This is only going to be a few chapters long - more of a short story than anything, and I'll try to wrap this up quickly. I'll update this chapter with the allegiances later, but for now they aren't complete. ShadowClan is the only one complete.
One last thing - don't pick a favorite character. I'm going to be killing a lot of cats off, especially in the first and last chapters. :)
Summary: When a group of rouges settle into ShadowClan's territory and terrorize them, the usually most reserved cats plead for help at a Gathering. There has always been four Clans, but if the leader of ThunderClan's, Amberstar, plan doesn't work, there might only be three...
Set in old forest, way before Bluestar, Hailstar, Firestar's time.
"Birchstar and Darksneak are dead!" the medicine cat cried out, hanging his head as he spoke. "StarClan took our leader's last life and one of our top warriors away from us!"
"No," growled a large gray tom. He strode into the center of the clearing, where several other cats sat in grief. "StarClan didn't take them away... the rouges did. We must get revenge!"
"Falconstorm, now isn't the time for planning our next battle," a young black she-cat meowed. "Instead, we need to heal our cats and rebuild the camp."
"You shouldn't be speaking, Ebonypaw!" Falconstorm hissed at his apprentice. "When you become a warrior, you can join in our conversations."
"I agree with Ebonypaw, though," a black and orange tom growled, Emberbelly. "Birchstar is dead, for StarClan's sake, and you're already going on how we need to strike back at the rouges!"
As they started bickering, more cats gave their opinion, until finally there was a large shout.
"Quiet, all of you!"
A large she-cat had leaped onto a large boulder when the fighting had started, and glared down at everyone as she yowled.
"Have you no shame? Stop arguing and pay your respects to Birchstar and Darksneak! Tomorrow, when I return from the Moonstone, we can create plans to get rid of the rouges. But until then, be quiet!" This she-cat held clear authority. If asked to pick the next leader of the Clan, it would obviously be her for her leadership skills, which was why Birchstar had chosen her as ShadowClan's deputy two years before.
Now, under her hard gaze, the cats made their way to the medicine cat den, where the elders were dragging out the two bodies. The light gray fur of Birchstar and black pelt of Darksneak were moved to the center of ShadowClan's camp, where the cats gathered around the old leader and senior warrior for the last time.
While most of the Clan stood in the clearing, the medicine cat quickly made his way over to the deputy.
"Russetfire, I think you should pick a cat to go with us to the Moonstone," the medicine cat meowed. "With the rouges still in our territory it may not be safe to cross with just us two."
Russetfire nodded. She said, "How many should I take with me, Copperheart? I don't want to leave the camp undefended."
"Then take a young, strong warrior, Russetfire. I would suggest Cherrypelt or Buzzardwing," Copperheart replied.
As the two top cats in ShadowClan watched the cats pay their last respects to Birchstar and Darksneak, Russetfire decided. "Buzzardwing!" she meowed. "Come with Copperheart and I to the Moonstone. We need you to guard us."
The large black tom tore his gaze away from his dead father, Darksneak, and padded over. "Yes, Russetfire... but why not more cats?"
"They are all needed to stay behind to guard. Most of them are still in shock of what happened... but your grief for your dead father will make you stronger, yes?"
Copperheart had left for a few moments to his den, but quickly reappeared with herbs in his mouth. "Traveling herbs," he explained after had set them down. "Eat them quickly, because it's sunset."
After Russetfire announced to the Clan she was going to get her nine lives, the trio set off, running through the dark forests of ShadowClan's territory and watching out for the group of loners that had attacked them earlier that afternoon. As the sun went down, the three got closer to the edge of their territory, where they would have to cross a small patch of WindClan's to get to the Moonstone.
"Almost there," Russetfire muttered. "I can see the border up ahead."
However, right as she spoke, a cat darted in her way. Within seconds, they were surrounded by seven large cats.
"Rouges!" Buzzardwing spat. "There's too many of them!" At his words, the seven attacked. Copperheart, though with a little warrior training, was no match for the two who attacked him. He was the first to go down, and though he blinded one, sending it screeching out of the battle, he was quickly killed by the second.
Buzzardwing was next. Three of the seven enemies were after him as he fled the scene, hoping to climb a tree and attack them from there. He felt guilty that he had abandoned the medicine cat and deputy, but his fear overtook him and had him running... straight into a large pine tree. Cornered by the three, his death was slow and painful.
