Blaze: well, I had a few minutes free of my homework so I decided to type the next chapter and sorry it took me so long to update, I had a project that I was suppose to do three weeks ago to finish
Tigerstar: yay! And typical
Crimson: what happened to your gansta look?
Tigerstar: it's dead! I got bored with it
Crimson: oh?
Tigerstar: yup, well, here's chapter 35
Blaze: it's Chapter 9, you idiot
Tigerstar: it is?
Crimson: duh
Blaze: (sighs) here's Chapter 9 and again sorry for the lateness of this chapter
Chapter 9
Bloody Ambush
The stench of ShadowClan rose up in Stormpaw's nostrils as he gazed around the clearing. The sun was rising high into the sky, shedding sunlight across the forest floor. "Is that ShadowClan territory over there?" he asked his mentor, Lionblaze.
Lionblaze nodded, "yes, just across the river," he meowed in reply.
"Okay, where are we going next?" Stormpaw asked his mentor.
"The SkyClan border," Lionblaze meowed before taking the lead again. Stormpaw followed his mentor, leaves crunching under his paws as he padded through the forest. After a while, a twoleg nest came into view and Stormpaw came to a stop. Is that the border with SkyClan? He thought. "Is that the SkyClan border mark?" he asked, flicking his tail in the direction of the abandoned twolegnest.
Lionblaze nodded, "yes, we agreed to make the abandoned twolegnest the border mark and SkyClan gets the territory beyond it. That way, both clans have access to the catmint in the abandoned twolegnest," he meowed.
"Okay," Stormpaw meowed before sniffing the air. The sharp scent of BloodClan filled his nostrils and he looked quizzically at Lionblaze.
The golden warrior sighed, "this is where Hollyleaf, Mousewhisker, Rosepaw and I meet with Robinheart who was fighting two BloodClan cats," he meowed, "it was shortly after BloodClan invaded SkyClan."
"Why would BloodClan invade SkyClan? Crimson would never do that," Stormpaw protested.
Lionblaze looked over his shoulder at the dark gray apprentice, "your mother was trying to find you and Nightpaw," he meowed, "I don't know if it was her or one of her warriors but either way, a SkyClan warrior as well as a BloodClan warrior was killed by BloodClan."
Stormpaw lowered his head, "I'm sorry," he meowed, "if Nightpaw and I had never gotten separated from Crimson when we were playing, this would never have happened." He gazed at his paws for a long moment before Lionblaze laid his tail comfortingly along his shoulder.
"It wasn't your fault, Stormpaw, we didn't know where BloodClan lived and you chose to remain in ThunderClan and become an apprentice," Lionblaze pointed out.
"That's because I don't want to continue living in the shadow of my heritage, Crimson's grandfather was the one that invaded the forest and had wanted to take over the clans territory," Stormpaw meowed, sadly.
Lionblaze's eyes widened with shock, "your great grandfather was Scourge?" he gasped. Stormpaw realized he must have heard the stories of what had happened back in the old forest before Stormpaw had even been born. Before Crimson had even been born and the clans were still living in their old home.
Stormpaw nodded, "I don't want to live with that kind of past, that is why I chose to stay in ThunderClan. I realized that if there was one way I could go my own path and release the tainted past of my mother's grandfather, then this was it," he meowed.
Lionblaze purred, "you kind of sound like a StarClan cat," he meowed.
Stormpaw purred in amusement, "BloodClan still don't believe in StarClan," he pointed out.
"But why do they have a medicine cat?" Lionblaze asked, referring to Talon, the BloodClan medicine cat that Stormpaw had told him and his sister about.
"Talon? He doesn't believe in StarClan either but he is a great medicine cat and he uses his gifts to heal the clan. You can still be a medicine cat even if you don't believe in StarClan," Stormpaw meowed.
Lionblaze tipped his head to one side, looking confused but he didn't say anything except, "come on, we'll go along the border and make sure the border marks are in the right places." He padded toward the border with Stormpaw right beside him, pausing to sniff the air when they came near the twolegnest.
