The Beginning Prophecy: Firestarter

Chapter Thirty One

Spottedleaf and the others followed Yellowfang as she turned and pushed her way through the bracken.

The tortoiseshell was tingling with dread and excitement. She could no longer feel the damp chill in the air, and her tiredness was forgotten. 

Yellowfang guided them to a hollow surrounded by thick undergrowth, and pointed out the entrance of ShadowClan’s camp. The tangled mess of brambles looked very different from the neat tunnel of gorse that led into the ThunderClan camp. The camp boundary was full of holes, allowing the stench of rotting meat to waft toward them.

"ShadowClan eats crowfood?" Graypaw whispered, curling his lip.

 "Brokenstar uses his warriors for attacking, not hunting." Grunted Lizardstripe. "They eat whatever they can find."

"ThunderClanners, hide in the bracken over there." Yellowfang hissed. "The toadstools hidden within will disguise your scent. Wait until you hear Yellowfang's signal."

She stepped back and let the other ShadowClan cats lead the way, tucking herself into the center of their crowd as though she was a prisoner. They silently headed into the camp.

The ThunderClan patrol settled amongst the toadstools, tense and alert.

Spottedleaf's coat pricked. This would be her first raid as deputy. She looked at Whitestorm beside her. Again, their eyes met and the white warrior nodded, giving his permission for her to give the signal.

Yowling suddenly erupted from the ShadowClan camp. Without hesitation, the ThunderClan cats leapt from their hiding place and charged through the entrance.

Yellowfang, Dawncloud, Lizardstripe, Brackenfoot, and Brightwhisker were in a muddy, well-trodden clearing, wrestling six vicious-looking warriors. Spottedleaf recognized Brokenstar and Blackfoot, his deputy, among them. The warriors looked starved and patchy-furred, but she could see the hard muscles pounding beneath their battle-scarred pelt.

Groups of scrawny cats looked at the mayhem from around the edge of the clearing, uncertain. Their skinny frames seemed to recoil at the violence, while their dull eyes swam with shock and confusion. Out of the corner of her eye, Spottedleaf saw Runningnose back away and duck beneath a bush. 

Spottedleaf stared at the fray. Her mind asked her again, are we doing the right thing? Her heart thudded against its bone cage, and her chest tightened upon remembering why they were here. ShadowClan had stolen their kits to use as warriors. And Brokenstar had slain young from his own nursery. Now she was confident she knew the answer.

She nodded the signal and the ThunderClan cats leapt into battle. 

Firepaw gripped a silver tabby with his claws, but was shaken off. Nonetheless, Spottedleaf understood he was more than capable of handling himself.

She crashed with a dark ginger tabby she-cat, her dark green eyes hungry as she gripped the tortoiseshell with thorn-sharp claws. Spottedleaf flipped herself onto her back and tried to crush the cat beneath her, but her enemy sprung away. As she rolled onto her paws, she lashed out and caught the warrior across the face.

The enemy's yowl told her she had done some damage. She stumbled back, temporarily blinded by blood that welled from claw marks between her eyes. Spottedleaf shot forward and delivered a harsh bite to the shoulder. The warrior howled again and ran off into the bushes after ripping herself free.