Chapter 4

The New Clan

Gingerstar14: Doesn't the song Second Chance by Shinedown fit this fanfic????

Brambleclaw woke to voices. "Isn't that Brambleclaw?" it was Ashfoot.

"The mouse-brain!" that was Webfoot. Brambleclaw sleepily rose his head to see three WindClan warriors standing near him. Ashfoot, Tornear, and Webfoot.

"What in StarClan are you doing on our territory?" Tornear growled. "Are you completely out of your mind?" He prodded Brambleclaw, who struggled to sit up. It was just getting light out, so this must be the dawn patrol.

"I- I'd like to visit your leader." he scrambled to his paws, wincing as his injured leg touched the ground.

"No, you crow-food eating-" Webfoot began.

Tornear interrupted him sharply. "Who's the deputy here? I'm pretty sure it's not you!"

Ashfoot ingnored the two toms and padded forward and sniffed at Brambleclaw's leg. "Your hurt."

"I-it's nothing," Brambleclaw insisted. He leaned on the deputy's shoulder and she lead him down the hill. Webfoot snorted angrily and padded behind. Tornear dropped in beside them.

"So, what's this about?" he asked. "If you don't mind."

But the tabby warrior shook his head. "I want to speak to Onestar first." Tornear shrugged and they padded on. Every step was torment for Brambleclaw, who was still tired from his trek yesterday and desperate to prove he wasnt weak-at least not too much. The sun was well into the sky by the time they approached the camp.

Brambleclaw recognised the shallow dip in the ground that Crowfeather had found for WindClan when they first arrived at the lake. Ashfoot lead them straight down, and Brambleclaw saw the WindClan warriors raise their heads to look at him. He was acutely aware of the curious, if not hostile glances. Crowfeather gaped at him. "Brambleclaw-"

"I'll explain." Brambleclaw dipped his head low when Onestar approached him. Barkface cocked his head but said nothing. "Greetings. I-would like to speak with you. But it is not for all ears."

Onestar swept him over. Brambleclaw had to keep from shuddering. This was a different cat than the weak deputy that had pleaded with Firestar a long time ago. But he had hopefully changed for the better...unlike Firestar. "Very well. Ashfoot and Barkface, join with me in Barkface's den to speak with Brambleclaw." He turned and padded to one of the rocks and ducked under it. Ashfoot lead Brambleclaw in.

Once they were all settled down, the WindClan leader turned to him again. "You can tell us why your hear now, Brambleclaw."

The former ThunderClan deputy let out a breath. "Okay, it goes like this.

"I had a problem with Firestar. He- he didn't like me, let's leave it at that. Well, I finally, lost my temper with Firestar, and I paid the price big time. I was to retire as an elder now, but I escaped and came here. I was...hoping I could join WindClan. But if not...

"What did you do?" Ashfoot cut in.

Brambleclaw dipped his head. "N-nothing that needs remembering."

Barkface murmured, "So you are ashamed. What do you say, Onestar?" His eyes searched his leader.

For a moment the tabby leader was silent. "The Thunder that saves the Wind.." he muttered.

Brambleclaw was confused. "What?" He was no medicine cat, but it sounded very much like a prophecy to him. Could it be true?

Onestar straighened up. "It's nothing that concerns ThunderClan."

"But I'm not ThunderClan," Brambleclaw protested. "I wish to join WindClan. If it's okay with you. I mean, I have nowhere to go. ShadowClan won't accept me and RiverClan..."

"I shall call a meeting," Onestar decided. He rose to his paws and padded out to leap onto the rock beside Barkface's and let out a yowl. "All cats of WindClan join with me beneath Tallrock for a Clan meeting!" Brambleclaw limped out with Ashfoot again, and saw the warriors leave their spots to come join their leader. Brambleclaw saw Leaftail, Crowfeather, Webfoot, and Owlwhisker come to join Emberpaw and Dewpaw.

Whitetail settled down near Brambleclaw, giving him a polite nod. "Listen and hear," Ashfoot yowled before sitting down. Onestar began to explain that Brambleclaw wanted to join their Clan. Yowls exploded from everywhere.

"We don't even know him!" Lithepaw yowled.

"Yeah!" Emberpaw nodded. Tornear silenced his apprentice with a glare.

"Brambleclaw? A WindClanner? Are you joking? He could never ever be a good worth-while WindClan cat!" Brambleclaw winced at Webfoot's scornful yowl. Nightcloud nodded her agreement.

"He could learn!" Crowfeather stuck up for him, as well as Whitetail and Ashfoot. Most of the rest were disapproving.

Mistheart shrugged. "The desiscion isn't ours to make."

"But we have a voice in the Clan," Leaftail meowed gently. "I don't have an opinion in this," he added. "But I say that Onestar would be foolish to ignore the voice of WindClan." Antpelt nodded.

"I agree with Leaftail."

"Silence!" Onestar waved his tail. "I'm not saying that every cat has the skill to be like WindClan, but that doesn't mean Brambleclaw can't adapt. Graystripe, the ThunderClan deputy learned to live in RiverClan. And so he stays."

"He'd need some training, but he'd turn out okay." Tornear meowed. Now only Webfoot and the three apprentices were complaining.

"Then it's decided," Brambleclaw's fur tingled as Onestar announced, "he stays. We'll annnounce his acceptance ceremony at sunhigh."