As the sun rose above the horizon, it marked the seventh day since Hazelstar had sent all the cats out. The black tom had returned with seventeen rogues, Sharp had returned with fifty, and now, Hazelstar was waiting for the she-cat to return with one hundred rogues.
Hazelstar's body ached as she woke up. She had been teaching cats some battle training the other day, and she had pulled a few muscles in the process. She wasn't the slim she-cat her mother was.
"Hazelstar! Hazelstar!" Fire's frantic voice made her jump.
She quickly padded out of the den, facing her deputy.
"What is it?!" she spat.
"That she-cat you sent is returning with over a hundred rogues!"
"Over a hundred?!" Hazelstar exclaimed. "Marvelous! Lead them to the clearing!"
"Hazelstar, there might not be enough room in the clearing," Fire explained.
"There will be!" she yowled. "Go direct them! All of our rogues have arrived! I'll be there shortly."
Fire nodded, running off to greet the rogues. He left Hazelstar alone in the camp for a few moments to eat. She grabbed a fresh robin and bit into it, the warm taste filling her mouth. She quickly gobbled the rest up, her stomach now filled.
She marched over to the clearing, watching rogues mix in with the others. Fire was right. The clearing was a bit too small for all the rogues. The battle would be in a few more moons though. They wouldn't have to wait too long.
"Hazelstar, I brought them over like you instructed," Fire said, facing his leader.
"Good, good," Hazelstar told Fire. She looked into his green eyes, then nodded. "You can go now, Fire. I'll take it from here."
"If you wish," Fire said, leaving the clearing.
The sound of chatter filled the clearing, and even as Hazelstar leapt onto the fallen tree, the cats continued to speak.
"ROGUES, LISTEN HERE!" she shouted.
All the cats fell silent, turning their attention to Hazelstar.
"Good," Hazelstar purred. "My name is Hazelstar, your new leader."
"But we are not clan cats!" a cat shouted.
"You must be new," Hazelstar laughed. "I do not know which cat said that, but I will tell you that if you speak over me again, it will be the last time you speak. Got it?"
Cats nodded slowly.
"A cat says I am not leader. You're right. I'm not. The Dark Forest is your leader, Moonstar is your leader! I am only here to guide the clan in an independent way. Still, you will treat me and all other MoonClan cats with respect!" she hissed.
"It has come to my attention that there are many in this clearing. MoonClan is a large camp, one that can hold many cats. However, none of you are MoonClan cats. You may be rogues fighting for us, but you are not as honorable as the others. I understand this clearing may be crowded, but it is the only thing you have.
"Some rules for all of you. Do not step into the MoonClan camp unless instructed, do not leave this clearing unless instructed, do not steal any food or water from my MoonClan warriors, do not fight any MoonClan warriors, and do not try to escape. Breaking any of these rules will result in an easy death. Don't think you can beat me. You may be the toughest cat in the forest, but with the Dark Forest on my side, I can stop your heart in a pawstep. Got it?"
More nods came from the crowd.
"It's time to split up cats. I need you all to gather in groups. It is important to know that even though you may be from different rogue groups, you are all one now. You are MoonClan's army. Remember that. Now, I need kits- those under three moons- over to the right. Apprentices-those under six moons- next to the kits. Everyone else, gather to the left. Those who are considered elders will mix in with the others."
Cats moved quickly, and soon, the three categories stood before Hazelstar.
"Perfect," Hazelstar purred. "Now, those who are under three moons are not permitted to fight unless they wish. Queens, you are not permitted to fight unless you are a day from giving birth or have just given birth. Everyone else will fight.
"Now, your life in the clearing will be difficult. Only the toughest will survive. You'll be fed by my warriors, though it probably won't be enough. Sickness might spread, and unfortunately, MoonClan warriors get first dibs on medicine. Cats will die in this clearing, but if you are strong, you will survive.
"I can also not guarantee your safety in battle. Cats will die too. But know you are dying an honorable death, cats. Know that by joining MoonClan's army, you will be praised for your courageous choice.
"Fighting. This is a key part. I will be sending my warriors over to train you in groups. You will treat them with the highest and upmost respect. Practicing fighting in freetime is okay. If I find out you are killing each other, I will take you captive or separate any cats fighting. Please, practice without harming each other to a great extent!" Hazelstar hissed. "Any questions?"
"Where do we sleep?" a young cat asked.
"On the ground," Hazelstar growled. "This is your home for now. Once the battle is won, you will roam free in the woods, and you can boss our prisoners around."
Cats looked around in excitement at this idea.
"I will be sending cats over shortly. Please, get comfortable. These are your clanmates who will fight alongside you."
Hazelstar leapt down from the log, leaving the rogues to talk among themselves. Quickly, she padded back to camp, leaping onto the rock that sat in the center of the camp. Just by leaping onto it, she felt like Moonstar herself.
