Fireheart was sleeping in his bed, they were preparing to move out to Aachen as of tomorrow. He woke up to the sound of pawsteps going on. He looked around but Darkstripe was missing. He got up and took an M1911 as back up. He checked where the recruits were sleeping, Goldenflower was there but Bramblekit and Tawnykit were gone. Fireheart heard the pawsteps again and went outside of the house to investigate. He quickly spotted Darkstripe escorting Bramblekit and Tawnykit away from the area, since he knew he couldn't be spotted, he decided to follow, lurking in the shadows.
Darkstripe had arrived with the two recruits to where Tigerstar had agreed to meet them. They stood at the crossroad while Fireheart hid from them in an alleyway, he planned to eavesdrop on them to see what Tigerstar's true intentions were.
"I see you managed to make it Darkstripe." Tigerstar began. Darkstripe stood there with a smile.
"Yeah, I brought your son and his friend with him." Darkstripe responded. Fireheart peeked his head out ahead to see if he could find what they were up to.
"That's good. I was worried I wasn't going to see you again." Tigerstar mewed. Darkstripe looked at him in much the same way.
"How did you and Shadowclan manage to escape Paris, that garrison building burned to the ground over the night when we took the city?" Darkstripe asked Tigerstar.
"We went to a place a few blocks down the road but when the buildings exploded, we decided to evacuate but the retreat had been disorderly and we lost contact with Sasha, our agent from the rapid Thunderclan advance. Sasha said she's in Aachen and telling us that Thunderclan is preparing to drill a hole into the Siegfried line." Tigerstar told Darkstripe what exactly happened to them over the course of that night.
'That's where we're heading next. We should stay in contact." Darkstripe told Tigerstar that they needed to keep contact with each other to make sure that they don't get separated.
"Also Thunderclan had its run in with an old ally of ours." Tigerstar also noted. Darkstripe was looking at him thinking he was going to prepare to leave but he was curious to see what Tigerstar had to say.
"Who's the ally?" Darkstripe asked.
"Dogs from Italy, some are still fighting with us as they kept retreating northward and into Shadowclan. Many offered their assistance to help us. One battalion ran into your clan and took high losses until armored support and more Thunderclan cats came to push them back. They lost all their bicycles due to this." Tigerstar explained to Darkstripe about who was helping them out so far.
"Yeah, I tried my best not to shoot them as they would be much help, I just shot at their bikes." Darkstripe told Tigerstar. Tigerstar nodded while Fireheart continued to look at them.
"The dogs as well as my group are heading to Aachen to link up with Sasha to prevent her capture." Tigerstar told Darkstripe of his intentions. Fireheart continued to listen to the conversation. What did Tigerstar have in mind? He then walked away from the scene so he didn't get noticed by either Tigerstar or Darkstripe.
"I say we have a plan." Darkstripe mewed to Tigerstar.
"Yeah we have a plan. Good day to you." Tigerstar told Darkstripe. Darkstripe nodded and he turned and walked away, taking Bramblekit and Tawnykit with him. Tigerstar and his goons have escaped and are now fleeing. It was only a matter of time before they got to Aachen.
It was October by the time we were able to settle down and speak, we were in Aachen. Shadowclan was fighting like the dark forest for it. First city in their home country we're invading, we were also drilling a hole in the Siegfried Line and Shadowclan didn't want the hole to pop open.
Cloudpaw and Ashpaw were driving back to Thunderclan's camp in a jeep with Princess and Smudge in tow. The past few weeks were beginning to show and playing on their nerves. Smallear was making them go block by block, house by house. It was taking a toll on them. Dead Thunderclan, Shadowclan and Riverclan cats littered the streets as they were victims of ferocious fighting. Cloudpaw knew none of them stood a chance.
"Our troubles are just beginning." Cloudpaw muttered when they got to the checkpoint. Frostfur and Sandstorm decided to let the jeep roll on through with the cargo for the platoon.
"Time for more beans and bullets?" Ashpaw asked. He hopped out of the jeep with Princess and Smudge, was it the wrong time to bring them here? Fireheart and Bluestar were having an argument.
"If I tell you to do it, IT'S THE MOUSE DUNG MISSION!" Fireheart shouted at Bluestar. Bluestar scoffed it off before she turned her head to see the cats were slacking off.
"Hey pick up the pace! We need to be ready for tomorrow." Bluestar told the cats to not slack off and get themselves ready. Cloudpaw hopped out of the jeep and began making his way to the other apprentices.
"Hey, I found this in the mail." Swiftpaw began. He tossed the letter at Cloudpaw. Cloudpaw wasn't amused. Cloudpaw looked at Swiftpaw.
"I thought I told you to not go through my stuff." Cloudpaw told Swiftpaw that his stuff was off limits. Thornpaw looked at Cloudpaw as he hadn't opened his letter.
"What kind of chump doesn't open a sugar report?" Thornpaw asked. Fernpaw walked over and she spotted the letter.
"Uh, the kind who thinks it's a Dear Cloudkit. See the address? She wrote "kit", not "paw". Only one reason to be so formal." Fernpaw began to read the address of the letter. She then turned to Cloudpaw. "Hate to say it. I think she's cutting you loose. Or hey, maybe it's like Schrodinger's letter. You know? You don't open it, she's still your girl." Fernpaw was referring to Dart, the dog who wrote to him while he was in Italy months earlier. She wrote to him to see how he was holding up. Cloudpaw walks away with the crate while Swiftpaw slaps Fernpaw in the back of his helmet.
"Maybe, it's just like Schrodinger's letter…" Swiftpaw began, that didn't make any sense whatsoever. He turned to Fernpaw. "What's wrong with you?"
"What?!" Fernpaw asked as she was still surprised. Fireheart walked up to them, clearly enraged by his previous argument with Bluestar.
