Chapter Nine: The Rebels of TorrentClan

A few days later, several TorrentClan warriors had gathered around to talk as they shared freshkill. One warrior, a brown tom named Hickoryheart, was even more talkative than any TorrentClan cat usually was.

"Two more warriors went missing yesterday," he whispered.

Flaxtail, a reddish brown warrior, was quick to silence him.

"Hickoryheart, you know Slipstar forbids us to mention those who go missing."

"The fox traps got them," Hickoryheart replied, "We all know that."

"Any one of us could be next," said a she-cat, Goldenglow.

"So?" asked Flaxtail, "There's nothing we can do about it."

"We could leave," Hickoryheart replied, "Like Berryfire."

The other cats gasped, with the exception of Goldenglow, who agreed with Hickoryheart, and wasn't at all shocked by his idea, as she thought the same.

"He free in the hills, with Hazelstar, Bigstorm, and the other FlameClan cats," Hickoryheart continued.

"Remember?" Goldenglow sighed wistfully, "Hazelstar invited us to live in the high hills with them."

"We should have gone with them when we had the chance," Flaxtail murmured.

"It's not too late!" Hickoryheart insisted, "We just have to be brave, and…"

"Ssh!" an apprentice named Firepaw hissed, "Slipstar's coming!"

The group of cats fell silent as the creamy-furred Clan leader, Slipstar, joined them.

"Sharing prey…and secrets, are we?" Slipstar asked, but not in his usual distracted manner. There was a touch of annoyance in his voice. "Shall I join you?"

Meanwhile, on FlameClan territory, a patrol was about to set off. There had already been one patrol made to the farm where Mousetail had been captured, and there had been no sign of her. However, Silverfur refused to give up hope, and Bigstorm, out of concern for his friend, had agreed to lead another patrol out.

"Can I come too?" Littlepaw asked eagerly. The young cat felt as if he had not been allowed to leave the camp since his liberation from StoneClan. Which was basically true.

"Now, Littlepaw, Hazelstar told you to stick close to home for a while," Bigstorm replied, "So, no."

"When can I come?" Littlepaw asked.

"When I say so," Bigstorm replied, and then he turned and raced off with his patrol.

Clover and Rosebrier had been watching, and they decided that is was time to distract Littlepaw.

"Why Littlepaw, you're filthy!" Rosebrier mewed. It was a horrendous lie, but it was the best she could come up with.

"Come with us," Clover mewed, "We'll have you fixed up in no time."

Littlepaw scowled.

"I wish I was back in StoneClan," he thought, as the she-cats led him away.

Although the objective of the patrol was to search for Mousetail, the group had been distracted by a couple of intruders.

It was Hickoryheart and Goldenglow, who had decided to start off to look for Hazelstar as soon as they got away from Slipstar.

"We'll never find their camp," Hickoryheart mumbled. Like many of his Clanmates, the brown tom was used to living the easy life, and was easily disheartened when he had to do real work.

"Even the StoneClan cats can't find it."

"But they want to destroy it," Goldenglow mewed, "Be patient, Hickoryheart. We'll find them."

"What do they want with us?" Silverfur hissed.

Berryfire, who had been lagging behind, came up at that moment.

"I know that scent," he said, "They're from TorrentClan."

"That means trouble," Bigstorm growled.

"Let's find out how much, then," Hazelstar replied, bounding forward toward the TorrentClan cats.

"That's far enough," Bigstorm said menacingly.

Hickoryheart and Goldenglow stopped, and stared in frightened silence at the FlameClan cats.

"What do you want on our territory?" Bigstorm growled, but before either of the TorrentClan warriors could reply, Berryfire bounded up.

"Hickoryheart and Goldenglow," he mewed happily, "It's you!"

"Berryfire," Hickoryheart said, relieved, "We've found you. We need help."

"We want to leave TorrentClan," Goldenglow contributed, "Can you help us? Please?"

Hazelstar and Bigstorm exchanged glances. This was unexpected…

Back at FlameClan's camp, a meeting was called. From the Highrock, Hazelstar filled everyone in on what was happening.

"We invited Hickoryheart and Goldenglow to stay with us, but they want to start their own Clan."

"There are many of us in TorrentClan who want to leave," Goldenglow explained.

"We hoped you could show us how to live like normal cats, then we could teach our friends," Hickoryheart added.

"Living in the wild is hard," Bigstorm said gruffly, "You'd have a lot to learn."

"We can learn," Goldenglow insisted, "But we won't live in TorrentClan any longer."

Bigstorm looked at Hazelstar. Hazelstar looked at Fivefur. Fivefur nodded.

"Two Clans against StoneClan would be better than one," Bigstorm admitted.

"What about moving them into the old BrightClan camp?" Rosebrier suggested.

When Rosebrier was a very young apprentice, she had been stolen from BrightClan by a StoneClan patrol. However, she had never forgotten BrightClan, but sadly, when she was free to return, she had found the camp abandoned, apart from an elderly tom named Broomtail, the only survivor of an epidemic of sickness.

"Capital idea!" Broomtail agreed, "It's a shame to have the old place lying there empty."

"Then it's settled," Hazelstar replied, "We'll take you to BrightClan, and once we're there, we'll teach you all we know."

Littlepaw had been sitting next to Woodpaw and Thistlepaw, but he bounded forward to Hazelstar.

"Can I come with you?" he asked, "Please?"

"Not this time, Littlepaw," Hazelstar replied, "Maybe another day."

The apprentice sighed, but he turned away without a word, and disappeared into the apprentice den. He only came back out once he was sure the patrol had gone, and then he went to find Kehaar. The gull was the only creature around who actually seemed sympathetic to his troubles.

"I used to be a prisoner in StoneClan," Littlepaw muttered, "Now I'm a prisoner in FlameClan."

"Littlepaw, they just worry about you," Kehaar said.

"No, they just don't want me to grow up!"

"Then don't grow up," Kehaar advised, "Grow down."

"Huh?"

"Act like kit. See if they like that."

"Oh…" Littlepaw said, "They won't like that at all."

"Yah, that's right. You show them!"

After their meeting with Hazelstar, Hickoryheart and Goldenglow had headed home. When they arrived, they found their friends waiting for them.

"We found Hazelstar!" Hickoryheart said jubilantly, "He's promised to help us!"

"And then we'll be free?" Flaxtail asked.

"Yes," Goldenglow, "Now scatter, before Slipstar sees us."

But as the group of rebels dispersed, a green-eyed gaze followed them.

"Freedom is a lie, my friends," Slipstar murmured, "There is no escape…"