Long chapter here lol. Next one is going to be longer, I think. Next chapter will wrap up Fire and Ice, which is why it'll be so long. I pretty much want to get every book done in 21 chapters just so it's even. So we gettin' there!
Responses~
PheonixRune: Thank you!
Gamelover41592: Thanks. :D And we'll see if that's the case! Still haven't decided yet tbh. So much consequences if they don't exist and I need to make the choice if I want them.
SomeoneI'mSure: Just the beginnings of Bluestar's semi insanity lmao. And we'll see about all of that! ^^
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Eight more reviews until 100! 100th review gets free art from me! :D Just keep in mind you need some type of refrence or picture. I won't be drawing off of descriptions, no matter how detailed. (Animals only!)
Whitestorm stomped into the clearing angrily, fur bristling and surrounded by equally furious clanmates. Fireheart was glancing thoughtfully at the bones and bounded away from Whitestorm over to me. "Those smell familiar."
I stared at Tigerclaw, who sniffed the bones and glowered. "Uh oh. I think they think it's actually Shadowclan. And they were only using excuses for stealing yesterday." I paused thoughtfully. "Let me see if I can distinguish a scent."
Fireheart nodded and followed behind me as I shoved past Tigerclaw. He growled at me but let me take a sniff. I shook my head. "No. Those are the rogues. I can't remember Brokenstar's scent specifically, nor those of his fellow warriors, but smell carefully. There's an undertone of crowfood."
"Shadowclan has always smelled like crowfood." Darkstripe spat, and Sandpaw nodded in agreement. "What's any different."
I curled my lip at him. "They smell like old dirt and pine needles, not crowfood."
Tigerclaw was staring at me thoughtfully, and I nodded confidently. "I would bet my dislocated shoulder that it's Brokenstar."
He nodded, eyes darkening. "Then I'll lead a patrol to track him down and put this to an end. Whitestorm, Darkstripe, Willowpelt, and Mousefur: with me."
"Can I come?" Sandpaw said hopefully, tail twitching.
"Not this time." Whitestorm said, voice calm but eyes apologetic. "Stay in camp."
Sandpaw dropped her shoulders. "What about Fireheart? He found the bones."
Tigerclaw stared at my brother, face unreadable before he accepted it. "Very well. Keep up."
Seemingly surprised, Fireheart gave a pleased nod. "Of course. Let's stop this once and for all."
"Yes." Tigerclaw agreed darkly, bushing out his pelt. "Let's go."
The patrol followed the deputy out of camp, and I froze with horror when I realized how empty the camp was.
...Perhaps they should have stayed and waited instead. I hoped they found Brokenstar before he found us. My shoulder was half-healed from the Dark Forest, but I couldn't risk fighting and being permanently crippled.
Frostfur and Halftail approached the bones and sniffed at them with grimaces. I looked at Frostfur nervously. "Who went with Bluestar on patrol?"
"Runningwind, Longtail, and Swiftpaw."
Ahhhh, shit.
I looked at Sandpaw. "Check the apprentices den. Tell me who's here."
The light ginger she-cat nodded obediently and swiftly ran over, poking her head in and taking it back out. She ran back over. "Dustpaw and Brackenpaw are both sleeping."
I sighed unhappily, meeting Sandpaw's eyes evenly. "Wake them both. Tell them there's a potential emergency. We need to put camp on lockdown and form protective braces with the cats we do have."
Yellowfang gasped, and I whirled, not seeing her approach the pile of bones. Her lip was curled and her tail was quivering. "This is Brokenstar's scent."
"Yes." I agreed grimly. "We figured it was the rogues. Tigerclaw took a patrol to track them down."
"Foxbrain!" The medicine cat spat heatedly, tail bushed out. "This has to be a set up on Brokenstar's part. He's evil but he isn't stupid. He's most likely planning an attack for this very moment."
Sandpaw returned with a pair of bleary eyed apprentices. I looked at Brackenpaw, sitting down heavily. "Go find Tigerclaw. Sandpaw, tell him where you found the bones."
