Warriors: Rise of the Shadows (Book 1)

Chapter Thirty-Four

Sweetscent peered around the camp, which was relatively empty other than Pearpelt and Honeypelt sharing tongues with each other and Flameheart conversing with Pounceheart.

Before she could think of calling out to them, Nightclaw and another cat, Cloudnose, shoved their broad shoulders into the camp and threw two kits onto the ground harshly.

In a flash, Sweetscent leaped to her paws and raced down to aid the two young cats. She bent over and sniffed the two unfamiliar and trembling kits, rasping her tongue over their heads for comfort.

Nightclaw had turned to Cloudnose, her indigo eyes gleaming with malice. "Fetch Larchstar," the she-cat ordered. "He'll need to know about this."

The gray and white tom nodded in obedience and rushed to find his leader as if the kits were a threat to the Clan. As quick as he had run off to find Larchstar, Cloudnose emerged from the leader's den with the black tom at his heels.

Larchstar narrowed his green eyes at the two scraps of fur who huddled behind Sweetscent's hind legs. "Well?" He mewed, unimpressed at the two cats' discovery. "What is the report, Nightclaw?"

The former rogue shifted her paws, as if nervous to speak to her leader all of a sudden. "We found them scaring away prey by Towering Pines," she mewed uncomfortably. "Rushsplash and Willowrunner kept hunting while we took these two back here."

Sweetscent flinched at the cold look in her leader's gaze as he shifted his eyes down to the kits. "What are we going to do with them, Larchstar?" She asked hesitantly.

"We'll keep 'em," he grunted, bending down to sniff each kit. "I'll hail a meeting when every patrol gets back." Larchstar lashed his tail and stalked away, Nightclaw, Cloudnose, and Sweetscent baffled.

**********

It was sunhigh by the time the rest of the patrols arrived back at the camp, some carrying prey. Sweetscent watched hungrily as Podheart deposited a juicy sparrow on the prey pile, followed by Smallraven's thrush.

"All cats old enough to kill, gather here now!" Boomed the intimidating voice of Larchstar from on top of the Tall Rock. Sighing, Sweetscent made her way to her perch on a boulder beside the towering stone the leader stood on.

Cloudrain and Goosebreeze sat side by side, their tails twined as they sat so close, their fur brushed. Sweetscent smiled at the two, betting on every mouse that they were mates.

"There are two new cats in the Clan, we have come to the conclusion that we will take them in." Larchstar meowed, flicking his tail to the kits. "We have named the siamese tom Mallowkit. And the creamish white she-cat Sedgekit."

Sweetscent nodded in approval at the names and looked to Mallowkit and Sedgekit. 'I'm glad they now have a home.' She thought warmly.

"Another thing, Nightclaw, bring me Cloverbud," Larchstar ordered, making Sweetscent stiffen in fear. Once the black she-cat brought the multi-toned yellow she-cat before him, the black tom turned to his deputy and meowed the words that turned her blood to ice. "Kill her," he meowed.

Sweetscent, along with her Clanmates and sister set for execution, stared at him in stunned silence. "W-what?" She asked, stumbling over her words as she stared at him in horror.

"Kill her, or I will." He growled, jerking his muzzle to the terrified yellow she-cat.

On numb paws, Sweetscent stood up and staggered towards her sister, who stared at her with begging and pleading green eyes.

"Sweetscent, please no." Cloverbud meowed, backing away from the deputy. "I-I'm your sister, please!" She begged, eyes wide.

Sweetscent tried to ignore the pleas of her sister and the tears welling in her eyes. The Clan had their eyes on her and she flattened herself to the ground, ready to spring. Forcing her claws to unsheathe, Sweetscent sprang at her sister.

Cloverbud closed her eyes and braced herself for her fate. Right at the last second, Sweetscent shifted to the side and landed beside the frightened she-cat.

Cloverbud opened her eyes, shaking in fear. "H-huh?" She whispered, looking at Sweetscent with confusion and slight joy.

Sweetscent rose to her height and glared at the leader. "No," she meowed firmly, claws sheathing as she met his blazing eyes. "I refuse to kill any cat under your command, Larchwhisker." At the sound of his warrior name, the leader stiffened.

"Very well," growled the furious tom and flicked his ear to Lionroar. "Kill her," Larchstar commanded, tail slicing the air as Sweetscent gasped and turned to her sister.

The golden tabby tom stalked eagerly towards the yellow she-cat, making her back away in fear. Without warning, Sweetscent flung herself at the tom, clinging to his back like a burr and sank her claws into his back.

Yowling in pain and fury, Lionroar fell to the ground, growling and snarling. The golden tabby attacker let himself go limp, as though admitting defeat. But Sweetscent knew this was a trick and stomped onto his tail and sank her teeth into his shoulder, making him cry out and launch himself upward.

Flying off the tom, Sweetscent landed on her side and scrambled to her paws, teeth bared. She bolted to his side, claws raking her flank but her own attack was scraping her claws across the side of his face.

Seeming to know enough was enough, Lionroar screeched in pain and backed away, his left eyes missing from its socket. His fur bristled but fear and pain flared in his right eye.

"You lay one claw on my sister's pelt and I'll flay your pelt!" Sweetscent snarled ferociously, startling the cat who tried to kill her sister as well as her Clanmates, who formed a circle around them.

"That's quite enough, Sweetscent." Advised Sunfur, who was sitting beside Ryedust. "No more bloodshed until we need it." He finished his sentence with a glare over to Larchstar.