hello lovelies, ghoul here. just wanted to say this chapter is a tad longer than normal, mostly because i'm adding thunderclan's allegiances at the end of it. thanks ~
enjoy & rr!
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Moleclaw pushed past Pebblepaw and into the clearing, then Mistpelt pushed past, and Pebblepaw followed.
"It seems we cannot wait until the Gathering to confront ThunderClan about breaching our borders. They have been pushing us around ever since leaf-bare. We are too-"
"Swallowstar."
Heads turned. At the entrance of the camp stood a tall, fluffy white tom with glaring copper eyes. Pebblepaw's ears pinned down on her head and several cats hissed. It was Palestar, the leader of ThunderClan. Around him stood a silver tabby she-cat, a black tom, a ginger-and-white tom, and... a diluted calico she-cat with cobwebs smeared on the left side of her face. Pebblepaw gaped, and beside her, Moleclaw tautened, a hiss escaping from her muzzle. Swallowstar jumped down the stump and ran across the clearing, cats parting to make way for her and Railheart.
"Palestar," Swallowstar growled. She seemed to be struggling to keep hostility out of her voice, but it was evident she was extremely angry. Her hackles rose and her ears swiveled back. Pebblepaw had never seen Swallowstar this seethingly mad.
The ThunderClan leader looked straight at her, a smile on his mouth. He dipped his head mockingly at the black-and-white she-cat as she and her deputy approached and stood before him. Around the patrol, RiverClan cats gathered, blocking the ThunderClan trespassers from the entrance and disallowing route for their escape should they think to do it. The diluted calico hissed under her breath, "Fishfaces." The small black tom beside her bumped her with his shoulder and she closed her jaws.
"Palestar," the RiverClan leader began again, "ThunderClan has need to explain themselves. You do realize your warriors have been crossing our border, stealing our prey, and attacking our warriors?"
"You attacked first, fish-breath!" The calico snapped, earning her a swat on the flank from the black tom.
"Hush, Morningfoot!"
"Morningfoot is right, though," Palestar meowed, sizing up Swallowstar with narrowed eyes. He took a step closer to her but Railheart intercepted him, the deputy's hackles rising. Palestar lifted his brow at the tom and took a step back, though he glanced at Swallowstar once again. "Your warrior attacked mine. We fear that Morningfoot will lose sight in her left eye."
"It was her fault just as much as it is yours," Swallowstar's voice was steely, "your warriors crossed our border. Your warriors did not retreat when our patrol warned you of your trespassing. Moleclaw did what she had to do, but it could've went bloodless if your warriors had not ignored our warnings, or even trespassed in the first place!" She took a deep breath. Palestar's eyes were wide but Pebblepaw could see even from where she was that he was amused by Swallowstar's outrage.
"What are you here for, Palestar?" Railheart meowed, his voice steady, though it betrayed an underlying hint of aggression. The ThunderClan leader didn't look away from Swallowstar.
"ThunderClan wants the Broken Tree. We want the area around the Broken Tree. All of it." He circled Swallowstar and Railheart, tail lashing. "You fox-hearted Rivercats have had what is rightfully ThunderClan's for far too long. The Broken Tree has been in RiverClan's territory before I even became a warrior!"
Pebblepaw twitched her whiskers, watching Palestar and his patrol steadily. The Broken Tree had been RiverClan's for her whole life. It was beside ThunderClan's border, a clearing in the forest, a tree that had been struck in half by lightning long ago. The grass was thick and, to Pebblepaw's knowledge, so was the woodland prey. But why would ThunderClan need more prey? It was greenleaf, the prey should be running wild in their territory. Unless something has been scaring their prey off? Or the prey is infected? Swallowstar and Railheart seemed to have this same notion, and shared a pondering glance.
"Why would you need the Broken Tree, though?" Swallowstar's voice was coy, stopping Palestar with a sly look. "If you hadn't noticed, Palestar, the season is greenleaf. Everyone knows prey is bountiful during greenleaf. Why would you risk war for such a petty, idiotic reason? It's not like you need more prey... right?"
"Enough!" Palestar hissed, glaring at the RiverClan leader. "ThunderClan demands the Broken Tree. Would you risk war for such a petty, idiotic reason?" He mimicked, and the fur on Swallowstar's back rose. "Blood will not spill if you hand over what belongs to ThunderClan. If you don't," his muzzle was only a mouselength away from Swallowstar's, "then all who oppose ThunderClan will choke on their own blood!"
A shiver crawled up Pebblepaw's spine like an icy spider, and she tore her gaze away from the white tom. That... that's what that cat said in my dream! A whimper escaped her mouth, and Mistpelt bumped her flank. The medicine cat had been sitting beside her this entire time, but Pebblepaw had been so transfixed by all the commotion that she had forgotten. She looked up, back into Mistpelt's perturbed blue eyes. The look on her mentor's face said 'We need to talk when this is over with'.
"Fine." Swallowstar growled and then hissed in Palestar's face. The tom shrunk back, ears pinning to the back of his head. "If you want bloodshed, then you will have it. Railheart," she turned to her deputy, "gather five warriors and escort these drypaws back to their border."
