Chapter 4

“ThunderClan! Defend the camp! We’re under attack!”

Moonshine jumped to her paws as Nightstar let out a screech, glancing wildly around. Attack? She spotted movement at the thorn tunnel and the scent immediately washed over her tongue. Rogues!

Leafclaw hurried to her side. “Those must be the same rogues that attacked WindClan!”

Treasure nodded as he followed his son. “They were left with serious injuries,” he muttered. “This is going to be a tough fight.” With an earsplitting shriek he flung himself onto the first rogue.

Moonshine started forward to help her father, but before she could reach him something knocked into her, forcing her to the ground. Moonshine twisted and bit hard into the ginger cat’s forepaw. He yowled and leaped off her.

Moonshine thrust her way through the sea of fighting cats, lashing out with her claws. It looked like the whole Clan was fighting now. She quickly sliced a black she-cat’s cheek and she stumbled off Leafclaw.

“Thanks,” he gasped, scrambling to his paws. He slammed into the ginger rogue, who was coming for Moonshine again, and pinned him down to the ground with strong paws. Moonshine clawed at his ears.

Suddenly pain seared through her as a rogue raked his claws down her side. She twisted around as fast as a snake and knocked him to the ground, slashing his exposed belly. Thank StarClan! These rogues don’t seem to know battle moves.

Moonshine froze as a yowl split the air. The rogue underneath her took his chance and jerked up. Moonshine stumbled and collapsed under his claws. Panic seared through her as she felt blood pooling around her shoulders. I have to get up! She struggled under his firm grip, then went limp. The rogue loosened his grip in surprise, and Moonshine gathered her hind paws under his belly and thrust him off.

The yowl sounded again. Moonshine felt a wave of dread as she realized it was her father. She hurried toward him, only to be knocked down by a rogue again.

Moonshine suddenly remembered a move Cindertail had taught her. She feinted to one side, reaching for his gray front paw. The rogue instinctively moved away and Moonshine slashed his eye with her free paw. The rogue screeched in pain and fury as she knocked him off.

Moonshine spotted Treasure fighting with a large gray-and-white tom with flashing green eyes. That must be the leader! she thought frantically, racing toward him. I have to help him!

Treasure lashed out at the rogue, but his blow was weak. Blood was trickling out of a long gash on his leg, a bite on the side of his neck, and scratches all along his back. The rogue ducked his swipe easily and hit back, slicing Treasure’s ear.

Moonshine ran faster toward him, tripping over Flowerpetal and a brown tom as they rolled past her, screeching and slashing. Moonshine couldn’t help noticing Flowerpetal was weakening from a wound in her throat and instinctively wanted to help the gray she-cat. Then she pushed the thought away. She would help the senior warrior later. Moonshine jumped to her paws and pushed her paws against the ground, her heart pounding. Treasure!

“I’m coming!” Moonshine yowled as the rogue leader sank his teeth into Treasure’s shoulder. The dark ginger tabby flinched back with a shriek of pain.

Claws slashed at her pelt, but Moonshine ignored them. She gave a powerful kick and kept heading toward her father. I have to save him! I need to help him! She thrust a black tom out of her way, energy and determination fizzing beneath her pelt.

At that moment the rogue leader let out a hiss and, faster than lightning, lashed out and slashed Treasure’s throat.

“No!” Moonshine wailed, finally skidding to a halt beside her father. She barely saw the hungry look in the rogue’s eyes as he advanced on her. “Someone save him!”

Just then a screech split the air. “Dawnberry!”

Moonshine glanced around and realized the cream-colored she-cat was lying limp on the ground, a ginger rogue standing over her. No! Grief bubbled inside her. No! Dawnberry and Treasure can’t be dead! She rested a paw on her father’s flank, but his fur was limp, and his chest didn’t rise and fall.

“Moonshine, look out!”

Moonshine looked up at Leafclaw’s yowl. The gray-and-white rogue was standing over her, blood dripping from his jaws. “Do you want to accept the same fate as your father?” he growled.

