On the *checks notes* 11th day of Christmas my true love gave to me: A Chapter of Igniteeee that doesn't rhyme. But I'm back after a very stressful week of tests and projects. I also had a presentation I fudged up cause the person controlling the powerpoint didn't move the slide forward so I was basically talking about a white screen. Like, you can see there's nothing there right? MOVE THE THING FORWARD. I was so embarrassed that I lost my composure and fumbled through the rest of my part ;-;
But here's another chapter that I might have ripped from the book. Sorry again Erins.
Also I agreed to take the night shift for my job during Christmas week. So either no update next week or Chirstmas week. But I've got a Christmas chapter planned for one of my fics so look out for that! :D
I'll try to get something in for the next two weeks as long as I'm not completely overwhelmed next week.
Reviews are appreciated!
Brambleclaw sighed as he tried taking in the faint scents of the leaders' den, hoping to draw comfort that the walls used to give whenever Firestar would keep them all together within the den. He had strangely enough enjoyed those times. Firestar just exuded love and protectiveness whenever he had been around his small family; plus his leader was so warm. He made the chilly nights of leaf-fall more than bearable.
But trying to draw in any sort of comfort was incredibly hard at this point, with a battle just on the horizon. He drew in a shaky breath as he realized that this may be his last time within the den. With Firestar gone, he was the one who would lead Thunderclan into battle, and with Tigerstar and Hawkfrost labeling him as a traitor to their cause... there was a good chance he wouldn't survive past the battle.
He wondered what would happen if Firestar and the search party returned after the battle- would they find a clan in celebration of their victory or would they find dead bodies everywhere? He hoped the latter scenario would never come into reality.
Speaking of the search party...
'I never did get to apologize to Squirrelflight,' he thought forlornly. He didn't have the courage to speak to her before she left to find Firestar. All that time trapped in the den with her gave him some much needed time to think things over. He knew why he had been angry with her. After everything with Hawkfrost, they promised to be open with one another. No more secrets. He had confided with her about his visits to the Dark Forest, training with Tigerstar and Hawkfrost. He hadn't hid anything from her since then.
But she hadn't trusted him enough to tell him that their kits weren't even theirs? What did she think he was going to do if she told him, cast the kits away? Apparently the openness had only applied to him- he had been so angry with her, for breaking their promise, for lying about their kits, for not trusting him.
But being forced to spend time with her gave him time to step back and think. He tried seeing himself in her paws, just to try and attempt to understand. If Tawnypelt had come to him asking to take in her kits, he would have done so without hesitation- because she was his sister. Leafpool was Squirrelflight's sister, and they would do anything for each other. He wouldn't have lied about the kits(because really, it's not like he could say he gave birth to them like Squirrelflight had done) but he could understand why Squirrelflight did it.
Perhaps giving her the cold shoulder for so long hadn't been the best idea though. He needed time to cool his head, but not seasons.
'I'm such a mouse-brain. And now I might not even get to apologize to her...' He dreaded to think what would happen if Squirrelflight and Hollyleaf and Firestar came back to hear of his death, or even worse, to see his dead body. Squirrelflight would undoubtedly be distraught, he hoped Hollyleaf would feel something towards one of the cats that helped raised her, and Firestar...
The only good thing about his death was that the Dark Forest would fall under Firestar's rage at the loss of one of his hatchlings.
He hoped he wouldn't have to see such a thing, because it didn't necessarily have to be him- if Leafpool or Sandstorm died... Brambleclaw involuntarily shivered. He lifted up his head towards the opening of the den, Sandstorm poking her head inside.
"The Shadowclan warriors are here," she meowed, before withdrawing. He sighed and got up to his paws, hurrying outside to greet the Shadowclan cats to their camp. He stood in the center of camp, eyes focused at the entrance of the camp as Oakfur, Smokefoot, and Snowbird walked in, taking in the somewhat dilapidated state of their camp. They had fixed the damage from the blaze as best as they could, but with leaf-bare on the horizon and with little time to fix things, the camp still looked like a bit of a mess.
"I can't believe this is happening," Cloudtail muttered. "Shadowclan warriors in our camp."
"Welcome Oakfur," Brambleclaw greeted them, flashing Cloudtail a warning look. "Smokefoot, Snowbird, it's good to see you," he nodded to the other Shadowclan warriors.
"There's prey if you're hungry," Lionblaze offered.
Oakfur flicked his ear, surprise in his eyes. "You still have prey despite the state of your territory?" he asked surprised. The cats around them shifted uncomfortably, not wanting to be reminded of the fire that took down a good chunk of their territory.
Dovewing ran forward from the edge of the clearing. "There's no time to worry about prey! They're coming!"
Brambleclaw whipped his head around to face her. "The Dark Forest cats?"
Dovewing pricked her ears, listening in on something only she could hear. "They're in the forest!"
