Well everyone, here's the new chapter. I hope its to your liking – and I hope you like the twist!
Anyways everyone, I need some help with names… heh heh heh. Well, Rosepaw's. She's going to become a full medicine cat soon…any suggestions on her name? I was thinking maybe Roseflight…but Rosecloud sounds nice too…and I might not even be thinking of a freakin' amazing one, so does anyone have any ideas?
Also, the ShadowClan leader will be coming into the plot soon enough, and I can't think of a name for him either…he's a tom. Any suggestions? Thanks.
Wait! Wait! Wait! Mapleleaf, Steeltalon, especially you two READ THIS:
Before I let you read the darned story – stop scrolling down you mouse-brain – I wanted to ask something. Mapleleaf really really…well raised my self-esteem (which there isn't much of) with her unrealistic – but flattering comments. I know I'm not as good as Mapleleaf says I am, or gives me credit for, but I want that reviewer to know that I am touched! So Mapleleaf, would you mind if I named a character after you? It's a small character, admittedly, but I might sneak her in again! And its small, so you don't have to worry as much! Same goes to you, Steeltalon! You're a very loyal reviewer, and have been sticking by me this far (I'm astounded that you have the patience! Isn't it agonizing to read something written so poorly?) I know you have a cat named Steeltalon in one of your stories, but I'd LOVE to honor (heh! Heh! Heh! Funny using that word…) you by putting your name in the story somewhere! Tell me your answers in a review – I swear I won't do name anyone without your consent! Also, nobody be shy about reviewing! You might even get a side-character named after you – if you'd like.
Oh, right. You'll notice that at the change of scenes during this chapter, I put one letter then three dots, and then another letter. Well, that's just another way of thanking my reviewers! The first one is 'M' then three dots...and an 'L' Yup! Mapleleaf, that's you! If you reviwewed, if you're bored or something...try to find your pen name!
That issue settled and out of the way, enjoy this next chapter:
M...L
The sun was just beginning to shine its golden liquid light onto the pelts of the warriors below it, turning even Thorntail's smoky gray pelt into a more golden-brown.
Beside Thorntail, was the small orange-brown ShadowClan apprentice, Foxpaw, who Thorntail thought was a tad bit too young for the ferocity of the battle that was to occur. Foxpaw couldn't be older then seven or eight moons – how much training could he have gotten from his mentor, Reedsong before she died?
Thorntail shrugged the worry off. That was ShadowClan's problem – not his own. On Thorntail's other side, was the pretty she-cat Applefur, who already had her pointed claws unsheathed. She was murmuring quietly to the silver she-cat Featherfrost beside her – though that was the only sound Thorntail could pick up, besides the faint breeze as it rushed across the moors. The rest of the cats were as silent as stones, though occasionally Thorntail heard a few curses hissed under a cat's breath.
A few fox-lengths in front of Thorntail, Streamstar bounded along beside the RiverClan deputy, Furyheart, moving with such swiftness and grace, Thorntail started to wonder if she was truly a ThunderClan cat, or a StarClan warrior coming to visit them.
Thorntail took his focus away from, who he thought, was the most beautiful leader ever to lead a Clan, and looked curiously at the moorland around him. How boring – he couldn't see any undergrowth – let alone shade – at all – nothing but flat land – with the occasional brown rabbit bounding across their path.
Suddenly, Streamstar and Furyheart came to a swift halt, and turned on their heels towards the warriors behind them.
"The hollow we're about to enter is WindClan's camp," Furyheart stated matter-of-factly.
"We are about to enter – First Wave." Streamstar growled, and Thorntail heard some cats behind him back away, to rest or hunt…they were second wave, and were't yet needed.
"On my order, we enter." Streamstar growled.
"If you die, you die with honor." Furyheart put in, most likely picking up the same fear scent of the cats around her that Thorntail was.Thorntail kept his sapphire eyes on Rosepaw's mother, and Rosepaw's mother alone for the signal. She stood rigid for moments that seemed like moons, but finally her tail went into the air, and was jerked it downwards quickly.
Thorntail purred, and unsheathed his claws. The battle had arrived!
