A/N
Pix: We'll hi again!
Hawkpool: Yesssssssss, HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Pix: Ignore her, she drank all my soda…
Jaytalon, Thornsnag: *back away slowly*
Hawkpool: *laughs crazily, holding a mangled mouse*
"Hawkpool! Dawn patrol!" The white chested she cat heard Pebbletail call cheerfully. Hawkpool groaned, giving her chest a lick and she trotted out sleepily. The grey tabby mottled tom wore a huge grin, his amber eyes shining at Hawkpool.
As they trotted, they trekked along the WindClan border.
"S-so," Pebbletail began, "I, um, like your eyes."
Hawkpool froze, grinding her teeth together. "Well, my teeth are about to like you very much." Hawkpool growled, lashing her tail.
Pebbletail flicked his ears. "How about a nice walk at sunset?"
Hawkpool groaned. "Sure, but the only place I'll be walking, is in your dreams."
"Would you two lovebirds shut it?" Weaselclaw growled. Hawkpool bore her fangs. "I am not his lovebird!"
Pebbletail purred. "Ah, it won't be so bad… I'm all catmint, honey." Hawkpool felt sick. He is not a good flirter.
A hiss and a familiar squeak caught Hawkpool's attention. "Out of our territory!" Troutpaw growled, lashing a paw out at a silvery she cat.
"No! Stop!" Hawkpool threw herself in front of Troutpaw.
"She's a queen, can you not see her kits?" Hawkpool said, flicking her tail to a white kit and a white and blue-grey kit. Troutpaw looked ashamed. Greywillow, Troutpaw's mentor gave Hawkpool a stern glare.
"This WindClan scum is trespassing." Greywillow snarled. Hawkpool frantically shook her head. "No, no, no, she's not WindClan." Hawkpool smiled at the queen warmly. "She's ShadowClan, and her name is Willowleap."
A/N
Pix: HAHA, CLIFFHANGER
Hawkpool: You're not ending there, right?
Pix: Lol, no! Keep reading!
"Okay, Shypaw, do you think you're ready for your first assessment?" Scarface circled the silver and grey she cat. Shypaw nodded meekly. "Then go on. Pinewhisker and I will be watching."
Shypaw darted off, then glancing around a few times, headed off in the direction of ShadowClan. Leaning down into a crouch, Shypaw spotted a lizard. Must've strayed from ShadowClan…
Taking a few quiet steps, Shypaw lunged forward, nimbly grabbing it with her paw. "Easy-peasy." Shypaw buried, then lifted her nose in the air, she tracked a squirrel. Scaling the tree like a pro, she killed the fluffy tailed prey and buried it.
Scarface was impressed. Being with us for only two moons, she's really good!
A little while after, Shypaw came trotting back, a squirrel, lizard and a rabbit in her jaws, the squirrel tail dragging on the ground. Blizzardkit scampered up to Shypaw. "Wow! You're pretty and a good hunter!" The silver and grey cat stiffened, then gave a curt nod. "Thanks."
Even Smokestar seemed mildly impressed. Huntkit and Lionkit both came flocking to her. "I wanna be just like you! You're super cool!" Huntkit exclaimed, his amber eyes, identical to Shypaw's, glinted happily.
Lionkit merely snorted. "Eh, not bad, for a she cat."
Shypaw cracked a warm grin. "Happy to inspire!"
Lionkit pricked his ears, hearing Heatherkit arguing with his sister, Mousekit. "What? Ew! Don't you know Jaytalon is much older than you? And, he was head over tail for Hawkpool!" Heatherkit exclaimed.
Mousekit scoffed. "I can't be that much younger than him! But his eyes are so…" Mousekit sighed dreamily, but Lionkit threw up a little. Yuck! Love is, well, eh… Lionkit stopped as Heatherkit popped into his head. Shaking his head he plopped down next to Eaglekit, and fell asleep.
(RiverClan…)
Hawkpool's patrol escorted Willowleap back to their camp, Icekit and Cragkit fast asleep in her jaws, tiny quarter-moon old kits compared to the warriors in the patrol.
Pebbletail looked very hostile, as if he was plotting how to take on the young queen. "Move it, frog-breath!" Pebbletail hissed, nosing Willowleap forward.
