Manglethorn slipped out of camp.

Mud puddle. Where would mud be? Mud puddle. Manglethorn hissed as his hind paw snagged a thorn, and he shook out his hind leg.

Mud puddles are near water, Maggottail replied. If you want to go disguised without ThunderClan scent shining on your pelt, disguise everything, including your pelt color. Maggottail materialized in front of him, a faint pale spirit among the quiet, flashing forest.

Let me lead you to a mud puddle, he meowed and left tail. Manglethorn followed the pale figure, his paws crunching dead leaves that were lining the ground. Keep quiet! Maggottail hissed at Manglethorn, eyeing the leaves Manglethorn stepped on. They were now splayed out on the ground, tattered-looking and obvious.

Manglethorn hissed back, rage bubbling in his usually well-controlled mind. "I'm now deputy," he meowed. "And I'm not supposed to leave camp like this." I helped you become deputy! Maggottail spat. You wanted to become leader so badly! You never even thanked me! "Thank you very much, then," Manglethorn growled. Maggottail snorted disgustedly and continued trotting. Manglethorn followed behind him.

The words flashed in Manglethorn's head again. As much as he loathed the thought of taking the risk of doing it, he had to be reminded over and over again of what it is and what he's supposed to do.

Bring a ShadowClan patrol to WindClan. Accuse WindClan.

—.—

The night was so quiet Manglethorn could feel the rush of leaves as they dropped from the towering oaks and fluttered to the forest floor. The moon was nearly entirely covered by ghastly clouds, and only a few warriors of StarClan shone in Silverpelt. The trees were black in the darkness, outlined in dark green of the faint light the moon shone through the clouds onto the forest, and some crows squawked in the distance. Everything was shrouded in darkness, as if a large blanket of darkness have engulfed the familiar forest; Manglethorn licked his muzzle silently as he trotted past the hard, crunchy leaf-fall leaves. Against the dark blue sky, a spirit seemed to watch Manglethorn with strained eyes. Maggottail slithered past the dark trees, barely making a sound. His legs were twin wisps of cloud behind him; Manglethorn found it hard to follow the old spirit when he was so pale and faint for him to see.

He made his pawsteps light as he swerved past tall ferns and bushes that would make loud sounds. Prey were all asleep in their dens in such a quiet night. Manglethorn felt the wind as Maggottail stopped by a gurgling pile of mud, black-and-brown, dirty and stinky in front of Manglethorn. Manglethorn wrinkled his nose and flinched away.

"That," he meowed. "Is disgusting."

Mud, Maggottail rasped. Roll in it.

"I'm not sure if ShadowClan cats could even see my white pelt in such darkness," Manglethorn said. "But okay…sure." If that's what I have to do, which doesn't look pleasurable at all.

He closed his eyes and slowly walked into the soft, sticky mud. He held his breath as he rolled, almost flinching as the disgusting liquid stuck to his skin and made his fur stick up in clumps. Make sure you're completely disguised, Maggottail ordered. If any of the patrols from each Clan recognized even a trace of ThunderClan scent, you're dead for sure.

"Yes, yes, I know," Manglethorn gritted his teeth as he jumped out of the dripping brown goo. "How am I ever going to return to camp like this?" Catch a mouse and dump it in mud when you return, Maggottail replied. They'll think you went out hunting and accidentally jumped into mud trying to catch the mouse. "Um, great idea," Manglethorn remarked, and then turned to face the pale brown elder. "What now? There won't be patrols up this late, and I can't just sneak into ShadowClan camp to lure a bunch of cats outside into WindClan territory." You wait at ShadowClan border until a patrol comes during dawn, Maggottail replied.

Manglethorn swerved his ears. "Okay," He meowed. "Though I don't get why I have to stay up so late trying to roll in mud…"

Wake up, Manglethorn! Maggottail yowled. Manglethorn blinked his eyes open, his head drowsy with sleep. The sun was barely up, and the mud on his pelt have almost dried. His fur felt like a cat just dumped a thousand pounds of dung on it. Maggottail whisked his tail over Manglethorn's head, motioning him with his paw. I've scouted as far as the ShadowClan camp, Maggottail meowed. The first patrol was about to come, so prepare.

Manglethorn jumped up and shook his pelt. Mud flew everywhere, and Maggottail wrinkled his old nose. Roll in more mud! he grunted. Just in case. You shook off almost all the mud you rolled in yesterday!

Soon ShadowClan scent started nearing the two cats. Manglethorn took a deep breath. What's ThunderClan doing right now? He thought. What if our first patrol was already out, too? He desperately wanted to wash off all the mud, just to shake off the disgusting and uncomfortably heavy feeling ff his shoulders that would certainly weigh him down in the mission, but he was about to begin his second deadly task that would most likely just kill him. It's probably all just part of Maggottail's mysterious plan, anyways.

I just have to wait... he ducked to the nearest bush when he heard the voices of the ShadowClan cats. He made himself as hidden as possible, despite the stench shining in his pelt. "I'm so tired..." a voice appeared a few fox-lengths away. "Ashstar made us wake up so early!"

