Disclaimer: I based the Clan structure on the Warriors books by Erin Hunter.
Let's find out what happened in ForestClan. Here is the next chapter. Enjoy and please review.
Thanks for reading my story...
Chapter 16
Talonwing pelted back to camp right after his encounter with Embershine, Oakstorm and Leafstar. If they said the truth, Hawkstar was in great danger. When he reached the entrance of the camp, Flamepaw greeted him enthusiastically.
"Look, Talonwing. Embershine and Oakstorm are back." The ginger she-cat told him.
The deputy stopped in his tracks.
"We are sorry to have caused you so much trouble, deputy." Embershine mewed. Talonwing remembered how the ginger tom had killed Pineflower and his fur stood on edge. The deputy swung himself at Embershine and the two toms were locked in a fierce battle.
"Stop that at once." Hawkstar's angry mew rang across camp. The Clan leader marched to the fighting cats and pushed herself between them.
"What are you doing Talonwing?" the leader asked.
"He is a traitor." Talonwing pointed to Embershine. "He killed Pineflower, Tinyclaw and Mousetail."
"What are you talking about, Talonwing? How could I possibly kill three of my Clanmates? And why would I do this?" Embershine mewed innocently. Oakstorm had walked beside the ginger tom.
"I had tripped on my way back here last night. Embershine kept me company until I was well enough to travel again. How can you accuse him of murder?" Oakstorm told the Clan.
Talonwing burned with rage. How dared they attack him in front of the whole Clan? He had seen how Embershine killed Pineflower.
"Where is the rest of your patrol, Talonwing?" Hawkstar asked her deputy.
"Oakstorm and Embershine killed them." The deputy mewed through gritted teeth.
Shocked mews erupted from the assembled cats.
"That can't be." Shrewfur, a pale gray she-cat who was Tinyclaw's mate gasped. An enormous outcry went through the camp and it took Hawkstar a while to silence her Clanmates.
xxx
Talonwing led Hawkstar and a few others to the hazel thicket where he and his patrol were ambushed by Embershine, Oakstorm and Leafstar. Their dead Clanmates still lay on the ground. Willowstem and Hawkstar stepped closer to the deceased cats and sniffed at them. The medicine cat ran a paw along the wounds and inspected the injuries carefully.
"They were killed by a cat." The brown tabby mewed at last.
Hawkstar shot a concerned look to her deputy and ordered that the bodies be taken back to camp. The Clan would sit vigil for them tonight. As the cats made their way back to camp, Hawkstar walked beside Talonwing.
"There was no scent from Embershine or Oakstorm on Pineflower's, Tinyclaw's or Mousetail's pelts. This makes your story very hard to believe." The Clan leader mewed.
"I swear, I saw how Embershine killed Pineflower. He said he wanted to kill you as well." Talonwing told his mother. "That's why I ran back to camp right away. I wanted to check on you."
"From the evidence we have, Talonwing, it looks like you killed them. Although I don't believe this. You wouldn't hurt your Clanmates." Hawkstar kept her voice low.
"You have got to believe me Hawkstar, it's Embershine and Oakstorm who are behind this. And somehow Leafstar is involved in this, too."
"Leafstar?" the brown-and-black she-cat looked puzzled at her son.
"Yes, he was there when we were ambushed by these traitors." Talonwing's mews became a low growl.
"You have to provide evidence for your accusations, Talonwing. I cannot punish two of my warriors without any proof of their treachery." Hawkstar mewed brisk and picked up her pace.
xxx
The Clan had sat vigil for Pineflower, Tinyclaw and Mousetail all night. Now the elders took the fallen warriors outside one at a time to bury them. Talonwing had become the main suspect in their Clanmates' murder. Hawkstar had urged her Clan to wait for more evidence before punishing any cat, but Talonwing knew that his time was running out. Shrewfur wanted to exile the deputy, because she believed he had killed her mate. Talonwing desperately tried to think of something that would help him; something that would prove his innocence. However, he couldn't find a solution to his problem. And to make things worse, he was supposed to meet Hawkfeather tonight. His mate would worry if he didn't show up.
All day his Clanmates mocked him. A few voices arose that demanded that Hawkstar pick another deputy, but their Clan leader refused the request. The black tom overheard his Clanmates' discussion on Hawkstar's weak leadership qualities in the current crisis and realized that this was exactly what Embershine and Oakstorm had intended: to drive out Hawkstar and him.
