Warriors ★ The Forbidden Stars

☆One☆

Kestrelfeather padded out of the warriors' den, seeing a white tom, Snowfrost, the WindClan deputy, organizing patrols. She gathered with the other warriors and apprentices.

"Kestrelfeather, you can go on a border patrol with Mudstorm, Larkflight, and I at the ThunderClan border," Snowfrost mewed. The brown tabby she-cat nodded and padded over to Mudstorm and Larkflight.

"I hear that Snowfrost wants to be your mate," chuckled the brown mottled she-cat, Larkflight.

"Where did you hear that?" Kestrelfeather grunted.

"Rumors," mewed Larkflight.

"I don't listen to rumors," murmured Kestrelfeather. But is it true? He never seemed to really... love me.

"Don't be ridiculous, Kestrelfeather, it's obvious."

"But is it really? He barely speaks to me other than putting me in patrols."

"Then why would he be putting you in a patrol with him? And, besides, not talking to someone you have a crush on is a sign that they have, like, a huge crush on you!" exclaimed Mudstorm.

"What do you know about mates?" Kestrelfeather asked the white and brown tom.

Mudstorm stared at Larkflight. "Because... I had a crush on Larkflight."

Larkflight blushed. "Oh, Mudstorm, I remember that day..."

"Um... is it necessary right now? We're about to go on patrol," muttered Kestrelfeather.

"Oh, shush," Larkflight meowed. "Mudstorm isn't doing any harm."

Snowfrost padded towards them. "Come on, let's go." He flicked his tail and lead the patrol out of camp.

Kestrelfeather sighed. She trailed the three cats, last in line. Larkflight kept giggling, Mudstorm purring, but Snowstorm was quiet. It was getting annoying. "Excuse me... Snowfrost? Can I talk to you for a bit?"

The white tom nodded. "Larkflight, Mudstorm, stay here." He followed Kestrelfeather to behind a tree about twenty tail-lengths away. "Yes? What do you need?"

"Listen, can you... ask Larkflight and Mudstorm to... stop... flirting? We're on patrol. Right now is not the best time for them to be doing this, don't you think?" Kestrelfeather asked.

"Well, you can't blame them, I mean, they are ma-"

"Snowfrost, what would happen if something attacked them and they weren't paying attention?" she hissed. "Tell them to stop."

The deputy frowned, but didn't reply. He bounded away towards Larkflight and Mudstorm.

"Snowfrost! Wait! I'm sorry that I said it in such an angry to-"

Kestrelfeather was suddenly tackled and pinned down. She opened her eyes to see a large, muscular black tom.

"Don't say a word," the tom growled, "unless you want to feel pain like you've never felt."

A wide-eyed Kestrelfeather nodded, terrified.

"Cover yourself in mint," the black tom ordered. "We want to hide our scent so they don't know where we're going."

The brown tabby obeyed, and the strong smell of mint wafted over her.

The tom swiped at Kestrelfeather's side. "Come with me," he growled, swiping at her side in the same spot until she started to follow him. She noticed a trail of blood coming from her scratches. Maybe someone will follow this and come find me, she hoped.

"Swim," he ordered. Kestrelfeather noticed that they were by the island used for Gatherings.

"Can't we walk on the fallen tree..?" she whispered.

The tom unsheathed his claws and pointed to her throat threateningly. Kestrelfeather grunted, and got into the water, which was freezing cold from the leaf-bare air. She was not a good swimmer, but luckily the water was shallow enough. She tried her best to wade to the island, which felt so far away when it wasn't.

Kestrelfeather noticed that the black tom was walking on the fallen tree. She growled, then stopped, since he glared at her. Who is this?

She eventually reached the island. The black tom was already there, leading Kestrelfeather deeper into the bush. She spotted a gray tom with scars, who looked very vicious.

"I got one, this stupid furball, Scar. What should we do with her?" the black tom mewed.

"Well, Deathwish, maybe we should talk to her and give her an offer," Scar answered. "Otherwise, you know what to do."

Deathwish nodded.

"Now, she-cat... you're from WindClan?" Scar asked.

"I have a name, you know," growled Kestrelfeather.

"Ah, well, you never told me that. I was just getting to it," the gray scarred tom retorted. "What is your name?"

"Kestrelfeather." As soon as she said it, Kestrelfeather regretted it. Now these rogues would know her name, probably taunt her, and other things that she didn't want to think about.

"Well, Kestrelfeather. You seem like a strong warrior. I was wondering-"

"Listen, you- Scar, whatever your name is- I just want to go back to my territory, okay? Your little friend had no authority to just kidnap me when I was on patr-"

Scar put his tail on Kestrelfeather's lips to silence her. Kestrelfeather got mad and bit his tail.

"All right, that's it! You asked for it!" Deathwish crouched down.

"Deathwish! No!" Scar growled.

Deathwish ignored Scar, and leaped onto Kestrelfeather, pinning her down, and putting his claw to her throat, showing his teeth.