DuneClan Camp

Grovestar came back angry. "Clan meeting!" she yowled. "Now that all the dens are fixed...we will attack DuneClan!" She unsheathed her claws. "All warriors and apprentices, come with me! Firestrike and Minnowpaw, stay behind." All the cats walked out of the camp entrance.

"Finally!" cheered Rosepaw. She followed Grovestar eagerly.

Grovestar and her patrol raced to the DuneClan border, and into their territory. Finally, they burst into their camp. "Attack!" Grovestar shouted.

An empty camp, dens half demolished by falling sand greeted them. A few sandy pieces of prey and abandoned herb stores were the only things of value in the sandy waste. "Well this is disappointing," complained Rosepaw, "I was hoping to fight someone!"

Grovestar sniffed the air. "You're right, it's abandoned." She sniffed the trail. "It's stale, but I think they went towards the Painted Rocks, come on!" She led her clan towards the Painted Rocks. Dewpaw raced after them.

"Yay, we still might get to fight!" yowled Rosepaw. "I bet I'll take down more DuneClan cats than you," she boasted to her brother Gorsepaw, who snorted in response.

Dewpaw rolled his eyes. "I can't wait to see those skinny cats' fear!"

Painted Rocks

Dunestar quickly followed after them, a smaller cat on her back. Sandyflight soon followed with Hope and Tinywing. Painted Rocks seemed to have mysteriously escaped any of the damage from the tremors. "We should be safe here for now," said Sandyflight, looking around to see if they'd been followed.

"Hopefully the other Clans don't come," Dunestar snorted. "I am not in the mood for explaining anything to any cat right now."

"You can say that again," said Sandyflight. "How long should we stay here?"

"I'll check and see how the sand is." Dunestar meowed. "For now, send some patrols out for food."

"Since there's only Hope and the apprentices, it won't do much good, but okay," snarked Sandyflight, but they did as they were told. Soon they had amassed a small prey pile of pigeons, voles and mice, as there was plenty of prey in Painted Rocks.

Dunestar sniffed the air. "Someone's coming," she hissed.

Sandyflight raised their nose to the sky. "And a lot of them by the smell of it. Maybe we should retreat..."

Grovestar burst through the undergrowth. "Attack!" she shouted. Grovestar outstretched her claws and jumped on Dunestar, while Breezewing jumped on Sandyflight.

"Get off me, your breath stinks!" hissed Sandyflight, raking their claws on Breezewing's pelt to claw her off.

Breezewing slammed her forepaw down hard on Sandyflight's head.

"Taste my claws!" yowled Rosepaw, pushing Lightpaw away as he tried to leap on her.

Dunestar bared her teeth. "What is this for?!" She bit the leader's nose aggressively.

"This is war!" Grovestar hissed as she leaped over Dunestar, clawing her with her back legs.

"For WHAT?" Dunestar screeched.

"Give us your territory and we will leave." Grovestar said calmly as she sliced her claws under Dunestar's belly.

"Why should you have it? It already killed some of our cats." Dunestar raised a brow. "You know what, go ahead. Don't come to us when your dumb cats die." She slapped her in the face, raising her tail. "DuneClan, to me!" She disappeared.

I won't stop till Dunestar is dead, thought Grovestar.

Sandyflight hissed at Breezewing and followed her leader. "Can't wait to see these soft forest cats trying to hunt in the dunes," she said sarcastically to Dunestar.

Dunestar smirked. "They can't, I made sure the dunes were deep enough."

Rosepaw raced to Dewpaw. "It's a bit sad that they were so easy to beat, but hey at least we got more territory."

Dewpaw nodded. "Yeah. Well we can kill them in no time!" He flexed his claws.

"We have done it, my warriors!" Grovestar said. "But in order, to patrol all of the territory, we have to split up our Clan, Firestrike, Cherrymask, Mallowskip, Cedarclaw, Rosepaw, Minnowpaw, Wildrose and his kits, Darkwing, Webleap and I will stay in the Clan. Breezewing, Brokenleg, Silverstep, Larchfang, Thornstrike, Minnowpaw, Gorsepaw, Birchheart and his kits and Stumpyface will stay here. I will have the queens and elders come here once we get back to camp. Say your goodbyes now."

