MoonClan's Return

Chapter 8

            "Well this is a touching scene," a voice came.

            Hazelstar froze. "Who's there?!" she spat. "Show yourself or I swear, I'll rip your throat out."

            "I highly doubt that," the voice came again. Hazelstar turned around, unsure where it was coming from.

            Suddenly, bushes began to rattle, and a young white tom padded out of the bushes. Immediately, Hazelstar recognized him-Fang. He looked just like his father, Tooth.

            "Hazelnose, good to see you. Didn't think I would," he murmured.

            "Fang, you're alive!" Ice exclaimed.

            "I don't seem to recall you," Fang said, backing away from Ice. "You look familiar though."

            "I'm your father's sister, Ice. Surely he's mentioned me."

            Fang shrugged. "All he mentioned to me while raising me was a cat named Screechshade. I know Leopardtail is my mother, so I'm not sure where she comes in."

            "First off," Hazelstar began. "I'm Hazelstar, now, and my sister, your mother, was going to raise you and your brother before perishing in the battle. Your father had left her for Screechshade, only to be rejected himself."

            "And how is it you know all of this?" Fang asked.

            "I get around," Hazelstar spoke. "Your father is dead, correct?"

            Fang nodded. "He was keeping a she-cat prisoner, as well as her kit. I guess they fell in love one day. I sometimes visited my father, every moon or so, only for a couple of days. I heard a fire was spreading, and when I went to the den, it had collapsed, and my father was gone, as well as the she-cat. I'm sure the kit perished too. That's my father's price for turning to the good side."

            "Indeed," Hazelstar murmured. "You're here to join MoonClan, correct?"

            "Yes," Fang told her.

            "Follow us then," Ice instructed.

            Hazelstar began to pad back with the two. She was a bit disappointed she could not find her brother and Jetfur, but it didn't matter. She'd find them soon enough.

            "Your brother is in FoxClan, correct?" Hazelstar asked Fang.

            "Yes," Fang told her. "He's a wimp, isn't he? I hear he went with Fire's brother. Speaking of which, is Fire there?"

            "Fire is deputy," Ice explained. "You'll be seeing familiar faces, Fang."

            "I barely remember any faces at all," Fang admitted, padding into camp with the two. Cats passed by with prey, some practicing fighting.

            Fang looked around excitedly, and Hazelstar couldn't help but smile a little. Maybe he was glad to be back in his old clan.

            Suddenly, Fang froze, his eyes fixed on someone. "Who's she?" he asked.

            Hazelstar looked, noticing he was staring in awe at Screechshade. "That's Screechshade," Hazelstar explained. "Your father's old mate. Don't mess with that she-cat, Fang. Your pelt will be ripped off by the end of the day."

            "She's really pretty," Fang said.

            Hazelstar swiped the tom in the head. "Hey, kind of preparing for battle here! Go talk to your grandfather or something. I don't care. Now shoo," she said, shooing the tom off.

            Hazelstar waved good-bye to Ice then headed to her den. All she needed was a nap to cool off and relax.

            She layed down in her nest, resting her head on her paws. Slowly, she fell asleep.

"Hazelstar," the voice came. "Hazelstar," it came again.

            Hazelstar opened her eyes to find her mother staring over at her. Hazelstar immediately leapt up.

            "Mother, you scared me," Hazelstar admitted.

            "Good," her mother laughed. Hazelstar shivered at her regular malicious laugh. Was there ever a time when she wasn't scared of her mother?

            "Why have you brought me here?" Hazelstar asked, looking around the Dark Forest.

            "I've come to congratulate you on bringing the members back," Moonstar told her.

            "But, Mother, I haven't brought them all back. Tigerstripe and Jetfur are still out there," Hazelstar explained.

            Moonstar growled. "That is because your brother is a wimp," she spat. "He's gone over to the good side, as has Jetfur. They refuse to come to camp. It'll be your job to retrieve them. Take them prisoner with the others."

            Hazelstar was surprised at this. Her brother, Tigerstripe, the fearless tom of the clan had turned into a coward?

            "I will, Mother."

            "Good," Moonstar told her. "It would be wise to attack FoxClan soon. Cats will begin to get suspicious, and soon, security measures will go up. Attack soon, and your message will spread throughout the forest-MoonClan is alive."

            "Yes, Mother, I will," Hazelstar told her.

            "Good, now go!" Moonstar commanded. Everything began to fade, and Hazelstar couldn't help but shiver as Moonstar's eyes flashed a bright red.