S…T
The small ginger she-cat sniffed the air, wondering if she'd pick anything up that smelled similar to Scarlet Flowers, so she could find the darned cure…but she doubted it would be something so simple, like a certain plant on the moors. Most likely it was a clever mixture that no medicine cat had thought of yet – or never would think of.
Shadenight, Blueherb, and Rosepaw had all went their separate ways to look for the cure. They would meet by the WindClan camp at Sunhigh, which Blueherb described as a hollow - and the only hollow in the territory.
Though Rosepaw was trying to concentrate on what the cure might be, and what it would look like, her mind kept wandering towards the fact that Thorntail was in danger of losing his life for the sole purpose of revenge…
"Thorntail," she breathed, sniffing at a suspicious violet flower curiously. "You don't have to be a hero…" to come home the hero of the battle, he would have to spill enough WindClan blood to fill a lake, considering the battle's whole goal was to kill
WindClan cats. "I won't mind if you don't come home a hero…I really won't,"
H…B
Thorntail plunged into the hollow, his heart beating so fast he thought that it would leap out of his chest.
In front of him, was a few faster warriors – Speedtail of RiverClan, Sandpelt, and Featherfrost, and Thorntail expected them to leap at the first WindClan cat they saw when the reached the bottom before him, but instead he three cats stumbled to a halt.
Streamstar and Furyheart did too – and the rest of the attacking patrol followed suit.
Thorntail caught up with them, and suddenly realized why they had stopped dead in their tracks, with such shocked looks on their faces.
They had expected to take WindClan by surprise – maybe have a couple of the late sleepers be into a rude awakening, a few patrols out of the camp, cats around the fresh-kill pile chowing down on breakfast…but no…
WindClan was prepared. Already, their many warriors had surrounded the battle patrol, and all of them looked healthy, and strong – and ready for the battle as if they had practiced for it their whole lives.
"Hello, Streamstar, Furyheart." In front of them, the leader of WindClan, Runningstar, who Thorntail hadn't seen since the Gathering, stepped towards them, and dipped his head in greeting.
"What is this?" Thorntail heard Furyheart hiss, as the tan tabby's eyes flashed across the row of WindClan warriors that had encircled them.
"Really, Streamstar," Runningstar sighed, blinking his pale green eyes curiously. "You must keep surprise attacks more of a secret."
Thorntail's fur bristled, and then Streamstar asked the question he was dying to ask.
"How did you know?" Streamstar hissed, lashing her tail in pure rage. "How did you know about this?" she flicked her tail around the whole battle patrol of RiverClan and ThunderClan cats.
"A little birdie told me," Runningstar purred, as he started to give his ears a wash as if the RiverClan and ThunderClan warriors and apprentices (and the ShadowClan apprentice) opposed no threat to him at all. Streamstar was left dumbfounded, and Runningstar finished up his wash before continuing, "Yes a bird a little robin in fact… told me – she made a special point to announce the second wave of warriors who will attack the camp after you pieces of crowfood…" he paused for a moment in though. "Well, more precise: A robin's wing, told Me." his pale green eyes rested on Robinwing, and Thorntail's own eyes widened with shock. Robinwing had betrayed the Clan? The Clan deputy? That was unheard of! Of course, Thorntail and Robinwing were always clashing…but he never thought she was a traitor!
Streamstar stood rigid, her blue eyes widened in pure shock – and Thorntail could understand why. He himself was shocked – and he wasn't best friends with the she-cat like Streamstar was.
"I-I did no such thing!" Robinwing cried, her voice faltering…either from being hurt from being called a traitor…or because she had been ratted out.
"Robinwing, I am overjoyed to know that you care about WindClan, but even we have standards. A traitor to her Clan must be dealt with – and I know Streamstar will punish you justly…if…" Runningstar chuckled lightly, and it sent shivers down Thorntail's spine. "If Streamstar survives, that is." He growled. "But don't worry Streamstar- your second wave will meet the same fate as you. You can all meet in StarClan, if you like." He threw back his head at that, and then let out a mighty caterwaul, "WindClan! Attack!"
The rugged warriors of WindClan started to charge into the surrounded invaders, and Thorntail just heard Streamstar yowl:
"Attack!"
As if we weren't going to. Thorntail thought sarcastically.
