Chapter Eleven

Dashfang then felt fur brush against her, and she saw Applefur grabbing one of the kits. Dashfang grabbed the other, and they swam quickly to the other bank.

They heard rustling around them, and they tried to hide, but it was too late; Ravenfur was already surrounding them with Burningfur and Strikeclaw behind her. Her eyes were slits and theirs were huge. “What are you Lightningclan warriors doing on our territory?” she growled. Her eyes blazed with fury, but Dashfang showed no fear.

She snarled and growled, “We were saving these kits. Now, if you don’t want them back, we can throw them back in the river!” she threatened.

Ravenfur stepped back, and she looked at the kits. “Come with us, we will take the kits with us,” she growled, and Dashfang followed with Applefur behind her, her eyes glistening with fear. They crossed into the calm new territory for Lakeclan for as long as the flood will go.

Dashfang saw cats snarling at them angrily, but she did not see Copperpelt anywhere. Applefur looked worried, but Dashfang stayed close to her. She looked around, but all she saw were cats snarling, or covering their kits. “Where are my kits!” a voice yowled back behind a nest. Then Orangemist jumped out of the nest, and saw her two kits sitting, licking their paws dry. She started licking one of them fiercely. She picked them up, and nodded to Dashfang and she led them into the nursery.

Ravenfur snapped them back into the camp by yowling, “What are you doing here?”

Dashfang stepped forward, and she started speaking roughly. “We were just making sure none of the warriors were fishing in the flood. We then saw the two kits, and we had to save them,” she mewed. She still had to keep Applefur and Copperpelt’s secret to herself. She slowly looked from cat to cat, but finally stared directly at the leader.

“Where did you find them, Ravenfur?” he asked, and Ravenfur stepped forward to her leader.

“We found them by the lake, Bluestar, with Orangemist’s kits next to them,” she mewed softly.

Bluestar looked from Dashfang to Applefur. Then he blinked. His skinny body turned to Copperpelt. “Prey is scarce,” explained Goldiefur. “We only have enough prey to feed a kit. The two-legs are even poisoning the lake.” She looked at the two young warriors, and Dashfang nodded.

“It’s settled then,” Dashfang mewed, and she turned to Applefur. “We will be hunting for Lakeclan on Lightningclan territory.”

Bluestar nodded, and he smiled. “Thank you, kind warriors,” he started as he looked at his clan. “We have been weak and frail, but no one’s helped us. Thanks you so much.” He turned, and Copperpelt came down to them when no one was looking.

When they walked home they slept soundly, but then Dashfang woke with a jolt. She heard mewling and crying. What was that? She went to the nursery, and saw Pinkiefur’s kits mewling. She looked behind her and she went to the warriors den. Applefur slept soundly. Dashfang came over to her, and nudged her with her nose. Applefur turned on her side, but Dashfang just grabbed her tail and pulled her out of the den.

“Applefur,” she whispered, “Wake up; we need to hunt for Lakeclan.”

Applefur got up slowly, and touched her nose to her tail. She started licking it, and then licked her stomach briskly. “Okay,” she mewed, “let’s go.”

Dashfang ran through the camp, trying to be silent, but she saw Skykit squeeze out of the nursery. “Dashfang!” she yowled. Luckily her squeak didn’t wake the others. “Where are you going? Can I come, can I come! Plea. . .” She was cut off by Dashfang’s paw slamming into her mouth.

“Quiet, what do you want to wake the whole forest?” she asked, and she shook her head. “No, you can’t co. . .”

“Please!” Skykit whispered, but Dashfang shook her head.

“No, we’re, umm, on a secret mission. Sunstar wants us to leave at once.” Luckily that broke Skykit. She left, and Dashfang let out a large breath.

They ran through the forest, and they finally got some prey to drop off. They walked to Lakeclan camp, and they heard yowls of excitement when they saw the two cats cross into the camp. The young kits ran over to see what they caught. Dashfang dropped a large vole, a mouse, and a bird. Applefur dropped hers, and the cats purred to them gratefully. Then Copperpelt came over to Applefur, and they went behind the same thrush they went behind last time. Orangemist came over to Dashfang. “How have you been?” she asked, and Dashfang smiled.

“Fine, you?” they talked as they walked towards the thrush Applefur and Copperpelt were in.

“I’m fine, just I wish the whole Copperpelt Applefur thing were just a dream,” she sighed, and she went into the thrush.

Dashfang looked at Copperpelt. He looked happy, and surprised. “Orangemist, Orangemist!” he yowled. “Applefur’s pregnant!”

Orangemist stepped back. “What!” she yowled, and Dashfang flinched at her hostility.

Copperpelt licked his mate, and she smiled. “I’ve been pregnant for only a couple of days,” she mewed, but Orangemist still looked shocked.

“Copperpelt?” she mewed and she jumped into the camp.

Copperpelt sighed, and mewed, “You guys should go, she’s pretty mad right now.” He jumped to her, and the two friends left.

As they walked on the stepping stones, they heard Setclaw growl. “What were you doing on Lakeclan territory?” she growled, and they both took a step back.

Skykit was behind her, her ears down with fear. Setclaw chuckled, and they all went back to Lightningclan camp. Dashfang and Applefur felt ashamed when they got back to camp, and Setclaw led the to Sunstar’s den. Sunstar pricked her ears. “I found Dashfang and Applefur in Lakeclan territory,” she mewed. “And Skykit following their trail.”

Dashfang caught Skykit’s eyes, but she did not even speak. “We were hunting for Lakeclan territory because they were starving!” Applefur burst out.

Sunstar sent Setclaw away, and she listened to the story. She nodded and she stood. “You will both be punished for this,” she mewed, and she looked at Dashfang. “You will be treated as apprentices and will be sleeping in the warriors den. You cannot leave camp without a warrior. Dashfang you will be with Daringtail and Applefur-” she kept talking, but Dashfang didn’t listen.

Great! she thought. She then turned around, and went to the apprentices den where she belonged.