"Quit screwing around!" Fireheart screamed at the apprentices. Silence fell upon them before he decided to take a moment to catch his breath and to calm down. "We hit the State Theater at 0730 tomorrow." Fireheart responded with those words. He turned and walked away as he needed a moment to cool off. Probably a chat with Princess and Smudge would be for the best. This left the squad silent for a few moments. Ashpaw whistles:
"Everybody's got their limits. Everybody." Ashpaw began to walk away as everyone needed some time to cool off. Fireheart spotted Princess and Smudge and walked up to them.
"Hey Princess and Smudge, anything new happening?" Fireheart asked.
"Not really, you sounded angry when you shouted at those apprentices." Princess told Fireheart about what she heard.
"Yeah. I was still angry as I got into an argument with Bluestar. She wants to do one thing and I want to do another. At least you and Smudge are here so I calm down." Fireheart told Princess. Princess nodded as Smudge got something out from the back of the jeep.
"Princess made a bunch of cookies for everyone as a gift for fighting so hard." Smudge told Fireheart while he passed them out to everyone.
"Thanks, what's in these? They are very good." Fireheart asked as he was chowing down on them.
"Peanut butter with chocolate and butterscotch chips." Princess responded. Fireheart nodded as he kept eating, they were good. Suddenly, Speckletail came onto the scene running, Goldenflower's jeep followed up behind.
"Snowkit is missing!" Speckletail wailed. The others looked at her as they wanted to know what happened
"Missing, we have to find him!" Fireheart told Speckletail. He didn't know what kind of dark forest he was wandering into but clearing Aachen was much more important as of now. They needed to take the city.
October 18th, 1944, Aachen, Germany: 07:57
"Come on, let's move!" Fireheart shouted. Cloudpaw was with Bluestar, Fireheart, Brightpaw, Fernpaw, Ashpaw, Thornpaw and Swiftpaw. They had been caught in an ambush. They were scrambling for cover while the enemy closed in on all sides. Bluestar raised and sprayed her Thompson at the incoming attackers.
"We're going to be slaughtered out here!" Thornpaw shouted. They continued to run from the threat as Shadowclan cats and dogs closed in on them.
"Let's go! Over the sandbags!" Bluestar shouted as the rest of the thunderclan cats had taken up defensive positions. Cloudpaw stumbled and fell short. Ashpaw leaned over, giving Cloudpaw his paw.
"I got you Cloudpaw." Ashpaw told Cloudpaw. Cloudpaw grabbed on and pulled the fluffy white apprentice up and over. Cloudpaw was gasping for air as everyone was trying to defend the plaza from Shadowclan retaking it. "Keep your heads down!" Ashpaw instructed. Fernpaw didn't know what was happening as she fired her BAR at the Shadowclan cats.
"Mouse dung! We keep crushing them and they keep coming back!" Fernpaw hissed while she continued to fire.
"Artillery support is on its way, they're saying ten minutes tops." Bluestar told the apprentices to keep calm while she kept firing away.
"Might as well make it ten hours, we can't hold the plaza for much longer!" Fernpaw hissed to Bluestar.
"We need tank support now Fireheart!" Cloudpaw shouted to his uncle.
"Tanks are holding our flank, you sure you want them to come?" Bluestar asked Cloudpaw if he was making the right call, the other cats were steadily falling back to the plaza square.
"Everyone pipe down! Let me think." Fireheart shouted, he was debating what the best course of action to take in this situation.
"SIR WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO THINK!" Ashpaw screamed at Fireheart. He raised himself up and fired two M1 Garand rounds. Fireheart ignored him before he turned to Cloudpaw.
"Alright, Cloudpaw, you, Bluestar, Brightpaw and Ashpaw go to the field phone over in the theater to call in tank support." Fireheart instructed the four of them to head back to the theater to get the field phone and call in the tanks. "Covering fire!" Fireheart shouted as he fired his Carbine along with Fernpaw, Thornpaw and Swiftpaw. Cloudpaw and the others made their mad dash to the theater to go find the field phone. Cloudpaw was the first to reach the theater and he began winding up the field phone. Bluestar slid into the scene.
"Cloudpaw, the phone." Bluestar told Cloudpaw. Cloudpaw handed the phone over to her. Bluestar then began to speak into it for those tanks. "Thunder blue 5/2 to lightning! We're drawing fire from all sides, we request support!"
"Copy that, but we'll be leaving our flank exposed, over!" Stonefur responded as he was going to have to help Bluestar out with this difficult task.
"Alright, just get your tails here as fast as you can!" Bluestar mewed that the trip needed to be short if they were going to survive.
"Understood. Working on it, over." Stonefur responded.
"And make it quick! These Pak guns are tearing us apart! Over and out!" Bluestar shouted as she hung up the phone. "Stonefur's on his way, everyone! Crowd around the theater!" Bluestar gave the command for them to get to the theater if they were going to stand a chance. Brightpaw hurried over to Cloudpaw as she was carrying a sack of what seemed to be rifle grenades.
"Mortar time with the rifle. We have ten now." Brightpaw instructed Cloudpaw. She laid them out while Fernpaw took up position right next to them. Brightpaw loaded one onto Cloudpaw's rifle while Ashpaw took another. They began launching the rifle grenades at the dogs and Shadowclan cats mounting up to make an attack. Both grenades exploded, sending the crowd panicking. "Right on!" Brightpaw called out as Cloudpaw grabbed another grenade as Ashpaw did the same.
"Let's blow them to pieces!" Cloudpaw called out with excitement. He launched the grenade at the Shadowclan cats forming up for an attack, the grenade exploded, sending Shadowclan cats flying. Cloudpaw grabbed another grenade and fired it from the rifle. Ashpaw did the same thing and launched the grenade from the rifle.
"This is a lot of fun!" Ashpaw called out, suddenly a shot came from ahead as part of the theater was blown up.
"Ah Mouse dung! Tank!" Fernpaw shouted. Cloudpaw and Ashpaw picked up more rifle grenades and fired them at the tank with the stubby gun. The rifle grenades harmlessly blew up on the tank.