"There is a stale scent of BloodClan," Stormpaw commented, "and a fresh scent of SkyClan," he frowned, puzzled, "there shouldn't be a fresh scent of SkyClan here, should there?" he asked his mentor.
Lionblaze stiffened before sniffing the air, "it is strange," he meowed. His eyes were filled with alarm but he blinked and the alarm vanished. Stormpaw was beginning to wonder if he had seen the alarm in his eyes at all.
"Do you want to head back now?" Lionblaze asked, looking at the dark gray apprentice.
Stormpaw looked up at him with his green gaze, "alright," he meowed before following his mentor as he led the way back toward the ShadowClan border. He cast one last glance at the SkyClan border, still smelling the fresh scent of a SkyClan cat close to the border.
****
By the time they reached the section of the border where SkyClan intersected ShadowClan, the sun was drifting higher into the endless blue sky above. Stormpaw gazed up at the sky and suddenly saw a strange cloud. It was dark, unlike the other white clouds above him. The cloud drifted over the sun and Stormpaw froze, his eyes wide with surprise as he saw the actual color of the cloud. It was a blood red.
"Do you see that?" Stormpaw gasped, still gazing up at the sky.
Lionblaze followed his gaze and turned to look at him with a puzzled look in his eye, "all I see is a cloud," he meowed.
"But don't you see what color it is?" Stormpaw demanded, his eyes still locked on the blood red cloud above.
"It's white like all the other clouds, are you feeling alright, Stormpw?" Lionblaze asked, looking at his apprentice with concern in his amber eyes.
"The cloud is blood red, you mousebrain," Stormpaw snapped, glaring at his mentor.
Lionblaze blinked, "I'm going to have Leafpool check on your when we get back to camp," he meowed, "you're starting to see things that aren't there."
"I'm telling the truth," Stormpaw hissed, looking up at the cloud again. The blood red color was growing darker until it blocked out the light of the sun. The blood seemed to fill all of Stormpaw's senses and he could smell the stench of blood around him. All around him, he could hear screeches of cats in pain. He could feel the warm feeling of blood wash against his paws and worst of all, he could see the blood flowing around in.
Understanding dawned on him just a moment before it actually happened, "we're going to be ambushed?" Stormpaw yowled.
At that instant, a loud yowl sounded, "BloodClan attack!"
Lionblaze, having been warned by Stormpaw's yowl, whirled around, his eyes wide with surprise at the patrol of BloodClan warriors rushing toward them, "how did y….?" he broke off before hissing, "go back to the camp and warn Firestar. If you by chance run across Hollyleaf, send her here ahead of you."
"What about you?" Stormpaw demanded, his eyes wide with fear.
"I'll be fine, go!" Lionblaze yowled before leaping at one of the charging warriors. Stormpaw whirled around before pelting in the direction of the forest. He swerved to avoid running headlong into trees and soon came out into a clearing. Hollyleaf and Rosepaw were practicing their battle moves when Stormpaw burst in.
"Stormpaw! What's the matter? Where's Lionblaze?" Hollyleaf demanded, relaxing her fighting stance.
"BloodClan…ambush…ShadowClan and SkyClan border…all alone," Stormpaw gasped out.
Hollyleaf widened her eyes in surprise before whirling around, "Rosepaw, you've had battle training but Stormpaw hasn't, you come with me and Stormpaw, get back to camp as soon as possible," she hissed but when she looked toward where the dark gray apprentice had been standing, Stormpaw was already gone.
Running through the trees as fast as he possibly could, Stormpaw bursted into the ThunderClan camp without even knowing he had entered the thorn tunnel. "BloodClan have invaded!" Stormpaw yowled.
The warriors gazed at him with uncertainty in their eyes but a moment later, the flame colored shape of Firestar came down from the highledge to join him, "where?" he demanded.
"Where the ShadowClan and SkyClan border intersect," Stormpaw gasped out.
