Chapter 7
"From this moment on, until you have earned your warrior name, you will be known as Mousepaw." Bramblestar's eyes traveled through the crowd, trying to find a suitable mentor. "Leafpool, you have been a warrior long enough. I trust that you will pass on your skills to this apprentice."
"Thank you, Bramblestar, I will do my best." Leafpool dipped her head. Some cats looked shocked and angry that Bramblestar chose the former medicine cat to mentor.
Well, I'm fine with the choice. They are my kits anyway, Moonflower thought.
Hollyheart walked towards the ShadowClan border. She had to tell Tigerheart.
I didn't mean to take a mate from another Clan... Tigerheart is just so handsome. And he isn't anything like other ShadowClan warriors. Hollyheart thought.
She waited at their meeting place. After what felt like lifetimes, she smelled Tigerheart's scent.
"Hollyheart?" Tigerheart called.
"I'm here. You can come out." Hollyheart told him. Tigerheart cautiously walked out of the forest. He padded right across the ThunderClan border and twined his tail with Hollyheart's.
"Tigerheart, we need to talk about something." Hollyheart said.
"What is it?" Tigerheart asked worried.
"Well... I'm expecting kits."
"Really? Hollyheart that's wonderful!" Tigerheart exclaimed.
"No! It's not okay! I didn't mean to take you as a mate! I was planning on being mates with Snowstorm but now I can't because I'm expecting your kits!" Hollyheart growled.
Tigerheart looked at the dark gray she-cat, surprised, "I... I thought you loved me."
"I did! But I couldn't! Don't you know we aren't supposed to have mates in a different Clan!" Hollyheart exclaimed, how can this cat be so stupid!
"You're just like your mother... I loved her too but she left me for... Bumblestripe! That half-kittypet piece of foxdung!" Tigerheart said coldly.
"How dare you say that! These kits wont know you as their father. They will know Snowstorm as their father!" Hollyheart growled and ran back towards camp.
I didn't know it would be this hard! Is that tom really that stupid?
She ran through the forest as fast as she could. Suddenly a flash of white jumped and front of her and she ran into it. She got up and shook her pelt, she recognized Snowstorm.
"Hollyheart! You scared me out of my fur!" The white tom breathed.
"Sorry. I was looking for you." Hollyheart told him.
"Really? You were running as if you've seen Tigerstar's ghost!" Snowstorm purred.
Yeah. Something like that. His kin!
"I need to talk to you about something." Hollyheart meowed.
"Okay. Go ahead."
"Well... Promise you wont be mad?" She said.
"I promise." Snowstorm promised.
"You know I was expecting to be your mate..." Hollyheart began.
"Yeah."
"Well, I... I took a mate in another Clan... I didn't mean to! But I just did."
"What? Who?" Snowstorm asked.
"Tigerheart of ShadowClan. I'm... expecting his kits. But I don't want him to be the father! I didn't even want to be his mate!" Hollyheart exclaimed.
"What are you asking?" Snowstorm growled.
"Will you please step in as their father. These kits need a father that will take care of them. You know I love you and I want these kits to be yours..." Hollyheart asked. Snowstorm looked at her. His face gave nothing away. After a few moments of silence the white tom spoke again.
"Of course I will be! I love you too Hollyheart and I want these kits to have a wonderful life!" He told her. Hollyheart purred and licked his cheek.
"Thank you. Thank you so much." She purred.
The two cats twined their tails and walked towards the camp.
Hollyheart looked for Snowstorm. Then, she saw him walking out of camp with his new apprentice, Skypaw. The silver she-cat looked exactly like her mother, Silvermoon.
I guess I'll tell him later.
She turned around and walked back into the nursery. She was the only queen in there except for Daisy. Who always stayed in the nursery to help nursing she-cats instead of being a warrior.
"Hello, Hollyheart. Come share this thrush. Blizzardpaw caught it and it's huge!" Daisy offered.
"Thanks." Hollyheart purred and sat down next to the cream she-cat.
I just wish Blizzardpaw's and Skypaw's father was a murderer.
4 moons later.
Hollyheart lay in her nest exhausted. She just gave birth to two healthy kits. One black tom and one dark brown she-cat.
Snowstorm was sitting next to her, watching his foster kits suckle. Moonflower crawled into the nursery.
"Hey Hollyheart. Your kits are beautiful." She purred.
"Thanks, Moonflower." Hollyheart murmured.
"Have you named them?" Moonflower asked.
Hollyheart yawned, "Not yet."
"Oh okay. I'll let you sleep you look exhausted." Moonflower said and walked out.