They nodded and split off, talking low and quickly. Brackenpaw nodded seriously and left, running hard and fast the moment started to move.
I looked at Yellowfang. "Is Cinderpaw well enough to fight? To help at all?"
The old she-cat frowned heavily. "No, not really." She glanced back at her den and her shoulders seemed to drop. "But if she has to, I suppose."
"Go let her know." I ordered, getting back to my feet. "And I'll be careful myself. But I'm not sure how much I can be."
Yellowfang frowned but nodded unhappily. At least she understood.
Dustpaw and Sandpaw stood in front of me, but Dustpaw was looking elsewhere. "Dustpaw, get your tail out of your ears and look forwards." He stiffened but did so, shoulders rising defensively. "I need you both to start getting cats out of their dens."
They nodded and I looked up at the High Rock unsurely. I didn't want to, but it didn't seem like I had much choice. I scrambled up it and balanced on top sloppily, feeling my shoulder begin to fold. I grimaced, and yowled a gathering call.
Cats poured out of the dens in alarm, and I straightened. "Brokenstar is planning an attack on Thunderclan." Cats, elders and queens, gasped in alarm. "Form ranks, and though I know none of you have fought in a while, this is what it will come down to."
I looked at the only remaining warrior aside from myself. "Graystripe take up hiding, tackle anyone closest cat near to you. Sandpaw, Dustpaw, take the front right. Yellowfang, with me."
I slid down the rock sloppily but sidled up to the main entrance. "Queens are next." I said loudly, tail high. "Elders, take up spots in the Nursery. Protect the kits."
To my utter delight, Thunderclan let out unsure meows of battle. Ready to fight, but very obviously nervous with our numbers. There was a menacing growl and Brokenstar strolled into the clearing, like the camp belonged to him.
I snarled at him.
Four mangey cats splayed out from behind him, large and muscular. I picked out Clawface and Blackfoot. I didn't know the other two. Brokenstar leered at me, eyes glinting. "You're all that's left?"
His eyes zeroed in on my visibly weak shoulder, catching the way it bent. "A crippled warrior no less. This will be easier than I thought."
"Will it?" I challenged, tail lashing. "There's only five of you and you all smell like crowfood. Seems like you've been struggling to find food and the only way to get it, was to resort to stealing. Weak if you ask me."
He bristled angrily, temper rising. "Just see how weak I am she-cat!"
We met mid-air first, and I only just managed to slam his skull into the dusty ground. I sunk my claws into his flat face and pulled, shredding his nose to almost nothing. He screech loudly and stumbled away, and I purred at him in mocking amusement. "Well, that was quick."
His eyes narrowed and he licked his nose. "Doesn't matter how quick anything is. I have more lives then you, you have no hope."
I flexed my nails and glared at him. "I've taken one before. I'll take another again."
He charged again. I met his claws with my own and he managed to get me pinned. I pulled my hind legs in tightly and let them explode, kicking him clean in the throat and sending him sailing. I rolled to my feet and followed him quickly, tackling him before he could recover his breathing.
Brokenstar was still hacking wet coughs as I pinned him, and I took the chance to sink my teeth into his throat. He kicked out weakly, but his eyes glittered with hatred as they dimmed. He knew just as well as I did, I was taking another life again.
I was viciously torn away from him by Blackfoot, and the white tom towered above me. "Too late!" I spit in dark amusement. "That's it for another life."
Blackfoot seemed to freeze in alarm, eyes glancing to his leader. I took the moment to go after him then, taking his hesitance as my chance. I was too small to use the moment to kill him immediately, and he pinned me after a little bit of rolling.
He made to snap at my throat, but I turned my head and he got my cheek. I did what I did with Brokenstar, tucking my legs, but Blackfoot was tackled before I could do anything. Longtail was panting with alarm, fur on end and glancing at me. "Pay attention!" I spit, getting my bearings.
