Chapter 7: Rage and Fury

I turned at the sound of pebbles clacking down the thorn barrier. I smelled the scent of warriors. Thunderclan warriors.

I rose to my paws and padded over. Lionpaw seemed more enraged than the rest of the patrol. Even though I knew what was coming, I was tense.

Firestar looked up from his conversation with Brambleclaw. "Have they left?"

Dustpelt shook his head.

I saw Firestar's muscles tense, and his eyes grew cold. "What?"

Dustpelt swallowed. "They've split into three groups and dissapeared."

Graystripe dashed in from the nursery. "Split up?"

Brambleclaw narrowed his eyes. "They must be trying to weaken us by dividing us up."

Dustpelt tilted his head. "If they've split up, they've weakened themselves too."

Graystripe looked uneasy. "But they have the advantage of surprise. They know we're coming."

Dustpelt nodded. "And we don't know where they're hiding."

I growled. Windclan would be sorry they ever started this mess. They would be running home by the time I was done with them.

Cloutail stood. "We know which way they headed. One group went toward the top of the territory, one went down to the lake, and it looks like one doubled back and headed for the old Twoleg path."

Dustpelt's eyes widened. "How in the name of Starclan did they know which way to go?"

Firestar looked grim. "it looks like they know our territory better than we imagined."

Brambleclaw jumped up, his pelt bristling. "That's impossible!" he snapped. "Our patrols have kept them from crossing the border."

I growled under my breath. I should have remembered about the tunnels! I could have stopped this! I was lost in my anger when the thorn barrier rattled once more.

Whitewing's patrol charged in. "No sign of trouble on the Shadowclan border!" I held my breath as Brackenfur and Hollypaw raced in with Sorreltail on their heels.

As Firestar went over the situation, I pondered on what I could do to help. As Yellowfang had asked me, the lake was where the feircest fightning would be. I had to get to be on Dustpelt's patrol. I remembered that the lake was where Squirrelflight received her terrible wound. I narrowed my eyes. Even if I couldn't stop that, I could try.

I looked up at Firestar. "We need three battle patrols to go out and find them. A fourth patrol will stay behind to defend the camp. Graystripe, that will be your duty."

Graystripe nodded solemnly.

Firestar continued to speak. "I'll lead one patrol. Brambleclaw, you lead the second, and Dustpelt will lead the third."

By this time most of the Clan was gathered around the ginger tom. I saw Leafpool and Jaypaw standing outside the medicine den. Firestar looked over the crowd of cats, anxious and frightened. "Thunderclan will defend it's territory," he declared. "Ashfur, Lionpaw, Berrynose, Spiderleg, Poppyfrost, you'll follow me." The Thunderclan leader turned to Brambleclaw and Dustpelt. "Pick your own warriors. Leafpool and Jaypaw will stay in camp with the queens and elders. Brightheart and Whitewing, you stay with them. Cinderpaw, Ferncloud, Icepaw, you stay too."

"But I-" Icepaw complained.

Firestar glared. "Do you think kits and elders aren't worth defending?"

Icepaw swallowed. "Of c-course!"

As I saw Dustpelt fick his tail, I pushed through the crowd. I squeezed next to the tabby warrior.

"Hey," I said. "Can I join your patrol?"

Dustpelt nodded. "Of course."

The patrol padded silently through the woods. I looked around for any sign of Windclan. I sniffed the air and stared into every bush. Of the three areas of battle, the lake shore had not been documented in Eclipse. I wondered what went down there. Squirrelflight was padding beside Foxpaw. Dustpelt was low to the ground. Sandstorm brought up the rear. Everyone else was in the middle.

I wondered where Winclan would be hiding. Or if they'd even hide. There wasn't much cover at the lakeshore. Suddenly I spotted something. A group of Windclan cats was heading our way. I dashed up to Dustpelt.

Dustpelt looked at me. "What is it?"

I gestured towards the shore with my tail. "Windclan."

Dustpelt looked. "That's strange. They're walking. They don't know we're here!" He turned to the rest of the patrol. "We have spotted Windclan, but they don't see us. We are going to sneak around them, and attack from behind."

I grinned. I liked this plan. The patrol began working it's way around the enemy patrol. I found myself near Squirrelflight.

She looked at me. "So, do you think this is a good plan?"

I nodded. "It's worked for me before." It was true. In my human life, I was a strategist. I always had the best plans. And when I came up with a plan, I never lost.

Squirrelflight nodded, then looked down at Foxpaw. "Remember, be careful, and don't take on anyone you can't handle."

Foxpaw nodded. "I know."

It was then that the full weight of the situation slammed on me. This was war. I could die. Even though I was the Fourth, I didn't have any powers that I knew of. I wasn't like Lionpaw. A lump formed in my throat as we crept ever closer to the enemy. The cold spot in my stomach was a ball of ice.

Soon I was almost directly behind a Windclan warrior. I looked over at Dustpelt. I could just make out his tail signal. I waited for five heartbeats. One, two, three, four...

"NOW!" Dustpelt leaped up on to an enemy warrior's back. I jumped as high as I could and landed square on a warrior's shoulders. I slashed at his pelt with my claws. As blood spattered my pelt and his screams lit up the night, the ice ball exploded. Shards of it pierced my heart and lungs, and water ran over my pelt. I shrieked as I felt teeth meet in my tail and blood spattered my vision, tinting it red. I whirled on the enemy as if it were one being. I slashed and bit, blood spattering my pelt. My vision darkened further.

I barely heard Dustpelt's voice. "We're driving them back!"

Sorreltail sneered. "Run home, cowards!"

"Yeah, that's the stuff!" I shouted. "Give it to 'em!" The Windclan warriors were running for the lake, the sand beneath their paws running red with blood. As Dustpelt led our patrol down to the lakeshore, I felt as though I was forgeting something very important. As a screech rose from my throat, I spotted movement from the water.

"Riverclan warriors!" I cried, just before Blackclaw slammed into me at full pelt. I heard shrieks of surprise from the Thunderclan warriors. I hacked and slashed at Blackclaw, loosening his grip. With a mighty kick, I sent him flying into Pinefur. She shook off Blackclaw with a hiss and leaped for Squirrelflight. Before I could leap to her aid, Dustpelt grabbed the Riverclan warrior and flung her away. As I scanned the battle, I glimpsed a golden pelt, dappled with spots.

"To me, Riverclan!" She shouted, and I realized that Leopardstar had brought more Riverclan warriors to the battle. I saw Otterheart and Duskfur leap for Poppyfrost. Voletooth and Minnowpaw snarled at Foxpaw and Squirrelflight. Dustpelt was cornered by Mistyfoot and Mintfur. I leaped at them, and as I did, Dustpelt attacked Mistyfoot. I slammed into Mintfur, growling as my teeth met her flesh.

"Where are you goinig!"