"Deflection, the armor's too thick!" Cloudpaw called out. The stubby muzzled tank fired again, taking out more of the theater building. Cloudpaw and Ashpaw grabbed the remaining rifle grenades and fired them at the Shadowclan cats. Two more cats were taken out before more tank fire came from the side. Fireheart looked up to see the tank firing at them was taken out as M4 Shermans were arriving in the area being lead by Leopardstar and Stonefur.
"We arrived just in time." Leopardstar told Bluestar that they were able to make it.
"Thank Starclan you did. We need to keep moving forward if we're going to take out the hotel that seems to be their garrison." Bluestar instructed.
"You think we could use the tank support if we're going to have an easier time?" Cloudpaw asked if they could use the tanks for some support.
"We can't, we're staying behind to fend off any other counter attacks, you need to push to the Quellenhof Hotel. Bluestar's saying you need to be the spearhead." Leopardstar told Cloudpaw that the tanks were staying put as they were going to be needed elsewhere. Cloudpaw remained silent as he turned and walked off. Fireheart came up to Leopardstar, Mistyfoot and Stonefur.
"Thanks for what you did back there, we were going to get overrun if you didn't show up. Appreciate the assistance." Fireheart told Leopardstar that what she did back there was greatly needed.
"No problem, we'll talk more when you take the hotel." Leopardstar mewed. Fireheart got up and moved on out. Riverclan was going to hold the wrecked plaza.
Thunderclan was moving down the street, they needed to take the hotel by the afternoon if they were going to seal off the city.
"Eyes up." Bluestar mewed to them.
"Check the store windows for Krauts." Fireheart instructed them. So far, nothing. This street seemed quiet. This made them suspicious.
"Something's wrong. It's too quiet." Ashpaw told Fireheart and the others, this street seemed to be silent.
"Just keep sharp." Cloudpaw told Ashpaw that they needed to stay quiet and stick to the streets.
"Stay calm. Stick to cover." Fireheart instructed, they continued down the street as they needed to get to the hotel. A Shadowclan machine gun opens fire on the squad in the street.
"MG! Get off the street!" Bluestar shouted as they all got into cover. Cloudpaw and Fireheart pushed forward as they needed to get out of there. Cloudpaw raised the M1 Garand and began firing as cats funneled their way down the street.
"Push forward and find an opening!" Fireheart shouted as the cats continued to race down the street. The cats continued to make their grueling trip down the street when Cloudpaw noticed something as it was a route to flank.
"Shop on the right! Get inside!" Cloudpaw instructed. He dashed into the shop as Fireheart knew what it was. One by one, the cats funneled their way into the shop believing that it was empty. Shadowclan cats opened fire inside of the shop as it was now a chaotic firefight.
"Ambush! Take cover!" Fireheart shouted, Thornpaw tossed out a grenade which the explosion caused the Shadowclan cats to bunch up. Fernpaw leaned up and shot the cats down with her BAR. "We're clear!" Fireheart told the group. Brightpaw made her way to the stairwell to find it blocked off with furniture and rubble.
"Stairs are a no-go." Brightpaw told the group that the stairwell wasn't good and they weren't going to use it.
"We sure as the dark forest can't go back into the street!" Fernpaw told Bluestar and Fireheart that the street they didn't want to go on. Fireheart walked over to one of the walls and knocked with his paw. The wall cracked as his paw nearly went through. He pulled his paw back before he could get it shot off. He then turned to Ashpaw.
"This wall looks weak Ashpaw, use your launcher to clear a path!" Fireheart ordered Ashpaw to clear the way and get them through the wall. Ashpaw nodded as everyone began to pull back. "Get back!" Fireheart instructed everyone to get behind Ashpaw. Ahspaw picks up his bazooka and fires at the wall, destroying it and allowing the squad to continue. They then get outside but Shadowclan cats appear on the other side, stumbling and wounded by the explosion.
"There's movement!" Bluestar shouted as she sprayed her Thompson at the Shadowclan cats.
"Enemy cats! Take them out! Keep pushing! Keep moving!" Fireheart instructed. Cloudpaw raised the M1 Garand and emptied the magazine as a few other cats have done much the same thing. Once the fire fight was over, they needed to decide on what they were going to do next. Bluestar ordered the group to stop so they could get a closer look. "Okay we're clear, stay alert." Bluestar had her eyes fixed on the hotel.
"There it is, my clan. Krauts' last stand." Bluestar told her clan that was where the hotel was. Fireheart and Cloudpaw got down so they could take in the sight.
"Clodupaw, take a closer look." Fireheart instructed Cloudpaw.
"Yes sir." Cloudpaw replied. Cloudpaw got out his binoculars and scans the area. "Seems pretty quiet. But, that probably ain't a good thing." Cloudpaw mewed as he scanned the area.
"Cloudpaw, what do you see?" Fireheart asked his nephew. Cloudpaw looks up at the skies.
"Skies look clear. Guess our bombers did their run." Cloudpaw mewed with a satisfied smile that the enemy had been flattened. Bluestar wasn't satisfied.
"You taking in the sights, Private? What in the dark forest are you looking at?" Bluestar asked as she wasn't impressed with the fact that Cloudpaw was inspecting the skies and not the objective. Cloudpaw tilted his head down, training his binoculars on the hotel.
"I got eyes on the hotel. No troops on the balcony. Not seeing them anywhere else either. Must be holed up inside, reinforcing their defenses. They're betting it all on this place." Cloudpaw replied that the enemy was held up inside of the hotel and they were making their stand there. Bluestar nodded, she was more satisfied with the report.
"Then, we should be able to get close without too much resistance." Bluestar told the group that she was going to have an easy day and that all resistance so far was minimal. Cloudpaw on the other hand, wasn't too sure about this.
"But once we hit the hotel, we gotta be prepared for the worst." Cloudpaw told Bluestar that they needed to be prepared if they were going to take the hotel. Fireheart interjected into the conversation next.
