Chapter 12

ALLEGENCIES

SkyClan

Leader:Qailstar-gray tabby she-cat with green eyes

Deputy:Slatewing-blue-gray tom with blue eyes

Medicine Cat:Birchfang-dark grey tabby tom with green eyes

Warriors:

Barktail-tortoiseshell tom with yellow eyes
(Apprentice: Lillypaw)

Gladeheart-dark ginger and white tom with amber eyes

Newtleaf-long furred ginger tabby tom with amber eyes

Sandpoppy-ginger tabby she-cat with green eyes

Acornbrook-long furred gray tabby she-cat with pale green eyes

Bluewhisker-blue-gray she-cat with blue eyes
(Apprentice: Foxpaw)

Watersky-gray tom with white underbelly; blue eyes

Mistyshadow-gray she-cat with white paws and underbelly; blue eyes

Yarrowfur-pale ginger tom with yellow eyes

Dawnheart-black and white she-cat with green eyes

Poolsky-dark blue-gray tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Flamewhisker-gray tom with green eyes

Pinestripe-brown tabby tom with green eyes
(Apprentice: Swanpaw)

Nutfoot-cream and pale ginger tabby tom with blue eyes

Tansyfall-pale ginger she-cat with yellow eyes

Tigerear-dark brown tabby tom with yellow eyes; scar on left ear

Stormyfrost-gray and white tom with green eyes

Heatherclaw-white she-cat with green eyes

Goldenclaw-ginger tom with green eyes

Robinmist-white and ginger tabby she-cat with amber eyes
(Apprentice: Featherpaw)

Fallowstrike-short-legged black tom with amber eyes
(Apprentice: Sunpaw)

Apprentices

Sunpaw-pale ginger tom with green eyes

Featherpaw-gray she-cat with fluffy tail and green eyes

Swanpaw-gray and white tom with amber eyes

Lillypaw-dark gray tabby she-cat with white paws, underbelly, tail-tip, and blue eyes

Foxpaw-long-haired silver tabby tom with pale green eyes

Queens

Larkfang-black she-cat with 3 white paws and a white dash on flank, green eyes, mother of Barktail's kits who are one moon old:

Finchkit-tortoiseshell and white tom with green eyes

Ashkit-black and dark ginger tom with white flecks and yellow eyes

Sedgewhisker-long furred tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes, mother of Slatewing's kits who are 3 moons old:

Shellkit-black and blue tom with green eyes

Aspenkit-small white, grey, and blue she-cat with light blue eyes

Cloudkit-very small blue-gray she-cat with green eyes

Ivyash-brown tabby she-cat with green eyes, expecting Watersky's kits

ShadowClan

Leader:Kestrelstar-very dark grey tom with amber eyes

Deputy: Antnose-black and ginger tom with amber eyes

Medicine Cat: Mossflight-very old black tom with green eyes

Warriors

Graywhisker-dark gray and white tom with green eyes
(Apprentice: Pouncepaw)

Reedflower-dark brown and white she-cat with pale green eyes

Jaggedstone-grey tabby tom with green eyes

Carrionwing-black tom with reddish tones and pale yellow eyes

Beefang-black and ginger tom with blue eyes

Daisyfoot- black she-cat with green eyes

Yelloweye-pale ginger tabby tom with a white underbelly and yellow eyes

Darkpoppy-black and white she-cat with green eyes
(Apprentice: Leafpaw)

Dewshade-gray tabby tom with one white paw and blue eyes

Sparrowfur-brown tabby and white she-cat with yellow eyes

Blackclaw-large white tom with black paws, tail-tip, and underbelly

Redshadow-reddish brown she-cat with amber eyes

Shadywater-dark gray tabby she-cat with one white paw and long fur; green eyes

Lichenpelt-tortoiseshell and white she-cat with amber eyes

Hareclaw-white tom with black paws and yellow eyes

Thornfang-silver tabby tom with amber eyes

Petalstream-long furred silver tabby she-cat with green eyes

Frostnight-small white she-cat with one green eye, one blue eye; deaf in one ear

Talonclaw-black and white tom with green eyes

Lionfire-orange and white tabby tom with green eyes

Apprentices

Leafpaw-black and reddish brown tom with green eyes

Pouncepaw-black tom with amber eyes

Queens

Badgerclaw-black and white she-cat with a short stubby tail and amber eyes; mother of Jaggedstone's kits:

