Okkkk I'm so sorry that this took so long! My teachers are evil... :( but now you have it so be happy! I know I keep saying 1 more chapter, but now I'm pretty sure there will be 2 more chapters. I'm about done with this story hahaha -Danielle
After a couple of days of running around behind Shadowclan's backs, a group of Thunderclan warriors searching for Ravenwings much needed Marigold. They returned badly beaten with no herbs to help Runningwind, who was suffering from an infected gash on his shoulder. Luckily, Redstar had gotten to the Moonstone and back before Brokenstar brought down his full force on the recovering clan.
Fireheart sat guard by the entrance, listening intently for sounds of his enemies approach. The rest of his clan was sleeping soundly, snoring into the night. He thought about Larkpaw and Ivypaw, sleeping in the apprentices den for the first time tonight. That had been Redstars first act as leader; to make Fireheart and Graystripe mentors of the newest apprentices. He knew there were other, more deserving warriors that should have taken them, but Fireheart and Larkpaw were inseparable. Fireheart remembered his last night with Bluestar, and the events leading up to it. He was sorry he didn't stay to help her fight, but maybe if he had, he wouldn't have a clan to fight for. He didn't even get a chance to say goodbye. Brokenstar was going to pay for sure. Fireheart would start training Larkpaw tomorrow, getting her as ready as he could for their confrontation with the Shadowclan leader. The fiery tom watched the sun rise, his warriors stir, and life begin again. He could have slipped into his nest and fallen asleep after a night's uneventful watch, but he was deputy. He had tasks to take care of.
"Whitestorm! Take another warrior and check the medicine entrance. I don't want Shadowclan finding it. If it's clear, come back and get Tigerclaw. Tigerclaw, when Whitestorm comes back, take four other warriors and try to get some prey for the queens and elders." The two warriors nodded and returned to their den, emerging with their parties. "And Tigerclaw, if you can, go along the Thunderpath. I want to know how many Shadowclan warriors are in our forest." He grunted acknowledgment before trotting after Whitestorm into the Medicine Den. Ravenwing had patiently trafficked many healthy cats through his den, and Fireheart wondered how long he would tolerate his noisy clan disrupting his sick cats.
His leader padded up to him, watching the cats leave the clearing. "You're doing very well. A natural leader. Get the patrols put together, and then I would like you and the mentors to train your apprentices. I can tell Brokenstar is about to snap, and when he does, I don't want to lose our future warriors because they aren't prepared."
"Yes Redstar. Should I have Mousefur try again with the herbs? Runningwind isn't getting any better. I'm actually worried he will get worse."
"Have Whitestorm and Mousefur go, but no one else. Focus on training and needs today. Like the fact that we need strong warriors!" With that encouragement, Redstar turned away and walked back to his den. It wasn't like him to shut himself away from the clan. When Whitestorm returned with Dustpelt, Fireheart told him his next job. Together, Mousefur and Whitestorm departed for the woods. With everyone taken care of, Fireheart trudged into the warriors den to fetch Graystripe and Darkstripe. Then, he called Dustpelt, Ashpaw, Fernpaw, Larkpaw, and Ivypaw together. The training session would have to be in camp today, considering it was dangerous just to hunt for prey.
They began by having Fernpaw and Ashpaw mock fight, to show their techniques and tricks to the newest apprentices. Then, Fireheart showed them all a new trick.
"Since you will most likely be smaller than all of your opponents, this move will be ideal for the next battle. Darkstripe, if I could use you? Now, simply leap onto their back and hold on. For practice, claws are to be sheathed!" The deputy ordered. He jumped onto the great warriors back and carefully kept his balance without scraping him. Darkstripe flounced around, trying weakly to unhinge his attacker. When at last the counter move came, Fireheart bounced off and landed firmly on his feet. "If you are attacked with this move, the best way to get rid of your opponent is to roll on your back. Try the leap on your mentor, and then try the counter on a fellow apprentice. Don't forget to break away when they go down!"