"We'll need to take the apartment first. Could be swarming with Krauts. We're gonna sweep it to cover our rear, then advance to the hotel. Fall in!" Fireheart ordered, everyone got up as they all fell in behind Fireheart. They followed behind as they all went into the apartment complex. The rubble was going to prove difficult; they were ready for it. "Cloudpaw and Ashpaw, take point. Let's go!" Fireheart told them as Ashpaw and Cloudpaw went first.
"More like the whole two blocks." Bluestar grumbled as the group swept through the apartment from the basement to the top. The team comes upon another weak wall. "We're clear." Bluestar announced after they ran into no resistance.
"Move up. Stay alert." Fireheart told the group. He went over to the partially damaged wall and it began to move. He then turned to Ashpaw. "Ashpaw, we need that launcher again." Fireheart mewed. Ashpaw got out the bazooka while Thornpaw stuffed a rocket into the tube.
"Watch the backblast!" Cloudpaw told the group to get back as they didn't want to be at the business end of the bazooka. Everyone got back as Ashpaw fired the bazooka and made a smoky hole in the wall. The team moves through the hole out into the other side.
"I can't see anything." Ashpaw coughed while he got the rifle back out. They then began to move out only to find Shadowclan cats firing upon them. "Path is blocked! Gotta sweep those Krauts! Can't see them!"
"Shadowclan cats across! Take them out!" Fireheart shouted, the cats began to fire all of their guns onto the Shadowclan cats inside while they were fighting their way on through. Cloudpaw wasn't used to this type of street fighting.
"Stay down! Smoke's clearing. Get ready to fire!" Bluestar called out. She continued to spray her Thompson to clear Shadowclan cats from their raised the rifle and shot one of the Shadowclan cats dead.
"More coming! Heads down! There's more! Find cover!" Fireheart shouted. Two more Shadowclan cats had entered the area. Cloudpaw raised the rifle up again and shot another Shadowclan cat dead. The last of them had been shot down before the group cleared the area out. Now they needed to move on.
"We're clear! Rally up over here!" Bluestar called out. The cats nodded as they gathered up by Sandstorm. Sandstorm went up to the door and began to grunt. Pushing the door to get it open.
"Door's blocked. We're gonna have to squeeze through." Sandstorm told the group. She decided to take the risk and be the first one to squeeze on through. Cloudpaw watched Sandstorm slip through the door before he went up to take his turn next.
"Looks awfully tight." Cloudpaw gulped. He began to wedge his way through, he caused the door to budge a few more inches while he squeezed through. Fernpaw looked at Cloudpaw wondering how she was going to fit on through.
"I'm not sure I can make it." Fernpaw told Cloudpaw that she wasn't going to make it. She was the next to squeeze through as Cloudpaw and Sandstorm removed the two sofas that were blocking the door.
"You should've laid off the corn beef and Dustpelt." Cloudpaw teased Fernpaw. Fernpaw came through as Fireheart and Bluestar came through next now that the sofas weren't as much of an obstacle now.
"Real funny." Fernpaw sarcastically remarked. Suddenly fire began to pour on them as Sandstorm was attacked by a Shadowclan cat.
"Mouse dung!" Sandstorm shouted before she turned the rifle against the Shadowclan cat and shot it dead. More Shadowclan cats appear and fire on the group.
"The krauts are everywhere!" Cloudpaw shouted as he emptied the rifle into another Shadowclan cat. He reloaded as the rest of the group began opening fire. Cloudpaw turned to his left and fired on a Shadowclan cat trying to take out Bluestar. Bluestar got up and advanced through the room. Cloudpaw turned the rifle and fired two more shots on a Shadowclan cat trying to take down Ashpaw.. More gunshots were heard as the cats were trying to get to the floor above. Cloudpaw raced over and fired what remained of the clip into the Shadowclan cats on the floor above. Now with this apartment block cleared, they were able to move on.
"Okay, are we good?" Fireheart asked Bluestar.
"Good enough." Bluestar replied. The group moves up to a window overlooking the hotel to their left.
"Hotel's right there. Keep quiet until we hit them. Okay, let's go!" Fireheart told the group that they were getting close. He went up and kicked the door open. "Down the stairs!" Fireheart instructed everyone to follow. The group runs down the stairs and advances on the hotel. When they reached outside however, a Shadowclan Opel Blitz truck was blocking the way.
"That truck's blocking our path." Swiftpaw told Fireheart that the truck was in their way.
"We'll push, pop the brake and steer. Rest of you, put your backs into it." Fireheart began giving out new orders if they were going to get the truck such as this out of the way.
"You got it." Ashpaw mewed. He went up to the truck as Fernpaw hopped into the driver's seat and popped off the brakes. Ashpaw grunted as he began pushing the truck but he was too exhausted to make any headway. "Cloudpaw, I need your help." Cloudpaw and two other apprentices went to the truck to move it. They growled as they began to move the truck with great difficulty.
"Ugh, son of a She-cat." Cloudpaw grunted while he tried to get the truck rolling. Thornpaw was looking at the truck while the four apprentices pushed the truck as it rolled forward.
"Tires still look good." Thornpaw told Fernpaw while the others were getting the truck going.
"It's got some gas. Battery works. We need a ride out of here. Fireheart, I think I could hotwire it." Fernpaw told Fireheart that she could get the truck hotwired if they were going to use it.
"Big surprise there." Thornpaw remarked as the truck continued to go forward.
"Shove it, Thornpaw." Fernpaw mewed as she was a bit annoyed. Finally the truck is pushed forward far enough for the group to advance. Ashpaw, Brightpaw, Swiftpaw and Cloudpaw panted with exhaustion that they were finally able to get the truck out of their way.
"Okay, let's move. Get ready, Thunderclan." Fireheart told the group. They then began to move from the truck as Fernpaw was annoyed with this. She really wanted to use that truck for their benefit. The group then came upon a weak wall of the hotel. Fireheart felt the damaged wall before he once more turned to Ashpaw. Cloudpaw was helping Ashpaw load another bazooka round into the chamber. "One more wall. Ashpaw, punch through it."
