This is Twilightstar's perspective. Again? Yep. NOPE! I tricked you! Treespirit's, actually... I changed Moon-pond to Moonpond.
Treespirit padded out of the warriors den. He looked at the pitiful fresh-kill pile. Treespirit had forgotten how little prey there really was here, and he couldn't stop staring at it.
"Staring won't make more prey appear there." Twilightstar's mew shocked Treespirit.
"If it did, then why would we bother hunting?" Treespirit asked.
"I don't know." Twilightstar said.
"I could go hunting." Treespirit offered.
"Yes, thanks. Can you take Eagleheart with you?" Twilightstar asked.
"Eagleheart is Eaglestar, right? Yes, but I don't know where he is." Treespirit said.
"Behind that rock." Twilightstar said, pointing towards the rock between the Medicine cat den and Nursery.
"Okay." Treespirit said, then ran over to the rock.
"Eagleheart!" Treespirit called through the bramble bush that he knew hid a cave. He had found it accidentally when he was a kit.
Eagleheart crawled through the bramble bush. Treespirit was surprised that he crawled through it so easily.
"What do you want?" Eagleheart asked. He sounded irritated, but the expression on his face showed respect.
"Twilightstar wants us to go hunting." Treespirit said.
"Okay." Eagleheart said.
"Follow me, I know a good place. Though if there is enough prey there to feed the kits, I'll be surprised." Treespirit said, then ran towards the entrance to the camp. He could hear Eagleheart running after him. He leaped up onto the ledge near the place that he was going to. Eagleheart just looked up at him. "I can't jump that high!" Eagleheart complained.
"Apprentices can make this easily." Treespirit said.
"Jumping isn't..." Eagleheart just barely made it onto the ledge, "... One of NightClan's strengths." He finished.
"Do you know how to hunt sand lizards?" Treespirit asked.
"Maybe." Eagleheart said.
"There is a nest over there. Go try to get one." Treespirit said, pointing to a hole in the sand.
"How am I supposed to get them in there?" Eagleheart asked.
"Use your brain. Try to get them out." Treespirit said. Eagleheart walked over to the hole. He brushed a bunch of sand in from the opposite side he was standing in. Several sand lizards scurried right into his paws. Treespirit ran over and helped him kill them.
"I could do it myself!" Eagleheart said angrily.
"It's part of the technique. And anyway.." Treespirit flicked his tail, "It was too many. They would have ran away if I hadn't helped." Treespirit flicked his tail again, "We can't afford to waste any prey."
"Well said." Eagleheart said, then looked around, "Is there another nest around here?" He asked.
"I don't know." Treespirit said.
"Didn't Twilightstar teach you how to sniff?" Eagleheart asked.
"Yes, he did. There might be a nest over there." Treespirit said, pointing towards a small cave in the rock.
Eagleheart walked over to the cave. "The smell of EarthClan is too strong." He commented, tough was still looking into the rock. "Treespirit! Come over here!" He shouted.
Treespirit ran over to the cave. "Look. There are claw marks on the walls, and there is blood on the walls, too." Eagleheart said. He sounded terrified.
"Go get Twilightstar. I'll stay here, in case the cat comes back. There are rogues living on our territory, I'm sure of it." Treespirit said.
Eagleheart didn't respond just respond, just ran off to go get Twilightstar. A few moments after he had left, he heard a shriek of a cat. Instinctively, he ran towards the sound.
He found Eagleheart battling a cat that looked like a rogue. "I'll get Twilightstar!" Treespirit shouted, then ran as fast a he could towards the camp.
"Twilightstar!" He shouted the moment he got into the camp.
"What?" Twilightstar asked calmly.
"Rogues!" he whispered, then motioned with his tail for Twilightstar to follow him.
They got to where Eagleheart was just in time. Twilightstar leaped down from the ledge they were standing on and knocked the rogue of Eagleheart's back, and leaped onto it and pinned it down. Treespirit followed and started clawing at the rogues front legs.
"Who are you and what are you doing on our territory?" Twilightstar spat at the rogue. Treespirit had never seen Twilightstar so angry.
