Sunshade:
StarClan, this is the last time I will ever meet Sootclaw against the warrior code. Sunshade's eyes were threatening as she stalked toward the border and watched Sootclaw emerge from the shadows, on his side of the border. "Sootclaw."
"Sunpaw."
"It's Sunshade, now," Sunshade growled, a spark of pride evident in her expression. "But that doesn't defend why you stole prey from us when we needed it most, demanded catmint from us, and used me as a source of information!"
"You gave me the information, Sunshade," Sootclaw mewed smoothly.
Sunshade let out a hiss, unsheathing her claws, and stepped threateningly forward. "You pulled it out of me. And I will never forgive you for doing so." Sunshade growled and launched herself at Sootclaw, taking him by surprise and bowling him over. Her eyes gleamed viciously as she tore out clumps of fur from his pelt. Sootclaw hissed and raked his claws across her belly, dislodging her and pinning her down, while she struggled in his grip.
"So this is how it all ends?" Sootclaw drawled. "Pity, I would have expected you to be stronger than that." His claws gleamed in the half-light as they rested on her neck. "I think I'll make this slow..."
Sunshade screamed as the gray tom sunk his claws into her belly, drawing blood. I can't die like this! She wriggled desperately as Sootclaw's teeth fastened around her ear, and gasped in pain as he tore into them. She squirmed as she heard Sootclaw's voice uncomfortably close to her ear. "I won't kill you. I think I'd like to leave something that'll be permanent..." His claws hovered above her eyes, and, with a jolt, realized that he would blind her.
Driven by fury, Sunshade thrust him off and stood over him, rage smoldering in her eyes. "I will not let you get away with what you have done," she swore. Her claws scored across his chest, making him gasp for breath. Her teeth clamped around one shoulder, and she jerked it violently, hearing a sharp, satisfying click as Sootclaw yowled in pain and fury. She thrust her claws into his neck, while Sootclaw gasped and struggled under her. "I won't kill you," Sunshade growled. "I'll leave you here, like this. You deserve it. And never speak to me again."
With that, Sunshade turned and raced back to camp. Oh, Cloudpatch... why did I ever leave you?
To her surprise, Rainblaze and Cloudpatch were out of camp, talking together. She realized that it was almost dawn, and that the two littermates were sharing prey before getting ready for work. "Uh... Cloudpatch?" she asked, padding over uncertainly.
"What happened to you?" Rainblaze asked.
"I'll tell you later. Cloudpatch?" Sunshade mewed, hesitant.
Blue eyes flashed in her direction, as the gray-white tom turned to face her. "What do you want?"
"C-can we talk? Please?" Sunshade asked. She realized that Cloudpatch was the right tom; that the two were destined to be together. Cloudpatch seemed to consider it, narrowing his eyes, but nodded and padded after her. "Cloudpatch, I-"
"If this is about what you told me the other day, don't waste your breath," he growled.
"Well... I... I'm sorry I said what I said. I hadn't realized until now... I do love you," Sunshade murmured. Cloudpatch looked at her, a little confused, looking like he wasn't sure whether to believe me or not. "I'm sorry, Cloudpatch!" she tried again. "I really miss you."
Cloudpatch's gaze seemed to brighten a little. "Thanks, Sunshade." He rubbed against her, the warmth of his pelt spreading to hers. "I love you too." Their tails entwined, the two warriors padded back to camp. Thank StarClan he listened!
Rainblaze looked confused as they padded into camp together, lovingly. "What happened? What about Sootclaw?"
"Sootclaw?" Cloudpatch turned to face Sunshade.
"Cloudpatch, let me explain." Sunshade nodded. "I did love Sootclaw, and I trusted him with so much. But yesterday, he was stealing fish, at a time when we need it most, and, he barged into our camp asking for catmint. He used me, and I will never love him again."
"That's it?" Rainblaze ventured.
"Yes." Sunshade lowered her voice. "Well, the two of us got into a battle, and I won."
Cloudpatch rubbed against him. "It's okay, Sunshade." Sunshade's eyes gleamed as Cloudpatch affectionately flicked her ear with his tail. His eyes brightened, then narrowed teasingly. "Last one to the ThunderClan border is a mouse!" he challenged, speaking as much to Sunshade as he was to his sister, and Stormheart, who was padding over to gather the three of them for the dawn patrol.
Sunshade twitched her whiskers and chased after Cloudpatch, Rainblaze at her heels. Slowly, her eyes fixed on the direction they were heading, she began to widen her lead over Rainblaze and pull closer to Cloudpatch. Her tail streamed out behind her, and her ginger pelt was flat and smooth as she saw that Stormheart was gaining on Rainblaze and her. With an extra burst of speed, Sunshade leaped gracefully over a fallen log, her forepaws at Cloudpatch's tail as she burst ahead of him. "I'm the fastest!" she yowled gleefully, skidding to a halt once she reached the ThunderClan scent markers.
Cloudpatch skidded to a stop beside her. "You're fast!" he mewed, admiringly.
"Yeah!" Sunshade watched as Rainblaze and Stormheart were matched stride for stride as they stopped at the same time.
"Hey!" Sunshade mewed, teasing. "I have an idea! You both are mice!"
Rainblaze frowned. "No! Stormheart can be the mouse!"
Stormheart didn't say anything, but turned to glare at her before shaking his head. Brightfall had previously been mentored by Stormheart, and she had said that he was a little quiet.
Sunshade didn't reply, as a ThunderClan patrol was making its way toward the border; they seemed worried by something. Sunshade narrowed her eyes, scanning the patrol for any signs of Shadowpaw, and found the black she-cat staring at her from where she stood at the back of the patrol.
"You seem worried," Sunshade remarked, to all of the ThunderClan cats.
Shadowpaw glanced at her and nodded in reply. "Not worried, but just... stressed. Fire broke out in our camp a few days ago."
"What?" Rainblaze asked, sounding shocked.
"It's probably because of the drought, isn't it, Shadowpaw?" Sunshade asked her friend.
"My name is Shadowflame, and most likely, yes," she mewed, marking the border along with the rest of her patrol. Sunshade didn't want to seem too warm and welcoming in front of her sister, so she remained quiet and dipped her head, stepping forward to mark the RiverClan border.
Sunshade winced as something cold landed on her nose, and she shook it off. Then, another landed, and she noticed that rain was drizzling all around. Cloudpatch was blinking in confusion, and Shadowflame, and the rest of the ThunderClan patrol, looked relieved. No doubt they were, of course, because a fire had broken out in their camp. "It's raining!" the gray tom next to Shadowflame, Ashfire, mewed excitedly.
"The drought is over!" Stormheart yowled.