paused, racking his brain. âWhen the Clan leader dies, the deputy takes over.â
He stopped. Riley and Bella were very quiet, and their flanks rose and fell steadily. They had drifted off already. Ravenpaw curled up and tucked his chin into Barleyâs belly fur. Riley and Bella were trying so hard to learn about the life of a warrior; he just hoped SkyClan would give them a chance to try it for real.
âOoh, what do we have here? Four little warriors lost in the woods?â
A shrill voice and a blast of hot breath jolted Ravenpaw awake. In a heartbeat he sprang to his feet, growling. Five cats circled the nest, eyes narrowed and ears flat back. These werenât warriors, though; they had the stench of kittypet about them, cloying and unwelcome among the leaves. Their fur was sleek and glossy, and they looked plump and overfed rather than well muscled. But their eyes were mean, and there was no mistaking the challenge in the first catâs voice.
âSwallowed your tongue?â he jeered. He was a dark tabby, almost black, with piercing green eyes. âI didnât think patrols were allowed to go to sleep!â
Ravenpaw heard the other cats stir beside him. âLeave us alone,â he snarled. âWeâre doing no harm.â He was confident that these werenât SkyClan warriors. They were too scornful of patrols, for a start. He took a step forward and let his furrise along his spine.
âYouâre so scary,â gasped the tabby, pretending to fall back. Then he leaned forward. âIâm joking. I donât like the look of you. You donât smell like those SkyClan fools, but youâre scrawny enough to be wild. Go back to where you came from!â
âYouâll have to make us,â rumbled Barley, stepping up alongside Ravenpaw.
For a moment the tabby looked less certain. Barley was broad-shouldered and tall, and there was menace in his growl.
âYou heard what Pasha said,â meowed another kittypet. Her pelt was ginger and white. âGo away.â The other three cats took a pace forward so that they were looming over the nest.
Bella squeezed in between Barley and Ravenpaw. âAnd you heard what we said. Weâre not going unless you make us! Weâre warriors, so we know how to fight!â
âWarriors?â spat Pasha. âHa, they donât scare us.â He twitched his ears at Ravenpaw. âRun along, squirrel-breath.â
Slam!
Quick as lightning, Ravenpaw raised his front leg and clouted the tabby between his ears. The kittypet staggered backward with a yowl.
âYouâll regret that!â he hissed. He stalked toward Ravenpaw, his thick tail lashing.
One of his companions, a she-cat with silver and black patches, interrupted. âThis is boring, Pasha. Iâm getting cold. Canât we run through the gorge like we did last night? That was way more fun.â
âThis bunch of weasels will be too easy to fight,â agreed the ginger-and-white she-cat.
Pasha glared once more at Ravenpaw. âIf I see you again, youâll regret it,â he snarled. Then he whirled around and bounded into the trees. âCome on! Letâs give SkyClan another surprise!â
Ravenpaw watched them vanish into the shadows. His heart was pounding, and his paw throbbed where he had struck the tabby.
âWell, they werenât very nice!â Bella exclaimed.
âIt sounds like theyâre not that nice to SkyClan, either,â Barley commented. He arched an eyebrow at Ravenpaw. âDo you think theyâre going to invade the camp?â
Ravenpaw shrugged. âI think theyâre more hot air than action,â he meowed. âOtherwise theyâd have shredded us while we were asleep. But I donât think theyâll trouble us again tonight. Their Twolegs will expect them home before dawn.â
He lay down again and licked his sore paw. The others settled around him.
âIâll
LeAnn Ashers
Lyn Brittan
Stephen King
Hope Callaghan
Ony Bond
Iris Deorre
William Kotzwinkle
Jordyn Redwood
Willard Price
Claire Adams