The moonlight flickered through the trees, the cool dusk breeze whisking leaves across the smooth earth. Yellowclaw, Russetfur, Scorchfur, Pineheart, Gorsewind, Nutspring, Foxtail, Owlpaw, Petalpaw, Twigpaw and Blackpaw were part of the first battle patrol. The second patrol was back at camp for back up. They were at the border of WinterClan, the cats waited for Yellowclaw to give the signal. The warrior nodded and the cats moved into the enemy's territory, stealthily.
Blackpaw kept silent as he waded through the snow, Twigpaw next to him. She looked very cold, but when Blackpaw looked at his littermate, she just pulled a excited look on her face. He couldn't help her if she doesn't want any. So he pulled on through the frost bitten snow.
After walking through the oak wood forest in WinterClan territory for a long time, Yellowclaw signaled his tail for his clanmates to stop. The warrior peered through the thorn barrier and saw the sleeping clan. The calming smell of sleep wafted over Blackpaw. His pelt bristled with excitement.
Yellowclaw's eyes gleamed in the half-shadow, "Foxtail and Gorsewind, get the night guard. Russetfur, Petalpaw, Twigpaw and Scorchfur come with me, the rest of you wait for further instructions."
Yellowclaw's cats moved to the other side of the camp, walking alongside the thorn barrier. Foxtail and Gorsewind stalked the thorn barrier entrance, the night guard was Piketooth. The WinterClan tom looked around his camp with drowsy eyes. Foxtail quietly but quickly wrapped her tail around Piketooth's mouth silencing his gasp of shock. Gorsewind slashed the toms belly open. Piketooth tried to scream and yowl to warn his clanmates but instead, his eyes lolled and his head fell back, as blood poured out of his wound. After several moments Foxtail released her tail from Piketooth's blood pooled body. With a snort of disgust, the red she-cat and Gorsewind padded towards Blackpaw's side.
On the other side of the camp, Yellowclaw mouthed the words 'steal kits, herbs and fresh-kill'.
Then finally, Yellowclaw gave the signal for his clanmates to attack the sleeping clan. Blackpaw and Twigpaw headed for the nursery. As Blackpaw neared the nursery, the warm milky smell flooded his nose, perfect he thought. A red mottled she-cat and a cream she-cat slept in the cozy nursery. Two bundles of fur snuggled up beside the red she-cat's belly, snoring quietly. Blackpaw felt guilty for a moment, was he really going to cause as much pain as Adderfang did to him?
But he quickly wiped the thought out of his head, he was on a mission and he was going to finish it. Twigpaw loomed over the kits, her eyes wide. Blackpaw leaned over the red she-cat and grabbed a sleeping kit by the scruff. Surprised at the weight of the kit, Blackpaw stumbled a bit, nearly walking into the cream she-cat, but eventually steadying himself. Twigpaw grabbed the other kit, and made her way out of the warm den and into the snow scattered clearing.
Hissing at the wall of cold wind that hit him, Blackpaw searched the clearing for his clanmates. He saw Scorchfur, Nutspring and Russetfur waiting quietly at the edge of the clearing, in shadows with herbs in their mouths. Shortly afterwards, Petalpaw, Owlpaw and Pineheart appeared with fresh-kill in their mouths. Owlpaw's eyes widened as he saw what Blackpaw managed to steal.
Yellowclaw waved his tail for the cats departure. As Blackpaw sighed in relief, he relaxed. Twigpaw padded next to him, the kit still asleep. Her kit gave a huge yawn, freezing everyone in their tracks. Blackpaw stared in horror as he saw the kit's eyes open, but then the sleepy kit murmed, "But Flameleaf! I'm a warrior now!" then it closed its eyes and fell asleep again. Blackpaw pulled ahead of Twigpaw in annoyance, but then he tripped over an ivy tendril. The kit in his jaws landed head first in the snow. Blackpaw got to his paws and raced towards it, the other cats in the patrol staring in shock. Blackpaw used his paws to get the kit's head out of the snow, he placed it in a sitting position.
The kit didn't open its eyes, but gave an ear splitting yowl that sending every piece of prey in the forest, running. Another yowl came, but not from the kit, it came from WinterClan camp, shortly after the thundering of paws came.