The clan was gathered around Bluestar for the daily routines. Mousefur, Whitestorm, Thornpaw and Runningwind were at the entrance. "Come on, Leopardstorm. You're with us." Whitestorm called. I nodded and ran over to them. Mousefur flicked her ear and walked out of camp with her head held high and her ears pricked as her eyes glowed with distrust. I flattened my ears in sadness. Will my mentor ever trust me again? Thornpaw saw this and he leaned in.
"Everything will be alright. You know how Mousefur is. I'm sure everything will go back to normal. Just give everyone some time." he murmured. I nodded and lifted my head higher. We padded to the Shadowclan border silently. I sniffed the air as traces of cat scents filled my nose but I couldn't figure out who they were. The patrol's fur bristled as they realized we weren't alone. Runningwind held his tail up in order for us to stop.
"Who's there?" he called. Silence clung to the air making my tail twitch. Runningwind narrowed his eyes as he looked out into the undergrowth. "Show yourself!" he spat. Then I felt a weight tackle me to the ground. I yelped in surprise alerting the others. Then more cats exploded out of the bushes. They attacked my patrol in fast swift movements causing everything to be a blur. I faced my attacker but he slapped my muzzle away. I fell onto the ground by the force and grunted. I looked up to see Runningwind battling two cats while Mousefur was pinned to the ground. I shook my head and ran to help Mousefur. I slammed head first into the tom sending him hurtling into a thornbush. Mousefur looked at me with wide, shocked eyes. We held each other's gaze until a cat bowled me over. I growled and struggled to get out of their grasp. Then a yowl sounded.
"Let go of my clanmate, you worthless piece of fox-dung!" Mousefur snarled as she flung herself into battle. I felt the cat get ripped off of me and I jumped to my paws. I stood beside Mousefur as we clawed the cat back into the bushes. I clawed his paws and chest while Mousefur slashed at his eyes and face. The cat whirled around and ran away. I looked at Mousefur with a heaving chest.
"Thanks." I breathed. Mousefur looked at me hesitantly then let out a smile.
"No cat hurts my friend and gets away with it." she mewed. I smiled as she ran off to help Runningwind. I looked for Thornpaw and saw his brown fur stained with blood. He was fighting off a cat while another clawed at his back. I snarled as I realized they were taunting him. I leapt into battle and yanked a cat away from him. The tom let out a yowl and turned to me. I clawed his face with a hiss of rage. Then he tackled me to the ground. We tumbled around in the dirt, my claws deep in his shoulders.
"Thunderclan, retreat!" Runningwind called. I kicked the tom off of me as I ran after Mousefur and Thornpaw. I looked back to see Runningwind pinned down by a cat. I skidded to a halt and ran back to help him.
"Let go of him!" I snarled. A cat landed onto my back. I fell under the weight and looked up to see… Tigerclaw? His eyes were narrowed into green slits. I growled and struggled under his weight. Tigerclaw snickered as he looked down at me.
"You're not getting away this time, little leopard. This time… I'll make sure you're dead." he snarled. Then he snatched my throat into his jaws. I gasped and winced as his fangs dug into my fur. I pawed his face but he held on. Then he shook me around like a dog. My paws flailed as I tried to aim at his eyes but I was getting dizzy. Then he let go of me and I flew into a tree with a gasp. I fell to the ground with a loud hard thud. I struggled to breath as the air got knocked out of me and I tried to stand up. Tigerclaw stood over me with a glaring smile. Then he slammed his paw onto my face and the world went black.
Muffled voices filled my ears and I groaned as pain sprawled throughout my body. My eyes flickered open catching blurry images of my surroundings. Mousefur was bent over a body and with Fireheart. My eyes closed. Then they opened again to see Thornpaw with wide eyes full of worry as he looked down at me. "Leopardstorm!" the voices were getting clearer as I slowly regained self-consciousness. Thornpaw nudged me. "Leopardstorm!" he snapped. I jerked my eyes open as wails came from Mousefur.
"Wha-?" I leaned up and winced as an ache filled my shoulder. Mousefur was wailing in grief over the body. I gasped and ran over to them. Runningwind! I looked down at the unmoving tom with wide, scared eyes. Fireheart looked up at me.
"What happened?" he asked. I looked to him and Runningwind as I tried to catch my memories.
