CLANLIFE
This is an account of all the stories (in correct order) that have happened to the cats of ThunderClan. These tales will begin just after a great flood that has destroyed most of ThunderClan and RiverClan. In these times the Clan leader Greystar was sick with greencough and sent his deputy, Lionheart, to the gathering instead. That day the Clan was struck with a massive flood and the cats could not return from the Gathering. When they finally were able to get back they found everyone who was left in the camp to be dead.
Our story begins one moon later.
ALCHEMICAL DOMINANT - Blacksmith's Pit - Sunset
Smoothwater hissed and leaped forwards, meeting the small one in the air. The two cats toppled to the ground, colliding with the edge of the pit and slipping down towards the fire. Amberheart let out a squeak of surprise, but it was cut short as the massive tom slammed himself into her side, causing her to go flying and land in the marshy land a few tail lengths away.
She staggered to her paws, feeling dizzy. Blinking, she looked around to see where the others were. She could hear Cloudpaw shrieking from somewhere nearby.
"Rigidpaw! The fire!" Cried the rumbling voice.
Down in the pit Smoothwater rolled again, feeling the heat of the fire on his exposed flesh, but it wasn't his back to the fire. Rigidpaw, the she-cat, was hissing at spitting, keeping up the fight against Smoothwater while she ignored she stench of burning fur. Her burning fur. Smoothwater kept inching forwards, forcing her back towards the fire. As if she finally noticed she was cornered she spun around, seizing a chunk of metal between her teeth and waving it through the flames. Fire clung to her fur and whiskers, hissing as it burned down to her flesh, but she ignored it and struck Smoothwater in the side with the burning metal. He yelped and leaped backwards towards the edge of the pit, hissing angrily, horrified by the wrongness of it. Metal was for two legs, not for cats. But that clearly didn't matter to Rigidpaw, as she struck at him again, pushing the metal against his neck, despite his efforts to back away.
A battle cry cut through the air as Cloudpaw dove forwards towards Rigidpaw. She pulled the metal away from Smoothwater and held it upwards.
"No, Cloudpaw!" Cried Smoothwater, but it was already too late. A pained yowl cut though the air as the metal cut through his flesh with its searing heat. Smoothwater looked away, unable to bear the sight. He turned back up to the edge of the pit to see Greyclaw and Amberheart battling with two cats he hadn't seen before. That meant Riverstar was alone against the ginger tom and the dirty one.
Leaping up out of the pit, Smoothwater tore over to his mother, ramming himself into the ginger tom's side.
"Fight, Bloodtooth." Sneered the big one, or at least Smoothwater thought he sneered, it was hard to tell since his voice was so low and rumbling. "Use the claws."
Bloodtooth's new claws caught the retreating sunlight, blinding Smoothwater for a moment and filling his heart with fear. These cats were wrong. They were nothing like Tigerclaw, the dogs or any of the dangers Firestar had ever battled against; these weren't things the Clans knew how to fight and that scared him.
Bloodtooth pinned him easily, for Smoothwater was too busy trying to dodge the BloodClan deputy's claws to pay any attention to tactics.
Greyclaw yowled as two more cats raced toward the battle. One, a black and white she-cat, leaped on him and knocked him to the ground. He attempted to roll over, but she was much heavier then she looked, so he lunged forwards, snapping at her with his jaws, which caused her to lose her balance. She hopped back and Greyclaw got quickly to his paws. The BoneClan warrior snarled and attacked again, swiping at his side. He swiped back, ignoring the pain as the blood welled up in the gash the she-cat's claws had formed. His paws caught her cheek and sliced upwards at her eye. A caterwaul rose from the half-blinded cat and she staggered backwards, blinking furiously as if she hoped that would help her regain her vision.
Greyclaw jumped as something warm pressed itself against his injured side. Taking a deep breath he realized it was Amberheart. "Oh. Sorry."
"It's okay." She purred reassuringly, nuzzling him gentily.
They both turned as a sudden shriek split the air. Smoothwater. Amberheart bounded forwards, ramming herself into Bloodtooth's side. The BloodClan deputy hissed and swiped at her. Alarmed, Amberheart leaped back, landing awkwardly on the ground a few tail-lengths away. Pain shot through her body and she was unsure if Bloodtooth had actually hit her or not. But he was now staring at her, grinning broadly. "Liquiformash!" He called and the filthy tom looked up. When his eyes rested on Amberheart he, too, smiled. He suddenly lunged forwards, bowling her over the edge of the pit. She felt her head collide with the hard packed ground of the pit. Cries from up above echoed around her head, though one voice stood out over all;
"We can't kill her, yet."
-----
Dashfoot frowned. He had seen Mistyfur fall, but something else caught his attention. Two of the Carrionguards were leaving. He turned his head to see something going on over by ShadowClan's old camp. There was a battle there.
"Keep climbing!" Called a voice from below and Dashfoot quickly continued his ascent.
He soon reached the top and turned himself carefully around, then started the climb down. Up above him he could see Shadowpaw copied the RiverClan warrior's movement and began his descent. "Mistyfur fainted, didn't she?"
Dashfoot nodded, then remembered that Shadowpaw couldn't see him. "Yah, she did."
"Why?"
"Lionstar would know."
"Why would he know?"
"He knows her best. He trusts her to be his deputy, so he must know a lot about her." Explained Dashfoot.
"Oh."
A silence fell between the declining cats as they lowered themselves towards the stinking earth. Mistyfur was a sensitive cat and she had strong feelings towards the earth, but Dashfoot knew this was something big. He hadn't bothered to look at what was being kept in Carrionplace, and all he knew so far was that it smelled bad. Very bad.
Upon reaching the ground, Dashfoot hopped away from the fence and quickly found Mistyfur, who's fall had been cushioned by a pile of cats. Dashfoot knew instantly why she had fainted and he was pretty sure the other cats would understand too.
"They... have no teeth." Mumbled Mistyfur, her eyes opening slightly. She closed them again, then opened them wide, her breathing coming quick and shallow.
"The chosen one will rise, return to his- his- MASTER!" She panted and Dashfoot was pretty sure she'd gone mad.
"Uh... who?"
"Them. The dark ones. They're coming. Comei-" She stopped suddenly and her breath caught in her throat. She blinked again, though this time when she opened her eyes her pupils were gone, leaving two pools of green.
"They're taking him, spilling the blood. The good blood! Oh, why? But can't you see? Al-chem-i-cal." Her body began to convulse dramatically. "Al-chem-i-cal. C- coming. Alchemical is- Alchemical dominant. Spilling the blood. Alchemical." She chanted as her body jerked violently.
"Get her out of here!" Commanded Dashfoot, a little too loudly. The two remaining Carrionguards turned on them, bolting across the terrain to the small group. Hopepaw and Featherheart leaped down from the fence towards them, catching them a few tail-lengths before they arrived beside Mistyfur and Dashfoot.
"Come on, Shadowpaw." Said Dashfoot breathlessly and he helped the ThunderClan apprentice drag his leader from the horrible place.