Chapter 8

When Sandstorm and Cloudtail got back from hunting patrol Firestar was looking to the distance and Graystripe was asleep. They both came back with a mouthful of prey and put Graystripe's share beside him. She sat down beside Firestar and looked at him. He was strong lean warrior with a smooth orange pelt that almost glowed.

But he seemed awfully different like someone had sucked the life out of him. She bit into a small sparrow and recoiled at the taste. Firestar was still staring at something she couldn't make out. Sandstorm nudged him and he looked at her a mix of confusion, passion, and worry, and a glow of pride.

What is making him feel this way? She thought. Sandstorm heard a grunting and turned to where Graystripe was laying. He pushed to his feet and yawned, and started eating his mouse. After he finished he called to the group and they started trudging through the tall grass.

They stopped at a small creek and took a drink before desperation pushed them onwards. A sour odor hit their scent glands that smelled strangely familiar. Rattle, rattle. A gleaming pair of reptilian eyes stared at them. Cloudtail stepped up and prepared to slash the snake across the eyes when it opened up its mouth to show its long fangs flashing in the sunlight. Cloudtail eyed them warily and stepped back. The group stepped back away from the rattlesnake but it seemed to smile.

Rattle, rattle. Another rattlesnake. This one even larger and longer and it did the same thing. It opened its mouth and large vicious fangs flashed in front of them. Now all they could hear was the rattle of snakes. There must be at least five of them. Sandstorm thought. And they kept closing in until something strange happened.

One of them gave a hiss of agony and fell to the ground, limp. Confusion quickly spread through the snakes as one after another fell dead to the ground. Green eyes flashed and a young white she-cat seemed to materialize out of nowhere.

"Hi, I'm Fernpool." The warrior said. "Follow me."