Tawnypaw woke up the next morning as she felt really groggy. She looked to see what was going on as she scanned the horizon. Rosepetal's exile was hard on the clan but they knew it was for the better. So all their heads were turning to deal with the last threat that was heading their way, Briarstar. She padded out of the Nursery as was heading to where Rowanstar wanted to speak with her as for looking for the traitors that were still roaming around Windclan.
"Tawnypaw I want to make you useful one last time before you go into the nursery." Rowanstar mewed.
"Why? I want the kits to live." Tawnypaw protested. She didn't want Rowanstar to harm her kits as she was getting closer to kit.
"I know but it's important. I want you to help gather the cats of Windclan to drive out Briarstar, Rosepetal might be hiding something that until recently we didn't know about. Therefore I'm sending you and the apprentices we have to find the traitors and convince them to drive out Briarstar, once that's done, we'll talk about what we will do with Ravenstar and Riverclan then. I will send two patrols out one to deal with Skyclan and the other to assist you Tawnypaw." Rowanstar responded. He looked away as he began to think. He was deciding who to send with Tawnypaw as she was still standing there waiting for a response. "Will you be fine if I send Jaypaw, Berrypaw, Ripplepaw and Riverclan apprentice Singingpaw?"
"I promise we will be fine but we accept." Tawnypaw responded.
"Okay I will send you out first; I will decide which cats will be going where to push out the clans from Riverclan territory." Rowanstar responded. Tawnypaw soon padded away as she went to round up the other apprentices.
It was still raining since the apprentices left the camp but it wasn't as hard as before but the ground remained very muddy. The cats continued to pad along the soft ground knowing that it would give away at any moment so they made sure to move slowly. Soon the apprentices were on the very border of Windclan territory when they saw a cat pad up to them from the rain.
"It must be the enemy! Let's attack!" Singingpaw mewed as she tensed up as she was ready to spring.
"Calm down Singingpaw, This might not be the enemy. We might want to talk to it first." Tawnypaw reassured her, urging Singingpaw to take it easy before the situation would escalate. They waited as the stranger cat was still padding up to them. She soon stopped staring at the apprentices. Her eyes bowed as she was somber. Was this all Rowanstar had sent out. There was simply no way a bunch of traitors and apprentices would get rid of Briarstar. But to their relief, it was a traitor cat not a true windclan cat.
"I see that this is what you sent out to help us to drive away that mangy old leader from ruining the clan. The name is Meadowflower." Meadowflower mewed as her voice began to warm up to the cold and wet apprentices. Mud had clung to their paws as they were waiting for a response.
"I'm Tawnypaw and these are my apprentices, Berrypaw, Jaypaw, Ripplepaw and Singingpaw." Tawnypaw mewed as she was shivering in the rain. She was thinking about the warm den in the Nursery where Frostcloud and Tulipleaf were stationed to keep them warm. The rain continued to slash at them.
"You apprentice's look cold, follow me, I will find somewhere to keep you warm." Meadowflower mewed. They all began to follow her as they knew they needed somewhere to stay dry until the rain passes. The rain was slowly lifting as they padded along with the stranger.
They soon reached the swamp as they were soon taken shelter in an abandoned badger den. The rain was still slashing at them as they were wondering when it was going to end. Meadowflower had left to go find the other Windclan cats as they were waiting in their den as they were licking themselves dry.
"Why would she be keeping us in the swamp, it's the most dangerous part of the territory." Singingpaw mewed.
"We've been hearing info that Windclan traitors are being kept here so she is rounding up all the cats that are willing to help." Tawnypaw mewed. She was busy licking her pelt dry from the rain.
"What if something happens to us?" Ripplepaw mewed nervously as she huddled in the den waiting for the patrol to come to their aid.
"We will be fine, I promise you." Tawnypaw responded. She soon began to sniff the air as she began to pick up all kinds of scent then she smelt something that seemed too familiar to her. "A patrol must be coming; they will be here to help."
The patrol was being led by Crowstorm, Toadleap, Sorrelfoot, Poppyspots, Beestripe and Mossfang as they went to clear out Briarstar as they were given the toughest task.