Firestar nodded, "alright, Sandstorm, Cloudtail, Brightheart, Toadpaw, Brambleclaw, Spiderleg, Mousewhisker, Hazeltail and Berrynose, come with me. The rest of you stay here and protect the camp," he meowed. A moment later, the black shape of Stormpaw's sister, Nightpaw, padded forward. She looked at Stormpaw before turning her gaze to Firestar.
"You can't come with us, Nightpaw, you haven't had any proper battle training," Firestar meowed gently.
"She probably can't fight even with training," Toadpaw muttered and was rewarded with a sharp cuff across the ear from his mentor, Brightheart.
Nightpaw ignored Toadpaw and padded to stand beside Stormpaw before lifting her head and staring challenging at the ThunderClan leader. Firestar held Nightpaw's gaze for a long moment before sighing, "fine! But if you get wounded, get back to the camp as fast as you can," he murmured. Letting out a yowl, Firestar charged out of the ThunderClan camp with his warriors hard on his paws.
"Why are you going with us?" Stormpaw asked, looking at his sister in confusion.
Nightpaw looked directly at him and her voice sounded within Stormpaw's mind, because I must obey the will of our ancestors.
Stormpaw stared at his sister for a moment in surprise. It has been such a long time since we have talked this way, he commented.
I cannot speak so our ancestors granted me the gift of talking within another's mind, Nightpaw replied.
That is strange, Stormpaw meowed silently.
Nightpaw purred, you say my gift is strange and yet you have no idea what you're gift is, she meowed within Stormpaw's mind. Before Stormpaw could ask his sister what she meant, Nightpaw's voice drifted out of his mind as she followed the ThunderClan warriors along the ShadowClan border.
The sound of fighting cats soon came within earshot. With a yowl, the ThunderClan cats charged into the battle. Stormpaw gazed through the fighting cats, searching for the familiar golden pelt of his mentor. He spotted Lionblaze fighting side by side with Hollyleaf against Flame, a warrior Stormpaw had known when he was a kit, barely two moons old.
Nightpaw exchanged a glance with Stormpaw before hurrying to her mentor's side. Stormpaw followed her before leaping at the familiar ginger shape of Flame's twin brother, Ember.
"You!" Ember gasped, recognizing the dark gray apprentice.
"I'm surprised you remember me," Stormpaw commented before sinking his teeth into Ember's shoulder. Letting out a screech of pain, Ember tore free before backing away, his eyes wide with fear.
"Are you a coward?" Stormpaw sneered, "you can't even fight against an apprentice who hasn't had any battle training?"
"C-Crimson told us not to harm you if you were present in this battle," Ember stammered in reply.
Stormpaw leaped at the dark ginger tom and dragged him down before sinking his claws deep within Ember's back. "I want you to tell Crimson this, Nightpaw and I are apart of ThunderClan now. We will never return to BloodClan, at least I won't. Nightpaw is free to make her own decision but this is mine." With that, Stormpaw sank his teeth into Ember's shoulder again before letting him go. Screeching in pain, the dark ginger tom rushed away from the dark gray apprentice.
Stormpaw whirled around before dashing through the middle of the BloodClan cats. The BloodClan cats, obviously recognizing him, drew aside to let him by. The ThunderClan cats fought furiously with the BloodClan warriors as Stormpaw searched the crowd for Lionblaze.
Lionblaze was now fighting side by side with Firestar, he was bleeding from a deep wound in the side. Firestar, on the other hand, looked to be even in worse shape than the golden warrior. The ThunderClan leader was bleeding from a deep wound in his side and a bite on the shoulder. He was limping but he still fought on as if he wasn't wounded as badly as he was.
The cat he and Lionblaze were fighting was none other than the BloodClan leader herself, Crimson.
Crimson snarled at the ThunderClan leader, "I know my kits are in ThunderClan," she hissed, "and I will kill anyone who gets in the way of me and my kits."
