A new chapter! I hope this one is to all your liking!!!
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Morningpaw distantly recalled a time when she had rolled in fox-dung to hide her scent. That was in a past life. In Morningpaw's current life Yellowfang had instructed the group to roll around in a clump of toadstools and musty damp leaves to mask their scents as they draw closer to ShadowClan's encampment.
The looks of disgust on everyone's face made Yellowfang roll her eyes and huff something underneath her breath. More than likely an insult about younger cat's these days. Still Yellowfang silently gestured for them to hide in a rotten tree stump, it was a fight fit, but everyone managed to squeeze inside.
"I have an idea as to where Brokenstar has stashed the kits." Yellowfang rasped, looking at the rotten wood, deep in thought. "They're definitely in the camp. Though they wouldn't be placed in the nursery. Brokenstar is too heartless for his own good. More than likely he put them somewhere out of the way. Not anywhere near any of the den's for certain."
"So if a few of us get in, we can avoid the den's." Ravenpaw meowed, looking somewhat relieved.
"That's just my main assumption." Yellowfang rasped. "I'm not entirely certain what he has done to those poor scraps of fur. Though it's my best bet."
"But how are we going to get inside without getting noticed?" Silverstream cut in. The silver-and-black tabby was getting restless, as were the rest of them, as they kept lingering. They would eventually get noticed if they continued to stay much longer.
"I'm going to become a distraction." Yellowfang meowed, turning blazing orange eyes on the rest of the group. "My scent may have lured some of them away but if I am spotted then I can cause a stir and get them focused on me instead of worrying about someone sneaking inside."
It was a cunning idea, but a dangerous one. Especially for the cat's that needed to go inside and bring out the four kits. But as for Yellowfang-- "Will you be able to get away?"
Yellowfang didn't answer as instead she turned to Silverstream. "Four kits in total should be carried out. Meaning four cats need to get inside. The apprentices' scents should be undetectable now and their pelts should blend in with all that dirt on them. You need to stand guard and keep a lookout. Make sure that they get in and out safely, make another diversion if you need to."
Silverstream visibly swallowed before squaring her shoulders and giving the medicine cat a firm nod.
Yellowfang then turned back to the apprentices. "I'll show you the best way to get in and out without being spotted. You won't need the main entrance and you shouldn't use it unless you have no other choice."
There was a tension in the air as they were ushered out of the hiding place. They kept low to the ground and out of sight. Yellowfang led them around to the back of the seemingly impenetrable wall of brambles that surrounded ShadowClan's camp. However, Yellowfang led them towards a dip in the ground that would have gone unnoticed by the group if not for the older she-cat. The dip led underneath the brambles, possibly to the other side, and by the looks of it Yellowfang was certain of just that.
"It's an impossible tight squeeze for a full grown warrior," Yellowfang spoke, low and quick. "But you four should be able to manage to get in and out with the kits through here. Even you Graypaw."
Graypaw let out an indignation squawk of disagreement and offense. Though there was no time to argue. "I'll singal you to tell the apprentices to go." Yellowfang murmured, looking pointedly at Silverstream, turning and preparing to head back and play her part of the plan.
"Yellowfang," Morningpaw said desperately, gaining the dark gray she-cats attention. "You don't know me but I'd like to say that you are the most courageous and honorable cat I have ever met. Don't feel guilty over anything that Brokenstar has done. It's not your fault nor will it ever be."
There were so many other things Morningpaw wanted to say. Especially about Brokenstar and his connection with Yellowfang. But in this life Yellowfang hadn't told her about Brokenstar being her son. It would be too suspicious if Morningpaw just suddenly started talking about a secret that only the older medicine cat knew.
Yellowfang didn't reply beyond a single whisker twitch across her broad, flattened face. But that was enough for Morningpaw to know that Yellowfang heard her.
There was a bit of a tense atmosphere as the four apprentices waited in suspense as they carefully kept an eye on Silverstream, who had taken refuge in a clump of toadstools, waiting on a signal to proceed.
It ended up being longer than expected to hear distant commotion. A commotion that deeply worried Morningpaw before she steeled her. And then was singled by Silverstream to commence operation with just a flick of her tail.
Morningpaw decided to go in first. Followed by Whitepaw, then Graypaw and finally Ravenpaw bringing up the rear. Many thoughts that she couldn't grasp flashed through Morningpaw's mind as she pushed through the gap in the bramble barrier.
The inside of ShadowClan's camp struck a jarring note in Morningpaw. It was thankfully mostly vacant of warriors but the overall dismal appearance of their camp was horrifying. Crowfood was scattered haphazardly around the barren muddy ground with flies buzzing around as it seemed to be left to rot. No one seemed to have bothered keeping the camp clean and tidy. It was all disorderly and the few cats, all bony and skin, that were still in camp were lingering around listless and lost in themselves.
"How can they live like this!" Graypaw softly hissed, completely appalled at the living conditions of the ShadowClan encampment.
"Who cares? Let's just find the kits."
The group of four ironically kept to the shadows as they cautiously checked around the camp for signs of the kits. They listened to Yellowfang's advice and ignored the main dens. Instead they searched around the perimeter, keeping their ears pricked for any small crying sounds or any hint of ThunderClan scent.