Flamekit-silver and black tom with amber eyes

Cherrykit-gray tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Briarkit-very small blue-gray tabby she-cat with green eyes

Rosecloud-white she-cat with amber eyes; expecting Flashbreeze's kits

ThunderClan

Leader:Silverstar-silver tabby she-cat with two white paws, white tail-tip, and green eyes

Deputy:Breezefrost-grey tabby and white tom with green eyes

Medicine Cat: Jaystorm-mottled white and blue tom; blue eyes

WindClan

Leader:Cloverstar-white tom with amber eyes

Deputy:Dawnwater-tortoiseshell she-cat with yellow eyes

Medicine Cat:Iceclaw-tawny colored she-cat with green eyes

RiverClan

Leader:Dapplestar-light blue and black mottled she-cat with green eyes

Deputy:Sparrowflight-long furred cream she-cat with dark green eyes

Medicine Cat:Cherrywind-small russet-red she-cat with green eyes

Cats outside the Clans

Lucy-tortoiseshell and white she-cat with green eyes

Flashbreeze-black tom with several white markings along flank, green eyes (formerly ShadowClan)

Sharpfang-huge dark brown tabby tom with yellow eyes (formerly ShadowClan)

Hawkflame-silver tabby tom with green eyes (formerly ShadowClan)

Spottedtail-black she-cat with white spots and blue eyes (formerly ShadowClan)

Lucy stood out in the clearing, looking for Lionfire. It had already been nearly an entire moon since she had come to ShadowClan, and the prey wasn't running much better. In fact, it had even snowed more, and what little prey there was all went to Mossflight or the queens. The worst part was that SkyClan had started attacking the border patrols too, making cats injured.

"Good morning, Lucy." Frostnight meowed. "How are you?"

"Good, good." Lucy replied, still looking for Lionfire. "Do you know where Lionfire is?"

Frostnight shrugged. "I think he went out on the dawn patrol,"

Lucy dug her claws into the ground in frustration. "Do you know where Antnose is?"

Frostnight started padding away. "He's out on a hunting patrol. That's where I'm going," She stopped, "Would you like to join me?"

"Of course!" Lucy bounded over to the she-cat, and they fell in step as they left camp. "Thanks for taking me along, I know other cats would've just glared at me."

"Anytime," Frostnight meowed. When Lucy had spent her first few days in ShadowClan, very few cats would hang around her. But Frostnight was different. She was nice and sometimes a little blunt, but she was honest.

"Where do you think we should go?" Lucy asked. She wasn't perfect at hunting, but she had proven her worth. Plus, there had been a couple days when she went back to her humans. She wasn't as plump as she was before, but she was more fit.

"I'd say deep into the pine forest, towards Highstones." The two she-cats continued walking for a little ways, when Frostnight held up her tail for them to stop. "Mouse." The she-cat mouthed. Both of them crouched down, ears flat, tails parallel to the ground. Frostnight began to go to the side, while Lucy inched forward. When she was about three or four tail lengths from the mouse, Lucy sprang. The mouse let out a sqeak, but Lucy landed right on top of it and killed the creature with no trouble.

"Nice one!" Frostnight meowed. "That can feed a queen!"

"Thanks," Lucy replied. It was indeed a plump mouse. She went under a pine tree and dug a small hole for storing the mouse. "Hopefully we'll catch even more prey items."

It was nearly sunset by the time the she-cats returned to camp. They only had caught a mouse, a squirrel, and a scrawny black bird. As they walked into camp, Lucy spotted Lionfire and rushed straight towards him. "We got prey!" She yowled happily. Some ShadowClan cats nodded their approval, others rolled their eyes.

Lionfire raised his tail, his eyes brightening. "That's good!" Lucy stopped a whisker from him, staring at a wound on his shoulder.

