Badger Rise

Badger was an ordinary cat, except for one thing. He was a clan cat. He was in StoneClan, the clan whose cats had pads used to mountain terrain. Was. The clan fell apart after the four other clans drove them out.

They were forced to split up and become rogues, if they hadn't died. The four other clans; SwiftClan, ForestClan, ShadeClan, and FrostClan, plotted together and on the night of the gathering, attacked. Badger was the deputy, Badgerstripe, and he was the only one left who dared to attempt to rebuild StoneClan.

He knew it would be difficult, and maybe even pointless, but he was determined. StoneClan would live on, starting with these four.

"Breeze," Badgerstripe meowed, his voice cracking as he spoke. "Yes?" asked the dull gray tom. "I sent you here to ask a very important question..." he waved his tail towards the other three cats, all she-cats. They glanced up from their gossip, ears perking.

"You all," he corrected. "Were sent here for a great cause." The cats had a look of confusion glued to their faces, but Badger beckoned them and they huddled.

"Long ago..." he whispered, the chilly autumn air ruffling his fur. "There were five clans."

"Hey Badgerstripe!" called Pebblestar, grinning eagerly at his brother. "It's a load of work having Dawnpaw as your apprentice, isn't it?" he asked with a bit of a chuckle. "Yes," rumbled Badgerstripe, a smile cracking his lips. "Yes, it is." They brushed against each-other as they walked side-by-side to the fresh-kill pile.

"Hey Graysnow, you have plenty of mice there," joked Pebblestar before grabbing a large rabbit in his jaws. "Well, that's a huge enough rabbit," Graysnow shot back, wiggling the tip of her ear and grinning.

They soon finished their prey and Pebblestar winked at his brother before dashing up to Huge Pile, an enormous pile of large, un-moving boulders. He leaped up and called the familiar meeting yowl, although most of the clan was already gathered.

"The cats going to the gathering are..." Pebblestar paused, smiling fondly at his loyal clan. "Badgerstripe, Foxfur, Featherstep, Thrushclaw, Mountainstone, Rockheart, Clashstrike, Blazingclaw, Ashfoot, Mousenose, Hollyear, and Blackpaw," the leader finished, turning his gaze to Badgerstripe at last. "My loyal brother," he meowed. "I need to speak with you as we depart."

"What is it?" muttered Badgerstripe under his breath, flattening his ears and leaning in close. "Well..." Pebblestar heaved a sigh, his eyes glued to Badgerstripe's paws.

Badgerstripe glared at him. "I know something's up," he warned. "Just tell me." Pebblestar leaned against his brother, eyes flicking up to meet Badgerstripe's gaze.

"I have one life left," he hissed under his breath. "And I know those sneaky fox-hearted leaders, Fallstar, Lakestar, Bramblestar, and Darkstar are planning something." Badgerstripe's eyes widened, and he growled. "I won't let them TOUCH you," he meowed loudly, gently butting his head against his brother's shoulder.

"I know you won't.." Pebblestar sighed, nuzzling his brother back to reassure him. Badgerstripe turned and they swiftly dashed forwards to catch up with the clan.

"What did he tell you?" Badgerstripe's sister, Hollyear, asked worriedly as they pressed back into the clump of StoneClan warriors. "That he..." Badgerstripe paused. "That he can't wait to see what happens at the Gathering!" Badgerstripe finished, his ears twitching nervously.

Hollyear stared at him as if she could see right through his pelt. Badgerstripe's legs shook, hoping she wouldn't say anything. He quickly darted forwards as Hollyear opened her mouth. "Phew," he breathed out softly, his ears flattening.

They swiftly reached where the gathering was held- Four Trees. The other clans were already there... but it was... different. Badgerstripe's face fell from a cheery grin to an angry frown. They were staring... at Pebblestar. Suddenly a black tom stepped forward, and Badgerstripe immediately noticed that his legs were quivering and his eyes were glued to the ground. Lakestar. Of course. He was always forced to do all the important speeches because of his fierce nervousness. He was teased at the end of mostly all of them.

