Welcome back and enter the bad guy! See if you recognize him!
Warriors belongs to Erin Hunter
Cats belong to me
Quailpaw scrunched up his nose in disgust when he smelled the dog's gruesome breath. The young apprentice had no idea where the gray and white mutt was taking him, but as far as Quailpaw knew they were long gone from WaterfallClan territory.
I just hope we're almost there…to wherever we're going.
The young cat's scruff was aching from the dog's grasp and he had long ago stopped struggling.
By now, the dog had slowed its pace and glanced warily behind him. There was no animal in sight. The dog let out a slight whimper and then resumed his walking.
"Uh…where are we going?" Quailpaw asked.
Why did I just do that? Everyone knows that dogs can't speak!
The dog let out a series of short yips and whimpers which it considered an answer as they neared a large sycamore tree. The dog gently placed Quailpaw down beside it and took a few pawsteps back. The mutt let out a yip and hanged its tongue out while wagging its tail.
"He says 'hello'," a voice from behind Quailpaw explained. The pale gray tabby apprenticed nearly leapt out of his fur as he quickly spun around. A black and white tom with clear golden eyes stared at him.
"The dog," the tom explained further and nodded towards the gray and white mutt. "He says 'hello'."
"How…How do you know that?" Quailpaw stuttered.
"I understand and speak dog," the tom simply stated, and then gave a frown. "Aren't you going to say 'hello' back?"
Quailpaw glanced back at the mutt, who was still panting and wagging its tail. "Uh…hello?"
The dog let out a happy yelp.
"What did he say?" Quailpaw asked and turned back to the mysterious tom.
"He didn't say anything," the tom explained. "He just barked."
Quailpaw gave the tom a strange look. "Who…Who are you?"
"You can call me Ink," the black and white tom meowed. He motioned towards the mutt behind Quailpaw. "That's Jonas."
Jonas let out a bark.
Ink stifled a purr. "He says 'hello' once more."
"How did you learn dog?" Quailpaw asked, his curiosity getting the best out of him.
"I was raised by dogs and I quickly learned their language before I learned cat," Ink explained and glanced at the woods. "The others should arrive soon."
"Why…why did you bring me here?" Quailpaw inquired, trying to sound as brave as his father.
"I brought you here to rescue you," Ink meowed. "You'll be staying with the pack in the meantime."
"What do you mean by rescue?" Quailpaw questioned. "What's going to happen to WaterfallClan?"
"You ask a lot of questions," Ink gently growled. "How about I ask the questions this time? I promise I'll answer yours after you answer mine."
Quailpaw thought for a moment. "Oh…alright."
Ink nodded. "Alright…tell me about your Clan; who are its leaders and strongest cats?"
Quailpaw gave Ink an odd look and was about to ask him why, when the white and black tom raised a white paw.
"Ah, ah, ah!" Ink sneered. "We had a deal."
Quailpaw snorted and then thought for a moment.
It's not like I have any better ideas…but will I really betray my Clan? I must know this cats plan…so I must abide to his wishes.
"Goldenstar is our leader," Quailpaw begrudgingly answered, "he most likely our strongest warrior. Moonshadow is his second-in-command, and for strongest warriors…I'll have to say the senior warriors: Pineheart, Nightstrike, Ryeleaf and Cliffjumper are pretty strong. Otterwhisker and Mousethorn strong as well."
"What do they look like?" Ink pressed, his clear golden eyes gleaming.
"Goldenstar is a golden tabby, Moonshadow is a dark gray tom with black stripes, Pineheart is a dark brown tom, Nightstrike is a black tom with a white back, Ryeleaf is a pale brown tabby, Cliffjumper is a dark ginger tabby, Otterwhisker is a ginger tabby and white she-cat, and Mousethorn is a dark brown and ginger tom." Quailpaw sighed. He had a sinking feeling in his heart.
Ink nodded. "Thank you," he sighed.
"Now," Quailpaw began. "What do you plan to do to WaterfallClan?"
Before Ink could reply, several more dogs appeared and they shoved four cats forward. The proud warriors groveled at the sight of the mutts and the dogs gave threatening growls.
"Auburnwhisker, Reedleg, Tallstalk, and Moonshine!" Quailpaw gaped.
"Quailpaw, you're alive!" Moonshine purred.
"We feared the worst!" Splashheart added.
A silver and black mutt barked something to Ink, who merely nodded.
"Chip tells me that Goldenstar sent spies," Ink calmly meowed to his audience. He padded forward to the group of cats and starred directly at them. "I shall release you for now, only because I need you to take back a message for me. Tell Goldenstar to meet me on top of the cliffs for territory rights in two sunrises."
"Why do you want our territory?" Tallstalk growled.
Ink shook his head and glanced at Quailpaw. "Do all Clan cats ask so many questions?" He didn't give the apprentice time to respond and turned back towards his prisoners. "Who shall the lucky cats that get to return home be?" He scrutinized the wary warriors until his bright eyes landed on Reedleg and Splashheart. "You are the lucky cats, apparently. Now get up."
The dark, almost black, tom shakily got on his four paws and trembled in his pelt. His sister, the mottled gray and ginger she-cat, trembled next to her brother with wide amber eyes.
Ink flashed his black tail. "Now get a move on! I want Goldenstar to be prepared. And don't worry about your fellow cats; they'll be taken care of."
The two littermates gulped and quickly dashed off as fast as their paws could carry them into the direction of camp.
Ink simply watched them go and then he smiled. "How many cats does it take to deliver a message?"
The black and silver dog let out a bark and quickly dashed off into the direction of the fleeing cats.
"Leave Reedleg and Splashheart alone!" Tallstalk threatened and let out a hiss.
Ink did not respond and simply stared into the woods. He let out a grunt of satisfaction when a loud yelp was heard along with the sounds of a mournful cry. A few heartbeats later, the dog came back and licked the blood off of his lips with his long tongue.
"Now," Ink went on and turned towards Quailpaw. "Where were we?"