Warriors: Battles of the Clans

  Warriors

  Battles of the Clans

  Erin Hunter

  Illustrated by Wayne McLoughlin

  For William and Oliver, two splendid boys

  Contents

  Introduction: The Fire in Our Blood

  Techniques and Strategies

  ThunderClan: Nimble in the Forest

  ShadowClan: Silent in the Night

  RiverClan: Strong in the Water

  WindClan: Proud in Battle

  SkyClan: Agile in the Air

  Tour of the Battlefields

  The Lake Territories

  The Forest Territories

  Famous Battles

  The Gathering

  A Time for Mercy

  A Rogue’s Story

  The Battle Against the Foxes

  In the Midst of Battle

  A Long Tradition

  My First Battle

  The Deserter

  The Leader Who Sought Peace

  The Aftermath

  Cedarheart’s Final Warning

  The Victorious Clan

  The Defeated Clan

  Conclusion: Onestar’s Farewell

  Warriors Adventure Game: The Deluge

  After the Adventure

  Warriors: Skyclan’s Destiny

  Acknowledgment

  About the Author

  Other Books by Erin Hunter

  Credits

  Copyright

  About the Publisher

  INTRODUCTION: THE FIRE IN OUR BLOOD

  Hallo, Ashfoot, who’s this? A couple of strays found on the moor? And they asked to see me? Well, bring them into my den; let’s have a look at them. You’re not Clan cats, are you? I don’t recognize your scent—and there’s a whiff of kittypet about you, if I’m not mistaken. Don’t look so scared. We don’t really line our nests with the bones of kittypets. See? Just moss and feathers. Bones are much too uncomfortable to lie on.

  I am Onestar, leader of WindClan. And this is the WindClan camp.

  You want to know what it’s like to be a Clan cat, don’t you? About the code that binds us and gives us the courage to survive, about the Gatherings, where we meet in peace for the flicker of a full moon to share tongues and wisdom and news. And the battles—oh, yes, the battles. I can see from the way your eyes gleam that this is what interests you most: the blood-soaked history of the four Clans, the fighting skills passed from mentor to apprentice.

  Every young warrior dreams of going into battle. What better way to prove your loyalty to your Clan than to risk your own blood? And what better chance of personal glory? The greatest warriors are remembered by every Clan and are honored in the stars by our ancestors.

  But don’t go thinking that warrior cats crave only spilled blood, the chill of a rallying yowl, and the heat of endless battles. Our lives are about so much more than fighting. We live to serve our Clan however we can, hunting for fresh-kill, building safe, sheltering dens for the queens and kits, paying our debt to our elders by caring for them before they go to join StarClan. Look around you: No cats are bleeding or limping from battle wounds; fur is flat and smooth, not ruffled in anger; there are no furious yowls carried on the air, just the purr of queens nursing their kits and the rumble of elders telling stories.

  What’s that? Have I killed another cat in battle? What a question! You still have much to learn about the ways of warrior cats. The warrior code says: An honorable warrior does not need to kill other cats to win his battles. Victory can be won without spilling blood.

  Going into battle is the hardest decision a Clan leader can make. If I send my warriors to fight against another Clan, it hurts me more than any claw or tooth ripping through my pelt. Battle is the very last resort, and I, like all Clan leaders, will do anything to avoid spilling the blood of my warriors or those of another Clan.

  Come with me, kittypets; I’ll take you to each of the territories and introduce you to these sometime allies, sometime enemies, and you will learn more about the battles of the Clans. Luckily for you, the Clans are at peace right now. There is a Gathering tomorrow night, so many of us will be resting before the late night and the journey to the island.

  But remember, we have our claws and our teeth for a reason, and my warriors are as brave and skilled as any here. When the time for talking has passed, battle may be the only option. And never let it be said that WindClan cats are not to be feared when the rallying cry goes up: Warriors, attack!