Larkpaw sprang from behind him, landing squarely on his back. He tried to buck her off, but when that didn't work, he went for the roll. She smartly ducked away before he hit the ground, coming to a sitting position three fox lengths away. As he got to his paws, Fireheart saw that the others had finished their practicing, and were waiting to try the counter roll on each other. He motioned for the apprentices to begin, stepping back to give them some space. Larkpaw was thrown off balance by Ashpaw, who was much bigger than she, but immediately caught herself before intentionally rolling onto her back. The young tom was crushed by her swift movement, yet Fireheart noticed he got in a couple of strikes as he was dislodged.
"Very good! Now that you all have that down, I'll show you another move. Partner fighting is very useful when you're small too. Especially when you don't have as much training as the cat you and your partner are fighting against. Ashpaw and Fernpaw, attack Graystripe. Watch them, Ivypaw and Larkpaw, and try to learn some of the moves they do." The littermates stepped into synchronization easily, slashing at Graystripe. As great of a team as they were, Ashpaw and Fernpaw were no match for his skill and experience. He deflected every move quickly, moving towards an offensive front. When the demonstration had gone on long enough, Darkstripe called for a dismissal. Each mentor took their apprentice to another part of camp and trained with them one on one.
Fireheart decided he would teach Larkpaw simple gestures first. He showed her how to bring her paw down on another cats head, stressing the fact that it would bring definite pain to their skull. With those consequences in mind, he had her practice on his back. It worked...Fireheart felt like he had gotten stung by a hundred bees. The next best thing to learn would be stalking techniques. They were great for hunting, and fighting! Larkpaw had just taken a few steps, when Tigerclaws patrol returned. "We'll-uh- pick this up later. Go take some freshkill to the elders, and then you can rest." She bounced off, picking up a mouse and a thrush off the meager pile and heading to the fallen tree. Fireheart turned towards the senior warrior, expecting to see defiance run in his amber eyes.
"We were able to catch enough for the whole clan to eat tonight. That doesn't mean we'll be able to stuff our faces, but we won't go to sleep with empty stomachs." The great warrior reported. As he talked, his cats came in with prey filling their jaws. Yes, it would be enough for everyone to keep going, but it wasn't like the clan's normal newleaf feast.
Fireheart nodded, "And were you able to make it to the Thunderpath?"
"Yes. The Shadowclan scents are strongest there, like they pass by that area every day. In the forest, we didn't meet a single one of them. It makes me wonder...maybe Brokenstar has retreated his warriors for now? It would be a clever move; making us think we are surrounded when we are not."
"I see what you are saying. I'll run it by Redstar, maybe he'll agree. Thank you Tigerclaw." Tigerclaw dipped his head and stalked off to join Darkstripe and Dustpelt, who were just finishing up with their training sessions. Fireheart had much to do before he could get back to Larkpaw, and even more to do before he could get a wink of sleep! First, he would go to Redstar with the news. He hoped he would think of a strategy that could take place in a few days. It was obvious the whole clan was growing tense with battle raging over them, but were they ready? "Redstar?" Fireheart called, coming up to his leaders den.
"You may enter, Fireheart." When he did, Redstar sat up and placed his tail around his paws. "What news do you have for me? Is Larkpaw coming along well with her training?"
"She's a quick learner, and an even better fighter. She is her mother's daughter, there's no doubt about it! But I wanted to tell you what Tigerclaw reported today."
"Ah, yes, was he leading the border patrol?"
"I had him hunt up to the Shadowclan border, because I could not spare anymore warriors to take a separate patrol."
"Hmm...good thinking, but we can't fall behind on protecting our Riverclan border. Be sure to put a couple of cats on that. Now, what was it you wanted to tell me? Nothing bad, I hope?" His leader replied.
Fireheart shook his head. "No, nothing bad, just interesting. It seems that Shadowclan has retreated." He continued on to tell him Tigerclaws full story, expressing their opinions on the matter.
"Yes, it does look like he has a different plan. We must take action before Brokenstar corners us!"
"But, Redstar, you can't mean forcing our warriors into battle yet? Runningwind still hasn't fully recovered, and the apprentices still have much more to learn before they are even remotely ready to take on Shadowclan!"
