GROUNDSQUIRREL

            Groundsquirrel saw Shadecloud leave the camp at sunhigh. He wondered if he should follow her to help her carry more juniper berries. After a few moments of hesitation, he followed her out of camp.

            Following her scent, he eventually reached a juniper bush. Shadecloud’s scent was fresh, but she had already left. Where had she gone? Had she already gone back to camp? If so, why hadn’t he seen her as he followed her scent?

            He noticed her scent was leading away from camp, not towards it. Maybe Shadecloud had found a better bush. He sniffed the air again. Was that panic he smelled?

            Shadecloud was in trouble and she needed help! He followed her scent trail, racing through the forest. He scented Shadecloud with another cat, a loner, nearby and blood. He slowed down so that the loner wouldn’t be alerted to his presence. He saw a big, muscular dark gray tom looming over Shadecloud’s unconscious body. Groundsquirrel noticed his cold blue eyes and realized that this loner was Thorn.

            Thorn was preparing for the death blow. Rage swept over Groundsquirrel. This cat had killed Flowerburst! Thorn would have to pay.

            Groundsquirrel’s vision went red as he leaped at Thorn. He crashed into Thorn with the strength of a LionClan cat, and his paw slammed into Thorn's head with the force of ten warriors.   Thorn staggered backwards and crumpled to the ground.

            Groundsquirrel stood over the gray cat. “You won’t kill any other cats now,” Groundsquirrel said.

            He sank his teeth deep into Thorn’s throat and blood gushed from the wound. “No…I must kill Shadecloud,” Thorn rasped.

            But the effort of speaking was too much for Thorn. Groundsquirrel watched as Thorn drew his last breath and was still. “Shadecloud!” he called urgently.

            The black medicine cat didn’t move. Only the faint rise and fall of her chest betrayed the fact that she was alive. “Help!” Groundsquirrel called, but no cat answered him.

            He began to slowly drag Shadecloud through the forest. Finally, they reached the camp entrance. “What happened?” Brightheart asked.

            “Thorn tried to kill Shadecloud, but I killed him first,” Groundsquirrel said.

            “Is she alive?” Thornclaw asked worriedly.

            “Yes,” a voice meowed from behind Groundsquirrel.

            Groundsquirrel spun around. It was Jayfeather. “But she will have some bad head pains for a while,” the blind medicine cat continued. “Bring her into my den so that I can treat her.”

            Thorn was dead. ThunderClan was finally safe from him and his evil plans.