Lost Hope: Book 5: Forest of Vipers

Chapter 2

Foxflame didn't realize just how many rogues there actually were.

    The whole place, the 'barn' as they called it, was filled with cats of all ages and sizes, preparing to lead one grand attack on the Clan cats.

    "Still salty about us beating them last time," Lilacsnow muttered when they had first arrived. That had earned her a long scratch on her cheek.

    They had been here for three days now. Shoved into some kind of wooden compartment with sparse bits of hay. They had been given scraps that barely counted as food and were guarded at all times.

    "I hope Phoenixwing's alright," Foxflame said quietly to his sister, lying on the hard stone ground.

    "You and I both know that she's in StarClan now," Lilacsnow reminded him gently.

    "Maybe she escaped," Foxflame said, trying to be optimistic. "Maybe she's warned the Clan.

    Lilacsnow gave him a pitying look and licked his nose before settling her head back onto her paws.

    Foxflame knew what his sister said was true, but he didn't want to believe it. And some small part of him felt that she was still alive.

    Dusk came and Lilacsnow fell asleep beside him as two more guards came to replace the ones currently posted.

    "Why does Viperfang insist on keeping them alive?"

    Foxflame pricked his ears toward them.

    "I mean," the same voice said, gruff and low. "She says they have a purpose, but I just don't see the point. I say kill them like the other one."

    Foxflame bristled slightly.

    "But do you think she wants them for information about EchoClan?" The other guard said, his voice sounded a lot like how a rat would talk.

    "She already has spies in all three of the Clans," the other one said. "I don't think she needs these ones for information. But what then?"

    "I have no idea—"

    "Jaguar, Pike, Dogtooth wants to see you. I'll guard the hostages for now," another voice joined them.

    "On our way," the first cat said, Foxflame assumed he was Jaguar.

    There was a scattering of paw steps as the two cats walked away and the other one took their place.

    Foxflame sat in silence, pondering what he had just heard. Viperfang has spies in every Clan. I bet one of them is Violetshadow. But who are the others? I can't imagine who would want to betray their Clan.

    And why is she keeping me and Lilacsnow locked up here? It can't do her much good. If she didn't want us to tell the EchoClan about her than wouldn't she have just silenced us like. . . like Phoenixwing?

    Viperfang was planning something big, and, Foxflame figured, that while he was here, he would find out as much as he could so when he and Lilacsnow got back to EchoClan they would be prepared for any attack that fell upon them. He only hoped that he had even the slightest clue how to do that.