"No Fireheart, I know they are not ready. I don't think I, myself, am either. After the first fight, I don't think any cat is stable enough to confidently charge behind me. We lost too many warriors that night..." He seemed to know he was falling into his own memories, and quickly pulled himself out again. "Station a four cats at hidden places in the forest. Have shifts every six hours. That should leave enough cats to patrol and hunt. We'll see how that goes after a couple of days. Maybe we can see just what Brokenstar is up to before we make any more decisions. Thank you Fireheart, you may go." The fiery tom rose and slipped out of the den, blinking in the dimming sunlight. He needed to decide who was going to go where, and when he could fit Larkpaw into the waning day.
Settling down just outside the Warriors Den, Fireheart thought about his smallest warriors. Mousefur could be great at the job, but she was also a great hunter. They would need her to sustain the clans energy and strength before the fight. That very problem gave him what he needed to create the perfect system.
"Dustpelt, Graystripe, Mousefur, Lionheart!" The deputy cried, jumping up in excitement. Mouefur was not back from her mission with Whitestorm, but the rest had come to see what he needed. Fireheart quickly explained his plan, his eyes glowing with pride at the brilliance of it all. Each cat would be stationed at a certain area in the forest, and called to protect it for six hours of the day. In that time, they would roam the appointed area in search of prey. When they caught something, the four cats would take it to the center point and hide it in the hollow tree there. Another cat would come and check that place periodically and bring home any prey left. That way, the clan would be getting its nourishment, but they could also keep tabs on what was happening with Shadowclan. "Any questions?"
"So...we don't have to stay out there all the time, right?" Graystripe asked.
Fireheart shook his head. "I'll send replacements when your time is up. Make sure you hunt on your way back though. Redstar says Brokenstar is about to pounce."
"What do we do if we spot Shadowclan warriors? One against three at the least won't go down well." Lionheart mused. He looked at the fiery warrior quizzically, as if waiting for him to come up with an answer to his thought out question.
"If you scent any enemies, roll in mud, or whatever you can find, and climb a tree. It's our woods, so they won't be able to smell a difference in your trail from others. Anything else?" He waited for someone to speak up before nodding. "Ok, you know where to go. I'll send Mousefur out when she gets back. Good luck and Starclan be with you!"
Graystripe's POVishness!
Hours passed by too slowly and nothing was happening. He felt like he had hunted the forest out of small animals, and still the sun was high in the sky. Walking back from the hollow tree was boring, as everything else was. He wanted to run, to feel the cold air find its way through his fur...but no, he had to scent for anything weird. He decided to go ahead and pick his home tree while everything was calm. One that was in the middle of his quarter, that was tall, that had just enough leaves to conceal him but not his enemies. It didn't take long before he got to a small oak tree towering over the rest. For the remainder of his guard duty, he dosed off. It wasn't like Fireheart would come searching for him and everyone else was sympathetic to the warriors stuck in the Shadowclan infested forest. It was a dangerous job, but rather boring at times.
It seemed like Graystripe had just closed his eyes when he felt his branch shake. "Whaaa? Invaders!" he screeched, leaping in the air.
"Shut up mousebrain! It's just me. You can yowl again when the whole of Shadowclan finds us because of your voice!" Mousefur hissed.
"What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be back at camp?"
"When you didn't show up to the meeting point, Lionheart sent me to see if you...had gotten lost." Even though she hadn't said it, Graystripe knew she meant 'see if you had gotten caught'. He slid down the branch and followed her back to the group. Together, they trooped into camp and waited while Lionheart found Fireheart. No one had anything to report, but he insisted on sending out another patrol to take their places. Tigerclaw, Whitestorm, Darkstripe, and Brindleface left the clearing to roam the forest, nodding to their clanmates as they went.
"Hey Fireheart, how is Runningwind?" Mousefur asked. She seemed worried about her littermate, as any sister would.
Fireheart gazed at her sadly, and Graystripe wondered if he would really give her bad news now. "I don't know, maybe you should go check on him. I'm sure a visit would brighten his day!" Mousefur purred, running off after the patrol. The main tunnel was still too risky to use, even though most of Shadowclan had left.
