A/N: To my reviewers!
Snowcrystal: I'm glad you like them! :D I adore their appearances, can't wait to start thinking of who might mentor them... any preferences?
Guest: I'm glad you're enjoying it! :D I hope you continue reading and reviewing!
Sierra: I'm trying xD As far as what will happen, the point of the story is that Bluefur not following her own prophecy changed everything. So to be honest, I'm not quite sure myself how similar or different I'd like for this to end up. At this point I've just got a couple of large events I want to get to, and from their I'll just let the story develop itself :D I do want to include forbidden love of some sort, but I'm not yet if it will be between Graytstripe and Silverstream, primarily because Silverstream isn't going to be as important of a character as she was in the original series.
Thank you all so much for your continued support! I'm not terribly fond of this chapter myself, but it's building up to some important points, and developing Sorrelpaw's character a bit so... a necessary evil, I suppose. I hope you all enjoy!
Chapter 4
Sorrelpaw narrowed his eyes into a frosty glare as he stared out across the river. He could see the ThunderClan warriors lying all over Sunningrocks as clear as day. With a lash of his tail, he spun and stalked after Leopardfur.
"Why haven't we taken Sunningrocks back yet?" He demanded, his hackles bristling. "We've let them taunt us for a moon now—what is Crookedstar thinking?"
Leopardfur flashed a mildly amused glance at her apprentice. "Settle, Sorrelpaw. It's only a matter of time now. Crookedstar and Oakheart want to make the next battle final. They want to end the dispute once and for all."
"Why can't we do that now?" Sorrelpaw wasn't pleased with the answer. Timberfur had retired only days after their loss due to his failing eyesight, but Graypool had completely recovered from her injuries. They were really only down by one warrior, and in the past moon Sorrelpaw knew that he and his littermates had been training harder than ever. Even Shiverpaw, who preferred avoiding conflict, seemed ready to wet her claws. So what are we actually waiting for? Sorrelpaw had his own guesses. And most of them revolved around the dark gray clouds gathering overhead.
"It's not viable right now," Leopardfur's ears flattened in blatant irritation. "I'm not sure what's gotten into you today, but you've got to start focusing."
Sorrelpaw scowled as his mentor veered away from the river. "I thought we were hunting?"
"You're scaring all of the fish with your pointless questions," the spotted golden tabby hissed. "We're wasting our time here."
"So where are we going?" Sorrelpaw trotted to his mentor's shoulder, curious despite the air of agitation hanging about her.
"To the beech copse."
At once Sorrelpaw's mind was clear and focused. Battle training!
"Again."
Sorrelpaw struggled to his paws, his usually sleek red fur matted and dusty. His muscles ached, and his ears were still ringing. He forced the wariness away with a low growl, narrowing his eyes as he crouched before Leopardfur. Without any tell, Sorrelpaw lunged. Leopardfur ducked easily aside and landed a heavy blow to his haunches as he passed.
"Too slow," she hissed.
Sorrelpaw whipped around and sprang again, this time aiming to land on his mentor's shoulders. Instead of ducking away like he was anticipating, Leopardfur rolled onto her back, meeting him with all four paws. Using his own momentum, she easily thrust her hind paws up and sent him sailing across the clearing, where he landed with a thud.
"You still don't see it."
"See what?" Sorrelpaw spat, struggling to his paws. Of course I can't defeat her, she's taught me every move I know…!
"Think!" Leopardfur stalked around him in a wide circle, her tail lashing. "What have I done every time you've come at me?"
"You've dodged," Sorrelpaw lashed his tail.
"Wrong."
"Then what is it?!"
Leopardfur stopped in front of him. "Every time you've attacked me, I've used your own strength against you. Why would I retaliate when you can't control your own weight and speed?"
Understanding swept through Sorrelpaw, hot and uncomfortable. "Oh."
For the first time since they'd left camp, Leopardfur looked pleased. "You finally get it." She sat, her tail curling around her paws. "You're strong, Sorrelpaw, and adapt quickly. But you've got to learn to control that momentum. In battle, especially against tail-tuckers like ThunderClan, you have to expect them to try to use your strengths against you. They know that you're stronger than them, so they're going to do everything they can to avoid fighting you directly."
