finally, a new chapter...
A black cat leaped cooly from her spot onto top of a dusty dresser. She had beautiful golden eyes, flecks of green sparkled inside of them, making them the most brilliant eyes the clan cats had ever seen. She was lithe, but strong, not at all small. Tabs and the others watched curiously as the two looked at each other in silence. A small smirk tugged at Bane's lips.
"Long time no see, eh, Rusty?" Bane purred lightly.
"Firestar." The Thunderclan leader corrected her stiffly. He turned to see Princess watching him, her eyes filled with sympathy. He looked past Bane, trying not to look into her mesmerizing eyes. "Tabs, the reason we came it because we want to know about the wild cats on this side of town."
'Wild cats?" Tabs asked. He was confused, but he wanted to know why the orange tom wanted to know about them. "Those mangy things? Wild cats don't fit my taste, north, south, east or west. I just don't like them."
He could here Dustpelt growl lowly under his breath. He signaled with a slight flick of his ear, not about to start a fight. They might be trained, but the five of them could not take on this clan of cats by themselves. He sighed but he would not wait.
"I know about the wild cats." Said Bane suddenly. She sat down slowly, still trying to catch his eye. "I've got some friends who work as sort of double agents, you could say. They know of the clan's deeds, stealing cats, killing cats, plotting new ways to take over territory. They do the best they can to save others. Supposedly there is a new female, my friends Storm, Shadow and a few others are trying to help her out. But it's obvious she's suspicious."
"New female? What is her name?" Firestar asked quickly, eager to know if this was Leo Ginger.
"Can't remember." She admitted with a sigh. "But I'll take you too them, they might be able to help you out."
"Alright." Said Firestar dejectedly. He really didn't want to travel with Bane right now. "Princess, thank you, but I think we should take it from here now."
"Hold on there." Tabs said, suddenly getting up. "This female sounds important to you? Your mate perhaps?"
"No." Answered Firestar. He could see Bane's eyes twinkle out of the corner of his eye."I do have a mate, her name is Sandstorm. But this female is different, she saved my life once and she and her friends have done so much to help out my...family."
He couldn't say clan. These cats would be appalled if they found out that their beloved friend had joined the disliked forest cats. Tabs was silent for a moment before speaking.
"Then we'll go with you. Not me, though. Sadly I been neglectin' me self." He sighed. He looked to Sugar and Cream. "Round up some cats. Bane go with them, you know a little more about the size of this clan than we do."
Bane nodded and set off after Cream and Sugar. She cast an almost seductive smile Firestar's way, making the orange tom very uncomfortable. Tabs sighed and shook his head as the cats disappeared. He leaned over to Firestar.
"I'd watch yourself with that one. Ever since yer was little, that queen's been after ya. Seein' yer now she'll be on you faster than you can say, catnip." Tabs advised truthfully.
"Sandstorm, where could they be?" Sighed Graystripe as he paced in front of High Rock. Sandstorm was the appointed 'Deputy' now that he was playing leader while Firestar was gone. "How long did he say he was going?"
"He said he'd probably be gone most of the night." Sandstorm said for the millionth time. "Come off it Graystripe, they are fine."
"I know. I know. But I can't stop thinking about it." Graystripe was usually too much of a worrier. But just the thought of five of his clanmates wandering around a two legged village was scary, and made him feel slightly sick. "All this for two foreign cats?"
"You know that's wrong Graystripe." Snorted Sandstorm. "Leo Ginger saved Firestar, helped bring back more prey than we could ever imagine and fought for us against Riverclan fiercely."
"I suppose." Growled Graystripe. He stopped pacing and looked around the darkening camp. "Help me organize a patrol would ya? I need to hunt so that I can get this off my mind. I can check on my kits if they are by the river hopefully."
"Fine, fine." She sighed. "Go ahead you stupid furball. She trotted off in the direction of the warrior's den. Spotting Mousefur waiting for instructions."
Leafpaw watched her mother and the deputy head off in separate directions. Cinderpelt told her to take a break and eat something, but alas she was not tired or hungry at all. Just worried. About her father, her sister and Leo Ginger. The dark tabby she-cat watched as some kittens played around innocently. They'd be apprentance soon after the next gathering, she knew they were in danger now. With so many kits, other clans would be easily jealous. Riverclan's main target had been the Nursery after all.
