Chapter Two

Gorseclaw with his heart pounding wildly, leaped across the clearing to his mother. The ginger tabby queen was having a hard time. "Mother! Hold on, I'm coming!"

As Sunflower fought vainly to free herself from the rogue's tight and painful grip, a flash of brown fur slammed into the she-cat, knocking her away to the ground. The Sunflower tried to sit up, but a flash of pain ran through her body causing her to lay back down, "Gorseclaw!" she whispered.

Mosspelt hurried over to the injured queen. He gave her a gentle lick over the ear, "It's alright Sunflower. Gorseclaw is fine, he can take care of himself."

At less I hope so… He added silently to himself.

Gorseclaw had managed to get up on his paws and take a quick look at his mother, before a shriek from behind made him turn to see a horrible sight. The red and white she-cat with fury burning in her orange eyes and her teeth bared and paws outstretched with claw unsheathed, loomed before him.

He let out a surprised yowl as the she-cat fell on him, pinning him to ground as her claws slashed and teeth torn into him. Gorseclaw let out a desperate scream as the she-cat lunged towards his neck. StarClan! Help me!

Gorseclaw saw images flash before his eyes. His mother, Sunflower, wailing over his body. Mosspelt beside her with a vague, distance look in his eyes. The clan many of them hurt, some maybe gone to join StarClan surrounding them as more wailing filled the air….

Suddenly the she-cat released him and leaped away. Gorseclaw gasping and gagging for air sat up and after a few moments managed to make out Sunflower's injured form, along with Mosspelt and Willowberry another queen battling fiercely with the she-cat.

The she-cat was fighting with all her might, just like TigerClan and LionClan put together, but it clear that she was losing. She continued to battle for a few more moments before turned tail and running to the gorse tunnel. Willowberry chased after her for a few fox lengths before stopping.

As Gorseclaw watched the other rogues too begun to turn and run, many of them bearing the claw and teeth marks of the Clan. As he looked around Gorseclaw made the still form of the huge black tom who Stormtail and Ashface had fought along with a torn body of black and brown fur.

"Larkcry…" Gorseclaw whispered sadly when he recognized the black and brown cat. Larkcry was just a young warrior like him and Mosspelt, in fact he too had become a warrior on the same night as them. "May you be in peace…"

Mosspelt limped over to his friend's side, "Gorseclaw? Are you alright?" He meowed. Both Sunflower and Willowberry came over as well. Sunflower rasped her tongue on his cheek, "Gorseclaw? Son, are you ok? Your bleeding kind of heavy."

Gorseclaw turned to them, "I'm fine but Larkcry isn't. He gone…" The three cats stared at him then lowered their heads sadly but only Willowberry's green eyes were filled with great sorrow. Larkcry was her son. Sunflower turned to her Clan mate and gave her gentle caressing licks on the head.

"Oh Willowberry, I'm sorry." She mewed and pressed her head to the pale grey queen, gently purring. Willowberry shook her head sadly. "It's not your fault. It was bound to happen one day…but I didn't think it was today."

As the group sat there, loss in sorrow, a short haired yellow she-cat came trotting over to them a bundle of herbs hanging from her mouth. "Anyone hurt here? Gorseclaw? Sunflower? Mosspelt?" the she-cat meowed. Gorseclaw nodded his head to his mother. "Sunflower needs it more then me, Burrcoat. I'm ok for now."

As the medicine cat worked at Sunflower's wounds Gorseclaw laid on the ground watching the Clan with Mosspelt. Willowberry had moved away and walked to her son's body which was being laid in the clear of the clearing by some warriors.

The queen laid beside him and pressed her nose in his fur, closed her green eyes. She remained that way before for a few moments before sitting up suddenly and letting out a chilling wail. Gorseclaw shivered at the sound.

A large white tom walked over to sit not far from mother and son. It was Snowstar, the tom had been leader for only five and half moons since Flamingstar's battle worn body was found by Owl Tree. She had been killed by a some animal, maybe a fox, said Burrcoat for the noble she-cat bore no Clan scents on her body.

This would be the first time Snowstar will have to send a clan mate to StarClan. As he sat there the rest of the clan begun gather around to share tongues with Larkcry one last time. Gorseclaw, Mosspelt, and Sunflower soon padded over to join them.