"He's going to die isn't he?" Graystripe murmured when she had gone.
His best friend shook his head, the light leaving his eyes. "I don't think I can handle all of this...Runningwind dying, the clan starving, and Shadowclan hanging over us like falling leaves. I shouldn't be leader! I'll ruin the clan!"
"You can do it, Fireheart! You have me, and Larkpaw, and everyone else right behind you! We'll help you as much as we can. I'll even go out right now and find all of the herbs Ravenwing needs!" Graystripe cried. Fireheart couldn't lose faith when his clan needed him the most...he just couldn't!
"You're right. Thanks, I know I can always count on you." Fireheart purred. He walked off, then turned around. "And yes, you should go ask Ravenwing what you can do. If he can't help Runningwind any more, then there will be other cats for him to save later."
He bounded down to the medicine den, shocked by the number of cats hauled in there. They all had healthy scents, besides Runningwind, but Graystripe couldn't figure out why his replacement patrol never left. "What's going on?"
"Shadowclan found our entrance. They scented the strong trail left by your group. Now how are we going to feed the clan?" Brindleface meowed in an anxious voice. It was what the clan had been waiting for; the end. Sure, they had prey for a couple of days, but then what? Shadowclan had cracked down on them and there was no other escape. They were done for.
"I'll tell Fireheart right away!" Graystripe replied. He was already racing through the medicine den tunnel and out into the open. "Fireheart!" he called, searching desperately for that familiar flaming pelt.
"What is it Graystripe? Is Runningwind worse?"
"No. It's even graver than that. Shadowclan found our secret entrance!" He quickly filled his deputy in on what had happened in the last minute, and then waited for him to do something.
"How many are guarding us? Maybe we can take them down."
"No Fireheart, you know better than that. The fighting would draw too much attention. So they found our entrance? Let them guard it. Brokenstar will attack by the end of three days, and we'll be ready. Train the apprentices in the best battle techniques you know, and refresh our seasoned warriors memories. I hope Ravenwing has the herbs he needs to patch us up when we are finished defeating Brokenstar!" Redstar said from behind Graystripe. The Thunderclan leader had been listening the whole time, taking in the news of his falling clan. It must have been so difficult for him to keep a positive attitude when all was lost!
"Yes Redstar, right away. Graystripe go get the patrol from the Medicine den and get some sleep. Tomorrow we'll start training again." With that his friend walked off, not even bothering to keep his head his like Redstar had. Graystripe did as he was told and brought his clanmates back into the clearing.
Mousefur stayed by her brother's side that whole night, never coming to the Warriors den once. The den was warm even without her though. He fell asleep fast, dreaming of running through the forest without any smelly Shadowclan warriors following him. It was beautiful...and then he woke up.
The next morning's meal consisted of half a mouse and a face full of apprentice fur. Ivypaw leapt on her mentors back and jumped up and down while he tried to eat in peace.
"What are we learning today? When do we get to fight big bad Shadowclan warriors? Why aren't we allowed to eat a lot anymore? What are we learning today?" She piped excitedly.
"Mind yourself, and we'll learn everything you need to beat the big bad Shadowclan warriors. You aren't allowed to eat everything in sight because we only have whatever is on the fresh kill pile right now." Graystripe replied in annoyance. He finished his meal, ignoring her questions, and then stalked over to where Fireheart stood.
"Good, you're ready. I think the apprentices would do better in a one on one lesson with their mentors. Just because they are on different levels. I want each of them to know everything you think is basic, plus one advanced move that will help, if there's time left in the day. When you see Dustpelt or Darkstripe, tell them their instructions." The warrior nodded and Fireheart went off to collect Larkpaw, and then led her behind the High Rock. "Ok. You've learned pretty much everything I can teach you for the battle, but I want to add another, harder move. Now attack me using all of the moves you've learned." Not a second after he finished, Larkpaw had already sprung into action. She darted around, swiping sheathed claws at exposed places. Fireheart defended himself as best as he could, but she was just too quick. Larkpaw blew through every technique, finally pouncing on him when he was unstable.
