Chapter 16

"Prey stealers!"

Talonpaw's accusation rang in Starrypaw's ears as the ShadowClan cats grouped up in front of them.

"What is he talking about?" Whitepaw whispered to Starrypaw.

Starrypaw shrugged, feeling too many emotions to speak. This is ridiculous! We've done nothing wrong! Why did they bring so many warriors? They're the ones trespassing!

"You have no right to accuse us of anything when you're blatantly trespassing right in front of us!" Graystripe hissed, voicing Starrypaw's thoughts.

Blackstar stepped forwards, his stature calm, but his frustration apparent. "We want to speak with Firestar."

Graystripe hesitated. "Is there a reason why you needed so many warriors for the trip?"

"I can decide what I want my patrols to look like, thank you," Blackstar replied fiercely.

After a painful silence, Graystripe gave a stiff nod. Starrypaw knew there was no arguing with them since they outnumbered them, but that fact frustrated her all the more. She shook, attempting to calm herself, and watched as Graystripe turned to Brackenfur.

"Starrypaw and I are going to take them to Firestar. Continue the evening patrol with Whitepaw," he whispered.

"Are you sure that's safe? What if they ambush you?" Brackenfur asked.

Starrypaw's heart beat faster.

"That would be a mouse-brained thing to do in their situation although I wouldn't put it past them since they're already mouse-brained." He paused, casting a side-long glance at Blackstar, who seemed to be growing more impatient by the second. "Regardless, someone can't escort them alone, and we also can't continue the patrol alone, especially with those twoleg rogues lurking around." When Brackenfur still didn't look convinced, Graystripe flicked his ear with his tail. "It'll be fine, StarClan willing."

Graystripe turned back to Blackstar. "I'll take you, but if you put one paw out of line-"

"Let's just go!" Blackstar's tail lashed.

Graystripe narrowed his eyes at the ShadowClan leader and padded towards camp, beckoning Starrypaw toward him with his tail. As Starrypaw passed them, she averted her gaze from theirs'.

"Be careful!" Whitepaw hissed after her as she and Brackenfur continued along the Thunderpath.

When Starrypaw reached Graystripe's side, he placed his tail around her shoulders. "Stay close," he whispered. Starrypaw nodded.

As they led ShadowClan along, the sun disappeared beneath the horizon, and the stars began to peek out between the branches. Starrypaw started to grow frustrated as she could hear Talonpaw growling behind her.

"Would you cut that out?" she hissed, whirling around to face him.

"Starrypaw," Graystripe warned quietly.

"I can growl all I want at prey stealers," Talonpaw spat back.

As Starrypaw turned back to face Graystripe, she couldn't help muttering one more thing, purposefully loud enough for Talonpaw to hear.

"Why would ThunderClan want to steal crow-food?"

Starrypaw yowled in surprise as she was bowled off of her paws and rolled over through the dead leaves, coming to a stop to see Talonpaw's amber eyes fierce with anger glaring down at her.

"Say that again and see what happens!" he growled.

"Get off of me or see what happens!" Starrypaw replied, unsheathing her back claws threateningly beneath his stomach.

"Enough!" Rowanclaw yelled.

Talonpaw dug his claws into Starrypaw's shoulders with a smirk before stepping back to let her up. She stalked off towards Graystripe, who was watching angrily.

"Are you alright?" he whispered when she reached him.

Starrypaw did a quick check to ensure nothing had broken through her skin and nodded.

"You know not to provoke them like that. Stay close and silent, and I hope you learned your lesson because I expect it not to happen that way again."

Starrypaw lowered her head in shame. "Yes, Graystripe."

As they walked on, Starrypaw could hear Talonpaw being reprimanded by Rowanclaw, who must have been his mentor. She couldn't help but feel satisfied that he wasn't walking away from his uncalled for attack without being punished. Blackstar's been extra quiet though, she noted suspiciously.

When the gorse tunnel came into sight, Starrypaw didn't know whether to be relieved or more worried. They were leading an attack sized patrol right into camp, but now ShadowClan would be vastly out numbered. Our Clan is so exhausted right now, she thought somberly, However, we're well prepared for battle. She hoped it wouldn't come to that nonetheless.

Graystripe put his mouth to her ear. "Run ahead and get Firestar."

