Chapter 47
The exploration of the territory had been cut short by a storm that had struck the lake very suddenly. Ravenflight did not have time to notice the stormy-gray clouds to spread across the sky. She did not have time to notice the sun as it was blocked by those thick bands of clouds.
Now she was soaked to the skin. A shiver ran down her spine as she led Silverpaw back to the hollow.
The apprentice's tail was drooped in disappointment. Ravenflight couldn't blame Silverpaw for feeling annoyed. She could remember a time when a little rainstorm had made her feel angry because nothing could get done.
She watched as Silverpaw joined Dovepaw and Ivypaw beside the apprentice's den. They had spent the rest of the day cleaning out the elders' den. Ravenflight frowned when she realized that Silverpaw was around the same age as Dovepaw and Ivypaw. By now her training would have been complete, but Firestar had held back her apprentice ceremony for one moon.
A yowl of alarm suddenly sounded from up above near the bramble entrance. Ravenflight looked up in dismay to see that Toadpelt was bounding through the entrance. His pelt was covered in mud, and the stench of blood lay heavily in the air.
"WindClan…Onestar's at the border!" Toadpelt's cry was cut off when he staggered forward. "He…he planned an ambush!"
Horror crept through Ravenflight when he collapsed before Rosefoot, who bounded forward to drag him towards Jayfeather's den. She exchanged a terrified look with Sorreltail.
"Thornclaw, Lionblaze, Spiderleg and Berrynose. I want you four to come with me." Firestar had leaped down the Highledge to join the four warriors he'd named. Ivypaw's eyes widened at the mention of her mentor rushing off into battle.
"I want to come too," Ravenflight growled. Her claws kneaded the moist ground as every cat looked at her in shock. "I have a score to settle with Weedtail and a few others I'd not name," she added angrily.
"Very well." Firestar dipped his head before leading them towards the thorn tunnel.
"Firestar wait!" The ginger tom stopped and watched as Sandstorm approached him warily. "Don't waste your lives on something so foolish like your pride," she hissed. "I can't bare to lose you as well." Her eyes clouded over before she gave a rough shake of her head.
"Don't worry," he murmured reassuringly. "While I have nine lives my Clanmates only have one. I will do whatever it takes to protect them."
Ravenflight was shocked by his words. Though they were partly true, she couldn't help but think of her own secret life. Ravenfeather had always been at the back of her mind. Despite the fact that she tried pushing back Ravenfeather's thoughts, she knew that eventually the truth would be revealed.
Without another word Firestar let out a caterwaul and led the battle patrol through the tunnel entrance.
The rain made it difficult for Ravenflight to see what lay ahead of her. Sheets of the silver droplets had become more like pellets. It was falling heavier than before and puddles were replaced by streams.
Toadpelt was right to ask for help. Already she could hear the cries of her Clanmates as WindClan warriors swarmed over the border. She spotted Cloudtail surrounded by two WindClan warriors. The long-haired tom spit furiously and slashed out with his claws, barely missing the eye of Harespring.
"Don't do anything foolish," Firestar meowed. "Make sure they get the message!"
The flame-colored leader bounded into the fray, tackling any enemy that stood in his way. Ravenflight did the same and leaped in to defend Cloudtail. His shoulder was bleeding from a wound inflicted by his opponents.
A snarl erupted from Ravenflight's throat as she soared over Harespring. The wiry brown and white tom was slightly bigger than she was, giving her an advantage when she landed on his back. Without waiting she clamped her paws over his eyes and began digging her back claws into his back.
Screeches of surprise and pain suddenly came from the battleground as she felt Harespring collapse.
"I can handle this one," Cloudtail gasped when Harespring fled the scene.
Ravenflight gave him a curt nod before she spotted a familiar pelt among the fray. Her eyes narrowed into tiny slits as waves of rage coursed through her. Weedtail's slim form was easily visible despite the rain that made it impossible to see.
With a single bound she managed to reach him unharmed by his Clanmates. They were too distracted to notice her sudden appearance. For that she was grateful.
Weedtail stared at her in shock before shaking his head in frustration. "You…you deserve to die," he snarled venomously. "You let my brother die, and now I'll make sure you suffer as well!"
"Why in StarClan's name won't you believe me?" Ravenflight's hackles raised as she dodged each blow he delivered. "I didn't let him die, he was already fatally wounded by the fox!" Each paw that was struck let her know how exhausted he was from fighting previous warriors.