  PART ONE:

  TECHNIQUES AND STRATEGIES

  THUNDERCLAN

  * * *

  THUNDERCLAN FACTS

  Leader: Firestar

  Deputy: Brambleclaw

  Medicine cat: Jayfeather

  Hunting territory: Forest

  Camp: Stone hollow

  Unique battle skill: Fighting in dense undergrowth

  * * *

  Brambleclaw’s Welcome

  Onestar? Is something wrong? Who are your companions? Ah, a pair of curious kittypets. Welcome to ThunderClan. Our camp is on the other side of that row of thornbushes, sheltered by the cliffs of stone. Forgive me if I don’t invite you in. I have only your word and Onestar’s that you haven’t come to learn more than we are willing to share.

  You want to know about ThunderClan’s battle tactics? Well, look around. Notice the brambles and ferns crowding in on you, blocking your sight. We see them as opportunities for camouflage and causing confusion to the enemy when we pounce on them from every side. We have been trained to fight in these enclosed spaces, paw-to-paw, with nowhere for the trespassers to flee. We can spin on the tip of a tail, find strength in a strike where there is barely room to draw back our paws, leap from a standstill while our enemy is struggling to turn around.

  Firestar has even started holding training sessions in the trees so we can leap from branch to branch like squirrels and drop onto our enemies’ heads while they’re still trying to find our trail on the ground.

  The forest is a magnificent place to fight. This is where we hone our stalking skills, our ability to creep up on our prey unnoticed and pounce with one brutal, effective leap.

  You want to know the best ThunderClan battle tactic? Best? Well, without giving away too much, let me just say that every ThunderClan apprentice loves to learn the Lightning Strike. Just like a bolt of lightning, it is straightforward, swift, and deadly. It’s fitting that ThunderClan should be able to summon up a storm, don’t you think?

  Special Battle Tactic: Bumblepaw Learns the Lightning Strike

  Hey! You guys! Wait till you hear what we did in training today!” Bumblepaw burst through the thorns and raced across the sunbaked earth to the elderflower bush where ThunderClan’s elders slept. Two apprentices, Dovepaw and Ivypaw, were lying outside with Lionblaze and Purdy. The remains of a mouse and a thrush lay beside them, still warm and tempting, but Bumblepaw was too full of his news to leave room for any appetite.

  “Are you going to tell us, or are we supposed to guess?” demanded Ivypaw.

  Bumblepaw blinked. “Mousewhisker and Thornclaw taught us the best thing ever! It’s a kind of attack called a Lightning Strike, and it’s amazing! There’s no way we could lose a battle with this!”

  Lionblaze snorted. “It takes more than one tactic to win a battle,” he warned. “But you’re right: The Lightning Strike is good for chasing out trespassers because it’s fast and takes the enemy by surprise.”

  “Just like lightning!” Bumblepaw agreed. He noticed that Dovepaw and Ivypaw were looking blank. “It’s like this,” he explained. “You two sit over there”—he gave them a nudge with his nose until they shuffled away from Lionblaze and Purdy—“and pretend you’re invading my territory.”

  “Are w
e enemies, too?” asked Purdy, sounding amused.

  “No, you’re trees that I’m going to hide behind. First I’m going to track the enemy patrol through the forest.”

  Dovepaw and Ivypaw watched wide-eyed as Bumblepaw crouched down behind the other cats and started to creep forward with his belly fur brushing the ground.

  “You look like you’re stalking prey!” Dovepaw gasped.

  Bumblepaw popped his head above Purdy’s back. “That’s exactly what I’m doing. And you are my prey!” He ducked down again and took another step. “You should have seen Thornclaw showing us this move this morning. He was lower than a snake’s belly! No cat would have seen him coming.”

  “You should watch Sandstorm sometime, too,” Lionblaze put in. “She can track a mouse from the other side of the forest.”

  Bumblepaw frowned at him. “Trees don’t talk!” he reminded the warrior. “This is my demonstration.”