Russetfire did the best of the three. She killed one dark red she - cat and knocked out a tom – she was called ShadowClan's Strongest for a reason. However, the remaining rouges who had killed Copperheart and Buzzardwing came back, and Russetfire found herself fighting four cats at the same time. She went down fighting, and had managed to kill two of the last four.
When evening of the day after came and the trio still hadn't come back, they sent out a search party headed by Falconstorm. When the dark gray tom entered camp two hours later, Emberbelly, Blackbreeze, and Ebonypaw trailing behind, shaking his head, they realized that Russetfire's journey to get her nine lives had been in vain...
"Is that really what happened?" Birchkit meowed. "Did Russetfire really kill three of her attackers?"
"That's what how the story goes," Ashwhisper replied. "Falconstorm said that it appeared that way, and the evidence was there. When your father led the search party he said that Buzzardwing was pretty far away from Copperheart and Russetfire's bodies, and that that he could still smell the fear scent. And we found a ginger she-cat next to three other bodies, so that's what we assume."
"How does Falconstorm's story go?" Firekit asked.
Ashwhisper bowed her head for a second, thinking. "I think it started off when the three were running to the Moonstone..."
The trio stopped. "I smell something," Russetfire growled. "Buzzardwing, run back to camp and get more cats -"
"That's not what would happen!" Birchkit cried. "I thought they were next to the WindClan border!"
"Yeah, Russetfire wouldn't send the only other warrior back to camp for reinforcements; that'd be stupid," Firekit meowed.
"Okay... they how about this:"
The trio stopped. "I smell something,"Russetfire growled. "Rouges!"
Then, seven cats popped out of the bushes and charged. Copperheart tried, but died quickly, though he scared away one rouge. There was one slash mark across Copperheart's throat, showing a quick and clean kill. Buzzardwing ran, but was killed in the shadows of the biggest pine tree in ShadowClan's forest. The coward had damaged but not gotten rid of any of this attackers, which meant that Russetfire had to deal with six rouges.
Russetfire had already killed two and got rid of a third when Buzzardwing's murderers came back. Russetfire was about to kill another -
"Whoa, that's so cool!" Birchkit breathed. "Russetfire almost killed four of the rouges?!"
"Stop interrupting my story, Birchkit," Ashwhisper snapped. "And that's what Falconstorm's patrol assumed, yes. Anyway..."
Russetfire was about to kill another when one rouge managed to flip her on her stomach and claw it until she was dead. The kill, however, was Russetfire's favorite way to kill rouges – an easy, if not cowardly, way to murder, but one that took immense skill and practice to master. Oh, the irony...
"Is that all?" Firekit said. "Stop adding in your own comments, Momma."
"Sorry," Ashwhisper meowed, rolling her eyes. "But anyway, yes, Russetfire was done in by her own favorite attack."
"Doesn't the Warrior Code tell us not to kill other cats?" Birchkit questioned.
"Yes, Birchkit, but in battle Russetfire sometimes had to kill other cats to survive – that's what the Warrior Code says: Don't take a life unless it's yours to defend."
"That makes no sense."
"You'll understand it when you're older, Birchkit... but for now, get some rest," Ashwhisper meowed. Firekit, named after Russetfire, and Birchkit, called that for the old leader of ShadowClan, hopped into the nest as Ashwhisper got to her paws and left the nursery.
Falconstorm was waiting for her outside. "Ashwhisper, Cherrystar is going to make an announcement today," he told his mate as she walked outside.
"That's right – Ebonypaw is becoming a warrior today, isn't she?"
"Yes... this is Cherrystar's first happy ceremony to conduct, other than naming her deputy." Ashwhisper didn't miss the emphasis on happy, bowing her head when Falconstorm spoke.
"It's only been three moons..." she whispered.
"Only three moons," Falconstorm agreed. "Cherrystar was a young, fresh warrior who everyone thought would make a fantastic leader."
"She's so young, though, only slightly younger than Emberbelly and Blackbreeze," Ashwhisper replied. "At least under her leadership, less cats have died."
"Are you including Hailpaw's sister, Skypaw as well as his brother, Scorchkit? Silvershrew's parents? Fernsplash's sister?" Falconstorm meowed."Several cats are still gone because of Cherrypelt's rash decisions."
