Chapter Nine: The Weasel

The next morning was a rainy one. Bigstorm and Silverfur emerged from the warriors' den together. Silverfur groaned as he looked up at the overcast sky.

"You know who will be just thrilled that they're on dawn patrol today?" he muttered sarcastically.

"Who's that?"

"Hawkfang, Lionpelt...and me," Silverfur said, "I hate rain."

"Would you rather be back in ThunderClan now?" Bigstorm asked, "A little rain never hurt any cat."

"True, but I still hate it," Silverfur murmured.

Bigstorm sighed.

"I'll go get those two layabouts. Get Littlepaw, will you?"

Silverfur nodded, then padded across to the apprentice den, where Littlepaw and Bluepaw slept. He poked his head in, and saw Bluepaw asleep, but there was no sign of Littlepaw. The silver warrior sighed. Apprentices! He shook Bluepaw gently.

"Bluepaw, where is Littlepaw?" he asked.

The apprentice yawned.

"Don't know. I'm sleeping, go eat a pink mouse."

Silverfur growled quietly to himself. Now on top of the dawn patrol in the rain, first he had to find his mousebrained apprentice before a fox did.

Littlepaw, meanwhile, was gathering grubs for Kehaar, and not particularly enjoying the job. However, he was more than willing to help his new friend, so he had gone off searching. In doing so, he had strayed a good ways from the camp, and when he finally found some bugs, he was reluctant to touch the wiggly creatures. While he was attempting to make up his mind about it, he did not notice the weasel creeping up behind him. Although small, a weasel could on occasion kill a cat if it could catch one by surprise, especially a small apprentice or a kit.

Littlepaw squeaked in surprise as he felt the weasel leap onto his back.

"Little kitty, want to play?" the weasel hissed, "No? Oh, well..."

"H-help!" Littlepaw screamed, "Help!"

"Get off him, you mangy excuse for a predator!" something roared. Littlepaw felt the weasel being forcefully removed from his back. The apprentice leaped to his paws and saw Silverfur chasing after the weasel.

"And stay away!" the warrior growled. He turned back to Littlepaw.

"What are you doing so far from camp?"

"I was looking for grubs for Kehaar," Littlepaw explained. Silverfur's eyes darkened with anger.

"Oh, is that so? Let's go have a talk with Kehaar about why you were almost killed, shall we?"

They found a completely unconcerned Kehaar talking with Mouse. Silverfur, taking no notice of the former rogue, launched a tirade at the surprised seagull.

"What were you thinking, sending Littlepaw off alone like that? If I hadn't come along when I did, he'd be dead!"

"Kehaar sorry," the gull said apologetically, "Not do it again."

"You better not," Silverfur replied, then whirled round and marched away, with Littlepaw close behind.

They were soon intercepted by Bigstorm and the rest of the dawn patrol.

"What's wrong?" Bigstorm asked, seeing the enraged look on his friend's face.

"Littlepaw nearly became a weasel's freshkill," Silverfur muttered, "And it's all that bird's fault!"

"Between him and Mouse, this camp is hardly a proper place for warriors," Bigstorm muttered.

"Oh, really?" Mouse growled, "Apologize!"

Bigstorm did not look guilty.

"I have a right to my own opinion."

In answer, the infuriated she-cat launched herself at him. Bigstorm intercepted her attack and sent her sprawling to the grass.

"You call yourself a rogue? You're no better than a kittypet!"

"Once from DarkClan, always from DarkClan!" Mouse retorted, "And I know you are!"

With a roar of rage, Bigstorm lunged at Mouse. The tiny she-cat dodged and swiped at his nose, which only infuriated him more. Silverfur made no effort to interfere, although his eyes were wide with worry.

Bigstorm had Mouse pinned down now, and Silverfur was beginning to think he might have to distract his friend before he injured the she-cat, but just at that moment, Hazelstar appeared from his den.

"Bigstorm, Mouse, stop this at once!"

Both cats looked sheepishly at the red-fawn tom.

"What is going on?" Hazelstar asked. No one replied.

"Lionpelt? Care to explain, please?" Hazelstar asked. The gold-furred tom looked apologetic, but he replied truthfully.

