Wow, sorry I took SUCH a long time updating this time…what with Christmas (and no internet, and my dog almost dying) I've been pretty delayed. Well, here it is anyway, chapter 26! this story is ending soon…next story might be about two things (pm me which one you like) one: Twilightpaw and her life in ShadowClan with Windfoot, the new ShadowClan deputy, and how she fits in there, or two: Fire(?) on her way to becoming the leader of ThunderClan. You choose! Now here's Ravenpaw!
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Ravenpaw awoke in the medicine den, her muzzle throbbing. She rose shakily to her paws, blinking sleep from her eyes and looking around. The camp was deserted, aside from Mirekit who seemed to be playing alone in the center of the stone pit. Ravenpaw's eyes narrowed. It was eerily quiet.
There was a sudden commotion at the entrance to the camp, and Ravenpaw peered out of the medicine den to see Darkfang tumble through the bramble tunnel, his fangs bared. A moment later, Ghostface followed more slowly, his pale blue gaze flickering nervously around the clearing.
"When Tigerstar hears about this-" Darkfang was sneering at the silver tom.
"Quiet!" Ghostface snapped. Darkfang glared at his former apprentice, his mouth open as if to reply, but he switched his tail and thought better of it, merely shaking his head and raising his nose to the air.
"Perfect," he hissed, a few seconds later.
Ghostface shivered, and Ravenpaw shrunk back into the shadows as his gaze passed over the ferns that just barely blocked her black shape from view.
"They've both gone! How is that perfect?" Ghostface hissed, taking a step towards Darkfang. The black warrior curled his lip. "We can get them both at once. I'm sure Tigerstar won't object if we get two traitors in one swipe."
Ghostface did not reply, but sat down and curled his silver tail around unsheathed claws.
"We ought to follow them now, Darkfang." The silver warrior murmured after a thoughtful pause.
"I know, mouse-brain. Remember, Tigerstar picked me for this, so shut your mouth unless I tell you to talk!"
A low growl rose in Ghostface's throat, and he whispered, "I thought we agreed that I would do the honors."
"Alright, fine. Just don't get under my pelt like that. Let's go," Darkfang snapped, getting to his feet and striding to the tunnel that led to where the ThunderClan cats made dirt. Ravenpaw knew that there was a secret way out of the camp there, and the fur on her neck bristled. Mirekit tumbled into Darkfang's paws as he tackled a leaf, and the black warrior jerked away, hissing.
The tiny gray tomkit squeaked with fear and backed away, trembling. Ravenpaw's eyes narrowed. As soon as Ghostface's silver tail disappeared into the brambles, she jumped up and dashed to the front tunnel, barely keeping Darkfang's scent in her mouth.
She clawed her way through the passageway, ignoring the brambles that tore at her fur, and then emerged into a fading daylight, the faint sounds of the still-raging battle whispering in her ears.
As soon as Ravenpaw was well away from camp, she picked up her pace, scenting the air until she was sure that Darkfang and Ghostface were behind her. Then she concentrated on finding Lionstar's scent. A shudder passed slowly down her spine. As she trotted through the forest, shadows lengthened, and the sun sank farther and farther below the horizon.
Finally, near the lakeshore, she found Lionstar's trail, and with it she scented Firepaw. Her eyes snapped wide open, and new urgency put a spring into the tired apprentice's step. Her muzzle began to ache, and other cuts on her shoulders and haunches began to sting. Determined, the black she-cat bent her head and forged onward, her paws padding quietly across the frosty ground.
Suddenly, a blood-chilling screech echoed through the forest. Ravenpaw tensed and her whiskers trembled, testing the air. A whiff of Firepaw's scent reached her nose. Without a second thought, Ravenpaw shot off through the undergrowth, ignoring her protesting muscles. Night had descended on the forest, and she hurtled blindly around trees and thickets, her heart thudding wildly in her chest.
Firepaw's scent grew stronger, until she burst into a clearing on the banks of the stream that separated ShadowClan territory from ThunderClan territory. She could smell the lake a few foxlengths away, and the battle farther downstream.
