CHAPTER ELEVEN

The slaves were sorry lumps of fur. They scattered when Silver approached the hole they slept in, hurrying to go about their duties. A glare from the big brown tom who was following us sent them scurrying back to their original position. It seemed they hadn't realized someone else was with their leader.

I frowned as I realized only seven slaves were visible. What had happened to the rest of them?

"Slaves! Attention!" the tom snapped. The cats went rigid.

"This is 14," Silver said. "She'll be joining you. 3, show her the ropes. She'll have two days before I review her progress."

One of the cats, an old tom, nodded and bowed low. Silver and the tabby went away.

The old tom padded up to me. "I'm Slave 3. These are slaves 5, 6, 9, 11, 12, and 13. The rest of us—1, 2, 4, 7, 8, and 10—are all dead for incompetence or rebellion. Curb your tongue, watch your manners, and do as you're told, and you'll be spared."

He said this all in a matter-of-fact tone that made me shiver. "Why don't you escape?" I queried.

3 looked at me as if I were crazy. "They'd catch us. They always do. 4 and 8 tried it—look at them." He flicked his tail toward a tree, where a pile of bones lay. I shivered.

"Well, then, 3," I began, "my name is Sha—"

"Shh!" 3 said furtively. "We're not allowed to say our names. We are numbers now. We do as we're told, or we die. Fourteen long weeks Silver has kept us under reign—one slave for each of her weekly scours."

"What does that mean?" I asked.

He sighed, then said, "Silver, Adder, and a few of her other cronies go out into her territory. They scour the land of any cats, either killing them, recruiting them, or bringing them back to be a slave. This is how life works around SilverClan."

"This is not a Clan," I said flatly. "I've been in a Clan, I've led one. Silver's group is not a Clan."

"Words like that bring on their wings death," 3 murmured. "Most of them—" he pointed to the slaves "—would sell you out if you even mentioned escape or said something that they wouldn't like, just to get an extra scrap of food."

I flopped down, feeling doomed. Escape couldn't be impossible. I would just have to try.

The tasks I preformed as a slave ranged from downright ridiculous to disgustingly horrifying. Sometimes I had to clear away the dirt of full-grown warriors while they guffawed at me. I had to count all the bones in that horrible bonepile, and once a "warrior" was deemed too old and sentenced to execution. I nearly fainted when Silver looked at me, but breathed a sigh of relief that I instantly regretted as she ordered 3 to do the dirty work. 3 looked at me sorrowfully, and muttered on his way out with the "warrior", "It'll be your turn soon, 14."

A week later, I began to form the beginnings of a plan. Step one: escape Silver"Clan". Step two: find Thunder. Step three: get revenge on Silver.

Well, I needed more details, but for a beginning, it was good. Time to execute step one.

After I finished my morning chores—help 3 train 15, Silver's new slave; clear out the "warriors" den; hunt for Silver and her deputies (with proper supervision, of course); etc—I announced to the other slaves that I was going on a walk. We had a short free period, right after the leaders took their midday nap, where we could do anything we wanted as long as we were under supervision. All but 9, who looked away, nodded, and I went to inform Silver. Silver had been surprisingly lenient with me—after what I'd done to her, I expected her to play with me.

I coughed politely. "Great Leader Silver," I mewed respectfully, "it is my break. May I take a walk, if one of your... warriors comes with me?"

Silver blinked lazily. "No, no," she purred, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Only one warrior? That won't do at all! For someone of your rank, 14, I think you should take at least three." She sighed, as if in regret. "You need someone to watch your back, if I dare put it so. I wouldn't want someone getting ideas."

I mentally kicked myself for being so obvious. Who had betrayed me? I hadn't told anyone, but then again, they had all known I was restless being a slave. Taking orders just wasn't my thing. I was more used to giving them. Ah well. I should be less trustful next time.

Still, even if I couldn't escape, a walk would be nice.

"Then may I take three... warriors?" I asked, gritting my teeth. "I assure you that I will... behave."

Silver smiled wryly. "Ah, but we cannot spare three warriors for a simple slave. I'm afraid your walk will have to wait." She glanced at the sun. "Your free time is over, I'm afraid. I have a special task for you, 14."

I bowed. "I am at your Greatness's command."

She leaned in closer, allowing me to smell her stinking breath. Well, it didn't actually stink—she had been chewing on catnip, and the smell was intoxicating. "You must kill Adder," she whispered. "I fear he has become disloyal. Do this, and you will be freed."

She soon dismissed me. Adder was one of her deputies. It was so simple a kit could see it—if I killed Adder, the blame would be placed squarely on my shoulders; and, since I was a slave, no one would think to look for the cat who had ordered me to do so. Silver's cats thought she was great leader, that was for certain. If they knew the full extent of her treachery, I don't think they would be so eager to serve her. They might even revolt.

But I had not choice to obey. The order had been given; I, the slave, must obey.