Did you know? Weaselscuffle, Violetcloud, and Slystep were names taken from an online roleplay? I was a big part of it for a long time, and these aren't the only names throughout the story that come from this online roleplay. Can you guess the others?

Chapter Twenty-Three- The Calm After the Storm

Gingertail peered out of the nursery. Whoever had called was right; the warriors were slinking into camp, eyes dull, fur matted. Gorsefur was in the lead, followed by the warriors he had called to him. Rushclaw padded in and collapsed in the center of the camp, his bloody flanks heaving with the effort to fill his lungs with air. Swanfeather- the Clan medicine cat -came rushing out of her den, her jaws clamped with healing herbs as she rushed to his side. It was a few moments before Lichentooth, Quietpaw and Whiskerpaw were leading him to the medicine den. The medicine cat, however, had turned to the next patient.

Gingertail spotted Molefoot limping to the medicine den to be checked. While she registered that it was a good sign he was walking and not in need of immediate care, a pang of fear nearly overtook her as she watched him pitifully hobble on three legs to the safety of inner camp. She wanted to go see him, to make sure that he was okay, but she couldn't leave her kits. She looked at each of them in turn, then let confidence build her. Her children were chastened enough to behave themselves, she thought, though silently she still worried they might not.

It's a chance, but they need to see their father. Best let them. And besides, seeing all of these battle wounds might inspire them not to leave camp again.

"Come kits," she ordered briskly. They looked at her in surprise.

"Where are we going?" Moonkit asked.

"Yeah," Dustkit piped in. "I thought we were confined to the nursery."

Gingertail bristled. "You are unless I say otherwise, and I'm saying you're coming with me to visit your father."

Gingertail hauled them out in front of her and lead them down to the medicine den. She weaved among the cats who were waiting for care until she found Molefoot. When she got closer to him, she noticed that other than his wrenched claw, he had a tuft of fur missing from behind his ear, but nothing that would seriously plague him for the rest of his life. Her heart lifted with relief.

Molefoot gave each of his kits a sniff as they padded up to him. "Are you gonna die?" Tinykit asked meekly.

"Cat's don't die unless their seriously hurt!" Dustkit snapped at her brother. Then she looked worriedly at her father. "You're not seriously hurt, are you?"

Molefoot shrugged. "Not unless you count this as serious." He lifted his wrenched claw for them to inspect.

"That looks yucky!" Bramblekit commented, sitting back. "We won't have injuries like that, will we?"

Tinykit bent to give his father's paw a sniff, then drew back as though he had smelled something disgusting. Molefoot answered Bramblekit seriously. "You might. Fighting for your Clan isn't an easy thing."

Bramblekit huffed his chest out proudly. "I'll fight no matter how difficult it is. Injuries like that won't phase me!"

Molefoot purred. "The other Clans had better look out. ShadowClan has a new guardian."

Moonkit was sniffing the wound now, and rather than look disgusted, she looked interested. Just then, Swanfeather was approaching. She paused as she noticed Moonkit sniffing the wound. "What's going on?" she didn't look away as she asked the question. Moonkit started, as though she hadn't expected someone to speak to her. She backed away embarrassed.

"It's my father...his paw's hurt, though I'm not exactly sure what's wrong..."

Swanfeather leaned in and gave it a sniff. "Wrenched claw. Do you know what that means?"

Moonkit shook her head, her shoulders still stiff with embarrassment.

"It means that he nearly pulled it out." She flicked her tail, gazing curiously at Moonkit. "I'm going to need marigold, comfrey, and poppy seeds."

Moonkit leaned forward. "What do those do?"

Swanfeather nodded, acknowledging Moonkit's interest. "Marigold helps to keep wounds from getting infection, comfrey is good for helping heal the wound, and poppy seeds will take away the pain and make him sleepy."

Moonkit's tail quivered. "Can I watch you put them on?"

Swanfeather narrowed her eyes decisively. "Why don't you stay and help me? I'm going to need help if I'm to see to all of these warriors before moonhigh."

Moonkit's tail shot straight up. "Oh can I, Gingertail? Please?"

Gingertail was taken aback. She had not expected these turn of events. Too caught off guard to have any real arguments, she nodded. "But when the moon is high, you come straight to the nursery." She glanced apologetically at Swanfeather. "I don't want you up too late."

"Great!" Moonkit exclaimed. Swanfeather gave a deep nod, looking at Gingertail with deep appreciation.

"Fantastic. Now, my little helper, let's get to work." And together the medicine cat and the kit whisked away.

"Why can't we help?" Dustkit asked, glaring up at her mother. "Aren't we important?"

