A/N: This is my first AU and I'm so glad that I did this. This is a 'What if Mistyfoot died instead of Stonefur' fic. Simply because, let's face it, Stonefur is the sexiest cat on the face of the Earth and Mistyfoot needs to bite it. Seriously. And I'm sort of those 'one event in the story changes everything and every story thereafter it' kind of people. Basically everything is totally off canon and the New Prophecy never exists! Either a bunch of you just started cheering, or a bunch of you just died on the inside. Well TNP does exist. But in a different way. Hmm, I could even use the same prophecy, but to a different extent. Hmmm . . .
ANYWAY. This is gonna have a LOT of blood. And a LOT of death. I warn you. If one of your favorite characters dies . . . well, they either had it coming to them, or they were set to die because I made Stonefur live. I suddenly want the Sesame Chicken in my kitchen . . . so, erm, here goes!
Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors and I'm positive I don't own this idea!
It was dark and cramped in the hole that the four cats now resided in. Stonefur sighed darkly, resting his head on his paws from the lack of food. It had awhile, since all four cats had moved freely among the clan. With him were his sister, Mistyfoot, his apprentice, Stormpaw, and Mistyfoot's apprentice, Featherpaw. Stormpaw and Featherpaw were curled up by his flank, with Featherpaw's tail barely brushing against Stonefur's flank. He stood up and gave each apprentice a lick on their foreheads.
"Stonefur?" Stormpaw murmured. His golden eyes were shining with fear. Stonefur gave his apprentice a questioning look. Stormpaw hesitated before asking, "Are we going to die?" Stonefur was struck off guard by his apprentice's question.
"I don't know." Stonefur mewed, as honestly and gently as he could. "I don't know what's going to happen. We have to stay calm, and hold our heads up high." Until the very end. Stonefur did not utter his final thought, but he could see that Stormpaw had read the message in his eyes.
"Someone's coming." Mistyfoot mewed urgently. "It's Jaggedtooth!" She prodded Featherpaw urgently, motioning for the she-cat to get up and head toward the back of their imprisonment. The little light that went into the hole was gone, and the reek of ShadowClan flooded their senses. Stonefur's heart began pounding against his chest.
"Come on scum." Jaggedtooth growled, grabbing Stonefur by the scruff of his neck. Stonefur twisted in the warrior's grip, attempting to fight back. Jaggedtooth simply clawed Stonefur's ear, causing it to tear and bleed. "Come on, quietly. Or I'll kill one of you." Stonefur wanted to keep fighting, but risking a life that wasn't his own . . . it just wasn't worth it. Stormpaw and Featherpaw were being pushed along by another ShadowClan warrior, Boulder. Stonefur was once again filled with the longing to battle their captors, but could not, knowing that Mistyfoot was in the hole alone, and could possibly be killed if they didn't go along with what their captors said.
As they were being pushed along toward the Bonehill, Stonefur saw out of the corner of his eye, three cats moving in the reeds. One had a black pelt, one had a thick gray pelt, and the last had a fiery ginger pelt. Stonefur's hopes soared as he saw these three cats. He knew the gray cat to be Graystripe, a former clan mate of his, and the ginger cat was Firestar, the new leader of ThunderClan. He didn't recognize the black cat that was with them, but Stonefur was able to assume that they were here to help.
"Cats of TigerClan, gather here around the Bonehill for a clan meeting!" Tigerstar yowled, his yowl echoing across the camp. Stonefur shivered at the dark tabby's voice. A ShadowClan stepped between the reeds and murmured something quickly into Jaggedtooth's ear. Jaggedtooth curled his lips back to reveal a snarl, but nudged Stonefur back in the direction of the hole.
"Where are we going?" Stonefur asked his blue eyes wide. Jaggedtooth did not respond. Instead, the huge tabby tom gave Stonefur another fierce nudge toward the hole, nearly knocking Stonefur over in the process. "Where are we going?" Stonefur growled again, unsheathing his claws and turning to face his captor.
Jaggedtooth's amber eyes gleamed maliciously and Stonefur suppressed a shiver. "Now, now," Jaggedtooth's purr was as malicious as his gaze. "We don't want to upset our valuable prisoner. Do we?" Stonefur prepared to spring at him again, but Jaggedtooth continued, "But I will slit your worthless little throat and the throat of your delectable sister if you don't do as I say."
Stonefur's fur bristled uneasily as he allowed himself to be brought to the vile hole. Being confined within its dark spaces, he realized that he was utterly alone and Mistyfoot could not be found. "Mistyfoot!" He hissed urgently, a wave of panic rising swiftly within him. "Mistyfoot, where are you?" Stumbling around, he realized that she was not here.
His eyes went wide and he flopped down hopelessly against the hard earth. His head was bowed and he dared not move, he dared not breathe. They had always been shepherded out of the hole one at a time, with many ShadowClan escorts to make sure they wouldn't escape. Why would they be grouped now? And why had Tigerstar called a clan meeting?
A small sounded came to Stonefur's ears and he looked up in horror. There were the sounds of many cats cheering, "Filth! Filth! Filth!" Stonefur began to pace, despite his weary state. What was happening? Where was Mistyfoot? And where were Stormpaw and Featherpaw?
