Darkstar's Wrath - A Faith's Journey Super Edition

Chapter 27

Darkblood squinted his eyes against the sunlight blasting into the underground den. Once they adjusted, Darkblood glanced around. Several warriors were up and stretching, getting ready to start this morning's patrols.

The dark warrior stood up, arching his back in a long stretch, his tail rippled over his back. After giving his black fur a quick wash, Darkblood padded up the slope into the camp.

The air had a hint of chilliness to it and the breeze blew softly, promising that a cold leaf-bare is on its way. The grass beyond the camp boundary was crisp and growing brittle with every passing day. Cats were fluffing up their fur against the cold as Stormhawk gathered them around the Meeting Rock to assign patrols for the day.

"For the dawn border patrol, Adderstar will be leading it," The blue-gray tom nodded to Adderstar, who was sitting beside him. "And he will be taking Sagetalon and Darkblood with him." 

Darkblood saw Sagetalon wave with his tail from beside the Prey Pile. He padded over as Adderstar trotted over to join them.

"And for the hunting patrol, Duskheart will take Wolfblaze...."

Stormhawk's voice faded into the background once Adderstar began talking to his patrol.

"We'll go and out around the Thunderpaths. If we come across any rogues or loners, we'll get them to leave our land." Adderstar decided.

"Okay." Sagetalon replied and Darkblood nodded in agreement.

"Let's head out then. Follow me." Adderstar stood up and flicked his tail for the two warriors to follow him.

The grass flattened out as the patrol neared the gravely Thunderpath. 

Sagetalon's nose wrinkled in disgust as he caught a whiff of the acrid stench. "I can't smell anything through this polluted air!" The brown tabby tom exclaimed.

Darkblood opened his mouth to reply, but stopped as he felt vibrations course through the ground beneath his paws.

He looked around to see that Adderstar had froze, his claws were dug into the ground and his ears were alert and twitching.

"You felt that too...?" Sagetalon hissed, his fur prickling along his spine.

Adderstar nodded his head just slightly, his eyes still looking up and down the thunderpath.

"Adderstar?" Darkblood breathed, taking a small step toward his leader.

The vibrations were stronger now. The cats were beginning to shake slightly in their pelts. 

Adderstar padded cautiously out onto the rocky thunderpath, looking to his left.

"Adderstar?" Darkblood repeated, glancing quickly over at Sagetalon.

After a couple of heartbeats, Adderstar came racing back to them, planting himself in front of his warriors. 

"Adderstar, what's going on?" Darkblood demanded as sound began to blast in his ears. The ground rumbled like thunder around them.

"Twolegs!" Adderstar shouted as a large beast came rounding the corner into FoxClan's territory, seeming to not even smell the boundary line. The beast had smooth green fur that the sun reflected off of. Five pairs of spinning claws churned the earth, gathering grass in their grasps. 

Darkblood was thrown backward as Adderstar shoved himself and Sagetalon into the ditch beside the thunderpath.

"What are they doing?" Sagetalon yowled over the loud roaring of the green monster.

"Harvesting the grass for their own animals." 

"What?" Darkblood replied, having never heard of this before.

"There's a twoleg farm on the other side of FernClan's territory where a family of twolegs reside. I didn't think that they would come back!"

"If their harvesting our land, that means... they'll eventually reach..." Sagetalon started, his eyes wide as they followed the monster.

"The camp!" Darkblood finished, his heart quickening in alarm.

Adderstar crawled up out the ditch and turned to face Sagetalon and Darkblood as they followed.

"I need you both to go back to camp and get everyone out. Take shelter in the various fox burrows around our territory."

"What will you do?" Darkblood asked.

"I'll try to lead the monster away from camp, hopefully giving you time to find shelter." Adderstar replied, his green eyes flickering toward the advancing beast.

"What!" Sagetalon exclaimed.

"No!" Darkblood protested. "Some cat can stay with you.. can't they! We're not-" 

"Darkblood..." Adderstar held up a paw to silence him. "Get the clan to safety. I'll be fine."

"How can you be certain?" Darkblood asked, his chest beginning to heave with an emotion he didn't think he'd feel again, fear.

Adderstar took a few paces forward until his nose brushed Darkblood's ear fur. "I still have two lives remaining. I won't be going to StarClan today."

Darkblood blinked as Adderstar pulled away. After a few moments, he slowly ducked his head to the long-haired red tom.

"Good, now go." Adderstar told the two warriors.

Darkblood and Sagetalon turned and met each other's gazes. With one last glance at their leader, the two warriors turned and pelted off toward the camp, their hearts pumping with fear every bound.