So, I know it's been a while since my last update, but I've been really busy. My school starts next Monday and naturally there is a lot to do to prepare. I will try to update again this week, and after that, updates are likely to get more infrequent, but I will still try to update every weekend.
I have decided to start giving shout-outs to the first five reviewers on each chapter, if I even get that many reviews. Even if you don't want a shout-out, or you are a guest, please review! My reviewers mean a lot to me and help encourage me to continue writing (Not that I would stop anyway :))
I don't think I need to say anything else...
Enjoy!
Chapter 9: Mintleaf
Mintleaf was hunting near the top border. She was about to pounce on a scrawny vole when Featherbreeze burst through a bush near her. The vole ran away and Mintleaf cursed silently: Fox dung!
"Featherbreeze! That might have been my only chance at catching something!" she complained, turning around.
Featherbreeze shrugged, "Sorry. But this is worth it! I know how we can bring the clans together!"
Mintleaf rolled her eyes. "And how is that, then?"
"We can use cats from other clans to help get cats from other clans to help them bring the clans together and then we'll have the problem solved!"
What a perfect idea, Mintleaf thought sarcastically. "One, we will never get any cat from OakClan or PineClan, and two, I think that's rushing things a little!"
"You don't get it!" Featherbreeze snapped. "We already have cats from OakClan, and I'm pretty sure we can find some cats in PineClan."
"Okay, who?" Mintleaf challenged.
"Um… Silverriver and Stormshade."
"I meant in PineClan," Mintleaf meowed scathingly. She flicked her tail. "Actually, there are some cats I might be able to convince in PineClan…"
"Who? Who?" Featherbreeze asked, bouncing on her paws.
Mintleaf narrowed her eyes. "I've never actually talked to her. But I hear she isn't very aggressive." She giggled at Featherbreeze's scowl.
"Tell me!" the gray tabby hissed flexing her claws.
"Streampaw."
"Streampaw?" Featherbreeze scoffed. "She's a medicine cat! Besides she's an apprentice, and we have no reason to trust her."
Mintleaf sighed. "We have to try! This was your idea."
…
(The next day)
"I'll get Stormshade and Silverriver to meet us at the waterfall tonight. I have to convince Silverriver to leave the kits, but other than that it should be easy," Featherbreeze meowed. They were sitting in the forest, so that no cat would overhear them.
Mintleaf nodded. "Which one of us is going to PineClan?"
Featherbreeze blinked. "I guess you should go, because I have to go to StreamClan."
"StreamClan! We forgot about StreamClan! Or did we?" she stared at Featherbreeze confused.
"I thought we'd talk to Flowerstar," Featherbreeze explained.
"Flowerstar? She wants the waterfall! She'll never agree!" Mintleaf protested. She stood up. "Why don't we just tell Leafstar? She'd help."
Featherbreeze shook her head firmly. "She'd never let us. We're breaking the warrior code!"
"You plan on strolling into the StreamClan camp and saying, 'Flowerstar! We want to come up with a plan to make the waterfall belong to no clan!'?" Mintleaf snorted. "That's ridiculous!"
"And I suppose you know what to do?" Featherbreeze snarled.
"I know better than to ask Flowerstar!" Mintleaf snapped.
"Then who do you want to ask?" Featherbreeze argued.
"I don't know! I didn't think about StreamClan!" Mintleaf realized she was yelling. She was about to remind Featherbreeze that they had to be quiet when Thunderstrike padded through the trees toward them.
"What in the name of StarClan are you two doing? Didn't I send you on a hunting patrol?" he growled.
"Not much prey anyway," Featherbreeze commented under her breath kicking the snow.
"Are you two trying to prove to us that making warriors early is a bad idea? Because I'm sure Leafstar would be happy to put you back on apprentice duties," Thunderstrike suggested. Ugh! Not him too! Mintleaf thought. Every cat in this clan likes to put warriors back on apprentice duties!
"We'll go hunt," Featherbreeze muttered.
"I should think so," Thunderstrike meowed and walked away from them. The two sisters padded through the forest, looking for prey.