"Some of those cats are back at camp," said Thornstrike. "Shouldn't we get them first before saying goodbye?"

"You're right. My Clan, with me!"

GroveClan Camp

Grovestar and her Clan arrived at the camp. "Clan meeting!" Grovestar called out and explained what was happening. "Say your goodbyes now."

The GroveClan cats did as they were told. Rosepaw acted aloof, but was secretly sad to see her brothers go. She watched them disappear into the brush, and wondered if they'd ever come back. Little did she know that she was not the only one watching.

Fox raced to where her fellow Acolytes had been hiding. "Quick Owl," said Fox hurriedly. "GroveClan camp is deserted. It's time for us to raid!"

Owl shook out his ragged fur violently. "Let's go," he hissed. The others nodded in agreement.

Wolf, Owl, Finch, Delilah and Fox raced into the almost undefended GroveClan camp. "Give us your prey or die!" hissed Fox.

Grovestar hissed. "NEVER!" she shouted and she jumped on Wolf, while Firestrike stayed in the medicine den still taking care of Meadowpaw

The muscular tom pushed Grovestar off him, and started circling her, growling. While Finch and Delilah were busy with the other GroveClan cats, Fox stalked towards Firestrike. "Aren't I a sight for sore eyes?" she purred to him.

Firestrike hissed. "You...you...killed my mentor Sagepool!" Firestrike leaped onto Fox, going on her back, dragging her down, as he held her down with two paws. Meadowpaw grabbed three poppy seeds and he grabbed them from her, shoving them into Fox's mouth.

Grovestar went limp and once she saw Wolf relax his grip, she jumped up and landed on him again, sending him tumbling.

Wolf tumbled to the ground, but soon found his footing. Seeing what was happening to his sister, he hissed and pushed Firestrike off of her. Fox spit out the poppy seeds. "And now, I'm going to make sure you never forget me!" she yowled, plunging her claws into Firestrike's eye.

Firestrike yowled in pain and stumbled around to find some cobwebs. Grovestar pushed Wolf off again slamming him into the den wall.

Wolf groaned, and staggered to his feet, his head bleeding. "This is hopeless. Brothers and Sisters, retreat!" The rogues raced away.

Meadowpaw raced after them. "Come back and fight me, you cowards!" she jeered, disappearing into the brush after them.

Firestrike grumbled,applying the cobwebs to cover his eye.

Dewpaw padded over to him. "I took these poppy seeds from your den, do you want them?"

"Mm..yea..sure!" Firestrike said sarcastically.

"Whatever. I was only trying to help," sulked Dewpaw.

Rosepaw looked in disbelief at her clanmates. "Aren't you going to do anything to help Meadowpaw?" When no one seemed to listen to her, she turned tail and ran after her friend.

Mallowskip stood up, realising something. "Where's Meadowpaw?" she asked.

Firestrike looked for Meadowpaw, his patient in the den. She wasn't there. Ugh, he thought. Her wound hasn't even healed, the mouse-brained furball! Firestrike went up to Grovestar. "Grovestar, Meadowpaw ran away."

Grovestar looked alarmed. "Clan meeting!" she yowled. Mallowskip spun and limped out into the clearing to see Grovestar seated there. She was starting to worry about the apprentices now.

"Meadowpaw is-" Firestrike whispered something into her ear.

"Meadowpaw AND Rosepaw are missing. I need a search patrol, Cherrymask, Mallowskip, Cedarclaw, Dewpaw and I will go find her. Firestrike, you're in charge while I'm gone." Grovestar walked out of camp the cats training behind.

DuneClan Camp pt. 2

Nightflame panted, exhausted. He dropped the fish in the fresh-kill pile and collapsed.

"What happened when I was gone," he gasped, claws unsheathed and sunk into the sand.

"I don't know. I can't find Dunestar but GroveClan's scent is everywhere." Sunscar unsheathed his claws, and hissed, "let's give them a warm welcome."

"Yessss." Nightflame hissed unsheathing his claws and tensing his muscles. He couldn't wait to get GroveClan blood on his pelt!