Swiftpaw hopped over, eyes worried. "Are you okay?"
I shook him away and got to my feet, breathing heavily. "Yes." I said quickly, watching Longtail nail Blackfoot in the head. Blackfoot was massive, but that tackle clearly threw him off. I glanced at Brokenstar, who seemed to be getting his bearing and peeling himself off the ground.
Blackfoot raced off, and my attention was ripped away as Longtail raced after the white tom. "Wait!" I yowled, hobbling after Longtail in alarm. "Go onto another cat." I look around the clearing, watching Graystripe kill Clawface with one blow, Runningwind crouched on the ground. Frostfur was grappling with a tom twice her size. "Go help Frostfur!"
Bluestar was fighting the final warrior aside from Brokenstar, Sandpaw and Dustpaw at her side.
I sent Swiftpaw after Longtail as well, taking the moment to collect my bearings. So much fighting lately. It wasn't fun when I was already hurt.
I unsheathed my claws and hummed. Taking Brokenstar down a few pegs was fun though.
Shit. Brokenstar, right. I searched for the dark tabby but heard Yellowfang howl mournfully instead. Had the tabby recovered so quickly? Did he kill Cinderpaw?
If he did wasn't that a waste! Still, I shook my head and moved as quickly as I could to the den.
I stepped in and was immediately swamped by the smell of blood. Brokenstar was laying in a heap, claw marks scored over his eyes in one even sweep. I glanced at Yellowfang, who was staring down at him in surprise. "Good job." I said awkwardly. "And just because your a medicine cat, doesn't mean you can't hurt cats."
Yellowfang turned to me with a violent hiss and I flinched in alarm. Brokenstar took a weak breath and stopped. I chortled. Then I was shoved into the ground by a heavy weight. I shifted in alarm, but realized Yellowfang was pinning me. "Are you insane?"
She let me up when Brokenstar came back to life and I glowered. "What's your problem? Aren't you going to kill him?"
Yellowfang avoided my gaze, shoulders low. "No. No I can't."
"Sure you can!" I spat, bristling with alarm. "A quick nip to his throat and it's done with. I just did it myself after all. Surely you aren't that old."
"No I can't." Yellowfang said again, avoiding my gaze. "He's my son."
I gaped at her. Then shrugged. "Okay that's fair."
Yellowfang blinked at me, her gaze turning dry. "Why don't you sound surprised."
I shrugged again. "To each their own. I get something went one but-" Bluestar howled a gathering call and I glanced at Yellowfang. "I should go, but we can talk later. Feel free to tell me what you like. I'll keep it quiet."
She gave me a doubtful leer but nodded in acceptance.
I padded to Dustpaw before I got close to the High Rock. "Brokenstar is still alive," I meowed lowly, ignoring his low gasp of dismay, "Go guard the medicine den."
He nodded, eyes wide, and raced to the entrance. His head poked in and came back out, his expression dark. Bluestar was settled in front of the High Rock, her shoulders tense. "Brokenstar attacked?"
I nodded, watching her gaze darken. "Is he dead?"
"No." I said simply, sitting and curling my tail around my paws. "He's in Yellowfang's den. I took one of his lives, she took another. His eyes have been badly wounded. I doubt he'll ever be able to see again."
Bluestar stared at me with glowing blue eyes. The camp let out meows of respect and turned to their leader, who sighed. "The other rogues?"
"Chased off." I flicked my stub at Clawface with a half amused glower. "Aside from him, of course."
Bluestar glared at the body before she hummed. "Anyone badly hurt?"
I looked at my paws, then twisted to glance at my side. "No, I don't think so." Other cats shook their heads.
"Good." She stood, looking again at Clawface's body. "Sandpaw, Swiftpaw, go bury his body. Away from our clanmates and closer to Riverclan's border. Don't go too far." The pair of cats nodded and began dragging the rouge's body.
Bluestar took in her numbers and she glanced at me. "Where are the elders?"
