HEY PEOPLE I'M BACK WITH A NEW CHAPTER!
Yeah I know I've been putting it off for months but with good reason.
See I have the ending for this whole story planned out and I had most of the details planned out from the start about how to reach that ending…however as I was writing the story, I came up with new ideas and some of them I decided to keep and others I've decided to either abandon or use them as another plot for potentially another story or perhaps a side story. Unfortunately for all of you my power of indecisiveness came out full force during this process of elimination. This is why it has taken soooo looooonnnnnggggg! For me to make more chapters (Well that and Life in general) but most of the reason for the lack of chapters in this story was me fighting for the plot line I want to follow and I think I've chosen one that will surprise and maybe (hopefully) excite my readers.
Now before I start there are a few things I want to point out.
I'm sure anyone who is a fan of the ERIN HUNTER Warrior books knows all about the numerous mistakes found in those books. (Well at least in the Warriors books) Well I'm going to attempt to fix some of them in my story. One mistake in this chapter coming up is the apprenticeship of Cloudpaw vs Ashpaw and Fernpaw.
If you remember in Forest of Secrets Cloudtail is made an apprentice before Ashfur and Ferncloud…he was also apparently six moons old when this happened…Well it never made any sense because Ashfur and Ferncloud were older than Cloudtail… If you remember in Into the Wild Ashfur and Ferncloud were born and Cloudtail was born in Fire and Ice… Ash and Fern are at the very least 2 moons older than Cloudtail, yet Cloudtail was made an apprentice before Ashfur and Ferncloud…So with that in mind I decided to fix this and go ahead and have Ashpaw and Fernpaw apprenticed earlier than they were in the book.
Oh Oh before I forget…I don't know how many people follow Vicky Holmes's facebook page, but I was on there a while ago and saw a post that said that she believed or rather she thought that Brick (from The Rise of Scourge) was a ginger tom with amber eyes...However she also mention it had been a while since she read the Rise of Scourge so she wasn't entirely sure…For the sake of this story Brick will remain a she-cat…However she will be a ginger she-cat with amber eyes…I mentioned her eyes being green before but, from now on they'll be amber.
Chapter 26
"Ashpaw"
"Fernpaw"
"Smokepaw"
"Ashpaw"
"Fernpaw"
"Smokepaw"
The three new apprentices sat proudly beside their mentors as every cat came up to congratulate them. Ashpaw had been given to Dustpelt, who looked smug about getting his first apprentice. Darkstripe who seemed for the most part indifferent with his apprentice Fernpaw and Goldenclaw had received Smokepaw who was happy to finally be apprenticed. Brindleface had come up to them first to praise her kits for their new mentors.
Scourgeclaw had already congratulated the new apprentices ahead of time, having overheard that Bluestar had planned to have them apprenticed. He realized it wouldn't be long for his own kits as well as Moonflower's kits to be apprenticed. He briefly wondered if Bluestar would have them apprenticed early the same way Brackenpaw and Cinderpaw were. He glanced over in the direction of the nursery and saw that Mossflower was looking at her mother with cold eyes. Scourgeclaw blinked slowly in wonderment. Mossflower's odd behavior had been going for two days after Cloudkit's badger incident. He wondered what had caused her to get so angry at her own mother.
He didn't have time to dwell on it for long as his thoughts were interrupted by his brother.
"Hey Scourgeclaw, "Fireheart greeted, "Tigerclaw has assigned me to lead a patrol, would you like to come with me?" Scourgeclaw blinked owlishly at him.
"You? Assigned to lead a patrol?" Scourgeclaw looked up at the sky. Fireheart glanced up as well, but didn't see anything.
"What are you looking for?" Fireheart asked giving him a look of confusion.
"A hedgehog, "Scourgeclaw emotionlessly replied as he continued to look up. "I thought for sure I would see one fly, the day Tigerclaw assigned either of us to lead a patrol." Fireheart mrrowed with laughter.
"You and me both; so do you want to come with me?" Scourgeclaw nodded getting to his paws and quickly following after Fireheart. They were headed directly over to Runningwind, Graystripe and Sandstorm who were relaxing in front of the warrior den.
"Anyone up for a patrol of the RiverClan border?" Fireheart asked them. Graystripe scrambled to his paws quickly at the first sound of RiverClan. Runningwind watched him curiously as he himself rose to his paws at a much slower pace. Sandstorm meowed teasingly about how she was hoping to rest more. But she too got up ready to go. Fireheart lead the way out of the camp and into the forest He set a brisk pace through the forest, striding purposefully toward the RiverClan border.
