The moon shone brightly overhead bands peaking through the leaves in trees. The leaves rustled the branches as the wind breezed through them and small critters bounced through the branches. A mouse stiffened from its place by the roots of a tree and darted for its den under the roots. The tortoiseshell tom stiffened, resisting the urge to chase it. That wasn't the reason they were here. His claws sank into the soft dirt beneath his paws and his mind refocused.
"Redtail."
He turned his head and smiled a bit as a brown tom with gentle green eyes approached him, uncharacteristically serious but still somehow radiating peace. Leaf green eyes scanned the area as Redtail addressed him.
"Thrushpelt. You seem concerned?"
"A little," he agreed. "It's not like RiverClan to become so arrogant- usually ShadowClan are the ones scenting taken territory like a skunk with spray problems."
Redtail suppressed a snicker and instead nodded.
"Yes but remember- RiverClan has always been needlessly obsessed about Sunningrocks."
Thrushpelt showed a rare scowl, "What's their problem? We need Sunningrocks for prey. To survive. The sun is just a bonus and what do they want it for? Lounging."
"Sunningrocks will always be the subject of disagreement in ThunderClan and RiverClan," Redtail sighed. "I'm amazed you didn't go on to become a diplomat."
"I know I like to talk but not that much."
Redtail chuckled and sent his friend off to check in on the rest of their patrol that consisted of himself, Thrushpelt, Longtail, Mousefur and Tigerclaw as they waited for the inevitable appearance of a late RiverClan patrol.
Those damn fish with fur were leaving their scent all over Sunningrocks. Redtail could barely tell it was ThunderClan land sometimes the way RiverClan had it stinking. He hoped Bluestar confronted Stormstar about this at the next Gathering because it was far past insulting at this point. Sweetsoul be with him, RiverClan would learn their lesson. Tigerclaw alone would force them to regret their trespassing and Mousefur's ferocity would push them back.
"Redtail."
He glanced over at a tensing Tigerclaw and got the acrid scent of fish right before the huge tabby growled it, "They're here."
Redtail's eyes narrowed as a silvery tom appeared on the edge of the rocks with four other cats with him. His teeth peeled back and he growled quietly but stayed crouched letting them approach. He blocked Tigerclaw from springing out of the bushes when the RiverClan cats began scent marking the rocks
"Hurry it up," the silver cat snapped. "The ThunderClan night patrol should be on their way."
"Why are we running from ThunderClan?" complained an apprentice as he rubbed his cheek against one of the few trees surrounding Sunningrocks.
"We aren't running from them Rushpaw," the silver cat told him. "But if we want to make a statement, we need these rocks marked strongly everytime ThunderClan so much as coughs this way. Stormstar will thank us for taking initiative if we get Sunningrocks from those overgrown squirrels."
So it was an intentional act, Redtail thought furiously.
Redtail got his patrol's attention and lowered his tail to just above the ground with a wide sweep. Tigerclaw grinned and led Longtail and Mousefur around to get behind the RiverClan patrol as Redtail led Thrushpelt through the bushes in the direction most of the RiverClan warriors were facing. Tigerclaw's amber eyes glinted in the bushes drawing the attention of Rushpaw.
Redtail nodded firmly and Tigerclaw surged from the bushes with Longtail and Mousefur grabbed the closest warrior to him, slamming him to the ground with a, "ThunderClan! Attack!"
Mousefur slipped out from behind Tigerclaw grabbing Rushpaw by the scruff and with an impressive heave, flung him several fox lengths away where he smacked into a rock. The apprentice coughed and shook his head and backed away. Mousefur pressed him, swiping at the apprentice until he ran off in the direction of the river. Mousefur didn't chase him and instead rejoined the battle.
The silver tom finally recovered from the assault, yelping a late, "Ambush!" which Redtail promptly flung himself from the bushes on the spot, Thrushpelt hot on heels. Redtail gripped the silver tom's shoulder, rolling down the rocks and smacking him into the ground. The tom scrambles beneath him, clawing at Redtail, hissing and biting. Redtail lashed out his claws tears through the delicate, soft skin of the tom's ear stopping above his brow. The tom flinched as Redtail snarled.
"Tell Stormstar that ThunderClan territory will be defended against all enemies and that any more trespassing will be met with severe consequences."
He sank his claws into the tom's shoulders to emphasise his point and the tom yowled in pain before Redtail released him. The RiverClan warrior took off as fast as his paws could carry him past Redtail aiming for the river. Redtail smirked, ready to call this a victory for his patrol only to freeze in horror as Tigerclaw held down the second apprentice while shredding the soft skin on his belly.
"Tigerclaw!" Redtail yelled racing over. He shoved the larger tom as hard as he could- he knew Tigerclaw wouldn't budge if he really didn't want to but Tigerclaw allowed himself to be pushed off."What are you doing?!"
"Sending a message," the tabby tom informed, smacking the apprentice struggling to get on his paws in the head. The apprentice staggered from the blow flopping over as Tigerclaw added, "he won't let even shed hair of his touch our territory."
