"We'll get caught!"
"No we won't, Mistyflight is sharing prey with Hazelflower!"
"Do you think he looks like Mousestar now?"
"That's what we're trying to figure out, mud-brain!"
"He doesn't look different..."
"Well maybe it takes time, like how we have to wait to be big enough to be apprentices."
"But he's always been small, Icepounce said so."
"If I was leader I'd get a new den. It's so gloomy in here!"
"I'm going to be leader before you!"
"Shhh, we'll get caught."
"I thought you said we won't get caught..."
"We will with you squawking like a duck with a fox biting its neck!"
"Hawkkit's been talking more than me!"
Turtlestar opened his eyes and saw three pairs of little paws standing in front of him. He sat up and watched the kits eyes grow larger with fear as he yawned and scratched his ear.
These were the kits of Mistyflight and Briarstep, who had once been Turtlestar's apprentice seasons before. They were only four moons old, yet they had curiosity equal to any apprentice. The leader was glad they'd decided to use their curiosity to peek into the leader's den instead of sneaking out of camp or trying to climb up the hollow's walls.
"It was their idea." The gray tabby, Cinderkit, mewed timidly.
"Was not!" Her gray and white brother, Foggykit, hissed.
"Please still let us be warriors!" Hawkkit pleaded with his golden brown tabby fur trembling.
The tom had to stifle a mrroww of laughter at the little cat's words. He thought back to his own nursery days with Silverclaw; they'd snuck out the dirtplace tunnel and somehow brought back a huge toad alive since they weren't big enough to finish it. They trapped it in a bunch of pine needles and weeds and put it in the elders den as a gift. They'd hoped to become apprentices early, but they ended up making Hollydapple yowl to StarClan when she settled into her nest and the creature had jumped under her belly. They were then scolded by Brightwhisker in front of the whole Clan.
"You'll still become warriors," He meowed to the kits, whose eyes immediately brightened. "But you must learn to not let curiosity get the better of you, you could put yourself and your Clanmates in danger if you just wander into places. You could meet a hungry badger or a snake."
"I'll shred any snake or badger I meet!" Foggykit proclaimed, standing up on his hind legs and swatting at dust specks floating in the air.
"They won't see you coming," Cinderkit chirped. "They'll think you're a pile of dirty snow!"
Foggykit leapt at his sister, who darted away just in time so her littermate fumbled on some of the roots sticking out from the sides of the den. "That wasn't fair!" The little tom grumbled.
"Real enemies won't just sit still for you to leap on them!" Cinderkit retorted before remembering that the leader of the Clan was present and settled down again. "We're sorry for disturbing you, Turtlestar. It won't happen again...we just wanted to see what you looked like now that you'd gotten nine lives-"
"Foggykit kept meowing about how he thought that you'd turn into Mousestar because you were leader." Hawkkit cut it. "And Cinderkit said he was a mouse-brain for thinking that, so we decided to come look for ourselves since we heard Silverclaw say that you were asleep in your den."
"Well, from now on when you have questions about such things, ask Mistyflight or another one of your Clanmates," Turtlestar stated firmly before nudging Hawkkit and Cinderkit towards the den entrance. "Now you'd best get back to the nursery before Moonbriar forms a search patrol for you!"
With that, Cinderkit and Hawkkit scampered up the sandy swoop under the roots and were quickly followed by Foggykit. Turtlestar chuckled to himself and shook the dust from his pelt before ducking out into the shaded daylight of the camp.
It must have been close to sunhigh, as the pools of sunshine were bright against the dampened earth. Willownose's hunting patrol had brought back a handsome haul. There were several lizards and toads along with some mice and a vole or two, all still scrawny from leaf-bare, but would fill the Clan's bellies all the same.
The kits were now tumbling about their father, Briarstep, mewing about fighting a snake. Mistyflight and Hazelflower watched the scene from a ways away. The gray tabby beamed with amusement at her children, but Hazelflower's gaze still seemed clouded with the grief that had consumed her the night before, making Turtlestar's chest ache with a ripple of grief for their dead leader.