"I know you don't agree with Cherrystar, but think about it...Russetfire and Birchstar probably would've made the same decisions. Cherrystar is trying her best, but it's hard when we are always being attacked by rouges."
"I would have made a better leader," Falconstorm muttered.
Ashwhisper said, "I know you would have, Falconstorm," trying to soothe him. "But everyone except the elders, Fernsplash, Ebonypaw, and I voted for Cherrystar simply because she was younger and could lead the Clan for a longer time, not because they didn't like you."
Falconstorm opened his mouth to reply but was cut off by Cherrystar's call for everyone to come for the meeting. As the sunset patrol returned, the current guard watching over the camp sat down, and Ashwhisper's kits bounced out of the nursery, Cherrystar began the meeting.
"It's time for a new warrior," Cherrystar began. "Ebonypaw, Falconstorm, please come up here."
As the warrior ceremony ended, Ebonystripe already heading towards the entrance of camp to watch for intruders, Cherrystar added, "I'd like to see Silvershrew, Fernsplash, Falconstorm, Ashwhisper, and the elders in my den now, please."
Ashwhisper quickly padded over to Ferretfoot, one of the only other female warriors in ShadowClan. "Can you watch over my kits, please?" she asked. The other cat nodded, smiling at Ashwhisper – the two she-cats had been friends ever since they were both kits in the nursery. Ashwhisper was almost five moons older than Ferretfoot, but that hadn't stopped their friendship. The rumors of ShadowClan being cold blooded were wrong – maybe they were more harsh than ThunderClan's soft-hearted kittypets, but they still tried to abide by the Warrior Code... most of the time.
Ashwhisper was the last to arrive. In the center sat Cherrystar, and behind her was her deputy Silvershrew. The young medicine cat Fernsplash was behind Silvershrew, talking to one of the elders, Foxstep. The other elder, Darkmist, muttered something to an nodding Falconstorm. When Cherrystar saw that Ashwhisper had entered, the meeting started.
"It's the end of leaf-bare, and I wanted my Clan's advice on... a plan to get rid of the rouges."
"Finally," Falconstorm growled. "It's about time." Ashwhisper tried not to sigh as she heard her bad tempered mate's mutter.
"However, I'm torn between two decisions," Cherrystar went on, ignoring Falconstorm. "We already know where the rouges live, thanks to Skypaw's noble sacrifice two moons ago, but we still don't have the numbers to take them down... the first option, of course, would be a straight on assault."
"That's never going to work," the elder Darkmist croaked.
His fellow elder, Foxstep, retorted, "the best plans are the ones never too thought out. If ShadowClan barges in and attacks, the rouges will be surprised with our boldness – and be unready." She glared at Darkmist until he looked away.
"It's too unlike ShadowClan," Darkmist muttered as he did. "We wait, planning, and we create the best battle plan that is impossible to fail."
"You said there were two options, Cherrystar?" Ashwhisper asked, dreading what it might be. As a young warrior, Cherrystar hadn't been like the rest. She had friends in other Clan, and while she was loyal to her own, rumors said that she would run off with a tom from another Clan every night. Those rumors, of course, were false, but Cherrystar had never been the cat you thought of when asked about ShadowClan.
Ahswhisper was right to worry when she saw Cherrystar hesitate. "The second decision would be to... ask the other Clans for help." Ashwhisper could already see her mate's mouth opening, jaws ready to refuse help. StarClan forbid the other three Clans knew of ShadowClan's problem!
But before Falconstorm could speak, there was a yowl outside of Cherrystar's den. The meeting was quickly disbanded as the top warriors in ShadowClan sped out to see what the source of the noise was.
The hunting patrol was back, and they did not look happy. Blackbreeze and Emberbelly were supporting Blackbreeze's apprentice Hailpaw.
The last of Emberbelly and Ferretfoot's kits, Hailpaw was the only survivor to the rouge's assaults from the litter. Once, they had invaded camp and killed his brother, Scorchkit. Then, only two moons ago, right after Ashwhisper's kits had been born, Skypaw and her mentor, Emberbelly, had been sent on a mission to find out the rouge's camp. Emberbelly had made it back, but Skypaw hadn't. Though he was her father, due to the lack of warriors Emberbelly had been made Skypaw's mentor while his brother trained Hailpaw.