Finally, Mintleaf spotted a small squirrel climbing up a tree. She took a few quiet steps forward and leaped at it. She caught it and swiftly killed it.
"Now we can say we hunted," she mumbled around it.
"But we need to figure out what we're doing!" Featherbreeze meowed impatiently.
"Fine. What if we get Blossomleap from StreamClan? She's nice." Mintleaf just wanted to get on with the plan.
"Lots of cats can be called nice! Besides I bet Blossomleap kitted by now. She won't just leave camp with us!" Featherbreeze protested. "Whatever, I'll get Silverriver and Stormshade. You will get Streampaw. Tonight, just after sunset, every cat will be going to sleep. Go then."
"Okay," Mintleaf meowed confidently. "Now let's hunt!"
…
Mintleaf decided to go through StreamClan territory to get to PineClan. That way, if she got caught, she wouldn't be in as much trouble. She ran across the shore as fast as she could, hoping not to be spotted.
"Hey! Mintpaw!" A voice yowled. Mintleaf stumbled to a halt. I hope there's a gathering soon! No cat knows I'm a warrior! She saw Breezeheart hurtling towards her and twitched her tail irritably.
"It's Mintleaf," she informed him.
He rolled his eyes. "Like I care. What are you doing on my territory?"
"Does it matter? Our clans are allies!" Mintleaf needed to get to PineClan fast so she would be home before moon-high and this mouse-brained warrior was slowing her down!
"Yes, it does," Breezeheart snapped. "I could tell Flowerstar, she could declare war on you, and against three clans, LakeClan would fall."
"Fine I'll tell you!" Mintleaf snapped. Then it all came out in a rush. "We're trying to unite the clans to stop the war and I need to get to PineClan to find Streampaw and I need to be back before moon-high and I really need to go, so please let me go!"
Breezeheart tilted his head to the side. His eyes lit up. "Fine, I'll let you go," he conceded. Mintleaf felt excitement return to her paws. She jumped up to leave but Breezeheart wasn't done. "I will let you go on one condition."
Feeling deflated, Mintleaf spun back around. "What?"
"You need to let me come with you."
"You want to join us?" Mintleaf was surprised. She didn't really get along with Breezeheart, although he and Featherbreeze were friends. Is he coming because of her? She pushed the thought away. Maybe Breezeheart just wanted to end the war.
"Yes, and if you want to get out of my territory you'll have to let me."
"Fine!" Mintleaf snarled. "Come on." She took off along the shore, with Breezeheart behind her.
…
When they arrived at the PineClan camp, Mintleaf saw a golden pelt sitting in the entrance. The only golden cats in PineClan are Sunpelt and Squirrelfall… so it's Sunpelt! I heard he falls asleep on guard a lot. I hope that means now! She beckoned to Breezeheart and crept closer. Sunpelt was hunched over, his eyes closed.
"We should disguise our scents," Breezeheart whispered.
"There's a patch of garlic near their dirtplace. I saw it when we were coming here. Come on." Mintleaf padded back to the garlic and rolled in it. She sniffed her pelt. Garlic. Breezeheart smelled the same and he was wrinkling his nose in disgust.
They walked in silence back to the camp and tiptoed through the entrance, staying as far away from Sunpelt as they could.
Inside the camp, every cat seemed to be asleep. Mintleaf smelled herbs and trotted toward the source. She found herself in what appeared to be the medicine den. She looked around for nests and out of the corner of her eye, saw a pair of blue eyes, glittering in the darkness, staring at her.
I hope you liked that chapter! Again, please review and don't forget, the first five reviewers get shout-outs!
QOTC
Who is watching them?
Answer! I already know who it is, but I still want to know your guess! I am, again, going to remind you to review. I am sure you get bored of my begging, but my story gets so many views! Imagine if half the people who read it reviewed; there'd be 300 something reviews!
I know it's kind of a late, well where I am anyway. Where some of you are, it might be the morning! I have no knowledge of timezones, but I assume that somewhere it's the morning! To those people, good morning!
StarClan, I talk a lot. Bye!