Thorntail caught the eye of a big brown tabby, and had started to advance upon him, when he felt claws scrape across his side. He turned his head, and saw a gray tabby she-cat baring her fangs at him. Thorntail purred at the simple prospect of finally being able to claw a WindClan cat, and flung himself onto her.
Thorntail pushed the she-cat to the earth, and pressed her muzzle into the dust. She struggled to get free, but in vain.
Thorntail wondered for a moment if he should kill her…when he remembered Streamstar's words. This was a battle to the death. They had to take as many lives – or more – from WindClan, as The Blood had taken away from RiverClan, or ThunderClan, or ShadowClan, so they couldn't take advantage of their weakness.
Thorntail was about to sink his claws into her neck, but suddenly another cat knocked him to the side, and the she-cat was able to escape – she fled, but only ran to fight Puddlespots, who was slightly smaller then Thorntail - she probably assumed she had a better chance. But no, Puddlespots was able to pin her faster then Thorntail had.
But the ThunderClan warrior didn't get to see any more of the battle between the WindClan and RiverClan she-cats, and had his vision blocked by the brown tabby, which Thorntail suddenly recognized from Gatherings as Stumpface.
Thorntail leaped to his gray paws and sneered at the brown cat. "Hey, Stumpface!" he growled. He was going to add an insult – but he realized that the name 'Stumpface' was insult enough, without a dig from an enemy warrior.
The WindClan tom lifted a large brown paw, and jabbed Thorntail in the chest, knocking the gray cat off of his paws. Thorntail batted furiously with his hind paws at Stumpface's, but out of the corner of his eye, he saw Robinwing fighting furiously with Spottedlight – Ha! Robinwing was a traitor! Fighting a ThunderClan warrior? But Thorntail couldn't help but wonder – why? Runningstar clearly wanted nothing to do with a traitor, and if Robinwing wasn't clawing a ThunderClan warrior's ear off, she could've said that Runningstar was a liar. But certainly not now!
One of Thorntail's blows worked, because Stumpface fell to his side, leaving Thorntail time to leap to his paws, and fight more easily.
Stumpface was clearly trying to do what Thorntail had done, and knock the ThunderClan warrior off of his paws, but his swipes were slower, and clumsier, and Thorntail easily stepped out of the way of each one.
"You should've let me kill Graycloud – now I'll have to kill you instead," Thorntail meowed to the WindClan cat, as he remembered the name of the she-cat he had been fighting before. Though Stumpface made another swipe at Thorntail's paws, the ThunderClan cat leaped into the air, and onto Stumpface's already-in-the-dust body. He dug his claws into Stumpface's throat, with the intent to choke the cat to death – as he ignored the little voice in his head that told him not too.
Suddenly, a yowl close to his ear interrupted him, and before he could finish Stumpface, the warrior wriggled from his grasp and fled from the camp.
Thorntail let him go, and in his moment's breathing space he assessed how things were going. Puddlespots must have defeated Graycloud, because now the formidable RiverClan she-cat was fighting a black and white WindClan tom that was at least twice her size. Thorntail was about to go assist her, when his old pal Applefur rushed to help her take him down. And Sandpelt seemed to be having some fun, as she took on three WindClan apprentices at once, batting them around and such, before finally sending them screeching away to their mothers.
However, WindClan was many – and though RiverClan and ThunderClan had combined, they had suffered many losses from The Blood. The WindClan warriors were still crawling around the camp – and being alive – like maggots crawled around crowfood. And not all of the fights were as successful as Puddlespots' and Sandpelt's. The ShadowClan apprentice Foxpaw, Duskpaw of ThunderClan, and RiverClan's Beakpaw were having difficulty with a golden-brown WindClan warrior. Thorntail was about to go assist them, when he noticed Furyheart, the RiverClan deputy, being pinned down by one of the cats Thorntail hated most in the entire forest – the WindClan leader (who didn't deserve that title,) Runningstar. The gray cat wasn't sure who to help, when Shrewtail rushed to the aid of the apprentices, and Streamstar flew down like a hawk onto Runningstar to rescue the RiverClan deputy.