"Ravenpaw!" came a sudden gasp. Ravenpaw shook off the cold breeze and turned to face Firepaw who was crouched at one edge of the clearing, one shoulder angled as if to protect the golden tom that huddled behind her.
"Lionstar!" Ravenpaw cried, dashing forward.
"Lionstar! Oh, Lionstar!" came a wheedling voice from behind her. Ravenpaw leaped up and whirled around, fangs bared. There stood Darkfang, with Ghostface and Huntedwing, the ShadowClan medicine cat apprentice at his flank. Another ShadowClan warrior, Dirtleg, stood a step in front of him, his keen eyes following Ravenpaw as she backed away from them.
"What happened?" she asked Firepaw, their pelts brushing.
The red she-cat's gaze flickered between her friend and the menacing group in front of her.
"Gingerfoot is dead. Lionstar wandered off, and I found him here. They just arrived. And…"
Ravenpaw blinked. "What?"
"Dirtleg killed Ambertail."
Ravenpaw's heart plummeted. "Great StarClan."
Firepaw's gaze was hard, and Ravenpaw wondered what else the older apprentice had been through. "She followed us. I didn't know until Dirtleg and the others came into the clearing, and Dirtleg was…dragging her."
Ravenpaw blinked, and glanced at Lionstar, who still sat unmoving behind Firepaw. "Where…where's her…Ambertail's body?"
Firepaw's whiskers trembled. "I don't know. Dirtleg hid it somewhere."
"We don't have all day," hissed Huntedwing, his tail whisking back and forth. Ravenpaw's lip curled, and she shifted so that she stood beside Firepaw, her tail resting lightly on her friend's shoulder.
"What do you want?" she growled at Darkfang.
"Him," Huntedwing replied, cutting off the black warrior as he opened his mouth to speak. The ShadowClan tom waved a paw at Lionstar.
"We know you dream with Tigerstar. Don't try to fool us – just speak the truth and everything will be that much easier," Firepaw snapped, never taking her eyes off of Darkfang.
Huntedwing and Dirtleg exchanged a glance, then Dirtleg meowed in a husky voice, "Very good, little one. Darkfang never told me you were watching him." Dirtleg's gaze flashed toward the black ThunderClan warrior, who bent his head and looked away, paws clenching.
"Anyway, you know we won't hand over our leader without a fight. And I suppose you'll want me dead too. Sometimes traitors are so…thick."
Darkfang released an insulted yowl, but Dirtleg silenced him with a wave of his brown tail. "Indeed. And I suppose you're right. But you see, it is four-" he made a wide gesture at Huntedwing, Darkfang, Ghostface, and himself, "against…" he looked Firepaw up and down, a small smile creeping across his narrow face, "three. There's really no way you can win."
"There might be." The deep meow came from the trees behind Firepaw. Dirtleg's eyes widened, and he took a quick step back. Ravenpaw turned slowly, her heart thundering.
"We heard you from twenty foxlengths upriver, and Owlflight here thought you might need help." It was Grayfang, followed by Owlflight, Redstorm, and Ratwhisker.
Ravenpaw bounded to his side and pressed her nose against his warm, gray pelt, a purr rising deep in her throat. "Thank StarClan, Grayfang. There's no cat I'd rather have by my side." He bent and licked her affectionately between her ears.
"What's going on here?" Redstorm growled. Scarlet drops of blood spattered his fiery pelt, and he was covered in wounds, but still he stood tall and strong, his amber eyes fierce as he started at Darkfang. The black warrior shifted his haunches, his eyes flitting back and forth between Redstorm and Dirtleg. The ShadowClan warriors were bristling, glaring at the newcomers.
"Come to rescue everyone, have you, Redstorm?" muttered Darkfang. His gaze was sharp and hostile, but Ravenpaw could see fear beginning to appear in its depths.
"Firepaw," meowed the huge red tom, still keeping his eyes fixed on Darkfang. His daughter jumped to her feet and hurried to his side, murmuring to Ratwhisker. The brown she-cat nodded and huddled beside Lionstar, whispering in his ear.