"But if I can anticipate that…" Sorrelpaw murmured, his thoughts taking flight.
Leopardfur dropped into a low crouch. "Now that I have your attention, try again."
Sorrelpaw's eyes flickered from one point of attack to the next, hoping to throw his mentor off. There…! The red-furred apprentice leapt forward, as if aiming to land on her shoulders again. With a disappointed hiss, Leopardfur rolled back into the same counter, ready to throw him over her head again. But Sorrelpaw flew straight over, twisting on his forepaws as he landed and lunging for his mentor's still-exposed belly.
"How was that?" He crowed triumphantly, one paw planted firmly on Leopardfur's throat.
"Much better," Leopardfur's eyes were glowing. "This time…"
By the time the sun was sinking out behind the fields, Sorrelpaw wasn't certain he'd be able to walk the next day. But he left the beech copse with his chin and tail high, hyper-aware of the pride in Leopardfur's eyes.
Loudbelly, who was sitting guard, greeted them with twitching whiskers. "Looks like you've been training hard."
Leopardfur tossed her head, her eyes flashing. "When it comes time to take Sunningrocks back, ThunderClan won't know what hit them."
A satisfied growl rumbled in Loudbelly's chest. "I was thinking the same thing when I was in the beech copse with Mistypaw yesterday."
"Go on ahead, Sorrelpaw. Take whatever you'd like from the fresh-kill pile; you've earned it."
Too tired to argue, Sorrelpaw let his mentor stand at the sedge tunnel gossiping. He went straight for the fresh-kill pile, snatching a fish and a field mouse and carrying them to where Stonepaw and Shiverpaw were already eating. He settled beside them with a massive sigh.
Shiverpaw blinked at him, her mild surprise turning into amusement. "You look like you've been sparring with a fox."
"Close enough," Sorrelpaw snorted. He tore ravenously into his mouse, realizing that he hadn't eaten a bite since dawn. Purring quietly, Shiverpaw moved to sit beside him, grooming the dust and mats from his pelt as he inhaled his food.
"I don't think it will be much longer now," Stonepaw observed.
Shiverpaw hummed a quiet agreement. "Whiteclaw told me that they're probably just waiting for the perfect opportunity. A chance when there can't be a following dispute."
Thunder followed her words, rumbling ominously in the distance.
"I get the feeling," Sorrelpaw turned his pale blue gaze to the storm clouds lingering in the distance. "That this storm may be exactly what they've been waiting for."
They finished their meals in a thoughtful silence, and retreated into their den just as the first drops of rain began to fall. When Sorrelpaw woke the following morning, the rain had only grown heavier. It came down in sheets, the steady murmur of the downpour accented by the occasional peal of thunder and flash of lightning. The red-furred apprentice wasn't surprised to see Oakheart and Crookedstar surrounded by a flock of warriors as he pushed his way out of the apprentices den. Relishing the feel of the cool rain rolling off of his pelt, Sorrelpaw splashed over to Leopardfur.
"This may be our only chance before the river bursts its banks," Crookedstar was yowling over the rain. "We cannot miss this opportunity."
Cheers followed the words, nearly drowned out by another clap of thunder.
Oakheart stepped forward then, his amber eyes flashing with a lightning all their own. "There will only be one patrol. I will lead it, and I'll be bringing with me Duskfall, Rainclaw, Bluefur, Falconheart, Leopardfur, Whiteclaw…" He paused, seeming to notice Sorrelpaw's presence, and the way his claws worked eagerly into the wet sand. "And Sorrelpaw. Are you all ready?"
"We've been ready," Leopardfur growled, flashing her apprentice an approving glance.
Her confidence was taken up and passed around the patrol, until Oakheart raised his tail and charged for the sedge tunnel. The patrol surged after him, their tails streaming out behind them and their pelts shedding water like stones. Sorrelpaw easily kept pace with his mentor, realizing idly that he was already nearly as big as the golden warrior.
"Don't forget your training," she puffed out as she ran. "We have an advantage in the rain, they won't be able to hold onto us. But if you're ill-prepared even that strength can become a weakness."