Hollyheart yawned once more and laid her head down in her nest. Soon, she was asleep.
Ashfur crawled into the nursery. His mate, Mosspelt just found out she's expecting kits. Ashfur had a nice, fat rabbit in his jaws.
Mosspelt and Hollyheart could both share this and still have some left over, Ashfur purred. Spottedpaw caught this all by herself. It was bigger than she was!
"Oh! You've brought a rabbit! Look at the size of that thing!" Mosspelt purred.
"Can we have some?" One of Hollyheart's kits, Ravenkit asked. The little black tom and his sister, Brindlekit were two moons old. Born to Hollyheart and Snowstorm, though Brindlekit looked nothing like her parents.
"Not yet. When you are three moons old you can." Hollyheart told her son. Ravenkit ran back across the nursery to his sister.
"Thanks, Ashfur! This is huge. Daisy you can come share if you'd like." Mosspelt said.
"Thanks!" Daisy meowed and hopped over to the rabbit.
Daisy is actually getting used to Clan life! Finally! She's been here for moons!
Ashfur dipped his head to the she-cats and walked out.
I'll go hunting once again. They prey is just starting to come back and we need it, He thought.
Ashfur walked out of the camp alone. When he was near the lake, he heard something in the bushes. He turned around looking for anyone who might be following him.
Maybe just the wind.
He continued walking, then spotted a sparrow sitting on a log. Ashfur got down in a hunter's crouch. He slowly moved towards the plump sparrow. It would feed the elders for sure! He got closer and then pounced. The sparrow noticed him but it was too late! Ashfur bit down on the sparrow's neck and cut off it's alarm call. Suddenly, there was another noise in the bushes and Stormheart jumped out.
"Stormheart! W-what are you doing?" Ashfur asked, remembering how his parents were alone with him when they were killed.
"It's your turn to die now!" Stormheart growled and jumped on top of him.
Ashfur gasped for breath, "What... what about Mosspelt and my kits?"
"They'd be better off without you!" Stormheart's voice was muffled through the fur. He bit down even harder. Ashfur could feel blood starting to leak out of the wound. He gasped for more air but couldn't breath. Finally, he let his eyes close and he gave way to a dizzying blackness.
"Where is he?" Mosspelt asked, anxiously.
"Don't worry he was out hunting. He will come back to see you soon." Hollyheart assured the gray-and-white she-cat. Mosspelt didn't seem calmer, but she didn't say anything else.
I hope he's alright. He went hunting alone...
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" Bramblestar summoned the Clan together. Hollyheart and Mosspelt got up to go out in the clearing.
"Can we come, too?" Brindlekit asked, looking up at her mother with hopeful eyes.
"Sure. But don't interrupt or anything. Sit still and keep your mouth closed." Hollyheart told her daughter. Her two kits squealed with excitement then settled down and walked next to their mother out into the clearing.
"I have some terrible news." Bramblestar began. "Ashfur is dead. Some cat killed him and his body was found in the lake."
Gasps of shock came from the cats. Hollyheart's heart sank.
No! Please StarClan no! Not Ashfur!
"No!" Mosspelt yowled next to her. She dropped to the ground shaking. Bramblestar looked down at her with grief in his eyes.
"We don't know who or how he died..." Bramblestar went on, "Tonight we will sit vigil for him on his was to StarClan."
Hollyheart closed her eyes.
StarClan how could you make this happen, She thought.
"We also have a ceremony to hold." Bramblestar went on, his eyes still full of grief. "Sandstorm, step forward."
Hollyheart looked over at the pale ginger she-cat. She was walking towards the front of the Clan.
"Sandstorm, is it your wish to give up the name of a warrior and go to join the elders?" Bramblestar asked.
"It is." Sandstorm said calmly.
"Your Clan honors you and all the service you have given to us. I call upon StarClan to give you many moons of rest." Bramblestar meowed.
"Sandstorm! Sandstorm!" The Clan called the name of the retired she-cat. Sandstorm dipped her head and headed towards the elders.
"That is all. We will now hold a vigil for Ashfur." Bramblestar announced.
Hollyheart walked over to her dead brother's body.
Oh Ashfur... this is all Stormheart's fault.
"You were a brave warrior. StarClan will honor. I hope you find good hunting and shelter where you sleep." She whispered. Have fun with Dovewing and Bumblestripe. And somehow help us stop Stormheart, She added silently.
Hollyheart got up and silently walked back to the nursery. Her kits were there waiting for her in the nest.
"Hollyheart? When will Ashfur wake up and visit us again?" Ravenkit asked.
