The gap around the pocket was about to close up, however the armored train we were hearing about was nowhere in sight, I was thinking our objectives were slipping away faster than we are anticipating. If we were going to catch that train, we were going to need some help.
Cloudpaw, Brightpaw, Fernpaw, Ashpaw, Thornpaw and Swiftpaw were sitting around a table chatting away.
"So what makes you say we got a little one who is deaf, can I blast the trumpet in his face?" Ashpaw asked.
"Yeah so long as you don't blow out everyone else's ear drums." Swiftpaw reminded Ashpaw to not be loud around everyone else.
"Sweet, now I can annoy everyone around me. Who should I start with?" Ashpaw knew he could be obnoxious around everyone else. The others looked at each other with confusion.
"Start with yourself if you're so eager to do it." Swiftpaw grumbled to Ashpaw with annoyance. Cloudpaw looked at Brightpaw while Fernpaw was enjoying some chocolate. Meanwhile, Bluestar and Fireheart were talking to Smallear about their next operation. They thought this job was going to be one step too far to do by themselves.
"We've received intelligence from Ravenpaw about a German train carrying V2 rockets for an attack on London refueling near Argentan. That gives us just enough time to move our team into position. It must be stopped. You proved yourselves in Marigny, which is why you'll get the opportunity and the privilege." Smallear pointed his paw to the map of where the train was refueling at the exact spot. Fireheart and Bluestar nodded but they seemed like this job was a little over their heads.
"Thank you sir, but this seems like a job for more than one platoon." Fireheart voiced his concern that this operation was going to require more than themselves to pull it off. Smallear nodded with a smile.
"That's why I'm teaming you up with Windclan." Smallear replied. They heard honking as several jeeps pulled up with the Windclan cats. Tallstar, Deadfoot, Onewhisker and many others in their group had arrived to assist with the operation.
"Looks like you two caught a bit of it." Fireheart began. He walked over to Onewhisker who had Gorsepaw by his side. Onewhisker slung the Bren gun over his shoulder to greet Fireheart and Bluestar.
"Don't worry, Fireheart. We saved some for you." Onewhisker mewed. Onewhisker shakes paws with Fireheart and Bluestar.
"Agents Tawnyfur and Onewhisker will lead the operation. They've been working with the Resistance for months and know the terrain well. You'll defer to them." Smallear laid out the instructions to them both about the operation. Bluestar and Fireheart nodded with approval.
"We heard about Marigny. Impressive." Tawnyfur mewed about Thunderclan's work just a month prior. Fireheart smiled hearing about it.
"I can't take all the credit." Bluestar shrugged. The apprentices were looking on while Thornpaw was chatting with Gorsepaw.
"Just doing our job." Fireheart mewed. Onewhisker nodded before he began walking in place for a bit.
"And a fine job it was, but a warm up I'm afraid." Onewhisker told Fireheart and Bluestar. Onewhisker then handed a reconnaissance photo of the train to Fireheart. "Look, this is no ordinary supply train. It's a fortress on wheels. Our liason in the resistance, Mistyfoot, will provide support if possible but attacks on their network could mean we're on our own." Onewhisker laid out the plan for everyone to follow. Riverclan will be providing support but due to the recent events, there was no one to support them as of now.
"The fate of London is in your paws." Smallear told the group. He walked off as he was going to get the group ready to move out. Tallstar walked over to Fireheart.
"Hey Fireheart." Tallstar began. Fireheart turned to Windclan's leader. "I've just confirmation and intel about Graystripe, the camp that Mistyfoot is stationed in isn't too far from here so we can get access there tonight. Graystripe has snuck out and is trying to come into contact with friendly forces." Tallstar told Fireheart about the news.
"Graystripe has escaped?" Fireheart asked Tallstar if this was true.
"Yes this is true but we need to find where he is first before we can figure out what to do with Paris, it's in our reach now." Tallstar told Fireheart before he walked away. Fireheart knew Graystripe was free in the countryside and now the next task was finding him. The destruction of Blackfoot's train was going to happen.
August 20th, 1944, Argentan, France: 19:56
Onewhisker, Tawnyfur, Fireheart, Cloudpaw and Bluestar were off in a separate group, they were going to sneak in and take out the train and its crew to stop the steel monster in its tracks. The four cats continued to sneak up around the area.
