Chapter two, Cold Stars

The moon shone down on the deserted Fourtrees. None of the Clans had come because of the twolegs that plagued all of the cats territories. All the news would have been of death, anyways. A new litter of kits would soon die from the pollution that made the moon hazy before becoming apprentices. Back in ThunderClan camp, however, no cat slept. Cinderpelt fretted. She hadn't been able to get to the moon-stone and she thought StarClan were angry with them. The others were too hungry to go to sleep. The only fresh-kill that had been brought in that day were two mice and a scrawny pigeon that had been crowfood off the Thunderpath. Brightpaw sat in the apprentices den with Swiftpaw, Thornpaw, Brackenpaw, and Cloudpaw. She set her head on her paws and wondered how they could survive like this. The patrols were being forced further and further back. The twolegs used monsters and tore up what precious little territory they had left. It would be easier if they could die in their sleep. But how could they, when they couldn't sleep? She knew Cinderpelt was worried if a sickness came that ThunderClan would be destroyed. But ThunderClan would be destroyed anyway, so what was the point?

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the highrock for a Clan meeting!" Bluestar called.

Every cat looked up but none came into the clearing. Bluestar had gotten used to this, and continued in a louder than normal voice. "I won't ask anyone to volunteer for this, especially as you could die or worse, become a kittypet."

Fireheart looked up at Bluestar in surprise. She had never expressed any contempt towards kittypets, only saying that a true warrior rejected their soft life. She looked down at him. "Being a kittypet is not something a true warrior does, but it is not the soft life that would be worse than death. I fear that since the twolegs destroy so much of our forest, they would not give us a soft life with them. They would keep us locked up in their nests so we couldn't get out to hunt and I fear they would not show us any kindness or food. That would be worse than death. If any disagree, let them go to the twolegs that destroy out forest now, and let them be done with this. But I know that any TRUE WARRIORS HERE will stay, no matter what the twolegs may do. THUNDERCLAN WILL FIGHT TO THE END!

"The mission is simple. You must find out what the twolegs are doing, if they are making new nests or simply tearing up our forest for the pleasure of it. To see if there is any sign of stopping. ThunderClan have lived here for many, many moons but if there is no other way we must leave. I will not destroy ThunderClan, but I fear moving may also destroy ThunderClan. No young warriors or apprentices should volunteer. I myself will go on this mission."

Fireheart and some others tried to protest, but she cut them off. Tigerclaw didn't protest. "If I die, ThunderClan will have a good, strong leader." Tigerclaw smiled in satisfaction. They didn't realize why he was helping them. She continued. "I do not know if we will survive, but we will die trying."

They looked at each other. Swiftpaw looked disappointed. Then some warriors came up. They were Frostfur, Whitestorm, Willowpelt, and Runningwind. Bluestar nodded. "Whitestorm, Frostfur. You will come with me. Willowpelt and Runningwind, you have already done this once. I will not ask you to do it again."

They bowed their heads. Brightpaw hoped desperately her mother would come back.

Frostfur and Whitestorm flattened themselves to the ground. Monsters roared past, destroying things as they went. They stood at the edge of the once vast territory of ThunderClan, about to set paw on the Thunderpath that hadn't been there. "On my signal," Bluestar said. Then once a monster had passed, she flicked her tail. The three cats surged forward and took refuge behind a twoleg monster that had been sleeping. Suddenly it roared to life, leaving them shelter-less in this cold and unfamiliar place. Frostfur was beginning to wonder why she had left her two daughters and two sons to come here. Because ThunderClan needs you, she thought. They snuck closer to the mysterious nest. It had changed much since Willowpelt and Runningwind had been there. It had a mysterious sign on it that the cats couldn't read saying, "SUPERMARKET OPEN". There were other nests being built, too. Bluestar sat back on her haunches. "Well," she meowed. "They are making more nests."

"But will they stop?" Whitestorm asked.

"I don't know, Whitestorm. But if this goes on much longer..."

"We'll be finished," Frostfur added.

"Yes." Bluestar nodded.

Whitestorm looked around. "Why have they marked some trees with that foul un-natural substance?"

Bluestar studied the trees carefully. Then she gasped as a monster bull-dozed it over. "Whitestorm!" She gasped. "Those are the trees that they're going to cut down! We must see how far they go!"

All three cats surged back over the Thunderpath. They ran quickly back through the trees, seeing no end to the foul-smelling markings. Then, they ran past ThunderClan camp. There were still markings. Finally after they had exhausted themselves they saw the end to the markings. They had never been this far before! The end of the markings... was another twolegplace. They were going to cut down all the trees of ThunderClan. Grim and determined, they marched back to ThunderClan camp. Most of the cats were seeing if they could find some scrawny mice, but some were there. "Let all cats of ThunderClan who wish to live gather beneath the Highrock!"

Tigerclaw looked up at her in suprise, as did most cats. But all cats came out of their dens and gathered. "They plan to destroy all of ThunderClan territory," Bluestar yowled in anger.

Sandstorm stepped up and asked, "But how do you know this?"

Bluestar looked at her approvingly. "The trees they are going to cut down have markings on them. All the trees from here until the next twoleg-place are marked."

"The next twoleg place?" Brightpaw asked.

"Yes. Far beyond our territory there is another twolegplace." All the cats gasped. Yellowfang came up. "Bluestar, I would like to go to the moon-stone. You forbade me last time, but if I'm going to die I want to share with StarClan one more time before dying."

