Furious screeches split the air. The clearing was thick with the sounds and smells of battle. Glancing around in alarm, Graystripe realized ThunderClan was badly outnumbered by RiverClan. Seeing Leafpool obviously struggling with a warrior much larger than her, the long furred tom let out a furious screech and lunged forward.

However, he was yanked back by his tail. Spitting, he whirled around to face whatever warrior was gripping his tail. He successfully tripped over himself, only to find that his thick, long furred tail had been caught. In a bramble bush.

Awkwardly, he glanced around the clearing.

"Don't worry, guys!" He called. "I'm just gonna guard this bramble bush!"

He noticed Berrynose pause and glance at him oddly, before snorting and dashing to assits Leafpool.

Suddenly, Graystripe felt someone bat at his nose, wish a sheathed paw. Spitting, he turned to glare and came face to face wutg Rushpaw, a RiverClan apprentice.

"Beat it, fish breath!" The gray warrior spat. "This is ThunderClan territory!"

However, the young tom's eyes weren't gleaming with hunger, or battle readyness.

There were bright with... amusement.

The apprentice crouched down and reached up swiping his paw across Graystripe's muzzle before bouncing just out of reach.

"Ha!" He called joyfully. "Can't catch me!" He lunged, clasping his teeth around Graystripe's leg before jumping out of the way again.

Graystripe hissed and lunged, only to wince when his tail was yanked. Suddenly, he noticed everything was quiet.

Glancing up awkwardly, he met gazes with all the warrios-from both clans-and realized the battle has paused. He noticed the RiverClan warrios glancing at him with expressions of amusement and pity.

Looking to Brambleclaw, he saw the great tabby tom roll his eyes, and sink to the ground, covering his eyes with his paws.

"Why, StarClan?" The deputy muttered.

Berrynose, Birchfall and Spiderleg were slowly easing away, casting emberrased glanced at Graystripe.

"... I'm telling Millie, Bumblestripe, Blossomfall, and Briarlight!" Spiderleg yowled, before the three toms darted away.

Leafpool sighed and lifted her paw up to hide her eyes, peeking out through her claws at Firestar.

Firestar was paused, looming over a RiverClan warrior. His paw was frozen midair, claws unsheathed. His green eyes were narrowed.

"Graystripe," He meowed condesendingly. "You've protected that bramble bush bravely," He meowed.

Graystripe's fur bristled. "It's not my fault!" He wailed, sounding like a kit. "I just- I meanm what had happened- It attacked me first!" He finally blurted.

At that, the RiverClan cats lost it. They all fell over, yowling and purring, letting out mrrows of laughter.

Finally, Mistystar sat up, her whiskers still twitching. "Firestar," She gasped. "Take this patch of land. It's worth it, for the show your warrior put on."

Still yowling in amusement, the RiverClan cats turned and fled.

"Brambleclaw, Leafpool, go to camp." Firestar meowed. The two tabbys nodded and trotted away.

Graystripe's ears flicked as she heard them let out yowls of laughter once they reached the Hollow.

Firestar padded over, his eyes gleaming. "Graystripe. Really, dude? Really? Come on. How could you be defeated by a bramble bush?" The ginger tom shook his head, resting his paw on his forhead and dragging it slowly down his face.

Graystripe huffed. "Whatever, just get me out!"

Firestar sighed as he bent down and quickly freed Graystripe's tail. "There," The ThunderClan leader meowed. "Now, let's just go back to camp."

Together, the two toms padded back to camp, where Graystripe's story of being defeated by a bramble bush was told as a nursery tail for moons, and moons, and moons, and moons, to come.