"Knock them all down, right?" Bluestar asked. Cloudpaw decided to shout:
"Keep clear!" Cloudpaw tried to keep the group away from what Ashpaw was about to do. Ashpaw takes out the bazooka and destroys the wall allowing the group to enter.
"Push in! Keep moving!" Bluestar shouted, they entered into the lobby of the hotel through the hole in the wall only to encounter fierce Shadowclan resistance.
"We need to clear the lobby! Ashpaw, take right! Brightpaw, left with me! Fernpaw, second floor with Bluestar!" Fireheart instructed. Bluestar went forward as she sprayed her Thompson at the Shadowclan cats by the fountain
"Will do!" Brightpaw responded.
"On it!" Fernpaw mewed, the Two apprentices split up as Ashpaw and Cloudpaw went to the right. Cloudpaw and Ashpaw were joined by Brindleface who was firing her BAR at the Shadowclan cats on the staircase to support Bluestar.
"They're dug in by the main staircase, far side!" Bluestar told the group that the cats had dug themselves in and weren't going to go down without a fight.
"MGs on the stairs, too! Push around to their flanks!" Fireheart instructed the group, two Shadowclan machine guns had been placed on either side of the staircase as they were determined to defend it.
"Mouse-dung! They're all over the place!" Swiftpaw grumbled before he fired the M1 Garand in retaliation. Cloudpaw, Ashpaw and Brindleface pushed their way through the hallway as they were determined to make it to the back of the main lobby.
"Move to the back hallway downstairs! Get to that back hallway downstairs, Cloudpaw." Ashpaw told Cloudpaw that was where they needed to head next but Cloudpaw was running out of ammo after a hard day's fighting. He loaded another clip into the M1 Garand as he had two left after that. "We have to reach that back hallway, Cloudpaw!" Ashpaw pointed to where they needed to go. Cloudpaw rushed forward as more Thunderclan cats from another platoon entered the building to help them out. Cloudpaw emptied the clip into more Shadowclan cats before he reloaded. Cloudpaw then emptied more rounds into the dug-in Shadowclan cats. He reloaded, placing the last clip into the rifle before hearing:
"The lobby is clear!" Bluestar announced to the weary platoon.
"I hope that's all of them." Fernpaw sighed before they began moving further in.
"Everyone on Fireheart!" Ashpaw called out. They regroup over with Fireheart by a set of doors.
"The second platoon is sweeping the upper floors. We need to secure the basement. On me." Fireheart instructed the group on what everyone was currently doing. Firheart then kicked the doors open, giving them access to the basement. "Everyone, stay close." Fireheart was the first to enter as everyone began to make their way into the basement.
"Hey, Fernpaw. Found a little hiding spot for you." Swiftpaw began as he wanted to tease her.
"Screw off." Fernpaw quietly hissed to Swiftpaw.
"Shut it." Bluestar told the two apprentices to shut up. They then came to the door of the basement and were wondering how they were going to get it open.
"Cloudpaw, get the door." Fireheart instructed him. Cloudpaw opens the door into a darkened room. The group then entered the darkened room. "Lights on." Fireheart and Bluestar looked around if they were going to find whoever it was that was in the room. Who was in there? Then the soft yips of a Shadowclan kit was heard. Kits were in the basement. "Sounds like a kit. Cloudpaw, still got those cookies?" Fireheart asked his nephew.
"Yes sir." Cloudpaw responded. Cloudpaw got out the cookies he had from yesterday and held it in his paw. He began to motion for the Shadowclan civilians to come out of hiding. " Bet you're all hungry. Go on, take it." Cloudpaw softly mewed for their attention. Suddenly a young Shadowclan she-kit came running from behind the barrels towards Cloudpaw. An older Shadowclan she-cat came forth to protect her sibling. She held a rifle in her paws.
"Anna!" The older she-cat called out. Bluestar got defensive about it.
"Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa!" Bluestar hissed as she held her Thompson up, she was ready to blast this she-cats guts all over the floor. Fireheart held Bluestar back from firing.
"It's alright, it's alright!" Fireheart told the Shadowclan civilians that they were friendly. "We're not gonna hurt you, we're not gonna hurt you." Fireheart held up his paw to the She-cat, who lowered her rifle.
"My name is Erica, we have no food, no water, my sister, please, help us." Erica pleaded for the Thunderclan cats to help them. Bluestar knew she had no time to help them.
"No, no, Kraut reinforcements will be here any minute. We don't have time to babysit civilians." Bluestar grumbled with frustration. Fireheart turned to Bluestar to calm her down.
"There's only two of them." Fireheart told Bluestar to look up as it was just the two of them. Ashpaw interjected next.
"Sir, you better come see this." Ashpaw told Fireheart. Ashpaw lifts up a tarp to show several Shadowclan civilians hiding behind a tarp.
"Ahh, just perfect." Bluestar hissed, she was frustrated beyond her belief. How were they going to handle all of these Shadowclan cats? Bluestar sat down to think.
"Mouse-dung." Fireheart muttered as he was frustrated too. He then paused and remembered something he saw earlier, that gave him an idea. "We passed that truck a few hundred yards back. We can drive it back here and we can get them all out." Fireheart suggested that they could use the truck they moved a bit earlier to get these civilians out.
"With all due respect, our mission was to secure this hotel." Bluestar told Fireheart what the mission was, rescuing civilians was not what they came here for. Erica and Anna speak to each other in Shadowclan tongue and then Erica speaks to Bluestar.
"I don't speak Shadowclan." Bluestar hissed at Erica as she was ready to blow her brains out. Ashpaw interjects and speaks to Erica.
"I speak a little of your language. Don't worry. It'll be okay." Ashpaw tried to calm Erica down. Bluestar stands up and turns to Ashpaw with a surprised look on her face.
"You speak Shadowclan? When in the Dark Forest were you gonna tell us that?" Bluestar asked Ashpaw if he had an answer.
"I wasn't." Ashpaw replied. Fireheart began to think as he was ready to conduct a rescue mission for the Shadowclan civilians.
