Эрин Хантер - Battles of the Clans

Have each of the cats make a Ponder Check—let them know that the Clan Lore Knack can be helpful in this activity, if they want to use it. Those who get a result of 8 or better are relieved to know for certain that directly below them on the hill is an area that is outside of the Clan territories.

They can continue their trip home.

A while later, though, the cats come across another pond like the one they just saw. But not just one—they see a close grouping of three ponds in a row leading down the hill. The cats realize that when the walls of these ponds collapse, the devastation will be three times more powerful than what they just witnessed.

Have each of the cats make another Ponder Check—again, the Clan Lore Knack can be used.

Any cat who belongs to ShadowClan gets a bonus of +4 to this Check. Those who get a total of 6 or lower believe that these ponds are also above a safe area that the cats don’t frequent. Those who get a total of 9 or less know that this area is directly above ShadowClan territory, but believe it is away from the area where most of the cats live and hunt. Those who get a total of 10 or higher know that the area directly below these ponds is very close to the ShadowClan camp.

The question is: What will the group do with the knowledge they have gained? Normally, ShadowClan is fiercely protective of their land and entering it without invitation is dangerous. But the danger is real and could strike at any time. Perhaps one of the other Clan leaders will have a better idea of what to do. But taking the time to go ask is risky—the ponds could collapse at any moment.

What Happens Next:If the group decides to head into ShadowClan territory to warn them of the danger, continue with 17.

If the group decides to continue back to one of the other Clan camps to talk to that Clan’s leader, continue with 3.

14. A Winding Trail

Read Aloud:“It’s clear these aren’t rabbit tracks—no rabbit was ever as clever or determined as the creature you’re now following. The trail goes through bushes and over rocks; it speeds up, slows down, and doubles back across its own path repeatedly. Whoever made these tracks is a sly character indeed.”

Narrator Tips:Whether or not the cats know these are fox tracks, they at least know that they’re following a clever creature. Improvise a description for where the trail goes, and at several points have the players choose one of their cats to make a See or Smell Check to stay on the trail (the Track Knack can be used on these Checks). Do not let the same cat make all the Checks—this requires a team effort.

If a Check has a total of 8 or higher, it counts as a success, 7 or lower and it’s a failure. If the group gets four successes before it gets three failures, it has succeeded in running down the creature.

If the group gets three failures first, it has followed the wrong trail.

What Happens Next:If the cats succeeded in catching up with the creature, continue with 9.

If the cats followed the wrong trail, continue with 2.

15. Gone in a Flash

Read Aloud:“You hear another, louder sloshing sound and then notice a literal wall of water racing down the hill toward you.”

Narrator Tips:If the group ends up in this scene it is because the players missed the warning signs that a flash flood is imminent. Getting out of the way at this point will be very difficult. Any cat who wants to try to avoid the water must make a Jump Check (using the Dodge Knack will be very helpful).

A Jump Check with a total of 12 or higher will allow a cat to get out of the way of the flash flood. Any lower and the cat is swept away by the water.

Cats caught in the flash flood immediately take damage that causes them to lose 4 chips. Then they must make a Swim Check to get their heads above the water. If this Check has a total of 7 or higher they succeed, otherwise they lose an additional 2 chips.

In order to escape the flash flood, a cat needs to be pulled to safety by someone who is not currently in the water (if all the cats failed, there is no one to save them so they will just be carried away by the flood). To do that, a cat must make a Swat Check with a total of 5 or higher. Each cat on dry land can only attempt to pull one cat from the water each round. (Being involved with the flash flood uses a system of rounds just like fighting does—see Chapter Five of the game rules for details.) At the end of the round, the cats who are still in the water automatically take 1 chip worth of damage, and then must make another Swim Check, as described above; then a new round begins.

This continues for five rounds or until either all of the players’ cats are rescued from the flash flood or knocked out from their ordeal.

What Happens Next:If two or more of the players’ cats were knocked out by the flash flood, continue with 7.

If the five rounds of the flood pass and fewer than two of the cats have been knocked out, continue with 19.

If all of the players’ cats are rescued from the flash flood, continue with 16.

16. To the Rescue

Read Aloud:“You’ve rarely seen such chaos—water rushing through the middle of a Clan territory, cats yowling for help as they try to keep their heads above water, everyone who’s not in the water running around trying to save some cat who is. There’s no sensible place to start, you just have to dig in and help any way you can.”

Narrator Tips:Everywhere the players’ cats look there are ShadowClan cats who need help. The flood will last for five rounds, using a system of rounds just like fighting does (see Chapter Five of the game rules for details). Rescuing a cat from the water simply requires a Swat Check, but the difficulty changes depending on what kind of cat you are attempting to rescue. Each round, have every player say whether his or her cat is going to try to rescue a kit, a warrior, or an elder.

Rescuing a warrior or an elder requires a Swat Check with a total of 5 or higher. Rescuing kits is more difficult because they are so small. To rescue a kit, a cat must have a Swat Check with a total of 7 or higher. In addition, if the Swat Check fails, the cat must immediately make a Focus Check to avoid losing his or her balance. If the Focus Check is 5 or lower, the cat falls into the water.

Whether or not the players’ cats can be said to have been “successful” at helping ShadowClan depends on how many cats they rescued. For every warrior or elder the cats rescue, they get 1 point.

For every kit they rescue, the cats get 2 points

What Happens Next:If any of the players’ cats fall into the water, continue with 15.

If the flooding ends and the players’ cats have rescued fewer than 15 points worth of ShadowClan cats, continue with 20.

If the flooding ends and the players’ cats have rescued 15 or more points worth of ShadowClan cats, continue with 19.

17. Border Patrol

Read Aloud:“At first it’s difficult to tell that you’re in ShadowClan territory. This high up the hill, it looks like any other stretch of woods and there are no scent marks to identify the place. But as you get lower, the trees begin to grow closer together, making it feel like dusk despite the fact that it’s the middle of the day. And a scent becomes clear—a scent that says, ‘This is ShadowClan territory! Go away!’”