CHAPTER FIFTY
He could see the conflict rising between SkyClan cats before it even happened. Watching the apprentices stir up trouble was one thing, but to see the SkyClan leader act that way left Flamestrike reeling with confusion.
That's not how a Clan leader is supposed to act, he told himself. Then again, what did he know about leading an entire Clan? He could only imagine the stress Emberstar was going through at the moment. Between losing so many Clanmates to the journey, it was impossible to tell whether this had taken a toll on him.
Flamestrike let out a heavy sigh as he wondered how he would handle the situation. He would have reminded the Clan that they needed to work together. He would have told them that they were stronger than this, and that they had survived worse outcomes.
Something told him the SkyClan leader wouldn't thank him for interfering. Judging from how tense Emberstar's shoulders were as he confronted the apprentices, it would only make things worse. Flamestrike didn't want to get between SkyClan's leadership, especially when he was barely a warrior himself.
I have no right to tell them what they should or shouldn't be doing, he reminded himself. These cats need to figure out for themselves what they want, and what's important to them.
"If we keep this up, we'll never make it through the forest alive," he heard Oakfire huff in frustration. "Those foxes were close, and it wouldn't surprise me if they decided to investigate. We're already weak from traveling for so long."
"That doesn't mean we can't defend ourselves," Flamestrike pointed out with a lash of his tail.
The tension between SkyClan and their apprentices was getting worse. He caught some of the apprentices giving Emberstar hostile glares while they tried skirting around the fox's territory. He knew it wasn't fair to keep guessing how he would handle the situation. Emberstar was doing his best keeping his Clan in line. The sooner they got to the lake territory, the better off everyone would be.
Unfortunately, life never worked out the way anyone wanted. They'd gone little more than a few tail-lengths from the fox's territory when Flamestrike heard a familiar bark that sent shivers through him. ThunderClan had problems with foxes before, but it had never been with this many numbers. He glanced over his shoulder in time to see a large dog-fox looming over the group of apprentices that had distanced themselves from the group.
"Don't just stand there like a mousebrain, run!" Birchpelt yowled.
Instinct kicked in as Flamestrike watched the apprentices try and run in different directions to distract the dog-fox. It was struggling to pick a target as everyone tried scattering into the thick undergrowth. He knew the longer they stayed out in the open, the higher chances they had of more foxes joining it.
He dove into the undergrowth just as the dog-fox snapped its jaws at the nearest cat, Brightpaw. The apprentice let out a wail of surprise when she collided into a nearby bush. Flamestrike's ears pricked forward with alarm as he noticed the stench of blood in the air.
StarClan, don't tell me she was hurt! he begged silently as he watched for signs of the fox approaching.
Their scents were what had attracted the hungry predator in the first place. Though, Flamestrike had a feeling the sound of their arguments had also attracted it. His claws dug into the ground as he noticed Brightpaw for the first time. She was close enough that he could see she was bleeding heavily. She tried hiding the injury best as she could, but it was obvious that the fox had left a nasty wound.
Think, Flamestrike! a voice scolded him. Don't let her become the main target - the fox will just see her as an easy meal.
That was enough for Flamestrike to realize that he couldn't let something like that happen. Despite their dispute with Emberstar, Flamestrike couldn't allow a couple of innocent cats get hurt. His ears flattened with outrage as the dog-fox drew close enough for him to strike.
He launched himself at the dog-fox, landing on it's back before it could make sense of what was happening. Every instinct in his body was screaming to get away, but Flamestrike stubbornly dug his claws into the creature's back.
The dog-fox suddenly stopped in its tracks after noticing the extra weight and pain. Flamestrike began striking the dog-fox in different areas to distract it, hopeful that that would be enough to scare it away. It kept trying to shake him off by jumping and twisting around, snapping it's jaws every now and then. He dug his claws into its back for dear life, silently praying that the dog-fox wouldn't throw him off. One good throw could spell disaster for him.
"StarClan, what are you doing?" Spruceleaf growled as she managed to reach them.
Flamestrike's eyes widened in panic when the dog-fox finally had enough and was about to roll on its back. He leaped off just as it did so, landing on his paws heartbeats later. Relief swept through Flamestrike when he found himself relatively unharmed. Though he had a few scratches here and there, he hadn't sprained a paw or received any bites from the dog-fox.
"I couldn't let that thing hurt them," he explained after regaining his senses. His breathing was ragged and hard as he struggled to maintain his composure. Spruceleaf just looked at him as if he'd gone mad, but at least she didn't bother arguing. "SkyClan is going to need all the help they can get when we reach the lake."
