ohhh can i be a cat in this i love stories 83

Prolouge:
A gray and white she-cat, heavy with unborn kits, picked her way through a stretch of holly bushes until she found what she was looking for. A scarred gray tom sitting half under one bush with his gaze on the stars. "Why do you think we spend all our life fighting? There's enough prey for every cat if we ate only what's nessecary." He wonder aloud as she padded up. "I don't know Scar." She answered wearily. "If we bothered to stop fighting so we could hunt." Scar added angrily. He sat up and turned to her, his eyes gleaming. "Why have you disturbed me? Don't you know I'm busy?" A snarl was creeping into his voice. "I'm expecting kits. I thought you might want to know." The she-cat stared at her paws. Scar looked dumbstruck. "Kits?" He spat at last. "With that peice of foxdung, Cobra?" The heavily scarred tom demanded. "No, they're yours." She took a step back. Scar shifted so the that the moonlight glinted off his long front claws. "Morning, as soon as they're born, bring them to me." Morning was trembling hard she could barely stand. "Why, Scar?" She asked fearfully. "That, you will know when the time comes." Scar's eyes glowed menancingly as he turned and raced through the prickly bushes to the den he shared with his half-brother, Cobra, and her. Morning waited until she figured he would have reached their home before starting after him. "Scar's going to kill our kits." She whimpered quietly. She jumped as a twig snapped. "Who's there?" She unsheathed her claws and glanced around wildly. A magpie hopped out from under a bramble and gazed at her. "Oh." Morning sheathed her claws and took a step towards the bird. It immediately flew into the trees. Morning watched it go. "I wish escaping were as easy for me." She sighed.

"Scar?" A black tom with white paws had been grooming himself when Scar had raced into the den. "What do you want?" Scar snarled, rounding on him. "Nothing." The black tom muttered and started licking his chest fur. "You'll have time to wash when you're dead, Cobra." Scar snapped, shoving him with his muzzle and knocking his half-brother off his paws. "What did Morning do?" Cobra asked accusingly. Scar was only ever in this bad a mood if Morning had upset him. "She's expecting kits!" Scar sliced the she-cat's nest in half with one claw. Cobra relaxed a little. "What are yiu going to do?" Scar turned to his half-brother. "Kill them of course. The kits of a fleabrained idoit like her will never make it in this world. She wouldn't have made it this far if it weren't me!" Scar ripped viciously at the stone floor of the cave. Cobra noticed one of his claws was hanging by a thread and blood was everywhere, but Scar didn't seem to notice. "Come. I know she's going to try and escape tonight. We have to track her." Scar slipped out of the cave and started following Morning's scent trail.

Chapter 1:
"Dawnpaw, wake up. Foxclaw wants you on patrol." Dawnpaw struggled to her paws and pushed her brother, Stormpaw, off her. "Okay, I'm up." She yawned. Stormpaw nudged her again. "Swiftpaw and Honeypaw are already out." He added urgently. Dawnpaw tensed. "I'm going!" She flew out of the den and bowled Snakefrost and Icetail over. "Hey!" Icetail lashed her thick tail and gave her chest fur a few licks. Snakefrost hissed in annoyance and stalked off. "Sorry!" Dawnpaw called after him. Foxclaw padded over, her equally thick and fluffy tail flicking from side to side. "You really should be more careful." The deputy scolded gently. She was Icetail's sister. "Sorry." Dawnpaw flattened herself against the ground as Stormpaw padded out of the apprentice's den and tripped over her. Foxclaw's whiskers twitched in amusement and Dawnpaw felt a wave of releif wash over her. "I wonder if the deputies in the other clans are so understanding?" She murumured to Stormpaw. "Now if you're quite done, you two are with Sunstorm's patrol." Foxclaw turned to her sister. "Icetail, take Swallowfoot and Nightpaw hunting by the lake." Stormpaw bumped Dawnpaw with his muzzle. "Come on." He flicked his tail to where Sunstorm was standing with Echostorm and Sparrowflight. "You're with us right?" Sunstorm drew one mottled paw over his tortoiseshell ear. "Yes." Dawnpaw padded over to Echostorm. The mottled silver she-cat was Stormpaw's mentor and Dawnpaw felt very comfortable around her. "We're patroling the Riverclan border." Echostorm explained as they padded out of camp. "What do you smell?" Sparrowflight prompted as the neared the Thunderpath. "Echostorm. . . Sunstorm . . . Dawnpaw." Stormpaw began to list all the cats on patrol. Sparrowflight flicked his ears. "Other than us?" "Fish." Dawnpaw wrinkled her nose. Sparrowflight sighed and picked up his pace. "Darkmist says a badger lives under the Thunderpath." Stormpaw stopped almost a treelength away from the