Thanks to the following for reviewing:
-AtlierSky
-Guest
-921862 (randomwarriorfan)
The questions of Spottedleaf's motives will be answered in the story and for Fern, Slash and BloodClan later on too. (Mostly the last book). And yes, Maple possessed Thistlestar.
Swiftclaw blinked open his eyes to the sunlight. The warrior's den had been rebuilt recently, but it would never be the same. The shape seemed wonky and it wasn't as big as before. Yawning, the black and white tom sat up.
Brightpelt slept in the nest next to his and he smiled at the sight of her. Brackenfur slept near the newest warrior, Cricketleaf and on his other side slept his closest friends, Dustpelt, Longtail and Darkstripe. Graystripe was across from them all with Mousefur and Mossflower next to him.
He was surprised to see the gray and white she-cat sprawled across the smaller dusky one. Usually Mousefur snapped if someone even looked at her for too long.
Swiftclaw realized the rest of the warriors had already woken.
It had been three days since Shadowstar had taken over ShadowClan. ThunderClan had spent the time rebuilding the camp, although they still had a long way to go. I wonder how SkyClan is faring, he faintly thought before shaking it away. Only cats like Brindleface and Graystripe would care about them.
As Swiftclaw made his way to the fresh-kill pile, he noticed the dawn patrol returning with Whitestorm in the lead, followed by Mistyfoot and Frostfur.
"What's to report?" Tigerclaw called although Swiftclaw noticed he looked a bit distant.
"Near Snakerocks were still signs of dogs. The prey bones, feathers and dung. The usual."
Oh right.
Dogs had moved onto their territory.
There were dogs loose in the forest. Whenever Tigerclaw or some other warriors reported it to Thistlestar, he went out to "take care of it" but they were still here.
Well, he isn't StarClan. He can't get rid of them alone. So what is he doing?
"Well, be wary and no cat shall travel alone," Tigerclaw grunted. "Make sure the queens know to keep a close eye on their kits too." With that he padded off to the nursery to check on his kits.
Swiftclaw followed the she-cats to the fresh-kill pile again. Darkstripe and Dustpelt were awake now and were talking with Fernpaw and Ashpaw.
"There's hardly anything to eat!" Ashpaw complained.
"We have to be grateful for what we catch," Frostfur reminded her nephew. "The fire drove off a lot of our prey, but it'll return."
"Why don't you and Fernpaw hunt together," Dustpelt suggested.
"Okay!" The two apprentices brightened. Swiftclaw remembered the dog sightings and quickly meowed, "I'll come with." He led the two speckled littermates out and up the ravine.
His amber eyes flickered to the side as he swore he saw a dark shape. He ignored the nervousness building inside of him. This was his territory! Not some stupid dogs!
"Come on!" He puffed up his chest and strutted forward with the confidence he usually had.
He was a warrior. He'd protect his clanmates from any dogs! He wasn't afraid!
Fern shot back along the trail towards the Great Oak. Ever since she met Gray Wing and Thunder, the three had met there everyday to discuss things like how her life was, how Clan life was and so on and so forth.
But now their priority was to discuss possible ways to take down Slash. And make sure the dogs didn't come back.
Or Thistlestar.
"Hey, Fern!" She looked to see the two toms waiting and sped over. "Any news?" Thunder was the one who had spoken.
"I just saw that one arrogant warrior, Swiftclaw, taking two apprentices hunting! What if they run into the dogs?"
Gray Wing and Thunder exchanged concerned looks and Fern had to admire how they still cared for ThunderClan's well-being. Of all Clans!
But she was worried too. She knew some brutal dogs in Twolegplace and had once witnessed one ripping a poor unaware cat apart.
She shuddered.
"Swiftclaw is fast," Thunder said after a bit. "He'll keep them safe. And I'm sure they'll steer clear of the dogscent."
Wasn't Swiftclaw one of the cats that had helped to steal Gray Wing's kits?
"Okay, well can you keep an eye on Snakerocks?" Gray Wing asked. "When you get the chance that is. We'll work on how to get rid of Slash."
Maybe they should let the dogs get Thistlestar at least.
"Alright," she sighed. "But I hope you're right about some of the ThunderClan cats' lives being worth it."
Fire Heart looked around for someone to join his and Raven Hope's hunting patrol, and noticed Thorn heading for the apprentice's den, calling for Alder. "Hey, Thorn! Come join our hunting patrol."
Thorn flicked his tail in acknowledgement and continued getting Alder up. Skystar had taken Owl Eyes tree-climbing and Nettle was in the hollow with Sparrow Fur, practicing her battle moves. The two would be warriors in a moon or two. Fire Heart tried not to think about how Cloud Tail wouldn't be with them.
Gray Wing and Thunder had been missing that morning. As they always had been. Fire Heart had more or less taken over organizing patrols. No one was petty enough to protest against him.
Milkweed poked her head out of the nursery. Thistle scampered past her and up to the warriors.