"He's an apprentice," Redtail hissed. He grabbed the apprentice by the scruff and half carried, half dragged him the rest of the way to the river. His mentor was standing by the edge, bleeding from the wound Redtail left him with eyes fixed on his apprentice with horror.
Redtail dropped him.
"Take him home and stay out of our territory," he said as sternly as he could trying to hide the worry he felt for the small apprentice. The way the RiverClan warrior cautiously picked up his apprentice, he thinks he succeeded. Redtail turned his back to the tom and walked back to his patrol. He stared Tigerclaw down, watching his warrior become agitated before breaking eye contact and looking away.
Satisfied, Redtail looked to the rest of the patrol.
"Let's head home."
"Owww," Thrushpelt hissed.
Spottedleaf chuckled, "Don't get dragged through a bracken bush next time."
"I wasn't dragged," Thrushpelt protested good-naturedly. "I did the dragging."
"Then maybe you should stay out of bracken bushes."
"Yeah, yeah," he gruffed good naturedly.
She thanked her late mentor for the ingenus idea with catchweed as Thrushpelt shifted around, almost rubbing away her hard work instantly. She gave a quick glance at an antsy Tigerclaw making note of what he'll probably need. A cut on his nose and maybe some cobwebs on his ear but ultimately it appeared that the russet tabby tom had escaped the battle unscathed. Spottedleaf finished placing the catchweed over the dock leaf poultice and nudged his shoulder with her paw.
"There all done- now most of these are minor but you shouldn't be doing Dawn Patrol for a sunrise or two," she informed him.
"You won't hear me complaining about less Dawn Patrol," Thrushpelt said with a grin. Spottedleaf chuckled and moved over to Tigerclaw. As she suspected, the warrior was mostly un-injured- likely, his thick coat had stopped any non-sparked claws from reaching any soft skin. She started cobwebbing his ear while Thrushpelt started stretching the stiffness from his body. As he got to his paws, shaking the dust from his pelt, he noted an approaching cat and instantly darted over.
"Hi Bluestar," he purred, bumping his head against her shoulder.
"Hello," she purred back warmly. "How was the battle?"
Thrushpelt straightened up, "Didn't Redtail give you the report?"
"He did," she acknowledged. "But I would like another perspective."
Spottedleaf finished chewing a second poultice while Thrushpelt and then Tigerclaw recapped their battle. She patted dock down on the cut on his nose and refocused her attention on his paws. She poked and prodded before murmuring a suggestion to visit Treesoul's Ravine and see about shortening his claws a bit again. He shook his head and Spottedleaf suppressed a sigh knowing he would once again ignore her advice.
As Tigerclaw finished his report, Bluestar stayed quiet for a moment digesting this information. Then she looked up.
"I was hoping that you had learned to control yourself Tigerclaw," she admonished. "You were unnecessarily aggressive with that apprentice- something Stormstar will undoubtedly use to try to bargain for Sunningrocks once more."
"But-"
"You've been warned about your strength in the past," Bluestar interrupted him sternly. "And until you've learned to control your strength, you will not have an apprentice."
"What?" gasped Tigerstar with horror. "But I-"
"If you can't even control your strength against an enemy apprentice, why would I give you one of your own? One who will look to you as a father and guardian?"
Tigerstar glanced down at his paws.
"Maybe once the next round of apprentices are ready to be trained I'll allow it. But for now, I'll be looking elsewhere."
Spottedleaf winced. Though fair, Bluestar never shied away from publicly scolding her warriors if their crimes were bad enough. Still, it was embarrassing and no cat wanted to be scolded in front of others. Tigerclaw averted his eyes and bowed his head even as Spottedleaf watched him sink his claws into the dirt.
"Still," Bluestar mused. "It's unlike RiverClan to be so aggressive."
"Without their leader's permission it seems," Thrushpelt added. "We heard one of the warriors saying something that implied Stormstar doesn't know what his warriors are up to."
"A civil war?" Bluestar meowed with concern. "Do you think RiverClan may be at war with itself?"
"They've never shown signs of it," Tigerclaw mumbled, clearly still stinging about his apprentice chances. "But it's possible that Stormstar only brings loyalists."
"Spottedleaf, has StarClan sent us any sign about the possibility of a civil war? And if it'll bleed over into ThunderClan?"
The tortie shook her head, "No, StarClan has been rather quiet recently."
"Keep an eye out then I-"
"Bluestar!"
They all looked up to see Redtail poking his head in. His fur was bristled and his pupils shrunken with fear as he said, "There's a Moon Bat."
Spottedleaf felt her fur stand on end as she, Bluestar, Thrushpelt and Tigerclaw crept from her den and out into the main clearing. The moonlight was mostly concealed by clouds that she was sure hadn't been there to begin with. A single breach in the cloud-cover left a beam of light spotlighted on a large white bat with black eyes staring intently at her. The rest of the clan was surrounding the bat, glancing up at Spottedleaf as she approached. She took a deep breath and stepped into the pool of light with the bat.
It flew up and sank its teeth into her neck, clinging to her chest and Spottedleaf allowed the chilly, and stiff feeling of the dead to enter her body and let StarClan speak.
