CHAPTER EIGHT

Everyone was silent as Junipernose, Clumsystep, Stonefang, Beestar, and Puddleheart were surrounding the dead she-cat, their heads low, who was sitting like she was asleep, her eyes closed and her body in a lying position with a plant Puddleheart called lavender around her to mask the scent of death that clung to Winterpaw's pelt now.

Stonefang had carried his sister from the twoleg nest only a few steps before Winterpaw had to take over. His tears were clogging up his vision and making him stumbling around blindly. Twigpaw had ran ahead to alert the Clan. No one was happy, Junipernose especially.

"Beestar," he suddenly mewed grimly, looking at her from across his daughter, "how long are you going to make us wait to kill these cats?" His tail lashed and there were murmurs of agreement through the Clan. "They killed my daughter, Puddleheart's medicine cat apprentice, your next medicine cat!" He looked furious and the murmurs of agreement grew louder.

The leader stood up, keeping her head high as she spoke, "They may have murdered Feathersong, but we don't know all of them were in on this, Junipernose…" She looked around at her Clanmates as they glared at her and some let out yowls of disapprovement. "I cannot risk any of your lives."

Strikefang stepped up beside Junipernose, Tigerheart, Stonefang, Clumsystep, and Sleekfeather all standing beside him. "We need to attack, Beestar. They don't obey the warrior code and they are stealing our territory!" Strikefang spat at her, eyes narrowed to slits.

Beestar stepped forward, nose to nose with the cats. "We will not attack! Do you understand me?" she growled lowly and Tawnypelt stood next to her, Puddleheart, Moonpaw, and Grassheart copying. "You will not attack. There will be harsh consequences if you do."

Everyone watched silently as the cats in the clearing got angrier. "If another cat dies, Beestar," Clumsystep growled lowly, "it is on you." He whipped away from her and padded away while the other cats gave her another glare and followed.

Tawnypelt looked at Beestar with wide eyes. "Do not put them on a patrol anywhere near the other cats. For now we stay away from the twoleg place until I decide what to do," Beestar mumbled and flicked her tail at Winterpaw, who was listening a few steps away. "Be careful, Winterpaw, watch their every move. We will be on the dawn patrol tomorrow." And then she padded away.

A tail rested on her shoulder and her eyes flickered to Twigpaw, who was now standing beside her. "They're just mad, everything will blow over soon." He nodded towards Junipernose and the others. "I know she was your friend, Winterpaw…" His voice faltered and he shook his head before padding away without another word.

Her heart hurt in her chest as she gazed at the limp she-cat, her best friend. Her only friend. Winterpaw's pelt prickled in anger as she remembered Stormcloud slitting her neck without hesitation. Her paws turned and led her over to Stonefang.

Stonefang gazed down at her with angry eyes. "You can't talk me out of this, Winterpaw. We are going to teach those cats a lesson. And if-"

She cut him off quickly, "No, Stonefang. I want to join you. Whatever you're planning, I'm in." Her tail lashed in anger. "She was my best friend and she needs to be avenged."

Junipernose stepped up to Winterpaw, eyes shining. "Welcome to the patrol. We're attacking tomorrow at moonhigh." He glanced at the other angry cats. "We're going to recruit more warriors for this…" He flicked his tail towards Yarrowfur, Mudstorm, Cloudsong, and Slateleaf who were talking at the edge of the clearing and then he casually padded over.

Winterpaw felt her anger grow as she looked up in the sky at the dimmed sun that was sinking in the sky now, her claws flexing in excitement. They would show those cats what happens when they mess with ShadowClan.

Junipernose led the patrol of cats, Stonefang, Clumsystep, Tigerheart, Strikefang, Sleekfeather, Mudstorm, a heavy breathing Shadowclaw and Cometmoon, Spikefur, and Lionfur who was holding her breath as she rasped in breaths.

Their pelts were bristling as they neared the entrance and split off into two groups: Junipernose leading Lionfur, Shadowclaw, Tigerheart, Mudstorm, and Sleekfeather to the entrance of camp while Stonefang led Clumsystep, Strikefang, Cometmoon, Spikefur, and Winterpaw into a back entrance silently.

She could barely see Lionfur's pelt as they slipped into dens and Winterpaw followed Stonefang and Cometmoon into the nearest den, seeing a few sleeping bodies and guilt clawed at her pelt. And then a yowl echoed through the clearing, the cats in the den sitting up but Winterpaw jumped on the nearest one, recognizing Cosmo's white pelt and blue eyes flashing as Winterpaw held her down, baring her teeth at Cosmo in anger. She looked terrified and didn't move at all. Stonefang was holding down Fang who was hissing in anger.

"This is for my sister," he whispered into her ear and Winterpaw watched as he dug his claws into her deeply. Other than them the den was empty and the rest of the patrol moved to a different den, yowls of surprise echoed through the clearing as the ShadowClan warriors attacked the kittypets in their sleep.

Fang hissed and her gaze met Cosmo's for a heartbeat. "It wasn't our fault!" she gasped, her eyes wide. "Stormcloud wasn't suppose to kill anyone! I'm expecting Crowfrost's kits and we just needed more prey…" Her jaw was open but no words were coming out.

"You have to get rid of Stormcloud… He just wants to destroy the Clans, not become one!" Cosmo put in, her eyes wide with terror.