He finally raised his head, his ears flattened. "I..." he paused and swallowed. "I banish StoneClan from.." He trailed off until Darkstar prodded his flank. "From the forest," Lakestar choked out, his eyes brimming with tears. Badgerstripe growled.

Pebblestar jerked his head up and stepped forward. Darkstar stiffened as he padded up to him. "Why?" he hissed. "Why? So your nasty flea-bitten clan can have more prey than they DESERVE?" Darkstar growled, annoyed at Pebblestar's last remark. "Out," he said simply, nodding his head towards the entrance.

Badgerstripe froze in place, his muscles tightening. Was this the end of the five clans? Lakestar gulped, then threw himself at Darkstar. "They are my ally!" he whimpered as he scored his claws down the dark tabby's belly. Badgerstripe could smell the fear and panic radiate from Lakestar as Darkstar hissed.

Fallstar and Bramblestar rose from their spots at the edge of the scene and walked towards the fight, their similar dark brown pelts blending together. The brothers stared unblinkingly at Lakestar as he had all of his lives drained from him.

"I've been WAITING to do that!" yowled Darkstar in triumph, standing up to tower over Lakestar's limp form. Darkstar's clan rushed over to him in protection as Pebblestar stepped closer. Fallstar mumbled something to his brother- Bramblestar, then padded up to stand beside Darkstar. Bramblestar flicked his tail and his clan followed him as he marched up to Pebblestar.

"Get out," he commanded, his voice more stern than Darkstar's had been. "I- I don't understand..." Pebblestar stammered. Badgerstripe started to trudge up to his brother to support him, but Bramblestar was quicker. "Attack," he growled loudly.

His deputy, Thornstrike, began the battle, going straight for Hollyear. Badgerstripe leaped after him, a rush of adrenaline coursing through his body. Darkstar signaled for his clan to join in, as did Fallstar.

Lakestar's clan had vanished, they must have left before things had gotten out of hand.

Badgerstripe leaned in, grasping Thornstrike's scruff. He pried the prickly-furred tom off of his sister and pinned him against the ground, furiously swiping at his throat. Thornstrike grumbled and surged up, making Badgerstripe let go of him in surprise. The dark tabby flashed an evil smirk at Badgerstripe before heading towards Hollear once more.

Badgerstripe was bowled over by a golden she-cat. He gasped and kicked weakly at her stomach, hoping to give her a nasty scar with his hind claws. She dodged the blow, and nipped his ear. He shook her off with his remaining strength and crawled into nearby bushes. He panted, and for a few moments he thought he was going to die. Everything went black as he passed out.

"So that's what happened," concluded Badgerstripe, sighing at the horrible memory. Breeze yawned. "What now?" demanded a ginger she-cat. A black she-cat that sat next to her nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Why are we here?"

Badgerstripe gazed at them blankly, then shook his head and turned to a blue-gray she-cat. "Blizzard, do you want to commit yourself to creating a clan..." he swallowed. "It's hard work, I know, but it's worth it." Blizzard nodded, but she looked unsure, her eyes glinting doubtfully.

He turned to the other two she-cats, but they were already nodding. Breeze stared at him for a moments, then whispered, "Yes."

"Then Breeze, you will lead BreezeClan. Blizzard, you will lead BlizzardClan." he glanced at the ginger cat. "Fire, you will lead FireClan." He turned to the last one, his eyes shining with glee. "And Frozen, you will lead FrozenClan." The cats returned his cheery expression as his eyes scanned over all of them. "Your names shall be Breezestar, Blizzardstar, Firestar, and Frozenstar," he breathed, his ears lifted to their full height, unusual for the usually sad and serious tom.

"What about you?" inquired Firestar, asking the question Badger had been dreading. "I..." he considered it for a few moments. "I'll lead StoneClan and be Badgerstar," he announced happily. "Now, this will be hard," he meowed. "But before I explain, we need to get our nine live and some new, loyal members!" his face lit up as the cats grinned and got up, ready to follow him even if it was to their deaths. It might work, it just might. Badger smiled.