Bluestar slashed her claws at a WindClan queen's face, opening a gash just above her right eye. Even in her admittedly fragile state, the blue-gray warrior was still a respectable fighter. She glanced around to check on how the rest of her cats were faring and was pleased to see that they had ransacked most of the fresh-kill pile. Better yet, most of WindClan's warriors appeared to have fled the battle. The only ones left fighting were Tallstar, Mudclaw, and some apprentice whose name Bluestar couldn't be bothered to remember.
This battle should teach them not to steal ThunderClan's prey, she thought, her tail twitching in satisfaction. Out loud, she yowled, "That's enough, ThunderClan. We've given WindClan a message they won't be forgetting anytime soon."
At once, the fighting in the camp ceased, and Tallstar stalked to meet Bluestar by the now-empty fresh-kill pile. His eyes were furious slits, and the blue-furred queen instinctively tensed her muscles, half-expecting him to launch himself at her. But the WindClan leader made no move to attack her, even as the hatred in his eyes grew even more profound.
"I hope you're satisfied," Tallstar snarled. "Now both our warriors have been injured in an unnecessary fight. You have brought down the wrath of StarClan upon your cats, Bluestar."
Bluestar snorted and opened her mouth to inform him that the wrath of her traitorous ancestors was nothing of her concern, then decided it would only be a waste of time. If Tallstar wanted to believe that StarClan had any concern for the Clans at all, that was his decision. She would teach her Clan not to follow the words of a few dead cats blindly, and they would be stronger for it.
Mudclaw staggered up to the pair, bleeding heavily from several fresh cuts and bites. Despite this, his eyes were glittering with cold triumph. Bluestar felt a twinge of confusion and fear at the expression on his face; why was he looking like that even after his Clan was defeated?
"You'd better leave," the tabby warrior sneered. "Wouldn't want ThunderClan losing their leader and deputy in one day, now would we?"
And I don't take orders from a low-life, prey-stealing fiend like you! Bluestar thought furiously. In her anger, it took a few heartbeats for the second part of Mudclaw's words to reach her.
"What do you mean by that?" she demanded, glaring at the arrogant tom. "What have you done with my deputy?"
If possible, Mudclaw's expression grew even smugger as he gestured with his tail towards something a little ways off to the side. Bluestar turned her gaze and saw her warriors crowded around something that she couldn't quite see from her vantage point. She did, however, spot the rapidly growing pool of blood staining their paws and slowly making its way towards her.
Feeling a sinking pit of dread in her stomach, Bluestar padded over to the ThunderClan patrol and shouldered her way in between Mousefur and Dustpelt. At once, her heart dropped as she saw Fireheart lying on the ground, blood pouring from a wound in his stomach. His eyes were closed, and for a moment Bluestar thought he was dead until she saw the faint rise and fall of his flank.
No...oh, no, Bluestar whispered in her mind, staring in horror at her former apprentice's injury. She was acutely aware of Tallstar coming to stand beside her but gave no acknowledgment of the rival Clan leader.
"Tallstar, please help!" Sandstorm begged suddenly. "Fireheart will never make it back to camp like this! Please, can't your medicine cat spare some cobwebs?"
"Help? Are you mouse-brained?" Mudclaw spat. Bluestar tore her gaze away from Fireheart to see the mottled brown cat stalking up to Sandstorm. "You invaded our camp and stole our prey! We're not helping any of your warriors! If Fireheart dies, then it's StarClan's punishment for this battle."
"You're wrong, Mudclaw." This time, it was Onewhisker who spoke, having joined the crowd of cats. He glared at his Clanmate and continued, "Fireheart saved our Clan, and you cannot tell me that he was responsible for this battle. If StarClan were punishing ThunderClan, why would they choose him and not Bluestar?"
Bluestar supposed she should have been offended or at least concerned by that statement, but she was finding it difficult to care at the moment. Her deputy's life was slowly bleeding out onto the WindClan camp; she didn't have time to worry about potential threats to her safety. Silently, she moved forward and pressed a paw gently against Fireheart's wound, trying desperately to staunch the flow of blood. Whitestorm came to assist her as well, but even with their combined efforts, it still wasn't enough to make any noticeable difference.
"Just because he saved our Clan once doesn't mean we owe him anything now," Mudclaw snapped.
"It was more than just once, and just because you've forgotten doesn't mean everyone else has!" Onewhisker snarled.
"Tallstar," Sandstorm spoke up again, her meow sounding hesitant now. "I know you feel that this battle was an unjust attack upon your Clan. But Onewhisker is right that Fireheart has saved WindClan multiple times, and he isn't the one who ordered this attack. All he did was follow Bluestar's orders, as any good warrior would do for their Clan leader. Please, could you spare some herbs or a few cobwebs? He'll die without them."
Privately, Bluestar thought that Sandstorm was fighting a hopeless battle. To her surprise, however, Tallstar meowed coldly, "Very well–but only because this is Fireheart we're talking about here. If it were any of your other cats..." He let the thinly veiled threat die off and spun around. "Barkface!"
A heartbeat later, the WindClan medicine cat emerged from his den. Bluestar paused briefly to watch as Barkface padded up to his leader, dipping his head respectfully. He looked a bit worn out from treating his Clanmates, and she felt a pang of regret in spite of herself. She shook her head, trying to toss the weakness away. A medicine cat in a Clan of prey thieves did not deserve her pity, no matter how many injured cats he had to treat.
"What can I do for you, Tallstar?" Barkface meowed.
"Get some cobwebs for Fireheart," Tallstar ordered curtly. "And then apply them to his wounds so that ThunderClan can finally leave our camp."
Barkface looked surprised, but he didn't dare question an order from his leader. "Of course, Tallstar," he mewed respectfully, turning around once more and disappearing back into his den.
He returned a few moments later, carrying a wad of cobwebs with him. Without a word, Bluestar and Whitestorm moved aside to allow him to reach Fireheart, who was somehow still clinging to life despite the vast amount of blood he had lost. But his breathing was shallow, and Bluestar could only hope that Barkface would be able to stop the bleeding in time to save the flame-colored warrior.
"There," the WindClan medicine cat announced a short while later. "That should be enough to keep him alive until you can get back to your camp, but I suggest you leave now. He's lost a lot of blood, and he might not have much time."
The ThunderClan warriors didn't need any more encouragement. Bluestar, Whitestorm, Sandstorm, and Mousefur lifted Fireheart's unconscious body onto their shoulders, careful not to disturb any of the cobwebs Barkface had meticulously placed on his injuries. Silently, they walked out of the WindClan camp, feeling no sense of triumph despite their victory.
StarClan, why have you allowed this? Do you want to see my Clan destroyed by hunger caused by prey thievery?
Even as the thought crossed her mind, however, Bluestar felt a small trickle of doubt enter her mind. Fireheart had told her himself that the patrols had scented dog on the scraps of stolen prey, not WindClan, but she had remained convinced that he was mistaken and that WindClan was indeed responsible. She had entered the battle still certain that she was in the right, but although they had emerged victorious, the fight had nearly cost Fireheart his life–and he wasn't even out of the woods yet.
You have brought down the wrath of StarClan upon your cats, Bluestar.
Tallstar's words sounded in Bluestar's mind again, sending a chill of fear and uncertainty down her spine. What if he was right after all? What if StarClan was indeed punishing them for the attack on WindClan?