"Nightscar" the black and white tom mewed in a mocking voice, dipping his head. "Crowshade, Starlingtail. What brings you so close to Riverclan borders?" he asked.
"We are merely rescenting the borders. You should know that Blackcloud." rumbled Nightscar.
Blackcloud unsheathed his claws, "You can't blame me if Im suspicious of Shadowclan" he growled.
Badgerpaw padded in front of Wildpaw protectively. Wildpaw was stiff with fear. She had no training, so if there was a fight, she wouldnt last very long. The white riverclan she cats eyes were wide and glanced over at Wildpaw. She could tell that the white she cat has no interest in a fight.
Padding up to Blackcloud, she mewed , " Blackcloud! Lets back off! Marshpaw has very little battle training, if you were to start a fight hed be slaughtered!"
Blackcloud whirled on the she cat and hissed , "You do not command me Icetail! If I want a fight ILL GET ONE!"
and with that the black and white tom leapt straight for Nightscar. Nightscar let out a yowl and met him midair. Icetail gasped when Crowshade bunched his hindquarters, ready to leap. But Starlingtail sprung forward, stopping him.
"She wants no part of this so Don't bring her into it" she hissed.
Crowshade growled but stood ready to join Nightscar if he needed help. Wildpaw watched in amazement as her mentor and blackcloud battled. With expert hits, Nightscar overpowered Blackcloud. The riverclan tom hissed when Nightscar leapt onto him, with a strong kick he pushed Nightscar off. With a screech he leapt at the large tom, sinking his teeth into his ear. Nightscar yowled in pain but struck Blackcloud in the side with breathtaking blows. Blackcloud released his ear and raked his claws down his shoulder. Wildpaws mentor hissed and bowled the riverclan tom over pinning him to the ground. Wildpaw glanced over to the other two riverclan cats but realized that they had bounded away.
Wildpaw tensed, would they bring reinforcements?
Nightscar hissed in a dangerous voice, " Why are you looking for a fight Blackcloud[p]? Shadowclan has done nothing to Riverclan for over two generations!"
In that moment, a yowl made everyone freeze and turn their heads. A group of 4 riverclan cats came pounding out of the marshes. A strong black she cat padded forward at the head of them.
"Nightscar. Get off of my warrior please". she mewed.
Nightscar glared at the black she cat but reluctantly complied.
"Of course Lightningstar. My apologies" he growled.
Blackcloud leapt up and hissed at Nightscar with venom, "Now that my clan is here, We'll rip you all apart!"
Lightningstar growled, "Your clan?"
Blackcloud whipped around and looked at his leader, "Well, your clan I mean lightningstar."
The black she cat growled and glanced at Icetail, "Icetail. What happened here?"
Blackcloud glared daggers at the white she cat as she cleared her throat.
"Blackcloud started a fight with shadowclan for no reason. They had done nothing to provoke us but he leapt at Nightscar", she stated.
A white and grey[q] she cat padded forward, an aura of authority coming off of her.
"Explain yourself Blackcloud. Why cause a rift in the clans when everything is peaceful? For what? Your own thirst for blood?", she growled.
Blackcloud growled and unsheathed his claws ," How dare you accuse me of such of a thing! Nightscar is to blame! Shadowclan is full of liars and thieves! I knew they had come for our prey! I was protecting Riverclan!"
Icetail yowled in protest, "YOU LIAR! THEY DIDNT DO ANYTHING!".
In an instant Blackcloud lunged for Icetails throat, she screeched in surprise as his teeth closed on her neck. Lightningstar leapt for blackcloud and pulled him off of the white she cat. Wildpaw gasped as Icetail collapsed to the floor, blood covering her neck and her eyes open staring at nothing.
"Icetail!" screeched a white[r] she cat with ginger paws.
Lightningstar was locked in a fight with blackcloud. Every cats eyes were wide in shock as Blackcloud battled with his own nudged crowshade who watched the two cats screech and yowl.
"Take everyone home. Now. They dont need to see this.", he mewed in a low voice.
Crowshade was frozen for a few seconds before he nodded and bounded away to the shadowclan camp. Wildpaw glanced at nightscar before following Starlingtail and badgerpaw. Looking behind her she saw Lightningstar lose her grip on Blackcloud as he leapt away. In that moment, he turned and his eyes met Wildpaws.
Her heart froze as he yowled and sprinted towards her, "Where are you going Shadowclan scum?!"
Nightscar leapt to protect her But blackcloud weeved around his long claws. Wildpaw screeched and took off running into the marsh. Blackcloud chased her, so close she could feel his claws on her tail as he swiped at her.
Running as fast as she could, she weeved through her territory, screeching "Someone help me!"
Glancing behind her, she saw Blackcloud, his eyes wild, only a tail length away and Nightscar followed by riverclan.
"Run Wildpaw!" yowled Nightscar.
Thinking quick she leapt as high as she could and caught a branch. Blackcloud screeched and leapt into the air but a flash of dark grey bowled over the black and white tom.
"Crowshade[s]!" yowled Wildpaw.
The dark grey warrior pinned the black and white tom to the floor and plunged his teeth into his throat. Blackcloud let out a gurgled screech before his head collapsed and blood pooled on the floor. Crowshades teeth were still in his throat for a few more heartbeats before he let go. Nightscar and the rest of the riverclan warriors came running up to the dead tom, lightningstars eyes wide in shock. Crowshades eyes were wide, looking at the blood all over his paws.
Eyes filled with fear he mewed, "Im sorry. Im sorry. I didnt mean to do it. I was only trying to save Wildpaw."