"You're territory? I thought you left." The rogue said.
"Well, we came back! What are you doing on our territory?" Twilightstar asked again.
"I'm living here." The rogue said.
"What makes you think you can just live in our territory?" The anger in Twilightstar's mew was scaring Treespirit.
"Why can't I? You have plenty to go around." The rogue said.
"No, we don't! We were struggling before you came along!" Twilightstar mew was so scathing now that Treespirit jumped back.
Eagleheart crawled over to him.
The rogue flipped Twilightstar over. "Kill me! It won't make any difference! As long as you are taught as lesson!" Twilightstar appeared to have dropped all strategic swipes and was just clawing and biting at whatever part of the rogue he could reach.
"How dare you take from what is ours!" Twilightstar spat at the rogue.
Suddenly, he leaped away from the rogue. The rogue was barely moving.
"Serves him right!" Twilightstar spat. His claws were still unsheathed, and he was breathing hard. Treespirit just stared at Twilightstar in terror. Was his leader really this dangerous?
"We have to go back and warn the clan." Twilightstar appeared to have calmed down, and his claws were sheathed.
When they got back to the camp, Twilightstar immediately leaped onto the Moonlit-Stone. "Come here!" Twilightstar shouted. Cats immediately gathered to see what he had to say.
"Eaglestar, or Eagleheart now, ran into some rogues. The rogue is now dead, but NO CAT is to leave the camp unless they are in a group of three and at least two of them are warriors! Training will be done in the camp. If you are hunting, there must be at least two warriors watching to make sure you don't get attacked. We will strengthen the wall around our camp." Twilightstar said.
"Wouldn't it make more sense to go find a cave? It would be easier to defend." Eagleheart said.
"Yes, it would. We will go find it now. Treespirit, I want you to carry the kits. I know where one is. It should be big enough for us." Twilightstar leaped off of the Moonlit-Stone and walked over to Ivymist. Treespirit walked over to hear what he was saying.
"Take your herbs with you. We don't have time to gather any more." Twilightstar said.
"I'll ask Endlessheart and Echobreeze to help me carry them." Ivymist said.
Twilightstar turned around and looked at Treespirit. "Get the kits!" He said. Twilightstar walked to the entrance to the camp, and Treespirit walked over to the nursery.
"Echokit, Earthkit, Flowerkit, Cloverkit, and Thunderkit, hop on to Treespirit's back." Dawnsight said. The kits immediately did as they were told. Treespirit could feel their tiny claws digging into his pelt. He walked over to the entrance to the camp. Once all the cats were gathered by the entrance to the camp, Twilightstar started walking.
Eventually, they got to a cave. It had a small entrance that treespirit just barely fit through. Once all the cats were in the cave, Twilightstar looked around. "Venomgaze! Do you see that rock over there?" Twilightstar asked.
"Yes." Vanomgaze said.
"Move it over by the entrance. We will use it to block the entrance tonight. I am not taking any risks. You over there!" Twilightstar said, pointing to a group of cats, "Go get some bedding! Somebody needs to go hunting, too." Twilightstar said.
"What are you going to do?" Treespirit asked.
"I am going to talk with Eagleheart and you on how to defend this place." Twilightstar said. The cats started leaving the cave in groups to go hunt or get bedding. Eagleheart walked over to where Treespirit and Twilightstar were standing. Treespirit felt the kits leap off his back and start playing.
"You seem to have gotten it under control." Eagleheart said.
"How do you defend the... camp now that it's a cave?" Twilightstar asked.
"You could put brambles outside the rock. It would make it even harder to get in. Also," Eagleheart looked around the cave, that was now the camp, "The kits and apprentices should go in that corner, and there should be brambles around them, like a den. It will protect them. Also, if you put rocks behind the brambles on the inside, it will be even more defensive. The medicine den should be in that corner," Eagleheart said, pointing towards the corner opposite the one he had said the kits and apprentices should go in, "and be defended similarly. The warriors should sleep in that small dip in the center, and also be surrounded like that." Eagleheart finished.