  Lionblaze flicked his tail against Bumblepaw’s shoulder. “Sorry!” he whispered.

  Bumblepaw reached Purdy’s nose and stretched his neck until he could see Dovepaw and Ivypaw. Still crouching, he explained, “Once the enemy has been spotted, we sneak up until we can almost touch them. Then we wait for the patrol leader’s command—which will be a silent tail signal, obviously—and pounce!” He pushed down with his hind paws and sprang out from behind Purdy. He landed on Dovepaw’s haunches, careful to keep his claws sheathed, and knocked her gently aside. Then he spun around and reared up toward Ivypaw, striking the air with his front paws.

  “Got you!” he yowled.

  Ivypaw twitched one ear. “You’re hardly the scariest warrior in the forest. You didn’t even touch me!”

  “I wouldn’t keep my claws hidden if it were a real battle, mouse-brain!” Bumblepaw pointed out as he dropped back onto all fours. “I’d bite you and scratch you and slash you with my hind claws until you begged for mercy!”

  Lionblaze interrupted him as Dovepaw’s and Ivypaw’s eyes grew even wider. “This tree is breaking its vow of silence to remind you not to give the new apprentices nightmares,” he warned.

  Bumblepaw let his fur lie back down. “Well, you get the idea. We strike hard and fast, pouncing all at once to cause as much confusion as we can. Mousewhisker said to scratch the enemies’ ears because they will bleed more than anywhere else, and make it look as if the invaders are hurt more than they really are. Cunning, huh?”

  He gazed triumphantly at the other apprentices. Dovepaw still looked startled, but Ivypaw didn’t seem so impressed. “That’s not a battle tactic,” she complained. “That’s just attacking the enemy.”

  “Wait, you haven’t heard the rest of the move,” Bumblepaw told her. “This is the really clever bit. After our first attack, our patrol leader gives the order to retreat into the trees. The enemy thinks we’ve given up! But we don’t run far. We stay quiet and watchful, waiting until the invading cats relax, assuming that we’ve disappeared into the forest to lick our wounds. They won’t expect us to attack them again so soon, not here. After all, lightning doesn’t strike twice in the same place, does it?” He looked at his audience. “Does it?” he prompted them.

  “Er, no, it doesn’t,” Dovepaw agreed.

  “But it does this time!” Bumblepaw declared. “As soon as the enemy drops their guard, we strike again, as hard and fast as before, same formation, same attacking moves. Ha! That’s the last thing those mangy crow-furs were expecting!” He leaped forward with his front paws outstretched, imagining his opponents flinching away from him.

  “Strike twice in the same place and our enemies will flee in panic, knowing we have the strength to attack anywhere, anytime. ThunderClan will become known as LightningClan!”

  * * *

  FOREST ATTACK: HOW THUNDER CLAN KEEPS THE ELEMENT OF SURPRISE

  1. Move quietly and communicate with signals. Cracking twigs, startled birds, and rustling bracken will tell the enemy exactly where you are.

  2. Keep downwind of the trespassers so that your scent doesn’t give you away.

  3. Look for freshly broken twigs, overturned leaves on the forest floor, remains of prey, or a clump of fur caught on a bramble. Any animal that moves through the forest leaves behind signs that it’s passed by—and signs like this could lead you straight to the invaders.

  4. Keep your mouth open to search for unfamiliar scents. Be careful: If there is scent when there is no breeze to carry it through the forest, it could mean that your enemy is very close by.

  5. Light-colored pelts are easily seen against brown and green foliage, so stay in the thickest cover. Keep low—the enemy will be looking for movement at normal head height, not close to the ground.

  6. Never miss an opportunity to perfect your tracking ability. In the nursery, kits sneak up on their mothers and pounce with their moss-soft paws. Apprentices leap out on one another from behind bushes and tree stumps. These are more than just games. One day, these skills could save your life and defend your Clan.

