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.
THE BEGINNING - ThunderClan Camp - Sunrise
When Lionstar got back he went immediately to his den and slept for only a few hours before he was woken by the sunlight streaming into his den. He staggered out of his den into the ThunderClan camp to see that the cats had already gathered beneath the Highrock awaiting news from StarClan. With a sigh the tiered leader hopped up to the rock and in an instant everything came back to him. He wasn't relieved, though, but afraid. They would have to fight BoneClan. It was the only option left.
"Cats of ThunderClan!" He boomed down to his grim audience. "BoneClan has driven out ShadowClan, they've stolen Amberheart and are turning this forest upside down. I've had enough!"
Down below the cats bellowed out an enthusiastic reply, though they all knew what was coming and Lionstar could hardly bare to announce it.
"We have to fight them. Lightfoot will stay back to look after the kits, but Rustpelt will attend the battle. We need as many warriors as we can get." Announced the orange tom. Below the cats exchanged worried looks.
Finally Flamecloud spoke up, "But who will guard the camp?"
Lionstar had been hoping no one would ask this, as he had yet to believe himself on this matter. "They won't attack our camp. They want us, not our territory."
Underneath the rock the cats exchanged looks of confusion until Cloudysky spoke up, "What did you see at the Moonstone, Lionstar?"
The ThunderClan leader took a deep breath and squeezed his eyes shut. The images flowed back to him, more vivid then they had been the first time; he could see Tigerstar in his minds eye, towering over him. Lionstar shuddered and opened his eyes to shake the horrible image from his head. "I saw Tigerstar."
And that stopped any farther questions. The camp grew strangely silent and though Lionstar hopped down from the rock and padded away to the Medicine Cat's den they stood where they were as if they expected him to return at any moment and tell them it was all a joke. Lionstar wished he could, but he tore his gaze away from his perplexed Clan and found himself running to Snowtail's den.
-----
"I heard." Said the Medicine Cat coldly as Lionstar padded in.
Ignoring her, Lionstar cast around the den. "Where is Mistyfur?" He asked, padding farther into the den.
Snowtail sighed and shook her head. "I'm sorry, but she..." The Medicine Cat sighed. "Passed away."
"WHAT?"
Snowtail looked into her leader's eyes, all her irrational hatred for Lionstar faded away and was replaced by sorrow for the orange tom. "Yes. She died while you were gone. I suppose it was for the best; it was a horrible sight. She just lay there twitching and screeching that she didn't want to go for hours until she suddenly went quiet." The Medicine Cat shuddered at the thought and looked away from Lionstar. "Good luck in the battle. Get RiverClan to help you. I'll stay back and hunt for any cat who returns."
Lionstar nodded and touched his nose to Snowtail's.
-----
Taking a deep breath the orange feline hopped back onto the Highrock and addressed his Clan just as the crowd was beginning to break up. "I have another important announcement for you!" He declared, catching their attention. As soon as the cats had gathered again he continued, "Mistyfur, our beloved deputy, has passed away. We have no time to mourn now; StarClan is in as much danger as we are and Mistyfur as well as the other cats of her new Clan need our help. Greyclaw, as my new deputy your first duty is to go to RiverClan and tell Riverstar to bring all her cats to ThunderClan immidiently."
Greyclaw stood, stunned for a moment before nodding his head weakly and fleeing the Clan camp.
Lionstar watched him go, praying he'd made the right choice.
-----
The grey tom could hardly believe it. Even now as he dashed thought the forest towards RiverClan he kept expecting himself to wake up at any moment and find that this had all been a dream. A very bad dream. Of course he was glad that he had been made deputy, but Amberheart had just been kidnapped by BoneClan who Greyclaw was sure would be the death of him.
He crossed the stepping stones and made his way hastily through RiverClan territory. It was hard to remember where the camp was. Though he had been there only the day before it seemed as if it had been an eternity, but he managed to find the Clan camp just the same. When he arrived there Riverstar was speaking to her Clan. Greyclaw opened his mouth to speak but closed it immediately as he caught her words.