"We're almost at the border," Fireheart meowed to the group quietly. "Keep an eye out for RiverClan warriors." Scourgeclaw glanced around hardly thinking that they would run into RiverClan so soon. Graystripe paused to taste the air, before reporting that he couldn't scent any cats.
"They probably have lots of prey anyway," Graystripe added "The probably don't even need our prey."
"I don't trust RIverClan in the slightest." Runningwind growled, with a flick of his tail. "They'd steal your whiskers right off your muzzle if you don't watch them." Scourge noticed Graystripe's fur beginning to bristle after that comment, but Fireheart murmured quietly in his ear and nudged his friend onward. Scourgeclaw gave a slight snort of disgust. 'He can't even keep his emotions under control' he thought irritably.
"Come on," Fireheart called as he raced forward. Sandstorm and Graystripe right behind him with Scourgeclaw and Runningwind bringing up the rear. As they passed through the last of the trees, they skidded to a halt and looked on in horror.
The thaw that had be underway in the past moon had brought more than relief from the harsh living conditions of leaf-bare. It had also brought a flood. The river had climbed so high above the bank and was almost high enough to touch Fireheart's paws from where he stood.
"This isn't good," Runningwind meowed as he leaned down to survey the water, "RiverClan isn't going to like this, though it will keep them out of our territory." Scourgeclaw could see that once more Runningwind's words were affecting Graystripe. 'He needs to learn to control his emotions.'
"Well, we can't patrol the border now," Fireheart meowed, "We need to report this to Bluestar," Fireheart started to head back to camp with the rest of the patrol following close behind.
"Come on Graystripe," Scourgeclaw hissed at the gray warrior as he continued to stare into the flooded territory with undisguised anguish.
Bluestar immediately called for a Clan meeting, after receiving the news of the flood water. Frostfur emerged from the warrior den, with Falconstrike and Willowpelt following after her. Cinderpaw and Yellowfang sat just outside of the medicine cat den. Every cat it seemed had come to hear the news. Even Brokentail, who was nudged out of his nest by Mousefur, much to Scourgeclaw's unease, had come out to hear the news from Bluestar. Talonstrike, who had just returned from a solo hunt, deposited his prey in the fresh-kill pile and came to sit beside Scourgeclaw.
Bluestar waited until everyone had taken a spot near the highrock before beginning the meeting.
"Cats of ThunderClan, the river has flood and the water has risen and spread beyond the boundary we set with RiverClan." Cats began to yowl in dismay and fear.
"How far has it reached?"
"Has prey drowned?"
Bluestar raised her tail for silence among her Clanmates, she waited patiently for the yowls to cease, before she turned her attention to Fireheart. "Fireheart, tell everyone what you saw."
Fireheart rose to his paws and faced the Clan, and began to recount all that he had seen during his patrol. Some cats began to murmur to each other about the report Fireheart had given.
"That doesn't sound like it's our problem," growled Darkstripe after Fireheart had finished talking. "We still have plenty of territory to hunt in."
Cats began to murmur in agreement with the dark tabby warrior. 'Fools, the water could spread before long and prey could drown." Scourgeclaw thought to himself as he glared at Darkstripe. Bluestar let her voice be heard above the sound of the cats chatter.
"Silence!" hissed Bluestar. "The water could spread to the camp before we know it. This is more than Clan rivalry, I don't want to hear of RiverClan cats dying." Scourgeclaw silently agreed with her. Patchpelt spoke up suddenly, speaking loudly to let himself be heard by his fellow Clanmates.
"I remember a flood that cause many deaths in all the Clans. Cats drowned and so did the Prey, we all went hungry. This is just as much our problem as it is RiverClan's." he rasped out.
"Well spoken, Patchpelt," Bluestar meowed in agreement. "I had hoped we would never see those days again, but with water having risen as high as it has, we need to make precautions. These are my orders: No cat shall leave the camp alone. Neither kits nor apprentices are allowed out of camp without at least one warrior. We will send out patrols to see how far the flood waters reach Tigerclaw, see that it's done."
"Of course, Bluestar," meowed the dark tabby deputy. "I will assign hunting patrols as well, we'll stock up on prey incase the water rises any further."
"Yes, good idea," Bluestar told her deputy. She turned her attention back to the Clan and dismissed them to their duties. Scourgeclaw decided to check in on his kits as he headed for the nursery. He knew that his kits were quickly approaching six moons, it wouldn't be long until they were apprenticed.