Bluestar nodded. It was a sign of how helpless they were. "I also will go to the moon-stone, but I wish for a patrol of warriors. I won't force you to come."

"Won't WindClan think we are hostile?" An anxious voice called out.

"I think they will understand why we have warriors with us, if they have as much brains as a mouse." Bluestar told them.

Sandstorm, Dustpelt, Mousefur, and Tigerclaw stepped forward. When Fireheart saw that Tigerclaw was going he and Graystripe immediately stepped forward too. Bluestar frowned. "I can't take all of you, ThunderClan will be too weak. Sandstorm, Tigerclaw, and Graystripe, come with me." Fireheart and Graystripe shared an anxious glance, but said nothing.

Yellowfang gasped in outrage. Cinderpelt had been left behind because of her leg - she couldn't run fast enough if a monster came. There were the same marks next to mother-mouth. Sandstorm said in a small voice, "Does this mean... they're going to destroy Mothermouth?"

Bluestar's eyes were dark, but it was Yellowfang that spoke up. "yes," she hissed in anger. "They are going to destroy everything, everythingthat we have ever lived for." Graystripe shuddered, and even the fur on Tigerclaw's back prickled. They ascended the dark tunnels, with Graystripe remaining on guard outside.

Bluestar touched her nose to the moon-stone, as did Yellowfang. Immediately, they were in StarClan's forest. Moonflower, Bluestar's mother padded up, as did Raggedstar. Moonflower's eyes were cold. "You come here for guidance, yet we have none. You come here for help, yet we can do nothing. You come here for advice, and it may destroy ThunderClan."

Bluestar bowed her head. Raggedstar continued. "If you flee, many will die. You will not find somewhere to live before leaf-bare, and it will be a hard leaf-bare. Greencough will come, and there will be badgers and foxes in the only place where you can live."

Bluestar looked up in surprise. "Then what can we do?"

Moonflower's eyes were wet. "You can flee, and ThunderClan may perish. If you rise up against the twolegs, ThunderClan may perish. But some will live on, as kittypets. It will be a hard life, but if those remaining can flee once the leaf-bare is over, you may be able to survive. Either way, ThunderClan's future is unclear."

Now Bluestar was angry, not at StarClan, but at the twolegs. "But if we fight, then I know some, if not most, will die."

Raggedstar showed no emotion. "If you leave, we know that most of you will die. Your choices are clear, Bluestar."

Yellowfang was angry at the cat she had once loved. "Don't you care? ThunderClan - all the Clans - may perish, and you only tell us our choices? You don't tell us which way to go, if we leave, or offer even a word of warning? Of comfort? How has StarClan become so cold?"

The two cats looked at her. "We died once, too. The choices are always hard, but we cannot influence your choice."

"So it's easy for you, then." Bluestar's voice was void of any emotion except sorrow. "You have already died, so you don't have to worry that others will die. You are safe from what befalls the forest below!"

The cats made no response, only began to fade away. "WHY ARE YOU ABANDONING US?" Yellowfang yowled. Then they were back in Mothermouth.

"What did StarClan tell you?" Graystripe asked.

"They told us nothing of use, only the choices we already knew," Bluestar said.

They walked across the moor. Then, they saw the twolegs. "Bluestar's eyes flashed. Let's take them," she hissed.

"What?" Tigerclaw was bewildered.

"I want to see if we can fight against them," she said. She yowled, bared her teeth as the twolegs turned to look at her, and then started scratching and biting. There was blood all around her. "THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS TO THOSE WHO THREATEN THUNDERCLAN!" Tigerclaw yowled.

The twolegs scooped up Bluestar. It all happened so fast. And then they drove away in the belly of the monster. Graystripe, Sandstorm, Yellowfang, and Tigerclaw stood in shock. They looked at each other, then Tigerclaw and Graystripe began tearing after the monster. If Tigerclaw didn't do anything then it would look suspicious. But the monster was too far gone, and Tigerclaw would be in charge of ThunderClan.

Sandstorm said, "Is she... gone?"

"As good as dead," Tigerclaw said.

Yellowfang looked at him in surprise. "You want to go back to the moon-stone to get your nine lives? She's not dead, even if she's as good as. We're going back to camp."

Graystripe allowed himself a flicker of satisfaction. Tigerclaw had been thwarted now. Tigerclaw followed with no comment.

After breaking the terrible news to ThunderClan, the cats returned to their dens in shock. Fireheart whispered to Graystripe, "Given the chance, Tigerclaw will destroy ThunderClan by fighting the twolegs. We stand no chance. If only Bluestar hadn't been taken."

"There was nothing we could do," Graystripe whispered back. "It went too fast."

"I don't blame you," Fireheart said. "But Tigerclaw will lead the Clan in a battle they cannot win."

"I know." Graystripe said.

"All cats old enough to fight, gather here beneath the high-rock!" Tigerclaw was the one calling. Graystripe looked at Fireheart in disgust at the new cry.

"I have decided," he said loftily, "that we will fight the twolegs."

Brightpaw's eyes widened as she looked at Cinderpelt.

"We must be ready to defend what is ours. Will ThunderClan run away, like cowards, or will they fight for what is theirs? Will they be killed cowering in their own camp, or fighting for was belongs to them?" he had said enough, but he continued. "I won't force any cat to fight," he lied, "But you are THUNDERCLAN! Will you be driven from your home?"

The cry went up. "THUNDERCLAN! THUNDERCLAN! THUNDERCLAN!"

Whether or not they wanted to, ThunderClan was committed to fight.