"Tawnypaw, what are you doing out here? Shouldn't you be in the nursery where you and your kits could be safe?" Crowstorm mewed with shock. Rowanstar made another mistake.
"Rowanstar sent me out here with the other apprentices. We're waiting on Meadowflower to return with the said windclan traitors." Tawnypaw mewed. She felt she wasn't being told by Crowstorm.
"So Rowanstar is making bad decisions again, I don't know how I can reason with that old tom." Crowstorm mewed as he felt somber.
"How many lives does Rowanstar have left?" Tawnypaw mewed out of curiosity.
"Only one. He lost his eighth life 30 moons ago from greencough. I swear he is going to lose his last life any day now. We barely got through the leaf bare thanks to Pebblestar who took in shelter when Tulipleaf was stranded with the kits. And you were barely saved from Greencough. I had faith in you that you would overcome all the odds and lead our clan one day but Yewberry has caused you to sidetrack." Crowstorm mewed. The black and white tom was on the verge of breaking down as he cared for his apprentice a lot more than his leader. "Please come back with us to the Nursery, Frostcloud needs you."
"I will but I made a promise to my clan first then I would be able to rest with my kits." Tawnypaw mewed to Crowstorm. Soon some rustling came from the bushes as Meadowflower soon returned. With her were some of the traitors she had gathered.
"Okay I have gathered some of the cats I have known for a long time so they will be helping us. The first cat over here is Lightpool, and to my right is her mate and my close friend Sunfang, and their three kits: Shadepaw, Whisperpaw, and Spottedpaw."
"It is an honor you will be helping us." Poppyspots mewed as she was relieved to have a cat help them out let alone 5 more.
"I know, we are praying for the old days of Windclan. We were feared for our speed and agility as we were good at hunting birds and hares. Nowadays, we are feared for bloodlust. I am sick of Briarstar trying to take over the clans in one season. Her cats are starving and they are slowly dying because of her, we're only doing a little better here than in her clan. We would like the help of getting rid of her." Sunfang mewed. He was still thinking about the days of old Windclan. "We are falling apart."
"So let me get this straight, you want us to help get rid of your leader then we'll swoop in and set things right? I feel like this is suicide." Sorrelfoot admitted. He was nervous about attacking them.
"Windclan is rebelling against her, She could only trust the few warriors she has, if we can roll the sticks correctly, we will have an easy victory against her." Lightpool mewed. They began to plan on how they were going to get in but one question still remained.
"How was she able to attack Thunderclan?" Toadleap asked as he was still curious about the battle they recently had.
"They were helped with a Thunderclan cat named Rosepetal." Lightpool mewed. All the cats froze knowing that she was behind this the entire time.
"How?" Berrypaw asked as he was itching for a fight.
"Briarstar had trusted Rosepetal since she is a Half-clan cat. Her father is the Windclan deputy, a fierce Briarstar follower. He taught her everything she needed to know. She even began to curse out cats and attack them for not following Briarstar. She always had a look of suspicion. Her father also allowed her to be plucked with as many toms as possible as she bore them many kits. Rowanstar picked up on this and she wasn't letting her clan have them since she was giving them all to Windclan her last two kits, Daisykit and Yewkit remained part of Thunderclan." Sunfang responded as he told everything he knew about the troublesome she-cat. Tawnypaw began thinking about Daisyflower and Yewberry as they were her kits. "Yewkit always wanted to be like the Windclan deputy so Rosepetal spoiled him rotten, the two cats had their ceremonies delayed until recently since they kept breaking the rules. Rosepetal even threatened to kill Rowanstar if her apprentice didn't become a warrior. Daisykit remained loyal to Thunderclan even going against what her mother always told her. She even befriended several Thunderclan cats when she was an apprentice but Yewkit always kept getting himself into heaps of trouble. Sneering at other thunderclan cats and most importantly, plucking many she-cats, the most recent plucking incident that we heard that happened was Tawnypaw." All the cats gasped as they knew that Tawnypaw was already expecting his kits.
"I have a plan on how we can get them all out of their dens." Lightpool mewed. "Let's say we captured her then we'll raise the battle cry and you will flood in and begin fighting, we out number Briarstar 6 to 1."
