"Welcome back, Firestar!" Graystripe purred. The clan was gathered around the entrance as Cinderpelt and our new leader Firestar padded through.
"Thank you." Firestar mewed. Then he jumped onto the High Rock. The clan sat down and listened. "There's something I must do now that I am leader." he meowed. I narrowed my eyes as he looked at Brightpaw. "Lostface, step forward." I widened my eyes as I realized what he was doing and a purr rumbled in my throat. Brightpaw walked to stand in front of Firestar with a shy look.
"Is he…?" Cloudtail breathed, with a smile creeping onto his face.
"Spirits of Starclan." Firestar meowed. "You know every cat by name. I ask you now to take away the name from the cat you see before you, for no it longer stands for what she is. By my authority as clan leader, and with the approval of our warrior ancestors, I give this cat a new name." Firestar looked down at Brightpaw with a smile. Brightpaw was beaming with warmth and she started to fidget with happiness. "From this moment on, this cat shall be known as Brightheart, for though her body has been gravely injured, we honor her brave spirit and the light that shines on within her." I yowled Brightheart's new name along with the clan.
"Brightheart! Brightheart!" we cheered. Cloudtail nuzzled Brightheart's scarred face with purrs rumbling in his throat. My kits bounced at my paws with happiness.
"Brightheart!" they cheered. I purred and looked at the beaming scarred warrior.
"I also must choose a new deputy." Firestar announced. His gaze searched through the crowd of cats and it stopped at Graystripe, then Sandstorm, and finally rested on Whitestorm. "Whitestorm will be the deputy of Thunderclan." he meowed. Whitestorm looked surprised then gave him a bowing nod.
"Thank you, Firestar. I am honored and will do my best to look after this clan like you have before." he mewed. Cheers filled the air once more and Willowpelt licked Whitestorm's ear with pride while their kits bounced around in happiness.
"Our dad's the deputy!" they chanted. I chuckled as my kits rolled their eyes.
"Our dad's better." Swiftkit muttered.
"And our mama." Stormkit agreed. I gave them a look and cuffed their ears.
"Be nice." I scolded, but I couldn't help but feel amused and proud at their words.
Snarls filled the air as I trembled in my nest. I closed my eyes tighter and flattened my ears. Wails rumbled through the nursery but no one can hear them. What's going on?! Why is this happening again?! I wanted to scream out in frustration and I struggled to hold still so the kits won't wake up. A reeking stench filled my nose and mouth. My nose flared as I realized what it was. Blood! Then a voice sounded over all the noise of screeching cats. If this battle is won by the wrong cat, then your kits will die in a pool of their own blood. Ocean Breeze's words rang through my ears along with the prophecy. Darkness and light will meet one day. Moon or sun will find the way. Moonlight shines on evil's fangs, where the moon's path will always remain. Sunlight shines on a hero's claws. In sun's light, there are no flaws. Choose wisely or you will see, the clans crumble under your name.
I jerked my eyes open as a wail woke me up. I looked around to see everyone sleeping peacefully in their nest. My kits' soft snores filled the air as I looked out the nursery. Then I saw a shadow flicker across the entrance. I narrowed my eyes to see Tawnypelt's head sticking through. "Tawnypelt?" I whispered.
"I need to talk to you." she mewed. I sighed and slowly got up. Then I stepped over my kits and walked into the clearing. Brambleclaw was there yawning.
"This better be good, Tawnypelt." he grumbled. Tawnypelt sat in front of us with an unsure gaze and I narrowed my eyes. Something's wrong.
"I…" Tawnypelt began. "We don't belong here. The clan doesn't want us here because of Tigerstar… Tigerstar did promise we would be treated with respect in Shadowclan…" I widened my eyes at what she was saying.
"No! You can't!" me and Brambleclaw exclaimed in a hushed whisper. Tawnypelt flinched at our tone.
"Tawnypelt, we do belong here. This is our home." Brambleclaw murmured. I looked at my sister in dismay.
"You're leaving… are you?" I whispered. Tawnypelt looked at me with a sad guilty look.
"You understand, right?" she mewed. I felt tears spring to my eyes and I shoved my face into her fur.
"But you can't! You're my sister and…" I broke off into a whimper. "I don't want you to leave us…" Tawnypelt wrapped her tail around me.
"I don't belong here. I can't live my life getting judged by the cats who I'm supposed to trust with my life. Leopardstorm, you out of all cats should know this." she murmured. I closed my eyes as grief overwhelmed me.
"I do… but I found happiness out of it. I still get judged by everyone but… I have you two… I have Goldenflower… and my family… that's all that matters." I whispered. Brambleclaw pulled me off of Tawnypelt.
"This is her choice." he murmured. Sadness was in his voice but he stayed strong. I looked at Tawnypelt pleadingly.
"Please don't leave." I begged. Tawnypelt gave me a sad smile and licked my ear.
"There's always gatherings." she mewed. I sniffed as she flicked my tears away with her tail.
"But it won't be the same." I murmured. Tawnypelt smiled and gave me a final lick on the ear along with Brambleclaw.
"I'll see you." she mewed. Then she walked out of camp. I sat beside Brambleclaw as we watched our sister walk off into the night. Goodbye, Tawnypelt…
Sunlight filtered through the nursery. Worried murmurs filled the air outside in the clearing. "Where's my daughter?!" Goldenflower's wail sounded. I flinched and flattened my ears. I felt a paw tap my nose.
"Mama? Tawnypelt's gone." Stormkit mewed. I opened my eyes and sighed. Then I padded out into the clearing. Brambleclaw was sitting silently beside Goldenflower who was wailing her heart out. I caught his gaze and we both looked at each other with silent grief. She's gone… Graystripe and Dustpelt walked back into camp.