Talonwing was kept under close guard until night fell. When his guard fell asleep, he managed to leave the camp unseen. The black tom had intended to go to the MeadowClan border and see Hawkfeather and then look for something that would prove that he wasn't a murderer. Talonwing had reached the small strip of territory full with hazel and bramble thickets that was the border with HedgeClan. A few fox-lengths farther away lay the border with MeadowClan.
"Yes, everything is working out as planned."
Talonwing stopped dead. Oakstorm was talking to someone inside the bushes. As quietly as possible, Talonwing crept closer. This might be his chance to prove that Oakstorm and Embershine were traitors.
"It won't be long until they drive out Talonwing and that pathetic Hawkstar."
"Leafstar, your plan was brilliant."
"You still need to be careful. Talonwing is dangerous. It would be best to kill him instead of sending him into exile." The HedgeClan leader mewed.
Talonwing had heard enough. This was all Leafstar's plan! He wanted to weaken ForestClan from within. He must have realized that he could never win against Talonwing in a fair battle. And Embershine and Oakstorm were mouse-brained to fall for the HedgeClan leader's lies. They had been willing to kill their own Clanmates.
"Quiet. I hear someone coming." Leafstar mewed abruptly.
Talonwing readied himself for an attack and a heartbeat later Embershine and Oakstorm racked their claws along his pelt. Talonwing wriggled himself free from the two toms' fierce grip and was sending out blows at them. He felt a sharp pain in his shoulder and with a massive effort managed to throw Embershine off. The deputy then got a grip on the ginger tom and violently shook his victim until the warrior went limb. Talonwing let go of Embershine and turned his attention back to Oakstorm. The brown tabby was bleeding heavily from a huge wound on his flank. Talonwing didn't remember hurting his Clanmate before; but now he didn't hesitate and attacked Oakstorm with several well aimed blows until he didn't move anymore. Talonwing was panting from the attack and didn't notice Leafstar creeping up on him. Suddenly, a heavy weight held him down and sharp teeth sank into his neck fur. Desperately Talonwing tried to shake off Leafstar. Talonwing mustered all his power in a final attempt to free himself from Leafstar's grip. With his last power, the black tom drew off the pale gray attacker. A sudden noise from the HedgeClan territory ended the battle.
"Leafstar are you all right? You are bleeding! We have to get you back to camp. Leafwhisker has to take a look at your wound."
"Don't fuss over me, Bouldertail. I am fine."
Thank StarClan, Leafstar's deputy didn't see Talonwing and the two HedgeClan warriors left.
xxx
"I can't believe Embershine and Oakstorm killed their own Clanmates." Hawkfeather mewed. She and her sister had listened to Talonwing's story.
"I can't go back to my Clan. They still think that I am a traitor. They won't accept me."
"No, Talonwing. There is a way." Falconstar mewed brisk. "But you have to act quickly."
Talonwing rose to his paws and looked the black-and-ginger she-cat into the eyes. "Tell me then, Falconstar. What do I have to do?"
"You were fighting them right at the border to HedgeClan, right?" Falconstar began and Talonwing nodded. "Go back to your Clan and tell them that you followed Embershine and Oakstorm to the border. You saw them talk with Leafstar and they plotted against ForestClan. But then they started arguing and Leafstar killed them. With any luck there is still some HedgeClan scent on their bodies that could prove that Leafstar was there, too. Lead us to the place where they are."
Talonwing slowly made the way back to the hazel and bramble thickets. Hawkfeather and Falconstar followed him closely.
"Do you really think it would work?" the tom asked Falconstar.
"It's your best chance." The young Clan leader answered.
"Here they are, the filthy traitors." Talonwing pointed to two unmoving bodies that lay beside the hazel thicket.
Falconstar tasted the air and quickly made out HedgeClan scent. She went closer to the blood-stained bodies of Embershine and Oakstorm and twitched her ears.
"You are lucky indeed, Talonwing. The scent here is clearly Leafstar's. You have to hurry before it becomes stale." Falconstar urged the black tom.
"Thank you, Falconstar." Talonwing dipped his head to the black-and-ginger she-cat.
"No need to thank me, Talonwing. Come on, Hawkfeather. We have to get back. It's getting late."
"I want to say goodbye. Go ahead. I'll catch up with you."
Once Hawkfeather and Talonwing were alone, they started to share tongues and pressed their pelts close to each other.
"I missed you so much, Hawkfeather." Talonwing purred and affectionately licked his mate's ear. The two black cats had their tails entwined and enjoyed their moment. Hawkfeather gently licked the fur around Talonwing's wounds. The sound of a cracking twig made them turn around. The deputy gasped.
"Hawkstar."
Continues soon...