In a flash, not even thinking, anger and grief giving her fresh energy, Moonshine slashed his eye before he had a chance to close it. The rogue leader froze for a heartbeat, then let out a bloodcurdling screech. The other rogues froze, too, and broke away from the Clan cats. They raced away and disappeared through the entrance, the leader following.

“We’ll be back!” His voice was a high-pitched rasp, as if he wanted to shriek. “We’ll drive you all out, and the territory will be ours!”

Moonshine watched the rogues melt away into the shadows, but she didn’t feel any victory. The only thing there was emptiness and grief. Treasure. Her beloved father, the bravest in the Clan even though he didn’t have a warrior name.

Moonshine felt a pelt brush hers and turned to see Leafclaw beside her, his eyes hollow with grief. “He died a warrior,” he whispered. “But we’re going to miss him so much.”

Moonshine nodded, her throat tightening so she couldn’t speak. Memories of her father came rushing back. He was always so kind to us. He brought back fresh prey for us when we were kits. He helped us with our fighting moves.

A grief-stricken yowl interrupted her thoughts. “Flowerpetal’s gone!”

Moonshine suddenly remembered the dark gray she-cat as she rolled past her, her yellow eyes wide with pain and fear. I could have helped her. I could have helped Treasure. But I failed. She slumped into a crouch, closing her eyes, trying to stop the pain from coming.

A soft mew came from somewhere beside her. “Moonshine? Leafclaw?” Moonshine recognized Lightningpaw’s voice and was surprised it was as gentle as a mother to her kits.

“I’m so sorry,” the black-and-white apprentice breathed. “Your mother . . .”

Moonshine whirled around, staring at her in horror. She glanced around the clearing and spotted a black-and-gray pelt lying limp and lifeless on the ground.

“No!” A wail of grief tore from Moonshine’s throat. Leafclaw whimpered beside her. No. Flakeheart can’t be dead. She just can’t. Treasure already left. It’s not possible.

Her eyes stinging, Moonshine closed her eyes and fell into blackness.

 

“Moonshine.” A paw prodded her awake.

Moonshine blinked open her eyes and realized she was in the warriors’ den. Lightningpaw was sitting beside her, stroking her tail across her back. “Where’s Leafclaw?” Moonshine asked, pushing herself to her paws.

“He went hunting.” Lightningpaw’s eyes were filled with sympathy.

Moonshine hesitated, feeling awkward. She had never seen the gentle side of Lightningpaw before. “Thanks,” she murmured.

Lightningpaw shrugged. “I know what it feels like.” Her eyes shimmered with grief for less than a heartbeat, then became soft with sympathy again.

Moonshine realized she had never comforted Lightningpaw before. The striped she-cat had lost both her parents when she was only a kit. “I’m sorry you lost your parents,” Moonshine meowed softly.

“It’s fine,” Lightningpaw mewed. “I just need to know that I’ll see them in StarClan again someday.”

Moonshine nodded. “You’re right. Maybe I just need to believe that, too.” She leaped lightly out of her nest. “Come on. Do you want to go hunting?”

A screech suddenly tore through the air. Moonshine stiffened. She scented rogue. Had they already come back again? No!

Lightningpaw hissed beside her. “Those rogues! I’d like to show them what it’s like to feel pain.” She started toward the den entrance.

Moonshine grabbed her tail. “No! We can’t risk getting injured too badly! We have no medicine cat!”

Lightningpaw hesitated. Moonshine willed her to understand. “Fine,” she meowed. “But what’s the point of a battle if no cat fights?”

A yowl of pain split the air. Lightningpaw looked meaningfully at Moonshine. “See? I have to go help my Clanmates! You too!” She raced out of the den. Moonshine followed.

Moonshine pressed back a gasp of surprise as she saw the rogues. There are different ones! How many are even in the group? She watched as Lightningpaw threw herself onto a gray she-cat. Moonshine rushed forward and slashed the rogue’s ears.

As the battle went on around her, Moonshine noticed most of her Clanmates were weakening. These rogues were too strong. How were they going to defend their camp? Will we lose everything?

Cindertail was yowling to Nightstar. “Nightstar! We’ve got to do something! We can’t keep fighting for much longer!”

