Cloverfrond crouched by the river shore, his mottled plumy tail swishing low on the bright grass. There was a light breeze that ruffled over the silvery sheen of the river water, rippling it.
Cloverfrond silently cursed under his breath as the trout he was about to catch swam away, frightened away by the flowing water.
The clan needed prey badly. All the other clans must have been struggling even more than starving RiverClan since they had the streams to provide for them. But even so, the fish seemed to frighten more than they had been.
Cloverfrond wondered if the Twolegs had anything to do with it. They had been stealing fish from the river a few moons ago in greenleaf and leaf-fall from little colourful nests along the riverside. They seemed to be nomadic as the Twolegs and their bright nests never stayed in one place for more than two sunrises.
Cloverfrond scanned the river for any signs of prey. Even a measly frog would be accepted. He crept along the riverbank for a little while longer before realizing that he was not going to be able to catch anything. He decided that hunting near the lake might be better.
He turned around and started heading back towards the lake, but he was stopped by a strange scent that seemed to be lingering just on the edge of where the woods started. It smelled suspiciously of ThunderClan but had an unfamiliar tinge to it.
Cloverfrond couldn't place his paw on it but headed for the trees.
Then, he stopped, realizing that if he scented a strange smell, he shouldn't go towards it without a patrol with him. If it were a group of unfriendly rogue cats that had set up camp nearby,
Cloverfrond didn't want to be in the middle of a fight against unknown cats without his clan beside him. It was like letting a kit wander into a badger's den. He spun around and sped back to camp, looking over his shoulder. He was frightened by the thought of mysterious cats on his clan's territory.
When Cloverfrond made it back to camp, he could see a few cats basking in the sun, trying to warm up from fishing in frigid lake waters. He spotted Creekpaw, Brindlepaw, and Bubblepaw carrying ferns into the camp, probably for the nursery or elders' den. He passed them, dipping his head in a morning greeting. Creekpaw nodded back, but the other two apprentices were too busy carrying the emerald ferns to notice the older warrior.
Cloverfrond padded towards the leader's den, Kingfisherstar. He didn't know how the great leader would take cats trespassing on her land.
Cloverfrond mewed a few words, asking his leader if he may enter. When Kingfisherstar addressed the warrior, Cloverfrond didn't know how to start without upsetting his leader too much. She had recently dealt with the loss of her youngest daughter, Daisyleap, and Cloverfrond didn't want to make her even more upset than she already was.
"Kingfisherstar," Cloverfrond began, choosing his words carefully. "I was hunting downstream for fish, but there wasn't a lot of prey there, not even frogs, so I decided to hunt near the lake instead. But while I was walking towards the way of the lake, I smelled a strange scent just beyond the woods."
Kingfisherstar was nodding along, seeming to understand what he was saying. Cloverfrond went on to describe what the odd odour smelled like-ThunderClan with a tint of unfamiliar cats, maybe rogues or even loners.
Once Cloverfrond was finished explaining, Kingfisherstar nodded and mewed in a mysteriously calm voice, "Yes, what you did was right. I will assign a patrol to inspect that region of the woods."
Kingfisherstar stood, shook her pelt out, and walked to the tall willow tree stump where she usually addressed the clan. "Let all cats old enough to swim gather beneath the Willow Stump to hear my words!" she yowled.
As the clan cats gathered in front of the stump, Kingfisherstar began speaking.
"Cloverfrond has scented unfamiliar scents in our woodland! I am sending out a patrol to deal with whatever is there. I will be sending Goosefur, Bubblepaw, Softlily, Splashfur, and Cloverfrond. Now, the rest of you may go-please continue hunting-and don't forget that those who are not able to hunt for themselves shall eat the first prey."
Cloverfrond leapt down from beside Kingfisherstar and grouped up with the rest of the cats that were going on patrol. "Hey," Cloverfrond mewed. "We should get going if we want to reach the cats before dusk. We might even be able to go hunting afterwards if it all goes well,"
"Yeah, and hedgehogs will fly," Softlily scoffed. "If there are strange cats on our land, I don't think that they'll be going anywhere if we peacefully ask them to leave,"
Splashfur looked as if he were about to say something, but Cloverfrond replied first. "Then it's a good thing that we're not going to peacefully ask them to leave," Goosefur murmured in agreement and even her young apprentice seemed thrilled at the idea of attacking other cats.
