DarkClan's Attack

Chapter 16

Luckystar stretched her forelegs out and licked the ruffled fur back into sleekness. One sunrise remained until DarkClan would attack, and one moon remained until her kits would be born. She was sure that there were more kits in this litter then her first litter; the heaviness was almost unbearable. But she knew she couldn't tell the Clan about the identity of the father. Rainfall would have to stay her secret.

Speaking of secrets, Goldenperch had caught her walking into the camp late, and on a late visit to Rainfall to tell him about the kits, she had heard rustling in the bushes as well as a faint scent after Rainfall had left.

Echoflight's scent was on the bushes, and Luckystar was afraid she knew what had happened. However, this was no time to cause trouble within the Clan, when they needed to be strong.

Licking her chest fur quickly, she finished grooming the base of her tail before shaking out her fur and leaving the den. The bright sunlight of sunhigh seemed to be mocking her, giving her good weather, the calm before the storm.

"Morning, Goldenperch," Luckystar nodded to her deputy and sister as she bounded down the rocks leading up to her den.

"The dawn patrol reported a fox around the Tall Tree. Shall I send a patrol to drive it out?" Goldenperch reported.

"Just what we need!" Luckystar muttered, her brain a turmoil.

Fight or ignore?

"We'll ignore it until the battle ends tomorrow. We can't afford to get injured now." Luckystar decided.

"Alright." Goldenperch mewed curtly. "Do you need to talk to the Clan before I organize patrols?"

Talk to the Clan? Right. "Yes, I'll organize the patrols for tomorrow."

The Clan gathered around her after hearing the traditional summons made by the ancient Clans. Goldenperch narrowed her eyes at her from the base of the Highledge.

What's her problem? Luckystar thought. Then, she dismissed it.

"We're still here!" Molewhisker snapped into her thoughts.

"Sorry. Right. So, uh- as you all know, tomorrow we are fighting the battle of our lives. DarkClan has been preparing, but so have we. We have all trained and trained. Firstly, I just want to say that no Clan leader's ever been proud of her cats like I am. You are all loyal and brave warriors. If we win the battle tomorrow, it will be because of you. Now.

The first battle patrol will be made up of Beetlenose, Cherryheart, Dovewing, Echoflight, Whitewing, Hazeltail, Icecloud, Molewhisker and Sunpaw. Goldenperch will lead the patrol.

The second battle patrol will be made up of Birchfall, Cinderheart, Duskpelt, Hollyleaf, Ivypool, Lionblaze, Poppyfrost, Toadstep, Thunderstorm and Dawnpaw. Squirrelflight will lead this patrol.

Leafpool, Foxleap and Frogpaw will make up the messenger patrol."

Frogpaw gave her a grateful look. It was clear he was scared and didn't want to fight, but Luckystar respected that.

"And finally, the cats that will stay in camp are Bumblestripe, Bushpelt, Briarlight, Pineleaf, Rosepetal, Snowfall, Lightningstrike and Thornclaw. Of course, the elders and medicine cats will stay in the camp as well. Dawnpaw and Sunpaw, you have a special job."

At this, both apprentices' faces lit up.

"Really?" Sunpaw gasped.

"It will be your job to bring any seriously wounded cats from your battle patrols back to the camp. And you will also be acting as a messenger if you are outnumbered badly. For the messenger patrol, Leafpool has experience with healing, so she will take some herbs with her just in case they run into an injured cat." Luckystar continued briskly.