"Hey!" Hawkpool growled. "Leave her be, she's carrying her kits, with no help from you!"
With a hiss, Hawkpool gently took Icekit from Willowleap. The tom kit opened his dark green eyes. "You're not mama." He stated. Hawkpool shook her head. "I am not, Willowleap is carrying your brother."
Icekit seemed to understand, as he closed his eyes and began to snore lightly. Hawkpool trodded through the barrier minutes later, with a now-awake Icekit squirming in her teeth.
"Oakstar, the dawn patrol found a ShadowClan queen. She wishes to speak with you." Greywillow meowed, an edgy tone to her voice. The leader stood up, shaking the dirt and moss from his fur and walked outside.
Oakstar scaled the GreatLedge as he glared down on Willowleap. The silver she cat gave Cragkit to Hawkpool, who placed him in the nursery with Icekit.
"Begin." Oakstar boomed, nodding to the ShadowClan queen. Willowleap stuttered, "W-well, you see, I um…" Clearing her throat, Willowleap met her green eyes with Oakstar's eyes.
"ShadowClan's planning an attack on WindClan… One of my kits drowned, thanks to Fallenstar, but your daughter saved one of my sons. If it's not all the trouble, I don't feel safe in ShadowClan. Hawkpaw saved me. I wish to join RiverClan." Willowleap cast a glance to the nursery, where her two kits slept. "I want my kits safe. Fallenstar is getting too violent!" The silver queen pleaded.
Beechtail's mate, Marigoldfur, stepped forward, a snarl on her face. "Oakstar! This is outrageous! We let your stuck up daughter join us, not to mention a fur-eating ThunderClanner, and now a stinking ShadowClan cat?!" The golden queen hissed, her swollen belly swaying as she bore her teeth.
Oakstar looked at Marigoldfur, raising an eyebrow. Beechtail lowered his eyes and flattened his ears, clearly ashamed of his mate.
Suddenly, Marigoldfur looked stunned. "I-I-I mean, do whatever you think is best, leader." The brown flecked she cat growled, muttering a curse under her breath.
Willowleap looked at Marigoldfur rudely. Wow, who laid dirt in your nest?
Oakstar seemed to ponder over Willowleap's request for a moment. "Very well." The muscular tom said finally. "You may join us. On one condition; provide information on ShadowClan."
Willowleap nodded. "Anything you need to know." Oakstar rested his muzzle on Willowleap's muzzle as the queen gave her new leader a respectful lick on the shoulder.
"We welcome you as a full warrior of RiverClan, you may join your kits." Oakstar meowed, flicking his tail to the nursery. "Hang on." Willowleap said softly. Oakstar turned to look back at her.
"Can I rename my kits? Fallenstar never lets her queens name their own kits." Willowleap said, scratching her claws on the rock. Oakstar nodded. "Of course, but are you sure they're young enough?"
"Sure they are. Cragkit is now Snowkit, and Icekit will be Runningkit." Willowleap declared, swishing her tail.
"Very well, you may rest for now. But I'm not sure my clan will trust you as much as my daughter and I." The leader warned, stalking back into his den with Sandfern.
Honeysnow left camp at dusk for the MoonFall, leaving a still shaken up Shadepaw to guard her supplies.
…
(Earlier that day, at dawn in the WindClan camp…)
Brindleleaf woke early, sitting just outside the medicine den, watching Streamfur. The silver tabby writhed and groaned in her sleep, tossing and turning wildly. Pricking her ears, Brindleleaf swore she heard something suddenly. Sounds like voices, and smells like…!
Realizing what she discovered, she darted in her father's den. "Dad, dad! Sunstar! ShadowClan's attacking!" Brindleleaf yowled. Sunstar was on his paws in a heartbeat, lunging on to the HighHill. "Everyone, wake! ShadowClan ambush!" Sunstar boomed, cats stirring instantly, panic clear in their eyes.
Fernbreeze looked positively blood-thirsty, while Pebblepaw wore a slightly watered down look than his mentor, but the battle-hungry gleam still glinted in his fierce blue eyes.
Fallenstar burst through their heather barrier furiously. "ShadowClan, attack!" She howled, and her clan rushed forward, the dusky brown pelt of Stagstrike leading them.