"So you agreed to be the bait?" Crowstorm mewed.
"Of course I will." Meadowflower responded.
A while later, the rain had stopped but all the traitorous cats had been gathering as they were ready to spring the trap to drive out Briarstar, the stench of their camp stank.
"What is that stink?" Jaypaw asked. Her black tail covering her nose.
"Windclan has been eating junk for moons. Even with all the territory gained, Briarstar only feeds her elite warriors while we are eating their scraps." Sunfang responded.
"You hide in those toadstools; it will disguise your scent. Wait for our yowl and you will flood in. and drive out Briarstar." Meadowflower ordered. The cats soon huddled into the toadstools as the cats kicked Meadowflower into their camp.
"Move it prisoner." Sunfang ordered. Briarstar looked over as she saw the five cats with the prisoner.
"Good job you five; you managed to redeem your traitorous acts." Briarstar mewed. She looked down to Meadowflower who was in fear but she knew she was only acting. "You know your time is up you sore traitor. Your days of defiance will soon be over. Any last words?" Meadowflower just laughed as the cats began to surround her as if she was serious. Soon she lead out a loud piercing yowl, signaling the cats outside of the camp. Briarstar looked around as she thought Meadowflower's last words were a yowl.
"Thunderclan attack!" Crowstorm ordered. The cats leaped out from their positions as they all landed onto Briarstar and her followers digging their claws into them. The rest of Windclan soon joined as they attacked her followers. The apprentices rushed in from the entrance blocking it off making sure the cats don't escape. The cats that were still loyal to Briarstar were caught completely by surprise as they were simply outnumbered and cut off from any help.
After a short battle upon which the appremtices didn't do much but block the exit, so the cats could escape. The seven cats were soon surrendered with their tails up.
"You have ruined Windclan for all of us!" One cat cried out.
"We aren't loyal to you anymore, come back and we will have your fur between our claws." Another warrior called out.
"You are worse than Brokenstar. You murdered kits!" Lightpool hissed.
"Next time you come back we will cut you open and string you up with your intestines!" A windclan apprentice threatened.
"We will attack again and regain control, and we will come back stronger than ever." Briarstar snickered as she vowed to get her revenge on the clans.
"We doubt that very much. Now leave!" Sunfang threatened as he was ready to give Briarstar a second thrashing.
"All right we will leave; you won't last if we weren't around." Briarstar hissed. Briarstar, her deputy and her few elite warriors soon left.
"It's a good thing they are gone." Toadleap admitted. He was exhausted from the brief fighting.
"Yeah but Windclan has no deputy or leader." Crowstorm mewed as he realized the problem.
"We know." Sunfang mewed. "It is going to take us some time for us to get a new leader. We'll also let us have free claim of territory for the next moon until your clan recovers."
"We know. We should let you decide until the next gathering. So choose wisely and yes but for only a moon." Crowstorm mewed. He soon led everyone away as they went away as they went home. When they got home, they were deciding on what happened.
"Is she gone?" Rowanstar asked.
"Yes she's gone; Windclan is in chaos without a leader and deputy." Featherfur mewed as she was back from fighting skyclan.
"And how much work did Tawnypaw do?" Rowanstar asked Crowstorm.
"All she did was find the traitors and we got some info about them. I wouldn't let her fight though." Crowstorm mewed telling them about what happened.
"You should have let her fight." Rowanstar hissed. He soon turned and walked back to his den.
"But she's expecting kits how should I let her fight." Crowstorm responded. Rowanstar completely ignored him. The next moon was going to be a bumpy ride ahead.
[A/N]: Sorry this took so long since my mother turned 48 this weekend and I wanted to celebrate with her. Snow also fell which canceled school for today which was fortunate since it gave me time to work on this and Moonkitti is turning 26 tomorrow. I want to send her presents but I feel like the updated Warrior's Wiki was her present I felt. Also I would also like to include FeatherShade into this since I feel like that user has helped me a bit when it comes getting the plot together as well as Birdflame. Keep reading and reviewing since I am really enjoying the traffic I'm receiving, cheers.