Chapter 17

"No," Darkshadow and his kin snapped their heads back as Birdheart appeared, her paws shaking as she padded towards them. She was swinging her head back and forth, her eyes clouded with doubt. "You're all wrong. Sandfire would never betray SkyClan"

"Birdheart," Darkshadow meowed, but Birdheart cut across him, snarling, "Don't tell me you believe them, Darkshadow. I thought you were a cat smarter than to believe the lies of ignorant kits."

Airpaw raised his hackles and hissed, but Darkshadow stepped in front of his brother, pleading with Birdheart, "Birdheart, please."

"Don't come near me, Darkshadow," Birdheart growled and Darkshadow looked away from his friend's dangerous glare. He glanced at her and watched her face fall with grief, "I thought you were my friend, Darkshadow." And with that Birdheart raced away.

"What's her problem?" Airpaw hissed, glaring at the place where Birdheart had been moments before.

"Think about it, Airpaw," Waterpaw meowed gently, staring at the same place as her kin, "She lost her brother and her cousin in a span of only a couple months. SkyClan is on the verge of destruction and any cat can see that Mintstar is too old to be leader. If the next cat in line to become leader is a traitor then SkyClan will be destroyed forever. Birdheart has lost too much. She couldn't bear to lose her Clan as well."

"Do you think she would tell anyone? Mintstar? Or StarClan forbid, Sandfire?" Cloudpaw whispered.

Darkshadow shook his head, "No. She probably thinks they won't believe her."

They sat in silence for another moment before Airpaw meowed, "So what are we going to do about Sandfire and the rats?"

"If the rats attack soon then SkyClan would be wiped out," Waterpaw mewed softly, "Mintstar is too old to fight and even with us helping them there would only be one leader, a medicine cat, four warriors, and three apprentices. Sandfire would fight alongside the rats."

"How are we going to get more cats?" Cloudpaw meowed, "We can't go all the way to JayClan."

Darkshadow sat in silence before a thought crossed his mind, "There is a bunch of twoleg dens nearby. Maybe some kittypets live there."

"That's the stupidest idea yet Darkshadow," Airpaw purred, "What kittypet would sacrifice themselves to save a Clan they know nothing about?"

"Isn't that what we're doing?" Waterpaw meowed seriously. "We had no idea who these SkyClan cats were yet we decided to risk our lives to save them."

"Would you rather not be helping them?" Cloudpaw snarled, anger flashing in her eyes.

"No," Waterpaw meowed quickly, "I'm just saying we helped them because they are fellow warriors. Kittypets don't know anything about the warrior code. They won't feel any loyalty to SkyClan."

"They might help us," Darkshadow meowed firmly, "SkyClan was built from kittypets, loners, and even rogues. Whose to say no cat would help them now? These cats could be distant kin!"

"But would they know how to fight?" Airpaw countered.

There was another moment of silence before Waterpaw suggested, "What about Ratpelt?"

"Ratpelt would want to fight just to defeat Sandfire," Cloudpaw allowed.

"He probably is still loyal to SkyClan despite Mintstar taking Sandfire's side," Darkshadow meowed.

Airpaw nodded, "At least Ratpelt would know how to fight."

"I think we need those kittypets too," Cloudpaw meowed.

"We'll have to split up," Waterpaw suggested.

"Is that safe?" Cloudpaw asked nervously.

"The rats only attack at night," Darkshadow meowed.

"What about Sandfire?" Airpaw asked.

No one answered him so Waterpaw stood up and meowed, "Darkshadow and I can look for the kittypets. Airpaw, Cloudpaw, Ratpelt is probably most likely to trust you."

"How did you figure that out?" Cloudpaw mewed, but no one answered her.

"I guess this is goodbye," Darkshadow rasped quietly.

Airpaw stood up and rested his tail on Darkshadow's shoulder, "We will see each other again."

Waterpaw nodded in agreement, "Come on, Darkshadow. We have some kittypets to find."

*

Darkshadow crouched beside Waterpaw the two of them stalking in the shadows of two twoleg dens. Every noise made Waterpaw jump into Darkshadow and he would hiss at her for being so jumpy yet his heart was racing. They walked in silence until Waterpaw meowed, "Nothing. Not even a scent. You think we would have found something."

"Oi," A voice called down suddenly and the two Clan cats whirled around to spot two cats sitting on a fence. One was a lean gray tom while a fatter black-and-white kittypet sat beside him. It was the black-and-white tom who had spoken. "What are you two looking for? I know this area like the back of my paw. We could help you."

"Shut up, Smut," The gray tom growled, "These are Clan cats. I've heard stories about them."

"Ooh Clan cats," Smut purred and sprang down so he was in front of the two Clan cats, "Hi, I'm Smut. This is my brother, Elmo." The gray tom sprang down, landing lightly on his paws, glaring at the two Clan cats. "Are you really Clan cats?"

Darkshadow nodded, "Yes. We have come looking for fighters to aid SkyClan in a battle." Elmo snorted and Darkshadow snarled, "Something funny, Elmo?"

Elmo silenced his laugh and growled, "What is your name, wild cat?"

"I haven't not given it," Darkshadow hissed.

"You need to learn some respect," Elmo snarled, but Smut butted in, "No fights, please, Elmo." At his brother's words, Elmo calmed down, but continued to glare at Darkshadow.

Smut nodded before turning to Darkshadow, "So you need fighters? Maybe I could help."

Darkshadow glanced at Smut. The fat kittypet couldn't survive. "This is a dangerous mission, Smut. You need to be a good fighter."

Elmo snorted again and growled, "Smut's one of the best fighters."

"Really?" Waterpaw asked in surprise and before she even finished her question, Smut had her pinned down. That was when Darkshadow realized that the kittypet didn't have fat... he had muscles. He looked stronger than Woodstar and Voleheart put together.

"How was that?" Smut asked, letting Waterpaw get to her feet.

"You would make an excellent addition to our force," Darkshadow said with a purr.

Elmo rolled his eyes and growled, "Well you're stuck with me too. I'm not letting Smut go off with you two by himself."

Waterpaw nodded, "Glad to have you."

Elmo just ignored her.

Darkshadow rolled his eyes and- with his new friends- padded deeper into the twoleg camp.