"You see that small indent by the entrance?" Twilightstar asked.
"Yes." Eagleheart said.
"I will sleep there. If our defenses fail, I will be the first to know about it." Twilightstar said.
"Okay. Can I sleep in that indent over there?" Eagleheart asked, pointing to another indent.
"Sure. You can decide whether you want to defend it or not." Twilightstar said, than yowled to the returning patrol, "Gather a lot of rocks and brambles!" The patrol looked confused, but didn't question it as they set down the prey they were carrying in an indent in the floor. Twilightstar turned and looked back at Eagleheart.
"How would you fight in the cave?" Twilightstar asked.
"You would need to prevent yourself from getting cornered." Eagleheart said. He drew the cave with his tail. "For example, if you were stuck in this corner," He said, jabbing his paw at the corner opposite the corner with the entrance in it, "you would want to jump up and corner the enemy there. But considering our defenses, the enemy probably wouldn't be stupid. However," He said, looking around the cave, "they probably would be stupid enough to distract. You could distract them, then jump over them and corner them. You could pin them down if you wanted." Eagleheart finished.
"You know a lot about cave battling." Twilightstar said.
"I should! I spent my most of my life living in one!" Eagleheart said.
"How would you distract them, though?" Treespirit asked.
"If you had two cats, one could hiss at the attacker from behind. The attacker would probably turn around, giving you time to jump out." Eagleheart said. "This is basic stuff." He added.
"Though cave battling in general is advanced, isn't it?" Twilightstar asked.
"No more advanced than open moor battling." Eagleheart said.
"Still taking with that fox-hearted coward?" A cat sneered as they came back from a patrol. It was Lichenfrost
Eagleheart's fur bristled. "Do you want to die? Because without me, you and the clan you think you're defending would be gone!" He shouted at the cat. Treespirit felt Twilightstar tense. Treespirit heard him mutter "It's the truth of those words that hurts me the most." Twilightstar stood up.
"Yes, I am." Twilightstar's voice was strong, almost like a challenge, daring Lichenfrost to go on.
"I wouldn't trust him, if I were you." Lichenfrost said.
"Since when were you leader?" Treespirit asked.
"Never. I just don't trust NightClan." Lichenfrost said.
"Lichenfrost, do you understand how hard it must have been to leave NightClan, when you're a leader?" Twilightstar asked quietly.
"It can't have been hard for this fox-heart!" Lichenfrost said.
"You don't understand. I had five lives left, and I gave them to Shadowstar. Also, Twilightstar trusts me far more than your limited little brain could ever imagine. Why, may I ask, would I be telling secrets about NightClan's battle strategies, if I were spying for them?" Eagleheart asked.
Lichenfrost snorted. "Like those battle strategies actually work!"
"Lichenfrost, you think you are defending the clan. But you're not. These battle strategies are legitimate, just like Eagleheart's loyalty to EarthClan. Sure, it may not be worth mentioning loyalty right now. But I can tell you with utmost certainty that Eagleheart's loyalty lies in EarthClan." Twilightstar said.
"Twilightstar is right. I would never go back to NightClan. I left them with the best leader I could, while my loyalty still lied with them. I would do the same for EarthClan in a heartbeat." Eagleheart said "Would you?" He asked.
"How do you get that much loyalty to a clan that quickly?" Lichenfrost asked, clearly doubting what Eagleheart had said.
Twilightstar and Eagleheart glanced at each other. "I find loyalty to be very easy." Eagleheart said. "Catch a few pieces of prey, and you suddenly understand your importance. It feels more like a responsibility to me, really." Eagleheart held his gaze at Lichenfrost "How do you not?"
"I am loyal to EarthClan!" Lichenfrost said.
"Do you think I would doubt it? I apparently still have to prove my own!" Eagleheart said.
"Lichenfrost, you'd think differently if you knew that the entire way we're defending ourselves here, and the entire reason we are here in the first place, is because of what Eagleheart helped us with. I don't want to hear you questioning his loyalty again. Eagleheart will direct the building process, he understands it better than I do." Twilightstar said. Eagleheart walked over to the returning patrol and started directing them on what to do.