"Reminds me of the time we parachuted into Vercor. Ambushed that Bloodclan patrol." Tawnyfur began. She began creeping along the road with her ragged Sten gun which was to act as a suppressor. Onewhisker had much the same weapon while Cloudpaw, Fireheart and Bluestar had silenced M3A1 Grease Guns.
"You're just an old romantic." Onewhisker giggled. They continued to creep along the path before they heard a whistle. Fireheart turned to Cloudpaw.
"Cloudpaw, get out your binoculars." Fireheart whispered to his apprentice, he was trying to keep quiet to avoid getting noticed. Cloudpaw got out the binoculars and looked on ahead. He spotted the train station and what seemed to be their target. The armored Shadowclan train was coming into their view.
"Alright, there's our target." Onewhisker whispered. Cloudpaw lowered the binoculars as Bluestar spoke next.
"Hey, you gotta give those Krauts some credit, the train's right on time." Bluestar whispered to the group, trying to keep her silence.
"Biggest train I've ever seen. Thickest armor too." Cloudpaw muttered, he was looking in awe of the sheer length of this train too.
"It's a Panzerzug. Those V2's have a range of 200 miles. More than enough to hit London. We can't let it reach the launch site." Tawnyfur explained to Cloudpaw what kind of train this was that they were dealing with. Bluestar spots Shadowclan cats in vehicles on the road down below and motions for the group to hush.
"Shh. Enemy movement up ahead." Bluestar mewed with a hush in her voice. She decided to begin organizing the cats she had into lone groups to get the objectives done.
"Alright, Tawnyfur and I will take them out. Fireheart, that will be your signal to advance." Onewhisker instructed the group to begin their advancement to their objectives.
"Cloudpaw, since you and Ashpaw were so gung-ho at Marigny, you'll provide them with fire support." Fireheart instructed him to give fire support when needed.
"Come on." Bluestar told the group to move out. She got up and began to move as well. Now this was the signal for the others to move out.
"Alright, let's go!" Fireheart whispered to Cloudpaw. They began to creep their way down the hill as well. They had to be quiet in order to not get noticed. "Everyone, stay low." Fireheart whispered, he gave the order to move around stealthily and take out Shadowclan cats along the way.
"Keep the suppressors on." Bluestar instructed them that they were going to remain silent and move in for the kill. They approach a pair of Shadowclan cats on a patrol. One of the Shadowclan cats walks away from the other.
"Take out the Shadowclan cat. Use your knife, Cloudpaw." Onewhisker instructed him. Cloudpaw nodded before he continued his sneak up with his knife out. Cloudpaw crawls up to a Shadowclan cat and stabs him to death with the combat knife.
"Well done, Cloudpaw." Tawnyfur mewed, congratulating Cloudpaw. A Shadowclan officer driving a kubelwagen arrives. Onewhisker bega to give the next order.
"Now, the officer. On your go. Shoot the officer." Onewhisker whispered to Cloudpaw. Cloudpaw nodded before he raised the silent Grease gun and fired a single bullet into the officer's head and the team took out a couple more Shadowclan cats with their silenced guns.
"Brilliant shot." Tawnyfur congratulated Cloudpaw on his marksmanship.
"Fireheart, take a few warriors and go around the house." Onewhisker told Fireheart to flank around to the right while he was going to clear the house.
"Cloudpaw, stay with Onewhisker." Fireheart whispered to Cloudpaw to follow behind in case anything was to happen to Onewhisker.
"Keep moving." Onewhisker instructed, Cloudpaw and Onewhisker entered inside of the house and began to look around. A Shadowclan cat was standing nearby keeping his guard, unfortunately for him, Onewhisker and Cloudpaw were right behind him. "Careful!" Onewhisker silently hissed as he didn't want to make any noise in case they got noticed. Cloudpaw stalked his way over to the Shadowclan cat. He placed left paw over the cat's mouth. The Shadowclan cat's eyes shot wide open almost if he wanted to scream but Cloudpaw slit the cat's throat with his knife leaving him to bleed on the ground. "Well done. Let's move." Cloudpaw moves through the house while Tawnyfur hauls a Shadowclan cat from outside a window and kills it. The team spots a Shadowclan sniper by a balcony, providing overwatch for a Shadowclan encampment in the courtyard. Cloudpaw and Onewhisker went outside of the house when Tawnyfur gave the new order.