Hollyheart sighed, "He won't, darling. He is in StarClan now."
"But why?" Brindlekit asked. They didn't understand yet.
"Some evil cat killed him. Don't worry you'll see him again. Let's just hope not anytime soon." Hollyheart told her kits gently. She looked over at Mosspelt, her kits were due any time now.
"He's gone... who's going to raise these kits?" Mosspelt wondered.
"You are. Ashfur would like you to raise them well." Hollyheart told her, "Just make sure to tell them about their brave father."
Mosspelt nodded and sighed. She laid her head on her paws and closed her eyes.
Moonflower opened her eyes and she was by a waterfall.
"Moonflower." A voice called to her. It was familiar.
"Ashfur!" She called to her brother. Ashfur padded out of the trees followed by Dovewing and Bumblestripe.
"Moonflower, you and Hollyheart are the only cats who can stop Stormheart now." Dovewing said.
"How? How are we supposed to?" Moonflower asked.
"You will know." Her mother's voice echoed off the water. She longed to look in her mother's green eyes, but instead they were filled with stars. She looked at Bumblestripe's and Ashfur's eyes, the same stars. With a distant trace of their old color.
"You will know." Bumblestripe echoed.
Ashfur walked up to Moonflower, "Please tell Mosspelt that I love her. And please stop Stormheart before he hurts you too."
"I will, don't worry." Moonflower promised.
Moonflower opened her eyes. It was dawn. She yawned.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" Bramblestar's familiar words echoed off the stone walls.
What now?
Moonflower got and and walked out. She went and sat down next to Hawkclaw, who twined his tail with hers.
"WindClan had crossed our borders once again! It is time we do something about it!" Bramblestar announced.
"We should attack!" Cloudtail yowled.
"That's what we are going to do!" Bramblestar said to him.
"But what about Crowfeather? WindClan is his birth Clan! Would he fight them?" Berrynose challenged. Bramblestar looked down on Crowfeather.
"ThunderClan is my Clan now! Of course I will fight with you! I would give my life for this Clan!" The former WindClan warrior yowled.
"Those are the words of a true ThunderClan warrior." Brightheart said.
"She is right!" Bramblestar meowed, "We will attack their camp at sunhigh!"
"Who will go?" asked Ivypool. Moonflower looked over at the silver-and-white she-cat. Dovewing was her sister and she hadn't talked much since she died. Bramblestar looked around at the cats, thinking which ones should go.
"Squirrelflight, Thornclaw, Graystripe, Ivypool, Hazeltail, Lilyflower, Seedfoot, Dewtail, Amberheart, Snowstorm, Moonflower, Hawkclaw, Sunpaw, Skypaw, Blizzardpaw, Lionblaze, Dustpelt, Brightheart, Crowfeather and I." He decided. "The rest of you will stay here. Cloudtail, you will be in charge."
Cloudtail nodded his head, sitting up straight.
"Right, we leave at sunhigh. Go eat and get your strength up" The leader orderd. He hopped down and started talking with Squirrelflight and Cloudtail.
"Come on, let's go get something to eat." Hawkclaw meowed.
"Okay. I'm just worried about Sunpaw. It's his first battle." Moonflower fretted.
"So am I. But he is a strong cat, he'll be fine." Hawkclaw assured his mate.
"Moonflower, Hawkclaw! It's my first battle!" Sunpaw ran up to his parents.
"It sure is. Just be careful and battle only apprentices." Moonflower told him.
"I can fight warriors!" The orange apprentice objected.
"Just to be safe." Hawkclaw ordered. Sunpaw dipped his head and ran over to Skypaw.
"ThunderClan warriors! It's time to go!" Bramblestar called. He waved his tail for his warriors to follow him.
The cats neared the WindClan border. Bramblestar waved his tail to stop.
"Okay. There was a patrol here recently. Thornclaw, Ivypool, Lilyflower, Dewtail, Snowstorm and I will follow and attack them." The ThunderClan leader ordered, "Squirrelflight take the rest of the cats and attack the camp."
Squirrelflight nodded and waved her tail for the cats to follow her. They cautiously walked towards the WindClan camp. Suddenly, Squirrelflight stopped.
"Okay, when I give the signal..." She waved her tail to demonstrate the signal, "We attack. Don't fight too hard. Bramblestar and the rest of the patrol will arrive soon."
