Into The Forest

Chapter 31

The morning sun dappled the forest floor. Amberstone stretched as she padded down the trails into familiar territory.

The conversation with Shadow was still sharp in her mind. She needed to tell the Clans that they were going to attack soon.

She kept looking behind her, in case any cat has followed.

She past into the Clan territory.

Amberstone paused for a bit, then continued down the hill.

Brackens rustled and three cats emerged from the shadows.

Redsun tackled Amberstone happily. "I knew you would come back!"

"Yes, yes. But I need to talk to Applestar, it's important!" Amberstone shook off her sister.

Coldbreeze was standing in front of her. Softlake and Ravenspark flanked him.

Coldbreeze looked at the ground by the mention of their leaders name.

"What! What has happened? Tell me! I deserve to know!" Amberstone snarled at the tom.

"He...he has..." Coldbreeze couldn't finish the sentence.

"What!" Amberstone demanded.

"Well... lets say he has lost a few lives." Softlake mewed softly.

"What do you mean by a few?" Amberstone tried catching her eye but the tortoiseshell she-cat kept her gaze fixed on the ground.

"Foxes and badgers attacked, we lost a few warriors." Redsun meowed, gently resting her tail on her sisters shoulders.

Amberstone raced down to the camp. Redsun was bounding after her. Along with the other cats.

Amberstone stumbled to a halt, her eyes wide with disbelief. The camp was flooded with blood. Cats everywhere. Amberstone felt like she was about to hurl.

Applestar limped out of the medicine den. "Amberstone!"

Amberstone dipped her head. "We need to talk."

Applestar frowned. "Okay,"

Once the two cats went to the leaders den.

"What is it?" Applestar asked.

"The rogues are going to attack next sunrise." Amberstone meowed.

Applestars pelt rippled. "Too many battles." He sighed.

"Which cats had been killed?" Amberstone asked.

"Russetpelt, Oneear, and Silverstream." Applestar meowed.

"So, thats not that bad?" Amberstone asked. "How many lives did you loose?"

"I lost three." Applestar meowed.

Amberstone sighed. "I have to get back to the group, otherwise Leopard will be suspicious."

"Leopard?" Applestar gasped.

"Yeah, why?"

"Didn't the prophecy say you have to defeat the leopard?" Applestar looked up.

"We did defeat the leopard. It was Leopardstar." Amberstone meowed.

"But didn't Leopardheart also die?" Applestar mewed.

"Oh..." Amberstone meowed.

"It could be any cat with the name leopard in it." Applestar meowed.

"Right, I'll think more about it. But I need to get back." Amberstone meowed, backing out of the den.

Amberstone turned and ran out of her old camp. On the way back to camp, she caught a pigeon, a squirrel, a rabbit and two mice, just in case any cat was wondering where she was. She rubbed herself against the prey, so no cat could smell Clans.

She padded into camp. Her prey on her as she balanced to keep the squirrel and mice on her back, while the rabbit and pigeon were in her mouth.

Darkflare noticed her and padded over, he took the two mice and squirrel off her back.

Amberstone blinked her thanks as they padded over to the prey pile.

"That's where you are!" Leopard sighed in relief.

"Why? Has something happened?" Amberstone asked, pretending to look anxious.

"No, but I noticed that you left pretty early in the morning and when you didn't come back I started to worry." Leopard meowed.

"Sorry, I just wanted every cat to eat once they awake." Amberstone meowed, dipping her head apologetic.

"It's okay, it's great that you are thinking about the group other than you." Leopard meowed, sniffing the air she continued. "Do I smell Clan on you?"

"I had a little squirmish with a cat, he was trying to get my prey, but I told him off by using my claws." Amberstone meowed.

"Okay..." Leopard didn't look convinced, but she shook her head, clearing her thoughts.

Shadow padded over and down to the two cats. "When are we going to attack the Clans?"

"Soon," Leopard flicked her tail.

"When?" Shadow flattened his ears.

"When ever I feel like it." Leopard meowed. "If you keep getting angry whenever I make a decision, you will be taken down from being deputy and another cat will take your place."

Shadow bit back something he was going to say.

"So, what do you think about Smudge and Sunny?" Leopard turned her attention to Amberstone.

"They are okay. Smudge seems a bit large, but Sunny seems to be the perfect size to become a rebel." Amberstone meowed.

"So, do you think they are fit to become rebels?" Leopard asked, tilting her head.

"Sunny, maybe but Smudge seems to kittypet like." Amberstone groomed her chest fur."

"So we should keep Sunny, and get rid of Smudge?" Leopard asked.

"I'll make him train more, and in a moon we'll decide." Amberstone meowed.

"Okay... I'm glad you got out of the arena, life would be different without you." With that Leopard whisked her tail and turned away, padding into her den.