On the Thirtieth (Yeah, November 30th), we finally got our first snowfall where I live! Whoo. *frolics around in the depressingsly thin layers of snow* Lol, anyways, here's Chapeter 4
Sandstorm writhed helplessly, desperately struggling for enough space to use her teeth and claws. She was pinned beneath a black and white tom who was raking his claws fiercely down her flank, and it took all she had to keep herself from wailing in pain. She wouldn't give a RiverClan cat the satisfaction of knowing how much it hurt.
The ThunderClan cats here hopelessly outnumbered and she knew there had been no time for Swiftpaw to reach the camp to get help. By the time he would return, the patrol would most likely have been driven off or killed, and Sunningrocks would belong to the fishy scum of RiverClan once more.
Suddenly the weight lifted off Sandstorm, the other cat was lying on the ground looking stunned.
Sandstorm turned to see Brackenfur as the young warrior began helping her to her paws. She winced in pain as her wounds bled like a scarlet tide. She knew she should retreat while she could, but she couldn't leave her Clan mates with the few fighting force they had.
Brackenfur was eying her pelt with worry in his eyes, but all he asked her was: "Where's Bluestar?"
Sandstorm felt a thrill of fear pulse through her. "I don't know." In her moments respite, Sandstorm looked for her leader. Bluestar was much too frail to be in a fight and win.
She didn't see Bluestar anywhere, but she did notice her former mentor, Whitestorm, facing up against Leopardstar on top of a rock a few fox lengths away. He was too far for her to reach without being forced into another battle.
Instead she bounded up the smooth slope towards the nearest rock, going as fast as she could with her injuries, and began to scope out the clearing. What she saw made her want to wail in frustration and fright.
There was no way they could win this battle, there were barely six ThunderClan warriors standing against what seemed to be all of RiverClan. They should give up, there would always be more opportunities to extend territory.
"Call yourself a leader?" A voice sneered, taking Sandstorm by surprise. It didn't sound like any of her Clan mates. Surely it wasn't Bluestar they spoke of? The blue-gray she-cat had never backed down from a fight before in her life! "Why won't you fight?" The voice hissed.
Leaning precariously over the rock, she saw three gray pelts. Instantly she recognized the trio. Bluestar didn't even seem as if she wanted to fight the RiverClan cats! Did she want to die?
The instant Stonefur drew back a paw to bring it raking across her leaders pelt, Sandsotrm launched herself off the rock and careened into the RiverClan deputy. On Bluestar's other side Mistyfoot let out a screech of defiance and unsheathed her claws, ready to attack Sandstorm.
"Sandstorm, stop!" Bluestar yowled, her voice filled with shock and fear.
Obeying her leaders command, she broke away from the gray tom and stood panting."Bluestar, have you lost your mind? He was going to attack you." She hissed, her gaze never leaving his.
She could feel Bluestar's hesitation but she dared not turn away from the RiverClan tom in fear he would attack her when her attention lapsed.
"Go." Bluestar whispered and Sandstorm hesitated.
Perhaps Bluestar really had lost her mind. Did she really want her to leave ? She could still hear the yowling and spitting from the other side of the rock. The battle wasn't over yet.
"Sandstorm," Bluestar spat, her voice strong and firm. "Go, now."
Sandstorm was taken aback. "Bluestar..."
"Leave. There's something I need to say to these two."
Doubt wavered in Sandstorm mind. Was it really safe to leave her leader alone? Nonetheless, she followed Bluestar's order. After all, a leaders word was law.
Padding around the edge of the rock, Sandstorm was about to send herself back into the fight, trying vainly to forget about the stinging wounds, when a cry sounded. She was unable to make out the words but spun around in time to see Shadepelt, a dark gray she-cat running towards her.
The cry had given her enough time to ready herself for the attack so she nimbly backed away from her attackers claws. Shadepelt hissed in frustration and shot Sandstorm a glare.
Sandstorm was worried, if this battle didn't end soon ThunderClan would be greatly damaged, not to mention her own wounds were bad enough that at this point she couldn't carry on much longer. Already she could feel her strength depleting.
"Look at the little ThunderClan warrior now," Shadepelt hissed mockingly. "Where's your little Fireheart?"
Sandstorm immediately tensed, if this mouse-brained she-cat didn't shut her muzzle soon, Sandstorm would teach her a real lesson.
"Where's your kittypet warrior-"
Before the dark furred she-cat could finish speaking, Sandstorm dove forwards slamming into Shadepelt's side knocking the breath from her lungs. The warrior look startled and pleased, Sandstorm had just accepted Shadepelt unspoken challenge.
As Shadepelt prepared herself for an attack, a chorus of yowling sounded from behind. Sandstorm had never been so relieved before in her life! A wave of ThunderClan warriors were streaming over the rock and down into the gully. She easily recognized Mousefur, Darkstripe, Brindleface and Dustpelt being led towards Sunningrocks by Swiftpaw. It had taken the apprentice long enough!
The ThunderClan warriors began to give chase to the retreating RiverClan cats with furious yowls or caterwauling challenges and taunts.
As the last of the RiverClan warriors fled across the border Sandstorm saw Mistyfoot and Stonefur padding along with Bluestar. She was too far away to hear the words, but the two younger cats looked angry, and she couldn't quite imagine why. Was it because of their Clans defeat?
Leopardstar was the last of the RiverClan cats to retreat across the border. To Sandstorm's surprise, she paused on the boundary line and turned back to face the group of ThunderClan cats. "Look there!" She snapped at her warriors, her words spilling out with fury, as she flicked her tail towards a cat on the ThunderClan side of the border. "If it weren't for that traitor, Sunningrocks would be ours again. He is no longer a member of RiverClan. If you catch him on our territory, kill him."
