Amberpaw saw Cobrafang sitting at the base of the Sunrock, watching Harestar slowly pad up to the edge. The golden apprentice had become wary about the five Clans since the leaf-fall air had become colder.
If the water in ThunderClan and RiverClan territory freezes, then they could start a battle with ShadowClan and WindClan. Or vice-versa. And SolarClan will be caught in between WindClan and ShadowClan...
"All cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather here beneath the Sunrock for a Clan meeting," the leader called. One by one, the cats filtered out of their dens to sit by the fallen deputy, Grassnose. Even though she never really knew her fallen Clanmate, she still held a high amount of respect for him.
"My friend Grassnose has died due to dehydration, and I am sad to say I must appoint a new deputy," Harestar continued. "I say these words before the body of Grassnose, so that his spirit may hear and approve of my choice. Cobrafang will be the new deputy of SolarClan."
As the Clan called the new deputy's name, the pale ginger tom made his way to the front of the Sunrock.
"SolarClan, I am honored to accept the position of Clan deputy. I never expected to gain such a high rank. But by the spirits of Grassnose and StarClan, I vow to serve you as best I can."
As the voices died down, Flameblaze slowly padded through the cats with a small lump of white fur in his jaws. Gently putting the lump on the ground in front of the Sunrock, Flameblaze stepped to the side and Amberpaw recognized the white fur to be a cat!
"Today," Harestar began, "young Daypaw has been bitten by an adder and has unfortunately succumbed. We ask that Daystar takes care of his son in StarClan."
"This is Owlfeather's fault!" came the voice of Dustpaw. "If he was here, he would've been able to prevent Daypaw's death!"
"Quiet Dustpaw," the leader snapped. "It was StarClan's intentions for Daypaw to die. From now on, I want no cat to go near an adder den. Am I clear?"
"Yes Harestar," the Clan meowed at once.
"Meeting dismissed."
As Amberpaw watched the Clan disperse, Swampleaf came up to her with Harestar.
"Swampleaf, has StarClan spoke to you about the whereabouts of Owlfeather?" Harestar asked, sounding scared.
The black medicine cat shook her head. "StarClan has not spoken to me for a moon, my sister. Wherever Owlfeather is, StarClan are watching over him."
Amberpaw got up and went into the medicine den. Looking through the piles of herbs, she spotted some poppy seeds. After grabbing them with her paw, the golden she-cat padded back out of the den and held out the black seeds to her leader. Nodding her thanks, Harestar ate them and purred.
"I should go, a patrol will be heading out soon."
"Goodbye," Swampleaf meowed. Then she turned to her apprentice. "Amberpaw, I want you to check up on Rosefoot while I prepare the mouse bile. Okay?"
The apprentice held her tail high. "Yes Swampleaf," she let out before she walked away.
. . .
"So, what now?" Shadespring asked. The five cats were facing a huge rock pile. Clawdawn leaped onto it, trying to claw her way up but slid back down, some small loose rocks rolling down with her. Owlfeather gripped a rock with his claw and managed to pull himself up.
"Come on," he said. Clawdawn, Shadespring, Voleflight, and Kinktail all climbed up the rocks one by one with the SolarClan cat's help.
They stood in front of a twolegplace, some monsters going by on the Thunderpath.
"Yuck!" Kinktail spat, shaking her head. "The smell burns my nose."
Shadespring rolled her eyes and started padding away, followed by the rest.
"My sister Brightpool taught me how to interpret signs from StarClan," she said, looking at the purple sky, the stars starting to appear.
Clawdawn's eyes widened. "Really?"
The RiverClan warrior gave a flick of her ear in response. A strong smell made Voleflight freeze, and she slowly looked around.
"Umm... Kinktail? Clawdawn? Owlfeather? I think we should run!"
"Oh come on Voleflight!" Clawdawn started. "You can't be-"
The smell hit her nose like a monster on the Thunderpath and she gulped.
A reddish-brown dog-like animal with pointed ears and a bushy tail slowly came out of a bush, snarling. It barked and snarled again.
"Run," Voleflight told her friends. "Run!"
The fox gave chase and the cats ran as fast as they could. Voleflight pushed off with her back legs to scramble up to a ledge.
Clawdawn and Kinktail dug their claws into the bark of a nearby tree and pulled themselves up.
Owlfeather was busy jumping through bushes, trying to lead the creature away.
"Owlfeather!" Voleflight yowled.
"I'm a little busy right now!" the tabby shot back. The SolarClan cat dug his claws into the dirt and skid to a stop. Turning, he sprang at the fox with his claws unsheathed. Clawing at its eyes, the fox yelped as blood splattered on the ground.
Voleflight, Shadespring, Clawdawn, and Kinktail all yowled at once. The WindClan warrior locked her jaws around the fox's leg while Kinktail jumped towards it, twisted in mid-air, then kicked it in the face with her hind legs. Shadespring felt claws rake down her side and yowled. The fox let out a yip and ran back into the bushes.
Owlfeather's sides heaved up and down as he caught his breath.
"That was close!" Clawdawn mewed. She and Owlfeather turned their heads and saw Kinktail licking Shadespring's wound.
"Shadespring! What happened?"
Letting out a painful hiss, the light gray tabby shook her head.
"No... That fox struck me! But I think I'll live."
"Unless your wounds get infected!" Kinktail snapped. Voleflight brushed her tail on the RiverClan warrior's back.
"I'll catch you something to eat Shadespring," Clawdawn offered. The copper eyed she-cat whirled around and ran into the undergrowth.
A few minutes later, the ThunderClan cat returned with a vole in her jaws and dropped it in front of her injured friend.
"We should continue our journey. Are okay to travel?" she asked after Shadespring had gulped down her meal, she nodded. The cats helped her up and walked toward a forest.
Soon, the five cats padded past trees and shrubs, the leaves bare on most of them. The Claw-moon was rising in the golden sky, with stars starting to appear. The crunching of leaves made Owlfeather shake his head. A distant rustle made the Clan cats stop and look around, their fur bristling.
"What was that?" Clawdawn asked.
"Who's there?" demanded Kinktail. "Show yourself!" They heard another rustling sound above them and looked up to see a pair of yellow eyes come out of a clump of leaves on a branch. Another set of eyes, orange this time, belonged to a cat as it slinked out of the leaves as well.
"What in StarClan's name...?" Voleflight breathed.
"Intruders!" the first cat on the branch hissed.
"Good eye Swiftpaw. Attack!" the second cat yowled. The two hurriedly clawed their way down the trunk of the tree.
"Wait!" was all Owlfeather got out before his world went black.