Chapter 13(:
"Cats of TigerClan! Join beneath the Bone-Hill for a clan meeting!" Tigerstar's yowl rang out over the clearing, and the shadows that lined it suddenly moved, peeling away from the darkness and turning into cats as the entered the weak sunlight. "We meet with the other Clans 3 days from now, to either welcome them or destroy them like the fools they are!"
Yowls broke out around the gathered cats, cheers and taunts, all of ShadowClan looking forward to a battle they thought they would surely win. Graystripe exchanged a glance with Leopardstar, who was crouched beside the Bone-Hill.
"If they refuse us," he continued. "There will be a battle. One that we will surely win!"
Graystripe's mind was racing. In three days… and then, That's our chance…! HE forced himself to hold his tongue, though, hearing out Tigerstar's words with his claws unsheathed.
"Then we will gather all of the half-clan crow-food in the forest, and take care of it all in one fell swoop! No Clan needs that filth!" More cheers met his words, the loudest coming from Blackfoot and Darkstripe, who sat also at the base of the Bone-Hill. "So be prepared… We will meet them in friendship or in battle in three days' time." A flick of the dark tabby's tail dismissed the gathered cats, and they slunk back into the shadows, Graystripe following Leopardstar discreet tail motion and slipping out to meet her at the river.
1 moon ago, he had convinced her to take her plan back up, to grow strong and stand against Tigerstar. Since then, they had been looking for an opportunity. Since then, none had arose.
"Graystripe, this is our chance…!" She hissed as she came up beside him, padding around the gray warrior in an anxious circle. "You must speak with Firestar, and have him send work to Tallstar. If we don't succeed…" The dappled golden tabby shook her head. "No. We must."
"We must." Graystripe agreed. "And we will. I'll go to Sunningrocks now."
Leopardstar nodded. "Good." She mewed. Then again, "Good. Be careful." With one last flick of her tail on his shoulder, the stalked back through the reeds and to the "camp", and Graystripe launched into the river. Leaf-bare was proving to be especially fierce, and the water was already chilled almost to the point of freezing. Pulling himself out on the other side, Graystripe moved to Sunningrocks to wait. He took advantage of the afternoon sunlight, lying across the warm rocks and letting his fur dry some.
"Firestar, it's Graystripe!"
The gray warrior pricked his ears, keeping his eyes closed as he lay on the rocks, listening to the paw-steps approaching him. It had to be Bramblepaw, closely followed by Firestar. There was a light jab in his side, and Graystripe blinked his eyes open to find another pair of amber eyes a mere whisker's length away. He jumped up, and Bramblepaw backed up, his whiskers twitching in amusement.
"I told you I could scent RiverClan cats nearby." The apprentice pointed out matter-of-factly. Firestar rolled his eyes, giving the brown tabby a playful nudge.
"Well done." Then to Graystripe, "Is everything okay…?"
Graystripe nodded. "Perfect. Well, as perfect as it can be, I suppose. But we've found our opening…"
Firestar's ears pricked. "You have?"
"Tigerstar said he plans to meet with you and Tallstar at Fourtrees in 3 days…" ThunderClan's leader nodded, then gasped as realization dawned on him.
"We'll attack then!" He exclaimed quietly. Graystripe nodded.
"Exactly. Tigerstar says that if you refuse his offer to join, then we're to fight you… But if he gives the command to fight, and realizes that we're not actually on his side…"
"That's brilliant!" Firestar mewed, touching his nose to Graystripe's shoulder. "I must go speak with Tallstar. Bramblepaw, bring what you've caught back to camp. Thank-you, Graystripe. This is exactly what we needed."
"No problem." Graystripe meowed, turning back towards the water.
"Oh, and Graystripe…!"
The gray tom looked back to see Firestar padding towards him, dropping a plump vole at his paws. "Give that to Shadefrost, will you?"
Graystripe purred. "Of course, Firestar. Thank-you." He picked up the fresh-kill carefully, choosing to take the stepping stones to keep it nice and warm. Back on the RiverClan side, he made his way to their old camp, where Shadefrost was still sheltering with her kits. Heavystep was on guard outside the nursery, and Graystripe dipped his head politely before pushing his way in.
"Father! Father!" The mewls of his kits met his ears, and he remembered when Stormpaw and Featherpaw were that small. He dropped the fresh-kill and rolled over, allowing the two small kits to clamber all over him.
"Graystripe." Shadefrost purred warmly, reaching to touch her nose to his. "How are things?"
"Getting better." Graystripe mewed quietly. "It's going to happen in three days. In three days we'll be able to come home, and the forest will be rid of Tigerstar forever."
Shadefrost wrapped his tail protectively around the kits as they made their ways back over to her to sniff the fresh-kill.
"They've grown so fast…" Graystripe murmured, looking over their kits. Divekit was still much bigger than his sister, but Pricklekit's fur only seemed to get spikier as she grew older, and it almost made up for what she lacked in size.
"I know…" Shadefrost agreed quietly, letting the kits eat first.
"Graystripe, Mosspelt is here to relieve me, she says Leopardstar was looking for you."
"Alright." Graystripe call back, sighing and pressing his nose deep into Shadefrost's fur, inhaling her sweet, familiar scent. "I'll try to come back before the fight." He promised her quietly.
She sighed. "Please be careful, Graystripe…" She whispered, pushing her head under his chin. "…I don't know what we would do without you…"
Graystripe let out a shaky purr, licking her between the ears as he stood again.
"Where's Father going…?" Pricklekit piped up, her eyes wide.
"Stay and play with us!" Divekit demanded, giving his father a pouty look.
"I will." He promised. "In just a few days, I will."
With that, he slid out of the nursery, meowing a greeting to Mosspelt as he left, going out to look for Leopardstar. Soon, everything will be back to normal… I'll wake up in the warrior's den every morning and go outside to hear which patrol Stonefur wanted me in. Redkit and Willowkit and Rushkit would be playing outside the nursery, maybe even with Pricklekit and Divekit now that they're a little bit bigger… Featherpaw and Stormpaw will keep training… Soon… It will all get better soon. I know it will.
Eh, kind of short, but that's Chapter 13(: There's a big battle coming up… Who will win? Who will they lose? Even their freedom from Tigerstar has a price… That you'll find out in the next Chapter xP Thanks for reading! Lots of love 3