Another chappie! Just building up to the battle, which will happen maybe next-next chapter? I dunno! See how things go...Hope you enjoy this one :)
LynxtaiI- I'm sorry for keeping everyone waiting...heehee XD Clawpaw is a good cat though, just doing whats best for LionClan ;)
walkswithwheels- Hmmm, the LionClan cats express hate against Blizzardpaw and Icepaw just beacause they are ThunderClan (the enemy) Its probably because they were treated badly by the Clan cats, so they want the Clan cats to feel the same sorrow they felt (do to others what you want them to do to you) Clawpaw, on the other hand, feels vastly protective of LionClan since they brought him in and let him join. He already has a strong bond with LionClan.
Snowspider of ColdClan- Awww thanks :)
Foreststar of WindClan- HAHA xD
Lilacstream99- Please don't strangle Clawpaw, he is cupcake frosting's character, since we are doing a collab. You can strange this Vinestar plushie though. *gives evil Vinestar plushie*
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Chapter 23
Fallingstar dragged his claws through the soft moss that was his bedding, tearing it into long strips. He closed his eyes, breathing in and out, slowly. His eyelids snapped open. His claws flew through the moss, and mere heartbeats later, he had reduced his bedding to a pile of scraps. Fallingstar panted heavily, shoulders heaving with every breath. His irises dilated, and for heartbeats, he was in the same state as Spottedfall when she had been Spottedstar. Suddenly, Fallingstar relapsed back to his normal self. His eyes widened as he just realized what he had become, even if it was for a few moments.
I can't be like Spottedfall...not now at least. He scolded himself silently, trying to push away images of gore and death out of his head. It was a task that proved impossible. The images kept coming back, each one getting worse and worse. Fallingstar wanted to cry out in anguish, but he stopped himself, just barely. His body curled up in a ball, larger-than-normal paw sticking out.
Rockstorm poked his head in, eyes wide with horror.
"Fallingstar! Are you alright?" He rushed to his leader's side, nudging him into a sitting position. "What happened?"
"The battle…" Fallingstar rasped. "LionClan will never recover. We will lose too many warriors."
Rockstorm shook his head slowly. "No, Fallingstar. We will lose too many ancestors."
Moments passed before Fallingstar realized what Rockstorm was talking about. He sat up a bit straighter. "They're coming back? Our ancestors…coming back to fight for us?"
"Yes, Fallingstar. It seems impossible, but Cinderkit dreamed about it."
"Cinderkit? How do you know it was not just a normal dream, some made up fantasy?"
"There was something in her tone. There was wisdom beyond her years in her voice. Her explanation was so real, not like some wacky dream that she had imagined."
"Do you think Cinderkit has a future as a medicine cat?" Fallingstar mused. "The future being revealed to her, despite her being a kit?"
"Fallingstar, this is not the time to think of Cinderkit's future. It is time to think of LionClan's future. We need to win this battle; it decides LionClan's fate. And as much as I hate to say this, I have no choice. We need those ThunderClan apprentice's on our side. They know ThunderClan battle tactics. They know the Clan's plans. We have to accept them into the Clan."
"I understand what you're saying," Fallingstar meowed. "These ThunderClan cats might be vital to our victory over the Clans."
"Then it is decided?" Rockstorm queried, weariness reflected in his eyes.
"It is."
Fallingstar padded out of his den, shoulders pulled back to give him an intimidating demeanour. Cats doing their daily work paused as he clambered onto the Hightree. Before he had even opened his jaws to say the meeting call, cats had gathered below him.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath Hightree for a Clan meeting!" Fallingstar called out anyways, trailing off at the end, since most of the cats had already gathered before he had finished.
"Where are the ThunderClan cats?" He whispered to Dustflame, who had sat down next to him.
Dustflame shot him a bewildered look. "Why should they be here?"
"It is time we brought them into the Clan."
"What?"
"I will explain later."
Dustflame leapt down from the tree, pawsteps uneasy. Silence hung over the camp. Everyone was waiting for Fallingstar to say something. The moment the ThunderClan cat emerged from the apprentice den did Fallingstar start to speak.
"Cats of LionClan, the Gathering is tomorrow." Fallingstar meowed resolutely. "We need any advantage we can get. Thus, and for that reason only, will I make this ThunderClan apprentice a LionClan one."
There were several angry outbursts, the loudest from Clawpaw. For some reason, the apprentice had already developed a loathing for the ThunderClan cat. Fallingstar stepped forward, tail lashing.
