Code Twelve

Boundaries must be checked and remarked every day. Challenge all trespassing cats.

Not all of the Codes come from battles and hardships. Some, like this one, were needed to clear up a long continuing misunderstanding and to avoid the need of spilling blood. This Code was brought around because of a conflict between SunClan and LightClan.

Windheart's Code

The air is still as Windheart scents for prey. She waits with her right forepaw raised; knowing the dried leaves would crackle like booming thunder as soon as she sets it down again.

"Can you hear anything, Windheart? Can you, can you?" Oatpaw asked. The undergrowth rattles behind Windheart, so she turns with a sigh, as her Apprentice, Oatpaw, explodes into the open.

"Yes, Oatpaw, I can hear something," Windheart answered. Oatpaw stops dead and stares at Windheart.

"Really? What?"

"You!" his Mentor said. Oatpaw's tail droops.

"But I tried to be silent as you showed me." Windheart pads over to Oatpaw and touches the tip of his left ear with her nose.

"I think we need to practice on it some more." Oatpaw wriggles free from Windheart and pads up to LightClan's border.

"Why does Talonstar make us come this way when he knows LightClan doesn't like it?" the Apprentice asked. Windheart shrugs and nudges a piece of leaf off her tortoiseshell pelt.

"I believe he likes to know if something happens in our territory. If we just stick to the best hunting grounds, we'd never visit other places."

"Like this one?" Oatpaw said muffled. Oatpaw sticks his head into a clump of long grass. "I can't smell any rabbits anywhere!"

"That's because you're on LightClan territory!" Mossfire snarled. Windheart spins around and LightClan cats are standing side by side.

"What a surprise! SunClan cats are lurking on the border yet again. What's wrong with your own territory?" Raincloud said.

"Nothing! We have every right to go anywhere inside our borders!" Windheart hissed.

"Which your Apprentice isn't," Birdflight pointed out. Oatpaw pulls his head from the clump of grass and stands with his head down trembling.

"Oatpaw, come over here," Windheart said. Oatpaw shoots toward Windheart, swerving around Raincloud, who hisses as he goes by. "It was a mistake. We were not trying to take your prey." The ferns part and a forth cat appears by the first three.

"Why is there always SunClan cats lurking around here? Is your own Clan that bad that you would like to join ours?" Mousefang asked.

"Never! Our prey is just fine! Therefore, we don't need yours!" Windheart snarled.

"Is that so?" Raincloud asked.

"Come on, Raincloud. We're wasting our time. If these featherbrains want to spy on us, they will not learn much from the bushes. I don't think I've even been to this part of the territory before," Mousefang said. Raincloud narrows his eyes at Windheart.

"Don't think this is over. I'm going to tell Logstar that we caught SunClan cats hanging by the border yet again and I don't want to be in your fur if he thinks you're planning an attack," Raincloud said as he stalks away with his three Clanmates. As soon as they disappear, Windheart turns to Oatpaw.

"How many times must I tell you? You can't go into another Clan's territory!"

"I wasn't doing anything wrong! Anyway, it's too hard to tell where our territory turns into LightClan's. It's not like there is a river to show the border," Oatpaw said as he sniffs the air. Windheart opens her jaws to taste the air.

Oatpaw's right: the two scents of SunClan and LightClan are very faint at this border, so I can't blame Oatpaw for straying too far. Windheart thought. She looks back at Oatpaw. "Come on, we'd better go and tell Talonstar what has happened in case LightClan wants to fuss about it."

"He won't be angry with me, will he? I already had to put Mouse Bile on Glowingnight's ticks after scaring Morningstream's Kits with my lion roar," Oatpaw said scared.

"I'll tell Talonstar that it was an honest mistake. Just try not to get into any more trouble on the way back to camp."

SunClan Camp

Clearing

Later that Day

"Tell Talonstar that we wish to speak with him," Logstar said. There is a buzz of curiosity running through the camp.

"Who is that?" Smoketalon asked.

"LightClan cats," Mossheart said.

"What do they want?" Lilyfur asked.

"What's going on?" Kinktail asked.

"Are they here to get me?" Oatpaw asked. Windheart looks down at Oatpaw, who is looking up at her with his amber eyes stretched wide.

"I'm sure they haven't come to take you away. However, I'm sure glad that we told Talonstar of what happened by the border earlier," Windheart said. Rareheart leads Logstar, Mousefang, and Rowanflight into the camp clearing. Windflight draws in her breath sharply.

This has to be very serious if Logstar came here himself. Windheart thought. Sunnyday, the SunClan Deputy, meets them in the center of the camp.

"Logstar, Mousefang, and Rowanflight," Sunnyday said. Sunnyday greets them with a nod of her head. Windheart looks at Mousefang with renewed interest.