"Of course you are," Gingertail mewed, pressing her nose into her child's fur. "But we don't want to get in Swanfeather's way. We can help later by bringing fresh-kill and moss-soaked water for all the injured cats who need treated."

The other kits' tails raised a bit at Gingertail's words. Right as Moonkit and Swanfeather returned, both with a jawful of herbs, Briarstar's call came from the Speakrock. Gingertail swept her tail around three of her kits- leaving Moonkit to help Swanfeather like she promised -and headed straight for the nursery. Molefoot called his goodbye to them (promising to visit later) and turned toward the Speakrock. Gingertail stopped outside the nursery, pushing three of her little kits ahead of her so that she could sit and listen.

Briarstar was standing on the rock, and on the ground below her was Gorsefur. Although he had a long scratch down his side, and his nose still had blood on it, he held his head high and stared around the Clan. Briarstar spoke, "The returning warriors told me that RiverClan and WindClan fought strongly together, but could not break through into the ThunderClan camp."

There were half-hearted cheers. It didn't seem that the Clan was that eager to know much about the aftermath.

"RiverClan and WindClan have teamed up against ThunderClan and...by going to their aid, we have made it look like we have allied ourselves with them." There were several hisses around the Clan. Nobody seemed to like that news. "So it will only be a matter of time before WindClan and RiverClan start coming for us."

"We must protect our kits and elders!" Soddenpelt called. Blood glistened on his ear. "We have made ourselves a target and put our entire Clan in danger!"

There were calls of agreement from the Clan, and even Briarstar seemed unhappy. "We couldn't let ThunderClan elders and kits suffer because of RiverClan and WindClan's cruelty. Though believe me, I will have a word with Scarletstar about it. Perhaps we can get something out of this. Whatever happens, we will make all the Clans pay for what we suffered today."

There were yowls of agreement from around the Clan. Gingertail's pelt prickled with worry. If they were targets now, that could easily put her untrained kits in danger. She did not want to see any of them hurt, no matter how much she cared about Sweetbriar.

"The first thing we want to do," the ShadowClan leader started. "Is send a message across to all the Clans that ShadowClan is not weak. Starting tomorrow, we will have double patrols. I want our borders marked along every blade of grass in the territory. I want every hunting patrol to bring back enough fresh-kill for everyone. We can't go hungry at a time like this. The next thing we want to do is strengthen our ranks."

Gingertail's heart skipped a beat. She knew what was coming a moment before Briarstar said it. "It's time we make four of our apprentices warriors."

There were yelps of excitement from around the Clan. All four of the apprentices had been in the battle today. Slypaw stepped forward next to Leapwing, who had become his mentor while Swishtail was in the nursery. Molefoot limped over to stand next to Weaselpaw, while Violetpaw nudged Hailfur quickly before standing next to Gorsefur. Last but not least, Cedartail stepped forward with his apprentice, Snakepaw, by his side.

Gingertail's kits poked their heads out from behind her, wanting to see the warrior ceremony, she knew. She spotted Moonkit gazing at them in wonder, but she stood next to Swanfeather with her head held high. Gingertail was surprised to see how natural it looked for Moonkit to be there, and she barely had time to wonder if her daughter might want to be a medicine cat before Briarstar was speaking.

"I, Briarstar, leader of ShadowClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon these four apprentices, for they have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn."

She turned to Weaselpaw first. "Weaselpaw, you have shown your strength in battle, and your patience with other cats. I give you the warrior name Weaselscuffle." There were cheers around the Clan as Weaselscuffle accepted his warrior name, licking Briarstar's shoulder while she touched her nose to his head.

She turned to Violetpaw. "Violetpaw, you have shown yourself to be a master hunter, and a loyal friend. I give you the name Violetcloud."

More cheers. Briarstar turned to Snakepaw next. "Snakepaw, you have shown yourself to be a fierce opponent in battle, and an even greater ally. I give you the name Snakefang."

Finally, Briarstar turned to the last of the litter. "Slypaw, you have shown yourself to be an excellent hunter, and a great night guardsman. I give you the name Slystep."

The ShadowClan leader stepped back, and spoke to all four of the new warriors. "We welcome you as full warriors of ShadowClan. Tonight, you will keep a silent vigil of the camp. Watch carefully."

The Clan started to cheer, calling the warriors by their new names. "Weaselscuffle! Violetcloud! Snakefang! Slystep!"

Gingertail joined in, though it wasn't pride coursing through her as she watched her Clan celebrate both their victory with ThunderClan and the new warrior additions to the Clan. It was fear. Four new warriors was a big deal, she reminded herself, but in the end, would it be enough to defend her Clan and all that she loved from the double threat WindClan and RiverClan posed?