"We were retreating… I saw Runningwind in need of help so I stayed. And then…" I closed my eyes as Tigerclaw filled my mind. "Tigerclaw attacked me. We were fighting and then everything went dark." Fireheart's eyes widened in fear and shock. Mousefur nuzzled Runningwind's shoulder.
"He shouldn't have died! Not like this!" she wailed. I leaned into her comfortingly. Then I saw Fireheart run off into the bushes. I looked up to see him chasing Whitethroat. I gasped and ran after him.
"Fireheart, no!" I called. Then a screech sounded. I burst out of the bushes to see Whitethroat's body lying limp on the thunderpath, blood pooling around his head. An image of Cinderpelt flashed through my mind and I ran over to him. "What did you do?" I whispered. Fireheart was looking at the dead tom in shock.
"A monster…" he struggled to understand what just happened. I closed my eyes in grief. Why was he out of the den? Cinderpelt could've healed him and he would've been back to his own clan. I looked at Fireheart. "I found out you and Cinderpelt were taking care of them. I told them they had to leave." Fireheart meowed. I gaped at him.
"They were sick!" I protested. Fireheart looked away and I turned back to Whitethroat. I'm so sorry… Then a thought struck me. "Did you find another cat with them?" I asked. Fireheart looked at me.
"There was a rogue. He was sticking up for them. Then we started to fight. I don't know what happened to him after that." he mewed. I widened my eyes in fear. Fuzz! I darted away from the two toms and off to Sunning Rocks. I burst through thorns and weeds on quick paws. Oh Starclan, please let him be ok. I burst out of the bushes surrounding Sunning Rocks. I ran to Fuzz's den and padded through the tunnel.
"Fuzz?" I called in worry.
"In here, Leopardstorm." Cinderpelt's voice rang. I ran into view and saw Fuzz sprawled out on the floor. His eyes looked at me with a cheerful gaze. I padded over to him and looked at his wounds.
"When did this happened?" I asked.
"Two days ago." Cinderpelt mewed. I looked at her in shock and slight anger.
"And you didn't bother to tell me this?" I snapped.
"It was me, Leopardstorm." Fuzz meowed. I looked at him. "I knew you would be worried and I didn't want you to get in more trouble with your clan." he said. I gaped at him but before I could say anything, he continued. "What happened to you?" I looked at my fur and saw it covered in wounds and blood.
"Just a little fight." I said. Cinderpelt checked me and smeared herbs into my fur. I looked at the ground in grief. "Runningwind and Whitethroat are dead." I murmured. Cinderpelt froze.
"What?" she breathed.
"We were attacked by rogues and one killed Runningwind. A monster killed Whitethroat later on." I explained. Cinderpelt's gaze wavered as she looked at the ground in grief. Then she regained her focus and continued working on my wounds. Fuzz sat up a little.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
"I'm fine." I mewed. Fuzz leaned up and licked my muzzle. I held my muzzle to his and closed my eyes as his scented soothed me. Cinderpelt walked out of the den.
"The clan will be needing me if there are more injuries." she meowed. Fuzz beckoned me to lay beside him. I settled down as he wrapped his tail around me.
"I was worried, Fuzz. I thought Fireheart…" I couldn't bring myself to finish that. Fuzz smiled and licked my head.
"I'm not that easy to kill, Leopardstorm. I can put up quite a fight." he murmured. I sighed and closed my eyes. We sat in silence. Then Flying Eagle's voice rang through my ears. I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have cared what the clan thought of me… all I need is you… I flattened my ears as I remembered him and Running Breeze. I shouldn't have cared what the clan thought of me… I opened my eyes as realization crashed over me. I felt a surge of relief and happiness wash over me as I realized what I need to do.
"Fuzz." I mewed. Fuzz looked at me. I looked into his eyes and saw love and passion. I smiled and nuzzled his chin. "I don't care about what the clan thinks of me. I don't care that they think I'm a sin for feeling the way I do. I love you… and that's all that matters." I murmured. Fuzz widened his eyes as he looked down at me. Then his voice cracked into a purr as he nuzzled me back.
"I love you too, Leopardstorm." he purred.
In a storm is where hate shines lighter. But there is no doubt that love shines brighter. In a leopard's storm is where the two feelings meet. But if chosen wisely, there will be no defeat. A rogue who looks to peers, will only start to sneer. But a rogue who gives heart, is a true work of art. Open your eyes so you can see. And only then, will your heart truly be free.
I purred in happiness. I finally know what they meant… Thank you, Flying Eagle. Thank you for setting me free.