Thorntail didn't have time to think about whom to go after next, a cat barreled into him, knocking the ThunderClan warrior off of his paws and into the dust on his side. Thorntail raised his head, and shook it violently to clean the dust off of it, and then he rested on sapphire eyes on the dark brown WindClan tom that Thorntail recognized as Falconstripe. Falconstripe was one of the most skilled and talented warriors in all of WindClan – legendary, and honored, even in ThunderClan. Thorntail didn't need StarClan to send him a sign to know that he was in danger!
He vainly tried to do the move he had done before to Stumpface – bat his opponents paws with his own, until the WindClan cat would stumble and fall, but Falconstripe kept dodging his blows nimbly, and as Thorntail struggled to get up, a fierce swipe of Falconstripe's claw sent him tumbling down again.
The WindClan cat's emerald eyes burned into Thorntail's sapphire, before he reared up onto his hind legs, and fell into Thorntail's neck – claws first.
The ThunderClan cat yowled in pain, but Falconstripe ignored it. The brown cat's sharp talons were dug further into Thorntail's neck, and he slowly slid them down. The pain alone made Thorntail wanted to cry for his mother, but he fought the urge. He vainly tried to struggle – get Falconstripe and his needle-sharp claws away from him and out of his neck, but failed! Thorntail kept his struggles up, but knew that Falconstripe had won – and he was going to die.
Unless…
Thorntail made his tail fly up into the sky, as if it were another attacking warrior. Falconstripe's grip on Thorntail loosened for a moment as the WindClan cat prepared for another warrior to join into the fight, and during his lapse of attention, Thorntail gave a mighty kick with one of his paws, pushing Falconstripe away.
The brown cat backed away a few pawsteps, as Thorntail got to his paws. The ThunderClan cat bunched his muscles together to pounce, but another cat flew onto the WindClan warrior first.
Thorntail blinked in surprise, as he saw a small brown tabby RiverClan cat roll with Falconstripe as the two cats tried to claw each other's eyes out – literally.
The RiverClan cat was smaller then Falconstripe, and was losing terribly. Thorntail hiss furiously – no WindClan cat that smelled of fox-dung was going to kill a river-rat! He threw himself into the fray, and ripped Falconstripe away, giving the WindClan cat a few swipes across the muzzle for the cat to remember him by. While he did that, the RiverClan tom dug his fangs into Falconstripe's tail – and the two small annoyances sent the WindClan tom screeching away.
"Are you okay?" Thorntail asked the RiverClan cat curiously, staring into his amber eyes.
"Fine, thanks…" the RiverClan cat was breathing heavily from the trouble with Falconstripe, and while he caught his breath, Thorntail guarded him like a mother guarding her kits. The RiverClan cat stopped panting for a moment, and then suddenly seemed to recognize Thorntail.
"Thorn…tail?" he gasped, his yellow eyes widening with surprise. Thorntail turned his head curiously, and suddenly recognized the RiverClan cat as his old apprentice buddy, Owlpaw.
"Owlpaw!" Thorntail purred, ignoring the cries of a WindClan cat as Sandpelt chased her out of the camp.
Owlpaw shook his head violently. "I'm a warrior now," he growled. "Owlpelt." Thorntail blushed underneath his fur. "Of course – sorry, Owlpelt."
Owlpelt shrugged his shoulders, and then charged off into battle once more, and Thorntail did the same.
G…P
Rosepaw fell down onto her side, exhausted. She had been searching all this time – still no luck.
Rosepaw thought for a heartbeat that maybe she should go and try to find Shadenight or Blueherb and see if they had better luck – but she decided against it. They would meet again at Sunhigh, not before then…
Rosepaw trotted along, trying to ignore the uneasiness that tugged at her paws – she was alone, in WindClan territory. She knew Runningstar would be preoccupied with the battle, but the last time she had been alone in WindClan, the WindClan leader had gotten too close for comfort.
Suddenly, an interesting patch of growth caught Rosepaw's eye a couple of fox-lengths away. She bounded towards it – scaring one or two rabbits silly – and examined the patch curiously for a moment. There were a couple of flowers and herbs Rosepaw had never seen before. They were all the colors of the rainbow, and all shaped differently. Some were ferns, others flowers… Either way, this was the closest thing Rosepaw had gotten to a cure – and she found SOMETHING strange. She scooped them all up in an instant, so she could give them to the other medicine cats later, and let them examine them together. She then remembered that some of the herbs might be poisonous, so she made sure not to swallow. It was probably too late anyways though - they were already in her mouth…
Rosepaw suddenly heard a yowl in the distance, and raised her eyes curiously.