He entered the nursery and as he looked around a saw Goldenflower curled up in her nest resting, her belly looking swollen with her new litter of kits. Brindleface and Mossflower sitting in their nests watching his and Mossflower's kits play fighting with each other. Despite Brindleface's own kits having been apprenticed, she still felt the need to look after Scourgeclaw's kits with Mossflower, something that Scourgeclaw was grateful for. Scourgeclaw turned his attention to his kits. He could see that they had lost most of their kitten plumpness and instead were starting to look leaner and their muscles were beginning to form. Cloudkit was absent, but Scourgeclaw figured the tom was in the Elders den. His nephew had come to enjoy taking care of the elders and even after Tigerclaw had lifted the punishment, Cloudkit continued to still go and help take care of the elders. At the sight of their father, Nightkit and Morningkit bounded up and buried their muzzles in his pelt, purring loudly, then quickly dashed back over to finish the game they started with Bluekit and Birdkit.
"Hello Brindleface, Mossflower," Scourgeclaw meowed in greeting to the two queens. As he padded over to them.
"Hello, Scourgeclaw," Brindleface replied gently, keeping her eyes on the kits.
"Hey Scourgeclaw, "Mossflower purred softly as he came to sit beside her. " They're lively aren't they?" she added as Scourgeclaw had to move out of the way of Morningkit and Bluekit's wrestling match.
"Indeed," he agreed keeping a close eye on the kits and his tail. "So how have you been?"
"Fine," Mossflower answered a little quickly her voice tense, Scourgeclaw noticed but decided to let it slide.
"I see, well I was wondering if you wanted to stretch your legs a little?" Scourgeclaw ventured wondering if she was interested in telling him what was eating at her. Mossflower looked at him a moment than agreed. She looked over at Brindleface.
"Brindleface are you okay with watching all the kits?"
"Of course I will," Brindleface meowed
"I will to," Speckletail spoke up from her nest. "Since you know I'm not dead or anything." Mossflower blinked apologetically at her.
"Sorry Speckletail, sometimes I forget that you're still in the nursery." Mossflower meowed sheepishly.
"It's alright, just don't keep making it a habit." The elder queen meowed gruffly.
"Let's go." Mossflower told Scourgeclaw, rising to her paws and leading the way out of the nursery. Scourgeclaw followed with slight curiosity. He wanted to know what had been bothering Mossflower and he were hoping to find out on this little outing with her in the forest.
Once the two had successfully left the camp without challenge and were deep in the forest, they walked in a companionable silence. It was only when they were far enough from the camp and the other patrols did they start to speak to each other.
"So, is there something on your mind?" Scourgeclaw asked her, finally breaking their companionable silence. Mossflower walked on quietly for several more minutes before finally speaking up.
"Fireheart told me something a couple of sunrises ago that I've had on my mind." Scourgeclaw looked at her in surprised.
"I see, go on."
Mossflower told Scourgeclaw all about, Fireheart visiting Ravenpaw and sneaking into RiverClan territory to talk to Mistyfoot about Oakheart. Scourgeclaw hissed a little under his breath. He wasn't happy at all to know his brother had been in enemy territory.
"But that isn't what is bothering me," Mossflower meowed softly. Scourgeclaw blinked at her slowly.
"Then what has been bothering you?"
"Fireheart went back to speak with a RiverClan elder about something Oakheart had said at the battle the day he died." Mossflower paused and looked troubled. "Oakheart had protected a RiverClan tom named Stonefur, from Redtail and said "No ThunderClan cat will harm him" or something like that…"
"Why would he say that?" Scourgeclaw asked her.
"That's what I asked Fireheart," Mossflower told him, " He said he wanted to know and decided to talk to Graypool, a RiverClan elder who is the mother of Mistyfoot and Stonefur, to ask her what she thinks Oakheart meant."
"So what did she say?" Mossflower looked at him with pain filled eyes.
"Graypool told Fireheart, alone I might add, that Mistyfoot and Stonefur weren't her kits, she adopted them." Mossflower paused and took in a deep breath. "She said Oakheart brought them to her during a harsh leaf-bare…" Scourgeclaw's icy blue eyes widened in shock.
"They're your missing littermates," Scourgeclaw concluded with a soft mew.
"Oakheart was my father," she sniffed and stared at Scourgeclaw with a conflicted gaze. "I'm a half-Clan cat." Scourgeclaw blinked slowly at her.
"So? The Clan knows you as a kittypet," Scourgeclaw told her, "Unless you tell them I don't think they'll find out."