"Nursery." I said shortly, sitting back down. The brambles in front of the nursery ruffled and everyone inside stepped out. Even the kits, some of which trotted forwards quickly to greet their mothers.
Cloudkit in particular gazed curiously at Clawface's disappearing body. "Is head dead?" I blinked at him in surprise. "Can I go see?"
Brindleface shushed him but I felt a jab of satisfaction. I was glad to see death wouldn't nail his brain to the forest floor. I hid a pleased purr with a sigh.
"And Tigerclaw?"
"He tried to track Brokenstar to stop the prey stealing. I sent Brackenpaw after him to get him back." Bluestar nodded in acceptance and her tail curled, seemingly hiding an emotion she didn't want others to see.
She got up and gave me a single, respectful nod. "You did well, Redmist. Brokenstar hoped to lead our warriors out of camp and you managed to protect it despite his mostly success. I'm impressed."
Cats around me gave me approving mews.
Bluestar looked at Fireheart, who was smiling at me contently. "Fireheart, when Brokenstar is ready have Yellowfang sent to me. I want to speak with her."
He nodded and trotted over to join Dustpaw with guarding the entrance of the medicine den.
Tigerclaw and Bluestar seemed to get into a clipped argument, and I ignored them with experience. Yellowfang stepped out of her den and shouldered her way through the crowd of cats.
When Bluestar met her gaze, she turned away from Tigerclaw rudely and climbed up the High Rock. After a glower and spat curse, Tigerclaw followed her up.
"Have you left Brokenstar alone?" growled Tigerclaw, his amber eyes flashing.
Yellowfang raised her head and looked at the dark warrior. "Dustpaw is guarding him. And I've given him poppy seeds, so he'll sleep for a while. Brokenstar is blind now, Tigerclaw. There's no way he'll try to escape. He'd die of hunger in a week, if a fox or a gang of crows didn't kill him first."
"Well, that makes it easier," Tigerclaw snarled. "We won't have to kill him ourselves. We can let the forest deal with him." I found myself in whole agreement with him, but considering the circumstances, I kept my opinion to myself.
Yellowfang turned to Bluestar. "We cannot let him die," she meowed.
"Why not?" Bluestar swapped glances between her deputy and medicine cat.
"If we did, we would be no better than he is," replied Yellowfang calmly.
Tigerclaw's tail flicked in anger.
"What do you think, Whitestorm?" Bluestar meowed before Tigerclaw could speak.
"It will be a burden on our Clan to look after him," Whitestorm answered thoughtfully. "But Yellowfang is right—if we send him out into the forest, or kill him in cold blood, StarClan will know we have stooped as low as he has."
One-eye stepped forward. "In the past we have sometimes kept prisoners for many moons. We could do it again." Cats voiced their agreements and Bluestar looked at the clan thoughtfully.
Tigerclaw glared up at Bluestar challengingly. "You would let a rogue stay in our camp?"
I bit my tongue.
"Is he really blind?" Bluestar asked Yellowfang.
"Yes, he is."
"...has he other wounds?"
"It's like I said." I stepped up. "I took one of his lives through his throat, though I'm sure it's healed since losing his life. It was a killing blow after all."
Bluestar nodded thoughtfully. "Then you may nurse him till then. After that we will discuss his future again. And from now on, he will be known as Brokentail, not Brokenstar. We cannot take away the lives that StarClan gave him, but this cat is no longer a Clan leader." Bluestar looked questioningly at Tigerclaw.
His tail twitched, but he didn't speak. "It is decided," Bluestar meowed. "He stays."
Cats began to disperse and Tigerclaw started to call a hunting party together. It was of most cats who hadn't fought, but he beckoned me over a moment later. "Can you join the party, Redmist?"
I put tentative pressure on my shoulder and hummed. "I think so. Wouldn't be a good idea to be out for long though. My shoulder is still unhealed on top of other minor wounds."
He nodded. "I want everyone to split up. We'll all meet back up in front of the ravine."
Everyone nodded and set off.
