After the loss of Bluestar and Brindleface, I was promoted as it was now down to me. Me to lead my friends through the rest of the war. Our command needs to be quickly reestablished if we're going to survive this. The next four days will be critical to our command. I was now Firestar.
Firestar walked along with Bramblepaw who was right beside him.
"I am more than happy that you got that promotion. What are you going to do first?" Bramblepaw asked with excitement. He bounced along Firestar to see if he had an answer.
"I'm going to reorganize the entire platoon as Bluestar's loss has left a void." Firestar mewed that some of the cats were going to be promoted. Bramblepaw got excited.
"When will I be promoted?" Bramblepaw asked. Firestar looked at him.
"One day." He mewed. He then walked over to some crates as he was ready to begin making promotions. "Soldiers of Thunderclan I have some promotions I want to make as we need to get the command reorganized." Firestar announced, the others gathered around him and Firestar began to speak. "Well after my promotion, we need to make a new sergeant and to promote some privates into our ranks. Whitestorm, Cloudtail, Lostface and Thornpaw, would you please step forward." Firestar began. The four cats stepped forward and Fireheart began to make his speech. "Whitestorm, I entrust you with your duties as I'm promoting you to be the next sergeant. Cloudtail, I've been impressed with your service and you will be the next Corporal to replace Whitestorm. Lostface, Thornpaw? I know Bluestar hasn't given you promotions as of yet but do you promise to uphold the warrior code even if it costs you your own life?"
"I do." Thornpaw mewed.
"I do." Lostface responded.
"Okay with that out of the way. Thornpaw you will be promoted to a Private First Class with your warrior name Thornclaw. And Lostface you will be properly promoted into a Private First Class with a new name, Brightheart." Firestar told her.
"Yes!" Brightheart mewed with excitement. Cloudtail raced over and gave her a hug as he was more than happy to have her back as her old self.
"I knew you still had the bright light in your heart." Cloudtail softly told Brightheart who was moreover happy that she had been finally promoted. Brightheart was more than happy to have cats that supported her through these turbulent times and Cloudtail guided her all the way here.
"I'm back!" Brightheart mewed. She leaned over and kissed Cloudtail on his cheek with excitement. Cloudtail laughed.
"But that isn't the only good news Brightheart." Firestar added. "Bluestar wanted you discharged by the new year but I've told Smallear to shred up your discharge papers, Thunderclan needs you now more than ever. You're here to stay."
"Me? Stay?" Brightheart asked. Firestar nodded. "How can this day get any better?" She asked.
"Good question." Firestar replied. "Also I got news that Princess is coming in a couple of days, bringing Windclan and much needed reinforcements and supplies to Bastogne. The set date for the supply convoy to come is scheduled on December 25th." Firestar told the group. The supplies were bound to come. Hope was filling the besieged cats of Bastogne.
It was night time before the big day. Cloudtail, Brightheart, Brackenfur, Thornclaw, Ashpaw and Fernpaw had gathered around the fire pit as they wanted to make a toast to the fallen.
"Happy to see this through." Brightheart began the toast.
"Though not all of us make it." Brackenfur continued.
"First Normandy, then the Siegfried line and the Rhine comes last." Fernpaw added on.
"To all of our friends that have taken the bullets, blood and the dead." Thornclaw continued the toast.
"We all come back as warriors and ready to continue the fight even if they're long gone." Ashpaw mewed with his line.
"To Swiftpaw, Snowkit, Brindleface and Bluestar." Cloudtail mewed out the name of the fallen cats since June in their platoon.
"Together we will get through. All of us." They all mewed in unison, they clinked their canteens together and began drinking. Firestar was walking by with Bramblepaw who was carrying Bluestar's thompson.
"Honoring our fallen leader?" Firestar asked. Bramblepaw looked on with curiosity.
"Yeah you just missed out." Cloudtail told Firestar about their toast.
"Yeah I'd figure. I hope you remain a good soldier because you don't want Ol' Saint Nick to leave coal in your stocking." Firestar told Cloudtail.
"I can take the coal and use it to help burn the fire. It's cold out here." Cloudtail told Firestar. Firestar laughed.
