Chapter 21

"Stand Together."

11/14/16 - 11/16/16 - 11/17/16 - 11/18/16

Near the end of February, early morning, the Four waited until Darkstar managed to wake up every cat. Graystream and her friends waited on High Rock, instructed by Darkstar, and could feel the outrage from the senior warriors.

"Why are you four up there?!" Demanded Leopardstrike.

"Only Darkstar is allowed on High Rock!" Added Crowtail.

Graystream faltered briefly, she looked at Oakheart. He gave her a confused face, but he nodded supportively.

"Cats of ThunderClan." Darkstar said. "Graystream, Windstorm, Goldflame and Rosefoot have an announcement to make. And you better listen, because this effects all of us!"

The jet black tom nodded to his niece. Graystream swallowed her apprehension before she spoke up.

"We received a message from StarClan that Daisypelt is preparing to attack, tonight."

As expected, everyone was protesting in disbelief.

"Why would StarClan address warriors when we have Cloudwind and Hailpaw?"

"Sometimes medicine cats aren't as important as you think." Rosefoot scoffed. Cloudwind winced at her jeer and Hailpaw gave him a questioning glance.

"Even so, why should we trust you?" Pricklefrost challenged.

"Because they're telling the truth." Cloudwind said. He looks at the four cats standing on High Rock.

"When these four were kits, I heard a voice. It was faint, but I heard it."

"What did it say?" Seabreeze asks him. Graystream immediately recited the words before Cloudwind could.

"The grandchildren of the Fire will become one with nature.

The raging waters will crash on the gray

The winds of the fallen gold warrior will howl

The rose will bloom in control of the earth

The gold of darkness will burn in a blaze of glory

The balance of nature will be tipped off the scale by the wild daisy, and the next Four will end it."

Graystream was actually satisfied with the stunned silence of her Clanmates.

"And with the prophecy, we discovered that we all have powers. Mine is to control and freeze water."

"I can control wind, amongst other things now…" Graystream glances at Windstorm briefly.

"I can control the earth and make pillars, no big deal." Rosefoot said flicking her tail.

"And I can control fire." Goldflame said.

"Fire?" Gorseheart echoed, bristling his fur. "Why would StarClan give you the most dangerous thing in the forest?!"

"You're a threat! You could set the camp on fire!" Sneezeclaw spat.

"And you're missing the point." Rosefoot retorted. "Daisypelt has the same power to manipulate the forest, and her Soulless are growing and ready to fight for her. If we don't get ourselves together she'll succeed in destroying the Clans."

Everyone was still reluctant to believe them, and Rosefoot became tempted to make High Rock into her weaponry, until Darkstar stepped forward.

"Why are you still denying the inevitable?" He questioned. "These four aren't the only cats who have supernatural powers. Lionblaze, Jayfeather and Dovewing of the Three were essential during the Dark Battle. Stealthfire, my own mother, was a Twoleg reborn as a cat to prevent Lionstar from taking over the forest. Even my littermates and I had a part in it, even if we don't have supernatural powers."

"So much has happened, that we shouldn't be afraid of it when it involves someone we know, and if they're chosen to save our lives. We have literally little time to divide ourselves over fear, so whoever is prepared to fight stand with me."

Tigerflame and Ravenwing immediately stand next to Darkstar, as did Seabreeze. Duckheart, Sweetflower and Squirreltail stood by Darkstar as well.

Soon, the rest of ThunderClan approached Darkstar, and the Four felt a huge weight lifting off their shoulders.

"Then it's settled." Darkstar said. "We prepare to attack Daisypelt's monsters tonight."

"What about the other Clans? They should know when Daisypelt's attacking, especially RiverClan." Tigerflame asks him.

"You're right." Said Darkstar. "Send out our fastest cats to warn the other Clans."

"And suppose they don't listen to what we have to say?" Blazefrost put in.

Darkstar remained silent for a few heartbeats and shrugged his shoulders.

"Then it's their vigil."

Graystream looked at her Clanmates as they practiced battle moves. Some are even learning how their powers worked, and Rosefoot, for one, was more than happy to make Pricklefrost fly into the air with a sudden uprise of the earth, and Windstorm use his wings to fly up and put him down safely.

She really needs to talk to Cloudwind, before her anger gets to her.

Graystream saw Hailpaw, to her surprise, approaching her with unease in his steps.

"Hey." He said.

Graystream bristles her fur. "Oh, now you're deciding to talk to me?"

Hailpaw flattened his ears. "Touchy… Fine, sorry for being a jerk. How's that?"

Graystream lowered her guard against her judgment. She missed Hailpaw, but at least he knows she refuses to be pushed around.

"How are you feeling?"

"Nervous." She admitted.

Hailpaw nodded. "Where's my brother? Any words of encouragement from him?"

Graystream could've sworn he heard a hint of envy in his tone, but shook it off.

"Not yet, but I know he wishes me luck."

