A/N: My first CookieClan challenge! This based off story in Code Of The Clans, Code 10.
"Ripplestar, hang on!" Cried Finchstar as he leaned over the Great Rock to try and pull his fellow leader to safety. Marshscar watched in horror as Ripplestar lost his grip for a moment, then held on more tightly the ever. But it was clear he was slipping further and further out of Finchstar's reach. He's slipping! Memories, first the most recent, of the night's attack on the gathering, which was failing so miserably, and then, much, much, earlier...
"Marshkit." A black and orange tom with vivid yellow eyes approached a tiny gray kit.
"Yes, Rippleheart? How was the battle?" Marshkit asked the clan deputy.
Rippleheart stared in the distance, clearly upset. "I-I don't know how to say this to you, Marshkit." He murmured softly, his voice breaking.
Tell me what? Marshkit wondered in bewilderment, at the same time sensing that something was very wrong.
"Well...there was a big battle, bigger then we anticipated, and, well, there was your father... well, he- he won't be returning."
"What?! No!" He yowled in shock and grief.
"I'll be your father, Marshkit." Rippleheart whispered.
Marshkit barely heard him."No! Not after mama!" "Not after mama!" He wailed in despair remembering his father and mother.
Now he regretted being so self absorbed, for he knew now Ripplestar had been grieving as well, being his father's littermate as well as his best friend...
Scraaaaape. Thesoundof claws, slipping, releasing unwillingly from the Great Rock...
"Marshpaw! How is your shoulder?" Asked Ripplestar, entering the medicine cat's den where Marshpaw was resting, several cobwebs on his shoulder.
"Much better, Ripplestar, thank you. Sunstorm put some cobwebs on it..." Marshpaw murmured sleepily.
"Good. I'm glad you're alright." Meowed Ripplestar, his yellow eyes warm.
"What was the battle for again?" Asked Marshpaw, briefly rembering the shocked look on their target's faces.
"I caught a patrol of WindClan on our territory! Those filthy Prey - stealers." He spat angrily at the mention of the WindClan prey-stealers.
Marshpaw winced at the clan leader's harsh tone.
Then a bolt of jagged lightning, and with a terrified yowl, Ripplestar started falling...
No! No! Marshscar pleaded.
"Marshpaw, from this moment on you will be known Marshscar. Starclan honors your Bravery and your Courage, and we honor you as a full warrior of ShadowClan." Said Ripplestar.
"Marshscar, Marshscar!"
"Marshscar, Marshscar!"
"Marshscar, Marshscar!"
"Marshscar, Marshscar!"
Ripplestar had cheered Marshscar's new name the loudest of all the clan.
Marshscar had obtained several more scars in battles that Ripplestar had issued by then, and he was very proud of all of them.
But, right now, he would give every last one of his battle scars to save his leader..his kin...his father...
And then, earlier ...
"We'll lead an attack on the gathering! We'll show them that we, ShadowClan is the strongest of althe other clans, ThunderClan, SkyClan, WindClan, and RiverClan after this harsh leaf - bare!" Ripplestar yowled in a passion.
"ShadowClan! Shadowclan! ShadowClan!" His clanmates yowled back with equal vigor.
Marshscar had yowled along with them, brimming with unwavering confidence for Ripplestar's bold plan.
Ripplestar was falling...plumneting...
Right then, Marshscar was running, sprinting...he could save him...catch him...break his fall somehow...
But it was too late, becuse right then there was a sickening crunch as Ripplestar collided with the ground.
Then he was gone.
"NOOOO!" Yowled Marshscar."Murderer!" He spat in a rage, glaring hatefully up at Finchstar, needing, wanting, grasping at something to explain that the day, he'd never wanted, never anticipated, never even thought about, that had finally come.
It was his last life...
Finchstar shook his head sorrowfully. "It was not I who killed him, Marshscar. It was the decree of StarClan."
How could they?!
In the moons following, Marshscar would become Marshstar, leader of ShadowClan.
He would see Ripplestar and his dead parents as he received his nine lives.
There would be a new edition to the rapidly growing warrior code, that A Gathering Is A Truce, No Matter What.
But for now, it was simply a time of mourning, and Marshscar was simply a cat who had lost a loved one.
A/N: When I got my prompt for this story, I decided to use Code Of The Clans as a base for this story because when I read Chapter 10 I felt that there must have been something more to Marshscar ad Ripplestar that made Marshscar grieve so deeply when Ripplestar lost his last life, also I thought there might be another side to the story. Don't forget to read and review! :)