"Have a wonderful holiday, everyone's presents are coming." Firestar laughed. He patted Cloudtail on the back before he and Bramblepaw continued on their way.
December 25th, 1944, Ardennes Forest, Belgium, 1/2 mile from Bastogne: 9:00
Cloudtail was sitting in a foxhole with Brightheart, Ashpaw and Fernpaw. All of them in conversation.
"Nice boots, Fernpaw. They look new." Ashpaw began the conversation.
"Yeah. I poached them from some replacement. That poor kit froze to death." Fernpaw replied. At least she had liked having a pair of new boots and clean, warm socks to put on her back paws. "If Bluestar hadn't been so stingy with requisitions, I wouldn't have had to steal."
"It's okay. They weren't doing the replacement any good." Brightheart replied, they all giggled in response.
"Where's that fluffy warrior I used to know?" Ashpaw asked, he gave Cloudtail a soft nudge.
"If you see him, give me a holler." Cloudtail instructed Ashpaw, he was just teasing him.
"Dark forest a Christmas, huh, fellas?" Ashpaw hollered. Everyone just laughed as it was keeping them warm compared to them freezing to death.
"Oh, yeah. Why would I wanna cuddle up to a nice warm fire with my Dustpelt, when I could be freezing my tail off with you mouse brains?" Fernpaw asked. She was smiling despite the freezing cold that clamored the cats.
"Hey I don't think we need a fire, here comes one now." Brightheart mewed to the group. Firestar appeared and walked over to them. He was carrying a sawed off Ithaca 37 with a stock.
"Fernpaw, we need you on that machine gun." Firestar instructed.
"Okay." Fernpaw mewed, she got up and crawled away to where she needed to go.
"Cloudtail, Goldenflower's machine gun has been firing all night, can you give her another box of ammunition?" Firestar asked Cloudtail.
"If I bring Goldenflower any more ammo, Fernpaw will run dry." Cloudtail told Firestar that he was worried about his friend.
"Don't worry about it, the supply convoy is going to be here any moment now. We'll have more ammunition for Fernpaw." Firestar told Cloudtail that Fernpaw will be fine when the supplies get to the camp.
"Yes Firestar." Cloudtail responded with a smile. He got up from his trench and grabbed the box of ammunition, he began walking over to where Goldenflower was positioned. Cloudtail could hear the chatter from various Thunderclan and Riverclan cats stationed in the area.
"Hey, Cinderpelt. My leg's been feeling better." Sootkit told the medicine cat.
"Keep moving. I need the spare bandages from your aid kit." Cinderpelt sarcastically replied. Sootkit laughed along with the joke as Cloudtail continued to walk to find Goldenflower.
I thought you hooked up with the Third Battalion to get supplies." Another cat continued a different conversation. Cloudtail continued to walk. Then another cat came up to him.
"Got anything good for me? I could use a pack of cigarettes." He mewed. Cloudtail ignored him and kept walking. He had a job to do and he wasn't going to get held up.
"Put me within a mile of a Mr. Kitler, party's over, Gents. We're all going home." Longtail told the others as he wanted to go home.
"Cold enough for ya?" Frostfur asked.
"What are you gonna do when you get back to the States?" Thornclaw asked Frostfur. Finally Cloudtail reaches the machine gun position as Goldenflower and Mousefur were huddled up inside of the pillbox.
"Cloudtail, what are you doing in this neck of the woods?" Goldenflower asked Cloudtail what he was doing here.
"Got some ammo, fellas." Cloudtail replied.
"Lookie here. He's a regular ol' St. Nick." Mousefur joked to Goldenflower. She then turned to Cloudtail. "Throw it under our tree." Cloudtail nodded as he took the ammo box and placed it under the tree for them to use later on. Goldenflower began speaking next.
"What else are you bringing us? Chocolates? Dry socks?" Goldenflower asked, suddenly they were interrupted by gunshots coming from the forest, right near their front lines. "Mouse-dung! Krauts over the hill! 12 o'clock!" Goldenflower shouted. She got onto her M1919A4 and tried to fire it, nothing came out of the machine gun as something was wrong. "The gun jammed! Cloudtail, take them out." Cloudtail nodded. He raised her BAR and began firing away at the Shadowclan patrol. Goldenflower and Mousefur worked frantically to clear the jam in the machine gun so they could get it running again. Cloudtail dumped a magazine down range, killing six Shadowclan cats. Goldenflower managed to clear the jam.