Moonflower got ready to attack. After what seemed like nine lifetimes, Squirrelflight gave the signal. The ThunderClan cats jumped out of the gorse and attacked. The WindClan camp wasn't well guarded. Onestar, Ashfoot, Gorsetail, Heathertail, Breezepelt, Nightcloud, Boulderpaw and Furzepaw were there. Moonflower ran straight towards Gorsetail. She jumped on top of the gray-and-white tom. Gorsetail yowled and slashed at her throat. Moonflower growled and slashed at his ear. The tom's ear started bleeding and Gorsetail bit down on Moonflower's neck. Suddenly, Crowfeather attacked Gorsetail and knocked him off of Moonflower.
"Traitor! You... you piece of hare dung!" Gorsetail growled at Crowfeather.
"ThunderClan is my Clan now." Crowfeather spat back.
"You deserve to die!" Gorsetail sneered and bit Crowfeather's neck. Moonflower shook her head and leaped on top of Gorsetail. She bit his tail and flank. Eventually, Gorsetail got up, shook his pelt and ran out of the camp. Crowfeather got up and looked at Moonflower.
"Thanks, Moonflower." The black tom said.
"That's what you do for a Clanmate." Moonflower responded and Crowfeather dipped his head gratefully. Suddenly, a black pelt leaped on top of Crowfeather.
"Breezepelt!" Crowfeather growled.
"Hello, father. It's your time to die now! You traitor!" Breezepelt growled. Lionblaze looked up from where he was battling Ashfoot. He left the gray she-cat and ran over and attacked Breezepelt.
Moonflower looked around at her Clan.
We did it! We showed WindClan! But we lost something...
She looked over at a bloody body. The dark ginger pelt was covered in blood. Bramblestar was laying down next to his mate and deputy.
"Oh Squirrelflight... I'm so sorry. I wouldn't of made you fight if I knew you were going to die." Her leader was saying. Moonflower padded up next to him and laid down.
"I'm so sorry Bramblestar. I should of saved her." She whispered. Nightcloud was holding Moonflower down when Squirrelflight attacked Nightcloud and saved Moonflower's life. Nightcloud had killed Squirrelflight before running away out of the camp.
"No. Moonflower, it wasn't your fault." Bramblestar told her.
"Yes it was. She saved my life." Moonflower meowed.
"Yes, she did save your life. But that's what loyal cats do. It's not your fault Moonflower." Bramblestar insisted. Moonflower nodded.
"Who's going to be the next deputy?" She asked, changing the subject.
Bramblestar's eyes got wide, "Great StarClan! I forgot about that!" He got up and walked towards the medicine den. Moonflower was alone.
"May StarClan guide your path, and may you find good hunting and shelter where you sleep. You were a brave warrior and a wonderful deputy." She whispered. Leafpool and Sandstorm came up together and laid down.
"Oh, my daughter..." Sandstorm sighed. "Why did StarClan have to take you away too?"
"Thank you for everything you did, Squirrelflight. You risked your life for me... and you lied to Bramblestar and your parents to protect me and Lionblaze and Jayfeather and Hollyleaf, too. Thank you for everything. May StarClan light your path" Leafpool whispered to her sister.
"You are free to hunt whenever you want and you can see Hollyleaf and Firestar again... Goodbye my daughter." Sandstorm meowed. Then, the mother and daughter got up and walked away. Moonflower watch them go. Surprisingly, Crowfeather came up and laid down.
"We traveled to the Sun-drown place together, Squirrelflight. Me, you, Bramblestar, Stormfur, Tawnypelt, and Feathertail. We were just apprentices then, me and you. We've come so far. Thank you for keeping Leafpool's secret safe and protecting our kits. I will never forget our journey and our quarrels." Crowfeather laughed, "We used to fight all the time. Goodbye, Squirrelflight may StarClan light your path." He licked the former deputy's head and walked away. Moonflower was alone once more. Bramblestar walked out of the Medicine den and hopped onto the Highledge.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" He called. Leafpool, Crowfeather, and Sandstorm got up where they were sitting near the Elder's den and moved closer.
"It is almost Moonhigh and time to announce the new deputy." Bramblestar announced. His voice shook with sadness, "I say these words before StarClan, so that the spirits of our warrior ancestors can hear and approve of my choice... the new deputy will be Moonflower!"
Cats turned and looked at Moonflower. Some nodded, thinking it was a good choice, such as Leafpool, Sandstorm, Hollyheart, Crowfeather, Hawkclaw, Silvermoon, and her kits. Others looked disappointed or angry with the choice.
"Moonflower! Moonflower!" The Clan called.
"Thank you, Bramblestar. I accept. I know I can't be like Squirrelflight but I will try my best to serve the Clan well." Moonflower said and dipped her head. The Clan cheered once more.
I'm deputy of ThunderClan!