Brindleleaf recognized a ginger tom known as Bloodyfur ferociously beating Eaglepelt. As a dusty brown tom had Flameheart pinned down, leaning in for the killing bite before Brindleleaf pummeled into him, hissing and clawing his ears.
He pushed the queen off him, rearing up the bring his forepaws down on her when Brindleleaf quickly swiped his hindpaws from under him. He growled and bit her tail, dragging her backwards. Brindleleaf clawed the grass and dirt, attempting to find a grip, but to no avail.
Suddenly, the weight of her attacker was pulled off her. Gasping, Brindleleaf looked up to see Silverflight, the very cat that resented her. The tabby only grunted. "You're my clanmate. I can't just abandon you." Silverflight scanned the camp, spotting a ShadowClan warrior attacking Mousetail, and she was gone.
Brindleleaf winced as she stood up, her legs giving way beneath her from an throbbing pain in her belly. The kits can't possibly be coming now! It's too early, and my clan is in danger! Brindleleaf thought as she hauled herself up.
The pain had begun to numb away, and Brindleleaf was glad to fight once more. Her gaze flitted around the clearing, her clanmates fighting with tooth and claw.
"Brindleleaf?"
A voice hissed, clearly stunned. The gold-brown queen spun around, meeting eyes with Lilypelt. "No! Come back in the nursery! You're hurting your kits!" The older queen called, rushing to help Brindleleaf and began dragging her to the gorse den. Casting a glance at her weakening clanmates once more, Brindleleaf felt her heart tug, yearning to run out and help them, but she settled down in her nest, her tail bushed up.
"Don't worry, Brindleleaf. This isn't all of ShadowClan." Lilypelt meowed, her voice slightly hoarse. Barkflower had her tail curled around Deerkit, and Dustkit was hiding under one of her paws, while Streamfur's kits suckled softly.
Too curious for her own good, Brindleleaf peered outside. She caught a glimpse of Birchpaw and Owlpaw fighting together agaisnt a creamy tom with long legs. She saw Whitefur rescued by Stonefoot as they began to drive off a dark grey she cat with pale ginger stripes and a smokey grey tom.
A flash of black and brown stripes made Brindleleaf's heart miss a beat. The tom had blood on his whiskers and herbs in his fur. Odd, that blood-scent smells familiar…
Blueberry charged after him, her sharp teeth ripping the tip of his ear clean off.
Mintpaw, her new apprentice, bowled him over, repeatedly clawing his nose and muzzle. "What you did is agaisnt StarClan!" She yowled.
Throwing the apprentice off, he faked a sad face. "Oh, Mintpaw, come home. We all miss you." Mintpaw flinched, but she gave a threatening growl. "You threw me out when I had greencough! You're a lousy excuse for a father, and you're not even half of a warrior!" The grey-and-white she cat snapped, lashing her puffed up tail while looking twice her size.
"I'm not scar-" He was cut off as Mintpaw lost it and lunged at him. Her green eyes were like sharp claws, narrowed and wild, as she tore her claws into his flank and chomped at his shoulder. Brindleleaf watched, slightly in horror, but also partly surprised that Mintpaw was so fiercely loyal, and such a great fighter.
"ShadowClan, retreat!" Brindleleaf heard Stagstrike hiss as Fallenstar and Sunstar spoke.
"This attack on my clan was uncalled for, Fallenstar." Sunstar growled, his whisker twitching, holding back a snarl.
"ShadowClan prey was found in our territory with your stench all over it!" Fallenstar retorted, raising her lifeless forepaw.
"Leave, now. Before I strip you of your remaining lives." Sunstar fought to keep his voice steady and neutral.
"Fine, but we won't forget this." Fallenstar panted, calling her warrior back. "Nor will we…" Sunstar hung his head as Whitefur, Half-face and Stonefoot hauled three lifeless bodies at the base of the HighHill. Brindleleaf, Lilypelt and Barkflower were by their friend's side in a heartbeat.
Streamfur's throat was torn clean out, blood staining her perfectly silver pelt. Eaglepelt will be heartbroken, he'll- But Brindleleaf's thoughts were cut short when she spotted two other limp huddles.
Eaglepelt's head was twisted at an awkward angle, his neck broken and throat clawed. Next to him, lay a tortoiseshell she cat with such deep flank and side wounds, had crimson pooling from her.
