"INTO THE DENS!"
I ran into the warrior's den with my mate Flyfur aware that this was just another drill Stonestar and Mothleap had planned to ready our Clan for when the threat showed up. I had told them what the threat was: a huge monster in the sky.
Unfortunately, I had yet to tell my Clan I was very well going to die going into the belly of this beast. I would have to tell them eventually, I wanted them to be ready.
I walked in the Nursery to visit my friends. Songpool was resting with Spottedkit and Spidermoon was near her relaxing. At the other side of the Nursery Pebblebird was shushing her mewling kits Rainkit and Marshkit while Jioveheart was putting her paws over her ears.
"This is what motherhood is going to be like." I growled to Jioveheart. "Get used to it."
"Redblossom?" I turned around and saw my apprentice and smiled halfheartedly, as I would miss her a lot as well. "If there are no elders...do we need to clean the elder's den?"
"No." I sighed, remembering Reedfire died during the Greencough as well. "Thanks though Petalpaw."
"I can't wait to have kits." Spidermoon purred. "Knowing that me and Brownpelt are not only mates but best friends, it fills me with such joy that we get to share this together. And you and Flyfur can play with the kits. Just imagine it, you'll be Aunty Redblossom."
Spidermoon gave a teasing grin and my heart dropped.
Maybe Flyfur, but not me. I'm sorry Spidermoon...
"That...that sounds great Spidermoon." I replied.
Spidermoon beamed and I turned away, it broke my heart to keep this to myself. But the Clan had to keep their hopes up, that I would defeat this threat.
Tonight was the Gathering, and then seemed a better time than ever to reveal what StarClan has told me and prepare all the Clans for when the threat looms over us all.
"Don't worry Redblossom." My father reassured me. "Your friends will be there to stand by you the whole way through."
And even Spidermoon and Songpool agreed to go, they would leave Spottedkit in Pebblebird's care for that time.
Stonestar stood before RiverClan and called us warriors and apprentices forward and I noticed how being nervous made the time fly, as the moon was already rising.
"I will bring Rowanpelt, Mothleap, Darkpuddle, Brambleblaze, Redblossom, Brownpelt, Flyfur, Voletooth, Songpool, Spidermoon, Birdpaw, and Petalpaw." Stonestar announced.
We headed out and as Flyfur and Voletooth were talking to each other about the possible outcomes of the Gathering, I felt hot breath down my neck and turned around to see Darkpuddle.
"Oh, hey Darkpuddle." I greeted him. "Try to keep your space and not breath down my neck, thanks."
"I've been keeping my space long enough." Darkpuddle gasped, getting closer. "You can't imagine what being with Duskbright is like, I don't get any affection and hardly any mating anymore. It's been driving me crazy."
"She's probably just taking care of her kit." I reassured her. "W-what, what are you doing?!"
"I know you had a crush on me as an apprentice." Darkpuddle growled as he tried to bite my scruff, I snarled and slapped him back. "C'mon, we both need this Redblossom."
"I already have what I need!" I snapped. "Leave me alone or I'll-"
"Darkpuddle, are you trying to take advantage of your leader's daughter?"
I saw Stonestar storm over to Darkpuddle and unsheathe his claws, he looked livid.
"I suggest you get back in camp before I tear you a new one, you are dishonoring the warrior name if you think you can just hurt my daughter." Dad hissed.
Darkpuddle growled but didn't disobey him, and ran back to camp.
"Are you going to tell Duskbright what he did?" I asked as I followed him to the Gathering. "I mean, what he did was pretty serious..."
"No, I'll let the guilt simmer in him. However he is definitely getting punished, we'll make sure that doesn't happen again." Dad then gave me a look of pride. "Least seeing you claw his face, I know you'll be fine on your own. Most she-cats would probably be too scared to fight back."
"Thank you Dad." I meowed.
We made it to the Gathering with the rest of the RiverClan cats already there, all my friends except surrounded me.
"Are you OK?" Songpool demanded. "We saw him try to hurt you."
"Stonestar told us to stay back, or else we all would've been on him." Flyfur growled. "Cats who try to do that, I just don't understand."
"Stonestar told me you clawed his face." Spidermoon giggled. "He deserved it."
"Hey guys!" I heard Hailflower yowl cheerfully. "Guess what? Guess why Waspwing isn't here?"
"Well, if it's an exciting reason-"
"SHE'S GOING TO HAVE MY KITS!" Hailflower yowled over Spidermoon. Practically all the cats at the Gathering heard his yell and were giving him sour looks.
"Spidermoon here is expecting my kits." Brownpelt purred. "And Voletooth and Songpool adopted a motherless kit."
"THAT'S GREAT NEWS!" This time many cats shushed him as he yelled. "I didn't tell Waspwing this, but I'm going to try to give them the most ridiculous warrior names, I'll even request it to my father the deputy!"
"That's great, Hailflower." Songpool purred with amusement.
"The Gathering will start!" Stonestar announced. "With some very important news from my daughter Redblossom."