"We caught a whiff of her scent by the Thunderpath." Dustpelt reported. Shocked and unsurprised murmurs filled the clan.
"She went to Shadowclan?"
"How can you be surprised? She has Tigerstar's blood in her veins! I won't be surprised if his other kits leave too."
"They wouldn't do that!"
"Tawnypelt was kinda depressed lately… maybe we caused her to leave?"
Silence gripped the air after that comment was made. Firestar was standing on the High Rock with a grave expression. "Whatever caused her to leave, she made her choice. And we must respect that." he meowed. The clan went their separate ways as Whitestorm began to send out patrols. Fuzz nudged my shoulder.
"I think it's time for the kits to try their first prey." he murmured. I sighed and nodded. Stormkit looked up at me with wide eyes.
"Are you ok?" he asked. I forced a smile and licked his head.
"Of course I am. Now let's go get your sisters so you can try your first prey." I mewed. As Stormkit scampered off, Fuzz looked at me with the same look in his eyes. I gave him a reassuring smile and followed Stormkit. Then I heard a squeak by the entrance. I swirled around to see Darkstripe with Sorrelkit who was spasming on the ground with foam coming out of her mouth. I gasped and watched as Graystripe tackled the warrior to the ground while Cinderpelt and Firestar ran to Sorrelkit. Willowpelt ran over to see what was happening.
"My kit!" she wailed. Cinderpelt carried Sorrelkit to the medicine den with Willowpelt behind her. Whitestorm was comforting the other kits with hushed words.
"What's wrong with her?" Rainkit whimpered.
"Is she going to die?" Sootkit added.
"No, of course not." Whitestorm murmured. I glared at Darkstripe.
"What did you do?" I spat. Darkstripe growled and shook off Graystripe.
"The stupid kit ate deathberries! I tried to stop her but-"
"Liar!" Graystripe snarled. "You fed her the deathberries!" My lips curled into a snarl and my claws dug into the ground.
"Why would you do such a thing?" I hissed. Firestar stepped between us.
"We have no proof Darkstripe did that." he meowed, but I could still see the distrust in his eyes as he looked at the dark warrior.
"What more proof do we need? Have you forgotten how he sneaks off into the forest at night? He was visiting Tigerstar!" Graystripe growled. Darkstripe remained silence as me and Graystripe hissed and spat at him. Firestar raised his tail for silence.
"When Sorrelkit wakes up, we can ask her." he meowed. Me and Graystripe shared a look as if reading each other's thoughts. What if she doesn't wake up?
The sun was starting to fall as Firestar stood on the High Rock. "Sorrelkit is alright. But it is true that Darkstripe has fed her the deathberries." he announced. I growled along with the rest of the clan. "What do you have to say for yourself?" Firestar spat as he glared at the warrior. Darkstripe flicked his ear.
"She was lying. I told you that the stupid kit was eating them and I tried to tell her to stop." he snapped.
"Liar!" Graystripe snarled.
"He's a traitor!" Cloudtail yowled. Firestar raised his tail for silence as the clan joined in.
"We know the real reason why you fed her the deathberries. It's because she caught you meeting Blackfoot on our territory!" he snapped. More outraged yowls filled the air and anger pulsed through my whole body. "As punishment, you will leave the clan. And if we ever find you in our territory, then we will treat like any other enemy." Firestar said. Darkstripe scoffed but there was fear and dismay in his gaze.
"I don't need you! I don't need any of you! Thunderclan has become a soft clan that I'm ashamed of fighting for!" he spat. Then he whisked around and padded out the camp. The clan watched him leave knowing he was off to join Tigerstar.
The moon was high in the sky and I followed my clan through the trees as we made our way to Four Trees. Fuzz stayed behind to watch the kits. Brambleclaw walked beside me. "You think we'll see Tawnypelt?" he asked. I shrugged.
"I don't know." I murmured.
"What about Darkstripe?" Brambleclaw pressed. I hiss and flattened my ears.
"I don't ever want to see the cold-hearted fox again!" I spat. Brambleclaw flicked his ear in agreement. Then we padded into the clearing with the other clans. Tigerstar leapt onto the Great Rock with Leopardstar beside him.
"Cats of the clans, hear me speak!" he yowled. Firestar and Tallstar jumped onto the Great Rock and listened. "As you all know, things are getting harder for the clans. In leaf-bare, floods covered the territories. A fire broke out in Thunderclan's territory. This is proof that we are all in need of help! So I have discussed things with Leopardstar, and we both decide to join together to form Tigerclan." Gasps sounded from the gathered cats. I looked at Tigerstar with dismay.
"No!" Tallstar exclaimed. "There has always been four clans in the forest!"
"But can't you see, Tallstar? The clans are struggling to maintain their structures and hold onto their lives! We must join together!" Tigerstar insisted. Tallstar bared his fangs.
"We must stop discussing this nonsense! What would Starclan say about this?" he spat.
"Starclan is the reason I thought about this. They have shown me a sign!" Tigerstar snapped. I growled at his lies. Firestar glared at Tigerstar.
"Thunderclan will never join you!" he growled.
"And neither will Windclan." Tallstar agreed. Tigerstar hissed and lashed his tail.
"You've been offered a life full of peace, but you refused. If you won't join, then there will be battle." he snarled.
"Nothing with you involved is peaceful!" I yowled. My clanmates snarled in agreement. Tigerstar glared at me with green eyes. Killing Storm!
"Think about my offer, for it will be the last time I'll ask again." Tigerstar growled. Then he led his clan to Riverclan territory with Riverclan behind them. I growled with bristling fur and followed my clan to our territory. My fur still prickled at Tigerstar's words. There will be battle. Think about my offer… for it will be the last time I'll ask again.