Days had passed since the battle and Larkcry's funeral. Gorseclaw's injuries had healed up enough for him to get back to being a warrior. Burrcoat purred with amusement when Mosspelt bowled him over when he appeared from the medicine cat's den.

Sunflower and the rest of the injured cats too had healed up and were busy going about with their business. Mosspelt along with Oakclaw, Cloudstorm, and Rockfur left on hunting patrol while Thickfur lead a territory patrol with four other cats including Stormtail's apprentice, Russetpaw.

Gorseclaw was resting near the warriors' den after going out with Leafpaw to hunt food for the elders. "Rockfur's apprentice sure is a great hunter." He meowed to Fawncoat, a sandy brown queen when they returned loaded with fresh-kill.

"I loss count on how much prey she managed to catch. He should be proud of her."

Fawncoat purred happily. "Yes. Willowberry should be very proud with her as well."

Gorseclaw looked over to where the grey queen was teaching a black and white tom the hunting crouch. "With her teachings Frogkit will be just as good. There's Thickfur and the patrol, wonder how things when." He added when he spotted the dark tabby tom.

Fawncoat turned to look before opening her mouth to answer when a sudden mewling of kits came from the nursery. "Sorry, Gorseclaw, I'll talk to you later. Hold on kits I'm coming."

When the queen disappeared inside Gorseclaw turned to watch the deputy and leader talking to each other. They were too far away from him to hear anything but by the way Thickfur's tail lashed about something must have happened.

He was so busy concentrating on them to notice a long-haired silver tabby tom walk up to him with a large rabbit dangling from his mouth. Gorseclaw was startled when he dropped the rabbit in front of him.

"Oh, Silverstripe! I didn't hear you coming, sorry." he mewed rapidly and moved over to allow the warrior to sit down. Silverstripe purred and settled down. "Its alright, Gorseclaw. Need some company?."

"Sure." Silverstripe settled down beside him. "Do you know what happened on the patrol?" Gorseclaw asked as he looked back to Snowstar and Thickfur.

"Not really I wasn't there when it happened but it's got to do with those rogues again. Ashface, Stormtail and Russetpaw I think met one near Owl Tree," The silver tabby answered and bite into the rabbit.

Gorseclaw pricked his ears. "Really? I wonder who that was?" His mind when back to battle and the red and white she-cat he had fought.

Silverstripe looked up and shrugged. "That red and white she-cat I think but I'm not sure." He pointed to the rabbit when his nose. "Want to share?" Gorseclaw wanted to ask more questions but the thought of having a good meal was too good to pass. So he bite back his questions and joined Silverstripe at rabbit.

While they ate Frogkit came bounding over to them, his fur bristling with excitement and his green eyes shining. "Gorseclaw! Gorseclaw! Guess what happened just now!" The black and white tom yowled happily as he came to stop before them.

Gorseclaw looked at him curiously and in a friendly tone meowed. "What Frogkit?" Silverstripe looked up too and saw Snowstar and Willowberry come walking towards them. "Is something the matter?"

"No." Snowstar meowed and sat down in front of them. "I was just talking to Willowberry and we think that its time for Frogkit to become an apprentice."

Gorseclaw sat up at once and looked to Frogkit, "Really? Oh, Frogkit that's great news." Beside him Silverstripe added, "It's about time too. He's getting too big for the nursery." Frogkit puffed his chest out proudly at the warriors' comments.

Willowberry looked to Gorseclaw, "And we think that you'll be a good mentor for him too." Gorseclaw felt as if his heart stopped while Silverstripe stood up and gave his tabby friend a hearty nudge which almost knocked him over.

"Congratulates!" Silverstripe meowed happily. Frogkit leaped to paws when a tortoiseshell tom came walking over. "Mosspelt! Guess what happened!" He meowing loudly as he ran to met him. Gorseclaw greeted Mosspelt with a meow.

"Mentor? Good job, Gorseclaw." Mosspelt mewed and sat down. Gorseclaw looked to Snowstar and Willowberry, worry suddenly filled his amber eyes.

"Thank you. But are you sure that I'm good enough?"

Snowstar gave a reassuring purr, "Yes. You're the best cat for the job," and Willowberry added, "You're a true ThunderClan cat to heart Gorseclaw and I want Frogkit to be one. Just because he wasn't a Clan-born kit doesn't mean he can't be one."

Their words assured Gorseclaw and he looked to Frogkit and gave his head a nod. Frogkit let out a squeal and leaped at him. The rest of the cats gave purrs of amusement while the two rolled on the ground.

