Warriors: The Darkness Within

Chapter 8

Birdpaw was woken by a loud commotion in the clearing, she shook herself and felt the cool night air flowing through her tortoiseshell fur as someone entered the den.
"Wake up! Pinepaw's been taken!" Called Blizzardpelt. Birdpaw leaped to her paws as did the others, Crowpaw, Rockpaw and Firepaw they all bolted out into the clearing, fear was flooding her, making her shaky. There was a large crowd and Lighteningstreak was in the middle, the surrounding cats let Birdpaw and Firepaw pass immediately, Lighteningstreak was explaining what had happened to Nettlestar.
"...and when I got back he was gone! I could smell rogue scent all over the place and tried to track it but I lost the trail." He was so panicked he struggled to speak.
"Ok, thank you Lighteningstreak, I need to consult with my deputy, medicine cat and senior warriors." She announced, "the rest of you, I want you on high-alert, I doubt that they will attack camp but I need every warrior and apprentice ready for an attack."
She bounded up to the highrock then stepped into her den, as she requested, the deputy followed, then the senior warriors, Ambercloud and Silverwater, who were still recovering from injuries, and tailing them was Pebblespot.
Birdpaw paced as she watched the clan disintegrated into groups to discuss what to do, Branchfall raced over to the nursery and immediately stood guard. Some of the others took places around camp, Eaglefeather resumed his position from last night circling camp along with Crowpaw and Morningheather. Rockpaw stood in front of the elders den and Blizzardpelt decided to go to the entrance of camp, Lighteningstreak took a place in front of the medicine den, which only left Birdpaw and her brother.
Pinepaw was gone. The rogues took him.
"If I ever get my claws on those rogues I swear they will all die." Firepaw growled from behind her.
"I can't believe he's been taken." She voiced, her fear and worry returning.
"Yeah, Nettlestar will have to do something! We can't just leave him there!" He said, she quietly agreed, not wanting to draw any more attention to themselves.
"Let's listen in." Firepaw suggested, he ran off, glancing around to make sure they wouldn't be seen. Birdpaw hesitated before following him, they reached the edge of the highrock and scrambled up, standing just outside of the den they crouched low under a large fern that had sprouted from the base of the entrance. Nettlestar's den was at the bottom of the highrock in a hollowed out rock, it was big enough for all the cats that she had called, Birdpaw and Firepaw listened intently.
"He is a young apprentice and has been one for less than a quarter moon, we cannot just leave him to the rogues." Birdpaw recognised Silverwater's voice.
"What if they have already killed him?" Ambercloud fretted. Both siblings tensed at this.
"I don't think they would have killed him. They are using him as bait, they want us to attack because they think they will win and drive us out of our territory." Nettlestar said
"Yes, I agree. But if we don't attack or we are too late when we do, they may have thought that their plan didn't work and then kill him." Waterclaw put in.
"Why do I have to be here? I know nothing of fighting strategies." Pebblespot grumbled.
"Hush." Ambercloud hissed back and the discussion continued.
"I think we should attack tomorrow." Waterclaw added, there was a silence after this was said, Birdpaw knew that Firepaw though this was what they should do.
"I think that is wise. But we must plan carefully, we don't know how many there are and the rogues have moved much further into our territory than we previously thought, they could be anywhere. My point is, unless we find a camp or something similar we could already be completely surrounded and have no hope of winning." Nettlestar concluded.
They all started suggesting ways to attack and who to take and when but Birdpaw had heard enough, it also occurred to her that her mother might not have heard the news as the medicine den was separated from the main clearing. She slid out from under the fern and ran, she raced into the medicine den and found her mother trying to stand with the help of Palepaw, "Birdpaw, what is wrong?" The apprentice asked, her mother stood on three paws and faced her daughter, a smile on her face, she obviously had not heard and Lighteningstreak hadn't either, he was watching, happiness was flashing in his eyes as he watched his mate.
"Pinepaw's been taken by the rogues." She announced forcing the words out like they were acidic.
"No!" Quickfox burst out, "no! My kit! We have to save him!" The despair and terror in her desperate pleas. Lighteningstreak looked shocked and worried but he did not say anything, he just went over to comfort Quickfox.
"Thank you for telling us, what are they planning to do?" Palepaw asked, Birdpaw obviously knew but wasn't going to tell them.
"I don't know, Nettlestar is discussing it with the senior warriors, deputy and medicine cat."
They all nodded solemnly and her parents sat down to talk, while Palepaw padded sadly over to her brother, Tidalpaw, to check his wounds as he slept.
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Birdpaw readied herself, watching as the patrol prepared to set off. Waterclaw nodded to her encouragingly, he must have seen how worried she was.
"Firepaw!" She called to her sibling, he was crossing the clearing with a bundle of herbs, taking them over to where Pebblespot and Palepaw sat making poultices, ready for the oncoming battle.
He didn't hear her and continued on, placing the leaf wrap down and looking over to where their father stood amongst the cats who were preparing to leave.
Nettlestar stood at the front, followed by Lionfur, Eaglefeather, Blizzardpelt, Crowpaw, Morningheather, Rockpaw and their father.
The remaining cats included; Waterclaw, her and her brother, Branchfall, Whiteblaze and her kits, Featherpelt, the medicine cats and the injured cats as well as Ambercloud and Silverwater who were still not fully recovered.
They were off, she watched them race away, Eaglefeather and Nettlestar leading them by scent, all of them on high-alert. Tidalpaw limped out to watch his brother and sister as well as his parents; Blizzardpelt and Morningheather, leave for battle all they could do now, was hope and wait.
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Hey hey peeps, hope u enjoyed that, if u think the chapters should be longer or shorter P L E A S E comment and tell me I really wanna know. As always, thanks so much for reading!!!!