Dunestar lashed her tail, racing forward into a rock that was tall enough for her to see her cats from. Sunscar spotted Dunestar from her rock. "Dunestar, there you are! What's happened to you?"

"We had to give away our camp, but they'll never survive on it," Dunestar meowed simply.

"Why don't we lay a trap here and ambush them?" asked Sunscar.

"If they see me, I'll be killed," Dunestar meowed. "What's your plan?"

"Dig pits in the dunes to trap them and wait for them to go hungry in the harsh sun. Then, when they're at their weakest, we'll strike and drive them out once and for all!" Sunscar thought for a moment. "We could try reaching out to EyrieClan, they hate the GroveClan cats nearly as much as we do."

"Pretend we've abandoned camp then when they least expect it, we jump out and claw their pelt off." Nightflame whispered, pelt buzzing with excitement. "We have an edge because they're not used to the shifting sands. I'll get Grovestar and claw her throat out." The blue-black tom's heart was pumping in excitement. He couldn't wait!

Sunscar turned to Sandsky. "What plan do you favour Sandsky? Should we starve them out or ambush them just when they think we've won?"

"I think we should starve them," Sandsky said.

Dunestar thought for a long moment. "I have heard my clan's opinion and I agree. We will move camp to Painted Rocks for the time being. Prey is plentiful there, so life should be much easier than what we're used to. DuneClan to me!"

Sunscar waited until Dunestar was out of earshot. "I still think we could have just attacked them here and now," he muttered to Nightflame.

"That'll take time..." Nightflame huffed, disappointed. If they lost their leader, they'll retreat right? If DuneClan killed their thief of a leader, it'll show them that they were no joke. The blue-black tom glared accusatory at Sunscar, his back slumped, dejected.

Sunscar looked surprised at Nightflame's hostility. "Hey, don't look at me. I wanted to attack right now too. Dunestar's the leader so unfortunately we have to do what she says."

Nightflame let out another huff, turning his gaze to his paws. He hoped EryieClan would help or..."If the starving plan doesn't work than we could just shove sand in the holes and they could suffocate," he mumbled.

Dunestar flicked her tail. "That's another idea." She meowed. "We can set both up."

"True, I guess it doesn't have to be either or. Hey Nightflame, you want to help me try your idea after we've got everything set up at Painted Rocks?" said Sunscar.

"Sure." The black tom nodded, arching his back as got up. Seeing the cats from GroveClan heading their way, the DuneClan cats made a hasty retreat to Painted Rocks.

Breezewing, Brokenleg, Silverstep, Larchfang, Thornstrike, Minnowpaw, Gorsepaw, Birchheart and his kits and Stumpyface came into the camp. "Alright let's sleep in a few of the dens. Go to sleep and tomorrow we will look for a good place to hunt and scout the territory," Breezewing said to the Clan. Breezewing headed to the leader's den, and sat down. 'So this is what a leader's nest feels like...comfy!' She put her head down and fell asleep.

Stumpyface prodded Breezewing. "Wake up, sleepy-slug! Don't you still have to choose a new deputy?"

"Brokenleg, you are the temporary deputy for now. Silverstep and Larchfang guard the camp. Now that we are at war with DuneClan and maybe even EeyrieClan, we need as many guards as possible."

Breezewing woke up after a quick power nap. She called out to her deputy. "Brokenleg!" she called out. "Can you start scouting the territory?"

"Sure thing!" The black and white she-cat rushed out of the camp entrance and started to patrol the area, finding Meadowpaw's scent heading near GroveClan territory, or at least where it used to be before the borders expanded.

The Children of Ember

"Well that was a disaster," admitted Wolf.

"Shut up!" said Fox. "Someone's coming..." She crouched down, ready to meet her pursuer.

Meadowpaw burst through the undergrowth. "Surrender you R-rogues," she stuttered, suddenly realizing that she had left her clanmates far behind.

Fox turned to her companions. "One of you want to handle this little kit?" she sneered.

"Well, does anyone have any ideas about what we should do with the little furball?" asked Fox, he eyes flicking from the quivering apprentice to her companions.

Owl shrugged. "Something painful."

Delilah smiled. "Maybe we should rip her ears off!"

Rose smirked. "No! A slow and painful death."