The ShadowClan patrol faced the barrier, hackles high. Lionblaze unsheathed his claws and dropped into a battle crouch.
Hazeltail was staring at Dovewing. "How do you know?"
"She just does, okay?" Jayfeather bounded from the medicine den and stopped in front of Dovewing. "Which way are they heading?"
"I can't tell!"
Brambleclaw snapped his head up, scanning the tree line above. He could hear the distinct sound of thundering paws, all heading towards camp. 'Great Starclan, they really put one heck of a battle patrol! How many cats are we up against?'
"All right, it's time," he announced. "Sorreltail, Thornclaw, and Spiderleg, go as fast as you can to Shadowclan," he ordered. "Fight like they're your own clanmates. Whitewing, Berrynose, and Hazeltail, you must help Windclan." The warriors raced out of camp.
Only Sorreltail hesitated, glancing toward the nursery. "We'll keep Lilykit and Seedkit safe," Brambleclaw promised. Sorreltail dipped her head and charged after her patrol.
Brambleclaw flicked his tail toward Icecloud. She was already running for the entrance with Toadstep and Bumblestripe on her tail. "We'll get to Riverclan before the Dark Forest warriors," she called over her shoulder.
Molepaw and Rosepetal rushed over to stand in front of Brambleclaw. "Where should we go first?"
"Molepaw, head for Windclan and then RiverClan. Rosepetal, go to Shadowclan. Bring back any news you can. We need to know where the Dark Forest strikes first."
Poppyfrost met her kit as they headed for the thorn barrier. "I know you'll be brave." She lifted her chin. "I'm very proud of you, remember that."
She stood aside and let the pair of mentor and apprentice rush out, her eyes glistening. Berrynose padded to her side and pressed his cheek against hers. "He's a warrior today," he murmured.
"What about Cherrypaw?" she whimpered.
"We'll just have to hope that she's safer than we are at the moment," Berrynose murmured.
Brambleclaw glanced around camp, noting with shock at how empty it was. 'I really hope the Riverclan and Windclan warriors are coming,' he thought, frustrated. He rushed over to help Jayfeather pull some bramble over to the medicine den entrance, and the blind medicine cat nodded to him before hurrying inside. He scented Leafpool inside, and pricked his ears to hear the muffled murmuring from within.
"Just be careful okay? The clan needs its medicine cat," Leafpool murmured.
"You're a medicine cat too," Jayfeather growled. "I need all the help I can get, especially with so few herbs." There was silence for a moment and Brambleclaw shuffled closer to see Jayfeather had his muzzle buried into Leafpool's shoulder.
"You're going to save us all, remember? Prophecies have never been wrong before," Leafpool said.
"I'm not worried about this prophecy," Jayfeather muttered. Brambleclaw pricked his ears up in interest.
"What do you mean? Is there another prophecy?" Leafpool asked quickly.
Jayfeather looked uncomfortable, the fur along his spine bristling. "I received another prophecy recently," he said.
"When the leaf falls from the tree and withers, the King's flame shall be unleashed in full."
"The King's flame?"
'The King's flame? That's right, he mentioned the prophecy and vision to Firestar and I before...''
"I don't understand, what even is a King?" Leafpool meowed, agitated. Brambleclaw wondered the same, thinking about the prophecy's meaning.
"I've been trying to interpret it for a while now, but right now isn't the time to be trying to figure out what it means. We've got a battle to get through," Jayfeather said.
Leafpool sucked in some air and nodded, before pressing her muzzle to Jayfeather's pelt. "You know I'll always love you and your siblings, right?" she murmured softly.
Jayfeather paused in his sorting. "...I know."
Brambleclaw sprang to his paws, hurrying away from the medicine den, feeling as if he were intruding on something personal. He remembered hearing the prophecy before, but now it felt more real. An epiphany struck him. 'The King's flame... it's not talking about Firestar is it?'
.
.
.
.
Brambleclaw waited on top of the hollow with a few cats. The other side of the hollow held some cats on top as well- they were hoping to trap the Dark Forest cats on both sides when they inevitably stormed the camp. He could hear the sounds of battle as his clanmates tried to hold off the Dark Forest cats outside of camp, and his ears pricked up when he heard a yowl for help.
"We need backup!"
A few warriors raced from the entrance but more ragged pelts swarmed from the trees and began to drive the clan cats back against the thorn barrier. The ferns shivered on the far slope as he and Lionblaze crashed out, intent on helping their clanmates drive out the invaders.
"They're in the camp!" Lionblaze's yowl split the air. Dark pelts were streaming through the thorns, turning the narrow entrance into a ragged hole. Lionblaze flashed in after them.
"Cinderheart! Dustpelt! Graystripe! Go with Lionblaze and drive them out!" Brambleclaw sent a Dark Forest warrior flying with a backward kick. "We'll hold the rest off here." He sent himself launching at Darkstripe, the tom twisting and contorting his body in an attempt to kick Brambleclaw off, hissing furiously. Brambleclaw lost his grip and quickly scrambled backwards as the dark tom advanced onto him.