border. "Darkmist says a lot of things." Sunstorm responded, padding over and setting a scent mark. Dawnpaw and Stormpaw exchanged glances before following. "There." Echostorm clawed the grass in satisfaction when they had finished. "Patrol." Sunstorm warned as four Riverclan cats appeared. Three warriors and one apprentice. A mottled silver she-cat, similar to Echostorm, a silver she-cat, a jet black tom and a glossy black she-cat. "Shimmerpaw." Stormpaw whispered, reconizing the glossy black apprentice from the gatherings. Dawnpaw nodded. Echostorm lowered her muzzle to Dawnpaw's ear. "The others are Rainsplash, Ripplefur, and Reedclaw." "Ripplefur." Sunstorm dipped his head to oldest cat, who was still quite young. "Sunstorm." Ripplefur returned the greeting. "I'm glad we caught you. Riverclan has spotted three different rogues between and around our boundry. Two of them seem to be traveling together and the other is a queen who appears tob e traveling on her own. She's close to giving birth but our patrols haven't been able to locate her or her den, we suspect they're both in your territory." The silver Riverclan warrior explained. "I see." Sunstorm narrowed his eyes. "I'll tell Adderstar and maybe he'll send a patrol out to locate her. Do have any idea about the two taht are together?" Ripplefur hesitated. "They're both toms, they have similar scents so we suspect they're related, but other than that . . ." She replied after a moments. "Thank you. We have to get back to camp now." Sparrowflight meowed curtly. "I understand." Ripplefur turned to her own cats "Rainsplash and Shimmerpaw, mark the boundries over there." "You two, eat some fresh-kill. I'm going to report to Adderstar." Sunstorm started over to the HighBranch back at camp. Adderstar's den was in the hollow trunk. Dawnpaw grabbed a fat vole and padded over to Stormpaw who had a lizard. "What do you think of these rogues?" She asked between mouthfuls. Stormpaw shrugged. "I think the she-cat needs help. The toms are probably bad news." Dawnpaw looked up at him. "What makes you say that?" Stormpaw shrugged again. "Two toms on their own?" He shuddered as he spoke. Dawnpaw rolled her eyes and finished her vole before padding over to the apprentices who were all stretched out by a holly bush. She stepped over Nightpaw and settled down between Swiftpaw and Honeypaw. "Are there really rogues out by the Riverclan border?" Swiftpaw asked wide-eyed. "That's what Ripplefur said." Dawnpaw gave her chest fur a couple of embarrassed licks. "I wonder what Adderstar's going to do." Nightpaw murmured "Shhhh!" Honeypaw waved her tail and pricked her ears. Adderstar had exited his den and was speaking with Foxclaw. Dawnpaw leaned forward, straining to hear. Stormpaw padded over and forced himself between Swiftpaw and Dawnpaw. "What's going on?" He asked in a whisper. "Adderstar's talking to Foxclaw about the rogues, now be quiet!" Nightpaw hissed softly. "Send out a patrol to track them down and get them out of our territory." Adderstar decided. Foxclaw dipped her head. "Just one?" She asked. Adderstar nodded. "Made up of four warriors and two apprentices. We don't know how dangerous these toms may be." He turned to go. "Wait. What about the she-cat?" Foxclaw asked nervously. "Drive her out too." Adderstar flicked his ears. Foxclaw hesitated. "Maybe she should come here?" She suggested weakly. Adderstar whirled around, teeth bared. "It taints our bloodlines." His voice was barely audiable. "Sedgepool is here." Silverfern had padded over to join the conversation. "And I am not ready to let any other outsiders join." Adderstar spoke with authority. "Fine." Foxclaw padded over to the base of the tree which held the HighBranch. "Ravenwing, Hollytail, Darkmist, Dawnpaw, and Swiftpaw led by Swallowfoot will go out to locate the three rogues Riverclan suspects are in our territory." She annouced. Dawnpaw's eyes widened in surprise. She could see her pleasure and excitment reflected in Swiftpaw's eyes. Foxclaw flicked her tail so she could breif Swallowfoot on the patrol. Dawnpaw padded over to hear. Swiftpaw followed. Darkmist and Hollytail were chatting together quietly while Ravenwing sat with tail wrapped around his legs, waiting. "They're Adderstar's littermates, right?" Dawnpaw asked Swiftpaw, flicking her tail to Hollytail and Ravenwing. There was an obvious resemblance. All three were jet black with white chests and smooth, sleek pelts. Though Ravenwing was sligtly larger than his brother and sister and Adderstar's eyes were a bright green as opposed to Hollytail and Ravenwing's ice-blue. Swiftpaw nodded. "Adderstar wants all three gone, but remember one is a pregnant queen and she probably won't put up a fight." Foxclaw dipped her head to Swallowfoot and padded off to organize more patrols. Swallowfoot's mottled pelt gleamed in the sun. "Let's go."