"Alright, we're gonna get these Shadowclan civilians out of here. Cloudpaw, Fernpaw, you take that truck, rendezvous with us on the West side of the hotel. Get moving!" Fireheart instructed the two apprentices to get that Opel Blitz to the hotel they helped move out of the way. Fernpaw knew she was going to hotwire that truck after all. Cloudpaw and Fernpaw got to their paws and began making their way out of the basement. Bluestar continued to talk with Ashpaw.
"Hmm. Makes me wonder what else you're hiding from us, Herr Ashpaw." Bluestar began as she wanted to know what else Ashpaw had hiding away.
"Cut me some slack, Bluestar." Ashpaw defensively told Bluestar that he didn't want to be bothered.
"Ehh...not in your life, Private, not in your life." Bluestar muttered as she turned away.
Cloudpaw and Fernpaw head back up to the surface. They were chatting to themselves about what they discovered about Ashpaw.
"Looks like it's you and me,Cloudpaw." Fernpaw began. "I can't believe Ashpaw didn't tell us he spoke Kraut." Fernpaw was surprised by this revelation that Ashpaw understood and communicated to those Shadowclan cats with some perfection.
His family are recent immigrants. He just didn't want anyone to know about the Shadowclan part yet." Cloudpaw replied as the two apprentices made their way through the lobby to where they blasted a hole into the entrance.
"I guess we all got something we ain't proud of. Can't believe we gotta worry 'bout a bunch of Krauts." Fernpaw grumbled as she didn't want to be doing anything extra, let alone saving a bunch of Shadowclan civilians.
"They got a she-kit in there. Elders too." Cloudpaw mewed to Fernpaw about who was inside of that basement.
"We can't save everybody." Fernpaw replied that not everyone could be spared and why waste their time and resources on them.
"They're civilians. We send them to the rear. That's what we do." Cloudpaw replied that they should at least help the Shadowclan civilians instead of leading them to their own devices.
"Yeah, yeah…" Fernpaw grumbled. Cloudpaw and Fernpaw run out of the hotel with other Thunderclan cats from the same division and return to the truck. Fernpaw spotted the Opel Blitz that was standing in the same spot where she left it. "There's the truck! Come on!" Fernpaw dashed over to the truck as she hopped into the driver's seat. "Okay, just need a minute to get this baby started."
Alright, I'll cover you. I only got one clip of M1 Garand ammo left and I don't know if I could fend off any Shadowclan attack for very long." Cloudpaw told Fernpaw that his only ammo in his primary weapon was just one clip. "I've also left the shotgun in camp as it wouldn't be much use." Fernpaw began to think. She then turned to Cloudpaw.
"Here I still have plenty of ammo left in this." Fernpaw told Cloudpaw as she handed him her M1918A2 BAR as well as a few magazines. "Just keep me covered." Cloudpaw popped the magazine out to make sure there was ammo inside which he was grateful about.
"Sure thing." Cloudpaw replied. Fernpaw tried to hotwire the truck in order to get it started as fast as she could. Cloudpaw and the Thunderclan cats stand guard. One of the Thunderclan cats spotted something
"Movement in those buildings across the street. Shadowclan cats incoming!" The she-cat called out. Shadowclan reinforcements arrive and attack the dug in Thunderclan cats.
"Panzerschreck!" Another Thudnerclan cat shouted. Cloudpaw raised the M1 Garand and began firing to cover for Fernpaw.
"Get it moving!" Cloudpaw called out as he continued firing the M1 Garand.
"I never started a Kraut truck before!" Fernpaw shouted to Cloudpaw that she wasn't familiar with Shadowclan trucks. The ping from Cloudpaw's M1 Garand was heard and Cloudpaw knew he had no more ammunition. He slung the rifle over his shoulder and picked up Fernpaw's BAR and began firing her gun at the Shadowclan cats. The group defends themselves against the Shadowclan onslaught. As if things were going to get more challenging, Shadowclan halftracks approach.
"Multiple APCs incoming!" Brackenfur called out.
"Take cover!" Frostfur shouted as she kept firing her M1 Garand. An explosion happened behind them as Shadowclan was using the Panzerschrecks to flush out the dug in Thunderclan cats.
"It's a bee-brain storm out there!" Goldenflower called out while trying to defend the road with Speckletail. Cloudpaw knew that they weren't going to last very long out here. Thunderclan cats were either pulling back into the hotel or getting shot down.
"We can't stay here! You gotta hurry Fernpaw!" Cloudpaw called out. He loaded another magazine into the BAR gun before he resumed firing.
"I need more time!" Fernpaw called out. She was trying to work as fast as she could but she wanted to do this correctly otherwise the truck wasn't going to start at all. The Halftrack on the left was taken out with a bazooka rocket while Cloudpaw continued to fire. "Halftrack on the right side of the plane!" Fernpaw instructed. Cloudpaw found a Panzerschreck laying next to him. He picked it up to see if it was loaded. It was and Cloudpaw pointed it at the halftrack. Cloudpaw fired it and the second halftrack was destroyed. The Shadowclan cats began to melt away from the field while Cloudpaw picked the BAR back up and fired away.
"How are you doing Fernpaw?" Cloudpaw asked. No response for a moment but suddenly, the Opel Blitz roared into life as Fernpaw stuck her head out of the window.
"It's running, hop on Cloudpaw." Fernpaw told Cloudpaw. Cloudpaw handed Fernpaw the empty BAR magazines back before he hopped onto the truck, firing the BAR away at the retreating Shadowclan cats. Fernpaw began to drive the truck to the western entrance.
"You got her running?" Cloudpaw asked Fernpaw.
"Thanks for covering me." Fernpaw told Cloudpaw as she was now driving. Cloudpaw decided to raise his concern about future Shadowclan attacks.
"I think they might be regrouping on the north side of the hotel to attack us from that direction." Cloudpaw told Fernpaw that was where the Shadowclan cats were going to strike next.
"We got to let the rest of the group know." Fernpaw replied.
"And we need to get those civilians out of there fast." Cloudpaw added on to what else he wanted to do before the attack materialized.