Fireheart squirmed for a moment, and then suddenly went limp. He felt Larkpaw give in, and shot upward, landing on his paws. The apprentice slide a few feet away, in shock. "What was that?" She cried, trotting back to her mentor.
"That is the last move you will ever need to outsmart a warrior. But to do it, you must be strong! Most of the time, there will be bigger warriors on top of you. Now come at me again.
By the time they finished, the clan had gathered in the clearing. It was a nice day, and even though the threat hung over them like a low branch, a cat would be mousebrained not to take advantage of it. Mousefur appeared, grief raining down on her. "Fireheart! Come quick!" She hissed from across camp. He left Larkpaw to find her sister, and followed the she cat down to the medicine den.
"What's happened? Is Runningwind ok?" Fireheart asked as they burst into the little clearing. Ravenwing was hurrying between Runningwind's bed and the cleft in a boulder where he kept his stores. Runningwind was curled in a heap of brown tabby fur.
"He's been claimed by Starclan. There's nothing we can do." Ravenwing murmured through a pile of leaves. He paused only to check that the brave warrior was still breathing before moving on to whatever he was doing. "I figured I would give Mousefur some time with him while I prepared...no sense in letting cats die while I wait on one who is already gone. I only regret not replenishing my stock when I had the chance..."
"So...Runningwind won't get better..." Fireheart breathed. He felt a small piece of his heart tear off. When he had first come to the clan, Runningwind had been one of the few warriors who had warmed up to him. He had become a good companion, and it was hard to say goodbye. "Mousefur would you-" One look into her dead eyes told Fireheart he could not tear his clanmate from this bed even if he beat her. "Would you stay here while I went to go get Redstar? Runningwind will need to be eased off, and I don't want him to be alone." she nodded and he left again.
It seemed Fireheart was forever cursed to run around sending and receiving messages. He stepped up to the lichen curtain and called out a greeting to his leader.
"Runningwind is going. We should hurry."
Redstar rose and followed him quickly back to the medicine den. Nobody had moved except for Ravenwing, who was still tending to his sorting.
"Thank you Ravenwing, for tending to Runningwind." Redstar greeted him. He stood over the dying warrior and raised his eyes to the canopy of branches. "Starclan lift the pain from this faithful warrior and send him on his way to join your ranks. He has fought bravely for many years, and will be greatly missed. Let him spend eternity running through your lush forests and sleeping on the forever bright stars."
Runningwind died after a couple of hours of pure pain. Redstar, Fireheart, Mousefur, and Ravenwing sat through it all, waiting for him to drift off. It wasn't until Ravenwing could not stand the moans anymore that a little scarlet berry was popped into Runningwind's mouth. He was laid in the middle of the clearing for the clan to mourn over. The stars shone brightly over him, as if welcoming their old friend into the ranks of the fallen.
"He was a good friend, brother, and clanmate. He fought for what was right, but he followed the orders given to him. Nobody could ask for a better cat by their side. Runningwind will be greatly missed." Redstar murmured before his clan. As his leader stared down at his dead warrior, Fireheart saw deadly pain ripple and flash in his eyes. Shocked, he continued to watch Redstar, but no other odd emotion showed itself. He pondered it for the rest of the night, only half listening to the clan as they told their stories of Runningwind.
When morning came, the elders were dispatched to pick up the small tabby and carry him to his final resting place. Thunderclan made two lines as he passed, bowing their heads as if Runningwind were a leader. Fireheart watched his trailing tail disappear into the thorn tunnel, feeling a thick lump rise in his throat. It was too soon after Spottedleafs death….and one of his old friends too. Why was Starclan being so unfair? What had Mousefur or Runningwind for that matter, done to deserve this? No answer came. Fireheart hadn't expected one, but he also hadn't expected the sunrise to be so beautiful on such a morbid day.
It was Starclan's way of telling him everything would soon be as it should be.
Mwahahaha! I killed Runningwind. Yeah. sad. Tell me what you think! Yell, give advice, talk about puppies, I really don't care as long as you review and say something! Did I mention you can talk about puppies? I like puppies :) they're so cute!