I hadn't realized that Mousefang is the recently appointed LightClan Deputy… Windheart thought.

"You are, of course, welcome to speak to Talonstar. Will he know what this is about?" Sunnyday asked.

"It's about your Warriors always spying on us!" Mousefang snarled. Logstar flicks his tail warning Mousefang to keep quiet.

"I am concerned that there are always SunClan Warriors on the edge of our territory and I want to know what they are doing there," Logstar said.

"I think you'll find that they're on the edge of our territory. Therefore, there shouldn't be a problem at all," Talonstar said.

"But there's nothing there! Nothing but the start of LightClan's territory!" Logstar objected. Talonstar glances at Windheart before he speaks.

"But from what I hear, it's not always easy to tell where your territory begins. Perhaps if you visited your borders more often, your scent would be clearer," Talonstar said. Logstar bears his teeth, swelling him to nearly twice his normal size. Oatpaw shrinks behind Windheart with a whimper.

"LightClan shouldn't have to patrol its boundaries to make sure SunClan isn't trespassing!" Logstar said.

"If you patrolled your borders more often, there would be less danger of us crossing it to begin with!" Mousefang steps forward.

"The Messenger Code says nothing about it being a Clan's responsibility to keep other Clancats out! It should be obvious that the other Clans are not allowed to cross the borders!" Mousefang said.

"Well, maybe the Code should say something!" Windheart spoke up. Everyone turns to face Windheart. Windheart snaps her jaws shut feeling as if her fur is on fire. Did I really just say that in front of two Clan Leaders?

"Yes! Go, Windheart!" cheered Oatpaw. Windheart silences Oatpaw with a glare. Talonstar puts his head to the left side.

"That is an interesting fact, Windheart, please continue," Talonstar said. Windheart feels a small nose nudge her from behind. She shoots a fierce glance at Oatpaw, before padding into the clearing. Every cat watches her. Mousefang looks scornful, which makes Windheart, square her shoulders and lift her chin defiantly at the LightClan Deputy.

"I-I just think that all of the fighting about SunClan being on the LightClan border would be cleared up if every Clan did the same as Talonstar wants us to do: have regular patrols around the entire territory. That way, the scents of each Clan will be left behind more frequently, not just in the places where cats hunt most often, and boundaries would be more clearly marked. Any cat that crosses over the border will be punished, because then it won't be a mistake," Windheart said with a slight stutter. Talonstar nods his head in understanding.

"And if SunClan and LightClan patrol regularly along the shared border, then neither Clan will be accused of spying or trying to trespass," Talonstar said as he flicks his tail at Windheart. "That's a wonderful idea!"

"So you think the Messenger Code should say how we should defend our borders. What kind of a Leader would be mouse-brained enough to need instructions like that?" Logstar hissed.

"The type of Leader who doesn't think a patrol walking along their boundaries is planning an attack," Talonstar said. Rowanflight replies very meekly.

"That might work…"

"Well I think it's a stupid idea. The Clans have lived in these territories for countless moons, more moons than any of us can remember, and we never needed the Messenger Code to tell us how to defend our borders. Obviously, some cats are more featherbrained than others are," Mousefang said. Mousefang narrows her eyes at Windheart. Then she and Rowanflight turn around. Logstar starts to turn and follow his Deputy, but Talonstar calls out instead.

"Wait!" called Talonstar. Logstar turns to face Talonstar again. "I shall put forward Windheart's theory at the next Gathering. We should let the other four Leaders decide – not because I think and Clancat needs to be reminded that their territories should be well defended, but because it will stop needless suspicion over the border patrols." Logstar lifts his right forepaw and unsheathes his claws.

"You do realize that if the other Leaders agree to this mouse-brained rule; then I'll be able to claw the fur off any of your Apprentices that happen to cross the border," Logstar said. From the corner of her eye, Windheart sees Oatpaw back into the brambles that surround the Apprentices' den until only his white fur is visible. Talonstar does not flinch at the threat. "And we will punish any trespassing LightClan cats – The situation will be clear and fair – as are the boundaries!" Logstar spins around and stalks towards the camp entrance. "Until the next Gathering, Talonstar. We shall see what the other Clans think of your proposition then." Windheart watches until the reeds stop trembling.

If this becomes part of the Messenger Code then I shall live forever! Windheart thought. Windheart shakes her head to chase away such huge dreams and looks for Oatpaw. Adding new rules to the Messenger Code is Kit's play compared to keeping Oatpaw in line. Oatpaw is a quick learner and will one day make a Warrior to be proud of. Not that I can be any prouder than I already am, as both his mother and his Mentor. With a purr of amusement, Windheart goes in search of her son.

This is the Twelfth Code