Welp, I was gonna finish this but then I decided to have this as the last chapter since I have more to say. Foxbracken is going to be changed pelt wise and eye color wise, her parents will be different, and the setting will be different! I'm doing that simply because I lost my notes for this story and I can't remember the things I had planned for it; plus, I don't know where my Warriors books are and I don't really remember much from the first arc.
I'm sorry about that, but I need it to be changed. Plus she's way too Mary-Sue-y for my liking and god my writing was terrible how did you guys make it? Well, kudos to you all who read it! I was cringing the entire time I reread this story...
Unfortunately, this also means that also means Thornclaw will be out of the picture as a love interest, and I dunno what I'm gonna do about Shadeclaw. Probably the same thing with what I'm planning on doing with Foxbracken... I'm really sorry guys, maybe in the future I'll do one-shots with this Foxbracken and the Forest territory, but for now I'm moving onto a new plot.
Anyway, on to the chapter!
Foxbracken trailed behind Longtail, fluffy trail dragging behind her. Her heart still pained for Shadeclaw, who had died before the journey even began. Of course, she kept that a secret, telling any cat who asked what was wrong that she would deeply miss the old territory. It wasn't far from the truth, she was going to miss her home, but she missed the ShadowClan warrior even more. She wasn't even able to see him again before his death, since the increasing problems from the twolegs made it difficult for them to meet in peace. For their sake, they agreed to stop meeting up - at least until things calmed down.
Now, she wouldn't be able to see that tabby warrior again.
With a shake of her head, she lifted her muzzle to peer over the blind tabby warrior in front of her, making sure he wouldn't be walking into danger. Goldenflower was being a wonderful guide to him, but she still couldn't help but worry about her former mentor.
She also worried for Ferncloud and her kits, but knew Duspelt and any cat around would help them; kits were precious, no matter what Clan they came from, and she knew no cat would leave any kit to die. Not on this trip.
A small smile threatened to curve along her muzzle at the thought, realizing that old Clan squabbles had been forgotten; it was as if they were one large Clan. In a way, they were. They all needed to work together to survive the journey to.. whether they were going, and they all temporarily shared the same want: the want to find a new home and settle down, to thrive once more.
A sudden shriek ahead broke her from her thoughts, and she watched in horror as a ShadowClan apprentice suddenly dropped down, his front paws clutching the side of the ledge as he let out another wail. Russetfur lunged forward toward the apprentice, trying to reach the unlucky scrap, but the ledge crumpled under his paws, and he fell, leaving the ShadowClan deputy standing over the gap as she stared down in shock.
Silence filled the air and Foxbracken took a step back, hearing a cat wail in grief. "StarClan watch over him," she whispered, voice shaking. Fear shot through her when she realized that there was now a gap separating her and those who remained from the rest of the Clans, and her wide-eyed gaze locked onto her former mentor. Longtail was blind, how would he be able to make the jump?
"One at a time!" A cat yowled from across the gap, and she recognized the voice to be Brambleclaw's. "We'll make sure you make it!"
Carefully, she peered around Longtail, who was now bristling in worry and alarm, and spotted Thornclaw and Russetfur waiting, the three cats leaving enough room between them and the solid ledge for the others to land safely. With a heavy heart, she swallowed and murmured, "You can do this, Longtail. Just take a deep breath."
The tabby tom turned his blind gaze to her and he sighed, giving a small nod and muttered something under his breath. He turned his head back toward the gap and crouched down, Goldenflower murmuring in his ear.
Foxbracken took a few steps back to give them room, turning her head to see a few others waiting as well. With a small nod, she turned her head back toward her former mentor and watched as he lunged forward, leaping across the gap. He made it to the other side, but his back paws scrambled against the broken ledge, causing a cry of alarm to escape from Foxbracken's mouth. However, Russetfur quickly sank her teeth into the blind tom's scruff, hauling him onto the ledge.
With a sigh of relief, Foxbracken watched as Goldenflower quickly followed suit, Brambleclaw nuzzled his mother once she reached him to make sure she was alright. Grim determination filled her heart, now replacing the grief she had felt for Shadeclaw, and turned her head. "You heard him," she called, "one at a time!" She then nudged Leafpaw forward, urging the remaining few to get in line. "You'll make it," she assured, seeing the medicine cat apprentice flash a fearful glance toward her. Leafpaw nodded and turned away, leaping across the gap.