"The sniper is yours, Cloudpaw." Tawnyfur mewed. Cloudpaw nodded and began to move. Cloudpaw sneaks up on the Shadowclan sniper and kills it with a jab to the throat with the knife.
"Stay low and advance slowly." Onewhisker instructed Cloudpaw to keep going slow. Now they were going to take this one step at a time to avoid detection.
Both teams stealthily made their way alongside the courtyard, Cloudpaw looked around to make sure he wasn't spotted. There was a large number of Shadowclan cats and taking them out wouldn't be easy. Cloudpaw began to sneak around before spotting a Shadowclan cat. He walked up to it and strangled it quickly, It dropped to the ground while a couple more were taken out silently with the silenced guns. Cloudpaw snuck around before taking down another Shadowclan cat with his knife and leaving it to bleed. Several more Shadowclan cats were shot or taken out silently. Onewhisker turned to see Cloudpaw having splotches of blood on his paws. Onewhisker nodded and they both made their way inside. Shadowclan cats were inside but they were few and far snuck up on the first cat and shot it in the head. It fell down while Fireheart took care of the second one, they were just about to head outside of the house when they heard something that they shouldn't. The train's whistle sounds from the nearby station as Cloudpaw's group makes its way to the road. They see several Shadowclan cats on the road as a jeep carrying them and Thunderclan and Windclan cats drive down and open fire on the enemy. More Shadowclan cats appear and open fire.
"Change of plans. We've been spotted." Tawnyfur told the group. The train was beginning to pick up speed and it was going to get away if something wasn't done.
"Onewhisker! Train's leaving!" Fireheart shouted. The others got the message but they were too busy fighting the Shadowclan cats on the street.
"We can't let it get away!" Onewhisker called out. Longtail turned his rifle to where the train driver was. He fired the rifle but he missed by a long way as the train was steadily going faster.
"It's starting up!" Brightpaw called out but her words were far behind as the train was still gaining speed.
"We gotta move!" Fernpaw called out, firing her BAR at what seemed to be the post office ahead of where the train was.
"Enemies at the Post Office!" Bluestar called out, she was firing the grease gun which she still kept the suppressor on. Cloudpaw joined the others on the street while they were firing away with their weapons to keep the enemy silenced and to cut them down.
"Move, fellas!" Fireheart called out. He hopped over the wall and fired away at the foe to kill the Shadowclan cats. A Couple of Thunderclan cats had been wounded in the shootout but that didn't matter, what mattered now was stopping the train.
"Flanking left!" Fernpaw called out while she hopped over the wall to provide support. The train was going faster by the second, time like this was precious and didn't need to go to waste.
"We need to get after the train!" Onewhisker shouted, he wanted to keep the group on mission. Tallstar was blazing a path through to the post office because their objective was what mattered.
"Fox dung! Enemies ahead! Fire!" Bluestar shouted as she kept firing at the Shadowclan cats. Cloudpaw got to the door of the post office and tossed a grenade in there. It exploded while Brightpaw came to the side, more than half of the train was gone and speeding off.
"We'll never make it." Brightpaw called out, she knew the situation seemed to be hopeless.
"There's still time!" Ashpaw told Brightpaw that the train could still be caught even if they didn't get the jump on it.
"Get to the train!" Onewhisker shouted, he took out his Bren gun and began to open fire, killing another Shadowclan cat. The last few cars of the train began to leave as it was picking up speed. They needed to find a way to get to it.
"Cut through the post office!" Cloudpaw called out from his position. Cloudpaw kicked the door down and began to sweep the area to see if any Shadowclan cats were still standing. Cloudpaw began shooting the last of his grease gun ammo to take out the Shadowclan cats still standing. They then got to the door leading right to the train.
"Cloudpaw, get the door!" Fireheart called to his apprentice to open that door up. Cloudpaw opens the door to the train platform just as the Shadowclan armored train opens fire on his position. Cloudpaw narrowly misses getting cut down and falls backwards to the ground. "Look out!" Fireheart shouted.
