Bad Deputy
Grayclaw, the deputy, was organizing the patrols.
"Shadewhisker, Fernleaf, Hazelberry and Snowheart, you're going on the hunting patrol."
The four cats were about to leave when Froststar said, "Actually, I'd like to join."
Grayclaw looked only mildly surprised. "Sure."
Froststar led the way as they went into the forest. Scenting a mouse, she started stalking it, then pounced, snapping its neck with one bite.
"Nice catch!" praised Hazelberry.
Froststar purred. "Thanks! That bird you have is pretty big too!" Hazelberry gave her chest a few embarrassed licks.
Suddenly, a squirrel scurried by them both. Froststar reached out and tried to grab it, but it was too far away. Hazelberry raced after it, but it went up a tree.
Then there was a flash of white, and Snowheart was clawing his way up the tree. His claws scraping against bark, Snowheart was going as fast as he could up the tree. He took one paw off the thick, rough bark and reached for the squirrel, who was sitting an a branch.
"Almost...got it..."
Snowheart sharp claws managed to pierce the squirrel's tail. The white warrior pulled the squirrel back and killed it, claws sinking into the squirrel's throat.
"That's one big squirrel," commented Shadewhisker after Snowheart managed to come down.
Snowheart ducked his head, but Froststar could see that the young warrior was glowing with pride. She purred.
"It'll feed half the clan!" Fernleaf exclaimed.
"C'mon," said Froststar. "We should get going. There's plenty of time for you she-cats to moon over Snowheart later."
Fernleaf gave a sheepish, embarrassed look toward Snowheart. She turned when she scented vole.
"Ooh!" Being the clan's newest warrior, Fernleaf had plenty of energy. She ran to it, snapping twigs and crushing leaves. The vole was alerted and tried to run away, but Fernleaf had already caught it. She killed it with one swift bite.
"Nice!" Shadewhisker purred. She sat down to groom herself.
"Shadewhisker, are you even going to try catching anything?"
"Nope!"
Froststar sighed.
Then Shadewhisker stiffened. "I smell something," she hissed.
Froststar turned her head. The faint scent of Windclan lingered in the air, though it was stale.
"A Windclan cat's been here," she breathed.
"But that's trespassing!" gasped Fernheart, eyes wide open with shock.
"You think they don't know that?" hissed Snowheart. "They're probably invading. Testing out the territory first. No cat ever goes here, except for the odd hunting patrol. They're going to go to our camp and kill all the kits and elders-"
"Snowheart," Froststar interrupted. "It could just be a stray apprentice chasing a rabbit onto our land."
"I'm telling you, they're going to wipe us all out-"
"Snowheart. Stop. No cat is going to be killed, no cat is going to invade."
"That's your problem!" snarled Snowheart. "You're too trusting all the time-"
"Quiet!" hissed Hazelberry. "I hear something!"
All five cats listened intently. They could make out pieces of a conversation nearby. A strong scent of Windclan came from there.
"See?" snapped Snowheart.
"Shh!"
They all leaned closer to where the voices were coming from.
"-can't, they'll find out, we'll be banished!" a she-cat's frightened voice said.
"Don't worry. They'll never find us here." The tom's voice was familiar. Froststar had heard it before, but she couldn't remember who it belonged to.
Froststar crept closer. There was a white she-cat looking worriedly at a gray tom. Froststar thought that the tom looked very familiar. Then he turned, and Froststar gasped.
"Grayclaw!"
Everyone else in the patrol ran forward, hissing. "What are you doing on Thunderclan territory?" demanded Froststar.
The white she-cat's fur bristled. "I-I just-just wandered h-here-"
"Don't lie!" snarled Snowheart. "You were meeting up with Grayclaw, weren't you?"
The white she-cat lowered her head.
Grayclaw glared at Snowheart. "Milkfeather is telling the truth!"
"No she isn't!" spat Shadewhisker. "We saw you talking with her, purring, nuzzling her, the filthy Windclan mange-pelt-"
"YOU DON'T CALL MILKFEATHER A MANGE-PELT!"
Grayclaw flew at Shadewhisker, claws slashing at her, teeth fixed in her throat. Shadewhisker let out a surprised oh! before Grayclaw slashed at her belly and her throat. The light faded in Shadewhisker's now dull green eyes.
Fernleaf and Hazelberry gasped, running to their fallen clanmate, while Snowheart and Froststar could only stare at her bloodstained gray body with shock and horror.
Froststar recovered enough to speak. "Traitor!" she spat. "You have killed your own clanmate!"
"She is not my clanmate. Not anymore. I am leaving Thunderclan," snarled Grayclaw. He turned to Milkfeather, who was trembling and shivering all over. "Let's go."
"Not so fast!" growled Snowheart. He launched himself at Grayclaw, claws slicing at his back, tearing his ears, and raking down his face.
Grayclaw bucked and tried to shake him off, but he couldn't. Snowheart dug his claws in further, making Grayclaw bleed. Milkfeather gasped and ran over to help, but Hazelberry jumped into the fray, fastening her teeth around Milkfeather's foot. Froststar and Fernleaf joined in, snapping and slicing at Milkfeather and Grayclaw. Fernleaf slashed at Milkfeather's throat, and her eyes widened, her mouth hung open, and Fernleaf gasped.
Milkfeather fell to the ground with a thump. Fernleaf's eyes widened with horror. "I-I d-didn't mean t-to," she stuttered.
Grayclaw stared at his mate. "No," he whispered. "No, no, no, this...this can't be happening." He pushed his nose into Milkfeather's cold fur. "Why?" he wailed.
Snowheart stepped forward. "Leave now," he hissed. "If we ever see you on Thunderclan territory ever again, we will kill you, just as we did to Milkfeather." Grayclaw nodded.
"Now go!"
Grayclaw dragged his mate's body away, sobbing. "Why?"
Froststar sighed. She looked at the darkening sky.
Forbidden love should never have happened. We lost a faithful clanmate and an enemy cat today.
Froststar sat down. "Goodbye," she whispered.