But now, it looked like the last of Emberbelly and Ferretfoot's kits were going to die – Hailpaw had several long gashes on his side and a nasty cut over his eye, as well as several scratches all over his pelt. All of his wounds except for his eye were bleeding and Hailpaw looked half dead.
"Fernsplash! We need your help! It's Hailpaw!" Blackbreeze yelled. He didn't look as bad as Hailpaw, but he was limping and had a few cuts. Emberbelly looked the best with only a few scratches and leaves in his fur, as if he'd run through bushes.
The medicine cat helped bring a moaning Hailpaw to the medicine cat den, where Fernsplash quickly scanned her different leaves and herbs. "I need cobwebs to stop the bleeding," the very young medicine cat told a very surprised Blackbreeze. "Get some from my store." She turned to Ashwhisper, who had been watching intently.
"Ashwhisper, can you supervise and help me out with these cats' injuries? You'd be best since you've had kits," the medicine cat said.
Ashwhisper nodded and went inside the small den, helping Fernsplash with the easier tasks. She kept glancing over to where the stores of herbs were, once full of vibrant leaves. Now, the amount of herbs had shrunk down to a few leaves per pile – if that.
Due to the rouge's attacks, the most important herbs had been harder to get with each passing day. Hunting for both prey and herbs was harder, as cats were always looking over their shoulder for attackers. Always having to treat the injured, Fernsplash's stores had gone down very quickly.
The rest of the day was spent treating Hailpaw's injuries as well as Blackbreeze's. Emberbelly had refused to be looked at until his brother and his brother's apprentice. Fernsplash frowned at a shallow cut on Emberbelly's shoulder when he came to check up on the injured cats.
"Even if it isn't that bad, that wound can still get infected," Fernsplash pointed out, but Emberbelly shook his head.
"This cut is not worth diminishing your stores. How's Hailpaw and Blackbreeze?" Emberbelly asked, purposely steering the conversation away from his injuries.
"I... don't know," Fernsplash replied as she stared at the injured apprentice and warrior. Both were sleeping. "Blackbreeze will live, I'm sure, but Hailpaw..."
Emberbelly's eyes widened and he turned away. Ashwhisper could understand his grief – she had a stillborn kit born along with her litter, and while she'd had two healthy kits, it was still unsettling.
Ashwhisper leaned closer to Hailpaw, inspecting the injuries he was supporting. "Fernsplash, I've seen these sorts of wounds before," she meowed. "The cut across the eye. The last cat who had that injury was Silvershrew."
Silvershrew, their deputy, was a strong warrior. He'd been chosen for the same reason as Cherrystar – he was young yet still respected. Some cats would say he'd be a better than Cherrystar, but Ashwhisper didn't think so. Though he was strong, he wasn't exactly smart. The only reasons he was ever chosen when they were making battle plans was because he was the deputy and he knew the strength of each cat.
Ashwhisper could remember the battle that Silvershrew had emerged from. It was before Birchstar had died and Russetfire's fatal attack occurred, when Fernsplash was still an apprentice. In a short skirmish against WindClan, Silvershrew had gained the injury. Since he was young, he healed quickly, and that had been the beginning of the rouges' attack so Fernsplash probably did not remember it.
"Silvershrew had an wound like this?" Fernsplash asked, surprised. "But... he looks fine. I would think it would get infected and he would..."
"Yes, he did have the same injry, in a battle against Windclan," Ashwhisper confirmed. "And he's fine now – a small scar, but that's it."
Fernsplash kept her eyes on Hailpaw and Blackbreeze. "If that's true... Silvershrew was either an older apprentice or young warrior. Around the same age as Hailpaw is now... Do you know what my old mentor used to help him?"
As they spoke, Emberbelly turned back to them to listen to the conversation. "How do you remember that?" he asked, voice hoarse.
"I don't remember which herbs, Fernsplash, but I do remember because I helped train Silvershrew when his mentor was injured in the same battle," Ashwhisper explained. "I think it's possible that we – no, you, can save Hailpaw if you try hard enough."
Fernsplash nodded and went over to the tiny piles of herbs, shuffling around so that she did not mix them. "I'll do my best," she said. "I'll save your son, Emberbelly!"
I hope that was good! I haven't written a Warrior Cat fanfic in a year, so I'm not really used to writing cats. And I don't think I've ever done a story centered on ShadowClan!
The next chapter will not come out for a long time - sorry! I'll try to work on it quickly.