Crowfeather's Trial

After the Gathering had ended, Onestar and Bramblestar had remained behind and talked. They’d decided that they would meet at the border to discuss how their Clans would work together to defeat the stoats. Crowfeather could only hope that this time they would come up with a plan that would succeed.

As they left the moor behind and entered the strip of woodland beside the stream, Crowfeather became aware of a strong ThunderClan scent just ahead. Drawing closer to the border, he spotted a large group of the ThunderClan cats assembled on the opposite bank; Bramblestar and Squirrelflight stood in the center, with Jayfeather on one side of them and Lionblaze on the other.

Crowfeather couldn’t help noticing how many of the ThunderClan warriors looked wary and distrustful, muttering to one another as the WindClan cats padded up. His pelt prickled with apprehension at the sight of them.

How will we unite to fight the stoats if we can’t get along among ourselves?

In particular, Crowfeather noticed that Lionblaze and Breezepelt were glaring at each other.

However, Bramblestar dipped his head politely to Onestar as the two leaders faced each other across the stream. “Greetings, Onestar,” he meowed.

Equally polite, Onestar returned the greeting, and Crowfeather breathed a sigh of relief. Clearly, no cat was going to mention Bramblestar’s lack of experience or Onestar’s failure to control the stoats on his own.

“So,” Bramblestar began, “what do you suggest, Onestar?”

“We’ve tried going down the tunnels to fight the stoats,” Onestar replied, “and it was a disaster. The stoats know the tunnels better than we do, and there are too many places for them to hide. There are more of them, and they’re smaller than us, so they fight better in tight corners. Somehow we have to get them out into the open.”

Bramblestar looked thoughtful. “Of course, ThunderClan has some experience with underground fighting…,” he mused.

Crowfeather slid out his claws. Seasons ago, when Firestar was still ThunderClan leader, WindClan had attacked ThunderClan in the tunnels and been soundly defeated. Later he had learned that Hollyleaf, who had once lived down there, had trained her Clan in special fighting techniques.

Is Bramblestar genuinely offering to use their special skills, he wondered, or is he finding another, more subtle way to insult Onestar? Not that Onestar doesn’t have it coming, he added wryly to himself, remembering Onestar’s scathing attack on Bramblestar in the WindClan camp.

But Onestar seemed unaware of any possible insult, or perhaps he’d realized he couldn’t afford to be insulted. “I still think we need to get them out,” he mewed. “But whatever we decide, we will have to kill a good number to have any real chance of getting rid of them.”

Crowfeather saw Rosepetal and Mousewhisker of ThunderClan exchanging a scornful look. “I can’t imagine how the WindClan warriors were defeated by animals that are so much smaller than them,” Rosepetal murmured.

“Yeah, they’re tiny,” Mousewhisker agreed.

Squirrelflight’s head swiveled around to glare at her Clanmates. “Hold your tongues!” she snapped.

“You’ve obviously never fought with them,” Furzepelt mewed disdainfully. “They’re fierce, their teeth are sharp, and they attack when you’re not expecting them.”

“And you should see them leaping and twisting in the air,” Larkwing added. “Does ThunderClan have any better battle moves? I don’t think so.”

Crowfeather saw several of the younger ThunderClan warriors glancing at one another, their eyes stretched wide with alarm, though the more experienced warriors looked disbelieving.

“I’m sure they must have felt like a pack of ravenous beasts,” Thornclaw meowed with a lofty air.

“Our warriors are right,” Harespring told him. “Of course I’ve seen stoats before — we all have — but not in a large pack like this. These snow-white ones are ferocious. We need to take them seriously.”

“Of course we do.” Bramblestar took control again. “So, let’s hear some ideas of how to fight the stoats without attacking in the tunnels and putting ourselves at a disadvantage.”

“I think we should block up the tunnels as we did before,” Crowfeather suggested, giving voice to an idea he’d been mulling over since the Gathering, “and then send in a force of cats to drive the stoats out to one place, where the rest of us will be waiting.”

“That could work,” Heathertail agreed. “We’ll have to be sure we cover all the tunnels.”

“Yes,” Lionblaze put in, “and make sure the stoats don’t retreat the other way and come out on ThunderClan territory. It’ll work best if we can keep them on the WindClan side of the underground river.”