"The gun's clear. Fire!" Mousefur called out to Goldenflower. Goldenflower's machine gun began firing away at the Shadowclan patrol while Cloudtail finished reloading. He joined in the fire fight and fired much more slowly than before as Goldenflower was using the machine gun to do the dirty work. They completely managed to obliterate the Shadowclan patrol.
"Was that it? Scan for more!" Goldenflower asked. Cloudtail had dumped all but one bullet from the second magazine out onto the Shadowclan cats. One more Shadowclan cat was spotted, trying to figure out where to go. "There's another!" Goldenflower told Cloudtail. Cloudtail raised the BAR and fired the last round, killing the last Shadowclan cat.
"Great shooting, Cloudtail. That Kraut won't be reporting back." Mousefur told Cloudtail. Cloudtail reloaded his BAR again as he used up two magazines in the shootout.
"Thanks." Cloudtail told Mousefur.
"How in the Dark Forest are they getting' past the 88th?" Goldenflower asked. She turned to Cloudtail as they needed to find out what was happening. "You better go check in at the Command Tent."
"Will do." Cloudtail replied. Cloudtail left and got out of the bunker, he wanted to greet his mother but the front lines were getting antsy with the recent shootout. He ran his way to the command tent as the front lines were buzzing with activity.
"Check the line!" Mistyfoot called out.
"What the dark forest was that all about?" Willowpelt asked, Thunderclan and Riverclan cats zipped about with confusion and concern
"Is that us?" Leopardstar asked as she was confused about it.
"Watch the trees!" Dustpelt told the others that they needed to be ready for when Shadowclan came back for another attack.
"I don't see anything!" Sorrelkit told Dustpelt. Cloudtail made his way to the command tent to report what he had just witnessed.
"I need a couple of warriors over here on the double!" Brackenfur called out to take Sorrelkit's place as she was going to be withdrawn. Cloudtail spots Fernpaw outside of the tent and he runs up to her.
"Corporal, have I got a treat for you." Fernpaw began. She led Cloudtail into the command post to see Erica working the radio. "Erica, Cloudtail's come to see you." Fernpaw told Erica to stop what she was doing and speak to Cloudtail. Erica finishes operating the radio and gets up, she was more than happy to see the fluffy white warrior.
"Pleased to make your acquaintance." Erica mewed with a smile. Cloudtail shakes her paw as he was happy to see her.
"Sorry, I didn't expect…" Cloudtail began, he was trying to figure out what he was going to say next as he didn't want to come off as insulting. "To work alongside such a fine she-cat like you." Cloudtail awkwardly told Erica about it. "How's Anna?" Cloudtail asked.
"Anna's sick, she has been poisoned." Erica told Cloudtail about the condition of her younger sister.
"Oh no, I hope she's doing alright." Cloudtail mewed to Erica about her sister.
"Hopefully she is, she's being taken care of by Cinderpelt." Erica mewed to Cloudtail. Fernpaw turned back to Cloudtail.
"Erica was part of the company that took the ridge. I can't believe they let her fight." Fernpaw told Cloudtail that she helped out with retaking vital ground they had lost.
"Oh, yeah. They even let us die." Cloudtail replied. A moment passes before Erica points out the map on the table.
"Now, when this convoy rolls through, Krauts are gonna unleash the dark forest." Firestar walked over to see what was happening.
"I thought we had reserves coming." Cloudtail mewed with concern.
"We are the reserves." Firestar mewed to Cloudtail. Cloudtail would turn to Firestar and began speaking to him.
"Firestar, we should call in air support." Cloudtail suggested. "If Shadowclan keeps this up we won't be able to survive." Erica walks back over to the radio. She was going to get the planes to help them out and repulse any signs of a Shadowclan attack.
"Look at that. Cloudtail here just remembered he was a Corporal." Fernpaw snickered. Erica raised her paw and began speaking.
"Radio's working now." Erica mewed. Firestar looked at Cloudtail and began speaking again.
