DISCLAIMER: Erin Hunter owns Warriors, not me
Chapter 3:
Padding into the warriors' den, Shimmerstar shook Shadefrost awake, pulling him out and giving him a briefing of the mission. Blazingsun was already waiting anxiously by the camp entrance, tail lashing with anticipation.
Giving them both a nod, she took a deep breath, and dove into the entrance, bounding through the tunnel and emerging on the other side. Shadefrost and Blazingsun were both soon to follow, staying close behind.
She continued forward without stop, trusting them to stay with her and not fall behind. It was a bit unnerving being in the forest without the soothing song of the birds, or the enticing smell of prey. All there was, was an unearthly silence and humid air.
The trio cautiously continued forward, paws barely touching the ground as they sprinted across Thunderclan territory, eyes blazing with determination and purpose. If this operation was not done quickly, swiftly, and silently, they would be caught, humiliated, and killed. Secrecy was vital.
(A/N- Switch to Mistpool POV)
Mistpool sat behind the Medicine Cat den, tail flicking in frustration as she sighed with exasperation. She put her head down on her paws, green eyes dull.
The plan will never work without me there. They'll be caught and killed, soul by soul, life by life. Shimmerstar is a fool if she thinks she can pull it off. They're all fools.
She growled quietly, annoyed with herself. But she had a point. I sound like a kit left out of a game. A really, really, important game.
"I couldn't help but overhear your conversation with our oh-so brilliant leader," a sickeningly cruel voice jeered from ahead.
Mistpool's head whipped up, eyes darkening as she met the ginger she-cat's bright, evergreen ones. "Foxclaw," she meowed with barely contained disgust.
She grinned sadistically, digging her claws into the ground. With the moonlight illuminating her eyes and fangs, she did look truly, undeniably insane. Even her voice had a ring to it that screamed vicious intentions.
"What do you want?" she hissed, thinking of nothing better to answer the foreboding warrior with.
Foxclaw smoothly answered, "It's not what I want that I'm here to discuss. It's what you want. You came up with an amazing plan, a full-proof mission, and were denied the right to carry it out?" she bent down and whispered in her ear, "Between you and me, I think you would have been much more qualified to lead the patrol."
She stood up and growled, tail lashing. "Why should you care? Do me a favor and go stick your head in someone else's business."
The ginger she-cat shrugged, turning around with a flick of her ears. "So be it. But all the same, I'd go follow them. They'll be happy you did when you swoop in and save their tails from Shadowclan." And with that, she left, leaving Mistpool bristling and conflicted.
She could be right… As much as I don't want to admit it. Shaking her head, she quietly stalked away from her nest. She was going to help, like it or not.
(A/N- POV switches back)
"The Shadowclan border is directly ahead. So far so good," Blazingsun mewed as they stopped behind a bush, surveying the path ahead.
Shadefrost nodded, amber eyes flashing. "Yes, but we can't get overconfident. We don't know the territory nearly well enough to escape if we're caught. If they find us…" he trailed off. "Well, let's just not let that happen!"
Shimmerstar shushed him with an icy glare, silencing all further conversation. She flicked her tail forward, signaling them to continue on. Blazingsun took the lead, slowly creeping out of the bush and scenting the air. Nothing alarming so far.
The other two followed, hard on her paws as they trotted through the pines, grimacing at every sound they made. Shadowclan territory's ground was muddy and made a squishing noise if you made a wrong step or movement. This made the mission all the riskier.
Blazingsun stepped back, letting her leader take the lead again. All three could scent the Shadowclan camp up ahead. Even the path they were taken was worn and smoothed out by many paws.
Shadefrost veered away, motioning with his head for them to follow. "The moss. If we roll around in it, it will mask our scent." Without question, they did as suggestion, grimacing slightly as the mud seeped into their fur.
They returned to the trail, picking up a steady trot as the smell of many cats increased drastically.
"The camp is just ahead," Shimmerstar murmured, eyes narrowed as she stared into the forest, "I assume we are facing the left side of it, considering the heavy patch of brambles that's over there. That would serve as an entrance."
"But there's no covering past that. It just kind of… disappears," the dark gray tabby tom pointed out.
"Which means…" she replied, trailing off for someone else to pick up."
Blazingsun stepped forward, scoring her claws across the dirt. "The camp goes down into a dip. Similar to ours, except shallower and with fewer rocks."
Smiling, the silver she-cat nodded. "Exactly. Which means we should have a decent view point into the camp if we circle in around the back," she mewed, drawing a line that encircled Blazingsun's. "If Blackstar had any sense when he chose a place for his camp, there will be trees for us to climb and observe in."
Now with a plan, they wordlessly continued, keeping as low and quiet as they possibly could. Finally, they reach a clearing with a small, but noticeable dip that dropped even further the closer you got.
"In the tree," Shimmerstar growled, gesturing to the tall pine whose branches spread across to their heads and directly over the camp.
Blazingsun was the first to leap on, leading the others up. She stopped when she reached a long, but thick branch that reached over dip, with leaves that would provide cover. The Thunderclan leader gingerly picked her way across, carefully placing her paws in front of her. Though the others could not see what she could, they didn't have to. Three words from Shimmerstar explained everything.
"Blackstar is dead."