Chapter 2:
"Where are we going?" Swiftpaw sighed. The black and white apprentice had slowed down considerably since they left camp. Ravenwing bared his teeth. "To find rogues." His sister, Hollytail, answered before he could say anything. Dawnpaw stifled a sigh as Swiftpaw cursed under her breath. "There!" Darkmist trotted over to a bush, waving her tail wildly. "What?" Swallowfoot followed cautiously. "Fur." Darkmist's eyes gleamed. "It's gray and doesn't carry the scent of any clans." Swallowfoot nodded. "Good work. Everyone, come get a good sniff." Hollytail and Swiftpaw trotted up obeidiently but Dawnpaw could tell Ravenwing wasn't pleased to be treated like an apprentice. The black tom stalked over and inhaled deeply. Dawnpaw flinched at the scent. It had the tang of blood on it, but it was so faint it could be the blood of anything. "We'll pick up their trail." Swallowfoot tasted the air and started following the rogue's scent. "This one smells of milk." Hollytail murmured. Swallowfoot looked up from the trail he had been on and trotted over to where Hollytail stood. "Yes, the she-cat." He muttered. "Come on, the tom's scent is less stale. Foxclaw can send out another patrol for her later." The mottled gray tom started back on the other scent. They were almost out of Shadowclan territory when Swallowfoot singled for the patrol to stop. Dawnpaw hurried over to the senior warrior's side and peered through the hazel bush. She forced herself not to gasp. There were two toms, that they already knew, one was a large, heavily scarred gray and the other was black with white paws. Swallowfoot stood up and pushed his way past the bush. The gray tom unsheathed his claws without hesitation. The black tom followed suite. "Who are you?" The scarred tom growled. "The better question is what are you doing on our territory?" Ravenwing spat. Dawnpaw glanced sideways and that his fur was fluffed up so much he looked twice his size. The tom sheathed his claws again and bowed his head. "I had no idea we had trespassed." Dawnpaw curled her lip in disgust. "Are you saying you lost your sense of smell?" Swiftpaw growled. "We must have missed your markers." The black tom snorted. "Yeah right!" Darkmist was low to the ground, her tail lashed back and forth. "It's the truth." The gray tom's eyes blazed with fury. "Let's take them back to Adderstar." Hollytail murmured. "Adderstar said to just -" Dawnpaw tried to explain what she and the other apprentices had heard, but Swallowfoot cut her off. "Yes, he'll decide what happens to this lot." He flicked his tail and the patrol surrounded the rouges. Dawnpaw was pushed to the side so she stood next to Darkmist. Ravenwing brought up the rear, Swiftpaw and Hollytail were on the other side and Swallowfoot, of course, led. "What are they doing here?" Adderstar demanded as they entered camp. Swallowfoot blinked in surprise and didn't respond. "Foxclaw, I thought I told you the rogues should not be brought back to camp!" Adderstar seathed. Foxclaw looked away, she had negelected to tell Swallowfoot. Teh gray tom glanced around camp. "This is a very nice place." He commented. "What is your name?" Adderstar growled. "Scar." The tom answered calmly. "What is your story?" Leopardstorm, one of the queens, had started stalking around both toms in a loose circle. "My mate, she threatened to kill our kits if I didn't leave. I didn't want to risk teh kits lives, so I left with my half-brother, Cobra." He nodded to the black tom. "I see." Adderstar looked over the rogues before bounding up to the HighBranch. Teh clan had already gathered so there was no need to call them out. I have decided to let these rogues stay after all. Scar and Cobra shall stay in the warriors den and participate in patrols. Every cat will be in charge of making sure they understand the warrior code." He annouced. Dawnpaw felt a flash of surprise. He had been genuinely angry at Foxclaw and Swallowfoot when the rogues first arrived but now. . . she shook her head. Bluemist and Leopardstorm exchanged glances before herding their kits, five in all, back to the nursery. Sedgepool, who used to be a roguer herself, was padding over to talk to the toms. Dawnpaw snorted and trotted to the apprentices den. It was getting late.