"Bigstorm said that with Mouse and Kehaar here this was no proper place for warriors. Mouse told him to take it back, and when he wouldn't, she called him a DarkClan cat. Then he attacked her, and, well...you see where that went."

"I do," Hazelstar confirmed, "And I don't like it. Bigstorm, you ought to be ashamed of yourself. And what is this DarkClan? Mouse has mentioned it twice, you seem to know what it is as well, and yet neither of you will tell us."

"It's nothing," Bigstorm muttered.

"A band of bloodthirsty rogues is nothing?" Mouse asked, "What kind of a mousebrained idiot are you?"

Bigstorm growled, but Hazelstar quickly stepped between the two irate cats.

"That's enough! Bigstorm, aren't you on dawn patrol?"

The grey tom shot one last hateful glare at Mouse, then marched off with the rest of his patrol, although it was long past dawn.

Hazelstar sighed and turned away. He wished he could learn to understand his ill-tempered deputy, but Bigstorm seemed unable to communicate outside of fighting.

"What's wrong, Hazelstar?" Fivefur asked, coming up behind his brother.

"Bigstorm almost killed Mouse," Hazelstar said, "I don't know what to do with him, Fivefur."

"StarClan will show us," replied Fivefur confidently. Hazelstar smiled, but at that moment, they were interrupted by loud shouts, as Bigstorm's patrol came hurtling back into the camp. It took Hazelstar only a few seconds to realize that Hawkfang and Lionpelt were missing, and just as he did so, the two cats emerged from outside the camp. Lionpelt took a few unsteady steps, and then collapsed. Hazelstar noticed with a jolt that the golden warrior was bleeding badly from a gash in his shoulder, and hurried forward to where Fivefur was already bending over Lionpelt.

"Is he all right?"

"Ask the weasel that jumped on him," Bigstorm said angrily, "I don't know, how should I?"

"It was the same weasel that attacked Littlepaw," Silverfur contributed, "This thing's out for blood, and although it's small, it's cunning."

"Cunning, my paw," Lionpelt mewed, "It's just grumpy like Hawkfang."

"Oh, really?" Hawkfang muttered, "I'll get you later, Lionpelt."

Lionpelt got shakily to his feet.

"I'm okay," he said, but his voice shook.

"You'd better come to my den now," Fivefur said, "You've had a shock, and I need to keep an eye on you."

Lionpelt must have been even more shaken up than he looked, because he merely nodded and padded after Fivefur.

"We have to do something about this weasel, Hazelstar," Bigstorm said, "It won't stop! Look at Lionpelt!"

"I have," Hazelstar said, "I'm thinking."

At that moment, Berrypool joined the little group.

"Hazelstar, come see what I've found."

The red-fawn warrior sighed, but he followed the she-cat into the warriors' den. There, to his astonishment, he saw a hole in the back wall. Hazelstar was very certain it had not been there before.

"Where did that come from?"

Berrypool laughed.

"Swiftfoot got angry with the wall and tried to kill it. Instead, he found this tunnel."

"I was not angry, I slipped," came Swiftfoot's indignant reply.

Hazelstar did not hear him. His gaze was fixated on the tunnel.

"Where does it go?"

Berrypool shrugged. "We followed it for a long time. Wherever it ends, it's far from here."

"Then it's perfect!" Hazelstar cried, turning and rushing out of the den.

He leaped onto the Highrock, and, for the second time ever, yowled the age old cry.

"Let all cats gather beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!"

They came, all of them, even Lionpelt, albeit weakly.

When they were all there, Hazelstar wasted no time.

"Most of you have heard about the weasel that has been attacking our warriors. I believe this weasel may seek to kill us all, and for such a small predator, it has amazing cunning. I believe I have a solution. Earlier this morning, Swiftfoot knocked down a segment of wall in the warriors' den, revealing a tunnel. I believe that if I could lead the weasel into this tunnel, you could roll a rock across the entry, sealing the weasel inside."

"Um, one flaw, Hazelstar," Bigstorm said, "It's a good plan, but then you're trapped in a tunnel with a weasel that tried to take Lionpelt out earlier and nearly succeeded."

"I have nine lives," Hazelstar said, "I'm the logical choice."

"This Clan needs you," Bigstorm said, "You can get along without me. I'll go in."

"But, Bigstorm..."