He glared at the dog-fox when it rounded on them. Flamestrike glanced at Spruceleaf self-consciously, not missing the fear-scent rolling off of her in waves. Yet, she managed to put on a brave face as she stood against the dog-fox, refusing to back down as her pelt stood on end.
The dog-fox bared its ugly teeth once more before deciding enough was enough. Neither Flamestrike nor Spruceleaf were backing down from the challenge, and it didn't take long for everyone else to do the same. Standing up to the creature was the best defense they had. Even though they were smaller, they were bigger in number, and the dog-fox seemed to realize that. Flamestrike didn't back down until the dog-fox finally fled deeper into the undergrowth with its tail between its legs.
"Brightpaw..." Emberstar had reached the apprentice once the dog-fox was gone.
His shoulders sagged in relief as the rest of the group gathered together. Yet, Flamestrike couldn't help but look in Brightpaw's direction when he noticed that she didn't move upon Emberstar's approach. He gently nudged her in an attempt to move her, but she refused to budge.
"Why couldn't you be there for us when we were all alone?" she finally whimpered. Flamestrike tilted his head to one side in confusion. "We could have died in the mountains, and you would have never known..."
"Mother's gone, and you're the only family we have left," Wrenpaw added as she joined her sister.
The tone of her voice was full of grief. She pressed her muzzle into Brightpaw's shoulder as her sister refused to meet Emberstar's shocked gaze.
Understanding dawned on Flamestrike. Though he didn't know that Emberstar was Brightpaw and Wrenpaw's father, he had his suspicions. Pity swelled within him as he realized just how much these SkyClan cats lost. He spotted Birdpaw standing close to Birchpelt with their pelts almost touching. Both bowed their heads almost shamefully, and he noticed that every other SkyClan cat looked just as grief-stricken.
"We've all lost so much," Emberstar sighed in agreement. "I am sorry... I know it is not enough to make up for my lack of leadership, and lack of caring for you as a father."
Flamestrike exchanged a quick look with Spruceleaf, wondering if this was something they should all hear. It didn't seem right to intrude on their conversation. Yet, he knew that leaving them now would only put their lives in danger.
"We should probably keep moving," Oakfire finally spoke up. His voice was strangely quiet and full of reluctance from having to interrupt the moment. It was almost as if Oakfire understood what Emberstar and his kits were going through. "If we stay here any longer, those foxes will come back with reinforcements."
The SkyClan leader looked doubtful that moving was the best choice. He glanced at Brightpaw anxiously, but she was already struggling back to her paws. Flamestrike's tail flicked in surprise as he noticed a new determination gleaming within her eyes.
"Those foxes are in for a nasty surprise if they think we're going to let them hurt us again," a tawny colored SkyClan cat purred in amusement.
I hope we can all stay this optimistic, Flamestrike thought as the group began traveling once more. Hopefully they could pull through without further arguments from the apprentices, otherwise, he wasn't sure how much longer they would put up with one another.
...
Night had fallen over the forest as the large group continued their journey. The forest was completely different at night compared to during the day. Flamestrike's ears kept going back and forth as he strained to hear every sound. ThunderClan cats were known for hunting in the forest, but the thick canopy of trees had dampened most of the sounds he was familiar with. To make matters worse, they still had a couple of days left before finally reaching the edge.
Emberstar was the one who finally decided that it was time for them to rest. After nearly exhausting themselves when the fight with the foxes was over, everyone was relieved for the break. Flamestrike sank into a patch of comfortable ferns while Acorntail and Oakfire discussed what to do when they reached the lake. Spruceleaf was quietly talking with Birdpaw about what it would be like once the Clans were all united.
He almost wished he could share their optimism. Flamestrike couldn't shake off the feeling that the Clans wouldn't be so accepting of SkyClan once they showed up, demanding territory. Though there was plenty of territory available for all five Clans, that didn't mean the others would be willing to give up their own territory. Besides, the Clans were set in their way of life. This sudden change would surely drive them to the point of questioning why SkyClan took so long to reveal themselves in the first place.
"I think it is high time that four of our apprentices finally receive their warrior names." Emberstar's call cut through Flamestrike's thoughts. He turned to see that the SkyClan leader had gathered all of his warriors together. "I have delayed your ceremonies long enough, and you of all apprentices have earned the right to your warrior names."
Surprise flashed across Brightpaw and Wrenpaw's eyes. Ebonypaw and Driftpaw looked equally surprised, but their surprise was quickly replaced with excitement at the prospect of becoming warriors at last. Flamestrike almost purred as he remembered his own warrior ceremony.