It was nearly Moonhigh when Snowstar appeared from his den, he stopped to look out at the clearing before leaping up Highrock. "Let all those cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting."

His voice was still ringing across the clearing when Gorseclaw, his dark tabby pelt neatly groomed came padded out of the den. Just in front of him was Willowberry and Frogkit, both of their pelts neatly groomed as well.

Gorseclaw sat down in front of Highrock a few mouse lengths beside him sat Willowberry and Frogkit. Mosspelt and Silverstripe, along with his mother, Sunflower and father, Oakclaw, sat the nearest to him. Spottedfur his mentor sat near a thin grey tom, Whitefang, who was Silverstripe's elderly father just behind Rockfur and Leafpaw.

The remaining cats sat gathered around looking up at Snowstar, waiting for the meeting to start. Thickfur came padded over and leaped up to sit beside his leader, his watchful gaze landed on Frogkit who looked at him slightly scared but brighten when Thickfur flashed him a friendly look.

Snowstar stood up, "By naming apprentices, we show that ThunderClan will survive and remain strong which is greatly needed at this time." He flicked his tail to signal for Frogkit to come forward. The black and white tom stepped up, his whiskers trembling. "Frogkit, you are nearly seven moons old and its time for your training to begin¾"

"He can't become a apprentice! Let alone a ThunderClan warrior!" A voice yowled. Gorseclaw startled turned to look around while Willowberry stood up, teeth bared and fur bristling. "Frogkit isn't a Clan-cat! He's nothing but a ugly scrap of fur!"

The last words were spat out scornfully as a reddish brown tabby she-cat with dark black stripes pushed roughly through the cats to stand before Highrock. Frogkit backed away as Russetpaw growled at him. Thickfur leaped down and stepped between the two, "That's enough Russetpaw!"

Snowstar glared at the she-cat but reminded himself that this was Flamingstar's daughter, who took after her in temperament. He spotted Rowanclaw her brother turn his head away, clearly embarrassed by his sister's actions. Snowstar looked back to Russetpaw, "Frogkit has shown none of his rogue background, Russetpaw but has shown the loyalty and strength of a ThunderClan cat. Which is greatly needed at this time."

Russetpaw spat at his words. Willowberry stalked up her and thrusts her face at Russetpaw's. Their noses were almost touching. "He's more of a ThunderClan cat then you, Russetpaw. Your always running off at the hint of any sort of trouble in the forest rather then wait for your leader's orders. Frogkit seems to understand the code better then you!"

Russetpaw leaped back, "How dare you!" she growled and lowered herself into a crouch. But before she jump Stormtail appeared and knocked her to the ground, "Stop it!" he growled and swiped a unsheathed paw at Russetpaw's face. Russetpaw flinched as his paw breezed by making her whiskers tremble.

Thickfur moved towards Willowberry and pushed her away, ignoring her threatening growls. Frogkit too had moved away and now sat beside Gorseclaw, the tabby gave the younger tom a gentle lick on head as he pressed his black and white fur against his dark brown tabby fur.

Snowstar was about to jump down when Stormtail hissed at Russetpaw, "Go to the apprentices' den!" Russetpaw opened her mouth to protest but was cut off by her mentor. "Go there and stay there! You spoiled cat! You act more of a Kittypet then a true Clan-cat! GO NOW!!!"

Russetpaw stood there, her eyes filled with shock and pain. After a few moments got up and walked away to the den. Her tail and head held low. Gorseclaw felt a pang of sadness for her but then again Russetpaw had brought it upon herself.

As she moved through the crowd of cats and voice yowled out. "Why can't you be more like your brother, Rowanclaw?" Russetpaw stopped and looked behind her, her face started filling with rage. Gorseclaw tensed waiting for her reply but none came for Russetpaw had suddenly turned, raced to the apprentices' den and disappeared inside.

As the Clan sat there, the moonlight which bathed the clearing too disappeared. They all looked up to the sky and saw that clouds had gathered over, covering the moon and blocking it's light. A cracking voice rose, breaking the eerie silence.

It was Blue-eye, the oldest of the Clan elders. Gorseclaw could barely make out the white bony she-cat's form in the darkness. She had stood up and faced Highrock with her one blue coloured eye. "Snowstar, I do believe that this Clan meeting is now over…"