The night was moonless. The Clan's first Gathering had come and gone uneventfully, mentors praising their apprentices and warriors talking amongst themselves. It had taken some time for adjustment, but Fireheart was proud of these cats who had banded together and could call themselves ThunderClan. On the Skyrock, Fireheart could see Runningwind keeping watch, or watching what little he could see. He opened his jaws in a yawn – battle practice today had exhausted him.
Then, before any cat could react, Runningwind called a warning. Countless rats swarmed down every entryway to the gorge. The night was soon rent with yowls and screams as Fireheart, facing down a swarm of rats, yowled to the Clan.
"Don't let them trap you!" He yowled to the Clan, biting into a rat's neck and flinging it into a rock. It let out a death-squeal and Fireheart moved on. He could feel every scrape he got as the rats pushed him back against the nursery boulder. He clawed his way up the boulder, pouncing on a group of rats trying to enter the nursery. Terrified sounds of kits came from within – Fireheart longed to reassure them, but he needed to keep every hair on his pelt concentrated on battle. He could feel himself steadily pushed back, and he briefly worried that the rats would breach the nursery. Suddenly, as quickly as they entered, the rats left, leaving the gorge in an uneasy silence.
"A-are they gone?" Sunkit stuttered.
"The rats just... left..." He choked out, moving into the gorge. Around him, warriors and apprentices came out of the places where they had been battling, the queens and kits soon following.
"Have we got everyone?" He asked, scanning the crowd. If a cat has died... He pushed his thoughts away.
"Where's Runningwind?" Mousefur asked.
"I'm sure he'll be fine..." Stonepaw attempted to reassure her, but there was a tremor in her voice that stopped it from being effective. Finally, a brown figure came limping down the slope, face weary.
"Runningwind!" Mousefur cried, pressing her muzzle against his.
"They trapped me in a corner, but then they left."
"We had the same thing. Trapping us was obviously their battle strategy."
"But why leave?"
It was Doepaw who hit upon the answer. "Fear. They think that if we were scared enough, we'd leave..."
"Good thinking." He nodded to her.
"Fireheart, I'll need to collect burdock. We won't have enough at this rate."
"Alright but take two warriors with you."
"I will." Cinderpaw asked Lavenderfur and Dustpelt, both of whom had fought in the open and were relatively unscathed, to follow her. They nodded respectfully, following the apprentice.
"This battle has shown us that we cannot afford another attack like this."
"But we can't leave!" Frostfur objected. "Where would we go?"
"We won't leave." His eyes flashed. "Next time, we're taking the fight to them."
"Is that wise?" Lionheart asked.
"We'll have help." Barley smiled despite a cut on his ear. "Remember the dogs?"
Lionheart nodded, smiling.
"We have a plan then. We will attack four nights from now. I need a team of runners to draw the dogs to the barn and a team of fighters."
"Alright." Barley stated. "I'll fight. As a warrior." The second half of this caught Fireheart off guard.
"You wish to join the Clan?"
"I've seen your customs and I love them." Based on the glance he shot towards Ravenflight, Fireheart suspected he loved a different part of the Clan as well.
"Very well. We shall hold your warrior ceremony once the others get back."
Barley dipped his head as Fernpaw and Brightpaw swiftly volunteered to run.
"Are you sure?" Cloudtail asked. "You don't have to do this to prove anything."
"I'm sure." Brightpaw told him. "I want to lead those dogs to their deaths."
"In that case, I'll run too." Cloudtail said.
"I can do some running." Bluestorm said. "I'm faster than I look."
"It's a given that I'm running." Runningwind said. "I'll lay out the prey and start it."
"I can lead them into the barn." Fireheart stated. "It'll be a short run and I'll be in prime position to fight."
"We'll fight." Graystripe and Sandstorm said.
Cinderpaw came back, jaws full of burdock.
"And me." Ravenflight volunteered. When Cinderpaw harrumphed, Ravenflight rolled his eyes. "I've got my bindings off. I'm hunting. I can do this."
Cinderpaw muttered something about not treating any injuries he got from this, but it lacked venom.
"We're fighting." Brackenpaw and Thornpaw said.
"We'll be there for backup." Doepaw said, Branchpaw and Stonepaw quick to agree. Mousefur and Lavenderfur nodded, tacitly contributing themselves to the patrol.
"And I'm fighting." Snowfur said, simply.
"Lionheart, Frostfur, Dustpelt, Whitestorm, you'll guard camp."
"Alright." They nodded, although Dustpelt's face had taken on a worried air.
"Don't worry, you furball. I'll be fine." Fernpaw brushed her tail against Dustpelt's back.
"Just... be careful." Dustpelt mewed.
Cinderpaw started to call cats to the medicine den. When she called for him, he came into a quiet den, the rest of the warriors having gone to their nests.
"Let's see. Nasty flank-scratch, nicked ear. Tiny scrapes. Well, Fireheart, this'll sting." He winced as she placed burdock root on his scratches, only relaxing when she moved on to bandaging his ear and flank. Afterwards, he stepped into the cool night air and joined Sandstorm., licking her affectionately on the cheek.
"Do you think we're doing the right thing?" Tiredness crept into his voice.
"Fireheart, even if we fail, I will always believe that this was the right choice."
"Really?"
"Look. You've united a group of cats into something more than themselves. Even if we fail and leave the gorge, ThunderClan will be able to survive in some form."
"I just hope we win."
"I hope so too. "
He caught sight of Barley in the crowd, waiting expectantly. "There's something I need to do."
He leapt up onto the Rockpile, beckoning his exhausted Clan closer.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Rockpile for a Clan meeting!"
He watched as the crowd moved into the dark gorge.
"I, Fireheart, future leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this cat. He has trained hard to understand your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn. Barley, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"
"I do." His amber eyes reflected what little light there was in the gorge; solemnity gleamed in them.
"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Barley, from this moment on you will be known as Barleypelt. StarClan honours your wisdom and dependability, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan."
"Barleypelt!" The Clan cheered. Ravenflight nudged him, and Fireheart could see the tom's blush from his position.
"I need to talk to you." Ravenflight told Barleypelt.
"Go ahead, your vigil is not till tomorrow."
The Clan dragged themselves to bed, apart from poor Graystripe, who needed to keep watch over the Clan.
Fireheart curled around Sandstorm, pressing against her ginger fur. Even if ThunderClan didn't make it, he would remember this for as long as he existed. He hoped the others would too.