It didn't take long for the remaining few to make it, leaving Foxbracken the only one left on the other side. With a deep breath, she padded forward and crouched down, bunching her muscles as she prepared to leap, Thornclaw staring at her with worry. With a grunt, she pushed herself forward, leaping across the gap. However, she had misjudged her jump and found her back paws sliding down into the drop. With a hiss, she dug her claws into the ledge to hold on, feeling Thornclaw gripping her scruff to drag her back onto the ledge. Quickly, she clawed the ledge, making her way back up to safety.
Once on the ledge, she sat down, catching her breath as she tried to calm herself, her legs shaking. "Oh, thank StarClan," Thornclaw breathed, briefly giving her head a lick before pressing his muzzle against hers.
Foxbracken slowly stood up, gently pulling away from the golden-brown tabby. "I'm okay," she assured, sending a glance at Brambelclaw. The dark tabby nodded and turned away, padding back with the others as the group began to move forward.
Thornclaw stared at her, still worried, but gave a small nod of his own. He turned and padded on, but Foxbracken quickly padded after him, staying next to him as they carried on with the journey. She needed the comfort from a friend, and she worried her action made it seem she wasn't grateful for his help. "Thank you," she murmured finally, glancing at the golden-brown tabby warrior beside her.
He nodded, giving a small smile. "No problem, Fox. I wasn't going to let you fall."
She just nodded, padding next to him in silence as guilt clenched her throat. Thornclaw was a wonderful tom, but she was still in love with Shadeclaw, and it was too painful to try and imagine her possibly becoming Thornclaw's mate. She didn't feel the same way he did and didn't want to string him along when she knew it wouldn't make either of them happy.
xXx
Foxbracken padded along after the others, silently questioning Firestar's choice to check on Onewhisker. She knew the tom had many cats in his Clan who were against his sudden leadership, but she felt that it wasn't ThunderClan's problem. She could imagine Shadeclaw complaining about it as well, and she had to keep herself from snickering at the thought. The late ShadowClan warrior had certainly been opinionated when it came to Clan involvement.
Her blood ran cold when she heard a screech from the WindClan camp and her eyes widened, realization dawning upon her that Mudclaw had indeed acted out and was going to take his place as WindClan leader by force.
"ThunderClan, to me!" Firestar yowled before streaking toward the sounds of battle, the rest of the patrol hot on his paws.
Foxbracken raced after them as thunder rumbled loudly, rain pouring down heavily, though she was too focused on the idea of battle to think if the storm was a sign from StarClan or not. With a shriek, she bounded forward and bowled into a RiverClan warrior, surprised that Mudclaw had gotten aid from the other Clans. The warrior hissed and thrashed in her grasp, twisting their head and sinking their teeth into her shoulder. She let out a yowl and clawed at their belly before releasing the squirming warrior, watching as they raced away.
Before she could rejoin the fray, a heavy weight bowled into her knocking her to the ground. With a growl, she twisted her head and bit the dark tabby's paw, unable to recognize the tom. He yowled and bit down onto her scruff, causing her to open her jaws as she cried out in pain, and began to claw her back. Foxbracken let out a caterwaul, hoping to gain attention for help, and lashed out at the tom's belly, trying to get him to stop. However, he let out a hiss and batted her away before lunging at her again before she could recover, pinning the she-cat down and grabbing onto her throat.
Panic filled her veins and she opened her jaws, letting out a strangled gasp as she struggled under the tom, no longer wanting to win the battle, but wanting to live. The tom twisted, and a choked shriek of pain escaped her as she felt her neck snap, the pain quickly fading as she realized she could no longer feel her body. Now limp, the tom backed off, staring at her with cold ice-blue eyes as she lied there, unable to move, her breathing wet and ragged.
Her panicked violet eyes locked onto the tom, and she realized with a jolt that he was the RiverClan warrior, Hawkfrost. She moved her jaws, trying to speak, but was unable, blood trickling out instead. Hawkfrost sneered before turning and racing back into the fray, leaving the broken warrior for dead. She tried again, letting out a choked cry for help, but doubted she would be heard over the screeches of battle.
"Great StarClan!"
Her dying gaze flickered toward the noise, spotting a dark brown tom bounding toward her.
It was the WindClan medicine cat, Barkface.