"Treespirit, I want to show you something." Twilightstar said.
"What if a patrol questions us?" Treespirit asked.
"I hope they won't question a leader and a deputy." Twilightstar said. He walked out of the cave. Once they got out of the cave, Twilightstar started running. Treespirit ran after him. His lounges needed air, but he didn't stop running. Eventually, Twilightstar stopped.
"We just have to go through these trees." Twilightstar said, pointing at a wall of trees. He walked through them. Treespirit could suddenly hear a loud roaring noise. "Look." Twilightstar said.
There was a waterfall that flowed into a gorge that had a pool at the end. Twilightstar leaped down into the water. He seemed perfectly calm. Treespirit jumped after him. The cold from the water shocked him, but he swam towards the small shore that Twilightstar was already standing on.
"Do you come here often?" Treespirit asked as he crawled out of the water.
"I used to." Twilightstar answered.
"Why don't you anymore?" Treespirit asked.
"I don't have enough time." Twilightstar said, "And anyway, I don't really need to."
"Need to?" Treespirit asked.
"I came here a lot when Brightleaf died." Twilightstar said, "No one can distract you, and you can get away from things."
"Why did you come here now?" Treespirit asked.
"I wanted to get out of clan territory for a while." Twilightstar said.
"Why? Wouldn't you need to be in clan territory right now?" Treespirit asked.
"By 'a awhile', Treespirit, I meant a few days. It just doesn't seem right, though. I feel like I need to be in that cave, but at the same time, I feel like I need to be far away from it. I need to defend the clan, yet somehow it seems like I always make it worse. The clan needs to trust their clanmates, but if there is a group of cats who trusts Eagleheart and a group who doesn't, there might be infighting, and that's just what we don't need right now." Twilightstar sighed, then sat down and leaned against the rock behind him. Treespirit sat down next to him.
"The clan will trust you, whatever you do. We got through being driven out, and we will survive again. EarthClan is strong, Twilightstar, whatever you might think." Treespirit said.
Twilightstar leaned on Treespirit. "Thank you." He said. Treespirit licked his head, then looked out over the water. The foam from the waterfall still flew out this far, and Treespirit watched the foam disappear. "It's you I should be thanking, Twilightstar. You have taught me so much. I don't know what I would do if I had had a different mentor. Or a different friend, for that matter." Treespirit said.
"I am your friend, aren't I? I guess I should have noticed that. I am glad. I can't imagine a better friend, Treespirit." Twilightstar said.
"We're going to have to do something about these rogues. We can't hide from them forever." Treespirit said.
"You're right. Does it seem like something is wrong with CloudClan to you?" Twilightstar asked.
"I could go see." Treespirit offered.
"I'm going to go to the Big Oak tonight to talk to the other leaders about it. It would be great if you would go do that." Twilightstar said. He stood up. "You'll have to leave now if you want to get back before I leave." Twilightstar said. He leaped up ledges, and Treespirit followed him.
Eventually, they got to the CloudClan border. "Be smart, Treespirit. If it seems like you've gone too far, leave." Twilightstar said.
"Okay." Treespirit said. He walked across the border. He didn't stop to turn around he was following the scent of CloudClan. Eventually, it got very strong. He saw the camp. He hadn't been challenged by any cat yet. He saw what he thought was the leader's den, then crawled stealthily until he was behind it. Through it, he saw Whitestar. "Whitestar!" He called through the wall. Whitestar turned around.
"Treespirit? What are you doing here?" Whitestar sounded more scared than frightening.
"I want to figure out what is wrong with your clan on Twilightstar's orders." Treespirit said.
"Tell Twilightstar that our clan is fine. We just have had a few troubles with rogues." Whitestar said.
"We've had troubles with a rogue. They don't seem very conscious of our borders. Twilightstar is very scared of them; he's brought us to a cave. I don't think these fears are just overreacting. I saw one of their dens. These are dangerous cats, Whitestar. You should go to the Big Oak meeting with Twilightstar and the other leaders. They were going to try to figure out what was wrong with your clan, but I can't imagine we're the only two clans experiencing these problems. The clans might have to unite as one to face them. They might not, but they might be enough of a problem." Treespirit said.