Over a ways, he spied Silverclaw and Foxfang sunning themselves in a patch of moss. Silverclaw was teasing the dark ginger tom with the wiggly tail of the lizard she'd been eating hanging out like a worm from her mouth.
"Stop! We aren't kits anymore!" He protested playfully.
"You certainly can squeal like one!" Silverclaw meowed before chomping down the tail with a coy spark in her eyes.
Over by the warrior's den, Maplestorm was grooming her sickly mate, Rabbitwhisker, who looked skinny but better than he had been in previous days. Leopardpaw was taking over a squirrel to the elder's den, where Icepounce and Grayfall were reminiscing about their younger days in ShadowClan. Talonflight and Nettlepaw were actually looking with somewhat interest at a pair of lizards the apprentice's sister, Acornpaw, had brought to them.
The sight of his Clan at such ease, even after such a horrible season, helping each other and even somehow being cheerful made Turtlestar's heart warm with hope and satisfaction.
"Mousestar is looking at them the same way I'm sure," Birchstrike, a senior warrior, mewed as he came over to Turtlestar. "Newleaf will make all of this suffering seem worth the pain somehow."
He nodded to the older tom. "How are you feeling?" Mousestar had been the tom's father and the two had always been very close.
Birchstrike sighed softly and puffed out his scruff like a chill had come over him. "Change is never easy... I know it was hard for you to bury Brightwhisker when she joined StarClan. Mousestar served his Clan until his last breathe, and I can only hope to live my life the same way."
Turtlestar mewed in agreement as the two toms walked over to the fresh-kill pile. His stomach was finally beginning to ache with hunger after Cherrycloud's traveling herbs the day before. He picked out a brownish-gray toad and padded over toward Willownose and her mate, Smokefur. The she-cat mewed a greeting as the pair's kits, Featherpaw and Sweetpaw, began to whisper to each other in excitement as their new Clan leader settled down just a few tail-lengths away.
"Greetings Turtlestar," Smokefur meowed between bites of a mouse. "The prey is running better already, and leafbare hasn't left us yet."
"A good omen for the warmer seasons ahead." Turtlestar agreed. He then turned to the apprentices, whose pelts began to prickle immediately. "And your training is going well I trust?"
The littermates exchanged glances before Featherpaw responded. "Uh, yes it is. I caught two lizards this morning."
"And Blackflame is taking me out for night training at the Dark Sycamore!" Sweetpaw added.
Willownose purred at her daughters and Smokefur beamed with pride.
"Good prey and good young warriors in the seasons ahead." Turtlestar meowed to the sisters who puffed up with satisfaction at their leaders comment.
He peeled into the tough skin of his toad and felt his stomach rumble with approval as he swallowed the watery creature in a few bites. After eating, he knew it was time he spoke to the Clan. Stop stalling with small talk, your Clan needs you to give them strength! He told himself while he gave his chest a few quick licks.
This was his first time addressing his Clanmates as the Clan leader, the first of many times.
He padded over to the smooth stone that served as the leader's perch during meetings and leapt up, immediately causing a silence to fall over camp. All the cats turned their attention to the young tabby with pricked ears.
This is your duty, given by StarClan. You are their leader.
He took in a deep breath, filling his chest with the strength he could muster. "Cats of ShadowClan, we have lived through one of the hardest season our Clan has seen in many moons. Carrioncough has robbed us of strength and much needed help to get through the cold of leaf-bare by taking several of our Clanmates from us."
Turtlestar noticed Talonflight lower her head in memory of her sister as she sat with Nettlepaw beside the medicine cat's den. The young tom touched his tail to her shoulder in comfort, which she blinked gratefully to.
"Despite this grief that effects us all," He continued. "We are still growing strong. Our apprentices learn more with each passing day, our nursery is full of new ShadowClan cats, and our borders are secure-"
"Maybe not as secure as we think!" A voice rose from the crowd. Turtlestar's eyes fell on Darkbird, a warrior only a bit younger than him. Her eyes were gleaming with courage, but her tail twitched with anxiousness as the rest of her Clan gazed and murmured all around her. "I have something to report, Turtlestar...but I didn't know when to tell you."