I called dibbs on the area near sunningrocks, hoping I would not find any signs of hunting on Riverclan's part. As I broke through the treeline I paused at the sound of a splash, then peered through the bushes.
A cat was working its way across the river, ears pinned and head tilted upwards. As they got out, their ears remained pinned and they crouched unhappily in front of the rocks. I crept closer and tried to catch the cats face or scent.
I got a scent, but it was a generic fishy smell that seemed watered down so I was left confused. I didn't recognize the cats pelt so I got closer still. The only thing I could catch via scent, was gender, and this was a she-cat.
Eventually I kept going, trying to get close enough to be able to attack her without alerting her. I wasn't exactly ready for another fight, so I needed to be very careful in these next few moments.
The she-cat pounced between some cracks and hooked a mouse up and out of the stones. I watched her with a frustration I couldn't understand but ignored it to focus on the cat instead. She killed the mouse with a nip and looked around, unable to see me from where I was settled.
I began climbing up the rocks, keeping almost entirely silent. The she-cat sat and turned, and I took the chance and dove. Her head whipped around and she yowled as she saw me coming. I bowled her over and swatted her head away from me.
We split around after I kicked her firmly in the jaw, which made her drop the mouse, and she hissed at me. I stared at her sternly. "Get off of our territory." No insult, no aggression, just bluntness.
"Sunningrocks belongs to Riverclan!" She spat, coming closer and puffing up. The worried sheen in her eyes told a different story from toughness.
I stretched and pulled the mouse to me. "Not right now it doesn't. Leave, or this will turn into a fight."
She bristled. "But I caught that mouse, it belongs to me!"
"Actually." I drawled, leaning to pick it up. "It belongs to Thunderclan. You caught it trespassing. Now," I turned away, fully hoping the she-cat would leave and not return. "I already kicked you in the face, don't make me give you actual wounds."
There was an angry growl and I only just dodged the attack. I didn't give her the chance to realize she missed, and dropped the mouse to scruff her and shake. I managed it with surprising ease and figured the dark she-cat was weak from hunger and an apprentice.
After a moment of her pained howls and whimpers, I let go with a admonishing growl. "What did I tell you?"
"I'm sorry!" She blubbered, tail lashing and eyes round with fear. "Crookedstar told me to, this was my assessment!"
I glared at her, eyes narrowed. I looked up when there was a call across the river. A squad of Riverclan cats were swimming over quickly, and I doubled the ferocity of my glare. The apprentice sunk deeper in a crouch and I stood over her.
Leopardfur gave me an uncertain look, eyes jumping between me and the apprentice. Stonefur was with her, along with another warrior I didn't know. I stiffened when I realized it was Stonefur's apprentice I was pinning, the one I had seen way back when.
The warrior I didn't know stepped forwards threateningly. "Let her go you fleabag! You're outnumbered."
I gave him a distasteful look. "And you're outruled. This is a Riverclan apprentice trespassing on Thunderclan territory and stealing Thunderclan prey. That mouse has her scent all over it, and I watched her hunt it myself."
"Too lazy to catch it yourself then?" The tom challenged angrily. "So you watch an apprentice do it for you so you can bully it away from her?"
I shrugged at his words. "You know if I wanted to listen to you voice your thoughts aloud, I'd have asked for them." I narrowed my gaze at him, taking in his thin frame. "And I didn't."
Leopardfur lifted her tail, amber eyes flashing at my challenge. "Just let her go and we'll leave. No issue has to come out of this. We don't want a fight."
"Neither do I." I said honestly, shrugging again. "But I have all the cards right now." I ignored their confused glances. "I have your apprentice, we both know what she was doing here, and I am on my territory defending it."
"The only thing you can do, is fight, and that would look bad considering I'm a single warrior against a patrol of four on my own territory. Nothing would excuse what you've all done. The other clan's already agree with Thunderclan. Make a bad choice and you'll be starting a war."
Leopardfur gaped at me, horrified at my implications. She understood what I meant: If they did anything I didn't like, I would and could destroy them easier than catching a rabbit kit.