Palestar's face twisted with rancor as he watched Swallowstar traipse back to her den. Murmurs arose from the RiverClan cats, and Railheart acquired five warriors as Swallowstar had ordered. Pebblepaw felt dismayed as she stared at Railheart and his patrol of her father, Blackclaw, Owlfang, Willowface, Minnownose, and Cranefoot usher the ThunderClan cats out of the RiverClan camp. But before Mistpelt could inquire about Pebblepaw, Snailpaw padded over and bumped his sister affectionately on the head. The long-haired apprentice seemed concerned for his sister.
"You look like you've seen the river flood," Snailpaw meowed, giving Pebblepaw a quick lick on her nose.
"Well, it's not every day that those snake-hearted Thundercats waltz into RiverClan camp," she speculated. It was like a wave of fresh water to see her brother's familiar visage after all that pandemonium. "I don't think I've ever seen Swallowstar that upset. I was worried she'd claw Palestar on the face!"
"He'd deserve it," Snailpaw muttered darkly, glancing away from his sister.
Behind her, Mistpelt mrrowed. Pebblepaw sighed, and bumped Snailpaw back and licked his nose. "I better get going, Mistpelt wants to talk to me about something. Stay safe, okay, Snailpaw? I don't want to see you in the medicine cats' den any time soon."
"Of course." He meowed, dipping his head goodbye and then walking away. She sighed again. It had been such a long time since she had a conversation with her brother. Ever since they'd become apprentices they hadn't gotten to spend much time together, since Pebblepaw was a medicine cat apprentice. She heard the medicine cats' den bush rustle as Mistpelt entered. She turned around and followed suit.
Inside, Mistpelt lie in her nest, licking her paw and drawing it over her head. Pebblepaw waited for her to finish, sitting down on her own nest and watching her mentor warily. Finally, Mistpelt turned her attention to her.
"Pebblepaw... your eyes are always tired." Mistpelt admitted. Pebblepaw felt a flash of guilt; Mistpelt always wanted the best for her, but Pebblepaw had just brushed her off. She didn't want her mentor to worry... but pushing her away made her worry more. Pebblpaw hung her head, unable to continue looking into Mistpelt's disquieted gaze. "Willowface told me, ever since your mother had died, you've had a terrible time sleeping. She said you'd try your hardest to stay awake, and often woke up crying. You have them every night, don't you?" She asked, and then lowered her voice, "Be honest with me, Pebblepaw."
"... yes."
"Why are you so apprehensive? Are your dreams so bad that you can't even tell your mentor?"
... blood. The smell of blood teased at Pebblepaw's nose, and became so pungent she had a hard time not scrunching up her face. Terror engulfed her entire body and she lowered her head even more. She could hear Mistpelt's voice, but she couldn't hear what the she-cat was saying; not over her pulsating heart. Her heartbeat was so loud she winced every thump. She felt a paw on her flank, the voice growing louder. "Pebblepaw!"
Her eyes flicked up at Mistpelt, and the entrancement broke. She let out a breath and looked away again. "S-sorry... I'm just... just worried about A-Alderwhisker... he had to escort the ThunderClan cats back to the border... sorry... what were you saying?"
Mistpelt exhaled. Pebblepaw could tell she was trying her mentor's patience. Her excuse was shoddy at best, and she knew Mistpelt didn't buy it, but the she-cat didn't inquire any further. The gray medicine cat curled up in her nest and didn't look at Pebblepaw again. "When you're ready to answer me, I'll be waiting." Her meow was monotone and felt like a thorn to Pebblepaw's heart, but the apprentice didn't say anything else. The sun was already setting. It felt like the day had wasted away.
She couldn't go to sleep yet, she hadn't even eaten.
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Palestar: tall long-haired white tom with copper eyes.
Jaystep: light gray-brown she-cat with green eyes and a white underbelly, paws, neck, and muzzle.
Lightningheart: pale golden tabby tom with yellow eyes.
Nightpaw: black she-cat with orange eyes.
warriors
Morningfoot: dilute calico she-cat with one green eye.
Brightfur: ginger-and-white tom with blue eyes.
Bleakstripe: silver tabby she-cat with yellow eyes. apprentice is Flypaw
Antfang: small black tom with green eyes. apprentice is Gingerpaw
Eagletail: large brown tabby tom with yellow eyes.
Cloudpelt: very pale gray tom with golden eyes. apprentice is Firpaw
Roseheart: dark ginger tabby tom with green eyes.
Laurelclaw: white tom with yellow eyes. apprentice is Burdockpaw
Ashflower: gray tabby she-cat with amber eyes.
Darkwhisker: dark gray tom with yellow eyes.
apprentices
Flypaw: small black tom with green eyes.
Firpaw: gray-brown tabby tom with amber eyes.
Gingerpaw: ginger tabby she-cat with green eyes.
Burdockpaw: blue-gray she-cat with copper eyes.
queens
Waspnose: golden tabby she-cat with orange eyes.
Frogfang: brown spotted she-cat with yellow eyes.
elders
Scarface: black she-cat with green eyes and a very battlescarred face.
Toadflower: brown tortoiseshell she-cat with orange eyes.
Daffodilfoot: bright golden tom with green eyes.