Ravenpaw felt a pang of jealousy as she saw Firepaw and Redstorm standing next to each, bright red pelts brushing. She would have given anything to have a father like Redstorm.
"What happened?" Redstorm asked quietly, out of earshot of Darkfang and his colleagues. The ShadowClan and ThunderClan traitors were deep in conversation, no doubt trying to find a way to escape from this mess. Ravenpaw grinned.
"Darkfang and the rest have come to murder Lionstar. I overheard them during the battle, and went to find him. I had to tell Lionstar that Gingerfoot was dead. I think it was too much for him…he wandered off, and I found him here, with them. Lucky I came when I did, really. But Ambertail was already dead."
Redstorm looked taken aback. "Gingerfoot and Ambertail? No wonder he's…I knew something terrible would come of this battle."
Firepaw murmured, "I'm sure that's not the worst of it."
"Rabbitpaw hasn't got a mentor, then…" Ravenpaw whispered to herself.
Ratwhisker snorted, "Rabbitpaw is the least of our worries right now. Lionstar might never recover. Darkfang and Ghostface have turned traitor and were planning to kill us all. We should turn our minds to that first, I think."
Redstorm gave a short chuckle and winked at Ratwhisker, who raised her chin, and turned away, though there was a smile on her lips. Ravenpaw blinked, and absentmindedly pressed closer to Grayfang. He glanced at her, surprised, then a purr began to rumble in his throat,
The ShadowClan cats suddenly broke apart, forming a line, shoulder to shoulder, and facing the ThunderClan warriors and apprentices. Redstorm's lip curled, and Owlflight took a step forward to stand beside Firepaw. She started to shrink away, startled, but then hesitantly pressed against the golden tabby.
"We have decided that we will fight you," stated Huntedwing boldly, his face expressionless. Owlflight snorted, but Redstorm silenced him with a wave of his tail.
"Is that so?" asked the red tom, eyeing Huntedwing with disgust. "You will fight us, and lose? Willingly?"
Huntedwing hesitated, but then meowed, "If that is how view it, yes, we must. Although we do not mean to lose."
Grayfang snarled, "Impossible. It's six to four! You've only got one senior warrior, two young warriors and a medicine cat! We have two senior warriors, three well-trained warriors, and two near warriors. There's no way you'll win. Run now, mouse-brains, and maybe you'll escape with your lives!" The gray warrior's eyes flashed menacingly.
"Be that as it may," meowed Huntedwing carefully, his tail curled thoughtfully, "We only have one objective. Lionstar will die. If you kill every one of us, we will have completed our job."
Owlflight quivered with rage, and Ravenpaw was reminded that Lionstar was his father. "You will not lay one claw on his pelt! And what do you mean, job?" he hissed, voice thick with anger. His fur bristled, and his claws were unsheathed, gripping the ground like the jaws of a badger. It looked like he was on the verge of leaping straight at Huntedwing, and he was hard pressed to keep himself in check.
"Tigerstar gave us one task." It was Darkfang this time, his quiet meow sounding even more sinister than Huntedwing's. His ice blue eyes were sharp and hungry. "One task. He has a score yet unsettled with Firestar."
Redstorm scoffed. "I'm surprised he hasn't given up that petty feud. Doesn't he know he can't win?"
As he finished the sentence, Darkfang rose to his feet, stalked across the clearing, and stopped a tail-length away from Redstorm's nose. "Tigerstar will win, Redstorm. He is chasing us, always chasing us, and someday he will catch us."
The look on Redstorm's face made Ravenpaw step back. His eyes grew wide, and his whiskers quivered. His fur bristled, he looked like he had seen Tigerstar himself, the way his eyes filled with fear and his jaw clenched.
"Every night, Darkfang. Every StarClan-cursed night. But it was you…you chased me…" Redstorm's voice was quiet, wavering, so unlike his usual bold bellow that
Now it was Darkfang's turn to look afraid. He stepped back, slowly, fur on end. "I – I, didn't mean to, Redstorm, I swear on my life I didn't mean to kill you."
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