Foxbracken let out a rasping whine, fear clouding her gaze as the old tom began to check her wounds, already knowing she was dying. She hadn't realized the battle had begun to die down, too wrapped up in her own panic and fear to focus on anything. She tried to speak again, to tell the tom who had done this, but couldn't.
"Firestar!" Barkface bellowed, spinning away from the wounded warrior. "Firestar, come quick!"
The flame-colored tom bounded toward the medicine cat, his green eyes wide as he saw his own warrior dying. "Foxbracken... can you do something?" He swung his head toward the dark brown tom, the dark silver and brown she-cat staring up at him with panicked eyes as Barkface shook his head.
"Her neck..." the tom trailed off and his ears flattened. "I'm sorry, Firestar, but there's nothing I can do. She's in the paws of StarClan now."
Foxbracken let out another rasping gasp, her gaze flickering from tom to tom as she felt herself growing considerably weaker, and finally closed her eyes, her side rising and falling awkwardly as she fought for breath. However, with each inhale blood began to fill her lungs, and it wasn't long until she finally lost consciousness.
xXx
Slowly, Foxbracken opened her eyes, surprised to see a lush forest filling her vision. Without a thought, she slowly stood up, her paws shaking, when she finally realized she could move. With a gasp she swung her head around, seeing stars entangled with her pelt. "No..." She fell onto her haunches, staring at the ground in front of her with shock.
"Welcome to StarClan, Foxbracken."
The dark silver and brown she-cat jumped to her paws and spun around, startled, and stared into the loving eyes of a familiar gray tabby she-cat.
"Brindleface...?" She breathed, staring at her before her body shook. She staggered forward and pressed her muzzle into her mother's starry fur, her body shaking.
"Hush, little one," her mother murmured, rasping her tongue over the shaking warrior's head. "You're safe now."
Foxbracken pulled away, staring at Brindleface with grief and confusion. "I don't understand," she cried, instantly hating how she sounded like a whiny kit. "Why would he kill me? And Thornclaw.. what's going to happen to him? What happened to WindClan?"
Brindleclaw pressed her nose to her daughter's to silence the panicked warrior, her green eyes dark with her, own grief. "Mudclaw is dead, Onewhisker is still the leader of WindClan. Thornclaw is hurting, but he'll recover. You need to calm down, Foxbracken. There's someone who wants to speak with you."
Numbly, Foxbracken just nodded before padding after her mother like a lost kit, not thinking about Shadeclaw. She hadn't wanted to leave her Clan just yet, she wanted to have kits of her own, to train her own apprentice, to see how the Clans would do in the new territory. She had even started to fall for Thornclaw, and now she didn't have the chance to tell him. She wanted to sit down and wail, but forced herself to keep going, instead lowering her head as she continued to follow Brindleface.
Suddenly, she stopped, slowly lifting her head. "Where's Shadeclaw?"
Her mother stopped and mewed softly, "You'll see. Just follow me."
With a heavy heart, the fluffy she-cat staggered after the gray tabby queen, keeping silent. Her mother soon stopped and turned back toward the newest StarClan member, her green eyes dark with pride and grief. "My daughter," she mewed quietly, "I'm so proud of you." She leaned forward and rasped her tongue over Foxbracken's ear before nudging her toward another cat that waited.
Foxbracken swallowed and slowly padded toward, startled to see Bluestar. "You... you wanted to speak to me?"
Bluestar nodded and turned toward the warrior, eyes grim. "You weren't supposed to die, Foxbracken," she murmured, sounding distant. "Because of that, StarClan has decided to give you a second chance." She lifted her muzzle and padded toward the startled warrior, giving a small smile. "It will not be now, but soon. For now, enjoy your time in StarClan, Foxbracken."
xXx
Foxbracken stood beside Brindleface, watching as her Clanmates grieved for their fallen. Taking a deep breath, she padded out of the StarClan ranks, gently pressing her nose to Ferncloud's as the speckled she-cat stood from her body, and continued to Thornclaw, who stared at her with grief. "You've been through enough pain," she murmured softly, briefly rubbing her muzzle along his cheek. "Treat her well." With a sad smile, she dipped her head and turned away from the living warrior, padding back to the ranks of StarClan, relieved that Thornclaw was finally moving on, and that the Dark Forest had lost.
One more thing: if you guys could do me a huge favor, please vote on my poll! Just two options, no need for a lot of thought. Just pick one and you're good!
