Warriors: 9 Lives of TERROR

Chapter eighteen- Kill, kill. At my will.

Froststar sprinted back to camp with the rabbit swinging from his jaws, his patrol close behind him. He burst into camp, drawing every cat's attention to him. He dropped the rabbit. "WindClan has been prey-stealing!" he yowled. Cats gasped and murmured, occasionally letting out hisses. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted Mistfeather watching wide-eyed from the nursery. He remembered last time with ShadowClan. I can't lose her trust. He leaped onto high ledge.

"Clan! We found this rabbit on our territory, and it appears that WindClan is prey-stealing. But, we will not yet attack before we have all the facts," he announced. Some cats yowled angrily, but he caught Mistfeather's look of approval. "I want Larktalon to lead a patrol back down to the WindClan border and see if you find anything else suspicious," he concluded, then leaped off of high ledge, landing gracefully with a light thump on the soft earth.

 What's this? We're waiting to attack? 

Yes, I've been waiting so long I acted too boldly against ShadowClan. I can't lose my Clan's trust. 

Very well, I see what you mean. Froststar spotted Coldrose slipping out from the dirt place tunnel and beckoned her over.

"Yes, Froststar?" she greeted.

"Remember how you kept your mouth shut about me killing Splashstar and I repaid you?" he asked.

"Yes," she replied. Her tail-tip twitched.

"I need you to do something else for me. WindClan is weak. We can easily take control of their territory, but not yet. I want you to kill a piece of prey and leave it in WindClan territory, full of ThunderClan scent. Can you do that for me?" he questioned. Coldrose seemed to hesitate. "This is all for the benefit of ThunderClan," he added.

"Yes," she said firmly. "I can do it."

"Good," Froststar growled. "Now run along." He turned away from her, trotting quickly towards the nursery. He ignored the other queens and went straight for Mistfeather.

"Daddy!" squeaked Tigerkit. "Are you going to show us the hunter's crouch like you promised?"

"Yeah, the other apprentices keep saying they're too busy," Darkkit complained.

"Not now," Froststar purred, quickly touching all four of his kits on the head with his nose. He turned to Mistfeather.

"Do you think I've done the right thing? To wait?" he asked, pretending like he didn't know her answer.

"Yes," she said firmly, but Froststar caught her gaze flicking over to the three ShadowClan kits.

"Good, because I feel I was too impulsive when I acted against ShadowClan, but there's no going back," he murmured, quiet enough so the other queens couldn't hear.

Mistfeather licked his cheek. "I understand. If you ever need to talk I'm right here."

"I knew I could count on you," he said, then slipped out of the nursery.

~~~~~~

Mistfeather watched him go. Now that he had agreed not to attack WindClan right away, she felt better. But the attack against ShadowClan still haunted her. First, they hadn't retaliated. She had expected them to attack back. But second, there was something strange about the ShadowClan kits. At night Mistfeather would pretend to sleep, but really she was eavesdrop on the kits' conversations. They would constantly mention this tortoiseshell cat coming to visit them when they slept. As far as she knew, that was why they joined ThunderClan. She was also pretty sure this cat was not from StarClan.

~~~~~~~

Pigeonwing was not evil. At least, he didn't think he was. But whatever happened, he would do anything for his leader. He would, in fact, kill for his leader if it came down to it. Froststar had him, Pebbleleap, Thrushfeather, Larktalon, Coldrose, Fernclaw, Shadeblossom, Poppyfeather, and this time Flowerpaw gathered outside camp. Froststar was pacing before them.

"You have all been very loyal to me, and I thank you for that. Everything I do, every choice I make is for the benefit of ThunderClan. That's why I often ask my warriors what they think of my plans," he said. He's talking about us! "You are my loyalist warriors. I hope to expand this group of ours soon." Then he heaved a great sigh. "But, I'm afraid not everyone is satisfied with my rule," he said. Who is it! Who wouldn't be? Froststar is the greatest leader ever. "That's why I need you all to help me." I would do anything for you, Froststar! "I need you to find those cats and let me know, so I can help them see what I'm doing is right, and listen to any concerns they have," he said. Froststar always has a solution to everything. What a great idea. And I'm part of it!

"Can all of you do that for me?" he asked. Everyone nodded, Pigeonwing the most eagerly. I'll make him proud! I'll find those cats for him. I'll make them see how amazing Froststar is!

~~~~~~

Froststar watched his group of cats as they nodded eagerly. Perfect. And he did hope to expand his group, too. Firelily seemed like a good candidate, and Quickpaw. Silverpaw was loyal to him too, of course, but she just didn't seem like to the type to become... bloodthirsty. For, all monsters are made, not born. When he caught a whiff of WindClan he was not surprised, had Coldrose successively killed a rabbit on WindClan territory. Froststar's goal was to get them to attack first, and make it seem unjust to his clan mates.

"I smell WindClan," he growled, and his group was immediately alert. "Quick! Back to camp," he snapped. He didn't have to ask anyone twice. They raced back to camp, getting inside just as WindClan appeared. ThunderClan cats were immediately on their paws.

"Prey-stealers!" Breezestar yowled. "You-" Froststar cut her off before she could continue.

"ThunderClan? Prey-stealers?" he yowled, pretending to sound outraged. His warriors yowled as well. "I see what this is!" he yowled over the other voices. "WindClan is trying to cover up the fact that they are the prey-stealers, not ThunderClan!" This brought forth another storm of yowls. "ThunderClan, attack!" His warriors obliged, leaping at the WindClan intruders. Froststar slammed into Breezestar with brute force, knocking her off her paws. She recovered, but not fast enough. Froststar's claws still glanced her belly, and he ripped away fur. She hissed and lunged for his throat. Froststar twisted away like a snake, diving under her and shooting up, sending her toppling away. Surprise flashed in her eyes, because after all that was a RiverClan move used to stun fish.

Froststar wasted no time, leaping over her, but raking his claws over her shoulder as he did. She yowled in pain. "Regretting attacking us now?" he sneered. Breezestar scrambled to her paws.

"We found rabbit fur, blood, and ThunderClan scent on our territory," she spat.

"I know you did," Froststar said in a silky voice. "Same thing with the prey on our territory. I put that there, too." He then charged her, aiming for her wounded shoulder but at the last second ducking low and swiping her paws out from under her.

"Why?" she gasped, as he pinned her. "Do you want the Clans to go to war? Cats will die, Froststar! From ThunderClan too!" She pleaded, as he dug his claws into the bottom of her neck, slowly raking down to her stomach.

"That is true, but in the end, ThunderClan will come out on top, and my Clan's future cats will be safe. Now if I were you I would retreat, or you'll lose more than just one life," he hissed. He knew the threat got to Breezestar as she struggled to her paws.

"WindClan! Retreat!"