HeatherClan Book: Chapter 31

Chapter 31: The Search- Part 2
Silverstar and the other three cats trekked towards WaveClan territory.  Silverstar noticed someone following them, but she wasn't sure who they were.  Still, they were HeatherClan cats, so she didn't want to attack them. But she did want to find out why the cats were following the band.
When they got to the birch tree close by the border, Slverstar held up her tail for the other cats to stop.
"This is very close to the enemy's territory," she meowed quietly.  "Birdflight, why don't you climb the birch tree and tell us if there are any FearClan patrols?"
Immediately, Birdflight scaled the tree and mewed, "No patrols.  It's all clear."  There was a moment's pause.  "No, wait.  There are a couple cats approaching.  Three, no, four of them."  She hopped down from the tree.  "What should we do?"
Silverstar thought hard, than meowed, "Well, since we need help, you cats can come out now."  There was a small mew of surprise, quickly silenced by the sound of a paw cuffing an ear.
"We know you're there," Graynose meowed.
"There's no use hiding," Sandpelt added.
There was a bit of grumbling, then out came two mud-covered cats.
"Jaywing?" Silverstar meowed in surprise.
"Hi, Aurorapaw!" Birdflight greeted her friend, then added, "What are you doing here?"
Aurorapaw scuffled the ground in embarrassment as her mentor mewed, "Goldenfur sent us.  She wanted to make sure we saw you cross the border safely."
Silverstar blinked in gratitude while Sandpelt snorted.  "It's easy to cross the border," she meowed.  "But not easy to avoid the cats that live across the border."
"Also," Graynose added.  "How can you protect us with only your knowledge of herbs?"
Aurorapaw studied her paws and murmured, "I hadn't thought of that.
But Jaywing wasn't so easily swayed.  "We have teeth and claws too," he spat, his fur bristling.  "We can fight!"
"Be quiet!" Silverstar interrupted.  "There are enemy cats coming right at us, and we're wasting out energy on arguing!"  Indeed, the FearClan cats were now in plain view, padding purposefully towards the HeatherClan cats, as though they knew they could not lose.
Silverstar tensed as they drew closer, until they were nearly standing on the border.  Her heart sank as she realized who they were.
"Snaketail!" she hissed.  "And Iceshard!"  The two warriors were Brightstar's deputy and Brightstar's mate.
"We are pleased to see you too," Snaketail sneered mockingly.  "This is Robinpaw, and this is Dovepaw."  He gestured towards the two younger cats behind him, who narrowed their eyes.
"You wouldn't mind if we claw your ears off, would you?"  Iceshard snarled, then leaped at the cats.  Snaketail joined in, claws flashing, and with only a heartbeat's hesitation, so did the apprentices.
Birdflight noticed something peculiar.  Iceshard, along with their apprentices, had their claws sheathed and their lips curled over their teeth, inflicting no damage whatsoever to the HeatherClan cats.  In fact, they seemed to be the ones Snaketail was tripping over the most.  Birdflight's suspicion was confirmed when Iceshard pinned her down and hissed in her ear, "We're on your side!  Pin Snaketail down and we'll finish him off!"  Birdflight barely had time to nod when Silverstar dragged Iceshard off.
"Pin Snaketail down!" she yowled.  Silverstar was busy fighting the big tom, but Sandpelt and Graynose dragged him off of her.  All of the cats scored scratches down his, flank, trusting Birdflight.  Suddenly, Iceshard charged.
"Look out!" Aurorapaw yowled to her friend.  But Birdflight calmly stepped aside and let the white she-cat pounce on her Clanmate.  With the apprentices right behind her, she gouged out Snaketail's eyes as the HeatherClan cats watched with silent fascination.  Finally, it was over.
"I can't see!" Snaketail wailed.  "What have you done to me?  I thought you were a FearClan cat!"
"I wasn't," growled Iceshard.  "You were tricked.  Robinpaw, Dovepaw, and" ----- she looked pained ----- "Finchpaw were Lightningstar's kits, not Brightstar's.  After he was killed, I convinced Brackenstar to let me be a spy.  Brightstar will pay for killing my mate and my kit."  Her voice filled with grief, but then she raked her claws across Snaketail's face, making him open his jaws in a yowl of pain and fury.  "His whole so-called Clan will pay, starting with you!"
Jaywing sniffed him over.  "You are blind," he pronounced.  "You better come with us."
Silverstar nodded in agreement.  She looked shaken.  "Take him back to camp and keep him prisoner," she told the medicine cats.  "Perhaps you coming here was some use after all."  She then turned to Iceshard and her kits.  "You may stay, but you have a lot of explaining to do in the morning."
And so, after Silverstar posted Graynose as the guard, she tucked her nose under her tail, and fell into a deep sleep.