Long Shadows/Chapter 8

==Chapter description==
:Hollyleaf, Lionblaze, and Jaypaw have decided to help ShadowClan. The three ThunderClan cats, along with Dawnpaw, Tigerpaw, and Flamepaw, make their way to ShadowClan's territory, although they notice how weak the borders and scent markers are along the way. While Hollyleaf agrees with helping make a fake sign from StarClan, in order to convince Blackfoot to return to being leader and to exile Sol, she worries that Blackfoot will take their help the wrong way, and cause a rift in between ThunderClan and ShadowClan.
:Hollyleaf and the other soon reach the marshy territory of ShadowClan, and the black she-cat asks Jaypaw, her brother, if he has a plan. He tells her to be quiet, so he can think properly and come up with an idea. The six cats stay silent, but their quiet moment is broken by Jaypaw, who asks if any of the trees in the marsh are able to be knocked over. Hollyleaf flexes her claws, wondering if Jaypaw has gone nuts, but doesn't speak her concerns. Lionblaze speaks instead, saying that he'll go and check the marshland for any trees, and he trots off into the water.
:Lionblaze soon returns, saying that he could feel roots beneath his paws around multiple trees. He believes that with a bit of digging, Hollyleaf and the others could manage to make these trees collapse, although Hollyleaf is confused as to why Jaypaw would want them to do that. Jaypaw's sightless blue eyes gleam in excitement, and he says that they are going to fool ShadowClan into thinking that their territory is falling all around them. He sends Hollyleaf and Lionblaze towards two saplings, and tells them that while they need to be dug up, he doesn't want them falling until he gives the signal.
:Hollyleaf sets out into the marsh, the coldness biting her thick black fur, but eventually she finds the roots of a tree, and begins clawing at it. Dawnpaw joins her, and Lionblaze works with Tigerpaw on a different set of roots. The cream apprentice exclaims that it's hopeless, belly deep in mud and splattered with it too. Hollyleaf claws harder at the roots, telling her they must do it, then staggers, nearly falling, as the root gives way. She looks over at Lionblaze, finding a new root, but she notices how doubtful Flamepaw looks.
:Dawnpaw hisses at her brother, reminding him they already agreed, and it might help ShadowClan out, causing the orange tom to agree and pitch in. The young ginger tom heads up to Lionblaze and Tigerpaw, taking a deep breath as he approaches. Hollyleaf grows desperate as the roots she rips at don't budge, and decides to take a desperate measure, then dives beneath the muddy water, biting the root up with her teeth, before resurfacing, coughing.
:Dawnpaw says that she thinks they've done it, as the trunk feels unsteady, so Hollyleaf gives it a push, and hears a sucking sound from the ground. Jaypaw orders them to stop, splashing up to them, and touches one paw to the tree. The gray tabby heads back to Lionblaze, while Dawnpaw and Hollyleaf crawl from the mud to clean themselves off; the young cream she-cat complains about the mud wrecking her fur.
:Eventually, Jaypaw announces that the tree will have to do now, causing the small group to break out in discussion about who will go fetch Blackfoot and Littlecloud. Dawnpaw announces she will, but Tigerpaw cuts her off, declaring he's the strongest, and can fight well if he's attacked. Hollyleaf decides to go, and takes Tigerpaw with her, setting out for the ShadowClan camp.
:The black she-cat feels uneasy in the silent woods, since she was expecting to run into a patrol by now, but the faint scents of lonely cats is all she can smell. She does spot a cat, but only one, and it's too far away to tell. She and Tigerpaw come across the camp at last, and as the dark tabby approaches to find Littlecloud, she climbs a tree and hides on a branch. She looks down upon the clearing below, and spots the medicine cat, busy sorting herbs.
:Tigerpaw greets the brown tabby happily, bounding forward, which at first startles Littlecloud, asking if Tawnypelt and the others are fine. The apprentice tells the medicine cat he and his littermates want to return to ShadowClan, but says he's worried Blackfoot will get them in trouble. He mentions his unhappy Tawnypelt is, and Littlecloud agrees, before heading away to fetch Blackfoot. Hollyleaf thanks StarClan for how well the plan is going.
==Characters==
===Major===
===Minor===
===Mentioned===
==Notes and references==
fr:Pénombre/Chapitre 8nl:Lange schaduwen/Hoofdstuk 8
Category:Chapter subpages
Category:Long Shadows
Category:Power of Three arc