Gray Wing had found them the other day and of course, Skystar had welcomed them warmly. Gray Wing had given the ginger and black she-cat a 'told you so' look. Fire Heart wondered what that had been about.
"Can I come?"
"Sorry, but no kits," Raven Hope purred. He shared a fond smile with Fire Heart, who felt his heart flip. Thorn noticed their interaction and smiled. The whole Clan was wondering if anything was going on between the two.
Are we…more than friends? We don't call each other mates…but we do stuff mates would do like cuddle, share prey, take midnight strolls…
"I'm just old enough!" Thistle pouted.
"How about I teach you the hunter's crouch now?" Leaf padded over, smiling at the kit. "That way you'll be prepared earlier?"
The kit bounced towards the black and white tom excitedly and Milkweed gave a grateful purr as Clover appeared and snuggled up against her mother's side. The she-kit had recently gotten a little cold. She was smaller and more prone to sickness than her brother, but under Cloud Spots and Acorn Fur's care, she was doing just fine.
Fire Heart led the hunting patrol out of camp and up slope along the main trail. They headed for the Golden Meadow, named for being well, a meadow with mostly golden grass. It was peaceful and the sun always shines there and the prey loved to stick around.
Especially since everything else looks like a bunch of deadlands.
He blinked as he came upon the meadow. Three cats crouched around, basking and chatting happily.
They looked up and smiled, waving their tails at him and his heart squeezed painfully.
When he blinked Yellowfang, Hawk Swoop and Jackdaw's Cry were gone.
He pushed the pain in his heart away and began to scent for prey.
Thorn led Alder nearer to the tall grass. "Practice listening for prey," he told his apprentice.
Fire Heart watched them go. Thorn and Alder had developed a strong bond over the moons. Fire Heart always had a suspicious feeling of the former rogue because of how silent he always was, compared to Dew. But he was a good warrior and treated Alder like his little sister.
Once again, Fire Heart pushed away the memories of how that was him and Cloud Tail. Except more yelling would be going on between them.
I just hope he's happy in ShadowClan. And that…he has a mentor who can get him to actually listen.
And great. Now he was thinking of his other close friend, Jagged Peak. He knew the tom had left for the good of his family, but Fire Heart wished he had stayed with him.
Sure I could have gone, but SkyClan is the Clan that gave me a chance to live. I can't abandon it now!
The ginger tom skirted along the grass until he came upon the river, where more prey had survived as well. It wasn't long before he noticed a rabbit scuffling through the grass. As it sat up, chewing on the blades, Fire Heart charged forward and finished it off.
"Great catch," Raven Hope meowed, eyes twinkling. He wandered off following the trail of another creature. Fire Heart watched him go, face feeling warm.
"Awww, isn't that cute?" A voice called from behind him. "Careful, he may be a quiet one, but the quietest are always the most dangerous."
Fire Heart spun around to see a sleek gray and white pelt.
"Shattered Ice!" Fire Heart exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"
"I saw you from across the river," Shattered Ice chimed. "Raven Hope is a good choice. You'll make a cute couple."
"Uh…." Fire Heart felt his face heat up again. Out of all topics, he'd never imagine discussing this! With Shattered Ice no less! The tom had always been one of the cats against him from the start.
But he was no ThunderClan cat! He was much more loyal and helpful. And had a secret sweet side to him. Like helping RiverClan.
He was happy to see his former clanmate again.
"Just wait till I tell Dappled Pelt," Shattered Ice continued slyly. "You're a lucky cat, Fire Heart."
"Oh, yeah? And what about you, huh? Has any cat caught your eye yet?" Fire Heart managed to shoot back.
Shattered Ice snorted almost incredulously. "No."
Fire Heart smirked. "Yeah. Right. Who is it?"
Shattered Ice shook his head. "That is for you to find out and me to never tell. Because I don't have time for love."
Fire Heart laughed but took mercy on the older tom and asked, "how're things in RiverClan?"
Shattered Ice frowned and looked around warily before he padded closer. "Tigerclaw visited the camp a few days after the Gathering…he said he needed to talk to Crookedstar but when I asked a clanmate he hadn't gone to him at all. Apparently, he had just spent the time talking to Leopardfur."
"Well, they are both deputies…maybe they were just exchanging friendly words."
"Yeah. Right." Shattered Ice repeated his earlier sarcasm, flicking his ears and meowing, "Spottedleaf also came by. It was just last night. 'Cept instead of seeing Mudfur she went to Crookedstar."
Fire Heart frowned. What was ThunderClan up to? "Do you have any idea what she was talking about?"
"No, but when asked she said she just wanted to see him. He is getting old, but Bluefur is the cat I'd expect to go visiting him on his deathbed."
"Why?"
"Well, I heard they were friends in their apprenticehood?"
"Huh, never knew. Seems like friendships only stick around in SkyClan."
