As Waspwhisker and Blossomheart advanced, the clucking of the chickens rose to panic-stricken squawks. Her hunting instincts kicking in, Pebbleshine followed her Clanmates, prowling toward their nests. Pebbleshine swiped through one of the holes in the shiny lattice, trying to hook a chicken with her claws, but the bird flapped its wings furiously, and she couldn’t get a grip. Waspwhisker and Blossomheart were having trouble, too: Blossomheart snatched her paw back with a hiss of frustration as her chicken stabbed at her with its blunt beak, while Waspwhisker only managed to snatch a pawful of feathers.
Water flooded Pebbleshine’s mouth as the delicious prey-scent wreathed around her. It was maddening to be so close to the prey they needed so desperately, yet be unable to make a kill.
And even if we do manage to catch one of the stupid creatures, there’s no way we can drag it out through these tiny holes, Pebbleshine realized. Doubt flickered through her mind as she wondered if she had been wrong to suggest this patrol in the first place. Determinedly, she thrust it away. There must be a way to get the nests open.
Drawing back a pace, Pebbleshine studied the interwoven tendrils that made up the nest. She and her Clanmates wove branches and vines together to make dens all the time, but these tendrils were shiny, hard, and evenly spaced, and they didn’t bend to her touch. She tried biting them, but that only hurt her teeth. What am I supposed to do here? she wondered. Surely the Twolegs have a way to open these. For a few heartbeats she was completely bewildered. Then she noticed a kind of shiny twig that rested in a curly frond at one corner of the nest.
She batted it with her paw and it moved slightly. Pushing it gently from one side, she made it move even more, and suddenly Pebbleshine understood how it was supposed to work. If I can push that end down, she thought, the other end should move up, and the whole side should swing open.
She slammed down one paw on the twig, but it was stiff and didn’t move. Hissing furiously through her teeth, Pebbleshine pressed down even harder, using all her strength. “Move, for StarClan’s sake!” she muttered.
She was so focused on her task that she was only vaguely aware of yowling coming from Hawkwing and Curlypaw, who were keeping watch on the ground below. Then she heard Waspwhisker’s voice. “Fox dung!”
Pebbleshine glanced over her shoulder to see Waspwhisker and Blossomheart with their forepaws resting on the ledge they’d jumped down from.
“The Twoleg!” Waspwhisker exclaimed. “Come on!”
He and Blossomheart scrabbled up the wall with their hind paws, stood poised for a heartbeat on the top, then disappeared. “Come on, Pebbleshine!” Waspwhisker yowled as he jumped.
“I’m coming!” Pebbleshine responded, but instead of following her Clanmates, she turned back to the nest. I’ve almost got it… .
Once again she pushed down on the twig, and this time it gave way, flicking up and out of the curly frond that held it. The side of the nest swung out, just as Pebbleshine had imagined it would. “Yes!” she meowed.
Then the chicken turned to her, its beady eyes mad with fear, and she realized that opening the nest might have been the easy part. This was unfamiliar prey. She crouched and hissed at the creature before diving inside and grabbing at the chicken with teeth and claws.
At the same moment, she heard Hawkwing’s voice. “Where’s Pebbleshine?”
“I’m still here!” she called back, letting go of a mouthful of feathers to make herself heard. “I’ve managed to open one of the nests. I’ve got a chicken!”
“Then get down here, fast!” Hawkwing yowled.
Pebbleshine tried to drag her prey to the side of the platform, but the chicken, squawking frantically, was flailing at her with its wings and swiping at her with taloned feet. It was almost as big as her, and its feathers were so thick and soft they almost choked her. Bits of red flesh sprouted from the top of its head and dangled under its chin; even while she fought with it, Pebbleshine couldn’t help thinking how ridiculous it looked. For a few moments she was afraid it was too strong for her. But I’m not about to give up! she told herself, struggling to fasten her teeth in the chicken’s neck.
Waspwhisker’s screech came from below. “Pebbleshine, now!”
“I’m coming!” Pebbleshine repeated, letting out all her frustration in her yowl. “But this stupid bird is fighting!”
“Then let it go!” Hawkwing’s voice was panicked.
“But the Clan needs it!” Pebbleshine protested.
A deep, throaty growl came from the monster, and beneath Pebbleshine’s paws, its back began to vibrate. Fox dung! It’s waking up, Pebbleshine thought, furious at the thought that the monster might notice her before she could escape with her prey.
With a last desperate effort, she lunged forward and dug her teeth into the chicken’s throat. Its squawk was abruptly cut off, and Pebbleshine felt the warm gush of blood over her jaws. The bird’s body convulsed once, then lay still.
Forgetting the danger for a moment in her surge of triumph, Pebbleshine scrambled to her paws and dragged the chicken toward the side of the platform. But before she reached it, the monster began to move, edging backward with a steady, determined purr.
Suddenly afraid, Pebbleshine dropped the chicken and sprang up to rest her paws on the side of the monster’s body. “Jump, Pebbleshine! Jump!” Blossomheart shrieked, backing away as the monster bore down on her and their Clanmates.
As it moved closer, the patrol scattered to avoid the monster’s huge black paws. Only Hawkwing stood his ground, pushing Curlypaw out of the way and then running toward the monster.
Hawkwing, no! Pebbleshine opened her jaws to screech a warning, but just then the monster halted, barely a tail-length away from her mate. He dropped into a crouch, gathering himself to leap up beside her.
“Don’t! I’m coming!” Pebbleshine panted, not sure if he heard her, scrabbling frantically to reach the top of the wall and spring off toward the ground below.
But before either cat could leap, the monster lurched into motion again, roaring louder still and belching out a stinking cloud from its hindquarters. It moved forward, heading for the gap in the wall of the monster camp. Beyond the wall, Pebbleshine caught a glimpse of more monsters speeding past along a wider Thunderpath. Her heart pounded. It felt like her whole body was gripped in ice. She tried to jump, but her legs wouldn’t move; her mind was filled with a vision of herself flattened under those crushing black paws.
“Pebbleshine!” Hawkwing screeched.
Pebbleshine saw him push off in a massive leap, stretching out his forelegs to grab the back of the monster. But he was too late, falling short and landing with a thump on the hard surface. Pebbleshine winced, knowing how the fall must have jarred his injured leg.
She made one last, despairing effort to clamber over the wall, only to lose her balance as the monster lurched again and picked up speed. By the time she managed to spring back to her paws, it was moving far too fast for her to jump off safely.
Pebbleshine watched the trees begin to blur together as the monster picked up speed. She felt sick, and wasn’t sure whether it was the movement or the creeping dread that threatened to overtake her. What if I never … But I can’t think that way, she stopped herself. Whatever happens next, I have to believe I’ll find my Clan again. Because I’m a SkyClan warrior … and I will!
Resting her paws against its side, she stared back at Hawkwing. “I’ll find my way back to you!” she yowled.
Hawkwing hurled himself forward, racing after the monster, but Pebbleshine could see that his attempt was hopeless. The monster was giving out a full-throated roar, speeding even faster as it joined the wider Thunderpath.