"You ran into SkyClan, didn't you?" Lucy sighed, and grabbed the scrawny black bird for them to share. The tom nodded, and they both began eating the bird. "I hope this is enough."

"Of course it will be. We've gone days without food before." Lionfire commented.

"I haven't. Nicole always gives me food."

"You'll be fine," Lionfire meowed. Suddenly he stiffened.

"What's wrong?" Lucy asked, her mouth full of bird.

"Nothing." Lionfire replied curtly.

Lucy rolled her eyes. "That's a lie, and you know it. Now tell me what's wrong."

He sighed. "It's my wound. It stings pretty bad."

"Then go and see Mossfl-"

"No!" Lionfire spat. The entire camp went silent, everyone staring at Lionfire. "I don't want to be a bother to him. He's got his paws full with Rosecloud anyway."

Lucy waited until the noise in camp came back. "Personally, I think it's because you just want to keep being a warrior." She stood, and flicked her tail. "Come on. Let's go to the warrior's den."

Lucy jerked awake in the cold night. She was shivering, and as her eyes adjusted to the dim light, she realized that most of the cats in the warrior's den were also shivering. She turned to check on Lionfire, and found he was bleeding! She immediately got up and ran to Mossflight. He was asleep in his den.

"Mossflight!" Lucy poked the old tom hard. "Wake up!"

"What is it?" He groaned, sitting up.

"It's Lionfire! He's bleeding out!" Lucy was on the verge of panicking.

"Okay calm down. He isn't going to die," Mossflight stood, then sat back down. "See if you can bring him to me." Lucy rushed back into the warrior's den and prodded Lionfire awake.

"What's happening?" He asked groggily.

"Go into Mossflight's den; now!" Lucy hissed. He stood up, and nearly fell back down. Lionfire leaned heavily on Lucy as they made the short journey to the den. Several other cats raised their heads to see what was happening.

"Lie down, Lionfire." The orange tom laid obediently, and he looked up at Mossflight.

"I don't feel so good," He muttered.

"Of course you don't; you've lost a lot of blood." Mossflight began working on stopping the bleeding.

"He's not going to die, is he?"

"Nah. But him moving around doesn't help. I recommend three days off from warrior duties. Then we'll check back up on him." Mossflight pressed cobwebs into the gash, then put some paste on the wound. "That will keep him from bleeding anymore. Now go back to the warrior's den, Lucy." The she-cat nodded and left, but she really wanted to stay. So instead of going to sleep in the warrior's den, she snuck back in with Lionfire and fell asleep next to him.

The next morning, Lucy had started eating a small mouse when Daisyfoot came up to her. "You shouldn't be eating before the queens, Lucy."

Lucy only rolled her eyes. "In the past two days, I've eaten a blackbird and a bite of mouse. You really can't expect me to think that the queens, who don't do anything, should get prey that should be saved for the warriors."

"The warrior's jobs include hunting for the queens. They eat before us because they have little ones that you and I don't. They have more mouths to feed." Shadywater commented. Daisyfoot nodded her approval to the she-cat.

"She's right. Queens need to be strong."

"But the hunters and battlers of the Clan also need to be strong. If they don't get enough to eat, then who's going to protect the Clan?" Lucy pressed, continuing to eat the mouse.

"What's going on here?" Kestrelstar asked, padding over to the small argument.

"We're just telling Lucy about the rules of Clan life," Daisyfoot meowed, and Kestrelstar blinked.

"Which would be…?"

"That she's not allowed to eat before hunting." Shadywater stated bluntly. Kestrelstar nodded.

"They're right, Lucy. You need to hunt for the queens, not just for yourself and the other warriors." The Clan leader continued, "I also would like it if you went to the Gathering,"

"What's that?" Lucy felt it was familiar, but she couldn't place a paw on where she had heard the term before.

"It's when all the Clans come together for a peaceful meeting at Fourtrees." Daisyfoot mewed. "You've been to Fourtrees, right?"

"Yeah," Suddenly Lucy felt very nervous. "Will Birchfang be there?"

Daisyfoot and Shadywater exchanged glances. "Er-yes, he will be there. He's SkyClan's medicine cat, after all." Lucy gulped. She stared at her mouse, no longer hungry.