It may seem random, but they have been waiting long enough, he told himself.
He knew that Emberstar had been holding out from giving their warrior names since the beginning of their journey. He couldn't blame them for feeling so upset that the SkyClan leader tried giving Birdpaw her warrior name first.
"I, Emberstar, leader of SkyClan, call upon my warrior ancestors so that they may look down upon these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn. Brightpaw, Wrenpaw, Ebonypaw and Driftpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your lives?"
When they all said 'I do', Flamestrike could practically hear the excitement in their voices. He sat up a little straighter when he saw Birdpaw looking more than happy at the notion that they were having their ceremonies. The only reason she kept turning down Emberstar's offer was because they hadn't earned their names yet. Now, she would get the chance to earn that right.
"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Brightpaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Brightfire. StarClan honors you for your courage and bravery, and we welcome you as a full member of SkyClan."
Pride gleamed within Brightfire's eyes as she stepped forward. Emberstar looked equally proud as he touched her forehead with his muzzle. Though they never seemed close to begin with, Flamestrike could see it now. Emberstar did care about his kits, whether he wanted to to admit it out loud or not.
Eventually, Wrenpaw became Wrenflight. Ebonypaw became Ebonypelt, and Driftpaw became Driftwind. All four newly named warriors looked as if they were ready to burst with pride when the Clan chanted their names. Even Oakfire, Acorntail and Spruceleaf cheered their names. Flamestrike glanced at Reedriver in surprise to see that the normally grumpy RiverClan warrior was doing the same as he sat beside the SkyClan she-cat.
"The Clan is always going to be stronger because of what we have been through," Emberstar added once the cheering died down. "I know that these last few moons have been difficult, and we've suffered from many tragedies. But, it also proves that because we have survived, we will always pull through."
Everyone nodded in agreement to that, and Flamestrike realized with a start that Emberstar was right. SkyClan had suffered from many hardships, yet they seemed stronger than ever. The other Clans had their own share of hardships, but they also always seemed to pull through.
"He made the right choice in naming them warriors," Spruceleaf whispered as she joined Flamestrike. He looked at the former WindClan warrior in surprise, but Spruceleaf ducked her head to avoid his questioning gaze. "They were beginning to feel left out... and I think that would have created a rift between them."
"Do you really think they'd fight amongst themselves?" he asked in surprise.
He knew it was possible. He remembered the elders telling a story of something similar happening seasons ago between siblings. They had been born in opposite Clans, and when they discovered that they were siblings, they tried making it work. Eventually though, they drifted apart and began looking for reasons to fight. It nearly tore the Clans apart when their need for bloodshed became overpowering.
"At this point, I think anything is possible," Spruceleaf meowed, shaking her head as if to try and clear her thoughts. "After all, we managed to find SkyClan and we're going to reunite them with the rest of the Clans."
Flamestrike couldn't stop the purr that followed even if he wanted to. He had been worried about how the Clans would react to SkyClan. But, Flamestrike realized with a start that StarClan had been with them all along. Maybe the rest of the Clans would see that bringing them back was a good idea, and there wouldn't be anything to worry about. That was all he could hope for.
AN: Look at me actually updating in a reasonable time :) I am actually two chapters ahead for a change (meaning I've got two chapters written and waiting to be posted), so you can expect quicker updates this time around. I'm not sure how long it's going to last, but for the meantime, I've finally found some inspiration. Thank you to Niqhtshadow, Somerandomperson and Clear Water for reviewing! Your reviews are greatly appreciated :)
Niqhtshadow - Me too! Hopefully it'll be very unexpected (I do like giving out surprises ;)) and exciting. Yeah, the conflict between SkyClan's leader and the apprentices was long overdue. I felt like I never actually delved into it earlier into the story, so hopefully this makes up for it. I'm actually on the fourth book of that series. I don't have a lot of time for reading, but I do try to read a couple of chapters here and there before moving on to the fifth book.
Somerandomperson - D: That hasn't happened... yet! To be honest, I'm rather slow when it comes to updating simply because I've drifted from the Warrior's Series. I still read the books, but I don't write for them as often as I used to. I want to finish this story though, which is why updates are so sporadic.
Clear Water - Phew, I'm glad someone feels that way. I tend to worry a lot about what the readers are going to think, which is another reason behind my lack of updates /: And yeah, making the story longer means I'll have time to be able to flesh out some of the more important characters to the story, so there's that plus side :)