Some cats mewed in disapproval at the tabby she-cat's interruption, but Turtlestar nodded at her and raised his tail to silence the crowd. "This is as good a time as any, Darkbird, please tell us all what you have discovered."
Darkbird's tense body relaxed a bit at his words. "It was my apprentice and I," She beckoned Acornpaw over beside her. The young cat's dark ginger pelt looked like thorns as she nervously padded to sit beside her mentor. "When we were hunting earlier, Acornpaw discovered something on in the trees near the Carrionplace."
Concerned voices rippled throughout the camp.
"Enemy scent?" Duskheart asked with a thrash of his tail. "Trespassers?"
"It could be WindClan...they could have gotten word that Mousestar was dead and now they want revenge!" Briarstep snarled.
"I'll shred all those rabbit-chasing cowards!" Leopardpaw proclaimed from his place by the elder's den, only to be growled at to be silent by Icepounce.
"Let her finish before you march off to get your ears torn off, young fool!" The shaggy old tom hissed.
Leopardpaw fell silent and stared at his paws in embarrassment as some mrrowws of laughter erupted.
"No, no scent of WindClan." Darkbird continued. "Acornpaw, why don't you tell them what you found?"
The young she-cat's white ears flattened, making Turtlestar feel sympathy for the apprentice, who'd always been rather quiet. "Um...well. I was looking for lizards under some rotting logs," She looked down at her paws. Darkbird whispered something to her in encouragement, and she raised her head and puffed out her chest with air. "Around the Twoleg fence that surround the Carrionplace. The trees in that area had marks on them, like claws, but they were jagged and strange looking-"
"The rouges could be back!" Rabbitwhisker yowled with a cracking voice from the entrance of Cherrycloud's den. "The ones that killed Tanglefur!"
"How dare those mange pelts show their faces on our territory again!" Smokefur hissed as he unsheathed his claws.
"We can't be sure." Willownose meowed sharply at her riled mate. "Acornpaw, did it smell like any unfamiliar cats?"
The apprentice shook her head, which caused more confusion.
"No cats means no concern of ours." Grayfall, the elderly gray she-cat declared lashing her tail.
"It could be a badger you mouse-brain!" Icepounce responded curtly.
"What badger comes into marshland?" Leopardpaw asked.
"They don't, it must be old and delirious if it is." Grayfall replied firmly, motioning towards the old white tom.
Icepounce snarled. "We said that about those rouges too..."
Over by the nursery, Mistyflight scooped her tail around her kits. "If there's a badger than it must be driven out immediately!"
Turtlestar yowled for silence. Icepounce and Grayfall glared at each other for a moment, then turned back to the tabby tom.
"Is there anything else the two of you discovered?" He asked.
Acornpaw shook her head. Darkbird spoke up. "She came to tell me right after. I examined them. They looked odd, about the size of cat claws, but were placed in such a way that they looked like they must have been higher off the ground. We reported it to Moonbriar when we returned from the hunting patrol."
"Forgive me Turtlestar," The spotted deputy meowed from her seat among Blackflame and Webpelt. "I should have told you as soon as I heard, but I wanted to give you rest after your journey from the Highstones."
Turtlestar shook his head. "There is nothing to apologize for, I know about it now, which is all that matters."
The Clan looked uneasy now. He feared if perhaps this was the beginning of the new threat that his warrior ancestors had foretold. Already this new threat has come to pass. StarClan, please give us some peace.
"Mousestar is now gone, and I am leader of ShadowClan. It is my duty to follow in his paw-steps and defend our territory from all invaders. I will take a patrol to investigate these trees immediately to see what we can discover about their origin."
Murmurs of approval passed around the camp.