"Okay. I will go. Tell Twilightstar that we are having troubles with rogues, okay?" Whitestar asked.
"Yes. Bye!" Treespirit said. He ran all the way back to the cave, Twilightstar was waiting in the Indent he had said he would sleep in.
"Did you figure out what was wrong with CloudClan?" Twilightstar asked.
"Yes. They are having troubles with rogues, and Whitestar is going to the Big Oak, too." Treespirit reported.
"Thanks." Twilightstar said. He looked at the ground for a second, then looked up. "Treespirit, I need you to go to the Moon-pond. You might as well travel with me to the Big Oak. We should probably leave right now; I want to leave in daylight." Twilightstar said.
Twilightstar lead the way out of the cave. He ran all the way to the Big Oak clearing. "The Moon-Pond entrance is behind the Big Oak." Twilightstar said.
The other three leaders arrived almost at the same time. Treespirit avoided their gazes burning into his pelt and padded to the Moon-Pond entrance. He flinched at the sudden coldness, but padded on. Eventually, a little bit of light filtered through the ceiling. He had gotten to the Moonpond!
He waited until the pond was bathed in light, then touched his nose to the water, which whisked him into sleep.
He woke up in a clearing. There was a cat looking at him through the shadows. It stood up and padded out of the shadows.
"You are looking for answers, aren't you?" The cat asked.
"Yes." Treespirit said.
"Twilightstar made a great warrior out of you. I am Brightleaf, by the way." Brightleaf said.
"Hello." Treespirit said.
"We can't offer the answers you seek, Treespirit. It is outside of our control. You can defeat the rogues. They call themselves DuskClan, by the way. The clans will need the courage of the warriors of all of the clans to defeat the rogues. All I can tell you, Treespirit, is that the only division in the clans must be between those who want what is right for the clans, and those who don't. Please pass this on to the leaders." Brightleaf started to fade, and Treespirit woke up by the Moonpond. He ran out of the cave and into the Big Oak Clearing. He saw the leaders in the center of it. He ran over to them.
"Did they tell you anything?" Willowstar asked. "We have all been having troubles with these rogues."
"They said that the only division in the clans must be between those who want what is right for the clans, and those who don't." Treespirit said.
"Did they tell you anything else?" Willowstar asked.
"No." Treespirit said.
"I think that that message has a fairly obvious meaning." Twilightstar mewed.
"What?" Willowstar asked.
"The only way that there could only be one division in the clans is if we were all one clan." Twilightstar said.
"I think Twilightstar's right." Whitestar said.
"The clans have united before." Shadowstar said.
"Yes, but where would we go?" Willowstar asked.
"There is a cave that I think is big enough for all of our clans at the bottom of our mountain" Whitestar said.
"Should we come here at Sun-high or something?" Twilightstar asked.
"Right now. No point in putting it off. Bring your herbs with you, and if you can, bring your fresh-kill and some bedding, too." Willowstar said.
All three leaders nodded, then ran off towards their corresponding camps.
The minute Twilightstar got into the cave, he yowled "Come here!"
The cats immediately woke up and gathered by Twilightstar. "We are moving again. Grab bedding and fresh-kill. Ivymist, grab your herbs. Treespirit, carry the kits again. Somebody take some brambles!" Twilightstar yowled.
The kits immediately ran over to Treespirit and jumped on his back. All the cats were gathered at the entrance very quickly.
Treespirit lead the way down to the Big Oak Clearing. When they got there, NightClan was already there, along with RainClan. Treespirit smelled CloudClan walk into the clearing. "Follow us!" Whitestar shouted.
Eventually a cave came into view. Whitestar ran into it, followed by the cats of all the other clans. CloudClan set down the fresh-kill they had brought with them in small indent in the floor. The other cats who were carrying fresh-kill set it down in the same pile The leaders jumped on to a small rock in the back of the cave.
