I had woken Smokefur and Fernpelt, alerted the queens, and listened to a speech about how we would move quickly, trying to meet them halfway and make the battle, if there was one, farther from the camp rather than closer. Several warriors were staying behind, in case ShadowClan was going for surprise. Rockfur had said that they weren't being very careful to go unseen. They had probably meant for us to see them, and were going to go for the camp. The idea was to try to stay one step ahead of them. Mistfur, the only queen at the moment, was going to move into a deeper den with a back exit temporarily, bringing her kits, Rabbitkit and Thistlekit. Seastorm was staying behind, along with Suneyes, Redheart, Fernpelt, Sleetmane, and Grayclaw. Their apprentices, Sagepaw, Badgerpaw, Elmpaw, Birchpaw, and Mosspaw, were staying with them too.
The rest of the clan—besides the elders, Mistfur, and her kits—were going. It was a majority of the clan, but Daystar clearly felt that we could not spare any more. Eleven cats behind, plus Mistfur and the elders, all of which were trained for battle as well, were enough for about half of ShadowClan.
I crept along the undergrowth, watching Spottedpelt's tail swing in front of me like a stray mouse and threaten to ease my attention elsewhere. I shook my head and ducked under a patch of bracken and followed Daystar farther into ThunderClan territory. At first nothing seemed unusual. Then I began to scent ShadowClan.
I heard Hawkheart from somewhere behind me mutter, "Yuck! How do they put up with such a stink?" But Blackclaw silenced him with a hiss.
Suddenly Spottedpelt stopped. I peered around from her, like so many other cats in front of me. Daystar was scenting the air, her mouth open. She announced: "We are downwind, and have an advantage. I pray to StarClan that the wind does not change. For now we must move quickly, to take advantage of our position. Waterlily, please arrange groups. We will try to surround them."
Waterlily began passing down the row of cats, murmuring who they were going with. When she passed me she muttered, "Redstripe." Great. But I saw Smokefur mouthing, "Redstripe" to me and pointing at Redstripe with her tail. I nodded eagerly. We were in the same group.
Icetail and Sleetmane went with Blackclaw to the east, and we went around westwards to loop and end up towards the north. I crept up the line to Smokefur as soon as I could. Eventually when we came across the ShadowClan border, we turned right and went the way we had come.
I was eager for battle, yet afraid. Smokefur muttered that she was too. I saw Redstripe hiss at Fernpelt for talking to Suneyes, and I shut my mouth tight. I saw Fernpelt blush at her old mentor and murmur something I couldn't make out. Redstripe nodded curtly and tuned forward again. Finally he stopped and muttered something to Rosebriar, who was directly behind him. The she-cat then whispered something to Fernpelt, who mumbled something to Icetail, and so on down the line. Finally the message came to me. "Keep quiet. We're approaching ShadowClan now. Pass it on."
I said this to Smokefur behind me, and she muttered it to Hazelpaw, who murmured it to her mentor, Rosesky, behind her. Finally, Littlepaw at the back of the line nodded to Redstripe. The group of cats—all ten of us—was absolutely silent as we approached. I glimpsed white fur—most likely a warrior I knew well, Daisytail, who was rude and often spoke up at Gatherings. I also smelled fear-scent—I couldn't tell if it was coming off ThunderClan or ShadowClan. I hoped the latter.
Redstripe approached a frond of ferns and crouched there. It was obvious enough what to do. We were upwind, but I could smell the scent of ShadowClan still. I heard a cat growl from my left, and turned to see Smokefur with her teeth bared. I drew my head up sharply when I heard a rustle in the bushes and heard a cat mutter, "I smell ThunderClan!"
What I recognized as Robinstar's, leader of ShadowClan, voice snapped, "Of course. We're only attacking them!" "It came from that way," the first cat said vaguely. Robinstar growled and turned away. I smiled to myself. They didn't know we were here! The cat I had heard—I figured it was an apprentice, reasonably close to becoming a warrior—sighed and followed his leader.
Suddenly I heard a yowl.
"Now!" Redstripe yowled.
I heard Daystar, Rockfur, and Sleetmane—the other group leaders—shriek the same thing to their groups.
ShadowClan was overtaken at once.
I was glad to see that it was a majority of the clan, but I bit my lip at the sight of them. They were strong. Prey had been running a little low lately, and we were weaker. But we greatly outnumbered them. ThunderClan was easily bigger than ShaodwClan, and we had still left a couple cats back at camp.
