THE LAST STAND
The two cats on the other side of the road hissed at the Twolegs that were inch by inch destroying the land they had lived on for longer than any cat could remember. They flattened themselves to the ground as yet another monster rushed past them. "Runningwind," Willowpelt hissed. "What are they doing?"
"I don't know, Willowpelt. StarClan help us. We can't do anything to stop them. Maybe they'll stop after this tree."
"You know they won't, Runningwind. They've been doing this for too long. If they don't stop soon we won't have enough prey left to live off of."
"If they stopped now we wouldn't have enough prey to live off of!" Runningwind hissed angrily.
The two cats silently retreated into the remaining trees. "What are they even doing?" Willowpelt asked.
"I don't know. Longtail thinks they're building another thunderpath, but this doesn't look like it."
Willowpelt looked up in despair. "Will this world ever be safe for any cat?"
Runningwind flicked a tail over her ears. "The world is never safe. When the other Clans aren't attacking, there are always badgers and foxes too. And droughts or floods."
A voice came up from behind them and growled, "That's what being a warrior is all about." It was Tigerclaw, and he wasn't in a good mood. No-one was. The three walked back to camp in a subdued silence.
Tigerclaw finally asked, as they were coming into the gorse tunnel. "So what did you find out?"
Willowpelt was the one that spoke. "It looks like Longtail could be right."
Tigerclaw knew there was more. He always knew. "And?"
"But Runningwind doesn't think so. And neither do I. They seem to be building some sort of nest."
"Why in the forest do they need more nests? They have so many already!" tigerclaw exclaimed, letting his feelings show through for once. if twolegs destroy the forest, he thought darkly, then there will be nothing to take over, to rule. That means I have to help the cats I despise so through this struggle. For once, he thought with a wry smile, I am a loyal thunderclan warrior.
For now.
Neither Willowpelt nor Runningwind had responded to Tigerclaw's question. Because, he realized, they didn't know. No cat did.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the high-rock for a Clan meeting!" Bluestar yelled from the high-rock, having seen that they had gotten back. If only it had been good news. "This morning, Runningwind was excused from the dawn patrol, because he was needed for an important Clan duty. You all know about the twolegs milling through our trees and destroying it all. I sent Runningwind and Willowpelt on a mission to see what went on there. Runningwind, what do you have to say?"
Runningwind leapt up onto the high-rock, clearing his throat before speaking in a hushed mew that everyone could hear. "It... it was awful. The noise ripped through my ears. the smell burned my lungs. My paws felt dead after staying near that rough hard substance so long. But worst of all was the feeling. The feeling that our home was being destroyed and we could do nothing. nothing to save the home we have lived in for so long. The feeling of helplessness against something that will destroy us. The feeling that everything we have done... has been for nothing?" Bluestar closed her eyes. Runningwind could tell that she hadn't wanted him to say this. But he had to. The Clan cats had to move. He had to convince them of that, at least.
"Runningwind, the news?" Bluestar prompted. Runningwind inclined his head. "Willowpelt and I were un-able to get close enough to see the details of what they were doing, but we were able to see that it looks like Longtail says. But if they were building a thunderpath the why would they need to make it so big? They have destroyed almost half of our territory. Willowpelt, tell us your theory," Runningwind ended. Willowpelt stepped up. "Cats of ThunderClan. It appears that they are making a huge nest to live in. But it doesn't look like most nests. It is very colorful, with very smooth... I don't think floor is the right word. But, floor is very smooth and white. It looks like perfectly square white, smooth, stones. And the light in there is very bright. The twolegs make so much noise with their monsters all the prey has fled even from the bits of our territory that hasn't been destroyed."
.*.*.
The twoleg view:
"John! bring me that wire! I need to get the electricity on this thing running!"
"I'll be right there! I'm just helping with the display."
"That would be a lot easier with some light! We have to get this place ship-shape before they arrive."
"Car manufacturers. Always so punctual."
"Just be glad they're making them. Without them we'd be stuck, wouldn't we?"
"yeah."
"Now bring me that wire!"
The humans milled around the future car factory. Small-talk, as they called it, passed easily between the workers. "So I hear they'll have to build a road so you can get to this place," one of them said.
"Yeah, but once this is in people will be flocking to buy houses near by. My guess is that we'll have to chop down more trees to make room for houses!" the other said.
"I heard they found a rich oil spot. That will make it easier for the factory to be here." a third chimed in.
"Don't believe everything you hear!" the second said. "But yeah, I think that's just about right."
"If you don't have anything better to do then you can give me a hand with the electrics." the man who had wanted the wire said. The men went off after him, grumbling about something.
.*.*.
"THORNPAW! THORNPAW WHERE ARE YOU?" Frostfur shrieked, learning of the disappearance of her first-born son. Brightpaw was also obviously worried. She was sniffing around camp, as if expecting to see him in the apprentices den. Goldenflower quickly ran over to her. "don't worry, I'm sure he's fine." Brightpaw finally gave up searching for Thornpaw and was about to race into the forest but Cinderpelt came up in front of her, limping. "Brightpaw," she said quickly, "can I talk to you?"
Brightpaw nodded miserably.
Cinderpelt signaled with her tail to come into her den. Brightpaw obliged her and sat down, the calming aromas of herbs helping her to stop worrying. Brightpaw said, "What did you want to talk to me about?"
"Brightpaw. Frostfur never told us who our father was. I have two brothers, even though Thornpaw barely looks at me when I limp past. Brackenpaw will become a wonderful warrior, that I know."
Brightpaw looked at Cinderpelt, thinking of how they could have been like sisters if it hadn't been for Cinderpelt's accident.
Cinderpelt continued, her blue eyes flashing with emotion. "I never want you to get hurt, that's all. I thought maybe... if we're all going to die like all the other cats out there think... that I should get to know my only sister a little better."
Brightpaw looked up at Cinderpelt, and pressed herself against her sister.
"Brightpaw! Brightpaw where are you?" Frostfur shouted.
"Right here!" Brightpaw said. "In the medicine cat den!"
"What are you doing in there?" Frostfur said quickly as she approached.
"Just getting to know my sister a little better." Brightpaw looked up at Cinderpelt. "If we are going to die," she said in a quiet voice, "I know I have a sister to be proud of. A sister that no-matter what happens to her goes on serving her Clan. You're a better warrior than any of them outside. You know we're going to die, and you stay here and fight."
Cinderpelt looked at her little sister, her blue eyes like the sea, wet and vast, having seen much. "I have a sister I can be proud of too, more than she knows. But we might not die, Brightpaw."
"No, Cinderpelt. Don't lie to me, not now. I love you as a sister, and I want you to know I want to be like you... but we are going to die. If it is our destiny, then so be it. I accept our destiny. But we are going to die together. I will stand with you until death." Brightpaw looked at Cinderpelt a final time before exiting the medicine cat den in search of Frostfur. Frostfur stood just outside, frozen in the fern tunnel. She came into the den quietly.
"I have a daughter I can be proud of, too." She said, meaning more than she said. She remembered when Cinderpelt had been about to become an apprentice. I'm so proud of you both, she had said. And it was true. She was proud of all of her kits.
Cinderpelt looked up at her. "Thank you, mother. It means more to me than you can know." Frostfur, Brightpaw, and Cinderpelt walked into the clearing, bound by the knowledge...
that twolegs would destroy everything they had fought so hard to keep.
there will be more! this is probably my most important fanfiction yet. I feel like I just made the feelings so real between them. And Fireheart and Graystripe will come in, too, in the next chapter. Oh my, I'm almost crying! This is set in forest of secrets.