Firestar narrowed his eyes, "they are apprentices of ThunderClan now and they do not wish to return," he hissed in reply.
Crimson snarled and sprang at the ThunderClan leader, carrying him off of his paws and pinning him down. A pale gray she cat came into Stormpaw's view, cutting off the scene in front of him. Stormpaw hissed before leaping at the BloodClan cat and sinking his teeth into her shoulder. Screeching, the pale gray she cat hurried back the way she had come.
Stormpaw then dodged through the cats before freezing dead a moment later. Crimson was fighting with Lionblaze now but Firestar was limp.
"Firestar!" Stormpaw yowled, causing Crimson to stop fighting, her eyes widening in surprise. The ThunderClan leader was still, his eyes were glazed and the last breath had left his body. "Firestar?" the dark gray apprentice whispered, his eyes wide with fear.
A moment later, the dark ginger leader gasped out before blinking his eyes, "Stormpaw?" he whispered.
"I'm here," Stormpaw meowed, looking down in concern at his leader, "are you alright?"
"I've lost a life but it wasn't my last," Firestar whispered.
Stormpaw narrowed his eyes slightly, "how many do you have left?" he asked, curiously.
Firestar sighed, "I will tell you later," he meowed before struggling to his feet. There was deep pain in his eyes and he swayed slightly.
Stormpaw supported his leader before looking at him, "are you alright?" he asked.
"Yes, I am fine," Firestar meowed, starting to regain his balance, "come on, we have a battle to finish." With that, the ThunderClan leader charged back into the battle. The fact that he lost a life did not seem to slow Firestar down.
Stormpaw whirled around and saw Crimson had Lionblaze pinned and was preparing to sink her teeth into his throat. With a yowl, Stormpaw leaped at Crimson, bowling over the black she cat. Crimson's eyes went wide with surprise, "Storm?" she gasped.
"My name is Stormpaw," Stormpaw snapped, glaring at the cat that was his own mother.
"Why have you done this?" Crimson asked, her voice a mere whisper.
"BloodClan is not my clan anymore, Crimson," Stormpaw replied, his voice just as quiet, "ThunderClan is and I will not stand by and have you murder my clanmates." He bared his teeth and sank them deep within the crimson-eyed she cats shoulder. Crimson let out a yowl of pain before struggling free and gasping as blood welled up from the wound.
She gazed at Stormpaw, pain deep within her crimson gaze, "if that is the way you feel then fine," she whispered, "you will always be my son, Stormpaw, no matter what you think. But if you think ThunderClan is a better home for you than BloodClan then so be it."
Rushing forward and jumping on top of a nearby boulder, Crimson raised her head, "retreat! BloodClan retreat!" she yowled. The BloodClan warriors struggled away from their opponents before rushing back to join their leader. The ThunderClan cats were about to charge after them but Brambleclaw and Firestar held them back with a single word.
Crimson gazed at Stormpaw and Nightpaw, who had joined her brother a moment later. Crimson's eyes were filled with pain and sadness, like a mother leaving her kits forever, "goodbye Stormpaw, Nightpaw," she whispered, her voice just barely reaching the two apprentices ears, "if we meet again, let us hope it is under a happier occasion."
Shocked by Crimson's sudden change of heart, Stormpaw watched as the black she cat whirled around and charged in the direction of the territory where they were staying. The BloodClan warriors followed them as the sun came high into the sky, casting bright sunlight down on the warriors below.
A/n what do you think?
Blaze: wow! That was a sudden change of heart as Stormpaw had said
Tigerstar: it was
Crimson: hello, my character did have to leave her kits because they chose to live in ThunderClan so of course she is going to be sad
Tigerstar: but I thought all BloodClan cats are suppose to be evil at heart, just like Scourge was
Crimson: it's Blaze's story, ask her
Blaze: I'm not going to say anything because it might reveal something that is going to happen in a later chapter
Tigerstar: oh, okay
Blaze: please review and I'm posting Chapter 10 as well as this chapter today because of the lateness of this chapter