Chapter 19

"Cats of ThunderClan!" Tinystar called. "I'm sure you all have an idea of what has happened."

He looked down at his Clanmates, clustered around the Highrock. Tawnypelt, Silverstream, Stormpaw and Featherpaw were huddled together in the middle of the throng, their stark skinniness so different from the cats around them even in leaf-bare. Tinystar could see the sharp lines of their shoulders poking through their once-sleek fur, even as darkness began to envelop the clearing.

"Graystripe, Ravenpaw, and I infiltrated LionClan territory," Tinystar went on. "What we saw was horrific – they've built a hill out of old prey-bones! We came across a gruesome Clan meeting, where Brambleclaw, Stormpaw, and Featherpaw were dragged out to face justice for the crime of being born half-Clan."

The cats below were bristling, eyes wide. Tawnypelt leaned against Silverstream, her eyes downcast.

Tinystar swallowed. "We watched as Brambleclaw was put on trial. He was forced to fight to his brutal and unjust death," he went on solemnly. "We had thought to rescue both Stonepaw and Graystripe's family, but once we saw Brambleclaw be slaughtered like prey, we had to do something more. So we took it upon ourselves to liberate Tawnypelt and the other prisoners from LionClan."

"That's… horrific!" Whitestorm breathed, his eyes widening. "How could they…?"

Mousefur was bristling. "Say what you will about those who mate outside their Clans, but to take it out on the kits?"

"It's not as if they have a choice!" Cinderpelt snapped. "Leopardstar actually allowed this?!"

"Outrageous!" growled Dustpelt. His tail was bristling and his claws slid in and out. "What kind of leader is such a monster?"

"Someone who would take up with Bluestar," answered Oakheart. His shoulders were hunched. "We're looking at a cat worse than Brokentail ever was."

Murmurs of unease spread through the Clan at Oakheart's words. Tinystar frowned down at his Clanmates. He had to admit that Oakheart was right – Brokentail had been a menace in the forest, forcing kits to fight and driving out WindClan… but Bluestar's list of crimes stretched behind her like a shadow, and she was just getting started.

"I don't think Leopardstar is as behind all this as you think," Ravenpaw spoke up. The Clan looked to him, eyes narrowing. The Ravenpaw of old would have flinched at the attention, but the Ravenpaw of now straightened his shoulders. "We could see her unease with what was happening – and the RiverClan cats didn't seem pleased, either."

Graystripe nodded in agreement. "Leopardstar is a pain in the tail, but she's not mouse-brained. She bit off more than she could chew with Bluestar, that much is clear."

"But can she do anything about it?" questioned Longtail. He glanced up at Tinystar and went on meaningfully, "It's harder than you think to escape out from under Bluestar's claws."

Tinystar shifted his paws uncomfortably. He's right, he thought, recalling the look in Leopardstar's eye as she sat with the dead body of her deputy. She's trapped.

"It doesn't matter now," Whitestorm meowed. He turned to face the whole Clan. "We need to build up the RiverClan cats' strength, and prepare for a possible retaliation from LionClan."

Tinystar was proud of his Clan as they nodded in agreement. None of them seemed to question the thought that the RiverClan cats were staying – where else would they go?

Tawnypelt spoke up from below: "We don't intend to get fat off of your prey without hunting some for ourselves," she stated. "Give us a task, Tinystar. We'll help you any way we can." Beside her, Silverstream and the apprentices all nodded enthusiastically. The life was returning to their eyes at the thought of getting strong enough to fight back.

"Brackenfur will check you all out and make sure you're healthy enough for patrols and hunting," Tinystar meowed, "but once you're clear to go, your aid would be welcome."

"I'd like to get back to training Featherpaw, too," Tawnypelt added. "The apprentices have been stagnating in that hole and their claws need to be sharp."

Tinystar nodded in agreement. "You have access to our training hollow," he promised. "Sandstorm!"

"Yes?" she wondered.

"Will you take over Stormpaw's training?"

Sandstorm stood up on her paws. "Of course."

"Good," Tinystar meowed. It would be temporary, but mentoring Stormpaw might make Sandstorm feel better about losing Stonepaw, especially now that it seemed as if Stonepaw was very unlikely to return.

"What about Stonepaw?" Mosspaw wondered, as if she could read his mind. "Are we going to go after him?"

"Why?" Dustpelt bristled. "You heard Tawnypelt – he's happy in LionClan!"

"You don't know that for sure!" Mistypaw snapped back, standing up beside her sister. "He was practically kidnapped from our territory!"

"There's nothing we can do right now," Tinystar lamented to his apprentice. "We've already angered LionClan. With their advantage in numbers, it would be too much of a risk for the Clan to try and bring Stonepaw home so soon after Tawnypelt and the others. It wasn't the result we intended, but I'm hoping to StarClan there will be a way to speak with him when things have calmed down."

Mousefur frowned. "Would you welcome him back if he wanted to come?" she asked tightly.

Tinystar could feel Mistypaw, Oakheart, and Mosspaw's eyes on him from below. "If that's what he wants," he meowed, "then I will welcome him home as a Clanmate. But if LionClan is where he wishes to stay… then there is nothing I can do."

Swallowing, Tinystar added, "Now – we need to rest and prepare ourselves. It's inevitable that LionClan will retaliate. We need to fortify ourselves even more for when it happens. Things seem impossible, but we are ThunderClan! We have faced the impossible before, and come out fine."

