Warriors: Dawn of the Clans #6: Path of Stars by Erin Hunter

Author:Erin Hunter
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Tags: General, Action & Adventure, Juvenile Fiction, Fantasy & Magic, Cats, Animals
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2015-09-01T03:43:40+00:00

CHAPTER 13

Beetle flexed his claws. “He’s trying to stir up trouble.”

Slash flattened his ears. “I should claw your ears off for trespassing on my land.”

Thunder faced the rogue leader, anger hardening his belly. Overhead, clouds darkened the sky. “Your campmates need help, not another fight.”

“They brought the danger here themselves.” Slash didn’t even glance at the injured cats littering the clearing. “Anyway, they don’t need help from a couple of cowardly group cats.”

Thunder stared at him in disbelief. “We helped you fight the dogs off!”

Lightning Tail padded to Thunder’s side. “Your cats are so starved, they couldn’t defend themselves properly.” He jerked his muzzle toward Beech. “And you clearly don’t care whether they live or die.”

“Why should I?” Slash’s pelt rippled along his spine. “They’re cowards. They fight like kits.”

Thunder’s paws trembled with fury. “They fight like foxes!” How could Slash despise the cats he was supposed to protect? Didn’t he feel any responsibility for them at all?

Fern padded into the clearing, her eyes wide. She glared at Slash, her eyes blazing with anger. “You don’t care about us at all. You never have!”

Dawn was lifting Pine and Drizzle from their hiding place among the reeds. She glanced at Fern, her expression somber.

Moss bristled beside her, his gaze on Slash. “Fern’s right. You ordered us to steal, then kept the prey for yourself and your friends.” His glanced at Splinter and Beetle. The vicious toms glared back at him and moved closer to Slash. “You’ve been treating us terribly for a long time! We practically starve, while you let food rot.”

Dawn took a step toward Fern. “They’re right,” she said, looking nervously from the black she-cat to Slash. “You say you want to train us to fight, but you abuse your own cats.”

Fern nodded at Dawn, then turned back to Slash, eyes narrowed. “We’ve put up with you for too long,” she hissed. “You call the group cats weak, but look who fought alongside us. Maybe we’d be better off in a group! We’d definitely be better off without you.”

Better off in a group? Thunder’s pelt prickled with concern. Could the groups accommodate all these cats? Would they?

A tabby tom crossed the clearing and fell in beside Slash. “Why don’t we just leave?” he hissed to Slash. “These mouse-hearts don’t appreciate you, Slash. Let them try to make it on their own!”

Slash narrowed his eyes. “That’s a good suggestion, Snake. I’m wasting my time here.” He flicked his tail toward Splinter and Beetle. “Are you coming with me?”

“Why would we stay here?” Splinter lifted his chin.

Beetle shook out his pelt. “Let these vermin die alone.”

Thunder stared at Slash. I’d never let my group down like this! “They’re your campmates! They’re injured—and they’re right, you’ve let them down! How can you be so heartless?”

Slash shrugged. “If you’re so worried about them, why don’t you look after them?”

Thunder stiffened. Slash’s words echoed the question he’d been turning over in his mind—a question he couldn’t quite answer. Can I care for these cats? There was barely enough prey in his forest to feed his own group.

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