Rising Moon

Jedi Goat

Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors.

Author's Note: WildTotodile, the Elders are the cats in charge of StarClan (like Bluestar) who are more experienced than Dawnbreak and Duskshadow. They are the ones who make prophecies and such.

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Chapter 38

Moonblaze awoke early and crept out into the quiet camp. A few other cats were awake, and they murmured soft greetings as Moonblaze passed. She returned them almost mindlessly, heading for the entrance.

Slipping outside of camp, Moonblaze settled herself on a gentle hill. From here, she could look down on the ShadowClan border: a small Thunderpath. Moonblaze had heard stories of massive Twoleg monsters that roared down these trails, but she had never seen proof they existed.

Beyond the dark trees of ShadowClan, she could see the rising sun; dawn was just breaking.

Thinking of this made Moonblaze long for her sister; but she had neither seen nor heard from Dawnbreak or Duskshadow since her dream about her mother. Moonblaze wished she could speak to them about the prophecy; as StarClan cats, they should know what was going on.

Moonblaze sighed and looked back toward camp, seeing the cats quietly gathering themselves for what lay ahead. Moonblaze wasn't sure she was ready, either.

She glanced back over ShadowClan. Then she did a double take.

There, darting across the field to the border, was a group of cats. If it weren't for their dark pelts, she would not have seen them.

They're here already!

Moonblaze's mind filled with panicked thoughts. The clans weren't ready yet – she had to warn them!

As soon as she came to that conclusion, Moonblaze whirled around and ran full out back down the hill.

"They're here! BloodClan's at the border!" she cried to the camp. The already-awake cats were leaping to their paws. A frightened murmur shivered through the camp on the tongues of every clan cat.

Firestar bounded out of his den, quickly taking control of the situation. "Everyone who's ready, follow me. Cindercloud, Mothwing, Moonblaze, gather your herbs. Squirrelflight, wake everyone else. We need to be on alert!"

Squirrelflight quickly hustled her kits back into the nursery and rushed about from den to den, waking cats. Moonblaze raced to the medicine cats' den and picked up her bundle of herbs.

Heart pounding in her chest, she joined the patrol ready to set out. RiverClan's second patrol and the rest of the unprepared cats would join them momentarily.

With a swish of his tail, Firestar led the group out of camp, Leopardstar and Onestar at his sides. The cats flew over the hill and disappeared into the long grass framing the Thunderpath.

Firestar crept forward to the very edge of the path. Most cats hung back, fearful, but Moonblaze hurried to the front. She wanted to be ready with her herbs for any injury.

She crouched at the edge of the Thunderpath, wrinkling her nose at the stench. Peering closely at the other side, she could see the faintest traces of the cats hidden there. Their scent was disguised in the Thunderpath-smell and the ShadowClan border markers. If it weren't for her warning, BloodClan might have ambushed them. Moonblaze shivered at the thought.

The grass on the other side rustled, and all the clan cats tensed. Nightfang himself stepped out onto the Thunderpath.

"Run and hide, kittypets!" he spat at them. "Or else BloodClan will pick you off…one by one!"

His long claws scraped at the hard surface of the path as he neared them. Now he was halfway across.

"I'm waiting," he hissed. In the distance came a rumble. Moonblaze cocked her head to one side curiously. What was that sound?
"Do we need to come and force you out?" growled Nightfang, glaring at them.

Moonblaze glanced at Firestar beside her. Why weren't they moving? Firestar wasn't even looking at Nightfang; he stared intently into the distance.

Suddenly something appeared on the Thunderpath, growling low in its throat. Moonblaze gasped and drew back in horror as the monster careened down the path. It was more terrible than she had ever imagined, with blindingly bright yellow eyes; huge, round black paws; and a gigantic bulk.

The cats on either side dived deeper into the grass for cover. But up on the Thunderpath Moonblaze saw Nightfang frozen in the glare of the monster's eyes.

"Look out!" Moonblaze shrieked, spitting out herbs and staring in horror.

The monster swerved to miss Nightfang, but he disappeared under one of its humongous paws. Moonblaze squeezed her eyes closed, unable to watch.

Nightfang gave a gurgling screech as the monster roared away. Moonblaze looked up, chest heaving, to see him thrashing in a pool of blood.

Sickened, Moonblaze slowly padded forward.

"Moonblaze," someone hissed warningly behind her, but she ignored the warning. Perhaps she thought Nightfang might feel some remorse now; she really didn't know why, but she stood over him.

Nightfang slashed out with his claws, reaching for her throat. "You -!" he snarled.

Moonblaze stepped back out of his reach. "I was your sister," she whispered, hurt.

"I have no sister!" he spat, lashing out again.

The words didn't hurt; in fact, Moonblaze felt relieved. Her eyes had suddenly grown cold. Raising her head higher, she growled, "And you are no brother of mine."

With that, she turned toward the other side. "BloodClan!" she yowled. "This is the scum you choose to follow? Surrender now and we will let you leave in peace."

A cat stepped out of the grass. With a jolt, Moonblaze recognized him as the big white tom who had killed Brackenfur.

"Nightfang? Our leader?" he smirked. "We follow Preybone, and are loyal to him alone. Attack!" he finished in a yowl, and BloodClan's patrol surged out of the grass.

Yowling, the clan cats rose to meet them. Moonblaze turned from Nightfang and faced the white tom. She stretched out her claws.

I'll avenge you, fath-

At that moment, she was shouldered aside and a tortoiseshell she-cat flew at the white tom. "This one's for Brackenfur!" she snarled, slicing her claws across his face. "And this!" She raked her claws along his side.

"And-" As the tom turned to see his wounds, Sorreltail sank her teeth into his neck. With a long, low howl, the white tom sank to the ground.

Sorreltail looked up, panting. Moonblaze stared at her in shock; she'd never seen her foster mother look so fierce. She was still in shock as a black she-cat lunged out of nowhere, tackling Sorreltail to the ground.

"NO!" Moonblaze cried, rushing forward. But it was too late; the black she-cat had slashed her claws straight down Sorreltail's body, leaving her lying, gasping, on her side.

Even from her viewpoint, Moonblaze could see the wound was fatal. "No!" she gasped, darting forward and sinking down beside Sorreltail.

"No, mother, no!"

Sorreltail's eyes were glazed as she stared past her. "I'm coming, Brackenfur," she murmured.

Then she was gone.

Moonblaze yowled her sorrow, oblivious to the battle around her until a black form crashed into her, knocking her to the ground.

"You think you have it bad? Try losing your son!" spat the black she-cat in her ear as they rolled on the Thunderpath.

Moonblaze's insides boiled with rage, but she knew she had to battle it down. Focus! she ordered herself.

The black she-cat struggled for a grip on her with her claws, but Moonblaze used her small size to her advantage. Wriggling like a fish, she managed to hold the she-cat off.

"Bail!" yowled someone nearby, and suddenly cats were running all around her. The she-cat gave Moonblaze a cruel smile before racing off into the grass.

Moonblaze crawled to her paws, gasping. She could hardly believe this was only the beginning.

"Follow them!" barked Firestar, plunging into the grass. "We can't let them get to their camp!"

Moonblaze shook herself and hurried to pick up her herbs. Then she joined the rest of the cats running across the Thunderpath, casting one last painful glance at the cats they were leaving behind.

To be continued...

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