Shattered Ice snorted. "Honestly." He shook his head. "Anyway, I should go back. I'm supposed to help assess the apprentices and I have to make sure Blackclaw isn't fighting Night again."
"Shouldn't Leopardfur do that?"
"Like she cares."
"How do they treat you all?" Fire Heart asked concerned.
Shattered Ice shrugged. "I was there the longest and have earned their respect already. Dappled Pelt is a good fellow medicine cat which gained her respect immediately. Dew is calm, so it's hard for anyone to be mean to her and Night actually goes for the arguments. And River Ripple, well, he's been around for a while and has helped them, so he's well respected. He's close with Leopardfur. I feel like he might be deputy one day."
Fire Heart nodded with a smile. "Well, at least I know how my RiverClan friends are doing."
Shattered Ice smiled. "And how are SkyClan holding up?"
Fire Heart grinned. "As well as we always have. Chaos here, chaos there, us in the middle yet doing just fine."
"How are you, Crookedstar?" Spottedleaf asked the old leader as she settled down in front of him.
"Eh, I've been better," the tom mumbled. "What brings you here, Spottedleaf?"
"I just wanted to check on you," she meowed calmly yet her heart was pounding. She was afraid of how Crookedstar would react if she asked, she was afraid of the answers he might give, and she was afraid of Thistlestar finding out.
"Oh, um, I'm fine," He murmured. Somehow she could tell that he knew she wasn't truly here for that. "So…what are you really here for?"
She sighed.
"What I'm about to ask you will bring back some bad memories, I know, but… I need to know. Thistlestar needs help."
Crookedstar sat up now, looking nervous. "Wh-what?"
"Do you know a Dark Forest cat by the name of Mapleshade?"
Crookedstar stilled and she knew she was on the right track.
After a long moment of pause, he sighed and meowed tensely, "yes…why?"
"Is it…possible for a spirit to…make you do things you don't want to?"
Crookedstar trembled a bit before he nodded. "When I was little I met Mapleshade. She always lies to cats she manipulates, making them believe she was a StarClan cat…and once I found Thistlestar training there with another cat."
"Yes. I know he's chosen his own path…but I don't think he'd ever take it this far. Why be so brutal and humiliate ThunderClan? Attacking SkyClan who never did anything to him," Spottedleaf meowed, feeling dread build inside.
Crookedstar nodded and gave her answers she wished she'd never known. "Some of the choices I made were my own…but planning to make Sunningrocks fall on some ThunderClan cat was never a part of my mind…"
Spottedleaf gasped. The Battle of Sunningrocks. That night everything seemed to go wrong starting with Brokenstar's reign, Yellowfang's exile, and her brother Redtail's death.
Crookedstar closed his eyes. "I got my own brother killed…"
"How?"
He looked at her, green eyes sad. "I don't know exactly how, but I remember refusing something against Mapleshade. She jumped at me and I prepared to fight…but then I blacked out. When I awoke I was back in my den. My paws were covered in dirt like I'd been digging up dirt…"
From under the Sunningrocks possibly, Spottedleaf thought. To make them fall on purpose.
"I don't remember doing it, but I knew I had…with my own paws…" He closed his eyes, painfully.
"But not your own mind…" Spottedleaf breathed out.
She now understood what was happening with Thistlestar…but she was afraid it was too late for him because either way…
His path would have always ended in blood.
Spottedleaf sat outside her den, watching Thistlestar, who sat on Highrock. Ever since her talk with Crookedstar last night she had sat and pondered what to do.
I can't save him. It's too late. But I have to stop him before more cats die from his claws.
From her claws.
But what made her newest revelation even worse was the newest dream she'd had. And she needed to share it with someone!
Just then, Bluefur padded up, looking troubled. It seemed they shared the same expression nowadays.
"Bluefur," she meowed. "I've had a worrying dream from StarClan."
The blue she-cat perked up.
"It sounded like…barking. I could barely understand. All I could pick up from it was pack, pack and kill, kill."
Bluefur stared at her first in confusion, then horror. "What-what does it mean?" She looked around nervously.
What's up with her?
She shook her head. "I don't know. But we need to keep a lookout. There are dogs loose and that sounds about right to match."
Bluefur relaxed as if a pack of dogs was the least of her worries. Had she thought it meant something else.
She opened her mouth to ask her friend if she was okay, but froze as Thistlestar's sharp gaze flickered to the two of them. The leader locked his eyes on Bluefur…
And the she-cat ducked her head, paws shuffling nervous.
Spottedleaf watched her hurry to the warriors den and disappear inside.
Spottedleaf had never seen the warrior scared of Thistlestar! He'd always been an annoying pest to her no matter how intimidating he acted.
It's times like this where I wish one of the past prophesied saviors would come and save us.
So yeah, new twist. Crookedstar made the rocks fall and accidently killed his brother. Well, Mapleshade made him do it, but the reason was she was trying to kill Redtail to help Tigerclaw, but well, they both failed obviously.
And Thistlestar found out a little secret about Bluefur.