The unnamed Riverclan tom bristled and crouched, but Stonefur cuffed him and glowered at me. "She's right. We'll leave, just let her go and we'll leave."
I'd tortured them enough, right? I pointed at the patrol with my stumpy tail and looked down at the she-cat. "Well then, go on."
Her eyes widened and she pretty much ran away. Stonefur touched his nose to hers and gave me a dirty look. "Did you enjoy scaring an apprentice so much?"
I licked my shoulder fur, hiding the way his question made my fur prickle. I ignored the real answer. "Of course not. I taught her a lesson that reflects on all of Riverclan. Regardless of reason, none of you should be hunting here."
Leopardfur ducked her head and glanced at the cowed patrol. "You guys go on ahead. I want to speak with Redmist alone."
I shook my head slowly. "Not now. I'm suppose to be hunting. Now I'm going back empty pawed but I have something to report."
Ears pricked forwards in confusion and I threw the mouse to them before they could speak. "Leave, now. Leave the scent on it, he should already know where you hunted it. Tell him you stole it away from a mouse-brained Thunderclan warrior."
The apprentice gaped stupidly before she brightened and snatched up the prey with an excited tail flick. Stonefur's hostile glare dimmed into something more amicable, and he looked away when I stared at him.
Leopardfur's eyes were shining when we met looks and I gave her a single, sobering nod. Weight seemed push down her shoulders and she returned my nod solemnly. Her tail lifted and she gave me a weak smile. "Next time."
I nodded again, started to sift scents. I needed to get their scent off our territory before everything became worse.
"Huh." I jumped, spinning around as Graystripe stepped out of the treeline. He slunk forwards, low to the ground, as the Riverclan cats swam across river. "Leopardfur must really respect you if she didn't tell her patrol to rip you to shreds."
"Why are you out of camp?" I snarled, unsheathing my claws.
He waved me away with his tail and rolled his eyes. "We both know you won't be fighting anything for a while." His gaze brightened and he leered at me. "So. Helping Riverclan, are you?"
I squared my shoulders but I knew just as much as he did I was totally caught red handed. "I knew I couldn't handle an entire patrol, I wanted them to leave before a fight broke out and I was killed."
"You?" He meowed, laughter in his voice. "Hesitant about a fight? You are probably the most stubborn cat I've met in my life. And I know for a fact, had it been any other clan, you'd have thrown your life away just to give them a few wounds they'll eventually forget about anyways."
I frowned at him. "Okay whatever. You caught me. This one time. I'm not like you Graystripe, sneaking off at every moment just to see a pretty face across the boundaries. I'm not an mouse-brain."
"But you still helped them." He returned firmly, tail lashing. "So you won't tell anyone, ever, that you saw me today."
Realizing he could ask for a lot more than me not seeing him, and that he was probably too nice to ask for more, I nodded fervently. "Of course."
It was silent, and he didn't seem to believe my words, but I began to rub my cheek against where the Riverclan cats had been standing. "I'm sorry for ratting you out, by the way. It-" I cut myself off to gather the right words. "I couldn't watch you lie to Bluestar like that. To our entire clan."
He looked away and shrugged in agreement. "I guess." His eyes narrowed before he dipped his head. "I understand. I don't forgive you yet, but I understand."
Yet? Wow, I didn't even know I had hope of him forgiving me. A warm feeling surged up my chest and I squashed it away. Was this what it was like to have a really big family? That cared no matter what?
I shook the thoughts away and returned his nod. "Be careful."
His eyes brightened. There was no warning in my words, no challenge. Just honest care. He already knew I, and everyone else, wanted him to stop. I was just the first one to not deny he wouldn't.
I knew he wouldn't stop. As bizarre as it was to me, he wouldn't stop meeting with Silverstream.
"I will." And I watched him slink away, meeting his eyes when he glanced back once.
I said, "Good." Even though he wouldn't hear me anymore.
