Into The Wild

“Look!” he called to Graypaw and Ravenpaw. An unfamiliar cat had jumped out in front of the two warriors.

“It’s a loner!” hissed Graypaw. The three apprentices hurried forward.

The stranger was a stout black-and-white tom, shorter than the warriors, but well muscled.

“This is Barley,” Bluestar explained to the apprentices as they caught up. “He lives near this Twoleg nest.”

“Hi!” meowed the cat. “I haven’t seen any of your Clan for some moons. How are you, Bluestar?”

“I’m well, thank you,” replied Bluestar. “And you, Barley? How’s the prey been running since we last passed this way?”

“Not so bad,” replied Barley, with an amiable gleam in his eye. “One good thing about Twolegs-you’ll always find plenty of rats nearby.” The black-and-white tom went on: “You seem in more of a hurry than usual. Is everything all right?”

Tigerclaw looked at Barley. A growl rumbled deep in his chest. Firepaw could sense that the warrior was suspicious of the loner’s curiosity.

“I don’t like to be away from my Clan too long,” Bluestar answered smoothly.

“As always, Bluestar, you are tied to your Clan like a queen to her kits,” observed Barley, not unkindly.

“What is it you want, Barley?” asked Tigerclaw.

Barley flashed him a reproachful look. “I just wanted to warn you that there are two dogs here now. You’d be safer going back into the cornfield instead of past the yard.”

“We know about the dogs. We saw them earlier-” Tigerclaw began impatiently.

“We are grateful to you for the warning,” interrupted Bluestar. “Thank you, Barley. Until next time…”

Barley flicked his tail. “Have a safe journey,” he meowed as he bounded away up the track.

“Come,” ordered Bluestar, heading off the track. She pushed her way through the long grass between the path and the fence that led back into the cornfield. The three apprentices followed, but Tigerclaw hesitated.

“You trust the word of a loner?” he meowed.

Bluestar stopped and turned to face him. “Would you rather face those dogs?”

“They were tied up when we passed them earlier,” Tigerclaw pointed out.

“They may be untied now. We’re going this way,” meowed Bluestar. She ducked under the fence into the field. Firepaw slipped after her, followed by Graypaw, Ravenpaw, and finally Tigerclaw.

By now, the sun had lifted its head above the horizon. The hedgerows sparkled with dew, promising another warm day.

The cats padded along the edge of the ditch. Firepaw looked down into the deep gully, steep-sided and filled with nettles. Firepaw could smell prey-scent. There was something familiar about the bitter odor, but it was one he hadn’t smelled for a long time.

An earsplitting squeal made Firepaw whip around. Ravenpaw was struggling and clawing at the earth. Something had hold of his leg and was dragging him down into the ditch.

“Rats!” spat Tigerclaw. “Barley has sent us into a trap!”

Before they could react, all five cats were surrounded. Huge brown rats swarmed out of the ditch, squeaking shrilly. Firepaw could see their sharp front teeth glinting in the early dawn light.

Suddenly one leaped onto Firepaw’s shoulder. Fiery pain shot through his shoulder as the rat sank its teeth into his flesh. Another grasped his leg between its powerful jaws.

Firepaw flung himself down and writhed madly, trying to shake free. He knew the rats were not as strong as he was, but there were so many of them. Yowls, hisses, and spits told him that the others were also being attacked.

Firepaw slashed fiercely with his claws, slicing out at a rat that held on to his leg. It let go, but another one gripped his tail. Fast as lightning, powered by fear and rage, Firepaw fought and hacked at his attackers. Twisting his head around, he sank his teeth into the rat that had embedded itself into his shoulders. He felt the bones of its neck crunch in his mouth and its body go limp, before it fell away onto the dirt track.

Firepaw gasped with pain as yet another rat leaped onto his back and sank its teeth in. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a flash of white fur. For a moment he was confused; then he felt the rat being dragged off him. Firepaw spun around to see Barley flinging the rodent into the ditch.

Without hesitating, Barley glanced around and sprinted over to Bluestar. She was writhing on the path, covered in rats. In a flash Barley had the spine of one between his teeth and was plucking it off her with practiced ease. He spat it onto the ground and grabbed another in his mouth as Bluestar thrashed beneath him.

Firepaw rushed over to Graypaw, who was being attacked from both sides by two smaller rats. Firepaw lunged at the nearest one, giving it a bite that left it dead. Graypaw managed to turn and pin down the other with his claws. He grabbed it with his teeth and flung it into the ditch as hard as he could. It did not come back.

“They’re running away!” Tigerclaw yowled.