Warriors AU: Midnight

Chapter 20

Amanda led the forest cats along the edge of the wood. It was the day after their narrow escape from the dog, and Squirrelflight was still struggling with doubts about his decision to follow the old cat; he knew that Leafpaw and Rowanclaw were unhappy about it, too. But there seemed no other choice; more and more Twoleg nests filled the horizon, and clouds still covered the sky, so there was no sun to guide them to the sun-drown-place.

"Is there any chance of more food?" he asked Amanda as they left the trees behind and began to cross a grassy space dotted with clumps of brightly colored flowers. "The fish yesterday weren't really enough, and Leafpaw didn't eat at all."

"Sure, I can take you to a place," Amanda replied with a hostile glance at Leafpaw, who had been the most outspoken in voicing his distrust of the old cat.

She led them to the other side of the grassy palace, where there was yet another row of Twoleg nests. Squirrelflight watched uneasily as the old cat flattened her belly to the ground and heaved herself under a wooden gate, grunting with the effort and shaking herself vigorously on the other side.

"More Twolegs?" Leafpaw hissed. "I'm not going in there."

"Suit yourself," Amanda meowed, beginning to pad up the path to the door with her tail held straight up.

"We'd better all stay together," Squirrelflight murmured. "Remember what happened last time."

Leafpaw snorted but said nothing, and none of the other cats disagreed. One by one they squeezed under the gate and followed Amanda up the path. Leafpaw came last, casting wary glances behind him.

Amanda was waiting for them by the half-open door of the Twoleg nest. A harsh glow lit up the space inside it, which was full of strange shapes and scents that Squirrelflight had never encountered before.

"In there?" he mewed to Amanda. "You're expecting us to go into an Upwalker nest?"

Amanda twitched her tail impatiently. "That's where the food is. I know this place. I often come here."

"This is wasting time," Rowanclaw meowed. Squirrelflight thought his sister sounded scared; her claws were flexing anxiously on the hard stuff of the path. "We can't go in there. We're not kittypets. Eating kittypet food is against the warrior code."

"Oh, come on." Brookleap gave Rowanclaw's ear a friendly flick with his tail. "There's no harm in it. We're on a long journey, and if we can get food easily it saves time we would have to spend hunting—time we might need for something else. Starclan will understand."

Rowanclaw shook her head, still unconvinced, but Feathertail looked reassured by his brother's reasoning, and both Riverclan cats ventured cautiously inside.

"That's right," Amanda encouraged them. "There's the food, see, in bowls over there, all ready for us."

Squirrelflight's stomach growled; the fish he had eaten had been small, and it had been a long time ago. "Okay," he meowed. "I think Brookleap's right. Let's go, but make it quick."

Bramblepaw didn't wait for his decision, bounding inside hard on Amanda's paws. Squirrelflight followed her, but Leafpaw and Rowanclaw stayed outside.

"We'll keep watch!" Rowanclaw called after him.

Brookleap and Feathertail were already crouched beside the bowls, gulping eagerly. Squirrelflight peered suspiciously at the food; it was hard, round pellets like rabbit droppings, but the scent that came from it told him it would be safe to eat.

Bramblepaw thrust her muzzle into the other bowl; when she looked up her fur was plastered into spikes by something white, and her amber eyes were glowing. "It's good!" she exclaimed. "Amanda, what is it?"