Yellowfang’s Secret

“I’m surprised the WindClan cats can catch anything in these open spaces,” Yellowpaw mewed to Nutpaw as they followed the Clan deputy toward the top of the moor.

“I know,” Nutpaw agreed. “I can hardly hear myself speak, with the wind in my ear fur.”

“Look!” Rowanpaw flicked her tail over Yellowpaw’s shoulder.

Gazing upward, Yellowpaw spotted a scrawny WindClan warrior outlined against the sky. The cat stood motionless for a heartbeat, then turned tail and vanished down the other side of the hill.

“Gone to warn his Clanmates,” Nutpaw muttered.

“I still can’t believe how skinny they are!” Yellowpaw mewed. “And their smell is weird, like rabbits and windblown grass.”

She remembered the first time she had seen WindClan cats, at her first Gathering almost a moon ago, but the memory was blurred. There were so many cats… so much noise… She had looked forward to her first Gathering for as long as she could remember, but it had been overwhelming, busy and full of chatter and conflicting scents. Yellowpaw had felt too timid to go and talk to any cats from the rival Clans, instead staying among the ShadowClan apprentices. Afterward she had felt stupid and embarrassed for being so shy, but Deerleap told her lots of apprentices felt that way, and sometimes even senior warriors. The next Gathering would be easier, she promised.

Now Yellowpaw felt strong and confident as she strode out across the moor. I’m part of a ShadowClan patrol. I’m going to fight for my Clan!

When the ShadowClan cats reached the brow of the hill, they spotted a patrol of WindClan cats heading across the moor toward them. Stonetooth halted, signaling with his tail for the rest to do the same. “We’ll let them come to us,” he meowed.

Leading the WindClan patrol was a light brown tabby tom. Yellowpaw remembered Deerleap pointing him out to her at the Gathering; he was Reedfeather, the WindClan deputy. Stonetooth stepped forward to face Reedfeather as the WindClan cats approached.

“What are you doing on our territory?” Reedfeather demanded.

“Don’t you know?” Stonetooth challenged. “We found pigeon feathers on our side of the Thunderpath, with WindClan scent and paw marks. You’ve been stealing our prey!”

“We’ve done nothing of the sort,” Reedfeather retorted. “We chased that pigeon from our own territory, and that makes it WindClan prey.”

“That’s not true, and you know it,” Stonetooth growled, sliding out his claws.

Reedfeather tensed his muscles, his neck fur bristling. Yellowpaw could smell his fear. The WindClan patrol was smaller, and the cats looked too weak and skinny to fight well. For a moment Yellowpaw felt a pang of sympathy. These cats look as if they haven’t had a good meal in moons. Maybe they deserved that pigeon. Then she gave herself a shake. That’s mouse-brained! I’m a ShadowClan warrior—or I will be soon—and these are my enemies!

“You need to leave,” Reedfeather hissed. “You’re not welcome on our territory.”

“We’re not going anywhere until you’ve been taught a lesson,” Stonetooth responded.

Yellowpaw saw Reedfeather’s gaze flicker. “All right,” he mewed wearily. “You’ve made your point. We’ll stay on our own side of the border from now on.”

Stonetooth didn’t reply with words. Instead, he leaped onto the WindClan deputy, bearing him to the ground. A heartbeat later, fighting exploded all around Yellowpaw. For a moment she stood frozen; the whole world seemed to be filled with screeching, clawing cats, and she didn’t know which paw to use first.

Then she pulled herself together and lunged at a WindClan cat who was on top of Nutpaw, pummeling him with strong paws. The WindClan cat lashed out at her with a wild blow that only riffled her whiskers, then scrambled away.

“Thanks!” Nutpaw gasped.

Yellowpaw whirled around as she felt a burning scratch all down one side, but she couldn’t spot the cat who had dealt the blow. Instead, a huge dark tabby tom bore down on her, his amber eyes blazing. Yellowpaw gulped. She had thought of these cats as small and skinny, but they were full-grown, and this one was much bigger than she was. Frantically she tried to remember her battle moves. She darted at the WindClan tom, intending to strike a blow and spring back out of range, but the tom was ready for her. He ducked away from her claws and swiped her so hard over the ear with one forepaw that she staggered and for a heartbeat the sky went dark. She lashed out again, remembering the move that Raggedpaw had helped her practice, but as she tried to twist in the air the tom batted her down so that she landed all wrong.

He’s too strong, Yellowpaw thought despairingly as she struggled to her paws again.