Tiny's Last Chance

Chapter 6 (Longest Chapter! =D)

Shadow wakes to the sound of voices. At first, he thinks it is just his next door neighbors, talking about the forest or other things. But then he remembers that he isn't in his yard anymore. He perks his ears. Lightning and Wind are still asleep next to him, but he feels it is urgent. He nudges them softly, giving an urgent mew. Lightning is up quickly and Wind follows him. Shadow signals for them to stay there until he figures out what is going on. He pokes his head out of the small shelter-bush and saw a large patrol of cats! Black, white, gray, orange, calico, you name it! Shadow padded out to challange them.

"Who are you?" he challanged, loudly hissing. The patrol glared over at him and padded up to him.

"Who are we? We are Shadowclan warriors. The real question is, what are you doing on our territory?" The biggest tom snarled, crouching down.

"Yech! What is that awful smell? You smell like a fox-and blood?" One of the smaller cats coughs.

"Wait. I smell more of you. How many of you are there?" The tom who had first talked to him growled.

"I-it's just me, nobody else." Shadow stammered. He wasn't going to be the one to blow Lightning and Wind's cover. But Lightning padded out of the bush.

"No, it's just us." He meowed, padding up to Shadow to sit next to him. But Wind followed close behind.

"No. Don't try to cover anymore. It's only us three." Wind finished. The tom seemed confused but satisifed.

"You kits are coming with us." Three cats picked them up by the scruff and raced through the forest. Shadow gave hisses olf defiance, lashing out with his claws but never seeming to be able to land a blow on any of the cats. Suddenly they where carried into a large camp-like place with many many cats. Some of them where older and gathered together. Other younger ones where play-fighting in the clearing while older cats watched, amused. The kittens where trying to copy the older cats in their fighting moves, and a proud orange tom was sitting on a small den, watching over everything with a calico she-cat.

"Foxstar, we found these kits by the border. We think they are the kits that Darkshade was talking about, the kits that apparently killed a fox." The patrol padded up to the orange tom that was sitting on top of the den.

"Crossedwhisker, as my deputy could you watch over the camp while I deal with this?" The calico dipped her head and padded away.

"So, you're the kits that are causing trouble, right?" Foxstar asked as Shadow and the other two kits where set down.

"I wouldn't say it's trouble. I'd say we saw off Darkshade pretty well!" Shadow retorted, fur bristling. Foxstar chuckled as if he didn't believe him.

"I suppose we could use a few little kits in the clan. Would you like to join Shadowclan? We train to be the best warriors in the forest, and live by the warrior code. We do not kill to win in a battle, and we hunt and live together, watching out for eachother. You would be protected and safe from any enemies you meet, until you become a warrior, defending the youngest kit when it is your turn." Foxstar meowed. Shadow thought for a little bit. They don't kill to win in battle? What kind of cat did that? Isn't that what claws and teeth are so sharp for? It can't be the idea of every cat in the forest.

"We will think about it, thanks." Shadow replied rudely. Foxstar didn't even flinch at the kits agressive additude.

"Guess you should meet the clan? Lets show you the elders. The elders are the cats that served our clan for many many moons. Our oldest elder is Tallpoppy. She is the last Shadowclan cat alive that took part in the Great Journey. Before we came here, there was a Great Journey. It happened because the forest that the clans lived in before was being torn apart by twolegs to build a new thunderpath straight through the forest. But while they where doing it, all the prey was being scared away, and the camps where being destroyed. The four clans joined together to find a better place to live, and they settled around the lake." Foxstar explained when Shadow looked confused.