"You don't need it." Hailpaw said earnestly. "If anyone can handle the danger, it's you, Graystream."

The grey she cat blinked gratefully. "Thanks, Hailpaw."

"That's Hailstone to you."

Windstorm directed Pricklefrost and a small group of cats to the fresh kill pile. "Go ahead and eat something."

The light grey tom waited until they were out of earshot before shouldering Rosefoot.

"What in the name of StarClan is wrong with you?"

"What? I wasn't gonna kill Pricklefrost… just give him a bump on the head."

"This isn't going to satisfy your anger towards Cloudwind!"

Windstorm noticed that cats were looking at them. He directs Rosefoot behind the nursery and looks at her.

"Look, I understand how it feels to be betrayed by your parents-."

"Do you?" Rosefoot challenged him. "I remember perfectly clear that neither of your parents were medicine cats."

"But Goldheart liked toms!" Windstorm protested. "And he betrayed ThunderClan out of confusion and heartbreak - and Redfawn took advantage of him!"

Windstorm took the opportunity to touch her forehead with his nose.

"I want the old Rosefoot back. The snarky, smart and honest Rosefoot, not this bitter and hateful she cat. If you don't forgive him, he might die and you'll be stuck with blaming yourself for the rest of your life."

Rosefoot left the nursery and "sees" Hailstone and Cloudwind talking to each other outside of the medicine cat den. She approaches the two toms.

"I want to speak to Cloudwind."

Hailstone heard it as an order, not a request. He gets up and left to find his brother. Cloudwind stared at Rosefoot, hopefully.

"Rosefoot…?"

"Look, I wanna make this short. I forgive you for lying. I'm sure you had good reasons."

Cloudwind gazed at his secret daughter with warmth.

"Don't get me wrong, I still don't want anything to do with you. I just don't want Twinklepaws breathing down my scruff about this."

Rosefoot can feel the hurt radiating off him, and she almost felt sorry for him.

Sorry, pal. I got other things to think about rather than family drama.

Goldflame watches the dark clouds gather in the sky from her camp.

"Worried?"

She looked to her right and saw Ezra padding toward her. The white tom's injuries have healed and he was sticking around, helping with warrior duties.

"Is it that obvious?" She asks.

"Oh, yes." Ezra says, chuckling. "You might want to clear your mind before tonight, we need all the focus we can get."

"Yeah - what? What are you talking about?"

"I managed to convince your father to let me fight for ThunderClan."

Goldflame snorted. "Darkstar never even tolerated you...unless, you went to my mother…"

"And Ravenwing convinced him, and here I am." Ezra purred. "Don't worry, just try to keep up with me and you'll be fine."

Goldflame smirked. "That's supposed to be my line."

Windstorm took a long look at the darkened sky and clear moon. The fastest cats returned after relaying their message to the other Clans. Now, they had to wait.

"Can we go with you, mom?"

Windstorm saw Whisperclaw bend down and nuzzle five moon old Littlekit and Finchkit as Thrushwing went to a group warriors.

"No, you have to stay in the nursery and protect the other kits." She told them.

Whisperclaw turned around and left. Finchkit puffed his chest importantly to the rest of the kits. "You heard her, I'm in charge of protecting you."

Four moon old Stormkit and Lionkit nodded to everything Finchkit said.

"Littlekit, go to the back." Finchkit told his brother.

"Why should I?"

"You'll get in the way!" Lionkit retorted. Finchkit narrowed his eyes and shoved Littlekit into the back, but Littlekit quickly shoves his chest against Finchkit's.

"You're not my mentor! Don't tell me what to do!"

"Stop causing trouble, Mousekit!" Stormkit latched his claws on Littlekit's shoulder. "You're too useless and small, just stay out of the way!"

Windstorm growled and stalked toward the kits. Stormkit notices him and snorted.

"Beat it, half-Clan-."

"You obviously don't learn very well." Windstorm said coldly. "Littlekit has just as much right to be here as you do, and you," he addressed Finchkit. "Should stop trying to push your brother around and actually stand up for him instead of showing off."

Finchkit winced at his older cousin's criticism and lowered his head. For once, Littlekit gave Windstorm a blink of appreciation.

The light grey tom turned around and saw Darkstar watching him, nodding with approval. Rosefoot rests her head on his shoulder, while Goldflame and Graystream pad by his side.

Windstorm suddenly realized that some of them might not survive the night. Not even Rosefoot, his mate, or Graystream, his best friend since kit hood, and Goldflame, his foster sister who always stood up for him.

But they all held a look of courage in their eyes that filled Windstorm with determination.

"Look at the moon!"

The Four looked up and saw the full moon turn a sickly, glowing red. They saw narrowed, red eyes peering through the darkness.

It was time.

We're getting close to the end. Next chapter, cats will die, and they might be your favorite or my favorite. But I'll never tell.

My Pokemon Sun version still hasn't come yet. (Suspense is never my favorite thing to experience.) Now, I hope you have a great day. ~ Kyubi