Memories flooded back to Hazelnose of her standing on this rock when she became an apprentice. She was only three moons at the time, but she remembered it clearly. While Leopardtail and Tigerstripe had been excited, she and Chesnuttail had cowered in fear. Everything was different now. Leopardtail was dead, Tigerstripe was missing, Hazelstar had turned evil, and Chesnuttail was still his old-self.
"Coward," she murmured. Her brother had been a coward for staying in FoxClan when he could've joined MoonClan himself.
"ATTENTION MOONCLAN!" Hazelstar yowled. Cats looked up and gathered beneath the rock, staring at their leader.
"I have talked to the rogues," Hazelstar explained. "Now that I have sorted them into groups, we will need many cats to help teach them fighting moves. Before I even begin appointing cats, I would like Crystal to run the entire program because she seems to get along best with the rogues."
Cats turned to the white she-cat who smiled. Hazelstar didn't know if giving her this big responsibility was wise or not.
"I will work well, Hazelstar, wait and see," Crystal replied.
"Not so fast," Hazelstar growled. "The cats that I appoint need to do whatever it takes to get these cats to behave. I have already listed the rules they must follow. If one of these cats breaks a rule, kill them, show no mercy. Crystal will be in charge of assigning cats to train groups of cats. Some are small and weak, but we'll get that all sorted out in a few moments."
"Which cats do I choose, Hazelstar?" Crystal asked.
"Quiet!" Hazelstar spat. "You are commanding them but not appointing them. With this mission I require Screechshade, Shard, Raven, Berry, Cherry, Bloodfur, and Ice. Crystal, you make sure to rotate them in and out. They still must perform regular duties. When we capture FoxClan cats in a matter of days, I'll be assigning extra guards. Now, could all of you I have appointed follow me to the clearing. There is some business we must take care of there."
The cats nodded, and Crystal padded alongside Hazelstar as they crossed from the MoonClan camp into the clearing. Cats were talking to each other, a few arguing, others getting along well. At the sight of the MoonClan warriors, they froze.
"I'm glad to see you've all learned respect," Hazelstar laughed. "We're only here to do an inspection. Could I have all of you lined up in the previous groups you were in?"
It only took a few seconds for the cats to rearrange themselves.
"Good," Hazelstar purred.
As she padded by, all she thought of was Be like Moonstar. Show no mercy. Be like Moonstar.
"We are inspecting the condition of the cats!" Hazelstar announced. "Do not struggle if any of us grab you. Do not run off. Your death will only come quicker."
Cats looked around, confused by what she meant. The ones who did froze, cowering in fear.
"We'll start with the kits!" Hazelstar hissed.
The young kits stood, watching Hazelstar. Their eyes were widened by fear, and many were shaking in their pelts. Most were average size, a few larger, a few smaller. Some runts would do, and some wouldn't.
Standing with the kits were two small gray tabby she-cats, almost three moons. They were small though, and Hazelstar knew they wouldn't do.
"Screechshade, grab them," she instructed.
The kits mewed in fear as she grabbed ahold of them.
"Don't struggle," Screechshade hissed at them.
"What is the purpose of this?" Crystal asked Hazelstar. "Will they be fighting?"
"Some will. But I have many mouths to feed, and only the toughtest should be fed," Hazelstar growled.
From the crowd of kits, they took three more- a small ginger tom, a small white tom, and a blind she-cat.
"Take them over to the log," Hazelstar growled. "A few stand guard. We still have more cats to do."
Screechshade and Cherry padded over to the log while the others followed Hazelstar to the apprentices. Again, Hazelstar took a few small apprentices, as well as another blind cat.
Once they were marched over with the rest, Hazelstar inspected those who would be considered warriors. Very few were taken from there. A few small cats, a three legged cat, some cats with injuries that could not be healed. She also took a few older cats who looked as if they were about to collapse.
Marching them back to the log, cats stood, waiting for an explanation.
"This is a mercy killing!" Hazelstar spat.
Immediately, the cats began to cry out.
"Do not cry out and plead to stay alive!" Hazelstar hissed. "You will die! If any cat steps forward, they will be killed. Crystal, it was your idea to lead the cats here. You will kill these cats."
"Hazelstar, I—" Crystal began.
"Do not hesitate!" Hazelstar hissed.
"Fine. I will kill them, Hazelstar," Crystal said. The cats formed in a line, each one awaiting their own death.
As Hazelstar watched each one killed, each one cry out, she didn't move. She just stared and waited patiently. She did not feel the same as Moonstar though. While her mother craved death, Hazelstar wanted to vomit at the sight of it. She had to live up to her mother though.
When Crystal had finished, bodies of cats were piled up by her, and her paws were stained red. She looked as if she were about to vomit as well.
"We have wiped away those who would slow us down!" Hazelstar hissed at the rogues. "Bury their bodies if you wish. Training begins tomorrow. Be ready."
As she left, she turned her head, watching cats gather around the dead cats they had lost. Some were mourning, others were glaring at Hazelstar, but it didn't matter what they felt. She was their leader now, and she would do the same if they did not cooperate.
For a split second, she felt the same rage as Moonstar until it faded to Hazelstar fearing herself. What had she become?