Uncountable fox-lengths away, Rosepaw saw a peculiar thing. There was, just standing there by a patch of grass, a large, flame-colored tom, just sitting on his haunches. Rosepaw couldn't pick up any more details then that – he was so far away.
Rosepaw felt a prickle of unease as she remembered the flame-colored cat in her dream… and started to back away…
Suddenly, the flame-colored tom in the distance sped away in a flash… but not before making a great show of flicking his tail at the patch of grass.
Rosepaw hesitated for a moment. Should she go over? What if it was a trap?
A trap? For a medicine cat apprentice collecting herbs? That was doubtful. She was hardly a threat… and she was ordered to go get herbs…And for all she knew, it was a ThunderClan cat she saw – maybe even a she-cat, like Gingerleaf. It was so far away, she didn't pick up a good scent…and she barely saw him…
And he was gone now, anyways.
Rosepaw, with her mouth full of suspicious herbs, started to pad towards the clump of grass.
R…S
Thorntail's eyes flashed across the battlefield as he sent a WindClan she-cat screeching out of camp. It was hard to tell who was winning, as often as a WindClan cat retreated, a RiverClan or ThunderClan left too…
Thorntail had a moment's breathing space again, so he tried to assess how the fight was going once more. He saw his old friend Owlpelt doing better then had had been before, as he took on a WindClan tabby that was more his own petite size. Sandpelt was fighting a WindClan tom however, that was at least twice her size. Whoever said WindClan cats were scrawny deserved to have their ears clawed off, Thorntail decided firmly. Sandpelt was fighting Big-giant (Thorntail's new nickname for him) just fine, until she lost her footing and tumbled to the ground. Big-giant yowled with triumph, and the big brown tom opened his mighty jaws, and looked to be preparing to dig his fangs into the poor queen's throat!
Thorntail would have none of that! He charged towards them, ready to chase Big-giant all the way to Fourtrees if he had too, for trying to kill Sandpelt!
Thorntail stumbled too a halt, however, when he saw that his own tan apprentice, Scornpaw had somehow leaped onto Big-giant's back. Thorntail curled his tail in delight. Scornpaw was always rather small, so Thorntail had taught him to use his size to his advantage. And apparently, Scornpaw had listened!
The ThunderClan apprentice had just dug his fangs into Big-giant's forehead – and eyes, temporarily blinding the giant WindClan tom. Meanwhile, Sandpelt muttered thanks, and scurried away.
"Come on, Scornpaw!" Thorntail yowled, rushing towards his apprentice.
Scornpaw, though slightly busy, was able to raise his emerald eyes and meet Thorntail's. And to Thorntail's surprise, within his apprentice's eyes was a burning hatred – and Thorntail knew why. Scornpaw's mother, Scarface had died from The Blood, never to see her son get his warrior name. Scornpaw wanted revenge.
Scornpaw's name meant more sense now.
Big-Giant was jumping around like a loon, trying to shake Scornpaw from him, but the apprentice just used his claws to dig into Big-Giant's broad shoulders, and though Scornpaw stumbled once or twice, his claws and fangs kept him firmly on the WindClan warrior – most likely he would only let go with Big-Giant tried to retreat.
Thorntail was about to go and help Scornpaw out – certainly not because his apprentice needed it, but because it looked like fun to harass Big-giant.
However, another cat got there first. Spottedlight.
Thorntail shrugged his shoulders, and turned away, deciding that Spottedlight and Scornpaw could handle Big-Giant just fine, and no sooner then he did then was he mauled by a tortoise-shell she-cat.
Thorntail hissed furiously, and gave the she-cat a mighty kick, knocking her off of him. Thorntail then struggled to stand again, and then peered down at the WindClan she-cat who was now lying on her side from when Thorntail kicked her. The ThunderClan tom leaped towards her, and once he loomed over the tortoise-shell, started to cascade her with furious swipes.