Manglethorn didn't move an inch of muscle. The cats drew closer. "Marigoldstem, I swear I smelled something," a younger-sounding voice stopped to listen. Manglethorn stiffened. Two more ShadowClan cats padded in front of the first three and sniffed the air.

"That was smelled some stench," one cat growled. Manglethorn shut his eyes tight and braced himself. The young cat burst forward and yowled, "Show yourself!" "Silverhawk, don't get too excited," a she-cat said. "You've just been made a warrior, and you shouldn't be this hyper in your first warrior patrol. That was totally unnecessary."

Now is your chance! Maggottail yowled, and he disappeared into thin air. Manglethorn strained his eyes and narrowed his ears. When Silverhawk turned to face him, he stuck his tail out of the bush. "Hey!" Silverhawk called. All the patrolling cats turned to face him, and Manglethorn leapt out. Yowling loudly, he started running as fast as he could manage.

"What are you doing?" Silverhawk shouted and started giving chase immediately. He leaped in powerful strokes, and Manglethorn already knew this cat would catch up any time. Powerful muscles rippled beneath the silver tom's pelt, and he accelerated in a lurch that almost caught Manglethorn's swerving tail.

Manglethorn crashed through the undergrowth, heading towards the WindClan border, wherever that direction is. But Silverhawk was fast. Once or twice he could feel claws on his tail, but he always accelerated just enough to escape Silverhawk. "Get back here!" Silverhawk screeched, his silver fur bushed out and bristling. "You trespassing rogue!"

I'm ThunderClan deputy! Manglethorn thought fiercely and whirled around. Silverhawk nearly crashed on the tree in front of him as Manglethorn tore away from his trail. He swerved past the confused silver tom and continued running in a different direction. He gasped and gulped in as much air as possible as Silverhawk became alert again and shot his sharp gaze towards him. Wind soared past his ears and Maggottail's laugh could be heard distantly.

Silverhawk turned around with the speed of a WindClan cat, hissing, his eyes blazing with icy blue fire. Manglethorn begun panting. He could hear the other ShadowClan cats coming up. Go! Go! Maggottail shrieked. He brushed past skin-piercing pine needles of ShadowClan territory and nearly smashed into the trunk of a pine tree. He swerved past a towering boulder with moss growing all over and ignored the searing pain in his paws as he stepped on a thorn. He could hear the panting of Silverhawk behind him, who was screeching "Intruder!"

Heart racing, he shot straight into a bush. Silverhawk slowed down and headed straight into the bush Manglethorn's hiding in. "I saw you!" He snarled, and Manglethorn unsheathed his claws. Through a shrieking whirl of claws and teeth he could see the other ShadowClan cats closing in. Silverhawk swiped him hard on his head and he was shocked by the force of the swift tom's blow. He staggered backwards and started running away, his head dazed. "Don't let him escape!" Marigoldstem yowled behind the two cats, and Silverhawk leapt out of the bush, giving chase again.

Through the blood in his eyes, Manglethorn could see the faraway moorland coming up. He flattened his ears and accelerated past all his limits.

For my destiny! His mind screamed.

Manglethorn burst into the open moorland. He had no cover here. All the cats could see that he was a muddy cat in disguise, but nobody would know who he is. Silverhawk zoomed past the border like an eagle and screeched into a halt. Panting, he looked around. Manglethorn hoped that the tall grasses could hide him and he could have a rest, but Silverhawk spotted him again in less than a heartbeat.

"You!" He screeched, and gave chase yet again. Manglethorn desperately wanted to rest but still ran for his life. Good job! Maggottail praised. The sun seemed to be finally rising, but Manglethorn felt like it would be his last sunrise. He was panting hard, and his vision was darkening with colorful spots dancing around his eyes.

"Stop there!"

He could still hear the ShadowClan warrior's demand, ringing behind him like a loud call to StarClan.

In your dreams! Manglethorn thought, and WindClan stench hit his nose. Rabbits scuttled away in fear as he passed them, and for the first time ever Manglethorn was delighted seeing a WindClan patrol coming from far, far away. Silverhawk was slowing down already, and the other ShadowClan cats were still many fox-lengths behind the silver warrior.

Manglethorn saw a rabbit hole close by and leapt into the wounding, dirty tunnel, despite the horrifying rabbit-dropping stench. He shut his jaws tight so Silverhawk wouldn't be able to hear his hard panting. His lungs screamed in protest as he tried to hold his breath, and he kept his panting as quiet as possible despite the agony it caused. His paws ached and he was sure one of them were broken and bleeding. One side of his face was torn by Silverhawk's thorn-sharp claws. He felt like curling up in the warm dens of ThunderClan and breathing in the soft scent of his mate Applewing, but here he is now in the swarm of mess and commotion.

Very soon after, he could hear the confused yowls of the WindClan cats and the surprised shriek of Silverhawk.