Chapter 18: The Battle of the Warrior Code

Beaverclaw watch stunned as Sparrowpaw runs away from her. Then again she thought, 'I did approach him with my claws unsheathed and he probably assumed that I was coming over to kill him,' But it still hurt. Stripewing pinned her down, "How could you Beaverclaw! Attacking the new code like this and on a full moon when the clans have a truce!" Beaverclaw spat, "I don't see Starclan covering the clouds. Maybe they think we should fight for which path to take forward instead of them deciding for us!" Stripewing pushed her paws on her throat, "I thought you were my friend Beaverclaw, but you couldn't tell me what you thought about the change! Friends tell each other what they think, even if they disagree!"

Stripewing's force against her throat lifted, Beaverclaw got up and saw Moonscar swiping her with his claws. Beaverclaw heard a yowl, and saw Sanddust going towards Swiftwind. She raced to Swiftwind and stood in front of her. "Sanddust what are you doing! Swiftwind is a part of our rebellion!" "No she's not. She told Duskspirit about our plans!" Beaverclaw tensed, there was no evidence that Swiftwind betrayed them. "There's no evidence that she did that!" Beaverclaw hissed. Sanddust looked away, was that shame in his brown eyes. But before Beaverclaw got a better look he stalked off.

"Thanks for sticking up for me," Swiftwind purred, "No problem," Beaverclaw whisked away before Swiftwind could mew anything else. She attacked a tom with a thrush like pelt. Thrushheart! Beaverclaw thought in surprise as the tom tried to break free from her grasp. Eventually he fell limp and Beaverclaw worried, 'Did I kill him?' She let go and Thrushheart got up and swiped his paw at her. She ducked and swiped at his face. Thrushheart ducked too slowly so her claws hit his cheek. Blood spilled onto the snowy ground and Thrushheart with his blue eye showed rage. Beaverclaw tried to pin him, but Thrushheart landed on his back and kicked her with his hind legs, sending her over him. Beaverclaw landed on her paws and spun around ready for Thrushheart to attack her again. This time Thrusheart crouched down low and growled, "Come at me Beaverclaw," Beaverclaw crouched low and swiped her forepaw at him, he moved his muzzle and her claws hit air. She prowled to his side and bit his shoulder, her paws clinging to his fur. Thrushheart tried to bite her, but Beaverclaw was so far away from his muzzle that he bit air instead of her. She continued to gnaw at his shoulder, when Beaverclaw was hit with claws. She let go of Thrushheart, ready to face her new enemy. A white and gray cat stood over her, muscles rippling underneath her fur. She recognized the cat as Ivypool, deputy of Thunderclan. Beaverclaw snarled as Ivypool jumped at her. Beaverclaw ducked and turned around to face the deputy of Thunderclan. Suddenly a yowl sliced through the air. Beaverclaw whipped around, only to see that the new code supporters had won. Most of her clanmates that opposed the code were wounded badly and tended too at the Great Oak, while many new code supporters are standing valiantly in the clearing. How could they have failed? Tigerstar leapt up onto the branch of the Great Oak that outlooks all the cats in the clearing, "Each clan has fought, and the new code is victorious! While I understand why my cats did this, they still must be punished. From now on all warriors and apprentices who took part in fighting for the old code will be watched constantly and be assigned to do apprentice duties for six moons and if we that we can trust them we will lift the punishment, but if not the punishment will continue for another six moons and so forth. Does every clan agree!" Everycat that won this battle yowled their agreement.

Something left Beaverclaw in that moment but couldn't tell what it was, but a feeling of relief washed through her as the thing continued to leave. Now her and her clanmates had to work to understand this new code. Beaverclaw vowed that she would try her hardest to believe that the new code had won for a reason and that she would try to understand its rules.