"Right. Then we're all in agreement. Let's get going, then," Goosefur trotted off out of the camp, Bubblepaw and the others following her. Splashfur twitched his tail, looking like he was about to object, but then, he gave up his thoughts and started after the others.
"If cats are invading our territory," Splashfur remarked as they wandered into the beginnings of the forest where all of the infant saplings were growing. "Perhaps they just don't know that it's our territory."
Softlily huffed and Goosefur rolled her eyes. They passed Splashfur and Cloverfrond, brushing past Cloverfrond's bristling pelt.
Cloverfrond gulped down an exasperated sigh and explained, "I think if cats are invading our territory, they'd know that we're here. They would be able to hear us and the other clans. They could scent us, too,"
"Especially ShadowClan-their stench is probably feared by cats all the way in the mountains," Splashfur muttered under his breath. Then, more loudly, "But that doesn't give us the right to attack them. The Twolegs were here first before we came, but did they attack us immediately? No! And even if the Twolegs do attack us, it's because they're Twolegs. These are other cats,"
Cloverfrond blinked, taking in Splashfur's perspective. He could see where the muscular ginger tabby was coming from, but at the same time, Cloverfrond had to protect his clan and being soft wasn't the way to do it. Splashfur seemed to read his mind because he shook his head disappointedly and walked off in the direction of the other cats.
Cloverfrond couldn't help but wonder whether he had made the right choice sneaking up on the cats and attacking them. After all, Splashfur was much older, one of the oldest warriors in the camp, and was well respected. He had fought many battles in his time and he might know which tactics were the best.
He had to run to catch up with the senior warrior, but Splashfur wouldn't talk to him.
"I'm sorry, Splashfur," Cloverfrond whispered. "I would love to take your ideas into account, especially since you are a senior warrior and have fought many battles before my time,"
Goosefur whipped around. "So we're not attacking the cats? Cloverfrond, what's going on?"
At this remark, Bubblepaw and Softlily turned around, too, stopping dead in their tracks.
Cloverfrond realized that he didn't know what this new plan was.
"Splashfur?"
The ginger tomcat stood a little straighter, pleased to be recognized and looked up to. "I figured that if these cats are innocent and don't realize that they are on RiverClan territory, then it won't help to battle them. Especially now that times are rough with . . . ShadowClan. We don't want to chase them out just for them to become ShadowClan's allies. Then, they would have more cats and could possibly try to strike when they know we're weak."
Goosefur slowly began to nod while Bubblepaw followed in her mentor's gestures. Softlily, on the other paw, was not taking any of this into consideration.
"Really, Cloverfrond? Are you that frightened of ShadowClan and a pathetic group of mangy rogues that are taking over our land? If you were really loyal to RiverClan, you would be bounding over to that clearing, ready for a thousand armies to attack,"
Softlily jerked her muzzle in the direction of where he had scented the cats earlier. "And you would be battling those cats to the death."
Cloverfrond had to admit-the 'soft' part of Softlily's name didn't really fit all that well. And neither did 'lily'.
Cloverfrond never would've expected this fiery white she-cat to be named
'Softlily' of all choices.
"But you can't just think about fighting all of the time. Sometimes war is not the key to a stable, thriving clan. It takes lives. It isn't always the best option when peace is a better alternative." Splashfur mewed.
Softlily scoffed, her fur bristling, and padding out of the clearing into a few bushes and her friend, Goosefur, winced apologetically, following Softlily into the brush to calm her down.
Cloverfrond could hear Goosefur whispering, "It's okay, Softlily. I agree with Splashfur. I mean how long has it been since any of the clans have thought of peace?"
Bubblepaw looked at the ground. "I think it's a good idea," she mewed gently, flicking her tail.
Splashfur smiled while Cloverfrond poked his head through the bramble wall where his clanmates were.
"Come on, we're going," he mewed commandingly. He felt an unexpected surge of power as he gave out orders.