"Fox dung!" Cloudpaw shouted as he was nearly blown to pieces. Cloudpaw stays low as the train rips apart the post office with its guns. Several cats run forward as Ashpaw turns to Cloudpaw and helps up on his paws.
"Cloudpaw, get up!" Ashpaw called out. He pulled Cloudpaw up and they dashed outside, the last car of the train had left and was disappearing into the wilderness.
"Everyone in the jeeps, now!" Bluestar shouted. She hopped in a jeep as Ashpaw and Cloudpaw ran outside to claim theirs. Cloudpaw follows Ashpaw into one of the jeeps and decides to drive while Ashpaw rides shotgun. They start up the jeep and take off after the train.
"We need to stop that train!" Onewhisker shouted. Cloudpaw and the other jeeps were driving as fast as they could to try to catch up with the speeding train.
"Let's go, let's go!" Ashpaw called out. Cloudpaw was driving as fast as the jeep would allow him to as they caught up to the train.
"Hold on!" Cloudpaw told Ashpaw as they spotted the rear of the armored train. The train's rear guns open fire on nearby trees, causing them to fall and blocking off Cloudpaw and Ashpaw from the tracks and sending them on the adjacent path.
"Stay on the path! Trees are coming down!" Ashpaw shouted, he took in observation of what was going on. Cloudpaw drives the jeep off a nearby dirt ramp as the fly through the air briefly.
"HANG ON!" Cloudpaw shouted to Ashpaw while they were suspended in mid-air. The jeep hits the ground on impact and they now drive beneath the train tracks. Ashpaw felt like he was going to throw up. "Ooooph. Can you see it?" Cloudpaw asked if they could see the train now. Ashpaw spots the train as it opens fire.
"There it is! Hit the gas! Punch it! Left!" Ashpaw shouted as he wanted to get to the front of the train. Cloudpaw drives left and under the railroad bridge. "We're gonna lose it!" Ashpaw called up as they were going to get left behind and lose the train.
"Workin' on it!" Cloudpaw shouted as he continued to drive the jeep in an attempt to catch up. The road they travel on takes them around to a curve.
"Right turn ahead!" Ashpaw shouted to Cloudpaw. Cloudpaw turns right and steers back towards the train tracks with the Shadowclan train driving away. "It's getting away! Under the bridge!" Ashpaw shouted. Cloudpaw drives the jeep under the bridge and steers back onto the path running parallel to the bridge. The train was blazing by as the train was preparing to fire again. Ashpaw knew they were going to get blown to bits if they didn't do anything about it. "Faster! Floor it!" Ashpaw continued to shout. Cloudpaw continues to drive the jeep as the train opens fire on them and misses. Earth exploded all around as they were getting covered in a dirt cloud.
"MOUSE DUNG! It's firing at us! Watch out!" Ashpaw shouted. Cloudpaw jerked the wheel around, trying to avoid incoming fire. Ashpaw was shaken around while Cloudpaw kept speeding along the rough road. "Keep going, Cloudpaw!" Ashpaw shouted. The train's guns fired again, tearing up the ground and several trees. Ashpaw was feeling too nauseous because of Cloudpaw's driving. " I'm gonna puke. I should drive!" Ashpaw told Cloudpaw as Cloudpaw was jerking the jeep around in an effort to catch up with the train.
"Now's your chance! Take the wheel!" Cloudpaw shouted to Ashpaw. Cloudpaw switches over to the jeep's machine gun as Ashpaw takes over the driver's seat. To their left, the train bursts out of the tunnel at sudden speed.
"Mouse dung!" Ashpaw shouted, this train was going very fast now, it seemed that the driver was trying to flee the scene. Cloudpaw saw the Shadowclan cats take up firing positions inside the boxcars and on top of them as well with machine guns. "Light 'em up!" Ashpaw gave Cloudpaw the command that they should begin firing away to avoid getting shot in return. Cloudpaw pulled the bolt to the Mg34 back and began to open fire. Cloudpaw fired in bursts, cutting down the Shadowclan cats one by one with a small burst of bullets. Ashpaw kept driving as fast as the jeep would allow him as they needed to get to the front of the train. "Cleared 'em out!" Ashpaw shouted. Cloudpaw kept firing the Mg34 while looking at Ashpaw.
