Pinestar's Choice/Chapter 3

==Chapter description==
:Pinepaw is busy picking ticks off the elder Seedpelt's back, and afterwards, he thanks him and says he feels much better. Pinepaw picks up the moss and is about to go take it to the dirtplace, when several cats run into camp. Mumblefoot gasps that there are kittypets, and others ask if they were here, or if they were being attacked. Doefeather and Oakstar race out from the leader's den and ask what is going on. Mumblefoot replies that they were kittypets in their territory, but not here. Windflight meows that were so many of them, and Hollypelt growls that they could be planning an invasion. Littlepaw asks if the kittypets would be stupid enough to invade ThunderClan, and Daisypaw growls that she hopes so. She wishes to show them how hard they fight. Oakstar meows that they probably weren't much of a threat, but they needed to remind the kittypets that this was ThunderClan territory. He suggests sending out a patrol, and Doefeather agrees.
:Doefeather chooses Rooktail, Harepounce, Mistpelt, and Squirrelwhisker to go on patrol. She also lets their apprentices go as well. Flashpaw complains that she wants to go, but she didn't call Nettlebreeze. The tom grunts that he wasn't going to go, but she could if she wanted to. Rooktail offers to keep an eye on her, and Nettlebreeze nods. He and the others are instructed to get something from the fresh-kill pile to keep up their strength, as they leave at sunset. Pinepaw joins the other apprentices near the fresh-kill pile, and Daisypaw confesses that she's too excited to eat. Littlepaw, however, points out that she will need the fresh-kill to keep up her strength. Pinepaw says nothing, but thinks that surely kittypets wouldn't go strolling into ThunderClan territory to steal prey. He also believes that they wouldn't be able to find their way, but remembers the fierce kittypet he met a while ago, who chased off the fox, and reminds himself not to underestimate any cat.
:The patrol sets off, and the deputy warns the others that they shouldn't do any damage, just give the kittypets a good scare. She adds that clawing is okay if they get a little feisty, but no unprovoked attacking. Harepounce mutters that she couldn't wait to teach the kittypets a lesson, while others agree with Doefeather. Pinepaw thinks that this is the first time he has to fight off enemies outside of camp. Doefeather takes the lead, and whispers to the others that they'll split up into groups, adding that there was no need for them all to scare one cat. The others purr, amused, and continue. The cream-and-white she-cat leaps over the fence, with the others following. They cross a small Thunderpath before spotting a kittypet, where Doefeather sends out Rooktail, Harepounce, and Flashpaw. The three cats run after the kittypet. Doefeather motions for Mistpelt and Pinepaw to go after two cats behind a gray wall, with Squirrelwhisker following.
:Jumping onto a wall, the three cats creep around. Mistpelt hears something in the yard of a small den, and points for Pinepaw to deal with a kittypet. He is about to argue, because he was doing it on his own, but decides against that. The reddish-brown tom is about to lash out when he finds himself face-to-face with an angry she-cat. He remembers her as the cat who saved him from the fox. The she-cat snarls at him to go away, and Pinepaw retorts that she shouldn't tell him what to do, as he is a ThunderClan cat. The kittypet asks if that was supposed to scare her. Bracing himself, Pinepaw catches a different sort of scent, one of milk. He realizes that there are kits there. Pinepaw forces his fur to lie flat and tells the she-cat that her kits was going to be okay, and that he wasn't going to hurt them. The she-cat growls that she wasn't going to let him anyways.
:Yowls and screeches quickly pierce the air, and the kittypet asks what's going on. The apprentice says he and other cats have been sent on a mission: to teach them a lesson. The she-cat asks if they weren't safe in their homes, and Pinepaw replies that no, that they weren't welcome in ThunderClan's home. The kittypet says that it wasn't her, as she already had top take care of her kits. A light comes on, and the tom asks what that was. The she-cat replies that her housefolk had put a light on so she could find her way home. She tells her kits that it is time for bed, and suddenly Mistpelt's voice comes, asking Pinepaw if he was down there. The nursing kittypet widens her eyes, and Pinepaw, with a shake of his head, tells her that he wouldn't bring the warriors to her. He yells that he's coming, and that there was nothing down there. The kittypet moves into the shadows, but not before a ginger kit appears and thanks Pinepaw. The tom's mentor asks if he was stuck, and he leaps up onto the fence, assuring Mistpelt he was fine.
:Twitching her tail, she informs her apprentice that they chased off the pair of kittypets who were talking, and that Doefeather was waiting for them. They run along and join the rest of the patrol, with the deputy declaring their mission a successful one. The cats run back to the camp to tell Oakstar the good news.
:Pinepaw stands beneath the Highrock, with his father speaking. Oakstar tells the assembled cats about the kittypets, that they are capable of stealing prey, just like any other cat, and they should not tolerate that. He adds that Mistpelt told him Pinepaw worked alone, with the bravery of a warrior. Pinepaw tries not to squirm, as he can't tell his father that instead of fighting the kittypets, he told them that they would be left in peace as long as they didn't interfere. Oakstar names his son Pineheart, honoring his courage and strategy. The red-brown tom feels lucky to have been born in the forest, to be the son of a great leader, and to have the life of a warrior in front of him. He is certain that his dying breath will spent on protecting his Clanmates.
==Characters==
===Major===
*Pineheart
*Unnamed kittypet
===Minor===
==Important events==
===Ceremonies===
==Notes and references==
Category:Pinestar's Choice
Category:Novellas
Category:Chapter subpages