He wasn't used to the freedom of leadership since whenever he went on patrols it was always with an older warrior or at least a more authoritative, stable warrior like Wolfshade or Eveningflame. But now, since Softlily, the most commanding of the five warriors was upset and Goosefur was comforting her, Cloverfrond felt surprisingly in control.
"We're what?" Softlily laughed. "It's not like you to tell the older warriors what to do. After all, you're hardly more than an apprentice anyway." She had a point. But Cloverfrond felt like he shouldn't let her lead this particular expedition. She might make the wrong decisions and then end up regretting them later.
But so might Cloverfrond. He pushed the thought aside and directed her.
"Don't worry about that. I'm a warrior now, aren't I?" He shuffled past her and led the group towards the part of their territory that the rogues were invading.
As they crept closer and closer, Cloverfrond's neck fur bristled with curiosity and anxiety.
Softlily must've smelled his fear scent because she smiled and taunted him. "Scared, mouse-heart?"
The truth was, Cloverfrond was scared. He thought that if this patrol made one wrong move, then all of RiverClan could end up paying for their mistakes. They had to come up with the right plan or else their clan would be as good as a kit in a badger's sett. The invaders had all of the advantages, too. If they got kicked out and were upset about it, then they could go beg to be taken in by RiverClan's current enemies-ShadowClan. And since they had been spending time in RiverClan territory, they might know that times are rough for Cloverfrond's clan.
Then, they could pass that information onto ShadowClan in exchange for prey or shelter.
Then, Cloverfrond thought dismally, ShadowClan would know that now is the time to attack us, while we're weak!
They snuck closer and Cloverrfond whispered, "Me, Splashfur, and Bubllepaw will walk into the camp while Softlily and Goosefur hide in the bracken over there," Softlily opened her mouth to say something, but Cloverfrond spoke first. "It will make us seem less intrusive if there's a smaller patrol."
"They're the ones that seem intrusive," Goosefur murmured, getting Softlily to nod in agreement.
"Remember, we're not sure that they know they're invading. And we have a plan and reasons for our way of attack," Cloverfrond explained. "You go hide over there and if it seems like we're in trouble, then you can come to help us."
Goosefur nodded and Softlily followed the dappled brown and white she-cat through the trees.
Cloverfrond had shaken the fear scent out of his now flat fur, but he hadn't shaken it from his mind. The small group each took turns nodding before walking apprehensively into the camp.
As soon as they set foot in the unusual site, Cloverfrond could feel the strange cats' glances as their eyes bored into Cloverfrond's pelt. They walked through the middle of the camp. Cloverfrond looked around, trying to spot some cat that looked like their leader or at least a cat that looked like an authoritative figure. Just as he was about to ask one of the cats who their leader was, a deep bellowing chant came from behind Cloverfrond and the others.
Bubblepaw, Splashfur, and Cloverfrond whipped around to see a strange sight laid out in front of them. All of the cats that were in the camp had started to make circles-one cat on the inside and three surrounding the one in the middle. They were chanting altogether, creating one, unified voice.
The three cats shared alarmed glances and as Cloverfrond listened more closely to the cats, he could make out only a few words. The rest was unintelligible dialogue-hopefully, none of it important to the river cats.
Cloverfrond wondered whether this was some sort of war chant and as he looked over to Splashfur and Bubblepaw, he knew that they were pondering the same question, more or less.
The only words that he could make out of the muddled song were, ". . . war is coming . . ." which didn't settle his roused spirits. If anything, this only made him and his clanmates that were pressed up against him even more wary of these unknown cats.
The RiverClan cats waited for a few more moments, forced to listen to the distorted, uncanny chant of these invaders before they stopped abruptly. Cloverfrond tipped his head, confused. They all seemed to be looked at the cats with awe as if they were from StarClan themselves. Splashfur and Cloverfrond exchanged sideways glances of doubt and bewilderment before they heard a voice from behind them, once more.
They turned around, slowly this time, as this voice wasn't one made of many. It was one cat speaking this time. The first thing Cloverfrond saw was the flash of bright orange fur before everything stopped. Everything seemed to move slower than usual. The birds in the sky stopped chirping.
Everything was eerily silent. But that soon ended as the flash of ginger padded up to the top of a gnarled root of a thick tree and spoke calmly.
"Siege," he addressed his cats. "Attack."