Delilah felt as a laugh started to form deep in her chest. "Orrrrrr... we could throw her into the Passage!" But then something crossed her mind. "Actually, we don't want to send her to Paradise. Hmm. Maybe we could deprive her of water?"

Rose shrugged. "We'll see. I dunno, that's a good idea." She cuffed Delilah's ear. "Keep thinking!"

"I'm trying!" The molly closed her eyes and concentrated hard, trying to think of something that would be even slower and more painful. "We could try that thing that my housefolk did once. They put a rat in a little cage and heated the top, and put it on another twoleg's stomach. The rat clawed right through it."

Rose giggled. "Wow!" She meowed, fascinated. "Well, we need a rat. And a cage."

"I can snag a cage, but the thing I won't be able to get is a heat source."

"What if we make a heat source?"

Owl glared at the Clan cat. "I want to hear it scream."

"And it will! That's why it'll be slow." Rose replied.

Delilah nodded. "Don't worry Owl, she'll scream loud enough for the Mainland to hear."

Owl's eye twitched slightly and he walked over to the Clan cat, his tail lashing.

"Leave her alone for the moment. We need a rat and a cage first."

"Give her a nice comfy nest before her nice slow death," said Rose mockingly.

Owl sat next to the apprentice. "I'll make sure that she doesn't escape." Rose nodded.

"I don't think there's any need for that, dear, but feel free to watch over this hopeless scrap if you'd like," Delilah teased Owl.

Grovestar and her patrol sniffed out the scent even though it was stale. "The trail ends here, but I can't smell any cat. Search around."

Brokenleg stumbled through the thick undergrowth. Why must her leg be so useless!? If only Hope had left her and Tinywing here in the forest. She tripped and fell over a stray root and heard a familiar voice near her ear.

"Spot!" Delilah yowled as she saw her sister's kit crash to the ground very ungracefully. "You've grown so much and-" she trailed off as she saw the rest of the patrol.

Grovestar hissed in annoyance. "Give us Meadowpaw and Rosepaw back!"

Rosepaw raced over to her leader, finally catching up with the rogues. "Grovestar wha-"

Fox smirked at Grovestar. "Very poor choice of words." She grabbed the quivering apprentice by the scruff of her neck and tossed her hard into a sharp rock that lay at Grovestar's feet. "You never said to give her back alive." Rosepaw screamed in horror and raced over to her friend as the rogues fled in different directions.

"No. No, no, noon, no, no. She's going to be fine. I just have to take her to the medicine den," Rosepaw repeated over and over without the slightest trace of life in her voice. She lifted Meadowpaw's body up by the scruff with difficulty and carried her all the way back towards the medicine den.

Rose lifted her tail, following after Fox, snickering.

Grovestar screeched. Fox and Wolf raced away, Grovestar in hot pursuit.

The two rogues came to a chasm crossed only by a log bridge. "Go!" yowled Wolf. "I'll hold her off Fox." Fox resisted at first, but Wolf pushed her along. As she ran across the log bridge, she looked back at her brother one last time. She ran off into the night, crying.

Wolf turned to face Grovestar baring his teeth. "Give it your best shot!" he snarled.

Grovestar growled and jumped. She aimed for Wolf's throat, biting her teeth down hard. Wolf twisted and turned, scratching at Grovestar's pelt until at last he went limp, his blood pooling on the ground.

Rose prodded up to Rosepaw. "We almost have the same name!" She exclaimed, an evil flare in her eye.

Rosepaw looked in her direction, but her eyes were glassy. She didn't seem to hear or see Rose. "Just a bit further," she muttered to Meadowpaw's body. "Just a bit further to camp."

Rose giggled. "The silent treatment? Those dumb cats deserved it." Her voice was demonic.

Rosepaw looked up at Rose, her eyes still dull and blocked by tears. "Grovestar, is that you? Why are you saying such horrible things?!"

"I'm Rose." Her voice was still demonic and possessed-like. "A Child of the Ember."

Rosepaw finally seemed to snap out of it. She raced as fast as she could, carrying Meadowpaw until she reached GroveClan camp. She collapsed to the ground, sobbing. Rose's eyes were burned into her memory.