Chapter 61: Even the Most Well Thought Out Plans
The day was finally upon them. This was the day either the dogs die, or Thunderclan's greatest would be massacred. Fortunately for Darkstripe, he was given a job, despite his leg, to let Riverclan know they'd be using the gorge to dispose of the dogs. He wouldn't need to fret in camp while his friends and family risked their lives. He got to be Thunder.
Darkstripe set out early and fished through his collection of clan specific gifts he'd had Cloudtail collect since the fire. Riverclan, being the least active, had a tendency to collect objects of beauty. They were decorators in their free time, so Darkstripe gathered some colored stones and shards of colored glass. Glass was always a risky trade because it was fragile and sharp, but Riverclan always seemed to know how to handle it, so he always gave them glass over any other group. He set out with the bundle towards Sunningrocks. He kept his stealth in case the dogs had wandered.
Meanwhile the attack patrol set out. Sandstorm and the small dog fighters were in the lead. Sandstorm, being one of the best hunters in the clan, soon called for a stop so she could do some scouting. It didn't take her long to find the pack. They'd made a den among the rocks, and it didn't seem they were too keen to go too far from it. The dogs were lazy right then. They were too close together and too far from an ambush point for Sandstorm to safely land the dog killer, so she decided to get creative. If those dogs were being fed, they'd come for anything that was freshly killed. Sandstorm circled back to the waiting patrol to let them in on her plan.
Soon a squirrel and mouse had been hunted for use in luring the pack. Sandstorm snuck in again, keeping downwind of the pack with the prey, before moving a decent distance upwind to deposit the prey and move into hiding. The rest of the attack patrol waited in the nearby trees while the runners hid in some bushes with ample escape room. Longtail and Whitestorm were first runners. Whitestorm wasn't the fastest cat, but he had endurance. Longtail was similar, but his real skill here was utilization of his trademark tail. If the dogs really were as Darkstripe described, he'd be irresistible. This was also his shot at revenge for what happened to his apprentice.
It didn't take long for the dogs to catch the scent of the pre-killed prey. Like the stupid pack they were, they all followed the scent out ignoring all potential dangers they could face. The beasts thought little of how suspicious it was. Some cat had been feeding them anyways. The biggest of the pack, upon reaching the prey, began asserting its dominance. It forced the other dogs away so it could get the majority share. Unbeknownst to it, it had given Sandstorm the opportunity she needed.
The pack was spatially separated and focused on each other. It didn't take much effort to move to the side of her chosen target. It was almost laughably easy. Almost was the key word. Even if things went perfectly, Sandstorm would be detained after the first strike for a number of seconds, and there was the very real chance she'd receive the same injury Darkstripe had after landing his dog killer. The possible consequences and the threat of failure weren't tolerated in Sandstorm's mind. All that mattered was this one moment. She wanted, no needed, to land the skill she spent so long practicing with Darkstripe. She was a tigress on the hunt and that dog was her prey. Her eyes dilated as she prepared herself. She could only hear silence as time seemed to stand still. Finally, everything was thrown into motion. She exploded forth. Her paws hammered the ground before she propelled herself into a masterful leap. Her motions were precise and exact. Her paw had already pierced the dog's eye before her weight even slammed into the thing. That turned out to her benefit because her weight rolled the dog as her paw finally pierced its brain. The thing was dead, and she'd gotten out without a broken leg. That wasn't to say things were finished, just her first role was completed.
Longtail and Whitestorm moved into the open, hissing and generally making their presence known. The other dogs didn't even seem to register one of their own had been assassinated. They immediately started barking. A bit of posturing occurred before Whitestorm and Longtail ran. The dogs, being dogs, took off after the pair. Immediately the small white and brown brute was lagging behind. There it was caught in an ambush, separating it from the other two pursuing dogs. The attack patrol, consisting of four cats plus Sandstorm, set to wearing out the brute so they could finish the thing. It was definitely the slowest of the dogs, and its short muzzle did not help it get a grip on the cats.
Cloudtail was a part of the attack patrol. Getting a bit of revenge for Brightpaw and Swiftpaw was on his mind. He was not as masterful in his strikes as Fireheart or as powerful or smooth as Sandstorm, but he was quick witted. He kept himself back letting the other four cats do the majority of the work. He'd only go in to get attention when one of the others was in a risky position. He kept himself in the dog's field of vision, so the dog always thought it had a chance of catching the white cat. That was exactly what Cloudtail wanted. He was playing the role of distraction while the rest of the patrol left wound after wound. The dog was slowing down. Cloudtail made sure he was the one to get the final strike. The beast, even if seriously wounded, would likely get one last burst of energy to prevent its execution. Cloudtail was ready for that as he moved into the attack, baiting it, and slipped beneath to leave a killing bite to the beast's neck. He ripped away a chunk to make the dog bleed out faster. As he panted, the taste in his mouth was foul. In his pride for avenging his friends, a small thought occurred. How did Darkstripe manage to stomach dog meat?
Whitestorm and Longtail were guiding the dogs along the designated route. They'd secretly practiced this route many times to ensure nothing tripped them up. Soon they were at the checkpoint. There they'd trade runners. Being more familiar with the forest than the dogs, they managed to make a decent gap, enough to run up their chosen tree. The pair ascended with ease. Soon the dogs were at the base letting their displeasure known. There, Fireheart and Dustpelt struck. They each left a stinging scratch on the dogs before sprinting off causing a second chase. Dustpelt, having the endurance training of having to run 'errands' for Darkstripe, outpaced Fireheart. He was ahead by about a fox length. Soon there were no trees to take advantage of. The ground was only covered by decently lengthy grass. The dogs had the advantage on flat land, but the gorge wasn't too far to go. This was the time to put on a burst of speed. The duo accelerated with the dogs hot on their heels. The dogs' panting felt like it was right on top of them. Fireheart could see the jump point. Dustpelt separated off a bit to ensure at least one dog was following him. He leapt and Fireheart meant to follow, but suddenly a large brown blur tackled him. It had to be Tigerstar, but the blur was gone as quickly as it struck. The dog skidded as it corrected to chase Fireheart's new path. It was so close to the edge. If Tigerstar had struck a second later, the dog would be gone. There wasn't enough time to get back up to speed or jump the gorge. Fireheart braced for his death.
Then a caterwaul rang out as a familiar blue silver form launched itself out of the grass striking the dog's side. It was enough. The dog's left leg missed the edge, and it was soon to tumble. Unfortunately, it wasn't alone in the fall. Bluestar's momentum and how she struck left her clinging to the dog's form as it went over the edge. Fireheart could only yowl out her name before she and the dog disappeared into the rapids. They'd won, but at what cost?