Book 2 - Chapter 3

Tawnybird let out shaky call, "We found Dustfur," she called. The clan started towards the bushes. "Stop," ordered Tigerstar. "I am going to see what happened first. I am clan leader. Stay here." The clan grumbled but nodded. Tigerstar padded into the bushes and let out a screech. He slowly padded out from the bushes. "Dustfur is dead," announced Tigerstar. Snowhare let out a screech of disbelief. Milkfur nodded sadly. "How?" asked Ottertail. "The foxes." "Oh," said Ottertail. Tigerstar leapt up the hill and spoke to the assembled clan below. "Even they we lost Dustfur and he will always be in our heart we need to continue it is not the safest place out here. The foxes just proved that. So please deputies take 2 cats each and scout the whole territory. Apprentices take 3 warriors and go on a hunting patrol. Medicine cats treat the injured. Senior Warriors take another cat each and go look for any herb that will help the medicine cats." The cats chosen nodded. They sped out of camp. Tigerstar sighed. "So many cats lost," he whispered. Emberberry nodded. "First the 4 leaders, then Dustfur." The tired cats slowly padded into the clearing. Tigerstar leapt to his feet to meet the patrol. "Deputies what did you find out?" All the deputies shook their head no except for Ashflower. Who spoke up. "We found something quite disturbing." "Who is we?" asked Tigerstar. "Shadowleaf, Tawnybird and I?" replied Ashflower. "Meet me on the top of the hill. Emberberry go tell the other medicine cats I would like to meet with them too." Emberberry nodded and padded away. Ashflower turned and rounded up her patrol. Tigerstar leapt up the hill and spoke with the cats. "Ashflower what did you find?" asked Tigerstar urgently. "The deputies headed out into the territory around here. We all went in a different direction to cover more ground." Tigerstar nodded. Then Ashflower said "we heard some cats and it sounded like lots of them so we stayed hidden." Tawnybird put in, "We found a dead pigeon and there was a scent there it was extremely familiar but I can't place it." Shadowleaf nodded, "Here we brought back a shread of black fur. Can you tell the scent on this?" Tigerstar's eyes widened. He turned to Tawnybird "get me Windshadow," then he turned to Shadowleaf and said "Can you get me Blossompaw?" The 2 cats ran off and returned. "Blossompaw come here!" called Tigerstar. "Do you recognize this scent? Is it who I think it is?" Blossompaw nodded then she spoke up. "Why?" "Ashflower's patrol found this shred of fur nearby." Blossompaw gasped. Then he is following us. He has been tracking us. Tigerstar nodded. "Ashflower also said they found a dead pigeon." "And a dead rabbit," put in Tawnybird. "There could be more. We came back straight away." "Before I do anything I want you" he said nodded to Ashflower, "to take Berryfur and his patrol and go thoroughly search the area for more. If you hear any cats duck down in the grass and creep back to camp." Ashflower nodded and swept her patrol away with a swish of her tail. The camp sat in silence until the patrol came racing back. Ashflower and her patrol raced up the hill to Tigerstar. "There was prey everywhere. The prey was covered all in the same scent though. We found 3 more scraps of fur," panted Ashflower. Tigerstar nodded. "Thank you." he meowed at last. "I would like to speak to Blossompaw now." Ashflower nodded the cats left. "We were right." said Tigerstar at last. "Unfortunately," mewed Blossompaw.