It was when they reached a corner of the camp did they manage to hear the pitiful mewling of kits coming from beneath a pile of leaves and twigs. Quickly, Graypaw and Whitepaw, the two bigger pawed apprentices, dug down in the foliage until they uncovered the missing ThunderClan kits at the bottom of a small pit.
"Fox-hearts." Morningpaw growled as the apprentices shared looks of anger. However they couldn't express their emotions now. They needed to remove the kits from the pit and get them all to safety. Whitepaw was the one to reach in and lift each kit out one at a time. Giving each kit the muscular dark brown tom pulled out to another group member.
The one Morningpaw received was gray, like the embers of an old fire. The kit alarmingly mewled and squirmed in Morningpaw's hold as they moved, making the sleek, flame-pelted apprentice worry about drawing attention. It was as they were retreating the way they came that a shift in scent made the four scramble to hide behind some of the unoccupied dens. The branches to the entrance shook wildly as Blackfoot emerged, followed by a few more ShadowClan warriors and then-- Yellowfang.
Morningpaw wanted to gasp in horror as the elderly medicine cat was harshly shoved forward. Lacerations to her head and face showed that she had been in a fight. And from the looks of Blackfoot's wounds, she had put up a good one. The RiverClan and ThunderClan apprentices' horror only doubled when Brokenstar came skulking out of the roots of a big oak tree. None of them had realized that the twisted tyrant had still been in camp this entire time.
Yellowfang was led into the center of the clearing, limping on a bad blackleg, as Brokenstar crossed to a large rock and hauled himself onto it. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather for a meeting!" he called, his tone demanding and poisonous. ShadowClan cats unfolded themselves from the shadows and joined others as they sat at the foot of the rock, keeping far away from both Yellowfang and the warriors that kept her prisoner. "The traitor has finally been found." No one dared to make a sound as Brokenstar continued to speak. "Yellowfang. Our former medicine cat and the killer of Brightflower's litter of kits."
Morningpaw jolted when the eerily silent and listless crowd suddenly erupted into angst wails and angry cries. Morningpaw pressed closer into her companion's side, sharing a startled look with Whitepaw. On the other side of the snowy-white pawed apprentice, Ravenpaw and Graypaw were shifting restlessly and panic was shown on every raised hair on their pelts.
Brokenstar towered above them all. His broad, flat face appeared smug at having Yellowfang at his mercy.
Brokenstar looked down at Yellowfang, almost gleeful. "What do you have to say for yourself?"
"What else is there to say?" Yellowfang dryly rasped. "You've clearly made a verdict. Though you already know what happens to kits that have the misfortune to come within your reach."
Brokenstar's bent tail lashed out behind him. Infuriated orange eyes narrowed, the same orange eyes that he inherited from his mother. "Then die already!" With a blood-curdling caterwaul Brokenstar leaped down from his perch, claws unsheathe, and taking cue from their leader, others descended upon a brave medicine cat, who went down in a tussle of dark gray and dark brown tabby fur.
Morningpaw sucks in a deep, shuddering inhale of breath as she pushes herself to stand up on shaky short legs. The flame-colored she-cat shared a brief look with the remaining members of the rescue patrol and singled for them to keep moving. There was nothing they could do now but take the kits and run. With much regret and anger they left the greatest cat that had ever lived. Who had given her life for the sake of her adopted Clan's kits.
Quickly the group exited the camp back through the hole, this time with the kits securely amongst them. They wasted no time rushing past Silverstream's hiding place. Telling the silver-and-black tabby warrior without words that it was time to leave.
"Where's your friend?" Silverstream asked as she pressed up against Graypaw's side, shooting looks at the returning group as the she-cat noticed that they were one cat short. "Is she st--"
Whitepaw shot her a sad look, shaking his head. Silverstream seemed to catch the hint and fell silent.
The group rushed back the way they came. Trying to recall the route that Yellowfang had led them by memory. There were a few moments that they had to stall to catch their bearings. However they still managed to find the trail again. Morningpaw could practically hear the Thunderpath as they came closer to the border. Nearly there, Morningpaw thought with relief.
Then their luck had run-out. Stepping out of the bushes in front of them was a patrol of three ShadowClan warriors. They looked as surprised to see the rescuing group as they were to see the ShadowClan patrol. Though that surprise didn't last long as surprise gave way to growling snarls and flashing teeth. Silverstream didn't allow them the chance for the first attack as she surprised the group by yowling a challenge and jumping the nearest warrior; a gray-and-brown she-cat
Morningpaw and Whitepaw were forced to drop the kits they carried as they fought the other ShadowClan warriors.
"Ravenpaw! Graypaw! Get the kits across!" Morningpaw hissed as she slashed the battle-scarred brown tom she was grappling with across his face.
Ravenpaw and Graypaw took the two kits they held and ran towards the direction of the border. Morningpaw hoped that they would return soon to collect the other two.
Out of the corner of her eye, the flame-colored apprentice spotted Whitepaw rolling in a flurry of claws with a skinny gray tom.