Sandstorms mind reeled in shock as she glanced at Leopardstar's fixation. Graystripe stood a few fox lengths away staring at his paws. What had he done that made Leopardstar label him that way? The words brought up unwanted feelings inside Sandstorm. Another cat she knew was a 'traitor'. Great StarClan! Why are you doing this to me?
Without waiting for any response, Leopardstar spun around limped rapidly towards the river.
Graystripe said nothing. He stood as motionless as the rocks around him,his head slightly angled towards the ThunderClan cats that were grouping together near Bluestar, their leader looked bewildered and crest fallen. What had Bluestar told the two RiverClan warriors?
After a brief hesitation, Sandstorm padded towards Graystripe, pushing away any resentment she still felt for the gray tom.
"What happened?" She murmured.
Graystripe did not reply immediately, but after a few heartbeats his eyes refocused on Sandstorm. "Where's Fireheart?" He asked.
"Oh Graystripe," She whispered, head hanging.
She heard the leaves rustle beneath Graystripe's paws as he shifted. "Sandstorm?" He murmured, his voice bright with alarm and worry.
She refused to meet his gaze. Graystripe was Fireheart's first, and oldest friend. How was she supposed to tell him Fireheart was gone? "Fireheart... He isn't coming back." She murmured in a dead tone.
Graystripe drew in a faint breath. "Is he..." the gray tom trailed off, she guessed what he meant, but it was still hard to think about it. At least he was given a better alternative.
"Dead? No." She heard the tom let out a long sigh. Raising her head she forced herself to meet his gaze. "Bluestar exiled him. He's gone."
"What?" Graystripe's voice vibrated with in shock and anger while his eyes glowed with dismay and pain. "What did he do?" He whispered sullenly, shoulders drooping.
Before she could answer, another scent washed over Sandstorm as Bluestar walked towards them. "Bluestar..." Sandstorm meowed uncertainly. Would she allow Graystripe a place back in ThunderClan? They were beginning to run low on warriors once more now that they had lost Fireheart, though there were still a decent amount of apprentice's the Clan needed warriors now more than ever.
"Thank StarClan we managed to beat RiverClan off," Bluestar muttered in a dead tone. She sounded as if it didn't matter. Had their leader lost her will to lead the Clan?
"No, thank us," A new voice interjected as Cloudpaw trotted over. "We did all the fighting. I didn't notice any StarClan warriors on our side."
"Cloudpaw!" Sandstorm snapped. He shouldn't talk like that when Bluestar was only a tail length away, but to her unease she saw Bluestar did not look at him with anger, but contempt as she fixed an intense gaze on the fluffy white tom. She gave a little nod but said nothing.
As the warriors began to move off towards the camp Sandstorm decided to step up and ask Bluestar something before the chance passed by. It was the least she could do for Fireheart.
"Bluestar," She began hesitantly. "Graystripe's here,"
To her relief Bluestar looked at the Gray tom, but the relief turned to a flicker of doubt as Bluestar stared at the young tom with a vague expression. It was as if she didn't recognize him!
A dark tabby shouldered his way forward. "Get off our territory!" Darkstripe spat, adding to Bluestar, "I'll drive him off if you want."
"Wait," Bluestar meowed with a touch of her old authority. "Explain what's going on here."
Graystripe hesitated for a brief moment before explaining to Bluestar how he had helped ThunderClan in the battle instead of RiverClan, and how he fought against Leopardstar herself to protect a clan mate. Sandstorm didn't miss the glimmer of hope in his eyes as he told her what happened.
Once he concluded his story, Darkstripe broke in roughly before Bluestar could reply. "He left ThunderClan of his own free will. Why should we let him come crawling back?"
"I'm not crawling to you or any other cat," Graystripe retorted. He turned to face the blue-gray she-cat. "But I'd like to come back, if you'll have me, Bluestar."
Darkstripe was appalled. "You can't take back a traitor! He just betrayed his leader-how do you know he wont do the same to you the first chance he gets?"
Bluestar fixed a cold look on him. "If Graystripe is a traitor," She meowed with all the ice of leaf-bare pouring into her voice, "Then he's just the same as the rest of you. The Clan is full of traitors, one more wont make any difference." Her gaze lit up with anger. "You should have let Stonefur and Mistyfoot kill me." She snarled, rounding on Sandstorm. "Better a quick death at the claws of noble warriors than a life dragged out in a Clan I can't even trust-a Clan doomed to destruction by StarClan!"
There were gasps from other warriors that weer still in earshot as she spoke and Sandstorm truly realized that few of the Clan really had know just how distrustful Bluestar had become.
She knew there was no point in arguing with Bluestar now. Summoning up her remaining strength she boldly asked, "Does that mean Graystripe can stay?"
"Stay or go, whatever he likes," She hissed indifferently. Her brief flash of strength had ebbed, leaving her looking more frail than ever.
Slowly, Not meeting any of her warriors troubled gazes, Bluestar padded away in the direction of the camp.
Hmm, Bluestar seems so... desparired. It's such a shame she doesn't trust anyone but (maybe) Whitestorm.
Have any of you read Omen of the Stars (The fourth Apprentice) yet? I still need to find a way to get some money for it.. sigh.
Hollyleaf: REVIEW! OR ELSE YOU'LL BE BREAKING THE CODE! OBEY THE CODE AT ALL COSTS! MWUAHAHAHA!
Cinderheart: Freak.
But yeah, Review, and you get a… er… a free hammer! It also comes with a warrior doll of your choice. You know, so you can hit your least favorite warrior. MUAHAHAHA!