"I have decided that it is essential to LionClan's survival," he shouted over the angry buzz. "These cats have important information. I am only doing this for LionClan, and for LionClan only." Ignoring the Lionclanner's shouts of disagreement, Fallingstar jumped down from his perch and faced the she-cat. "What is your name?"
"Blizzardpaw." She whispered.
"I, Fallingstar of LionClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look upon this apprentice. She has trained hard in ThunderClan, but it is time for her to become a LionClan apprentice. Mistywing, you shall be Blizzardpaw's mentor. You are a fair and kind cat, and I hope that you will not hold Blizzardpaw's past against her. May you teach her everything you know. Dustflame taught you well."
Mistywing stepped forward, and touched noses with her new apprentice tentatively. She smiled weakly, trying to be friendly, but her smile quickly turned into a grimace. Blizzardpaw was Mistywing's first apprentice, and Mistywing was obviously thinking of training a LionClan apprentice, not some ThunderClan cat. Fallingstar felt slightly sorry for her, but pushed the feelings away. Mistywing would do her best nevertheless.
"What about Icepaw, my sister?" Blizzardpaw meowed softly.
"Icepaw?"
"The one who was injured."
"I see." Fallingstar looked up at the Clan once again, trying not to flinch from the angry glares from his Clanmates. "Icepaw, Blizzardpaw's sister, is still in the medicine cat den, but I will only appoint her a mentor when the time comes for her to become an apprentice. Clan dismissed."
Fallingstar turned away, desperately wanting to get back to his den to start some serious thinking. He wanted to figure out a good battle plan by the Gathering. To his utter irritation, there was a protest from the group of cats. Of course there is going to be that one cat…Fallingstar marched towards the source of the sound, determined to get over it as quickly as possible. It turned out that it had been Littleflame who had been making the hullabaloo.
"How can you just make that ThunderClan cat a LionClan apprentice then walk away, Fallingstar?" He meowed, maintaining a respectful tone. "It is a big deal right now, accepting an enemy into our midst!"
"LIttleflame, you have to understand, it is the best thing for LionClan right now. Blizzardpaw probably knows Vinestar's battle plans, and those plans are going to help us claim victory."
"But-"
"Littleflame, just give it a break." Fallingstar was surprised to see Mistywing advancing on Littleflame, Blizzardpaw trailing after her nervously. "My apprentice is still young. Her heart is not as tainted as other, older ThunderClan warriors. She still has a personality. She and her sister hve been hurt by Vinestar, and they ran away to us. Should that mean something to you? We have all been hurt by Vinestar; he was the one who suggested the Unnatural rule in the first place. Are Blizzardpaw and Icepaw no different?"
Littleflame looked lost for words. Mistywing, meanwhile, ploughed on. "You are not thinking about the Clan right now. All you are thinking about is rejecting the cats who rejected us, about giving them a taste of their own medicine. But can't you see? Blizzardpaw and Icepaw have never done anything against us! Just by looking at them you can tell that they are new apprentices. They look barely six moons! Think about it Littleflame. Sometimes not all ThunderClan cats are bad."
Fallingstar gazed at the warrior, a small smile stretching across his face. He knew he could count on Mistywing to see through the 'ThunderClan Blizzardpaw' and see the real cat inside.
"Mistywing is right," Clawpaw cut in. "Blizzardpaw's sister had been murdered by Vinestar. Who can forgive a cat who killed their own sister? Only a heartless cat can." Clawpaw looked at Blizzardpaw. "But Blizzardpaw isn't. I could hear the emotion in her tone when she told me about Whitekit. It was genuine, not fake. Blizzardpaw is not like her old Clanmates. She is different. And what she told me, there are a lot of cats who are different in ThunderClan."
Blizzardpaw nodded eagerly, apparently delighted that Clawpaw was finally taking her side. "Wingfall, Foxfern and Thornstorm all hate Vinestar. He is unfair and cruel and cold-hearted. He hurt Icepaw, and killed Whitekit. I could never forgive him. I would gladly fight on LionClan's side."
Blizzardpaw stopped, then ducked her head. She hid behind her mentor, blushing fiercely. All cat's eyes were fixed on her, and every cat was gaping. After a moment, Mistywing stepped away, no longer shielding Blizzardpaw from view.
"Blizzardpaw! Blizzardpaw!" She chanted. "Blizzardpaw!"
Cats started to take up to call, and slowly, the chant grew louder and louder. The smile on Blizzardpaw's face grew wider and wider.
"Blizzardpaw! Blizzardpaw! Blizzardpaw!"
It was nice to celebrate the last night of peace with the acceptance of an apprentice.
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Hope you liked that chappie!
-Cloud(y)