"Either that or we dig in." Fernpaw replied.
"Too risky, they'll get caught in the crossfire." Cloudpaw added his concern while he hung onto the side of the truck.
"It's a little late for that." Fernpaw told Cloudpaw that they should dig in.
"Just hurry." Cloudpaw told Fernpaw to get to the hotel.
"Bluestar's right Cloudpaw. We don't have time to worry about these Shadowclan civilians." Fernpaw told Cloudpaw that Bluestar wanted to hold the hotel and that was final.
"They're civilians, and they need our help!" Cloudpaw told Fernpaw, the Opel Blitz pulled up to the right side of the hotel as Bluestar spotted the truck pull up and turn around.
"Drive through and park it on the street." Bluestar told Fernpaw where the truck was going to be stashed.
"Yes Bluestar." Fernpaw replied. She parked the truck on the street as Cloudpaw got off the truck.
"All right, let's get these civilians out of here." Fireheart calmly ordered as all of the Shadowclan civilians had been rounded up and ready to be escorted out to their camp. "Let's go." Fireheart told the group that they should make it onto the truck. Erica noticed something was wrong. Anna was nowhere to be found.
"Anna? Anna!" Erica called out. She turned and ran into the hotel to find her younger sister but Bluestar stopped her.
"Hold on, where are you going?" Bluestar asked Erica where she thinks she's going. Erica yells out in Shadowclan tongue but Bluestar couldn't understand her. "What's she saying?" Bluestar asked Ashpaw.
"She thinks her sister went back to the basement." Ashpaw told Bluestar that was where Anna probably went back into. Bluestar shrugged as there was nothing she could do about it.
"Well then, that's where she's staying. We gotta get these civilians outta here. Come on." Bluestar grumbled as she didn't want to stick around to help these cats out. Bluestar tries to force Erica on the truck, before Cloudpaw speaks to Fireheart.
"Fireheart, let me go." Cloudpaw told Fireheart as he was willing to risk it to make sure Anna made it out of there alive. Fireheart began to think about it before Bluestar interjected into the conversation.
"Nobody's going!" Bluestar screamed at Cloudpaw. Fireheart finally made up his mind before he punched Bluestar in the face, knocking her backwards. He then turned to Cloudpaw.
"You got two minutes." Fireheart told Cloudpaw. "Get back here in two minutes, and me and Smallear will consider promoting you." Fireheart told Cloudpaw. Cloudpaw nodded but he was moreover worried about the Shadowclan kit in the basement. He gave Fernpaw her BAR gun back as he unslung the empty M1 Garand he had on him.
"I'm going with you." Ashpaw told Fireheart he was going to volunteer to help Cloudpaw out. Fireheart stood in Ashpaw's way.
"Nope, just Cloudpaw. This is something he needs to do on his own." Fireheart told Ashpaw that Cloudpaw needed to do this himself.
"It's too dangerous!" Ashpaw added in as he really wanted to help.
"Look I know you want to help my nephew out, but I need everyone here to cover the perimeter." Fireheart told Ashpaw that he needed all paws in the defense of the hotel.
"Yes sir." Ashpaw meekly responded before he walked away. Fireheart turned to Cloudpaw.
"You better get back here fast." Fireheart told Cloudpaw that he was on the clock, get back in two minutes or less, Fireheart will tell Smallear he was fit for a promotion.
"Will do, sir." Cloudpaw responded before he ran as fast as he could back into the hotel. Cloudpaw runs back inside the hotel and makes his way down to the basement to search for Anna. He made his way to the basement entrance and he opened a door to find a surprised Shadowclan cat on the other side. "Mouse dung!" Cloudpaw shouted. The Shadowclan cat attacks Cloudpaw and knocks aside his rifle. Cloudpaw and the Shadowclan cat struggle to the ground before Cloudpaw wrestles the MP-40 out of the cat's paws and punches it. The Shadowclan cat tried to punch Cloudpaw but Cloudpaw dodge it and pulled his Webley Mark VI just as another Shadowclan cat arrived. Cloudpaw shoots the first cat in the back of the head, killing it, and prepares to shoot the second one. The second Shadowclan cat tries to knock the pistol out of Cloudpaw's paw, but Cloudpaw kicks the second cat's knee and punches it back. Two more Shadowclan cats arrive, forcing Cloudpaw to run for the basement door and close it. He locks the door, swiftly puts the pistol away and narrowly misses the Shadowclan cat's gunfire. But, Cloudpaw loses his balance and falls backward down the stairs. He quickly got up and raced further down into the basement. "Oh, mouse brain! Gotta find Anna. Anna, where are you? Anna? She's gotta be here somewhere. I hope she didn't go upstairs." Cloudpaw raced further into the basement where they found the civilians.
Cloudpaw opened the first door up but he saw nothing. Anna wasn't there. Cloudpaw was against the clock and he wasn't winning. He then opened the second door, further into the basement but no such luck. Anna wasn't there. Cloudpaw ran through the basement and opened the third door. Nothing. Cloudpaw hissed before he opened the last door to find Anna safe and sound, hiding with her teddy bear. Anna recoiled at the sight of Cloudpaw but Cloudpaw was going to make sure he was harmless.
"Hey, kiddo. Let's get you back to your sis. Come here." Cloudpaw held his paws out for Anna, who hesitantly let Cloudpaw carry her. They hear Shadowclan cats having reached the basement and searching for Cloudpaw. Cloudpaw has to hide and stick to the shadows to avoid being detected. "Shh. It's alright. I'll protect you. You're doing great." Cloudpaw tried to comfort Anna while he carried her out of the basement. Cloudpaw tried his best to remain hidden while Shadowclan cats searched the basement. Cloudpaw knew he was still on the clock but he only moved when the flashlights were pointed away. He silently made his way out of the basement while the flashing searchlights tried to locate him. Sneaking out like a fox, he made his way out of the cellar.
