Chapter Ten
Soon the next morning everyone was on their way back to the valley. Stormflower and Grasswhisker each carried a kit, and they walked in pairs. Wild and Cloverpaw in front Grasswhisker and her mate in the middle, and Pebble and Willow bringing up the rear.
Wild was amused at the city cat's reactions the the forest, they found each flower wonderful, and each tree a mystery. After walking a while the cat's stopped at sunhigh. Both the kit's were snuggled against their mother despite the heat, and the other cat's where fawning over them. Wild looked at the scene for a minute and then left to go hunt, know that the cat's would be hungry. After hunting a rabbit and a bird wild walked back to the group her mouth full. Than tensed upon smelling unfamiliar cats.
She prowled towards the clearing to see everyone except for Cloverpaw surrounded by a group of six cats. Than Wild noticed the leader. He was a tan brown cat with dark brown tips, the one Grasswhisker had told them about. The said tom was talking to Grasswhisker in a low voice, and ild couldn't make out what he was saying, Stormflower was huddled around her kits and Willow and Pebble were on either side of her.
Wild racked her brain for a solution to this problem she couldn't just run in there, nor could she distract all the cat's at once. Than she knew what she had to do. Carefully she slunk up on the leader readied herself and the pounched. The tom yowled in surprise and the other cat's tensed. Suddenly to Wild's shock the cat flipped her off of him and into the ring of cat's. "Hmm what's this Grasswhisker. A pitiful attempt to escape. Silly you noone tresspasess on PineClan's land twice and get's away with it!" "P-please" Grasswhisker begged "You've toyed with us enough just let us go."
"Enough? Oh hardly. You know what the price is after we let you live last time." Grasswhisker sobbed as a black tom and a grey she-cat yanked Stormflower up and each grabbed one kit, and presented them to the leader.
"Hmm such fine kits. I wonder which one I should take." "No. please" cried Stormflower. "You put those kits down right now" said Wild through gritted teeth "just who do you think you are anyway. "Well since you asked, my name is Duskshade I'm the deputy of PineClan whose territory you're on. Personality I think it's best for Grasswhisker to explain the rules."
Wild turned to a shaking Grasswhisker whos said "Th-the first time we came here they said that that the price for trespassing is… a life!" "Yes" said Duskshade "We let you off easy that time but now we will be taking one of these fine kits. Don't worry we have some excellent queens in PineClan. Or I might be lining my nest with kitten fur." He chuckled. Then the bush's rustled and a tortoiseshell she-cat leaped on them to pull out a struggling Cloverpaw.
Duskshade looked surprised to she her, but managed to get his expression make to mild amusement. Saying "Cloverpaw what a surprise to see you here, we all thought you were dead. Well you will be dead after Ravanstar get's her claws on you." As Cloverpaw stiffened and snapped at him he turned back to Wild and said "I'll make a deal with you. If you give us the apprentice then we will let your group go free."
Wild looked at Cloverpaw, than at the kits then back to her group. "Can we talk it over?" she asked "Fine" said Duskwater "But make it quick." Wild huddled the group together and begin to whisper to them, they all nodded unsure.
Then Wild approached Duskshade "We have our answer. We will give you...NOBODY" She screeched at the top of her lung, and before Duskshade had time to react she leaped on top of them the other cat's doing the same to the cat's holding their friends. Quickly the group picked up the kits and ran for their lives in the confusion. Then Duskshade shouted out "Idiots! They're getting away!" enraged PineClan gave group ran harder than they had ever run before. Finally after they had crossed a stream they managed to lose their pursuers.
As the cat's heaved they walked back in silence. Wild still thinking about what Duskshade had said about Cloverpaw.