"Cats of the Mountain Clans!" Twilightstar yowled.
The cats looked up at the rock. " We are here because it is the easiest way to defend ourselves." Willowstar said.
"The kits and apprentices will go in that corner, along with the medicine cats. The warrior can go right there," Whitestar pointed to an indent in the cave wall that that had a dip in it, "And we will sleep right there." Whitestar pointed to an indent somewhat close to the entrance,
"Shadowstar and Eagleheart will organize the building of this place." Willowstar said, "It only makes sense."
"Eagleheart will, actually. I would like to discuss cave battling with the leaders and deputies." Shadowstar said, "We'll need to know how to defend ourselves here, and at this point, I couldn't care less about keeping our battle strategies secret. What use would our battle strategies be if we never got to use them?" Shadowstar said. The leaders lept down, and Treespirit walked over to where the leaders were. He recognized Shadedclaw, the NightClan deputy, Ledgefur, the CloudClan deputy, and Fishfur, the Rainclan deputy.
Shadowstar drew a drawing of the cave in the floor with her tail. "Cave battling is simply avoiding getting cornered while trying to corner your opponent." Shadowstar said. "You cave battle with two cats. If one of you gets cornered, the other can distract your opponent so you can jump out and corner your opponent." Shadowstar looked up at the ceiling. "This is a medium roofed cave. It's not too high, but it allows room for most battle techniques. Also, this cave has a rough edge, which is perfect for climbing, if you know how." Shadowstar said.
"Do you think climbing is that simple?" Willowstar asked.
"Yes." Shadowstar said.
The conversation continued for a while. "Treespirit, can I ask you something?" Twilightstar asked as the meeting broke up because the nests had been built.
"Sure." Treespirit said.
"Who did you talk to in StarClan?" Twilightstar asked.
"Brightleaf." Treespirit said.
"Really?" Twilightstar asked.
"Do you think I would lie? I know how important Brightleaf was... no, is, to you." Treespirit said.
"Go get some sleep. We've been up for a while." Twilightstar said.
"Okay." Treespirit was grateful for the chance to sleep. When he curled up in his nest, he fell asleep very quickly.
He woke up to the sound of other cats stirring. He got up and padded over to the fresh-kill pile. He found a sand lizard, and settled down by a small rock. A cat padded over to him. "Are sand lizards good?" The cat asked. Treespirit picked up her CloudClan scent. "I think so. Who are you, anyway?" He asked.
"Meadowpaw. Can I try some?" Meadowpaw asked.
"There should still be some in the pile." Treespirit said.
"They won't let me take any. I tried to take one, and a cat almost had my ears." Meadowpaw said.
"Well, I won't claw you. Here, try some." Treespirit said, pushing the sand lizard towards her. Treespirit got up and walked over to Twilightstar. "Is there anything I should do?" Treespirit asked.
Twilightstar look at Treespirit. "I was watching you. I don't think think there is, though." Twilightstar said.
"Why were you watching me?" Treespirit asked. He tried to hide the anxiety that he felt that Twilightstar had been watching him. He didn't like Meadowpaw, but he didn't want Twilightstar to think he did.
"I was bored. Be careful where you put your paws, Treespirit." Twilightstar said.
"Why?" Treespirit asked.
"It may have just been a friendly offering, but that could become much more. That sand lizard could cause terror you never imagined." Twilightstar said.
"I won't break the warrior code." Treespirit said.
"Oh yes, I know. It won't break the warrior code. But the other clans might think it does." Twilightstar said.
"Okay. Thanks for warning me." Treespirit said.
"Don't put your paws in water you can't swim in." Twilightstar said. "If you think you can swim, then I won't judge you. I won't judge you anyway." Twilightstar said.
"I don't-" Twilightstar cut him off, "You will, trust me." Twilightstar said.
NO! I've been entranced by the forbidded love gimmick! Or the cross-clan love gimmick...
Anyway, yes, I know. The clans are untited and living together in a cave. NOTHING is could possibly go wrong... Or could it?