Cloudpaw quickened his pace, he carried Anna in his paws out of the cellar and into the hallway, but then noticed more Shadowclan cats appear in the hallway. Knowing he didn't want to get caught, Cloudpaw finds a door into another room, opens it and hides himself and Anna.
"Mouse dung!" Cloudpaw muttered to himself.
"Caspian!" Anna squeaked. Cloudpaw notices that Anna dropped her teddy bear between the doorway and the wall. He looks back and forth at the teddy bear and the Shadowclan cats. He sees the Shadowclan cats being commanded by their leader to search the upper levels. Anna lets out a squeal, which the Shadowclan officer notices. The officer then looks down and sees Anna's teddy bear. Just as it seems that Cloudpaw and Anna will be discovered, the officer hears his own troops call out to him for help. The officer runs towards his troops, leaving Cloudpaw and Anna undetected. Cloudpaw picks up Anna's doll and gives it back to her. It had been damaged by the door and thought he could patch it up sometime in the future, but for now, he needed to get Anna back to her sister.
"You're doing great. Almost there. Just need you to be brave a little longer." Cloudpaw told Anna as he carried her up the stairs Cloudpaw carries Anna back up the stairs to the main level, where he hears gunfire taking place and sees Shadowclan cats running past the doorway. "I got you." Cloudpaw mewed as he held Anna close. He went left to try taking her out through that way as more Shadowclan cats entered the hotel, this made him worried. Where do they keep coming from? We gotta keep moving." Cloudpaw asked as he trotted faster and faster, he wanted to get out of here. He looked at Anna as he held her and her teddy bear close. "You're gonna be fine. Don't worry." He went left to go through the finance room and headed out. Cloudpaw notices that the blown-out hole Ashpaw made earlier has collapsed. That path of escape wasn't going to work.
"Hurry!" Anna squealed as gunfire was happening all around them.
"We won't make it out there. Fox dung!" Cloudpaw told Anna. He kept her close as Thunderclan cats were arriving to contest the hotel. "We're almost out." Cloudpaw mewed as he got outside of the hotel and into the garden. Some of the Thunderclan cats turned to Cloudpaw and noticed him.
"He's one of ours! Cloudpaw? We need to get the Dark Forest outta here! Get her to the truck! We got this covered! Yessir! Time to clean house! Krauts are falling back! Lobby's nearly secured! Hotel's almost ours! We've taken the lobby! We've secured the hotel! Krauts are gone! Hotel is ours!" Thunderclan cats chattered as they were now fighting to take the hotel. Cloudpaw runs with Anna in his arms towards the waiting Opel Blitz and his squad.
"Starclan, it's Cloudpaw!" Brindleface called out. She was excited along with Fireheart to see them get out of here.
"Cloudpaw? Get over here!" Fernpaw called out to her friend. Cloudpaw dashed over to where the truck was waiting. Cloudpaw lets Anna down and Erica runs over to her, hugging her tightly.
"Anna!" Erica called out as she hugged her sister, her teddy bear had been partially ripped but Cloudpaw had more important matters on his paws. Erica looked up to Cloudpaw. "Thank you." Fireheart walked over to Cloudpaw as he had some words.
"Just in time." Fireheart mewed to Cloudpaw.
"Okay they can take it from here. Back to the hotel everyone." Bluestar told the group that the civilians could take it from there and they just needed to defend the hotel.
"But Bluestar, what if Shadowclan counter attacks and we get cut off or worse the civilians are harmed, we should follow them back to make sure they are safe, we can return to the hotel later today." Fireheart expressed his concern that he didn't want to get encircled and it was best to follow the civilians to the camp. Bluestar looked at Fireheart as she was ready to scream at him.
"This ain't Kassarine Fireheart, we have the upper paw." Bluestar hissed to Fireheart. Suddenly more gunshots were heard. Shadowclan was making another push for the hotel.
"Looks like I was right about that!" Fireheart told Bluestar. The cats began firing back as Cloudpaw got out his Webley Mark VI and began firing it at the Shadowclan cats as he still had no rifle on him. Cloudpaw reloaded the revolver while the Shadowclan counterattack fizzled and ran out of steam, the survivors quickly fell back. They went to the back of the truck to see who was the most capable of driving.
"Who here can drive?" Ashpaw asked. One of the Shadowclan toms raised his paw. Ashpaw and Cloudpaw pulled him out and got him to the front of the truck to have him drive. But the surprises weren't over yet. Two more Shadowclan cats appeared as they began to shoot up the truck. Cloudpaw reacted and fired the Webley into the attacking Shadowclan cats, killing both of them instantly. However, hope would turn into a tragedy.
"They shot up the truck!" Fireheart shouted. Cloudpaw raced to the back of the truck as Erica had collapsed with a bullet wound to the abdomen.
"Erica!" Anna cried. Erica groaned as she was holding the bullet wound with her paws. Cinderpelt ran into the truck as she instructed Erica that she would be taking care of this. Cinderpelt applied pressure to the wound with her paws before she turned to the others.
"I got this! Go!" Cinderpelt told Bluestar to get the truck out of here. Bluestar banged the back of the truck with her Thompson.
"Go on go!" Bluestar shouted. The truck began to drive away as Fireheart was annoyed by this.
"What in the Dark Forest are you doing?!" Fireheart shouted at Bluestar as she was sending the truck away.
"Following orders, everyone get your tails back into the hotel!" Bluestar shouted. She turned to walk back into the hotel while Fireheart and Cloudpaw watched the truck drive away with heavy hearts. Sandstorm came up to Fireheart.
"There's nothing we can do to help them." Sandstorm softly told Fireheart. She turned and made her way back to the hotel. Fireheart looked on before closing his eyes to reflect.
We had secured Aachen and the hotel. We opened a western corridor to the Rhine but no sign of finding Sasha. The rift between Fireheart and Bluestar is only going to grow larger from here.
[A/N]: Super long chapter for you all but that was why I was gone for so long because of holidays and I wanted to publish something before the new year. Hopefully I can quickly make another chapter but if not, see you in 2022. See you later.