"Look, Hazelstar, I said I don't believe you're the StarClan destined leader, and I still believe that, but you're a better leader than I am. They need you more than me."

Hazelstar sighed. He knew he could not shake his friend from taking on this suicide mission.

"All right, Bigstorm. May StarClan guide you back to us one day. We'll do it tonight."

Bigstorm nodded.

"Hazelstar," Mouse said, "I need to show you something."

Hazelstar followed Mouse into the warriors' den.

"Wait here," Mouse said, and disappeared into the tunnel. Hazelstar peered in after her, and was startled to feel something tweak his tail a moment later. He turned and found Mouse behind him.

"Pretty neat trick, eh?" the she-cat laughed.

"How..."

"Follow me," Mouse said.

Hazelstar watched as Mouse walked a little way, then disappeared down a small side tunnel. A moment later, she reappeared from a tiny opening in the wall that no one else had noticed.

"I think I could lead the weasel in, then slip out," she said, "That way, no one dies."

"You'd do that for Bigstorm?"

"Annoying or not, hate to see the idiot throw his life out the window." Noticing Hazelstar's blank expression, she sighed.

"Never mind. Let's go tell Bigstorm."

Outside, Hawkfang was talking to Bigstorm.

"Um, Bigstorm, I just want to say that, uh, it's been nice knowing you, and, uh..."

"Save it," Bigstorm laughed, "I made my choice, don't stand around moping about it."

"It's okay, Bigstorm, you don't have to," Mouse said, coming up behind the grey warrior.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Mouse has found an opening that is just her size, but too small for the weasel."

"But sending a rogue to do a warrior's job, I never..."

"Bigstorm!" Hazelstar growled, "Do you want to die? Is this your cover for suicide? I think not! Let Mouse do it!"

Bigstorm stared in surprise at his leader.

"Never in my life have I seen you yell at anyone before. You really mean it, don't you?"

"Yes."

The grey warrior sighed.

"Fine."

That night, the weasel came prowling up the hill, searching for an easy meal. Luckily, Hazelstar, Mouse, and Bigstorm were ready for it.

"You ready?" Bigstorm asked Mouse. The she-cat nodded.

"You can do it," Hazelstar assured her, "Go on."

Mouse trotted out of the warriors' den and looked around. Catching sight of the weasel, she gathered her courage, and hoped her speed would be enough.

"Smelly breath!" she called, then dashed off as the weasel gave pursuit. She dashed past the half asleep warriors, calling occasional taunts so the weasel would not lose interest. Mouse raced into the tunnel with the weasel only a nose behind her, and slipped into her secret place just in time. She heard the weasel snarl, and turn back just in time to see Bigstorm and Hazelstar rolling the stone over the entrance of the tunnel. Mouse breathed a sigh of relief and joined her friends in the warriors' den.

"That was close," she said.

"It was," Hazelstar agreed. He turned to Bigstorm.

"I'd say Mouse has proved herself, wouldn't you?"

Bigstorm groaned.

"You mean we're stuck with her?"

"I'm afraid so," Hazelstar said, turning and padding out of the warriors' den and up to the Highrock.

"Let all cats gather beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!" he yowled.

They came quickly, eager to hear the news.

"Mouse, come forward," Hazelstar called.

The she-cat padded forward, her eyes wide with curiosity.

"I, Hazelstar, leader of FlameClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this cat. Although she has not trained as a warrior, her skill and bravery has proved her worthy in my eyes, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn. Mouse, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," Mouse said.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Mouse, from this moment forth, you shall be known as Mousetail. StarClan honors your energy and bravery, and we welcome you as a true warrior of FlameClan."

"Mousetail! Mousetail!" some of the warriors chanted, although most of them looked less than enthusiastic. Mousetail sighed. A warrior of FlameClan she might be, but she felt there was more she would have to do before she earned her place in the Clan's eyes.

It's DONE! This stupid chapter took forever! And, I did a bit of research, and it is possible for a weasel to kill a cat, although not common. Also, I had to change Mousetail's ceremony a bit since she never trained as an apprentice, but, oh well. And why give Silverfur a few of Bigstorm's lines? Well, I think he should have a main role, not as big as Hazelstar or Bigstorm's, but still a main character.