Then he heard Ferncloud shriek from inside the camp. He almost turned around to rush into camp, when the scents of Riverclan and Windclan hit his nose, and the warriors pelted into camp, aiming for a few Dark Forest cats along the way.
"There's more in camp!" Brambleclaw screeched to the Windclan warriors as he batted Darkstripe away.
"We'll deal with them." Owlwhisker disappeared through the barrier with Whitetail and Boulderfur on his tail.
Brambleclaw lined up with Poppyfrost and Berrynose and began herding a knot of warriors toward the trees. He reared and dived, sure of his movements, knowing exactly where to aim, noticing Dovewing and Millie pushing back another cluster. The Dark Forest warriors jerked around, looking at their scattered allies with dismay before turning and running for the trees.
Soon enough the Dark Forest cats had thinned to a few stragglers. Brambleclaw stood stiff-legged in front of them. "You can run or you can die," he offered in a low growl. They froze, then turned and pelted for the forest.
"Cowards!" Ferncloud hissed from the entrance to the hollow. Pebblefoot and Sandstorm exploded out from behind her, driving the last few Dark Forest warriors out of camp. Brambleclaw only narrowed his eyes as cats around him purred in victory, knowing that those cats had only been the first wave.
"There's more coming," Dovewing whispered in dismay.
"Cloudtail! Pebblefoot! Dustpelt!" The deputy called to the bloodiest cats. "Medicine den! Now!" They limped across the battered thorns, turning the branches red, and Brambleclaw wished he could ask the cats around him to receive as little injury as possible since they had little herbs to spare, but that was asking for way too much.
"Is anyone else badly hurt?" He scanned the patrol. Millie rubbed at a torn ear. Graystripe pressed against her, his eye swollen. Poppyfrost licked a wrenched claw. Mintfur sniffed a scratch on Troutstream's flank while Smokefoot shook out his ragged pelt.
Leafpool wove between them, checking wounds. "Nothing dangerous," she meowed.
"The kits are safe!" Ferncloud reported.
"For now," he muttered darkly.
Dovewing stiffened as paw steps pounded beyond the rise.
Cloudtail arched his back. "Who is it?"
A young ShadowClan cat appeared at the top of the slope.
"Stoatpaw?" Brambleclaw padded forward. "How's ShadowClan?"
"Blackstar's losing a life!" Stoatpaw raced toward them, eyes wide. "We've been overrun! We need help!" Smokefoot darted forward to meet the apprentice. Oakfur and Snowbird watched their clanmates, panic lighting their eyes.
"Have you seen Molepaw?" Poppyfrost asked.
"Isn't he here?" Stoatpaw asked, blinking.
"Perhaps he's gone to find Rosepetal." Leafpool pressed against the tortoiseshell warrior. "Or maybe he's lying low until it's safe to travel."
Brambleclaw looked towards Dovewing. "How near is the next Dark Forest patrol?"
She pricked up her ears for a few moments. "They haven't broken through yet."
He lashed his tail. "Lionblaze, go to Shadowclan. You go too, Graystripe. We can manage here without you." He hoped they could at least. They were losing one of their best warriors in Lionblaze by letting him go elsewhere.
"Smokefoot!" he called to the Shadowclan tom. "Take your patrol home. Your clanmates need you more than we do." As Smokefoot nodded, Brambleclaw weaved around Lionblaze. "Save them, Lionblaze." He touched his muzzle to the golden warrior's cheek as though they were still father and son. "I know you can."
Lionblaze gazed for a moment into Brambleclaw's eyes, then pulled away and raced into the forest. Graystripe and the Shadowclan patrol hurtled after him, Stoatpaw trailing behind on tired legs.
"The camp's been destroyed," Ferncloud growled.
"It was already a wreck. It's not like they destroyed much anyway," Brambleclaw retorted, turning to head back through the ragged barrier. "We'll rebuild after this whole mess is over."
If they survived the next wave that is. He dug his claws into the earth. Firestar's claws and tail would have been helpful in defending the camp. Maybe even scare some Dark Forest cats off with some fire.
'Come back soon. We could really use your help.'
Brambo's stepping up to the plate and taking Fire's role now that Fires isn't here.
I'm still seeing a lot of people hate on Brambo for the Squirrelflight thing, so I'm trying to break the abuse cycle and make Brambleclaw... not an a-hole here. Like instead of making instantly Squirrel his deputy as some weird forgiveness gift he's actually thinking things through here.
If I failed and I'm still making him abusive... oh well? Guess I'm bad at writing/fixing relationships then. I tried.
I'm thinking about switching over to Firestar and the search party for next chapter... we'll see.
Tell me how I did.