Chapter Nine

                                    

                                          


                          
A black and white cat stood at the entrance of the decorated RiverClan camp. Looking around, he saw that everyone was still in their dens, fast asleep, save for the dawn patrol cats who were dragging themselves out of camp, dipping their heads to Tanglebrook. He watched them disappear off into the horizon before springing onto his paws. Movement behind him cause him to whirl around, eyes narrowed.
                          
Minnowtail padded out from behind the reeds at looked pointedly at Tanglebrook. He relaxed.
                          
"Have you told everyone about Silverpaw's plan yet?" Minnowtail murmured quietly. "It's a quarter moon before the gathering- we don't have much time."
                          
Tanglebrook thought for a moment before answering in the same low voice. "I told my den mates,, the elders, and I just told you yesterday. That leaves Poppythorn. It's hard for me to get into the nursery, though. Ivy's always watching me it seems." 
                          
Minnowtail bumped his shoulder affectionally. "I'll cover for you." She nodded to the nursery. "Get in there, Tanglebrook. Poppythorn needs to know. If not, she won't have enough time to hide her kits when we revolt against that StarClan forsaken cat."
                          
Turning on her paws quickly, Minnowtail treaded back to her den, careful not to let her tail touch the ground. Tanglebrook sighed, and padded to the entrance of the nursery. 
                          


                          
In the den, only one nest was occupied- Poppythorn and her kits. Her bicolored fur was barely visible as she slept soundly. He approached Poppythorn hesitantly and prodded her with a paw, hoping that she wouldn't alert the whole clan of his actions. Her eyes widened in panic as she curled in or her kits protectively.
                          
"What-" Tanglebrook 's tail wrapped around her muzzle, effectively silencing her. She shock her head in vain, trying unsuccessfully to throw off his tail. Muffled meows of protest were heard.
                          
    "Be quiet!" Tanglebrook hissed. He cautiously moved his tail away, glaring at her. Her amber eyes glinted in the partially lit den.
                          
"What are you doing here?" She asked, flattening her ears. You're not supposed to just barge in here, you know." Her kits began to stir as she shifted in her nest. She looked down at them before returning her attention to the black and white tom.
                          
"Of course I know!" He replied, flicking his tail. "Do you think that Ivy doesn't tell me that if she even catches me glancing in the direction of this den?"
                          
Poppythorn angled her ear towards the nursery's entrance. "Then leave," she instructed. Tanglebrook felt a pang of irritation. His fur bristled.
                          
"Guess I didn't have to tell you about the invasion," he retorted. Poppythorn's eyes seemed to jump out of her eye sockets.
                          
"What?!" She exclaimed. Tanglebrook cuffed her ear. "What invasion?" 
                          
"Stop. We have to be quiet!" He glared at her, making her flinch. "Like I said, the invasion. The apprentices, who are currently beyond the ShadowClan borders towards the sun-drown place, have planned an attack to drive Ivy out. We are going to be trying to force her out when she leaves for the gathering. The apprentices will come, and we need to be ready to fight." 
                          
Poppythorn's gaze hardened and she jumped up. "A fight?" She began to shake a little. Her eyes lit as if some insane cat had taken control of her mind. "But... what about my kits?" 
                          
She-cats and their kits, Tanglebrook thought, annoyed. "Stop being paranoid," Tanglebrook snapped. "No one's going to take you kits-"
                          
"I need to tell Ivy, or else she'll kill my kits. And then me!" She dashed out of the den.
                          
"NO!" hissed Tanglebrook. He lunged towards Poppythorn, but reeled back as she slashed his nose and eyes. Blood splattered onto the floor. He cringed, trying to shake the blood out of his vision. 
                          
"No, Poppythorn." But she was already gone. 
                          
Tanglebrook let out a long hiss. He turned to her kits. They looked up at him, terrified. "Stay here, and be quiet. Your mother will come back soon."
                          
"Oh, Ta-anglebrook!" A loud yowl camp from the leader's den. "Come up, please!" Tanglebrook hesitantly stepped out of the den. Up on the great rock was Ivy, looking down to him, grinning sickeningly. He took a step backwards. Then another. And another.
                          
His voice was quiet, yet everyone heard it. "No." He spun around and ran, but not before he saw her grin contort into a furious scowl.
                          
Not before he didn't hear her last order either. 
                          
Kill him. 
                          


                          
But it only made him run faster.