"Darkbird and Acornpaw, the two of you will of course come. I'll also take Moonbriar and Foxfang. No matter what we find, I trust in all of my Clanmates to aid me in protecting our land with the courage that makes ShadowClan strong!"
Yowls full of determined energy rose from the hollow. "Turtlestar! Turtlestar! Turtlestar!"
The sun was beginning to migrate towards the far horizon of the sky when the patrol was nearly at the Carrionplace. Acornpaw lead the way, her tail held high with pride, with Darkbird on one side of her. Moonbriar walked beside Turtlestar as Foxfang brought up the rear. This was a more damp part of the territory, muddy pools of water sloped into the earth at random and an unfamiliar cat would be soaked in no time. The ShadowClan patrol padded through the area with ease however, as this was their home.
"It feels so strange to have discovered something so important!" Acornpaw was chattering up ahead, her fur bristling with excitement. "I've been apprenticed for moons and the only special thing I've ever found was an old tuft of fox fur in a thorn bush..."
"It was still good you found it," Darkbird meowed. "It could have been a fox that was living in nearby."
Acornpaw shrugged. "Well Leopardpaw found that trail of those loose dogs...even though their Twolegs had caught them again by the time our patrol found them. And Nettlepaw is so good at hunting! He can find the best prey anywhere."
Her mentor gave her a friendly shove. "And your brothers also almost turned to icicles when they tumbled into one of these pools fighting like they were in the nursery over who'd be the better deputy and leader!"
Moonbriar exchanged an amused glance with Turtlestar as they pressed on.
The pine trees began to thin and they could see the Twoleg barrier of Carrionplace. Turtlestar wrinckled his face at the reel of Twoleg rubbish as they pressed closer.
"Are the trees nearby?" Foxfang asked, his voice thick with the same disgust.
Darkbird flicked her ears. "Yes, go on, lead them to your discovery, Acornpaw."
The young she-cat timidly went ahead, padding through some ferns, and then stopped at a bunch of young trees. As the patrol followed suit, the strange markings that had been mentioned came into view.
"What in StarClan's name did this?" Foxfang snorted as he sniffed the base of one of the trees.
There were streaks of white in the in the bark, thick and deep further down the trunk and then thin and more erratic further up. They held the strong scent of pine, though these were not pine trees.
"Trying to hide their scent maybe," Moonbriar muttered as she unsheathed her claws to test them in the grooves. "These were made by a cat's claw."
"What about up higher?" Darkbird asked, circling around the other side. "They can't be from cats, unless they were kits."
"Awfully agile kits to jump that high..." Foxfang muttered with a twitch of his whiskers.
"I don't think I can even jump that high," Acornpaw added shyly. Foxfang gave her a small lick over her ears to show that the young she-cat's input was appreciated.
Turtlestar circled around the trees a few times, almost bumping into Darkbird on his third round. She seemed to freeze like stone, her pale brown eyes wide, making him fear he'd tread on her tail. But then she meowed that it was her fault and moved a ways away.
He was reminded what Silverclaw had said earlier about the she-cat making up his new nest, but he couldn't talk about that now. He stared intently at the marks for a moment while he thought of what course of action to take, trying desperately not to think of what Mousestar would do.
"Darkbird, Foxfang, Moonbriar, I want you to be taking special patrols through this area for the next few days." Turtlestar told his Clanmates. "At least one of you, Acornpaw or myself must be on these patrols. I want one after sunrise and one before dusk to see if anymore marks appear."
"Or if we catch the cats doing it," Foxfang grumbled as he narrowed his gaze at the tree trunk.
Turtlestar nodded to the dark ginger warrior. The five cats set about marking each of the trees to let the cats know if they returned that they'd been detected as a warning.
The sun was beginning to dip lower in the sky and give way to dusk as the patrol neared the camp. Foxfang was leading this time, while Moonbriar and Acornpaw talked as they padded side by side. The deputy listened patiently to the apprentice, who'd opened up significantly throughout the patrol, as she told all about some rude WindClan apprentices she'd met at her first gathering.
"And they called me mangy, when their mother isn't even a Clan cat!" She was grumbling.