"Yeah, I wouldn't count on any help. Our fly-toms got their paws full." Firestar told Cloudtail. He begins to walk away as Firestar drops his map on the table. Cloudtail and Fernpaw exit the tent just as the convoy arrives.
"Convoy's here and they have supplies! Grab what you can!" Whitestorm announced. The cats were unloading the convoy as many of them had brought presents to the frontlines to celebrate. Princess got out of the truck with goodies. Firestar and Cloudtail walked over to greet her.
"Princess, I thought you weren't going to come to our rescue." Firestar began. The Windclan cats with Littlecloud in tow began making their way to help secure the area.
"So glad to see you two are still alive even as Shadowclan had counter attacked and surrounded you." Princess mewed. She hugged her brother and her son, she was grateful.
"Also I've been promoted Princess, I'm Firestar now." Firestar told her about the fact that he was promoted. "Cloudtail's also been promoted to Corporal for his bravery."
"Congratulations you two. I am more than happy to see you two on your way to the top." Princess told Firestar that she was happy about their promotion.
"Now, we just gotta make sure these cats get to the Rhine." Fernpaw told the rest as Ashpaw showed up to add on.
"Yeah, if there are any bridges left. Shadowclan must've blown them all up by now." Ashpaw told the group as if he was feeling down.
"That's not that holiday spirit, Ashpaw!" Fernpaw told Ashpaw. She knocked him on the back of the head while they went to the supply convoy to gather supplies.
"I got ammo and boots. Merry Christmas, fellas." Whitestorm shouted with excitement.
"You're a Starclan messenger, Whitestorm." Frostfur called out with excitement.
"Hey Firestar, congrats on that promotion." Onewhisker greeted him. He and Deadfoot walked over to see him.
"Yeah I'd figure so what makes you say?" Firestar asked.
"We heard that Bluestar had been killed and Darkstripe called you a kittypet when you were about to be promoted, thankfully everyone ignored him." Deadfoot told Firestar about the events that went on a couple of days ago.
"Darkstripe is getting on my nerves, I have plans for him if he doesn't behave." Firestar told them.
"That's great, hopefully the war should be over by the time next summer arrives." Onewhisker mewed with confidence.
"Wait, wasn't the war supposed to be over by today?" Ashfoot asked, she had just joined the group and was curious about it.
"No it's sadly not. I wish it was though." Deadfoot told Ashfoot about the war.
"So when do you suspect it will be over by?" Firestar asked for an estimation.
"It should be over by next June, I hope." Onewhisker told Firestar after giving a rough calculation.
"Well I hope so." Firestar responded. "Where's Tallstar?" Firestar asked Onewhisker and Deadfoot.
"He's up in the air, providing support fire for us so Patton could get the troops through and free you." Deadfoot told Firestar where their leader was. Deadfoot paused as there was a shrilling sound of something coming. "Do you hear that?" Deadfoot asked. The sound was artillery shells, raining down from the sky and onto their positions.
"INCOMING!" Ashpaw shouted, the shells began landing all around and exploding. Everyone decided to make a run for it, somewhere to hide.
"MOVE YOUR TAILS!" Whitestorm shouted, the cats continued to run in their attempt to escape. Ashpaw and Cloudtail continued to run for their lives.
"CLOUDTAIL, LET'S MOVE!" Ashpaw shouted to Cloudtail. They continued to run to the nearest foxhole.
"ASHPAW, RIGHT BEHIND YOU!" Cloudtail shouted to Ashpaw. More explosions rippled the forest as everyone scrambled to cover. "GO! GO! GO!"
"MOVE IT! MOVE IT!" Sandstorm called out. Cloudtail jumps into a nearby foxhole and is quickly followed by Ashpaw whose helmet gets dislodged. He narrowly avoids a tree that comes crashing down on top of the foxhole before he puts it back on.
"Get down!" Ashpaw shouted to Cloudtail
"Keep your head down! Stay down! Down! Keep your head down!" Cloudtail would shout. The two cats would bury their heads in the dirt to wait out the artillery barrage. And the moment it began and would seem to last for eternity, the artillery barrage came to a stop. Cloudtail and Ashpaw picked their heads up as they were thankfully unharmed. "I think it's over. Are you all right?" Cloudtail asked Ashpaw
"I'll live. They're softening us up for an attack." Ashpaw replied. Whitestorm came up as he decided to take a look around to see if everyone was alright.