She struggled to get up – twice in fact, but was always topped over once more by the endless crescendo of Thorntail's slashes.
Thorntail was in fact enjoying himself, and the battle around him, but his joy was then broken, when an earsplitting yowl from in front of him distracted him long enough for the tortoise-shell to speed away like burning fires were on her heels.
Thorntail cursed under his breath for her escape, but then let it leap out of him in a furious yowl, when he saw what was going on in front of him.
Scornpaw was in a she-cat's jaws now, being lifted up and shaken as if he were a mouse. Under any normal circumstances, Thorntail would've thought nothing of it, and simply lunged at Scornpaw's attacker to rescue his apprentice. But it wasn't that simple.
Scornpaw was being held by a ThunderClan she-cat. Spottedlight. Beside her, Big-Giant was watching, with faint amusement in his eyes.
Thorntail's eyes burned with hate when he registered that Spottedlight was the traitor…and Robinwing was the loyal one! When they were fighting, Spottedlight must've attacked her first and Robinwing had been defending herself!
Spottedlight had attacked the Clan deputy – her own mother, and must've made some sort of deal with Runningstar to get him to say those things he did about Robinwing! And she had made a great show when she fought Robinwing! Every cat had saw it… and most likely every cat had registered the Clan deputy as a traitor! Great StarClan! Spottedlight was clever!
Thorntail shoved the thoughts of how she did it away; right now he had to save Scornpaw's life! It was his duty as his mentor, and as a ThunderClan cat.
Thorntail leaped onto Big-Giant's back, similar to what Scornpaw had done, but Thorntail was a bigger tom, and even Big-Giant crumpled under his weight. Still standing on the big brown tom, Thorntail only needed to worry about Spottedlight. She was so busy concentrating on shaking Scornpaw, that she didn't even notice that Big-Giant was down, and that there was a furious ThunderClan cat beside her. Thorntail lifted a forepaw, and gave her a simple cuff on the ear, so he wouldn't hurt Scornpaw, and Spottedlight, in surprise, dropped the ThunderClan apprentice.
She looked bewildered for a moment, and stared at Thorntail in total shock, before registering what just happened.
"Traitor!" Thorntail hissed. To Scornpaw, he growled, "You take care of this giant heap of fur for me. You were doing fine before this piece of fox-dung came and interrupted you. I'll take on Spottedlight,"
Scornpaw shrugged his shoulders, and the instant that Thorntail leapt off of the WindClan tom, the ThunderClan apprentice took his place, and once again dug his fangs into Big-Giant's forehead, while he dug his claws into his shoulders.
Spottedlight glared at Thorntail for a moment, before speaking. "I see…you saw me."
"And I don't need to see anymore!" Thorntail hissed, arching his back with fury. He had trusted Spottedlight! Well…not really…but…kinda.
"Before you kill me, think Thorntail!" Spottedlight purred. Thorntail narrowed his eyes coldly, but gave Spottedlight no chance to continue.
"Kill you?" he echoed. "That sounds like an excellent idea!" he tensed his muscles to leap onto the traitorous – but admittedly pretty – she-cat, but before he could, a crescendo of clawing along his flank distracted him. He turned his head, and during his lapse of attention, Spottedlight sped off to do something else.
Thorntail paid no heed though, because the cat who decided to claw his side was none other then Runningstar himself, his lips curled into a sneer.
"Hello, Thorntail." He hissed in his slippery voice. "I never paid you back for that Gathering."
"And I never truly paid you back for Rosepaw, you ran before I could." Thorntail conceded, flexing his claws. "Let's finish it here."
Runningstar shrugged his shoulders, and his pale green eyes glowed with mischief. "Alrighty, Thorntail. However, remember I am a leader with nine lives…" Thorntail doubted Runningstar had nine lives still – he was the eldest of all the Clan leaders. But still Runningstar continued. "And you have one,"
"Life is the gift StarClan gives to every cat." Thorntail shrugged his shoulders. "And if its time for me to joy them so be it. But if I don't, say 'hi' to Emberstar for me, will you?" he asked remembering what Rosepaw told him about the cruel ThunderClan leader, who now every sundown has his blood spilled on the warriors of Silverpelt. "I think you'll be seeing him soon."