I noticed Sleetmane, her white pelt shining, hissing at the ShadowClan deputy, Ivypelt. The gray she-cat sprang, but Sleetmane beat her off, leaving a long scratch along her side. Ivypelt looked like she was going to spring again, but both leaders growled at her. Ivypelt gave Sleetmane a long glance of hatred. Daystar turned to Robinstar.
"Why have you come?" she demanded calmly.
Robinstar growled. "I was wondering why you made the false accusation that we had hunted here. Anyone could tell that this was ShadowClan territory. After all, prey hasn't been running well, and we felt the need for more territory. Isn't that right, Ivypelt?"
The deputy nodded, smacking her lips hungrily and eyeing a nearby mouse den. A mouse crawled out across Rockfur's paws, and he snatched it up. I was impressed at his speed, but I thought more about what Robinstar had said. They certainly didn't look underfed.
Riverwhisker, a senior warrior, who was clearly very popular among his clan, growled at me. I fought the instinct to leap at him. A couple other young warriors were clearly feeling the same pull that I was, but Daystar remained calm, eyeing the ShadowClan warriors disbelievingly.
"So I see. Well, if you want land, ThunderClan is not your place. Nor is WindClan," she added, naming the clan who bordered ShadowClan on the other side.
"Exactly. Do we look like the type who run around chasing after rabbits? No. ThunderClan, however…" Daystar shook her head.
"No. Borders were lay down by StarClan seasons ago. We are not going to change that. Don't you eat frogs, anyway?" I could see that Robinstar could not hold her even temper much longer.
"Yes, we are rather known for that—"
Daystar cut in: "Then why are you here? I don't believe a single one of your excuses, and we will certainly allow you to leave peaceably."
"We don't want to leave peaceably," growled Daisytail. Robinstar flashed her an angry look, but Daisytail ignored it. "We feel like a good fight, preferably ending with a win, and then helping ourselves to ThunderClan's prey."
"Quiet!" hissed Ivypelt. Daisytail still didn't respond.
"Why don't you go jump onto the Thunderpath and wait for a monster, or purposely eat a poisonous rat, or something, I don't care, just be rid of yourself!" she continued. I gasped. How could Daisytail talk to Daystar like that? Or defy both her leader and deputy?
"Daisytail!" Robinstar ordered. "Hush!" Strangely, I could detect hesitation in her voice.
"No blood should be spilled tonight," Daystar began. Robinstar ignored her.
"ShadowClan! Go!" The cats were only too happy to obey the order.
"Now!" Daystar yowled. Suddenly I found myself with Riverwhisker on top of me, pinning me down. I scrabbled at his belly with his hind paws, but I was in a bad position to do much damage.
"Good luck in StarClan, halfclan," he sneered. I started at the dreaded name. True, my father was RiverClan, and of course cats knew that—or at least some—but the torturous flow of hatred toward my heritage had slowed a long while ago. Why was he bringing it up now? I summoned all my strength and hurled him off me. He stumbled into a battle between Hazelpaw and the white apprentice, who I now recognized as Whitepaw. I had been at the Gathering that had announced his apprentice ceremony. The apprentices broke apart for a moment, staring. Then Hazelpaw, taking advantage of Whitepaw's distraction, lunged at him again. I searched for cats in trouble among the battle, but didn't see any. Then I noticed Ivypelt dragging an unconscious Sleetmane away from the scene. I sprang at her, landing directly in her path.
"Where do you think you're going?" I snarled.
"Taking her prisoner, what did you think?" she snapped back.
I growled. "Not if I can help it." I leaped at her, and she was forced to let go of Sleetmane's scruff. I kicked the body into a nearby bush gently, so as not to be disturbed during our battle. We were a little set apart from the rest of the clans, so we had plenty of room to fight. Ivypelt was extremely sleek and well fed, and I wondered whether or not she snuck fresh-kill. At any rate, she was in better shape than I was, and was a few moons older. This would be a tricky battle.
She sprang at me, and I flipped onto my back, meeting unsheathed claws with unsheathed claws. Sleetmane stirred nearby, and I prayed she wouldn't wake too soon. Then again, she could help me. Ivypelt was already weak from the battle, and I hadn't faced many cats. I had a sort of advantage. She pinned me easily, but I had made sure that I was in a good position. We landed parallel, giving me plenty of room to take over. I raked her belly with my hind paws, clawing at the soft fur. She screeched in rage, and sprang off me. I got to my paws easily, but she was quicker.
Again she leaped at me. I was caught off-guard this time, and was placed in a bad position. I struggled under her powerful paws.
"Let this be the end, brave warrior," she whispered. The last thing I saw was Sleetmane staring at me in shock. Then everything went black.