, and slipped down into a burrow dug beneath the roots of this. 

"What in StarClan's furry rumps?" muttered Tussockflame, before following the rest of them. 

The scent of fox hung stale in the air, this had one been a den. Now it was a long twisting tunnel that smelled more freshly of dug up earth. Rattooth had obviously done a lot of digging in the time he had been away from camp.

"I give you the final camp!" announced Rattooth as they came into an open expansion. "An emergency camp as you might call it. I have been salvaging as much stuff as I can for in here. So that we will never run out of supplies."

Tussockflame gazed around the den. Piles of ferns and moss bedding and . . .

He looked at Foxtail, the ginger tom seemed just as confused. 

"Rattooth," Sootstar spoke. "There is nothing here but piles of bedding. Where is the rest? What about food, and herbs?"

Slowly, the brown warrior turned to look at them. His gaze cold. 

"Down with StrongClan," he said. "It was never meant to be."

Around them the bedding piles exploded as the RainClan warriors attacked them. Tussockflame heard his friends yowl in pain and terror as they were all clawed by the toms they had just recently defeated. 

"No!" he howled as Saptail sank his teeth into his leg. 

"Get out! Get out! Get out!"

Sootstar's voice rang above the noise as he barged his way through and into the tunnel, followed by the rest of them. 

His mind was a mess as he ran out into the open. Rattooth had betrayed them. He'd betrayed them! 

He felt rage burn in his chest as the traitor and RainClan padded out of the tunnel. He would make that crow food eater pay!

"Rattooth how could you?" Sootstar questioned, his voice filled with disbelief. 

"I fought with you!" cried Shallowpool. "How?"

"Rattooth, listen to me," he hissed, suppressing the urge to tear the traitor apart. "I mean this is the nicest way possible, you're dead to me." 

Beside him Sootstar choked down a purr of amusement. 

"I should never have joined you in the first place. It was a great mistake," Rattooth growled. "One that I shall never make again. In exchange for helping them I was granted the opportunity to return to my clan. My real clan. I should never have defied the cats that our ancestors protect, but I have now made up for it. This is farewell."

"No it isn't!" Tussockflame spat. "I will meet you in battle one day and I will make sure that you pay for what you have done to us!"

"But not today," Sootstar spoke. "Let's go Tommy."

Turning their backs on the tom who had cost them their win, they limped into the shadows of the trees, leaving behind a trail of scarlet drops as they went.