Morningpaw was on the defense, keeping out of reach of the gigantic warrior she was fighting against. He was heavily-built, twice as big and a fully trained warrior. However Morningpaw had lived much longer and was experienced herself. She had fought against the most powerful warrior of the forest in this era and won. She will beat him as well.
The ShadowClan warriors' swipes were powerful, but they were useless if they couldn't land a blow. He was hardly able to get in reach of Morningpaw and she was much faster than him. Morningpaw's small stature at least was good for one thing.
With a screech, Silverstream was able to chase off the gray-and-brown she-cat. Then the RiverClan warrior turned to aid Morningpaw. The two she-cat's together managed to slash the warriors sides, both darting in and out, taking turns.
"I got one of the kits!" Whitepaw's muffled meow was heard underneath a bundle of fur. Gesturing wildly to the last kit.
Morningpaw left Silverstream in order to grab the last kit. Both Whitepaw and Morningpaw raced towards the border with Silverstream giving the brown tom a parting slash across the muzzle before she was running behind them.
However the remaining ShadowClan warrior didn't seem to want to give up. He gave chase after their group. Morningpaw could only hope that as soon as they crossed the Thunderpath it would deter him from following them across.
No one was able to stop and check for monsters. Not with the enraged ShadowClan warrior on their tails. It was up to the will of StarClan that they crossed safely. First it was Whitepaw, then it was Morningpaw and when Silverstream tried to cross the ShadowClan warrior had finally caught up and tackled the beautiful RiverClan she-cat when she was halfway across and began fighting her in the middle of the Thunderpath.
Morningpaw had safely crossed the Thunderpath and had placed the kit she had been carrying on the grass and turned just in time to see Silverstream detangle herself from her opponent. Morningpaw could only describe what happened next as a series of sensations. There had been a loud roar, the foul scent of a monster, the painful impact of being collided with a slender body, and the sight of the ShadowClan warrior's yellow eyes stretched wide open, filling with fear as he disappeared underneath the monster.
All air rushed out of Morningpaw's chest as Silverstream landed on top of her. Her best she-cat friend's sleek, soft, and thick-fur was standing on ends. Shock and disbelief at what just happened splashed across her pretty face. Silverstream scrambled off Morningpaw who she had just flattened to the ground and turned to look at where the ShadowClan warrior now laid broken and dead on the Thunderpath.
"That was a close one."
"It sure was!"
Morningpaw and Silverstream whipped around to find Graypaw in the lead of a ThunderClan patrol. The dark gray ThunderClan apprentice's yellow eyes were stretched wide, nearly in awe at what he most likely had just witnessed.
"What's going on here?" Morningpaw could almost relax as Whitestorm stepped forward. Morningpaw could see the senior ThunderClan warrior trying to wrap his head around what he was seeing.
"See! I told you!" Graypaw meowed, pointing his ears that mewled helplessly on the ground. "These RiverClan cat's helped save our kits."
Whitestorm gave a noncommittal grunt. The massive, snowy-white thick-furred approached and bent down to sniff over the remaining two kits that Morningpaw and Whitepaw had brought across. Once he deemed them safe, the ThunderClan warrior turned to his patrol and called two cats forward: "Mousefur, Runningwind, we need to get these kits back to camp with the others immediately."
Morningpaw let out a sigh of relief to know that the two other kits had already made it back safely to ThunderClan. There should be no issues. Morningpaw really needed to stop giving herself false hope. Whitestorm then turned to appraise the three RiverClan cat's, his yellow eyes slightly narrowed but there was no challenge within the sunbaked sand iris.
"You three need to come with me." Whitestorm meowed, leaving no room to protest.
"But wait, what about --" Silverstream was the one to point across to the Thunderpath. Where the dead body of the ShadowClan warrior still laid on its black sunbaked surface.
"I say we leave Clawface where he is." Runningwind murmured as he picked up a kit. "Serves him right."
Whitestorm, noble as he was, shook his head. "No, though what he had done was unforgivable, he shouldn't be left to be torn apart by monsters." The snowy-white senior warrior took it upon himself, alongside a disgruntled Graypaw, to drag Clawface's dead body back over onto ShadowClan's side of the Thunderpath.
"You know that ShadowClan's going to retaliate over this." Whitepaw pointed out that once Whitestorm and Graypaw crossed back over to ThunderClan's side.
Whitestorm didn't respond. The senior ThunderClan warrior was no fool. ShadowClan will retaliate. There were no doubts. It was only how and when it would take place now.
Whitestorm gestured once again for the group of RiverClan cats to come with him. And this time Morningpaw and her friend's had no choice but to reluctantly follow after the ThunderClan patrol.
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Fun Facts:
Yellowfang is gone!
Clawface is dead!!!
The kits have been saved. And yes, Morningpaw had once again met Cinderpelt, even though Cinderpelt is a kit!
Only one left that knows the truth about Brokenstar is Morningpaw. That will come into play later.
This was supposed to be even longer than I actually made it. But I think everyone deserved an update already and it was getting too long, it's like 3,000 words already. Though I hope you enjoy long chapters!!!