Lightninstar looked at Crowshade and nodded, "Its alright Crowshade. Riverclan does not blame you. Blackcloud went mad with deserved this".
After a few heartbeats of silence wildpaw leapt down from the tree that she was holding onto. Her legs shaking she sat down.
The riverclan leader mewed, "Are you alright young one?"
Trembling, wildpaw nodded, tears filling her eyes.
Nightscar padded up to wildpaw and layed his tail on her shoulders before looking up at Lightningstar, "Take your warrior and leave Shadowclan territory. I will be reporting this to Foxstar."
The black she cat dipped her head before whispering in a dark tone ," Splashpelt. Get this thing back to camp. Throw him in the twoleg garbage. He does not deserve a vigil or burial."
The grey and white she cat from earlier nodded and flicked her tail for her clanmates to carry back the body of Blackcloud.
Once everyone but Lightningstar left, she mewed to wildpaw, "Im so sorry that this happened small one. I never knew that Blackcloud would do this." Turning to Nightscar she dipped her head, "I formally apologize for this. Tell Foxstar that I ask he forgets about this. Blackcloud killed Icetail and your warrior killed Blackcloud. Losing two of our warriors is punishment enough for Riverclan".
Wildpaws mentor paused a moment before nodding, "Alright. Now please leave before I get in trouble for having all of Riverclan in our territory."
Lightningstar smiled and nodded before bounding away.
Nightscar stared after her pelt for a few heartbeats before looking down at Wildpaw.
Crouching down to her height he mewed in a comforting voice, "You did very well Wildpaw. You were quick and smart to jump into the tree. Youre alright".
Wildpaw looked into his blue eyes and saw sincereness. Nodding and then taking a deep breath, standing she glanced at Crowshade. His eyes were wide staring down at his bloody paws, breathing heavily. Carefully padding over to him, she pressed her fur into his.
"Thank you for saving me Crowshade. " she orange eyes slowly moved from his paws to her face.
"I killed Blackcloud" he mewed in a shaky voice.
Nightscar padded up to him and layed his tial on his shoulder, "And in doing so you rid the clans of a blood thirsty enemy and saved Wildpaw. You did what you had to do. And everyone will understand " he rumbled.
Crowshade looked at nightscar, looking into his eyes for a few heartbeats. When he found no doubt behind Nightscars blue eyes, he looked down and flicked his tail.
"Now, lets head home. Weve all had a long day." said nightscar.
The three shadowclan cats stood and padded slowly towards camp. Wildpaw walked next to Crowshade, holding his tired weight up. His eyes were foggy with guilt and she felt terrible. If she hadnt of hesitated from leaving, crowshade wouldnt have had to save her. Once they Arrived at camp, they were surrounded by cats asking what had happened.
Wildpaw saw badgerpaw bound up to her, "Wildpaw! What happened? We heard you shriek and then crowshade told us to keep going".
Wildpaw looked at her paws and didnt say anything.
Nightscar appeared at her side and mewed, "Wildpaw needs rest. You can ask her what happened later. "
Badgerpaw looked at her sadly before nodding and padding away.
Nightscar flicked his tail over her pelt, "Go get some rest. You can have the rest of the day off. "
Wildpaw nodded and padded into the apprentices den where she found a new nest made for her near the back of the den.
She collapsed into her nest and before she could close her eyes, scratchpaw and fallenpaw bounded into the den. "Wildpaw! are you alright? What happened?"
The ginger and white apprentice sat up, "Not now guys. Please. Ill tell you later. I promise." she said in an exhausted tone.
Her brother looked at her very worried, "Wildpaw, please, what happened?" he asked.
Looking into her brothers eyes, she sighed, He deserved to know.
"We went on patrol and were rescenting the riverclan border when blackcloud showed up and caused a fight between him and Nightscar for no reason. His clanmate ran off to get help because it was unprovoked and she knew it. When she came back she had lightningstar and told her what happened." pausing as she imagined icetails empty soulless eyes, she shuddered before continuing, "Thats when blackcloud turned on her and killed her."
Scratchpaw leapt up, "He killed his own clanmate?!" he gasped in surprise.
Wildpaw nodded, "lightningstar fought him and nightscar told crowshade to take the rest of us home because he didnt want us to see anymore. But before I could leave, Blackcloud saw me and went after me. Nightscar tried to stop him but he was too fast. And he chased me through the forest."
Her voice shook, " I leapt into a tree to get away and then crowshade tackled him and killed him"
Fallenpaw and Scratchpaw stood in silence, staring at her in disbelief.
Fallenpaw mewed, "Crowshade...killed him?"
Wildpaw looked at her paws but nodded slightly, "Yes. He did it to save me. But...I think he feels guilty. Hes not much older than us and hes never taken a life before"
Fallenpaw padded forward and pressed his muzzle into her shoulder. "Im so glad you're alright Wildpaw. "
Scratchpaw murmured in agreement and pressed his side into hers.
Wildpaw relaxed into both their pelts and sighed. "Thank you".
Fallenpaw stepped back after a few heartbeats before mewing, "I would stay longer but Deerfoot wanted me for hunting practice. "
Wildpaw mewed goodbye as he padded out of the den.
Scratchpaw turned to her, "Do you want me to stay here with you? Rainbelly gave me the rest of the day off to be with you if you needed it."
Wildpaw nodded and made space for her brother in the nest. The two siblings layed next to each other, scratchpaws black pelt blending into her white and ginger pelt.
Im so glad that scratchpaw is my brother, wildpaw thought before drifting off to sleep.
