Chapter Three
It was morning for all the Clans, and in SpringClan, a dawn patrol was just about to leave camp. Poppyfire headed the patrol; the cats joining her were Talonstorm, Falconclaw, and Stormflower. "Hey, Stormflower, we're not going to let the big bad rogues enter our territory, are we?" , called Talonstorm.
"Yeah, now that I think about it, I have been scenting rogues on the neutral territory border. We should tell FrostClan when we have a chance," Stormflower replied.
"I bet those cold, fox-hearted scoundrels already know. They try to make trouble over the smallest things," growled Poppyfire. FrostClan tried to start a battle at the Gathering over how a wondering apprentice entered their territory. FrostClan accused that apprentice of either stealing prey or spying on them.
The patrol wound their way through Crookedtail Pass, which opened up into a wide expanse of trees and grass. After several minutes, the cats crossed into the neutral territory. Rogue scent became increasingly stronger, especially when the patrol neared a little circlet of trees.
"Something about this isn't right," Poppyfire said. The fur on the back of all the cats' necks rose, sensing that something eerie was there with them. Slowly, a group of rogues approached the cats. There were eight, Stormflower noted, outnumbering her patrol two to one.
"I see you have invaded our territory," spoke a built black tom.
"This is neutral territory for the Clans!" , hissed Poppyfire.
"Clans? Oh, those four groups of cats who meet not far from here? Is there more of you?", spoke a built black tom.
"Yes, and if you don't get out of the neutral territory, we will fight!", Falconclaw hissed threateningly.
"Well there, black-white-and-brown one. We wish to live in peace, but in order to survive, we need this land."
"You don't have to fight; you just have to relocate," commented Stormflower. The black tom looked thoughtful for a moment.
"Yes, I suppose you're right, but we like this land the best." The other seven cats formed a band that blocked the border patrol from fleeing. "Attack!" , Poppyfire yelled. There were two cats who stood by and didn't fight, but the rest of the rogues joined the battle.
Two cats took on Poppyfire and Talonstorm; Stormflower had to battle a light ginger tom. The tom looked scrawny and Stormflower probably could beat him, but hunger does make a cat desperate.
The tom lunged at Stormflower, but she dodged him. Stormflower snapped around and rolled on her belly. The tom took the bait, and with her powerful forelegs, pushed the enemy off her and onto his back. The ginger tom flailed his limbs and gave Stormflower a bad scratch, but not bad enough to fatally injure her.
She dug her two front teeth into the tom's neck, like she was putting a piece of prey out of its misery. A horrid gurgling sound came from the tom, then stopped. Stormflower looked around; all rogues had fled, except the black tom leader and another black tom. Falconclaw stared at her, turning himself to reveal a couple of deep scratches in his side.
"Brother!", howled Stormflower. She ran to Falconclaw and let him lean on her. The two hobbled back to camp.
"I tried to be strong but-but I c-couldn't d-do it," gasped Falconclaw. He winced and breathed heavily as his injured side passed against some ferns.
"Shh….just relax. Everything's going to be okay." The two cats entered the camp slowly, looking for Mistyleaf. The medicine cat was standing in the clearing and turned around.
"What happened?", she gasped.
"We scented rogues in neutral territory, so we went to investigate. Poppyfire's still fighting, and Talonstorm isn't far behind us. A big black tom led the rogues, and he b y far is probably the strongest rogue. I'm worried about Poppyfire."
Vixenstar approached Stormflower, who repeated what she'd just told Mistyleaf to the Clan leader. "Ugh! I hate rogues!", exclaimed Dunepaw.
"Were you listening in on our conversation?", hissed Vixenstar. The mottled ginger apprentice withered at this.
"Yes," he said, hanging his head down in shame.
"Well, I guess we can't keep it in that much longer, if he already knows," Stormflower commented.
Vixenstar sprang up onto Tallpine's biggest branch and yowled a calling to come around the Tallpine. "Clanmates, Clanmates, listen, and listen well. There are dangerous rogues in the neutral territory. No more patrols go near there til I say otherwise!"
"I thought a huntimg patrol just went out towards that area," Hornwing, an elder, spoke up. Vixenstar's face had a worried, aggravated look on it.
"Stormflower, go and get to that patrol now!" Stormflower sprinted out of camp, towards Crookedtail Pass. Eagletalon, Yewstripe, Cloudflower, and Tallminnow heard a panting voice shout, "Stop!"
"Stormflower, what is it?" , quipped Tallminnow.
"There…are…dangerous rogues near….the neutral…territory. Vixenstar said to go hunt somewhere nearer to camp, like Furbald Flats."
"Really? Weren't you in the patrol going to the neutral territory?", Cloudflower asked in her dreamy, faraway voice.
"Yeah, I was." The five SpringClan cats headed back out to the beginning of the pass and parted ways. When back at camp, Stormflower flopped on her side in the warriors' den. She wanted to take a nap. "Wow, I take naps too much," she thought. "I need some rest after that border skirmish, though."
So, the she-cat fell asleep, failing to notice the two new cats in camp later. Poppyfire spat at one of the new cats later, and began ordering them around. After all, those two particular cats certainly deserved it.