The Beginning Prophecy: Firestarter

Chapter Twenty Six

"We have no need to grow upset over such minor things when you and your clanmates have shown us more kindness than we ever expected to receive in this dark time." Meowed Pigeonflight.

The toms tucked into the prey. "How are you two doing?" She asked. It hadn't been long since the three WindClan cats joined them, but they already seemed quite comfortable.

"Well." Stagleap answered shortly.

Pigeonflight twitched the tip of his tail. "We are adapting and settling in well, I'd say. It's new and stressful, living under trees and not being able to see the stars, or hunt for ourselves. Don't get me wrong, I am grateful to ThunderClan for taking us in, and that we have a cat familiar with this terrain hunting for us, but it makes us, me at least, feel useless."

Spottedleaf felt a rush of sympathy for the refugees. They were warriors, used to hunting and fighting for their Clan, but their Clan was gone. And now they were among cats who were once considered their enemies, and didn't trust them enough to allow them to perform the normal duties that came with warriorhood. She was sure that'd make any warrior feel useless.

"We are healing well after ShadowClan's raid-Yellowfang says we are, but I don't have much trust in the words of a former ShadowClan cat." Continued Pigeonflight. His yellow eyes flickered down to the prey before him. "Forest prey is not my favorite; I much prefer rabbit. However, I am not in a place to complain about what fills my belly when the rest of my Clan is likely starving."

Spottedleaf noticed the gray-and-white tom was tearing small chunks of flesh from the pigeon, a great contrast to the hungry mouthfuls of his clanmate.

"Eat as much as you like. I have three mice buried back in the forest for Sorrelshine." Spottedleaf told him, extending her forelegs in a stiff stretch. Her muscles remained sore and exhaustion still clung to her eyelids, heavier than before. The chill in the air, pang of hunger in her stomach, and knowledge of her needed duties was all that kept the tortoiseshell awake.

She padded into the forest and headed to where she had buried her prey just inside the treeline near the WindClan border. Spottedleaf found the hole, dug up and empty. Her fur bristled along her spine as she cautiously sniffed the nearby ferns, identifying the scent as a mixture of ShadowClan's marshy smell and RiverClan's fish-strong odor. It was relatively fresh. They must have stolen it when I was in camp. She concluded, a growl rising deep from within her chest. It was no secret that ShadowClan and RiverClan were on even terms and both used WindClan's territory as their hunting grounds, but the tortoiseshell never would've imagined that they'd come together to steal ThunderClan prey off their own land.

Spottedleaf followed the trail to the border, recoiling at the overwhelming reek of the two opposing Clans on a clump of shrubs on ThunderClan's side of the boundary. The scents of Blackfoot and Timberfur assaulted her nose and made her belly churn. Arrogant fox-hearts!

Body full of sudden energy and hot with rage, Spottedleaf surged back toward camp. ShadowClan and RiverClan had another thing coming if they thought they could get away with such a brazen theft. Her paws threw up leaf-litter as she skidded to a halt in front of guards. They had been switched out recently so Stonefur and Runningwind were alert, eyes sharp and ears pricked.

"Woah, Spottedleaf. What's the rush?" Asked Runningwind.

"ShadowClan and RiverClan have stolen ThunderClan prey." Spottedleaf snarled, tail lashing from side to side.