Chapt 41

Dovepelt felt like running out into the clearing and attacking any that came to close. Her kit was out there, her smallest kit. Stonekit. But she couldn't, she had other kits to take care of. None of them knew of the danger their littermate was in; they were still sleeping. Beside her was the young warrior, Cherrynose, and Jayfeather.
"I'm going." Cherrynose's mew was barely audible, as she crept out of the medicine den. Dovepelt focused her hearing on the camp, listening for any dark cats lurking in the shadows. There was no guard tonight, something that rarely happened. Cherrynose slowly padded across the clearing, barely making any noise. Stonekit was poking his head into the abandoned elders' den. Cherrynose crept up behind him, and pulled him out. Stonekit let out a squeak of surprise, and the whole camp seemed to go dead quiet, listening for an alarm call from a disturbed dark forest warrior. But none came, and Cherrynose slowly made her way back to the medicine den. She was about two-tail lengths away from the entrance when a high pitched caterwaul sounded from the front of the camp.
"Stop right there! What are you doing out of the medicine den?" Cherrynose stopped, but did not turn to the voice. She placed Stonekit down, and slid him into the den.
"Turn around and show me who you are," The voice comanded. Cherrynose slowly turned around, her eyes huge with grief. Dovepelt slowly crept up and grabbed her son who was quivering in front of a large bush.
"What were you thinking? Walking through camp!" She hissed sternly. But her eyes were full of love and grief at the thought of losing her son.
"I-I thought I could find out something to help us win," Stonekit mewed quietly, studying his paws. Dovepelt licked his head roughly, and picked him up to carry him back to the others.
"No, I want to see whats happening to Cherrynose, its my fault that she's out there," Stonekit's comment was surprisingly mature.
"No, you have to sleep," Dovepelt lied. She didn't know what would happen to Cherrynose, but she didn't want her young kit to see it. She placed her small gray kit next to her others, where Squirrelflight was waiting with Sandkit and Firekit. Squirrelflight didn't look up, she studied all eight kits, as though if she took her eyes off them for a moment they would disappear.
"Stay here," Dovepelt whispered to her young son. His blue-gray eyes searched hers for comfort, but she had none to give. Dovepelt turned back to the front of the crowd in the medicine den watching Cherrynose.
"Your trying to escape aren't you? Hollyleaf's going to hear about this!" The dark forest warrior turned away and vanished into the leader's den. A few moments later Hollyleaf and the mysterious cat came out talking in hushed voices. Hollyleaf turned her head towards Cherrynose, her eyes like cold blades that ripped through Cherrynose's pelt.
"Mapleshade has told me that you were trying to escape?" Hollyleaf mewed, tilting her head side ways.
"N-no, I was coming back from dirt place," Cherrynose stammered.
"I don't see a guard around to watch you, so it doesn't seemed you've asked," Hollyleaf looked around to make a point. Dovepelt gulped, something bad was going to happen.
"I didn't want to wake them, and I really had to go," Cherrynose looked Hollyleaf straight in the eye.
"Fine, you may go back to your den," Cherrynose turned around at Hollyleaf's dismissal,"Wait, turn around for a moment," Cherrynose looked back slowly, and turned her body toward the black she-cat. Hollyleaf's eyes were full of hate and anger as she unsheathed her claws and swiped them across Cherrynose's throat. Dovepelt gasped. Cherrynose was lying on the ground, spasms rippling through her blood soaked body. Blood gurgled out of her neck wound, and her mouth was open in a silent yowl of help. Her body rippled once more, than lay still. Hollyleaf looked up from watching, with a smirk on her face.
"This is what happens to cats who don't obey rules. From now on, none of you will be allowed to use dirt place, and one of you will die everyday. Also, less fresh kill will be provided. Sleep well." Hollyleaf's green eyes scanned the group, before she turned around and went back into her den. The big tortoiseshell she-cat named Mapleshade narrowed her eyes, before returning to her post at the front of the camp.
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"We have lost a valuable warrior tonight, one that will be welcomed into Starclan. Cherrynose's last act was a noble one indeed, saving young Stonekit." Bramblestar announced when all the cats had become silent.
"She will be remembered for as long as the clans are alive," Onestar put in.
"And the Tribe," Stoneteller added. All the cats nodded, their grief apparent on their sullen faces.
"What are we to do about dirt place?" Snakerock's called up.
"The warriors and apprentices that go on hunting patrol shall go then, but others may fall and be in danger on the tricky path up. We may need to escort weaker clanmates and tribemates." Rowanstar mewed back. The other leader's nodded.
"What about what Hollyleaf said about killing cats?" Toadclaw mewed, his eyes round with sorrow.
"We have a plan for this. All senior warriors, prey hunters, and cave guards follow us. Also the medicine cats, Dovepelt, and Gingerstep. Dovepelt nodded and followed the leaders through the tunnel that lead out of the medicine den to the forest. She hadn't been on a hunting patrol yet because of her kits, so she stumbled a few times. Finally it opened up into the forest. She felt the wind on her fur and smelled the trees and she felt like she could run forever through the forest and far away from here.