"All clear! All clear! Let's go! Everybody up!" Whitestorm ordered. All the cats began to head out of the foxholes and into the open, the artillery definitely tore up the treeline and Ashpaw was right, once the artillery stopped, the Shadowclan cats were going to come.
"We need to find Firestar." Ashpaw told Cloudtail. Firestar came running to them.
"Ashpaw, Cloudtail. Thank Starclan you two are still alive." Firestar began. "Come on! Fall in on me!" He ordered, the two cats began to follow Firestar. They began to make their way to the left side of the trench to gather what was bound to happen. They met up with Fernpaw, Bramblepaw, Erica and Princess who were inspecting a cable to their radio. "The Kraut's armor is inbound and they cut our communication lines. We can't radio for help." Firestar began. Erica then remembered something.
"There is a radio in our old command post not too far from here. If I can get it working, I can call for help." Erica told the group. Princess seemed concerned.
"We'll get torn up if we dash across the field, plus I have nothing to fight Shadowclan with." Princess told Firestar that she had no means of defending herself if she got caught out.
"Here take this." Firestar handed his sister the M1A1 Carbine he had as well as eight spare magazines. "It's nice and light." Firestar mewed. Princess held the carbine and nodded. Then Whitestorm tapped Cloudtail on his shoulder.
"Hey Cloudtail, take this." Whitestorm mewed. He handed him the M1897 Trench Gun he picked up while in France. Cloudtail laughed with excitement. He turned and prepared the mad dash across the field.
"Last one in that command post is a rotten egg!" Cloudtail mewed, he leaped up from the trench line and began running to the command post. Everyone else followed as Cloudtail going by himself wasn't going to be enough.
"Cloudtail, wait for us!" Fernpaw shouted, They continued to run through the snow to the old command post. Cloudtail was the first to enter along with Erica. They found the radio which was buried under some rubble.
"Cloudtail, help me get the radio working." Erica told Cloudtail. She was pushing against some rubble so Cloudtail could extract the radio. Cloudtail slid his paws in and grabbed the radio and handed it to her. The others then arrived and began firing at Shadowclan cats that were starting to appear from the woods.
"Cloudtail, we need to protect Erica so she can get the radio working." Firestar instructed him. Cloudtail pulled out his BAR and began firing at the Shadowclan cats as it was a much more consistent way of firing. Shadowclan cats began to fall on all sides as Erica worked frantically to get the radio up and running. Cloudtail would reload the BAR and kept the firing up, he wanted to have enough ammo for later.
"Erica, is the radio working?" Ashpaw asked. He fires his M1 Garand at cats coming from the woods.
"It's almost done." Erica responded. She continued working on the radio to get it up and running.
"Keep your head down Erica." Ashpaw told her. Firestar fired his Ithaca at an incoming Shadowclan cat before pumping a new buckshot in. Finally the radio crackled after another minute.
"It's working." Erica told them. Firestar nodded and nudged Erica aside and grabbed the field phone.
"Tallstar? Tallstar? This is Firestar, Shadowclan has us pinned down and we request close air support." Firestar told Tallstar that he needed his air help.
"Firestar, this is Tallstar, we're on our way, expect us to come in ten minutes." Tallstar replied.
"We'll do everything we can until you get there." Firestar told Tallstar that they were going to hold until they got the help.
"Okay see you later." Tallstar replied. Firestar then hung up the field phone and handed the radio to Erica.
"Erica, get this to Dustpelt. We're getting out of here!" Firestar instructed her. "Everyone, fall back to the front lines." Cloudtail heard the sound and swapped the BAR for the Trench Gun, now they were going to make a run back. Cloudtail was the last to leave as he fired the Trench Gun into a Shadowclan cat and pumped the empty shell out. He fired again and repeated the action. They slid into the trench and they began debating what they were going to do next. Cloudtail was reloading his Trench gun while Firestar began to think. Erica left the scene for Dustpelt
"Get to the left flank!" Firestar instructed, they began to make a run for it to the left side of the trench line to support an attack. Shadowclan cats appeared from the trees and they continued to charge at them "More Shadowclan cats inbound!" Firestar shouted. The group then slid into the trench where Brightheart, Frostfur, Tawnypaw and Brackenfur were stationed.