Winterpaw looked at Stonefang as he gazed down into Fang's eyes and nodded, getting off her and Winterpaw copied. "I am sorry." He dipped his head and darted out of the den.

She dipped her head to Fang and followed out after him, glancing around and seeing the clearing full of cats clawing at each other. Junipernose had Stormcloud pinned down and was ripping out his fur, Strikefang was rolling around with Crowfrost and Stonefang was mewing something to Clumsystep who nodded and pushed off the cat he had and followed his brother over to Junipernose and Stormcloud.

"Cats!" Stonefang yowled and everyone in the clearing looked over at him, freezing. "This was not a battle needed to be fought…" He looked at Stormcloud with anger. "Stormcloud, you were exiled from your Clan because you murdered Squirrelflight. You murdered Feathersong without hesitation…" The gasped shocks around the clearing made it clear Stormcloud had planned it himself. "And now, if ShadowClan sees you on their territory ever again, we will brutally murder you." His tail lashed.

Junipernose dug his claws in deeper to Stormcloud. "I should kill him now."

Clumsystep stood beside his father. "No, Junipernose. The warrior code. We must follow it." He did send a nasty glare to Stormcloud though.

Crowfrost was gazing at Stormcloud as well. "Stormcloud, you are to leave here and never return. If any cat here sees you, they have permission to kill you on sight." He looked around at his cats who seemed to agree. "Stonefang, Clumsystep, Junipernose, I am sorry to hear about Feathersong. My cats will stay out of ShadowClan territory. All is forgiven." He dipped his head.

Everyone glanced at one another in shock at this and then broke apart, padding to Junipernose wearily. They all knew Beestar would be furious and there was no way she wouldn't notice considering every cat, other than herself and Stonefang, was bleeding or missing fur.

"Let's get back to camp," Junipernose mewed and raced out, the ShadowClan cats racing after him and they silently ran through the pines and over the thunderpath, coming up behind camp.

They slipped through the back entrance where Beestar, Tawnypelt, and Puddleheart were already waiting for them. They looked furious.

"You lost didn't you?" Beestar growled at them, her tail lashing.

Junipernose stepped forward, nose-to-nose with the leader. "No, actually. We won. They won't be bother ShadowClan again."

Beestar looked surprised but almost instantly, it was gone. "That doesn't change the fact you went against my word, Junipernose."

Tawnypelt stepped forward. "But Beestar, we won. We should let these cats feast!" She backed up towards us, eyes shining. "Winterpaw even went with them!"

As soon as she was mentioned all eyes turned to her and she felt her pelt light up with embarrassment. Beestar's furious gaze landed on her.

"Winterpaw, do you think that ShadowClan won this battle? That these cats should not be punished?" Snow was falling all around Beestar as she spoke.

Her head nodded at her mentor. "We won, Beestar. There is nothing to punish these cats about…" Her pelt prickled in unease.

"Very well." She nodded once firmly. "Puddleheart will treat your wounds and then you will return to your nests." The leader padded through the cats to her den, her ribs jutting out. As was every cats. ShadowClan was going hungry, that's why Beestar didn't punish them.

"Join beneath the hazel branch for a Clan meeting!" Beestar yowled and Winterpaw dropped her piece of prey on the fresh-kill pile, padding over to join the rest of the gathering cats. "Today, I have a very special ceremony to do!" she announced and there was shock through the Clan.

It had been a few sunrises since the battle with Crowfrost's cats and no one had heard anything from them. They were marking the border where ShadowClan territory ended but no one had seen one patrol. Whiteeyes was no longer sick and the kits were not old enough to be apprenticed yet.

"Winterpaw, Moonpaw, and Twigpaw, step forward." Her eyes shone as we glanced at each other in surprise, slowing stepping forward. " I, Beestar, leader of ShadowClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as a warrior in their turn. Do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?" she asked with a twitch of her ear.

Moonpaw mewed loudly with Twigpaw, "I do."

"I do," Winterpaw chirped in louder.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Moonpaw, from this moment you will be known as Moonshine. StarClan honors your skill and independence, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ShadowClan," Beestar mewed. "Twigpaw, from this moment you will be known as Twigstreak. StarClan honors your loyalty and thoughtfulness, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ShadowClan."

Her eyes flickered to Winterpaw and there was something in her eyes as she spoke, "Winterpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Wintersky. StarClan honors your warmth, skill in battle, and intelligence, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ShadowClan." Her eyes sparkled.

"Moonshine! Twigstreak! Wintersky!" the Clan cheered loudly.

Wintersky rose her head to the sky, feeling the dim sun on her pelt as snow fell down around her. Wintersky, she thought happily and she turned her head meeting gazes with Stonefang.

He smiled at her warmly, his green eyes shining and he mouthed 'congratulations' to her.

She smiled back, her pelt prickling with happiness as he looked away and mewed something to Twigstreak.

"Stonefang's been waiting a long time for this," Junipernose mewed from beside her and she jumped, looking over at the tom in confusion and he looked at her in amusement. "For you, I mean, Wintersky," he mewed, emphasizing her name and then padded away.

Her paws tingled as she turned back to looked at Stonefang who was meowing quietly to Lionfur now.

Has he been waiting a long time for me? she thought quietly, her belly fluttering at the thought.