Cats in the Gathering began to look at each other and whisper sharply before I walked to the tree and faced all the cats of the Gathering.
"Many moons ago a prophecy was placed in the paws of Jioveheart of RiverClan." I immediately heard scoffs and hisses but continued. "She was given powers by StarClan which she threw away when she fell in love and is currently expecting kits."
"Of course." Shallowstar sneered. "Continue."
"Now the duty to stop the threat foretold in the prophecy has been given to me, however...no powers could be given along with." I felt my heart break, I had to tell them the truth now. "Stopping this threat will mean...I am very likely to die in the process."
Sharp gasps mostly from my own Clan were heard, Flyfur looked like a fox tore out his heart. I felt like I was going to cry, I never wanted to leave my own friends.
"When the threat comes, we all need to...evacuate into our dens and if the twolegs manage to land their flying monster onto the ground..." Stonestar gulped and I felt my heart break. "...we'll all have to leave our camps immediately."
The whole Gathering broke out into loud discussion and my Dad looked at me and sighed.
"You'll get...killed?" He whispered.
"Yes."
"LOOK!" a cat yelled.
Every cat looked up and my heart sunk, the helicopter...was in the sky.
The threat was here.
"EVERYONE! BACK TO THE CAMPS!" Tawnystar screeched.
It was mass hysteria as most cats didn't even get on the tree-bridge, but instead desperately leaped into the lake frantically swimming to their camps.
"Mothleap, take Rowanpelt back to the camp and let everyone know it's time." Dad told the deputy. "Trust me."
"Yes, Stonestar." Mothleap answered quickly before her and Rowanpelt made a mad sprint for the tree-bridge.
"Redblossom, how're you going to get in that thing before it lands?!" Brownpelt gasped.
"I think I climb the trees and leap as high as I can." Then I saw an eagle flying near the helicopter, no doubt StarClan trying to help me. "And land on that eagle."
"Redblossom, I don't want to lose you!" Flyfur has rarely ever cried, and this was one of those moments. "I...I'm sorry. I got carried away."
"It's OK, Flyfur. I'll be watching over you all." I nuzzled his nose with mine and turned to all of my friends. "I'm sorry, I wish I could see Spottedkit grow, become an aunt to Spidermoon's kits, and have my own. But this is what I'm meant to do."
"I have to go now. Goodbye everybody, I love you all." I purred. All of them nuzzled me teary-eyed and after they were done, I leaped onto the nearest tree.
I climbed as fast as I could till I got to the highest branch and saw the eagle was only a few feet away.
This is Ivypool, this jump will be a leap of faith Redblossom. But the eagle will get you to the helicopter.
I leaped and never felt more scared in my life as the sky was beneath my paws, I landed and kept a strong grip on the eagle and like Ivypool said, it flew right to the open helicopter door.
I leaped in there and saw twolegs extremely shocked a cat was in there, they tried to catch me but I leaped at the pilot and clawed out his eyes.
Redblossom, press as many of the buttons as you can. One should stop the helicopter flying and bring it crashing down. Don't forget, we can't let twolegs survive this so claw up all the parachutes.
I ran across all the buttons and suddenly the helicopter was plummeting, I sent a claw through all the parachutes and threw them out the door for good measure.
The twolegs were in hysteria, and some jumped to their deaths. I wish I didn't have to end their lives, but it was either theirs or ours.
My life was going to end anyway.
I guarded the buttons to make sure none of the humans tried to get the helicopter working, and when I looked outside, I knew we were only seconds away from death.
Redblossom, thank you so much for saving all the Clans instead of your disgraceful sister. Even without powers, you managed to save us all. You are a real hero.
Suddenly I felt my skull slam against the helicopter floor and everything was gone.
Flyfur's POV
"Redblossom?" I cried out. I didn't care that she said she would die, I wouldn't believe it till I saw her.
We were back in camp, all of us warriors hiding in the warriors den while that monster Darkpuddle was forced to be in the elder's den.
Stonestar gave a signal and all of us ran out and waited for his orders.
"I heard the explosion, so most of you can come with me, but some of you need to stay." Stonestar explained. "Just in case anything happens."
Stonestar lead the patrol and we saw all the other Clans were beside the destroyed remains of the helicopter.
"Um, Stonestar?" Ferretstar meowed gingerly. "...we found Redblossom."
Stonestar ran past everyone with some of us closely behind and I let out a sharp gasp.
The explosion had done gruesome things to her body, but her face looked peaceful even in death. I fell over and put my nose against her body. All the Clans were holding a vigil for her.
As the morning came, the Clans gave their sympathies and left. Every cat left until it was just me and Stonestar.
"I miss her already." I croaked, my face now soaked with tears.
"She died the best way she could, saving all the Clans." Stonestar sighed. "I miss her too Flyfur, very much."
We headed back and RiverClan rejoiced that they were saved, but I begged to differ.
It wasn't the same without her, every happy scene was now grey and dull. My heart broke knowing my Redblossom, my Crimson Heroine, and the love of my life...was dead.
There will soon be an epilogue!