She suddenly sprang forward and managed to pin him to the ground, using her claws to keep him from escaping. The dark gray warrior screeched as he struggled free from her grasp. She refused to release him until he understood the truth.
"Weedtail, this nonsense must end," she spat. "I'm tired of being called a murderer when I'm not. You know as well as I do that this never should have happened."
"I…I'll never submit to you," Weedtail snarled. His voice was muffled by a mound of mud as she buried his face. "You're a worthless pile of ThunderClan dung!"
That was the end of it. Ravenflight had never felt more rage than that day. She leaned forward and glowered at Weedtail malevolently.
"I am of pure ThunderClan blood," she sneered. "No cat has any right to deny that." Without another word she sank her teeth into his throat.
Weedtail let out a cough and spit out blood as he struggled free from her grip. The WindClan cat was dying. Ravenflight took a startled step back and realized what she had done. In the middle of the battle lay a WindClan cat with his throat half-opened.
I did that, Ravenfeather snarled. He deserves to die at the claws of any ThunderClan warrior. He does not even deserve to bare a Clan name for what he said or did.
Ravenflight closed her eyes when she realized the battle was coming to an end. More and more WindClan cats were fleeing. Only Onestar and Breezepelt remained, and she could see that both cats were losing the battle.
Why…I should never have come here, she decided after looking into Weedtail's lifeless eyes. No cat deserves to die like this.
He was a foolish kit with an even more foolish dream, Ravenfeather spat. I took care of a threat that is no longer among us.
Among me, she means, Ravenflight thought. Her pelt bristled with fear as she opened her eyes. By now the clearing remained void of WindClan warriors. A golden brown body lay on the ground where Firestar stood. She wasn't sure if it was Brackenfur or Thornclaw who had been shredded by the passing WindClan cats.
"They retreated, by I want guards posted at the border," Firestar ordered after shaking blood from his pelt.
There was no use in getting rid of the scenery. By now the rain had slowed down, washing away the stench of blood.
"You killed a WindClan warrior." The question caught Ravenflight off guard. She looked up to see Cloudtail staring at her in alarm. Though the blood had been washed away, she could see that his wound would become infected if it wasn't looked at soon.
"I had no choice," Ravenflight whispered. "He threatened the well being of my Clan."
Her eyes darkened with dread when more cats crept towards the slain body. By now the blood had been washed away, but remnants of the killing were still visible.
"I believe his death was justified," Dustpelt told them. His gaze was wary, but she felt a rush of hope when he spoke up for her. "Those foxhearted mangepelts killed Thornclaw during the battle."
So it was Thornclaw who died. Sorrow gripped at her heart. The golden brown warrior had been such a loyal cat. The thought of losing yet another ThunderClan warrior made her fur prickle with unease.
"Thornclaw died bravely, defending Icecloud from certain death," Firestar meowed reassuringly. His green gaze flashed towards Weedtail, but he seemed unmoved by the young warriors' death. "We must go now. Foxleap, Berrynose, I want you to guard the border. Make sure no WindClan cat gets past."
"We will take care of them," Foxleap replied with a dip of his head.
Ravenflight was surprised by how much the reddish tabby had changed. She recalled the days when Foxleap had still been an apprentice. She knew from memory that Foxleap had made many dangerous choices by helping her in the fire that threatened ShadowClan.
Perhaps he has finally grown, she decided with a shake of her head.
When the patrol returned back to camp, Ravenflight expected to hear angry yowls when Firestar announced that she had killed Weedtail. She was shocked to hear so many murmurs of approval follow his words. Thornclaw's body had been dragged back to the hollow while Jayfeather and Ashwhisker checked on every injury they could.
"Foxleap and Berrynose are at the WindClan border," Firestar explained as Jayfeather placed dock and cobwebs on his wounds. "I want one of you to check on their wounds."
Jayfeather sent Ashwhisker to check on the two warriors. Ravenflight sat beside Stripecloud as she watched cats sit vigil over Thornclaw's body.
"He was our great uncle," Stripecloud whimpered. "He should never have died."
"He died a warrior's death," Ravenflight murmured softly. "And at least Weedtail will be at peace, finally." She closed her eyes when Stripecloud pressed against her comfortingly.
She knew that WindClan would not forget this day. Though the Clan had lost a warrior, they had killed a ThunderClan warrior as well. Anger coursed through her as she thought of how she would deal with Onestar and his fruitless attempts in gaining more territory.
One day the WindClan leader would pay. She was not sure when or how, but she knew that it would happen.