"Keep steady!" Cloudpaw shouted to Ashpaw to keep it steady. The Shadowclan cats had enough of it and they resorted to throwing grenades at Cloudpaw and Ashpaw.
"They're throwing grenades!" Ashpaw shouted. Throwing grenades into a moving target seemed harder than it looked, the grenades harmlessly landed behind them and exploded, sending earth flying everywhere and hitting the back of the jeep. Cloudpaw continues to open fire on the Shadowclan cats until a tank on one of the train's flatcars opens fire with its main gun. "TANK!" Ashpaw shouted. Thankfully, the tank missed but the train entered a nearby tunnel, cutting them off from their view for a few moments.
"Where did it go?" Cloudpaw asked, he wasn't sure on where this train disappeared to. Then the train came out of the tunnel, still speeding along.
"We gotta get to the front of the train! Keep firing!" Ashpaw told Cloudpaw. Cloudpaw resumes firing the machine gun. A Shadowclan panzerschreck cat runs on top of a train carriage. Ashpaw looked up to see that it was about to fire at them. "Up top!" Ashpaw called out. Cloudpaw turned the machine gun and riddled the cat with a nice burst of bullets. "Inside the train car!" Ashpaw shouted all the while, Cloudpaw was firing the machine gun at them. "More comin' up!" Ashpaw called out. Cloudpaw turned and began firing away to keep the cats from damaging the jeep. Ashpaw looked ahead and spotted another threat. "MG!" Cloudpaw quickly shot down the Shadowclan machine gun as they were racing to the front of the train. Cloudpaw shoots down more Shadowclan cats, including firing on a fuel tank, this causes oil to leak out and fall to the tracks, suddenly some sparks lit the oil on fire. It raced up to the oil tanker, causing it to be set on fire and explode just moments later.
"Nice, Cloudpaw!" Ashpaw thanked him. Cloudpaw however was beginning to panic as he was running out of ammunition to use.
"Get us outta here!" Cloudpaw shouted, they needed to find a way out or they would be pulverized. Ashpaw had an idea, he drove the jeep closer to the train to avoid Shadowclan's main guns.
"They can't hit us if we get in close!" Ashpaw explained to Cloudpaw what his idea was. Suddenly, the jeep gets hit by one of the armored train's artillery rounds. Ashpaw regains control of the jeep as a Shadowclan cat on top of the train throws a grenade at them.
"Grenade!" Cloudpaw shouted. The grenade lands inside the jeep and Ashpaw shoots the Shadowclan cat with his M1911, causing him to fall off the train and hit the jeep. Cloudpaw reaches for the grenade. "I got it!" Cloudpaw grabs the grenade and throws it out the side just as it explodes, causing a shockwave that rocks Cloudpaw and Ashpaw's jeep.
"Starclan!" Ashpaw shouted. Ashpaw swerves trying to regain control of the jeep, but they land up on the tracks in front of the train. The train collides with them. The jeep gets stuck under the front of the train, which drags along the tracks.
"Ahhhh! Jeep's comin' apart!" Cloudpaw called out, the jeep was going to get torn to pieces if they didn't bail.
"Jump!" Ashpaw told Cloudpaw what exactly he needed to do. Ashpaw leaps out of the jeep without further notice. Cloudpaw knew Ashpaw was right and he needed to get out too.
"Mouse dung!" Cloudpaw shouted. Cloudpaw climbed out of his seat and jumped from the jeep. He landed just in time as the jeep was getting crushed beneath the train. This in turn caused the train to derail. The locomotive dove nose first into a bridge, destroying it as the armored cars piled up behind it. The freight cars were the next to derail, flying off the tracks like birds learning how to fly, they piled up all over the place. Cloudpaw curled up as he didn't want to get hit by the pieces of the wooden and steel snake. The cargo went all over the place, tearing up soil and smashing buildings to pieces. Cloudpaw kept his eyes closed wondering if the dust was going to settle.
The dust settled minutes later, a good chunk of the train was still on the tracks but it had been destroyed. Cloudpaw opened his eyes to see that he was still alive and thank goodness for that. He looked around, dazed and dizzy, he heard a voice.