"WindClan has always been open to drifters." Moonbriar agreed.
"They're heads are filled with all the rabbit fluff they eat." Foxfang snorted looking over his shoulder.
Turtlestar hung back with Darkbird, whose pretty stormy gray pelt shimmered in the sun patches that hung through the canopy like raindrops. Turtlestar had never talked to the she-cat much, not outside of patrol business or a quick word of Acornpaw's training. She was a good mentor and a close friend to the leader's sister.
"I was impressed with how you had her speak for herself at the Clan meeting today," He said in a low voice so the apprentice could not hear. "She needs to trust herself more."
Darkbird gave a low purr. "Yes, she has a lot to offer her Clan. She feels drowned out by her loud brothers I know... I hope she's more confident after this."
Turtlestar meowed in agreement. "She'll be a warrior before long."
As they neared the hollow of the camp, he slowed his pace while Acornpaw confidently strolled through the thorn barrier ahead with Moonbriar and Foxfang. Darkbird remained by his side, pausing briefly to lick some mud off her delicate white paws.
"Er...Silverclaw mentioned that you'd made my nest the leader's den, well I mean, technically my den now but..." The tom's stomach was suddenly tight with anxiousness. "Thank you, that was very kind of you."
The she-cat's eyes gleamed with appreciation. "Of course, I knew you'd be tired when you return from receiving your nine lives." The tabby suddenly walked up to him and licked the back of his head. She spat a clump of mud on the ground. "Sorry, I noticed it and I just...couldn't help myself." She mewed awkwardly.
"No." Turtlestar chuckled. "I couldn't have reached it anyway, you've saved me from looking like a mouse-brain walking around camp until Silverclaw had noticed and come gotten it off while scolding me like a kit!"
Darkbird let out a mrroww of laughter. "If she can take her eyes off Foxfang for more than a few moments!"
The two tabbies walked back into camp talking about Silverclaw and Foxfang's painfully obvious courtship, and shared another laugh when they saw the pair already sharing tongues close to the warrior's den.
Darkbird rolled her eyes before she parted with Turtlestar by going to see her sister, Blackflame, by the fresh-kill pile. Acornpaw was chewing through a toad beside her brothers, telling them all about her special patrol and discovery. To the leader's relief, the frail Nettlepaw was sharing a black bird with Leopardpaw, actually looking somewhat interested in eating.
A ways away, Cherrycloud was encouraging Talonflight finish a mouse she'd taken only a few minuscule bites.
"Come on, you won't be going on any patrols if you don't eat." The medicine cat said in an authoritative but gentle voice.
Talonflight bit into the mouse and chewed slowly and with great labor, as though she'd forgotten how to eat.
Cherrycloud gave her a purr of satisfaction, before seeing her leader watching the scene, and made her way over to him.
"How was your patrol?" The red and white she-cat asked as they began to walk around the hollow.
Turtlestar snorted. "We saw the marks, definitely made by cats but...some of them looked like they were made by something else."
She twitched her whiskers. "An animal? It could be Twolegs since it is so close to Carrionplace."
Turtlestar shook his head. "No, there was no scent around them that belonged to any animal or Twoleg." The tom sat in a sunlit patch of damp earth in front of his den. "The trees smelled of pine, but they weren't pine trees."
Cherrycloud stared at her leader a moment to think of a response. "Do you think this is a part of the threat Mousestar told you about?"
He shrugged. "I didn't see anything like what they showed me..."
The medicine cat's eyes gleamed with worry as she sat beside Turtlestar, pressing her pelt against his flank, her pelt prickling. "Prophecies are often unclear until after they have passed," The she-cat meowed grimly while looking through the trees to a gap where the sky was visible. A few lonely stars twinkled dimly in the sunset. "I only hope that StarClan grants us safe passage through these times."
Turtlestar muttered in agreement and stared at the pale dots, floating helpless in the intense brightness of the sun. Don't let us be that vulnerable. He prayed silently while raking his claws across the ground.