Chapter 11

Lightningstar led her cats through the old thunderpaths. "Get some rest." She ordered. It was getting late, they would need rest.

She kept staring ahead, but she could hear everyone trying to find the best to place to sleep, curling up, snoring a bit. She flicked her ear. She didn't like this plan of Moonstar. None of them knew the way out of the two leg place, how would splitting up help with that?

Then she heard something. Blinking, Lightningstar turned towards the sound. It was coming from a hole in the thunderpath. She flashed her gaze to her clan-mates. They all seemed asleep.

So Lightningstar climbed down the hole. She was careful where she put her paws, the ground was wet and she wasn't in the mood to lose a life by slipping. It was hard to tell, because there were a lot of scents down here most of them nasty, but she was pretty sure she could smell cats in here.

Then Lightningstar walked around the corner. There was snake. It flashed it head to her. Lightningstar froze. Somewhere in the back of her mind she knew it was foolish to be afraid of a snake. Snakes were small, and even if they killed her she'd just come back. But snakes had this way of terrifying other creatures by making eye contact, and Lightningstar had fallen into the trap.

She took a slow step back. The snake lashed out. Lightningstar jumped to the side, slamming her shoulder into the slopped wall. The snake coiled back around, it could turn with much greater speed than herself.

"Lightningstar!"

The snake spun towards the voice. Without hesitating Lightningstar lashed out herself, and killed the snake. Then she rose her head, looking at the cat. "Sorrowpaw, what are you doing here?"

Sorrowpaw seemed to be shaking. "I . . . uh, saw you come down here."

Lightningstar nodded. She should've known not all the clan was asleep. In this case, she supposed that was a good thing. "Thank you Sorrowpaw." She flicked her tail and turned away, back to following the scent.

Sorrowpaw didn't ask where she was going. Lightningstar wasn't sure what she'd say if she had.

Stormstar looked up. He grew alarmed when he saw Angelwing was running. "Angelwing, what's wrong?"

She set the herbs she was holding, not much unfortunately, panting. "I ran into Fallenclan. They wanted the same herbs."

Stormstar shook his head. "Well it doesn't matter now." He gave her a nod. "Just try to heal the cats you can."

Angelwing nodded and set to work. This set back Stormstar's travel plans a bit, even when Angelwing had finished Stormstar let everyone rest a bit.

When they could go, Stormstar started the traveling up again. For a while they walked on the thunderpath without incident. Then Emberpaw let out a yell. "Monster!" She dove under a bush that was actually growing on the thunderpath.

Stormstar turned his head, watching her bound into hiding. Nightwind nodded. "She's right. Stormstar, look!"

Stormstar turned. There was a monster sitting in the middle of thunderpath. For a second, he was afraid. He crouched closer to the ground. Then he realized something was off. He stood a little taller, then smirked. "Don't worry, it's not moving." He walked closer. His clan followed, some more tentatively than others. The monster had plants growing on it and most of its original color was gone. "And considering how this looks, I don't think it's moved in a while." He added.

Nightwind nodded. Then Shatterpoint, who had jumped onto the top, pressed his nose to the glass. It broke. He leapt back as glass came flying at him. Then something else came flying at him too. Emberpaw screamed again. Stormstar's eyes widened as he watched. He had to admit, it was unnerving. It was a twoleg. But they had been dead for a while, and were mostly bones.

"But let's get out of here." He decided.

"You don't have to tell me twice." Emberpaw said. She dashed away. The rest of the clan followed.

Stormstar flicked his gaze towards Shatterpoint, this wouldn't improve his opinion of the quest. He didn't have to worry yet. Shatterpoint still seemed shaken by his experience.