"Cloudpaw, where in the dark forest are you?" It sounded like Ashpaw. Cloudpaw regained his focus as Ashpaw called out again. "I'm coming! Hang on!" Ashpaw arrived at Cloudpaw's side to see he was still alive in the wreckage. "Fox dung! Did that just happen?!" Ashpaw was surprised about the train derailment they managed to pull off.
"I can't believe we made that." Cloudpaw responded, he was still on his back having passed out from the train derailment.
"That's one for the books, I hope Fernpaw still has her camera." Ashpaw joked as he wanted Fernpaw to snap a few pictures of the derailment before they were to move on.
"Maybe Bluestar will get off our tails for five minutes." Cloudpaw joked while Ashpaw grabbed Cloudpaw's paw to pull him up. Suddenly the zips of bullets coming in managed to put them on alert.
"Look out!" Ashpaw called out. A Shadowclan cat that had managed to survive the derailment was coming to them. But he was shot dead as a gray tom entered the scene carrying an M3A1 Grease gun.
"Follow me, I will take you to your platoon." The Gray tom would tell Ashpaw and Cloudpaw. He was carrying a folder of information that was going to be vital.
"I'm sorry, who in the dark forest are you?" Ashpaw asked.
"A friend. Now hurry!" The Gray tom would respond. Ashpaw coughed as he and Cloudpaw got back on their paws. Cloudpaw got out the M1 Garand he had as it was his back up arm in case the Grease Gun he had ran out of ammunition. He climbed through the rubble, following Ashpaw and Gray tom as they were going to find a way out of here.
The group turned left to encounter Shadowclan cats trying to find survivors among the wreckage. The Gray tom opened fire first followed by Ashpaw and Cloudpaw. Once the three cats were down. The Gray tom motioned them to follow him. They climbed over the wreckage of a derailed boxcar as they fired on more Shadowclan cats along the way. They proceeded their way through a destroyed train car while encountering more Shadowclan cats along the way. The Gray tom shot them up while Ashpaw and Cloudpaw contributed to the carnage that they were going to clear a path through. They came to a forest just outside of the wreckage while they continued to move on through. Ashpaw spotted something as he was filled with relief.
"Looks like they're up ahead." Ashpaw mewed to the Gray tom.
"Your platoon is up ahead." The Gray tom responded. The three cats vaulted over a fallen tree branch as they made their way to the front lines. The three cats approached the group as Onewhisker walked over to them. "I believe these apprentices belong to you." The Gray tom would begin.
"Ah, I see, well thank you for your help." Onewhisker told the Gray tom.
"He killed a Kraut that was coming straight for us." Cloudpaw replied. Onewhisker turned to the Gray Tom.
"You could have captured and interrogated him first." Onewhisker whispered to the Gray tom.
"That would be more trouble than it was worth." The Gray tom responded. The jeep rolled forward carrying Fireheart and Bluestar in it. They hopped out and spotted the two apprentices.
"I thought we lost you." Fireheart mewed to Cloudpaw as he was relieved to see his nephew was still alive. "Looks like you did some damage back there."
"That train was supposed to be stopped, not destroyed." The Gray tom grumbled with dissatisfaction.
"Yeah, I'm sorry that uh, things didn't go exactly as planned, but on the bright side, we just alerted every Starclan mouse brained Shadowclan outpost in the area, so we gotta get moving, come on." Bluestar sarcastically told the Gray tom.
"Not until we finish the mission first, I need all of your help." The Gray tom told them. He needed some recruits first before he was to put his plan into motion.
"What for?" Fireheart asked.
"Riverclan is trapped in the spot the train was going to, we need to rescue them first before we can move on to Paris." The Gray tom would describe the situation. He showed them the papers on where they were located and what he wanted to do in Paris.
"Okay if it's help that we will need then we are more than willing to…" Fireheart paused almost if he recognized the Gray tom. "Graystripe? Is that you?" Fireheart asked.
'Fireheart!" Graystripe called out with jubilation, he gave his friend a hug almost if the two of them were happy to be reunited. Bluestar walked over.
"I see you two are happy to be back together. Then if you need help, Graystripe, we're more than happy to give it to you." Bluestar told Graystripe that she was more than willing to give him the assistance.
Riverclan breakout was coming.
[A/N]: The road to Paris is being traveled on as the platoon is one step closer to it. Next couple of chapters will be dealing with Paris and Riverclan alone.