"That's not the point!" she yowled, at Scourgeclaw her clear blue eyes burning with anger. "She lied to me about my father and my littermates. They're alive in RiverClan, Thrushpelt was not my father, Oakheart was. I don't know how I can even look at her. Why was I left on my own? Why wasn't I taken to RiverClan? I thought she was saving me from something bad before, but now I don't know what to think."
"What are you saying?"
"I'm saying was she really trying to save me? Or did she do all of this just to become leader of ThunderClan? Was she that selfish?" Mossflower growled in fury. "Was this all for her own ambition?" Scourgeclaw brushed his tail on her shoulder.
"I don't know either," Scourgeclaw admitted quietly, "However, you won't know until you confront her."
"Fireheart confronted her about what Graypool had said and she became hostile to him," Mossflower told him, "I won't be surprised if she responded the same way to me."
"Until you ask her you won't know." Scourgeclaw repeated calmly. Mossflower sighed heavily.
"Maybe I won't,"
Scourgeclaw padded through forest, heading for his secret camp. He was still seething with anger at the turn of events that had occurred earlier in the day. Fireheart and Graystripe had been caught sneaking prey into RiverClan territory. As punishment the two had been reduced to apprentices in all but name. Something that Scourgeclaw was angered to see. He wanted to claw the smug look off the faces of Tigerclaw and Darkstripe. He was even more unnerved to hear that Graystripe was having kits with that RivverClan she-cat. He growled to himself as he slinked into the camp. He breathed in the scents of the familiar cats he had known sense he was a kit. Emerging from a den was the familiar ginger pelt of Brick, one of his most trusted cats, she was leading the familiar silver tabby pelt of Silver behind her. The she-cat looked a little roughed up since the last time he'd seen her. She had a nick in her right ear and a scar across her nose, her pelt was a little ruffled up but she didn't look any worse for wear. He was pleased to see the she-cat still looked determined to keep her agreement she had made with him earlier.
"Well?"
"We are ready at your command Scourge," spoke Brick lowly while glancing at Silver. "Everyone knows now that you are back, we only await your orders." Scourgeclaw let his cold eyes rest on Brick as she spoke then turned his gaze to a few other newcomers. The familiar pelts of Aztec and another he hadn't seen in a while, the familiar brown tabby pelt of Willie another member of his former guard.
"Willie, I see you're still in good health." Remarked Scourgeclaw coolly, "I hadn't expected to see you here." Scourgeclaw watched a shudder escape the tabby tom's pelt.
"Forgive me, Scourge," he meowed carefully, "I may have been over eager to see your return. Pounce is stronger and Blossom is better as well. Snapper and Tess seem to train whenever they can… "
"I figured that," Scourgeclaw meowed cutting off Willie. "Everyone has had plenty of time to recover. Silver is not to be harmed any longer." Aztec looked as though he might protest, but kept his mouth shut when Scourgeclaw's icy gaze fell on him. "We need her to be in good health, she is on our side. Dagger trusts her, and he'll question her injuries. I don't need him possibly killing one of my guard because we hurt his mate…"
"I am NOT his mate," spat Silver venomously, with a violent whish of her tail.
"But you may as well be." Scourgeclaw meowed back at her. "Dagger favors you and he'll start hurting random cats just to make an example of them. How have you explained away your injuries so far?"
"Simple, I chased away a rogue, never gave a name, and got in a scrap with a dog." She told him, "There are plenty of dogs around. And Daggers too busy with picking cat to join his guard and enforce his rules, he doesn't pay attention to the cats that sneak into our borders."
"What are we to do now that we are ready?" Aztec asked. Scourgeclaw stared down the tom with his unblinking ice cold gaze.
"Who said we were ready?" Scourgeclaw growled lowly. Aztec blinked slowly but said nothing. He glanced at the other cats that sat around him. "I still have one more thing to do before I go to take on Dagger. We will not make a move until then."
Scourgeclaw was grooming his fur outside of the warriors den. He was still thinking about the meeting he had had with his cats. They were ready, he knew that, but still…Scourgeclaw glanced over at the nursery. He still wasn't sure if he was ready to go just yet. He knew without a doubt that whatever happened when he faced Dagger, it would likely mean that he wouldn't return to ThunderClan. Moons ago he would have been fine with such a decision. Now however…
Scourgeclaw let his eyes travel over the other cats in the clearing. His eyes widened in surprise as he caught sight of Fireheart, his coat drenched and covered with muddy water, heading toward the warriors den after coming out of the medicine cat den.