"Give it up Tigerclaw!" Yowled Larchkit as she held down Stripekit. The struggling young tabby, pushed with his back legs, trying to push Larchkit off.
"Never, Firestar!" He hissed playfully, eyes narrowed. He threw Larchkit off, but the female just smiled gleefully and yowled. "Thunderclan attack!"
The rest of Orangepelt's litter and Ferncloud's litter came bolting forward crashing into Stripekit as he disappeared under the mass of writhing, laughing kits. Things seemed to happy and carefree too them. Just wait, they'd see.
Leafpaw sighed, with one last glance at the playing kits. She turned and stalked back over to the Medicine Cat's den.
"This is the border of King Hawk's lands." Bane said as she padded through the grasses. "They don't come out this far usually, the paths through the grass doesn't stretch this far, you could easily get lost."
The clan cats and the 'wild' cats were traveling around the border, looking for a place which Bane called the Stone Ditch. Supposedly that was where she met with the double agents of the Silent Moon Tribe. Bane stopped, sniffing the air before bounding forward and padding silently into a dark space between two large gray stones. Firestar watched as she disappeared into the dark hole. Shaking his head, he slipped in after him. The others following.
It was dark, but not pitch dark. He was following a narrow path, it seemed to be for a long time before them came to lighted room. Firestar could see on one side there was hole that led up into the daylight. There were two other trails, but they were dark as the one they'd just traveled through.
He looked at Bane and she smirked at him, her eyes narrowed slightly. He glared and turned, watching as the clan cats sat together, completely unfamiliar with these surroundings. The others seemed to be more comfortable, being able to adjust to so many different things. He couldn't help but slightly envy them.
"They are coming." Bane said suddenly.
From a dark tunnel slipped two cats quickly. First was a dark gray tom with strange silver stripes. His blazing eyes looked at them as he nodded to the cat next to him, a black she-cat with white markings. The she-cat watched them for a while before nodding at the darkness in the cave. Out stepped a beautiful feline.
"Leo Ginger!" Orangepelt sighed in relief as she bounded over to her friend. Nuzzling the ginger and white she-cat she looked over to the others. Mission accomplished.
"Leo Ginger, it's good to know your safe and alive." Murmured Firestar as he dipped his head.. He then turned to Storm, the gray tom and Shadow, the black and white tom. "Thank you for bringing her, but how did you know?"
"A little birdie told us." Shadow shrugged. "Leo Ginger said she felt that she needed to come down here. We were reluctant, but now we're glad we agreed."
"Thank you." Leo Ginger turned to Storm and Shadow. "Thank you so much."
"Eh, should we be going?" Squirrlepaw pipped up. "Can't the rest of the clan follow your scent or something?"
"Oh, oh yes." Shadow said quickly. "Usually they dismiss this place because they think a badger or something lives inside, but with Leo Ginger gone, they'll stop at nothing to find her."
"Then let's go." Dustpelt said getting up. Flicking his tail he stalked away through the darkness. Brambleclaw following. The others cats also go up and quickly padded after them, failing to hear the wailing coming from the other tunnel.
Sandstorm, Mousefur, Spiderpaw and Darkclaw crept along the border between Riverclan and Thunderclan. They'd been keeping a close watch out for any signs of Riverclan attacking, but so far everything had been quiet.
"Sandstorm! Sandstorm!" Yowled a desperate voice. Shrewpaw crashed into the clearing, his amber eyes wide with shock. "Sandstorm! Shadowclan and Riverclan are attacking the camp!"
"What?" Sandstorm hissed. Her fur bristled, she should've known that Riverclan would enlist Shadowclan's help. Windclan wouldn't do it and Thunderclan had already proved to be too strong for Riverclan along. "Come on!"
None of the cat's hesitated as they raced like lightening through the forest and toward their camp. Screams and yowls could be heard as they dashed inside, leaping into the brawl.
A new installment. I've been busy, but I haven't abandoned my story. As you can see its starting to come to an end, but dun worry, I've got something else in the works. don't forget! R/R