Starrypaw gave a respectful nod and bounded off for camp, slipping quickly through the entrance. Many cats were already in their dens besides Shrewhunter and Mousefur, but Firestar was sitting by the medicine cat's den, speaking in a low voice with Cinderpelt as they watched the moonrise.

Starrypaw noticed Shrewhunter perk up at her arrival, but his expression turned to worry when he saw her haste.

"Firestar!" Starrypaw called, sprinting across the clearing towards her leader.

Firestar shot up. "What's wrong, the rogues?"

Starrypaw shook her head, knowing deep down that all this trouble was only adding to his burden. "ShadowClan. Blackstar wants to speak with you. A fair warning, they brought a strangely large patrol."

Firestar narrowed his eyes, looking over Starrypaw's head at the gorse tunnel as Graystripe slipped in, leading the ShadowClan cats.

"Go and wake any warriors sleeping," he whispered to her before padding over to stand beside his deputy.

Starrypaw could hear him addressing Blackstar as she rushed to the warrior's den, slipping inside to see Dustpelt, Spiderleg, Sootfur, Sorreltail, Thornclaw, and Brightheart curled up asleep. Rainwhisker, who had been grooming his sister's pelt and chatting quietly with Brambleclaw, perked up when Starrypaw entered.

"Guys! Get up! A ShadowClan patrol is here, and they have some ridiculous claims!" She bolted back out and sat beside Graystripe as Blackstar began speaking.

"Don't act so innocent, Firestar. You know what your warriors have done! Just because some kittypets are giving you trouble doesn't mean that you should be allowed to hunt on ShadowClan territory!"

Hisses and yowls rang out behind Starrypaw, and she turned to see that all of the warriors in camp were gathered around on high alert. Squirrelpaw had come out as well.

When she turned back to the ShadowClan patrol, she noticed they looked even more outraged than before. Talonpaw wouldn't stop throwing angry glares at her. Don't they realize they're vastly outnumbered?

"These accusations aren't true, Blackstar," Firestar replied, maintaining a calm composure.

"If that's true then why is ThunderClan scent all over prey remains by the border?" Blackstar hissed. He stepped up to Firestar, his neck fur rising. "It's the same thing with WindClan, those liars! You claimed last gathering they did the same to you, but how do we know you aren't teaming up with them?"

Starrypaw saw Graystripe stiffen, and he looked ready to pounce on Blackstar at any moment in order to protect his leader. Anyone here would do the same.

"Starrypaw," someone whispered.

Starrypaw turned to see that Shrewhunter had come up beside her. She pressed up against him, cherishing his warmth in the cold night.

"Why would we team up with WindClan against ShadowClan? As you brought up before, we're already dealing with the rogues from twoleg place," Firestar replied, beginning to sound more frustrated.

"Hey, that's weird," Shrewhunter whispered in Starrypaw's ear suddenly.

"What?"

"Weren't there three ShadowClan warriors with Blackstar?"

Starrypaw searched the patrol, and her eyes widened to see one of them missing. "You're right." She put her muzzle to Graystripe's ear and told him what they'd found out.

"Where did Cedarheart go?" Graystripe called out, interrupting the argument.

Blackstar flattened his ears, and with a sweep of his angry gaze across ThunderClan, he lifted his head high.

"ShadowClan! Attack!"

ShadowClan cats burst through the gorse tunnel, leaping into camp with a bit of struggle since it had been recently reinforced. Starrypaw barely had time to react as Talonpaw immediately went racing for her. She was rolled onto the ground, and thinking fast, she went limp.

"ThunderClan apprentices must be trained to fight mice!" Talonpaw announced triumphantly as he slackened his grip.

Quickly, Starrypaw shoved her paws into his stomach, throwing him fairly far away. She shot to her paws and gave him a smirk as he fought to catch his breath. He didn't give up however, and in a split second he was racing back towards her, claws outstretched.

Starrypaw rose up on her hind legs to meet his attack, and they slammed into eachother, scraping furiously.

"This is for stealing our prey!"

Talonpaw scored his claws down Starrypaw's side in a moment where she couldn't protect herself. She hissed in pain and anger and began to use her fury as a drive to attack harder.