"Someone else can finish this," She meowed, standing and striding over to the entrance of camp. "I gotta go." She bumped into Lichenpelt.

"Oh! Hi Lucy!" Lichenpelt meowed in surprise. "Where are you off to in such a hurry?"

"I need to think." She continued her light jog into the forest, but stopped when she heard paw steps behind her.

"Lucy, you know that, uh, Blossompaw looked a lot like you, right?" Lichenpelt padded up behind her.

"I've heard that since forever," Lucy muttered.

"What?"

"Nothing." Lucy continued at a brisk walk, Lichenpelt still following.

"I feel like you don't understand," Lichenpelt jumped in front of Lucy, blocking her path.

"What do you want?" Lucy growled, getting irritated at this she-cat. Whenever they would see each other, Lichenpelt would immediately start talking about Blossompaw.

"I still believe you are Blossompaw. Listen," Lucy rolled her eyes. I don't have time for another lecture, she thought, wishing she could just disappear. "Blossompaw was my daughter. You look like her, smell like her, and you even act like her. Just try to understand that-"

"I'm not your daughter!" Lucy yowled. She bowled past Lichenpelt. "I'm not your daughter, and I never will be!" She stormed out into the forest, right towards the SkyClan border. She stopped, well aware of how close she was. I guess I can hunt here, there's no harm in that.

Lucy tasted the air, and smelled squirrel. The snow was cold on her pads and as she continued forward, she realized that she couldn't see the squirrel, only smell it. The scent trail led to a tall tree, right near the border with SkyClan. Thank StarClan it's on our side, she thought as her paws began to shake. But a patrol could come and hurt me. Lucy pushed the thought away. She needed to focus on the squirrel. As she climbed up the tree, she could hear several voices below, and her blood ran cold. The patrol was right underneath the tree! She froze, knowing all too well these cats were expert tree climbers. Instead of panicking, she tried focusing on what the cats were saying.

"ShadowClan needs to stop pushing the boundary," Dawnheart growled.

"Those mangy frog-eaters won't stand a chance once Robinstar attacks them," Goldenclaw meowed. Lucy's heart was pounding hard. Not only were these cats talking about taking down ShadowClan, Robinmist was the leader! How is that even possible? She wasn't even deputy…Lucy quietly continued inching up the tree. She got high enough to where the squirrel was. It was asleep, and Lucy killed it with a swift bite to its neck.

"Up there!" A SkyClan cat yowled. "I see a cat up there!"

"Why, it's Lucy!" Goldenclaw yowled. "Come down and give us the squirrel, and we won't hurt you."

"Yeah," Dawnheart agreed. Lucy kept her paws planted in the tree. Goldenclaw began to scale the tree, and Lucy's heart dropped into her stomach. Oh no. She tried going higher, but the branches wouldn't support her weight.

"Get the prey that belongs to SkyClan!" Another cat called.

"She's right. This is SkyClan territory, and once we capture you, I will personally tell Robinstar you're here. Won't that be a delight?"

"Actually, ShadowClan thinks you're trespassing, and we aren't afraid to challenge!" Lichenpelt boldly stepped out, followed by Talonclaw, Petalstream, Carrionwing, Beefang, and Kestrelstar.

"We're outnumbered!" Dawnheart hissed to Watersky.

"Let's fight 'em anyway!" Watersky charged, the SkyClan cats following. Goldenclaw continued edging closer to Lucy.

"Lucy, drop the squirrel!" Lichenpelt yowled, and Lucy obeyed. The squirrel landed on the ground, but Lucy was still in danger. "Hold on Lucy! I'm coming!"

"Ooh, I'm so scared of a ShadowClan cat!" Goldenclaw leaped at Lucy, and the tom caught her shoulder. Rather than stay in the tree, Lucy jumped, and landed on her feet. Lichenpelt was standing right beside her once she fell.

"Go back to camp as fast as you can! Take the squirrel!" Lucy stared at the she-cat.

"How did you know I was in trouble?" Lucy asked, grabbing the squirrel.

"A mother always knows these things." Lichenpelt replied calmly.