"Thank Starclan you're here. We're getting constantly hit and we need replacements urgently." Brightheart told Firestar that the left flank was getting clobbered.
"More than happy to help. Fernpaw, Princess, get on that machine gun, we're going to hold this area." Firestar began to reorganize the trench. A halftrack appeared and began spraying them with the machine gun. "Halftrack incoming! Fire!" Firestar gave the order. Everyone began firing at the incoming Shadowclan cats that were trying to charge across the field. Cloudtail was helping fire away with the BAR he had to see if he could support his mother. The Halftrack then exploded unexpectedly as several Sherman tanks appeared to lend their assistance.
"Looks like we got some fire support!" Fernpaw mewed with excitement.
"Krauts are in for it now!" Cloudtail mewed along with Fernpaw as he kept firing away. Firestar knew they still needed to hold the left flank.
"We still need more support on the left flank!" Firestar called out. Suddenly, one of the Sherman tanks exploded into a ball of fire as several Shadowclan cats armed with Panzerfausts opened fire.
"PANZERFAUSTS!" Ashpaw shouted. Firestar knew that they were going to lose their tanks if they got closer to them.
"Don't let them near our tanks!" Firestar instructed them. He continued to fire his carbine as three cats armed with Panzerfausts were within killing range of their tanks. "Mouse dung! Take out those anti-tank units!" Firestar ordered. Cloudtail raised himself up and fired the BAR, killing one of the three cats instantly.
"Two more left!" Brightheart told Cloudtail while he reloaded the BAR
"Hold position here!" Bramblepaw shouted while spraying his Thompson.
"Take out those Panzerfausts!" Tawnypaw shouted. Ashpaw leaned over and fired three shots into another Shadowclan cat wielding a Panzerfaust, killing it.
"One more!" Princess mewed. Fernpaw turned the machine gun and fired away, using up the last of the belt and killing the last Shadowclan cat with a Panzerfaust.
"All clear!" Firestar mewed. Princess helped Fernpaw with loading another belt into their M1919A4. The Sherman tanks began to move up and decimate the Shadowclan cats.
"Keep on them!" Ashpaw shouted with excitement. The Shadowclan cats then began to withdraw from the area. They were happy that the lines hadn't buckled thanks to the tank support.
"The Krauts are retreating!" Bramblepaw called with excitement, hopefully they won't come back for round 2. Firestar however noticed that wasn't the case.
"Like the dark forest they are. They're not retreating, they're regrouping. Form up!" Firestar told the others to brace themselves for another attack. Princess and Fernpaw finished reloading and they braced themselves for the second wave. "Keep your eyes on that tree line. Stay alert! Krauts will be back any minute!" Firestar instructed. Princess began to observe as she spotted several Shadowclan tanks approaching them from the trees.
"Movement in the trees!" Princess called out. Firestar looked ahead to see several Shadowclan tanks approaching them and they were just as big as the ones they encountered before.
"HEAVY ARMOR!" Firestar shouted.
"We're gonna need more tanks!" Whitestorm mewed as he slid into the trench. He turned to the others and gave them the order to stay put. "Don't let them draw you out." The tanks appeared from the forest and began to fire, missing the group entirely. A Sherman tank fires, hitting one of the Shadowclan tanks with its main cannon.
"Yeah!" Ashpaw shouted, he pulled out his Bazooka and fired at the Shadowclan tank, finishing it off. The crew bailed and ran away. Then another Shadowclan tank fired and struck the Sherman, destroying that tank. "Mouse-dung!" Ashpaw shouted.
"Get ready!" Firestar gave the word to brace themselves for the next attack. "Hold your fire until the moment is just right." Firestar instructed them. "Stand your ground!" Then smoke was fired as Shadowclan was trying to hide their movement.
"Here they come! HERE THEY COME!" Cloudtail told the others as he braced for another attack.
