Chapter 43

"StarClan, help us!" Jaysong heard Stripepool yowl and pushed herself faster and faster. Lionblaze was behind Jaysong with Turtlepaw beside him while Squirrelflight was farther away, slow because of the weight of Featherkit. Jaysong tasted the air and scented Stripepool and other ThunderClan cats with her: Daisy, Longtail, Mousefur, and two scents that Jaysong didn't recognize. All the cats had the strong scent of fear and weaving in between the familiar smells there was the strong stench of fox. As Jaysong ran, the golden brown warrior heard Daisy's muffled meow, shriek, "Oh no, not more of them!"

Jaysong pushed through some ferns and what she saw shocked her more deeply than anything had ever had before. Daisy was curled around two small kits: one a brown-and-white tabby and the another a pale gray she-cat. The scents that clung to their fur told Jaysong that these were Birchfall and Whitewing's kits. Longtail was behind Daisy, his pale fur bristling until he recognized his clanmates. Mousefur was next to Stripepool and Jaysong then caught a good glimpse of her sister. Stripepool was in labor and there was no medicine cat to help her. Jaysong was about to ask what was going on just as Mousefur hissed, "Go help the Clan!"

Squirrelflight pushed forward and Jaysong watched as the ginger warrior put Featherkit next to Whitewing's kits. To Jaysong's relief, Daisy didn't say anything. Once Squirrelflight did that Lionblaze turned to Turtlepaw and ordered, "Turtlepaw, I want you to stay here and help in anyway you can." Seeing the furious expression on Turtlepaw's face, Jaysong knew that the tortoisesehll apprentice was about to argue with Lionblaze, "No, Lionblaze, I want to fight. If the Clan is struggling against this threat then they're going to need all the warriors they can get. I may be an apprentice, but I can fight as well as any cat."

"Turtlepaw, you will stay here!" Squirrelflight snarled a command before Lionblaze couldn't even argue. "Great StarClan, how selfish are you?! Your clanmates could be hurt and you are arguing about nothing?! You too Lionblaze! Now let's go fight with our clanmates." Jaysong was already racing before Squirrelflight had finished speaking, but the golden brown warrior wasn't going to fight just yet. First, Jaysong was either going to find Leafpool or Applefrost to help Stripepool. Her sister could die if one of the medicine cats couldn't help her in time. Jaysong didn't even want to think of Stripepool's unborn kits.

When Jaysong pushed into camp, she was not prepared for what she saw. There were dozens of foxes in the hollow snarling and biting at the ThunderClan warriors. Firestar and Sandstorm were trapped in between a wall and Jaysong watched Brambleclaw fling himself at the fox who was cornering them. All three cats clawed at the fox. Bumblethroat and Blossomwhisker were wrestling with a fox and Jaysong felt Squirrelflight launched herself into the fray. Foxfang and Dustpelt were being chased by two foxes and Lionblaze- as well as Ashgaze, Cloudtail, and Sorreltail- leapt in to help. Jaysong heard a loud screech and turned around to see Brackenpaw fighting a fox alone. Jaysong sprung forward, but she wasn't the only. Spiderleg too had raced to Brackenpaw's aid.

Jaysong leapt onto the fox's back and raked her claws along its ears while Brackenpaw slashed at its throat. Spiderleg was darting in a out of the fox's paws and then sunk his teeth into its hindleg. The fox gave a loud whimper and raced out of the camp. Brackenpaw barely even acknowledged her mentor and father before charging at another fox that was snapping at Rushpaw and Bramblepaw. Turning to Spiderleg, Jaysong panted, "Spiderleg, Stripepool is giving birth right now. No!" Jaysong added as Spiderleg prepared to dash off towards Stripepool's aid, "First, you need to find Leafpool or Applefrost."

Seeing that Spiderleg had followed her orders, Jaysong lunged into a small fighting group consisting of Thornclaw, Brightheart, Whitewing, Icestorm, and Birchfall. The six of them drove off three foxes that had cornered Millie, Berrynose, and Hazeltail. Jaysong followed the three foxes as far as the entrance and when she turned around, she realized that the battle was over. The foxes were gone.

Jaysong padded to the center of the camp and saw Toadflower and Mousewhisker brush past her, probably going to retrieve the queens and elders. Jaysong looked around to see if any of her clanmates were hurt or worse. Firestar was lying down, Sandstorm and Squirrelflight hovering over him. When Jaysong saw Firestar's ear twitch, the golden brown warrior knew that her leader had only lost a life. From behind Jaysong, Daisy padded through the entrance, nudging Featherkit and Whitewing's two kits forward. Whitewing and Birchfall raced over to their youngest kits. Longtail and Mousefur followed them with Spiderleg and Stripepool right behind them. Leafpool came next, carrying a white kit with tiny brown paws. Applefrost and Turtlepaw followed her, gray-and-white kits in both their mouths. Jaysong longed to say something to Stripepool, but knew her sister needed some rest.

It was then that Jaysong heard the loud painful yowl and whirled around. Squirrelflight had darted over to a dark brown tabby's side. Jaysong recognized Brambleclaw. Jaysong padded over towards Brambleclaw and stood over him, blinking in shock. Brambleclaw was dead.

*

"ThunderClan, tonight we have fought a battle as worse as the badger attack moons ago," Firestar began from the center of the camp. As Jaysong watched Firestar, she realized that her leader was back to his usual self. "I'm honored to have fought beside you all and I think every single one of you fought like StarClan. Of course, we must grieve for those who were lost to us tonight." Firestar glanced over at Brambleclaw and Dustpelt's limp bodies. "We will mourn them tonight." Firestar bowed his head and Jaysong saw Squirrelflight and Ferncloud to the same. "But tonight I must also give to apprentices their warrior names. Rushpaw, Brackenpaw, please step forward."

Jaysong blinked in shock and shared a glance with Sorreltail. Firestar hadn't said anything about this to them.

"Sorreltail, has your apprentice earned the title of warrior? And you, Jaysong, has your apprentice earned the title of warrior?" Jaysong shared another glance with Sorreltail and both nodded. "Rushpaw, Brackenpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and defend your Clan even at the cost of your life?" Rushpaw and Brackenpaw both nodded. "Rushpaw, from now on you will be known as Rushleaf. StarClan honors your energy and compassion and ThunderClan welcomes you as a true warrior." Firestar rested his head on Rushleaf's and the new warrior gave his shoulder a respectful lick. "Brackenpaw, from now on you will be known as Brackenspot. StarClan honors your love and nobility and ThunderClan welcomes you as a true story."

Jaysong blinked in pride as her daughter and apprentice earned their warrior names. Jaysong padded over and gave Rushleaf a gentle lick on her ear and brushed her fur against Brackenspot's. Once the Clan quieted, Firestar continued, "There is one more thing I need to say. With Brambleclaw gone to hunt with StarClan, a new deputy must be chosen now." Firestar paused, thinking over his decison. Jaysong glanced around at everyone. Would the new deputy be Sandstorm, Firestar's mate, or Cloudtail, Firestar's kin? "I say these words before the body of Brambleclaw, so that his spirit may hear and approve my choice. Jaysong will be the new deputy of ThunderClan."

Jaysong blinked in shock and all of her clanmates seemed surprised as well. And to make the shocking day even more shocking. A dark brown tabby padded through the entrance of ThunderClan camp and meowed, "Jaysong, I need to talk to you! It's about Blackstar." The dark brown tabby was Tigerfur.