Chapter 21

"StarClan, help me!" Rainsong cried in her sleep. She had hoped a dream from StarClan would give her guidance in this dark time.

The ginger kit that had given Rainsong the prophecy appeared in the corner of her vision.

"Firekit! Please help me!" Rainsong pleaded.

The little kit padded up to Rainsong, staring at her with piercing green eyes. "How can I help you? The plan is already in motion."

Rainsong dug her claws into her nest angrily. "Isn't there anything we can do to stop Stoneclaw?" she asked.

"You must beat him in battle, Rainsong. That is the only way," Firekit meowed.

"But I don't want the battle to happen!"

Firekit sighed. "No one wants this battle, Rainsong. But it is going to happen. Stoneclaw is an evil cat. You must stop him from destroying ThunderClan."

"My brother isn't evil!" Rainsong protested.

"If you think that, you're a fool!" Firekit hissed, lashing her short tail.

Rainsong sank back in her nest. "I know," she sighed. "I just wish I could stop the battle before it happens."

Firekit shook her head sadly. "Unfortunately there is no way that can happen."

"Why did StarClan give me this prophecy? Why not some other cat?" Rainsong asked.

"This prophecy was meant for you. You, Rainsong, must show the Clans that StarClan does not determine where a kit is born and that they do have the choice to move. If you cannot defeat Stoneclaw, your Clan will be destroyed because of Stoneclaw's wrong beliefs. You are ThunderClan's only hope," Firekit mewed, beginning to fade.

"Firekit, don't leave yet!" Rainsong cried.

"ThunderClan's only hope."

"I want the nursery reinforced. I want the elder's den reinforced. I want the entrance to the camp reinforced. I want this whole camp reinforced!" Squirrelflight ordered as the ThunderClan cats prepared for the battle.

Rainsong and Brindleflower dragged branches over to the nursery, weaving them around to shelter the kits. Swiftbreeze, helping Thornclaw and Bumblestripe reinforce the entrance, kept glancing over at Rainsong.

"Somebody likes you," Brindleflower teased, her green eyes sparkling with joy.

"What? Swiftbreeze doesn't like me! We're just friends," Rainsong mewed defensively.

"Sure you are," the fluffy gray warrior meowed sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

Rainsong shook her head, trying not to laugh. "Besides, I don't have time to deal with Swiftbreeze right now. We're preparing for a battle, remember?"

"I know," Brindleflower meowed, suddenly growing serious. "Do you think Squirrelflight's kits will be born by then?" The ThunderClan deputy was round with kits. It wouldn't be long before she kitted.

"I hope not. Imagine having a battle as your first experience as a tiny kit!" Rainsong mewed.

Her friends nodded. "I agree. I hope Bramblestar doesn't let her fight in the battle if she hasn't kitted by then."

"He wouldn't be able to stop her if he tried," Rainsong said.

"They're his kits, though," Brindleflower meowed.

Swiftbreeze padded over. "What's this about kits?"

Rainsong glanced away, embarrassed. It was Brindleflower who answered the black-and-white warrior. "We hope Bramblestar doesn't let Squirrelflight fight if she hasn't had her kits by the night of the battle."

Swiftbreeze glanced at Rainsong. "ThunderClan needs more kits. Our Clan is smaller than it's ever been."

Rainsong nodded, knowing there was only a small number of kits at the moment. "Riverclan has many more cats right now. ThunderClan is much smaller."

Brindleflower laughed. "Swiftbreeze, she doesn't get it. You'll have to just tell her."

"Tell me what?" Rainsong asked, confusion brimming in her blue eyes. Brindleflower and Swiftbreeze just laughed.

"Rainsong, can you help Gorsepaw practice his battle moves?" Thornclaw asked the young warrior. "I'm feeling too worn out."

"Sure, Thornclaw." Rainsong mewed. He's getting older. It won't be long before he moves to the elder's den, the dark gray she-cat thought.

The golden tabby apprentice followed Rainsong to the training hollow, talking nonstop. "So I'm really good at all the moves Thornclaw has taught me so far. He says I'm a natural. I'm going to be the greatest fighter ThunderClan has ever seen. I'll tear those RiverClan rogues to crowfood!"

Rainsong gave the apprentice a sharp glare. He quickly ducked his head. "Sorry, Rainsong. I meant the bad Riverclan cats. I'm sure the others are nice!"

"They are. Stoneclaw's the only bad one."

Gorsepaw stood up as tall as he could. "Well, I'm going to beat him!"

Rainsong purred, "Sure you will, Gorsepaw. Now let's see some of those battle moves you're so good at."

Gorsepaw nodded, launching himself at Rainsong, who easily dodged his attack. Gorsepaw was not to be outdone, though. He leaped at her again, hooking Rainsong's leg in his paws. She fell to the ground, writhing under his weight as he pinned her down. Rainsong rolled to one side, making Gorsepaw stumble, but he was quickly on his feet again, charging at the warrior.

After they had been training for a good part of the day, Rainsong sat down, gasping for breath. Gorsepaw hadn't been exaggerating. He really was coming along nicely. Some of the moves he had done were much more advanced than an apprentice who'd been training for less than a moon should be able to do. If Rainsong had been actually fighting against him, he could have inflicted some serious damage.

"You did great today, Gorsepaw," the she-cat mewed.

Gorsepaw's amber eyes shined. "Thanks! Thornclaw's a great mentor!"

"He must be," Rainsong replied. If all our warriors and apprentices fight like this during the battle, we might actually defeat Stoneclaw!

(Revision date- March 17, 2014)