"Blossomfur? No, no, you can't be dead, you trained me too well! You were the best mentor any cat could have, and you just can't be gone!" Brindleleaf sobbed, clutching the spotted she cat's fur and willing her glossy amber eyes to regain their sparkle.
"Brindleleaf, she's gone." Barkflower's gaze turned to Eaglepelt and Streamfur's lifeless huddles. "I'll take good care of your children. Like they are my own." Barkflower promised, casting a glance to the nursery where the four kits slept.
Sniffling, Brindleleaf stood up with the help of Lilypelt. "You should have Blueberry check out your stomach, you might've hurt yourself." Lilypelt said, happily spotting Stonefoot with little to no injuries.
The young queen nosed her way into the blue-grey she cat's den, quickly spotting Pebblepaw and Silverflight. Lilypelt's son had a bad shoulder cut and a sliced nose. "Stop it! That stings!" Pebblepaw hissed, digging his claws in the ground. Fernbreeze sure has turned his attitude sour since she began training him. Brindleleaf thought, sitting down next to Silverflight, who was licking a poultice on a deep bite.
Blueberry glared at Pebblepaw as she approached Brindleleaf. "Why are you here? You- wait, did you battle?" Blueberry demanded. Brindleleaf hung her head sheepishly.
"Ugh, let me check if you're okay." Blueberry groaned, placing a paw on Brindleleaf's side. "Hm… They feel alright, but they might be a little small when they're born." Blueberry confirmed.
Brindleleaf nodded sleepily and let out a yawn, resting her head on her paws and drifting into a light sleep.
(Now, ThunderClan)
"Alright, Shypaw! You're a natural!" Scarface cheered for the silver and grey she cat, as she rolled under Cardinalheart and pinned her down. Sides heaving, Shypaw stood up. "Think I'm ready to be a warrior?" Shypaw's amber eyes shone.
"Nearly, you really need to work on your leap and hold." Scarface meowed, getting to his paws and circling Shypaw. "Try it on me."
Scarface zigzagged towards, then suddenly turned his weight on his forepaws, landing a powerful back kick on Shypaw. Stunned, Shypaw skidded backwards, struggling to her feet. Scarface made his move once more, nimbly pouncing Shypaw.
He gripped her scruff and shook her. Shypaw kept her mouth closed, afraid if she opened it she'd bite her tongue clean off. Scarface threw her suddenly, making her rebound into the undergrowth.
Yowling, Shypaw lunged at Scarface. She sprung onto the blue-grey tom's back, grabbing his shoulders. Scarface dropped down, rolling onto his back, squishing the former kittypet.
Scarface stood up, letting his apprentice up. "No, Shypaw. You have to jump off me then use a belly rake." He ordered lightly, tapping Shypaw's nose with his tail.
"Alright, come at me." Scarface demanded. Swiping her paw over her ear, Shypaw flipped on her side, sliding under her mentor and raking his belly with sheathed paws. Scarface was back on his in a heartbeat, but Shypaw had leaped on him and shoved him down, placing all her weight on her forepaws.
Beginning to roll onto his back, Shypaw bounced away, then pinned him by the shoulders, clawing his underbelly. She scrambled off him, a triumphant gleam in her eyes. Scarface shared the same glimmer in his good eye.
"You got it! I'll speak to Smokestar about your assessment." Scarface meowed, as Shypaw basked in his compliment, her amber eyes alight with glee.
"Hello, still here, you guys." Cardinalheart joked. The pair turned around, clearly having forgotten her. "Anyways, while we're here, let's hunt!" The bright ginger she cat trotted up to them.
"Yes!" Shypaw exclaimed. "It'll help prepare me for my assessment."
Cardinalheart nudged her step-brother's shoulder playfully and zipped off to the WindClan border. Scarface and Shypaw were just behind her, trailing after the over-energetic she cat
A/N
Pix: Welp, I think the next chappie should be an overly dramatic Gathering, am I right?
Daisystripe: MY PRECIOUS BABIES!
Mouseclaw: I WILL FIGHT FOR MY KIN
Pix: Calm down you two, great StarClan… -_-
Daisystripe: :'(
Mouseclaw: O_o
Squirrelnose: DAISYSTRIPE~