His Clanmates tipped their heads and yowled, "ThunderClan! ThunderClan!" into the night sky.

Feeling more confident, Tinystar bounded down the Highrock. The ground was cold beneath his paws. No cat had made mention of how hard it would be to feed four extra mouths during leaf-bare. We may have four more mouths, Tinystar thought, but also four more sets of claws. Four more cats to help fortify us against LionClan, four more cats to help feed us.

That can't be a bad thing.

Ravenpaw and Graystripe met him in the clearing.

"I need to head back," Ravenpaw admitted. "It was fun to help you out, but Barley's going to be missing me."

"Tell WindClan what's transpired, if you can," Tinystar asked. He was sad to see Ravenpaw go, but he knew that ThunderClan was not where the loner belonged. "And have Dustpelt or Mousefur show you to Tigerstar's grave."

Ravenpaw dipped his head. "I think you'll make a great leader, Tinystar," he meowed solemnly. "I think… you have something Tigerstar never did."

Tinystar's ears burned. "Like what?" he wondered, chuckling.

Ravenpaw looked serious. "Tigerstar… he gave up a lot to be leader of ThunderClan. It showed. You… this seems like something you were born to do."

Graystripe nodded in agreement.

Tinystar was taken aback – but he touched his nose to Ravenpaw's in farewell. The sleek black cat slipped through the crowd like a fish, stopping to speak to Mousefur before heading through the gorse tunnel and out into the night.

"He's so different," Graystripe breathed. "I know I keep saying that, but… it's hard to get over."

"It really is," Tinystar agreed.

"Tinystar!"

Tinystar turned his head to see Silverstream approaching. She was still a very beautiful cat, despite her injuries and hunger. She held her head up high and proud, just like Tinystar remembered. She was stubborn and smart-mouthed, and Graystripe loved her with every bit of him he could.

"Silverstream," Tinystar greeted. "What is it?"

"There must be something I can do," Silverstream stated. "I know you said that we'd do normal warrior duties, but I'm a guest here. I'd like to do more to earn my place."

Graystripe's eyes sparkled at the thought, and he looked eagerly at Tinystar, almost as if he were begging. Tinystar swallowed.

"The elders and Willowpelt could always use help," Tinystar decided. "Willowpelt's kits are a pawful – I'm sure she'd like another eye on them. And freeing up the apprentices for more training would do them good. Are you all right with that?"

Silverstream nodded. "That would be just fine."

Graystripe looked pleased. "Here, let me show you the way," he purred.

Together they crossed the clearing, heads bent low and talking quietly. Tinystar frowned at them, at how some cats couldn't help but throw skeptical looks at the couple. Would Silverstream being here in ThunderClan be a good thing for Graystripe? What would happen when the RiverClan cats had to return home?

Still, it seemed like the Clan was taking it all in stride. Tinystar yawned, exhaustion tugging at his limbs. In his gut, Tinystar knew he'd done the right thing welcoming the RiverClan cats into the Clan. They seemed to be integrating almost immediately, Tawnypelt and the apprentices at the forefront of the cats gathered around Whitestorm to hear of tomorrow's assignments.

Tinystar looked around, spotting Mistypaw heading for the apprentice's den. Mosspaw must have been busy with Brackenfur. Tinystar trotted over to her, stopping his apprentice before she slipped into her den with a mew.

Mistypaw turned to face him, her tail low and her eyes full of sorrow. Tinystar's heart hurt at the sight.

"Talk to me," he offered immediately.

Mistypaw opened her jaws, then shut them hopelessly. Tinystar blinked. Was she so mad that she felt she couldn't talk to him? Does Mistypaw hate me now?

"I feel so… betrayed," Mistypaw said, her voice faint. "Do… Do you really think he's happy in LionClan? With her?"

Tinystar licked his shoulder, searching for words. "It's possible," he meowed after a moment, "that Bluestar and Darkstripe manipulated him… got in his head until Stonepaw agreed to join them. But… Stonepaw had just as much warning about it all as you did. I don't think this was a decision he made lightly."

"But did he make it at all?" Mistypaw wondered. "You said that Darkstripe dragged him over the stepping-stones. What if he really didn't want to go?"

"Maybe he didn't… but I was there, Mistypaw." Tinystar looked down at his apprentice with sympathy. "Some part of him wanted to leave." He touched his nose to Mistypaw's forehead. "We'll talk to him when we can – at a Gathering, maybe. Until then… have faith in him. That's all we can do."

Mistypaw swallowed. "Okay," she sighed. "I will."

"He'll always be your brother," Tinystar assured her. "I'm sure he still loves you and Mosspaw."

Mistypaw didn't reply. She got to her paws and made for the apprentice's den, looking tired – but she stopped, her ears pricked.

"Tinystar…" she began. "Do you hear -"

The gorse shook furiously. Tinystar bristled, unsheathing his claws. The cats in the clearing got to their paws, alert and bristling, eyes wide and claws unsheathed as a dark brown shape thrust through the gorse.

"T-Tinystar!" spat the lean tom. Mudclaw! Tinystar thought, the scent of WindClan crossing his nose. The tom was ragged, his fur torn in places. Blood from a wound on his head kept one of Mudclaw's eyes closed. "It's… It's LionClan!"

"What?" Whitestorm meowed, shooting an alarmed glance at Tinystar before demanding, "Take a breath, Mudclaw – what's happened?"

Mudclaw's eye was wild. "LionClan is attacking us!"