I can't just sit here and not know what's going on. Stonefur thought to himself as deadly silence succumb over what seemed like moons. He began to climb up the narrow tunnel. Stonefur got as close as he could to the mouth of the hole and scented the air there. Surprsingly enough, there was no cat standing guard.
Any rational cat would've sprinted right out of there. Not Stonefur. He was too worried about his sister, his apprentice, and his apprentice's sister to go anywhere but toward the Bonehill. His urgency gave him speed, and for a moment, he was a shining image of his former self. His head was carried high and his stride was swift and meaningful.
"Well Mistyfoot?" Tigerstar's mew was impatient and at the same time mirthless. "What do you have to say? Are you willing to take the lives of these two apprentices? Or are you going to risk your own life to save theirs?"
"Don't give in Mistyfoot!" Featherpaw yowled. Jaggedtooth moved closer to Featherpaw, preparing to scratch her face with his claws. Stonefur growled softly and prepared to spring. Tigerstar shook his head at Jaggedtooth and Jaggedtooth slunk back into the crowd. Mistyfoot looked over gently at her apprentice. "Don't give in." Featherpaw whispered, her blue eyes stretched wide.
Mistyfoot gave Featherpaw a somber nod, and Stonefur thought he saw an apologetic look. Was Mistyfoot really about to kill the two apprentices? "Tigerstar." She mewed, her voice ringing out strong and clear. "I would never kill apprentices! You'd have to kill me first before you'd get anywhere near them!"
Tigerstar seemed bored with Mistyfoot's speech of defiance. "Very well." Tigerstar mewed nonchalantly. "Darkstripe, kill her now." The sleek black tabby leapt nimbly at Mistyfoot, and Stonefur closed his eyes. Mistyfoot had become weaker a lot quicker than he or both the apprentices had been. But there was no gargle coming from her throat. Stonefur opened his eyes to a slit, so he could see what was happening.
Mistyfoot had darted to one side, so that Darkstripe crashed into the sand. "Moves for an apprentice!" She taunted, her blue eyes burning with determination. She barreled Darkstripe over, and began clawing at his flank. With a grunt, Darkstripe flung Mistyfoot off of him. She skidded across the clearing, landing on her paws.
She sprung at him again, and it was just two writhing cats from there. Mistyfoot kept clawing at his fur and darting away from his blows. Darkstripe kept coming back with fiercer blows, though he was getting more irritated and frustrated as the fight wore on. Stonefur could only tell that Mistyfoot seemed to be having better comebacks than Darkstripe. Hope was burning in his eyes. Could his sister beat Darkstripe? She had him pinned on his back, her paw placed over his throat. Come on Mistyfoot! Stonefur cheered silently.
"Finish it." Tigerstar mewed coldly, flicking his ears at his deputy. Stonefur felt his heart stop beating against his chest. As Blackfoot launched himself at Mistyfoot, Stonefur tore himself out of the bushes, knocking into the white deputy.
"You won't lay a claw on her!" Stonefur snarled, biting down on the deputy's shoulder. "I'll flay your skin if you do!" Blackfoot knocked Stonefur on his side, and began clawing at his flank. Stonefur rolled away from the blows and pushed himself under Blackfoot and began clawing at his belly. Then, Stonefur propelled the deputy onto his back.
"Enough!" Yowled Tigerstar. The cats in the clearing fell silent and looked up him. Jaggedtooth began to fetch Stonefur and send him toward the hole. "Jaggedtooth!" The dark tabby tom was clearly displeased by the outcome of events. Yet there was something in his gaze, something that Stonefur didn't trust, it made Tigerstar look almost pleased by the outcome of the events. "Keep him in line with the prisoners! Darkstripe, Blackfoot," Tigerstar looked around the clearing. Then a satisfied smirk resided on his features. Then his gaze stopped on the she-cat standing a little way off from him on the Bonehill. "And Leopardstar. Finish her."
Yowls of protest sounded from the RiverClan cats, the loudest coming from Stonefur and the cats he could hear in the reeds. Luckily for them, No one could actually pick them out from the crowd. Leopardstar swung her head to face Tigerstar, her eyes wide. "You can't ask me to do this Tigerstar." She choked out after a moment. She wretched her gaze away from the cats that were staring up at her, and looked at her paws.
"Leopardstar no!" Yowled Stonefur, springing to his paws. "Fight this! This will be the destruction as the clan as we know it! You can't kill Mistyfoot!" Stonefur's voice with rang the desperation that he felt. His blue eyes were burning intensely at his clan leader. Would Tigerstar really force Leopardstar kill Mistyfoot?
"Leopardstar," Tigerstar's voice was silky smooth. "You know as well as I do, that leaders need to have faith in each other. And that these half-Clan scum," He spat the last word at the four cats below the Bonehill. "Have to be wiped." More quietly he added whilst baring his teeth, "You know what's going to happen to WindClan. Don't let it happen to your clan."