"Yes, Leopardfur." Sorrelpaw felt adrenaline pulsing through his veins, drumming in his ears.
As they neared the river, Oakheart veered towards Fourtrees. "We'll cross the bridge," he called over his shoulder. "To save strength. If we lose this battle and must flee, take to the stepping stones first. The river is faster and stronger than ever right now, we mustn't risk unnecessary injury."
As if we'll lose! Sorrelpaw rolled his shoulders. We've been preparing for this for a moon now, there's no way those ThunderClan flea-pelts can keep Sunningrocks!
Once they crossed the bridge, they slowed, slinking along the shore and regaining their breaths. By the time they reached Sunningrocks, Sorrelpaw was ready to leap out of his fur.
"Move the scent markers," Oakheart instructed. "Be thorough, we don't want the rain to wash away the evidence."
Bluefur's ears pricked. "ThunderClan," she hissed, dropping into a battle-ready crouch.
Sorrelpaw spun to face the trees, his hackles bristling despite the rain as a patrol of soggy-pelted warriors stalked out of the undergrowth.
"What," the one at the head of the patrol, a big dark brown tabby, snarled, "do we have here?"
Oakheart's eyes danced. "Greetings, Tigerclaw. We've come to let you know that we will no longer be letting you use Sunningrocks." His lofty tone dropped into a menacing growl, "Leave. Now."
Pride flashed through Sorrelpaw as he watched Oakheart take a position at Bluefur's shoulder. He unsheathed his claws and scraped them against the wet stone.
"Leave?" Tigerclaw scoffed. "No, Oakheart. Sunningrocks belongs to ThunderClan. You will leave—or you will die." With a mighty caterwaul that was swallowed by a ferocious roar of thunder, the ThunderClan warrior lunged for Oakheart. In the next heartbeat, Sunningrocks was alive with battle. Sorrelpaw locked eyes with a silver-and-black tom a little smaller than himself. Another apprentice… too easy! He easily dodged aside as the apprentice sprang for him, swiping his claws across his opponent's shoulders as he skidded past on the wet stones.
"Too slow," he hissed, jumping after the ThunderClan apprentice and easily bowling him over. They tumbled, screeching and spitting, each struggling for the upper-paw. Sorrelpaw knew for a fact that he had landed a number of blows to his enemy's muzzle, just as he was aware of the sting of a fresh wound on his own shoulders. Finally, with a powerful shove, he unbalanced the black-striped tabby. When his paws slid out from under him, Sorrelpaw lunged, grabbing his scruff and pinning him. He raked his claws down his back just once—a warning to flee—then let him go. With a pained howl, the tabby apprentice tore away into the undergrowth, back towards the heart of ThunderClan's territory. His first victory singing in his veins, Sorrelpaw spun to find his next opponent. The fight, he realized with a thrill, was going in their favor. He caught sight of Whiteclaw chasing off a big tabby warrior, and Rainclaw and Bluefur fighting side-by-side against a pair of ThunderClan warriors, pushing them slowly but surely back towards the trees. Falconheart seemed to be having a bit more trouble, pinned beneath a large white warrior.
With a defiant yowl, Sorrelpaw sprang to his Clanmate's aid, clamping his teeth down on the thick white tail and giving a firm tug. With a snarl of pain, the white warrior spun to cuff his heavily over the ears, but Falconheart was already up again, raising onto his hind legs and raking his claws over their opponent's ears. Sorrelpaw released his tail and dodged aside, swiping his paw out and sweeping the white warrior's back paws out from under him. He twisted awkwardly, trying to regain his balance, and Falconheart was on top of him.
"The river is rising!" A panicy wail from a gray ThunderClan she-cat sent alarm rippling through their patrol.
"Fox-dung!" Tigerclaw tore himself away from Oakheart's unforgiving claws. "You fish faces better enjoy your precious rain while it lasts," he sneered, baring his teeth as he back away. With that he spun and vanished into the trees, his warriors ripping themselves free and following him quickly. At once, cheers rippled through the RiverClan warriors. Thunder boomed along above them, as if joining in their victory.
Oakheart leapt onto one of the slick gray boulders. "Back to camp," he called. "Sunningrocks is ours!"