"Cats of RiverClan, BoneClan is a bigger threat then any we have ever faced. We need more cats, so though it is a few days before you truly become six moons, I find it necessary that some of our kits are apprenticed early. Snowsong's kits are still too young to be made apprentices immediately, but with the mothers of these kits we should have enough to defeat BoneClan." The Clan looked doubtful, but Greyclaw could scent the kit's excitement at the thought of early apprenticeship. "The kits I speak of are, Rootkit, Jumpkit, Frostkit, Rubykit and Copperkit, all who will grow into fine warriors under the watchful eye of their mentors. First I would like to summon Rootkit up to the Tallstone."
Rootkit, a small brown tom scrambled up the jagged edge of the tall rock jutting from the ground atop which Riverstar stood. She touched her nose gently to that of the kit before looking back down at her Clan. "Sandstorm, you have trained under the watchful eye of two of our most talented warriors. I hope you will pass on everything you have learned to Rootpaw."
Rootkit hopped down from the rock, stumbling as he hit the ground but regaining his footing in time to touch his nose to that of his new mentor.
"Next the siblings Jumpkit and Frostkit come up to the Tallstone to be granted their apprentice names!" Yowled Riverstar and the two kits gladly hopped up the rocky edge of the rock to meet their leader at the top.
"Jumpkit, though you have been previously raised in WindClan your father was loyal to his mate here in RiverClan and gave up his life to save you. It is my wish to grant you a mentor with courage that may match that of your father. A mentor like Smoothwater." The RiverClan leader gazed lovingly down at her son as Jumppaw hopped from the Tallstone to touch noses with him. Then the blue-grey she-cat turned to Frostkit. "Frostkit, as your mentor I shall grant you none other then our courageous deputy, Stonefur."
Frostpaw bowed her head respectfully before hopping down to the ground and having her nose colide harshly with Stonefur's. The grey tom chuckled and lead his apprentice back into the crowd.
"Now, Rubykit and Copperkit." Said Riverstar and waited for the two young cats to arrive atop the Tallstone before continuing. "Before they became queens, Gentilflower and Spottedleaf were both spectacular warriors, and now I pray that they will also be spectacular mentors to you two. Rubypaw, you will be mentored by Spottedleaf and Copperpaw, Gentilflower will be your mentor."
Again the kits descended and greeted their mentors as the others had. When the cats were looking up at their leader expectantly again Riverstar announced, "Now, I want Smoothwater to go to ThunderClan to tell Lionstar that we have chosen now to go into battle against BoneClan."
"I'm afraid that won't be necessary." Every cat turned towards the entrance of the camp and noticed Greyclaw standing there for the first time. "You know, great minds think alike."
A purr of amusement escaped Riverstar and she hopped down from the rock and padded over to the new ThunderClan deputy.
"We need all your cats to come to our camp. Now."
-----
It took a while to get everything sorted out, but it was finally decided that only Lightfoot, the elders and Snowtail would remain in ThunderClan camp while the rest of the ThunderClan warriors along with every RiverClan warrior and apprentice, including Riverstar an Stonefur, would come fight in the battle against BoneClan. Snowtail would be sent periodically to the battlefield to deliver food to the ThunderClan warrior while it was Silverstream's duty to deliver prey to RiverClan. The leaders of the two Clans had decided that using Medicine Cats for this job would be safest, as it was against the warrior code to attack a Medicine Cat.
By the time everything was sorted out the sun was hanging high in the sky above the heads of the two Clans. Lionstar now knew how Firestar must have felt, leading his Clan into battle against BloodClan all those moons ago. With a sideways glance to Riverstar he knew she didn'd feel much different; her face was set in a look of grim determination and did not change as they approached the Thunderpath and it's stench filled the air. None of the cats seemed to pay much mind as the made their way up onto the path.
Suddenly Lionstar froze. He felt Riverstar's muscles tensing beside him and could almost taste her hostility. He hadn't thought of this, though now he found it quite stupid that it had never occurred to him.
Across the Thunderpath stood a large group of cats. They looked surprised to see Lionstar and Riverstar, though the black tom leading them smiled at the two Clans. Despite the horrid smell of two-legs and their monsters, the scent of the black cat reached Lionstar clearly and he knew this was worse, much worse, then the scent of the black path he currently stood on; this was the scent of certain death, the scent of horror and torture, this was the scent of a nightmare come true.
This was the scent of WindClan.