Nightstar hesitated for a moment, then yowled, “ThunderClan! Escape into the forest! Quickly!”

Moonshine opened her jaws to tell Nightstar it might be a trap, but her Clanmates were already racing out of the camp. I guess this could be our only choice, she thought as she raced after Leafclaw. These rogues are vicious!

As the battle spread out into the forest, Moonshine realized the rogues were driving the Clan apart. “They’re separating us!” she screeched as a ginger she-cat slammed into her. She thrust her off easily and spotted a brown tom charging at her.

Moonshine thought fast. If I stay and fight, I’ll most likely lose. If I run . . . She spotted her Clanmates fleeing and bounded away. No! We’re going in different directions! She wanted to yowl, “Stay together!” but her lungs were already starting to ache and she had no breath to talk. No!

As she neared the WindClan border, she heard screeching and yowling and smelled blood. Oh, no! The rogues are attacking WindClan too? Moonshine glanced back. The rogue was still chasing her. There’s nothing else to do.

Moonshine took a deep breath and splashed through the stream onto WindClan territory. Once she was on land again, she started running, her breath coming in ragged gasps.

Suddenly she came to the top of a hill and spotted WindClan cats fighting with more rogues. They are also getting separated! Moonshine thought, horrified. Two of her Clanmates, Leafclaw and Shadowheart, were racing across the moor, rogues still on their tail.

Moonshine ran after them, into the battlefield of the WindClan cats. She quickly avoided slashing claws and ran across the open moor. Every muscle in her body was screaming in protest, but fear gave her energy.

As she bounded to the top of another hill, she spotted RiverClan territory and saw shapes near the river, pelts flashing and fur flying as they battled more rogues. Moonshine forced herself to go on. Were all the Clans under attack?

The scent of WindClan was fading, and Moonshine realized she was off Clan territory. She saw Shadowheart disappear under a gap in a fence toward the horseplace and Leafclaw bolted into a small forest. She hoped they were okay. Please, StarClan, let Leafclaw make it! I can’t lose anyone else!

Moonshine risked a glance back and realized with a jolt the rogue was still chasing her. How much energy do they have? She forced herself to keep running. If there’s anything I can do for Treasure and Flakeheart, I can keep myself alive.

Moonshine kept running, trying to avoid the Thunderpaths crisscrossing everywhere. Oh, StarClan, what am I going to do?

Soon the grass beneath her paws turned wet, and Moonshine glanced down. She was nearing RiverClan territory, and the lake was right beside her. She dug her claws into the ground as she ran. Don’t fall in the lake again! Especially not now!

Moonshine glimpsed a river up ahead and put on a burst of speed. She skidded to a halt on the bank, gasping for breath. She glanced back and realized the rogue was still chasing her, but far behind now. I have time. Moonshine gazed at the rushing water, her heart pounding. How am I going to get across?

She glanced back again. I don’t have much time. Think fast, Moonshine! She stood at the bank, her gaze flickering back and forth. There were no trees around to walk across, and she didn’t have time to knock one down either. I’ll have to swim.

Moonshine took a deep breath and plunged into the water. Icy water swirled around her, filling her ears and her nose. She kicked out with her hind paws, using all the strength she had left.

Terror coursed through her as she realized the river was carrying her downstream. She kicked harder, her chest aching for air. Suddenly she burst up to the surface and felt her paws touch the land. I made it!

Moonshine hauled herself out of the water and shook out her fur. She glanced back nervously, expecting to see the brown rogue pulling himself out after her. She breathed out a sigh of relief as she realized he was still running toward the river.

Moonshine’s heart raced as she spotted a forest not far from the river. She hurried toward it on tired legs, her body aching. The sky was darkening, and she could rest for the night. Glancing back, she saw the rogue thrashing around in the river. The brown tom was thrown under the water, his jaws opening wide in a soundless wail of terror.

Moonshine watched, but he didn’t resurface. He could be gone . . . but he might have been swept downstream. He could come after me again.

With the last strength she had left, Moonshine raced into the forest and collapsed under a tree.