"Feels good to stretch your legs, doesn't it?" Squirrelflight padded up next to her. Dovepelt nodded. In the dank light of the medicine den, she couldn't see how thin everyone seemed. But now, with the moonlight shining down on them, Dovepelt could clearly make out the ribs of Squirrelflight. Looking down to herself, she was no better. Her pelt was pale and ungroomed, and she felt like there were ticks all over her. Squirrelflight seemed to think the same thing because she started to groom her once bright ginger fur, which now looked like her mother's, a pale, pale ginger.
"There is something that needs to be explained, something that you cannot tell anyone. Does everyone understand?" Mistystar mewed carefully. When every cat nodded, she continued,"Skyclan is not dead. Lionblaze and his patrol are not dead," She waited again while mostly every cat gasped, including Dovepelt,"They are hiding in Shadowclan's old camp, waiting for a sign from us to attack. We believe the time is now. We are going to send two cats, Dovepelt and Gingerstep, tomorrow night to give them the message. When Hollyleaf does role call at dawn, Skyclan will appear with Dovepelt and Gingerstep, and attack!" Mistystar  seemed to be especially happy with this plan; she probably came up with it herself.
"Lionblaze is alive? Why didn't anyone tell me!" Cinderheart wailed.
"Be quiet! Do you want to wake every Dark Forest warrior down there?" A cat hissed.
"We couldn't let anyone know until the right time, it was better if only a few cats knew." Willowshine added gently. Cinderheart's eyes burned with fear, then cooled into understanding.
"Dovepelt and Gingerstep do you understand what you are to do?" Onestar mewed. Both she-cats nodded, Dovepelt felt her heart thud loudly with anticipation. The cats were dismissed, and all of them went back down the tunnel, it was nearly dawn. Dovepelt settled herself down to sleep when a loud call woke her up. Now what? Dovepelt woke her kits.
"What are we doing?" Honeykit yawned.
"I think Hollyleaf is doing role call earlier today." She mewed back. The seven cats walked over to the group of cats waiting in front of the entrance to the medicine den. There was barely enough room to stand and all her kits were standing under her. More cats pressed around her, the air was hot with breathing even though it was leaf bare.
"As I said before, a cat will die everyday because of what," Hollyleaf glanced at Cherrynose's dead body which was still in the clearing,"She did. Tigerstar, choose your victim." A large tabby with amber eyes, almost identical to Bramblestar stalked up to group. Cats shrank away, avoiding his evil gaze. Her purred when her spotted a white she-cat with orange stripes. Firefoot! Dovepelt felt as though she would wail to Starclan, how could they do this!
"Her," Tigerstar extended one long claw and pointed to Firefoot. She whimpered and shrank away more. Tigerstar growled and walked into the crowd, grabbing Firefoot by the scruff.
"I wouldn't fight back," Tigerstar mumbled with her fur in his mouth,"It'll only be worse." Firefoot's eyes were pleading to the cats in the medicine den for someone to help her, but none came. Dovepelt could only watch as Tigerclaw bit down onto her throat, holding it for what seemed like days, then finally dropping the deceased she-cat on the floor. Her body seemed to go in slow motion as it hit the ground with a thud. Her blood puddled around her, mixing with Cherrynose's dried blood. No one spoke, just watched the scene with an eerie silence. Her eyes glazed over, but she looked as if she was still staring at the clans, Dovepelt was sure she was looking at her. The blood flowed around Tigerstar's paws, and his eyes were gleaming with triumph.  His gaze hardened as he turned to the prisoners, all eyes round with fear. Dovepelt felt bile rise in her throat at the stench of fear scent the at seemed to come from everywhere. Her kits were shaking, though they couldn't see over the taller cats, they understood what was happening.
"This will happen tomorrow at the same time, and the day after that until everyone of you are dead." Tigerstar spat as he padded back to warriors' den. When his tail disappeared from sight, the cats began to mourn their lost friend.
"She was a brave warrior," Slatepelt mewed.
"Yes, as an apprentice, she always brought me the biggest fish," Heavystep murmured. Dovepelt turned her and her kits away.
"Cherrynose is dead?" Stonekit mewed loudly. His eyes were full of sorrow.
"Yes, Hollyleaf killed her last night." Dovepelt whispered.
"It's all my fault! If I hadn't went out into the camp, she would still be alive!" Stonekit wailed. Dovepelt didn't even mention that because Cherrynose was caught in the camp last night that there would be less fresh kill and that they wouldn't have killed cats everyday as well. Instead she wrapped her kits with her tail protectively. Her other five kits sat a ways away from Stonekit, there eyes shown their fear.
"It's going to be alright little ones," She murmured, settling closer to her beautiful litter.