Chapter 10 – Oath
"What is the meaning of this?" hissed Duskshadow, limping forward to his sister. "Have you gone mad, bringing rogues into our camp!?"
His sister regarded him coolly. "This is part of my plan, Duskshadow. ThunderClan will be the strongest and largest Clan of all."
"What, so this is your army?" spat Duskshadow. A few of the rogues hissed in defense, but most of them were flea-ridden and scrawny, and didn't look like they could even beat the youngest ThunderClan apprentice.
The other cats in camp were all emerging from the dens, and their response to Dawnstar was surprise and anger. Rowanheart stepped forward to challenge the rogue cats with mocking threats that sounded eerily like Duskshadow when he was an apprentice. Finally a few cats pushed forward to accept Rowanheart's challenge.
These few cats were well-muscled and had numerous battle scars upon their pelts; even Rowanheart seemed less confident. These must be the leaders of a sort, thought Duskshadow. Ravenwing appeared beside him, apparently having reached camp after the rogues reached it. "What's going on?" she whispered.
"Dawnstar's apparently joining them to our Clan. You heard her."
Ravenwing's eyes were wide as Dawnstar leaped onto the Highledge to announce that she had recruited the rogues to make ThunderClan the strongest of all the Clans around the lake. An elder yowled out, "That makes you no better than Tigerstar, foxdung!"
Dawnstar flicked her tail to signal to the rogue cats, and one stepped out to score his claws across the elder's throat. There was a choked gasp as the elder collapsed into a pool of blood.
"Stop! Dawnstar, by doing this you break the warrior code and bring shame on us!" yowled Ravenwing. Stupid fool! Keep quiet or they'll kill you too!
Dawnstar apparently had the same notion. "Anyone who defies my decision will face my own warriors. Why can't you see that with these cats, we can actually be the best? We of ThunderClan shall bask in the glory of victory forevermore!"
It seems like Dawnstar has taken my ambition. Before he broke his leg, he would have agreed eagerly to support her cause, but now, the words of the three StarClan cats roared in his ears, and he recalled all Stormclaw had taught him of the honor of a warrior. How is taking over the Clans with an army of rogues honorable?
If Stormclaw were alive right now, he would have taken a long look at the group of rogues and scoffed with disdain, "Have ThunderClan fallen so low in the short time I was gone?" It was partly my fault, he admitted to himself. I could have stopped Dawnstar—or could I?
Before Duskshadow could do anything, Ravenwing had snuck behind Dawnstar on the Highledge—her rogues were on the other side of camp, and couldn't see the black medicine cat climbing the pile of stones—but the ThunderClan cats could see, and they seemed to approve. When Ravenwing lunged at Dawnstar, knocking both of them off the Highledge, all the cats, including the youngest kit and the oldest elder, unsheathed their claws with a caterwaul that echoed in the hollow of the ThunderClan camp.
Dushshadow instinctively unsheathed his claws as well, but didn't know what to do. Did he have a duty to his blood and kin, or was his duty to ThunderClan more important? As if StarClan heard his question, the familiar voice of Stormclaw whispered in his ear: Do you remember the words of your warrior ceremony?
How could he forget the words that were repeated for every new warrior, yet each time brought forth such pride and happiness?
Do you, Duskpaw, promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan at all costs?
The voice murmured, And what did you say, Duskpaw?
He had his answer then.
Duskshadow glanced around to see Ravenwing holding her own against two other rogues, but she was bleeding from several wounds, and for the first time he could see how much one blind eye could cost a warrior in a battle. He hopped over to the Highledge, dragging himself up as best as he could, wishing for his good four legs again, and once he stood where the Clan leaders stood to address the Clan, he braced himself and yowled, "Everyone stop fighting!"
The Clan cats froze, but the rogues seemed not to hear him. Dawnstar shoved off the warrior she was battling and commanded, "Stop! Let us listen to what my dear brother has to say to us." She turned to face him with a mocking smile on her face.
He began, "The tales tell us of Tigerstar, the legendary warrior who betrayed ThunderClan and tried to murder his own leader with a band of rogues. But while the rogues Tigerstar gathered were unkempt and unruly savages"—Duskshadow heard several indignant hisses from the rogues—"but let us not forget the great leader Blackstar, and the few rogues he reformed into ShadowClan warriors. We like to say that ThunderClan is the most honorable of the bunch;"—this time he heard agrees coming from the crowd of ThunderClan cats—"but we have fallen on hard times.
"ShadowClan accepted Tigerstar because they had lost their leader and deputy, and were desperate to regain their former esteem. How is our situation any different?" Duskshadow could tell that the ThunderClan cats were displeased, but most of them seemed to realize that he was right. "While we dominated the daylight Gathering competition, we have to admit that we are running low on warriors and kits. Leaf-bare will approach in a few months, and we must be prepared." He smiled for the first time in moons—the smile he used when he felt invincible.
There was silence, and the ThunderClan cats slowly started to nod and mew their assent. Dawnstar's expression was mixed with triumph and anger—triumph that she was able to invite all these rogues into the Clan, and anger that her brother still refused to become her deputy. They all seemed content, and the rogues seemed relieved as if they didn't want to risk their lives in a war against ThunderClan…
…All except Ravenwing, whose blue eyes were clouded with hurt and disbelief. I trusted you, those eyes wailed at him, but the misunderstanding filled Duskshadow with fury. You poor stupid half-blind fool, he might have said, if only all these cats weren't here, with watching eyes and listening ears. Can't you see what I'm doing?
He limped to the medicine cat den, and for once he didn't have Ravenwing dogging his steps. I don't care. ThunderClan needs to be saved, but if she's too mousebrained to realize it, she can get herself killed if she wants to. He had more pressing things to ponder about: how to defeat Dawnstar.