"Hold the line!" Whitestorm gave the order. The Shadowclan cats appear from the smoke and begin their second attack. Now they really needed to hold them back despite losing more cats from the first attack and being outnumbered.
"Fire!" Firestar gave the order. The cats on the left flank began opening fire as the cats mounted their charge. Fernpaw was having the most fun as she was mowing the Shadowclan cats down with the machine gun. Cloudtail was providing support as the second wave of Shadowclan cats drew closer.
"They're killing us!" Bramblepaw shouted. He sprayed his Thompson at the incoming Shadowclan cats just to keep them at bay.
"We can't take much more of this!" Frostfur responded. She fired the M1 Garand until it pinged, she reloaded it to keep firing. Firestar was getting impatient.
"Starclan! Where's that air support?" Firestar asked. He could really use that air support by now if they were going to survive.
"No! It's looking bad!" Fernpaw mewed as the belt of ammo was shrinking rapidly. Suddenly, an explosion hits near Cloudtail and sends him into shell shock. Overhead, Tallstar's Fighter Squadron appears and flies in to provide air support. The Thunderclan, Riverclan and Windclan cats all start cheering and whooping as the fighter planes eliminate all the Shadowclan cats.
"Yeah! You see that?" Brackenfur asked, the planes circled overhead as they dropped their payload onto the ground below.
"Not a moment too close. All right!" Brightheart shouted with glee.
"I LOVE those cats!" Fernpaw shouted with excitement. The planes were going to circle around and look for any sign of red smoke so they could swoop in and attack.
"That'll teach them." Firestar mewed. He then turned to Cloudpaw and handed him containers filled with red smoke for him to use. "Throw smoke at the tanks to give our P-47s a target." Firestar instructed Cloudtail. Cloudtail grabbed and threw one of the red smoke grenades to mark the Shadowclan tanks as targets. The P-47s swoop in and bomb the tanks.
"Starclan!" Brightheart mewed while she watched the tanks explode.
"Dark forest yeah!" Ashpaw shouted with jubilation, the left flank was now secured but the right flank was being torn up next as the Shadowclan cats and tanks appeared and began attacking that position, that position was beginning to buckle."The right flank is being overrun!" Ashpaw shouted. They needed to move now or else that position was going to collapse
"Cloudtail, get to the right flank!" Princess instructed her son to get a move on, she was going to stay in this position with Brightheart.
"Everybody haul tail and regroup on me!" Firestar gave the order for everybody to move. He went first with everyone to follow behind.
"Fall in with Firestar!" Cloudtail ordered. The platoon assembled with Firestar over at the right flank. Erica and Dustpelt had the radio and Firestar turned to Cloudtail.
"Cloudtail, tell me that the radio still works!" Firestar gave the order, the others began firing away to keep Shadowclan at bay. Cloudtail called out into the radio to give it a test and he was able to hear Tallstar's voice.
"Affirmative!" Cloudtail responded. Firestar nodded as they had a means of communication now.
"Call in an airstrike on those tanks!" Firestar ordered Cloudtail. Cloudtail hesitated for a moment. Firestar was wondering what was holding Cloudtail up.
"They're inside the safety line!" Cloudtail responded. He didn't want friendly fire on their own troops as Shadowclan cats were getting closer. Firestar took the phone and began telling Tallstar.
"Bring it where I tell you! Krauts are exposed!" Firestar told Tallstar. He wanted these Shadowclan cats blown up.
"It's too close!" Cloudtail protested. Firestar ignored his nephew's pleas but he wanted Shadowclan out of this area of the front.
"Give it to me." Tallstar told Firestar. Firestar began to read the coordinates.
"Talsltar, we need immediate air support to Nine, uh...what are our coordinates?" Firestar asked. "What are they Cloudtail?" Firestar asked Cloudtail.
"9, 1, 3, 8, 2, 0." Cloudtail mewed out the coordinate numbers to Firestar. Firestar nodded.
"9, 1, 3, 8, 2, 0. Go!" Firestar mewed to Tallstar. He then turned to Cloudtail and the others. "GET TO COVER!" Firestar shouted. Cloudtail and the others began to run to their fox holes as Tallstar was bound to start bombarding the right side of the trenches.