"What happened to you?" Scourgeclaw growled lowly as he marched over to his brother. He took in his brother's pelt which was soaked to the bone. Sandstorm too had come bounding over meowing her concerns.
"Tigerclaw," hissed Fireheart lowly, he gave a slight sniff. "Let's just say he used me to see if we could make it to the gathering." Scourgeclaw looked over at Tigerclaw glaring fiercely. He helped Fireheart make his way over to the warriors den.
"I just want to sleep for a moon." Fireheart sighed quietly. As he began to crawl into his nest. Scourgeclaw looked concerned at his brother. He had never seen the young tom so tired and once more felt the urge to rake his claws across Tigerclaw's face. He watched Fireheart nod off to sleep and decided to let Sandstorm watch over him. He left the young she-cat grooming his brother's fur as he made his way to the nursery to see Mossflower and his kits.
As he entered he spotted Mossflower talking quietly with Brindleface about random things. Scourgeclaw gave a nod to Speckletail who was curled up in her nest in a corner. Goldenflower was sleeping peacefully in her nest.
"Hello, Scourgeclaw" meowed Brindleface as she watched him approaching. Scourgeclaw meowed a greeting looking around for his kits. When he didn't see them he gave both queens a questioning look. Mossflower purred in amusement.
"They're visiting the elders." She explained softly, "Cloudkit's got them so enthusiastic about talking to the elders, that they all really wanted to go for a visit.
"Fireheart apparently fell into what can only be described as a river, he's alright," Scourgeclaw added when she saw Mossflower's worried face. "He's very tired. I left him sleeping in his nest."
"Alone?"
"Of course not, Sandstorm is with him." He told her. Mossflower sighed softly.
"I'll go check on him later." She meowed mostly to herself.
"I see so how have things been?" Scourgeclaw asked,
"Things have been fine. A little less crowded now that Brindleface's kits have moved out." Mossflower told them.
"Yes it is," Brindleface agreed as she glanced around the nursery. "I love my kits but I'm glad they're no longer in the nursery." The three continued to talk for some time, they talked about random things, the flood, Brokenstar, how many kits Goldenflower might have. Before long the kits had comeback exhausted from they're time with the elders. They quickly went to lie down in their nests to rest. Scourgeclaw meowed a farewell greeting ready to go out for a hunt. As he was making his way toward the entrance he heard a familiar call.
"Let all cats join underneath the highrock for a Clan meeting." Called Bluestar.
Scourgeclaw was surprised to hear Bluestar calling for a meeting. He turned around and headed over to sit in between Brindleface and Mossflower who looked just as curious as Scourgeclaw did about the meeting.
"I wonder what's going on." Brindleface whispered in his ear as he sat down.
"I haven't a clue," he told her quietly. He saw Fireheart emerging from the warriors den looking better than when he had gone to sleep. He sat quietly next to Graystripe and looked excited about what was going to happen. They were all surprise to see Yellowfang perched up beside Bluestar on the Highrock.
"Cats of ThunderClan," Yellowfang started off meowing, "You know I'm no longer a young cat, because of this, I've decided to take Cinderpaw as my apprentice. Scourgeclaw was surprised that Cinderpaw was going to become a medicine cat. He glanced over at Fireheart, who was looking on in pride at his former apprentice. Cats cheered excitedly for the young apprentice. She was a popular choice for such a position. Cinderpaw sat at the base of the rock, her coat was freshly groomed and her eyes bright.
"Do you accept the position to become an apprentice to Yellowfang?" Bluestar asked the young she-cat. Cinderpaw looked up into the eyes of her leader. "Yes Bluestar."
"Then at half moon, you will travel to Mothermouth to be accepted by StarClan before the other medicine cats. The good wishes of ThunderClan go with you." Bluestar told her. Yellowfang climbed down the Highrock to touch her nose to Cinderpaw's. The Clan exploded into more cheers and cats began to crowd the young cat, congratulating her as they surrounded her. Scourgeclaw made his way over to Fireheart as the young tom sat waiting for a chance to speak to his former apprentice.
"You knew about this didn't you?" he asked, Fireheart's bright emerald gaze locked with his brother's.
"Yes, she told me when Bluestar sent me to get checked out earlier," Fireheart explained, "I was hoping something would happen for her. After her injury." Scourgeclaw nodded in agreement. Cinderpaw's accident had been devastating for the young she-cat. He believed the solution presented to her was the best one.
Okay this doesn't seem like it was a long chapter but it was actually a lot longer. I actually cut it in half. So the next Chapter shouldn't be that much farther off.