  * * *

  Dustpaw Speaks: Shadows in the Forest

  I hurled myself up the tree trunk with my front claws stretched out and my ears flattened. Above me, the fluffy gray tail whisked sideways along a narrow branch and vanished. The faintest rustle of leaves told me that the squirrel had leaped to safety in the neighboring tree.

  “Fox dung!” I hissed under my breath, hoping I could catch it before Tigerclaw noticed I’d been too slow up the trunk.

  I scrambled onto the branch to follow the squirrel, but it swayed beneath me, spilling me out of the tree. Help! With a yowl, I thrashed my front paws until my claws sank into the bark above my head. Hot-furred with embarrassment, I clung on with my hind legs dangling beneath me, trying to catch my breath.

  “Tell me, Dustpaw,” came a politely interested voice below, “when Redtail taught you to swing on branches, did he ever mention that climbing skills could be used to catch prey as well?”

  Gritting my teeth, I hauled myself back onto the branch. I knew it wasn’t worth trying to defend myself; Tigerclaw would only take the opportunity to have another dig at my mentor, who was back in the camp with a bellyache after eating an old blackbird. A rustle of leaves on the far side of the tree made me stiffen. Was it another squirrel? Great StarClan, did every squirrel in the forest live in this tree?

  I peered past the trunk, trying to see a fluffy gray shape among the leaves. There was a soft chack, followed by the sound of tiny paws pattering along a branch. Suddenly a twig cracked behind me, and I realized that it was the same squirrel taunting me by running circles around my branch. Just you wait till I see you on the ground, you mangy piece of fresh-kill.

  Scowling, I lowered myself backward down the trunk and jumped onto the ground. Tigerclaw was waiting for me at the foot of the tree, his hefty paws planted squarely on the leaf mold.

  Darkstripe and Longtail stood behind him, watching me with scorn in their eyes. For a moment, I was tempted to challenge them to catch a squirrel from the trees—every cat knew that only the fastest and most experienced hunters went after squirrels above the ground. But I figured that Tigerclaw would know too many ways to punish a cheeky apprentice, so I kept quiet.

  A skinny black cat padded up to me. “Bad luck,” Ravenpaw mewed. His green eyes were sympathetic. “I wouldn’t be brave enough to climb that high!”

  Tigerclaw glanced sideways at his apprentice, and I winced at the contempt in his gaze. “Which is why I sent Dustpaw after that squirrel. I’d be amazed if you managed to catch whitecough,” the warrior growled. He lifted his head, and a shaft of early morning sun slicing through the trees dappled his fur with frosted gold. “Come on, let’s get back to camp,” he ordered. He led the way along a narrow track through the ferns. Longtail and Darkstripe crowded after him—that’s right, stick close to Tigerclaw if you think it makes you better warriors. Ravenpaw fell into line behind them, his tail so low that the tip left a tiny furrow in the bits of dried leaves.

  I looked up at the tr
ees, wondering where the squirrel had gone. If it had a nest close by, it would be worth coming back to this place to catch it on the ground, foraging. Just then, I heard a faint noise, like a twig snapping, and whirled around. A flash of dark fur closely followed by a splash of white; the outline of pricked ears; what looked like the tip of a tail flickering above the ferns.

  “Have you grown roots, Dustpaw? Bluestar is expecting us back this side of moonhigh, you know.” Tigerclaw was watching me from the end of the path, his tail twitching impatiently.

  “I think we’re being invaded!” I hissed, angling my ears toward the place where I’d seen the passing shapes.

  Tigerclaw followed my gaze, stiffening when he saw the line of cats padding stealthily between the slender gray tree trunks.

  “ShadowClan!” he snarled. The fur along his spine bristled. “Patrol! Come here!” he called softly. The ferns trembled as Ravenpaw, Longtail, and Darkstripe trotted back to us. They stared through the trees in horror at the ShadowClan warriors heading for the center of ThunderClan’s territory.

  “Those mangy crow-food eaters!” growled Darkstripe, unsheathing his claws.