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.

HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS - Hills Beyond - Dawn

It should be sunrise, but the sun was not rising. The ground was bright enough to be a substitute, but the real sun was hidden somewhere behind the forest-sky that stretched overhead, disappearing into the distance where the sky met the ground.

Since it had appeared in the sky, Darkpaw had refused to rest. No one had hunted that whole night, and now standing on the hills at what should be the break of day, Darkpaw could see cats in the distance. Dead cats, living cats, spirit cats rising to the sky to join the battle now raging overhead.

"Darkpaw?"

"Yes, Patchpelt?"

Patchpelt found the thin she-cat apprentice had changed much since they had first been assigned to investigate Carrionplace. She was now quiet and reserved, keeping far off to the side or ahead of the group while Patchpelt walked ahead with Whitestar.

"I'm worried about you. You seem so... different."

Darkpaw sighed and looked away. "Don't worry."

-----

The battle raged on, WindClan turning against BoneClan, changing the odds dramatically. Many WindClan warriors went down, however, at the vicious claws of Metalstar's warriors. Morningflower, Bluepelt and Ashfoot were among the WindClan cats slain at the claws of BoneClan, outraged by the Clan who had betrayed them at the sight of StarClan returning to the sky.

Metalstar herself had disappeared. Truth was, she'd fled back to the camp, having never thought such a thing would happen to change her plan.

Meanwhile, Greyclaw and Amberheart fought side by side, as did Riverstar and Smoothwater while Jumppaw and Greystar did the same above them in the sky.

-----

It was a long time, perhaps a day had passed, he did not know, when Lionstar finally awoke. He could hardly remeber the battle with Metalstar that had put him out of action for so long, but could feel the presence of another cat beside him. Turning he saw a cat with the same glow as the earth. Everything seemed to click into place in his mind, even things he had never known, then the cat was gone, floating upwards towards the forest-sky where it passed the barrier made by the HellCats and descended into the forest above.

The ThunderClan leader looked around, seeing all the WindClan cats who had turned against BoneClan. There weren't very many of them anymore, and his StarClan given knowledge supplied why; they had realized what they'd done and had turned against BoneClan.

He dove into battle, shoving the BoneClan warrior Deathnote from Twotails, who bobbed her head gratefully and limped away, leaving him to deal with the white tom alone.

-----

Time passed and the battle went on. It must've been the longest fight ever in the history of the Clans. The cats knew the sun was setting for the fourth time since the battle had begun, but they could not see it.

-----

Greyclaw and Amberheart found themselves fighting their way closer and closer to the BoneClan camp, which was the northern most point of ShadowClan territory.

Padding cautiously through the enemy territory, Amberheart suddenly caught the scent of an approaching cat. "Someone's coming." She hissed to Greyclaw, muscles tensing.

She leaped, stopping just short of Lionstar who froze in his tracks. The two of them stared at each other for a moment, looking relieved.

"She's there, isn't she?" Asked Lionstar, nodding towards the camp.

Greyclaw nodded. "We saw her run off that way after the white cat..." He shuddered. "...died."

After Greystar and Jumppaw had left them, the white cat had gone rigid and had started mumbling something. She had turned on Metalstar, who got pretty badly scratched up before the white cat had suddenly dropped dead. Then the BoneClan leader had turned and ran.

Lionstar nodded. "We have to find her." He said, turning and continuing towards BoneClan camp.

Amberheart and Greyclaw exchanged worried looks, then hurried after their leader.

-----

Darkpaw stopped at the edge of the Thunderpath. From here she could see Carrionplace, as bright as daylight in the earth-glow. to the east was the battlefield, bodied scattered the ground along with cats wrestling, fighting and dieing.

"This is... horrible." Said Patchpelt softly, shuddering. Whitestar looked worried at first, but put on a brave face before turning back to his Clan, who looked even more terrified then he had moments ago.

"This is out chance to get out territory back, to fight for what is ours, for what we should not have given up in the first place. Are you ready to take back what has been stolen from us?"

A chorus of approval sounded from the ShadowClan cats plus the four others accompanying them.

"Are you ready to fight for StarClan?"

Another round of approving cries.

"Then let us do just that!"

With that, they charged into the battle, leaping at the BoneClan warriors to aid the exhausted cats in the other Clans. As tiered as they were, the ShadowClan party was not nearly as exhausted as the cats who had been fighting here for days on end.

"Darkpaw!"

She looked up, catching sight of Cloudysky fighting off a BoneClan warrior before hurrying over to her. She looked at him coldly and turned away, though he bounded up to her side. "Hey, where's Mudpaw?"

Darkpaw swung around to face him, her unsheathed claws digging into the earth. "My boyfriend is dead, and so is your girlfriend."

"What?" He turned, following Darkpaw's gaze over his shoulder to Featherheart's mangled body, lying dead on the glowing ground. "No!"

Darkpaw felt no satisfaction in his reaction, but felt sorry for him instead. She knew he had liked Featherheart, and remembered how she'd felt when Mudpaw had died. "I'm sorry, Cloudysky, I really am."

-----

Patchpelt leaped forwards, pinning Tearlife roughly to the ground. This was the black and white she-cat who she'd fought back at Carrionplace during her investigation with Mudpaw, Darkpaw, Flash and Blood.

The she-cat seemed to recognize her too, and smiled and the sight of her. She rolled suddenly to the side, knocking Patchpelt off balance. She hopped backwards, then charged forwards again, her claws piercing the enemy warrior's flesh.

She squealed and backed away, hissing, but Patchpelt charged again. This time reinforced claws came up to meet her, but Patchpelt dodged them with nothing more then a shallow cut along her back. Her claws sank deep into Tearlife's fur until her squeals of pain had been reduced to strained gasps, then stopped completely.

She looked around, satisfied; StarClan's warriors were winning.