Bluestar watched on, bristled and afraid with the rest of the clan. Spottedleaf had stayed stiff and still for so long they were starting to worry that she'd died. Only when dawn came and the sky began to turn orange did the change finish.
Spottedleaf's pupils seemed to grow and fully encompass her eyes, twinkling stars appearing in their depth. It seemed like fog began leaking from her nose, her mouth and ears- the fog flowed until it touched the paws of every cat in the clearing and by Spottedleaf it formed the shape of a cat. The rising sunlight made the cat shaped fog turn a burning orange.
Spottedleaf turned slowly, jerkily until she was facing Bluestar and looked her in the eyes.
And suddenly everything was on fire.
Bluestar couldn't break her gaze, even as she felt the heat of the flames licking at her legs, tail and stomach. Her eyes burned but she couldn't look away. Spottedleaf spoke with the voices of many;
"First it will be a flicker, a mere ember on grass. With nurturement it will grow. Through wind it will be flamed. In the shadows, it will shine brighter. Water will not suffocate it and it will scorch this land. Should you tame this enferno, learn its warmth, walk in its embers then blaze of its fire will save our clan."
Spottedleaf lapped weakly at the soaked moss Sandpaw offered to her, "Thank you."
Sandpaw nodded stiffly, fur bushed out and darted off rapidly, almost knocking over a concerned looking Bluestar. A twinge of sadness entered her heart- most of the apprentices and kits had been thoroughly alarmed by the prophecy at sunrise. True prophecies could be terrifying for very young kits or apprentices.
And even fully grown warriors, she noted to herself remember the way Tigerclaw had regarded her with fear directly after.
After she'd given her prophecy, the Moon Bat had detached itself from her chest, the fog evaporated and she'd collapsed in exhaustion. Redtail and Bluestar had raced over to her and carried her to her nest in the medicine cat den. Redtail had refused to leave her side and Thrushpelt had given out orders for the dawn and morning hunting patrols.
"Are you alright?" Bluestar asked, laying down to begin licking between her ears.
Spottedleaf sighed in content and purred softly. It was nice being taken care of.
"I'm fine Bluestar, just tired."
"It's getting closer," Redtail murmured. "That's what that means right? When the prophecy becomes that intense, it's near."
"Yes," agreed Spottedleaf. "If a prophecy becomes that intense, it means that it's close. And that it's a big one."
"Bluestar, what was then the end of it again?"
"The blaze of its fire will save our clan," the leader recited. "I think StarClan has been indulging on catmint."
"How could fire possibly save our clan?" Redtail asked aloud.
"Fire is likely not an actual flame," Spottedleaf murmured. "But rather, a cat who is like a flame."
"And if that's true, then who is the Fire?"
"You already know who it is."
The three cats looked up to Tigerclaw as he pushed a pair of rabbits to them so they could eat. Spottedleaf sighed internally.
"Tigerclaw-"
"I was there when you received the first one!" he interrupted. "Thistleclaw said it himself! My coat is that of a flame!"
"You shouldn't believe everything Thisteclaw said," Spottedleaf said, an edge of hostility creeping into her voice.
"I am the prophecy! I am the Fire!" snarled Tigerclaw.
Redtail bristled and leapt to his paws extending his claws. He stared down the larger warrior, daring him to attack his sister. Tigerclaw's tail lashed aggressively but he made no attempt to attack the medicine cat, instead sinking his long claws into the earth and Spottedleaf lamented to herself about all of the work she'll have to do filling in the various spaces that had been clawed up.
"You're not the Fire," Spottedleaf said as gently as she could. She cursed Thistleclaw once more- even in his death he caused nothing but trouble. "StarClan says you'll leave a lasting impact all the same."
"I am the fire," he insisted. "How could I not be? My fur is red like fire, I have the stripes of TigerClan and the long claws of their fiercest warriors. Why would I have them if StarClan hadn't intended me to be great?"
"I don't know everything Tigerclaw-"
"Clearly. Because I am the Fire! I will save this clan, and bring it to greatness! I was gifted, blessed by StarClan and born of a mother who was blessed with the markings of a LeopardClan warrior! I am the fire and you won't stop me from reaching my destiny!"
Spottedleaf sighed again, this time aloud as he stormed off and stalked away, his thick tail swept the ground aggressively and sent stones and dust flying. The dying rays of light as the sun set yet again, this time striking Tigerclaw's coat turning it artery red, as if there was blood dripping from his pelt. He sat beside Darkstripe and Longtail, frustrated. His two friends comforted him, soothing their friend.
An image flickered into her head.
A large tom made dripping blood standing upon a pile of bones while screaming and calling for followers of the Chosen One to stand before him, at the base of his throne made of the pelts of dead and dying cats. Blood oozed from the pile of bones and cats wailed in despair and horror, begging, pleading for their Chosen One to stop, to end their suffering.
A smaller cat at the base was made of flame, glaring up with eyes of defiance as fire ripped across the clearing.
Spottedleaf shook the vision from her head.
"I cannot stop you from reaching your destiny Tigerclaw. But I wish I could."