"Firestar's insane." Ashpaw began as they ran for cover. "This way Cloudtail! Firestar's going to blow us all up!" Ashpaw continued to run with Cloudtail. Explosions began happening behind them as Thunderclan scrambled to cover. "Move it! Tallstar's gonna rain! Dark Forest!" Ashpaw shouted. Ashpaw slides into a foxhole where Brightheart and Fernpaw were, an explosion knocks Cloudtail off his paws and sends him into shell shock. He quickly recovered and he began to crawl forward to the same foxhole as Ashpaw.
"Come on, Cloudtail! Hurry! Get in here!" Ashpaw shouted. He noticed something was off with his friend who was slowly crawling to them. "Cloudtail! Mouse-dung, you all right?" Ashpaw asked his friend. Ashpaw reaches out with his paw and Cloudtail grabs it, helping him into the foxhole. Cloudtail fully recovered from his shell shock.
"Give me your pistol!" Cloudtail told Ashpaw.
"We're out of time!" Fernpaw told Cloudtail. Ashpaw gave Cloudtail his M1911 as Cloudtail got out his Webley Mark VI.
"The krauts are charging!" Brightheart called out. Cloudtail pointed the pistols, one in each paw and he began to shoot the incoming Shadowclan cats. He kills four of them as the pistols run out of ammo quickly. The P-47's arrive once more to finish the job.
"Our P-47s are here! Get down!" Cloudtail instructed, the all duck down as the P-47's begin their bombing run of the area, the sheer explosions, decimate the Shadowclan cats but it knocks Cloudtail unconscious. Sometime later, Cloudtail wakes up and looks up at the sky overhead where the planes are flying. Ashpaw comes into view.
"Is everyone all right?" Firestar asked the group if the group was fine. Cloudtail rolled off the dirt and into the snow and began to speak.
"Ask me after my ears stop ringing." Fernpaw responded. Cloudtail rolled to see Brightheart laying in the snow too but she was alive and well
"I can't feel my paw." Brightheart mewed.
"That's because I'm sitting on it." Fernpaw replied. Fernpaw got up followed by the others. And they breathed a sigh of relief. Princess came over as her front leg had been bandaged up by Cinderpelt.
"Yeah I got scratched by something, must've been when those bombs came in." Princess told Firestar as she felt a little dizzy.
"You did all right." Firestar told Princess. Erica came over as she wanted to see how everyone else was doing.
"Oh, thank Starclan." Princess replied. Erica turned to see Cloudtail as she had a question for him.
"Question for you, Corporal. Has Darkstripe lost his mouse-brained mind?" Erica began. Cloudtail didn't interact much with Darkstripe so he didn't know how to answer it.
"That's above my pay grade." Cloudtail told Erica. Erica nodded.
"Well not only did he poison Anna, Cinderpelt also told me that Sorrelkit has been poisoned by Darkstripe as she wasn't feeling her best." Erica told the group. The others gasped, someone else has beens struck and they knew it was Darkstripe that was behind this. Darkstripe came along as he was escorting some Shadowclan prisoners.
"He'll probably get a medal for it." Ashpaw told Erica.
"Well, that wasn't so bad?" Darkstripe asked with a smile on his muzzle. The others weren't smiling about it but they needed to do something.
"We're all lucky to be alive." Cloudtail replied. Darkstripe then gave Cloudtail his orders.
"For now. Cloudtail, take those Krauts to processing." Darkstripe told Cloudtail to take the prisoners for some processing and questioning on what they knew.
"Yes, Darkstripe." Cloudtail responded. Darkstripe walked past Cloudtail without even looking at him.
"And be quick about it." Darkstripe responded in a very dark manner. This made the group worried.
"I've seen that look before. It was right before Kasserine. Darkstripe has been Tigerstar's loyal follower and I sense something bad is about to happen. We're on our own." Firestar told the group as he was beginning to get worried, now they needed to figure out what Darkstripe has been hiding.
[A/N]: Powering on through. I still have a couple of weeks to get this fic done before vacation time. What could Darkstripe be hiding from Firestar. Next chapter will be the definite answer to this question.