The words sounded in Stonefur's ears and he stood completely frozen to the spot. Leopardstar stepped down from the Bonehill. The RiverClan cats stared at her, their eyes wide as if they couldn't recognize their leader anymore. "Leopardstar," Whispered Stonefur, staring brokenly at his clan leader, as if he didn't want to recognize the once formidable she-cat named by Crookedstar to be his deputy. His voice was desperate. It was his last attempt to save his sister. "Please. Don't do this. You can't kill her."
Her voice was as broken as his faith in her was. "I'm sorry Stonefur. I must" Her voice wavered and she briefly pressed her nose against his shoulder. She sighed, "It's for the good of the clan." He stepped back, away from her. Her eyes were genuinely hurt and she went over to Mistyfoot.
Mistyfoot glanced over at Stonefur, almost as if saying good bye. She then glared at Leopardstar, her blue eyes a fiery blue. "Get it over with." Mistyfoot growled. The three cats advanced on her. Darkstripe bowled her over, while Blackfoot held her down. Leopardstar stood over her, one unsheathed paw. Mistyfoot nodded calmly at her apprentice before Leopardstar's golden spotted paw was bloodstained. "Stonefur . . ." Mistyfoot's last word came out of her torn throat. Her body jerked convulsively once, then twice, and then she was still. Featherpaw buried her muzzle in Stonefur's side. He could only wrap his tail around Featherpaw, while standing protectively over Stormpaw. His eyes were wide with shock and he felt completely numb.
"No!" Yowled a cat from the back of the group. It was Blackclaw, Mistyfoot's mate. "Leopardstar, how could you?" He pushed through the throng of cats to try to get to Mistyfoot. One of the ShadowClan warriors knocked him over and Blackclaw struggled underneath him. "Mistyfoot." He whispered despairingly.
"Stop struggling you fool!" Hissed Tigerstar. "Unless you want to join her!" The ShadowClan warrior expectantly raised his claw, but Blackclaw had stopped struggling. Stonefur looked around for Mistyfoot's kits, but could only see Dawnpaw, staring confusedly at her mother's broken body. "You see now what happens to those who dare defy me." Tigerstar's voice rang out. He then turned to the three cats that were standing there in shock, the most hurt by the. "I will let you live. Jaggedtooth, take them back to the prison!"
Stonefur glared over at the cats in the reeds, which had just stood there while his sister was brutally murdered in front of two clans. He still refused to acknowledge TigerClan as a single clan. He had heard the prophecy Bluestar had told her deputy as she lay dying. Could this fire who was destined to save the clans really Firestar? What kind of savior would stand idly by as an innocent cat was murdered? A hard nudge against his hackles was a sign he would have time to think about it in the hole. He began walking toward the hole, consumed in his thoughts. Stormpaw followed him but he noticed Featherpaw did not.
"Let's go kitty!" Snarled Jaggedtooth, cuffing Featherpaw over the ear, his claws unsheathed. She let out a cry of pain as the blood poured down the side of her silver face. Stonefur bowled Jaggedtooth over, while Featherpaw stared at Stonefur, shaking.
"Don't you lay a paw on her!" Snarled Stonefur, baring his teeth and his gray fur bristling. He began to advance on Jaggedtooth, when Tigerstar leapt in front of him. Furious blue eyes met infuriatingly calm amber ones and Stonefur turned away, gently nudging Featherpaw to her paws. He stepped back to allow her ahead. "We're not done here Tigerstar." Stonefur snarled, spitting at the TigerClan leader.
"I'm so scared." Tigerstar snarled sarcastically. Seriously he added, "Watch your back Stonefur. You never know when some cat's claws will be in it." The dark tabby padded away, with Darkstripe and Blackfoot following.
"You didn't have to save me." Featherpaw mewed quietly, looking at her paws. He licked the blood off of her face. "I was ready to take him down myself."
"I know." He murmured quietly as they were led back to the quietly. He beckoned Stormpaw closer, so both apprentices could hear what he had to say. "Now that Mistyfoot's . . ." He choked on the word for a moment. He swallowed down the lump in his throat. "Now that's Mistyfoot's gone," It nearly killed him to say the words aloud. "We need to protect each other and take care of each other. We're all we've got. I swear on my life that I will protect you both to the best of my ability."
"We'll try to protect you too!" Stormpaw mewed eagerly, head-butting his mentor's shoulder. Stonefur grinned at his apprentice, and then looked gently over at Featherpaw who looked up at him with hopeful eyes.
"You promise?" Featherpaw whispered softly, her hopes and fears mixed into her tone. She was afraid she would be abandoned yet again. The blood on her face had dried to her face. She drew her paw across her face to clean the blood off. "Do you promise?" She asked.
"I promise." Stonefur murmured, nudging them both gently into the hole where they could only hope that they would get a good night's sleep. Just over Jaggedtooth's shoulder, Stonefur could see three shadows in the reeds. Perhaps they would get out of the hole sooner than they thought.
I almost forgot! Win One for the Reaper (for those of you who didn't recognize the title already) is track 10 on the Lost Season 1 Soundtrack. It's a sad, sad melody that is constantly played over the course of the show. Let me know what you think so far. I do take flames and concrit. Although concrit is a helluva lot nicer than flames.