Finally, Starrypaw got a good scrape across Talonpaw's ear, and he shrank back long enough for her to scratch her claws along his stomach. As he yowled in pain, Starrypaw relented, worrying about injuring him badly.

Suddenly, the air was driven out of her as she was thrown to the ground. She slid to a stop, looking up to see Rowanclaw planting his paw on her shoulder.

As she braced for his attack, Starrypaw noticed the regret and uncertainty in his eyes. He doesn't want to do this! she thought in surprise. Just like Tawnypelt!

But just like that, the battle was over.

"ShadowClan! Retreat!"

Rowanclaw bounded away, releasing Starrypaw. She heaved herself to her paws, watching them run out of the gorse tunnel and into the night. The scent of blood hung strongly on the air, but as Starrypaw gazed around the clearing, she realized that most of the tufts of fur and blood spatters were from ShadowClan. Even with so many of their warriors, they were too greatly outnumbered!

Shrewhunter was beside her in two bounds. "Are you alright?" he asked.

Starrypaw nodded, panting heavily. It hadn't been a harsh fight, but it had taken a good bit out of her. It seemed to have tired out much of the Clan as well, Starrypaw noticed. Cats sat heavily, cleaning their small wounds with little energy while Leafpaw headed around between them with a mouthful of herbs.

Starrypaw looked Shrewhunter over, ensuring he didn't have any bad injuries. Besides a bleeding wound on his ear, he looked relatively fine.

Pawsteps sounded outside the gorse tunnel, and everyone froze in alertness until Brackenfur and Whitepaw slipped in, followed by Sandstorm, Ashfur, and Cloudtail.

"What happened?" Brackenfur asked, turning to Firestar.

Starrypaw turned her attention away, not wanting to do anything except sleep. "I can't wait to curl up in the den tonight," Starrypaw said to Shrewhunter.

"You probably need to get that scratch checked out first," Shrewhunter replied, gesturing to the side where Talonpaw's claws had scraped her.

Starrypaw sighed. "You have one too you know." She lifted her head to clean his ear wound, and he purred gratefully.

"ThunderClan!" Firestar called out, turning heads towards the highrock. "We've got recovering to do. If you have any bad wounds, head to the medicine cat's den. Leafpaw will go around checking everyone else, so stay in the clearing for now. Afterwards, get some rest. I want two guards at the gorse tunnel tonight. How about Brambleclaw and Brightheart? Are you two up for it?"

Brambleclaw stepped up respectfully and dipped his head. Brightheart, however, limped up behind him, looking much more disheveled.

"Brightheart can't, Firestar," Leafpaw said, nudging her towards the medicine cat's den. "She has a bad leg wound."

Firestar dipped his head. "Thank you, Leafpaw. You get that leg fixed up Brightheart." He turned back to the crowd of ThunderClan cats. "How about you, Rainwhisker? Can you guard with Brambleclaw tonight?"

Rainwhisker nodded. "Yes, Firestar."

"Good. We won't let anything take ThunderClan down!" A few cats yowled in agreement. "Also," Firestar continued, "good job on the gorse tunnel everyone! ShadowClan had trouble breaking through. We'll have to fix it up and maybe continue working on it to make it even stronger. Rest well tonight. We have a long day tomorrow."

Starrypaw watched Firestar leap down from the highrock, and he staggered as he landed. Not only was he exhausted, but he had some cuts from the battle as well.

Starrypaw and Shrewhunter shared a vole as they waited for Leafpaw to check them over.

"I hadn't realized how hungry I was," Starrypaw said through a mouthful.

Shrewhunter's whiskers twitched in amusement though he said nothing. When they finished, they cleaned eachother's wounds and shared tongues.

Finally, Leafpaw padded up to them. She looked over Starrypaw and Shrewhunter's cuts and stepped back with a nod.

"You've cleaned them well I see," she began, failing to hide an amused purr, "but now they need some marigold. Stay right there."

Once their wounds had been treated, Starrypaw and Shrewhunter parted ways, heading to their dens.

Only two more moons, and then I'll be with him! Starrypaw thought as she slipped into the apprentice's den.

She curled up beside the other two apprentices, listening to Squirrelpaw whisper excitedly to Whitepaw about the battle until eventually she couldn't stay awake any longer.