Rabbitstripe suggested. I nodded and padded into the elders den. They were telling a story to Hollyfern's kits, Whitekit and Ravenkit.
"Why are you telling us a story about ThunderClan cats?" Whitekit scoffed.
"Because. It is an interesting story." Shrewtooth told her.
"Hi Shadowpaw!" Ravenkit purred when she saw me.
"Rabbitstripe sent me to help you with anything." I told the elders.
"We are fine. Why don't you sit down and listen to this story? you'll love it just as much as the kits will." Tangleshade suggested. I nodded and sat next to Whitekit, waiting for Shrewtooth to start.
"Well, it happened many moons ago, back in the old forest. The ThunderClan medicine cat, Squirreltail was found dead on ThunderClan territory. She was killed by one of ThunderClan's very own warriors. Two apprentices who were nearby saw the murder, and tried to warn ThunderClan about the treacherous cat. But he saw them, and caught up to them. He threatened them, said he would kill them if they tried to tell on him. The two kept quiet for a while, but decided to tell their Clan leader everything. While they were discussing what they were going to say, the cat had heard them. He killed one of the apprentices, as a warning to the other one. He told him that if he told, he would end up like his sister. This frightened the small apprentice, so he kept quiet. A moon after his sister's death, the cat lead him into a twoleg trap where the apprentice was taken away from the forest, never to be seen again." Shrewtooth mewed.
"Surely that's not all?" Whitekit frowned.
"What happened to the apprentice?" Ravenkit squeaked.
"The Clans forgot about him. He wasn't coming back." Tangleshade mewed sadly.
"Moons after that, a kit fell into the river. An apprentice jumped in to save her but the current swept the both of them away. They never came back either, that was around the time we had to leave the forest. Many cats didn't want to, in hopes that they would return but as the days past, the chances slipped away with it. On our journey, a ThunderClan she-cat kitted seven kits, but died when the last one was born. It was a sad moment for all the Clans. When we had almost reached the lake, the treacherous cat lured the ThunderClan deputy away from the group of cats and killed him. One of the ThunderClan warriors who was holding one of the new kits saw this, and tried to warn the other cats. But he was attacked. The warrior managed to get away, but the treacherous tom had killed the kit in the process. They were both found with both the kit's blood, and the deputy's blood on their fur, so no one knew who had killed them." Shrewtooth mewed.
"Is that all?" Whitekit asked.
"Did they ever find out that he did it?" I asked curiously.
"Yes," Tangleshade mewed. "They did."
"How?" Ravenkit asked.
"Well, ThunderClan had sent out a patrol on the border and found some mysterious cats. They were the cats ThunderClan had lost. They had finally found their way home. The one who was taken by twolegs revealed who the murderer was and he was banished from ThunderClan." Tangleshade finished.
"What was the murderer's name?" Whitekit asked.
"Lionclaw." Shrewtooth spat. I felt my heart stop. I froze, unable to move.
"L-Lionclaw?" I repeated.
"Yes. Everyone thought he was such a great warrior." Tangleshade sighed.
"Are you sure that was his name?" I asked.
"Yes." Shrewtooth said irritably. "He murdered a kit, an apprentice, a deputy and a medicine cat. I wouldn't forget his name." he scoffed. How can my father be a murderer? I heard a low growl come from outside and went to see what it was.
"What are they doing here?" I hissed in Pinepaw's ear. I could see Ravenstar and four other ThunderClan cats. I recognised Blazepaw from the gathering, Sunnysky and Stormcloud from the battle against ThunderClan a few days before but the fourth cat I didn't remember seeing. The black she-cat was too small to be a warrior, so she must be an apprentice.
"I don't know. Tigerstripe and me found them on our territory." she spat.
"Ravenstar, It's good to see you." Flamestar purred.
"Do you know why I have come?" Ravenstar asked.
"No. I don't, but I don't think that is for a friendly reason. Why else would you have brought two experienced warriors and two experienced apprentices?" Flamestar mewed.
"Redstripe led a border patrol, taking with him Ivypelt, Ashpaw and Shadepaw. They patrolled your border and found one of our warriors, Deerpelt dead. He had ShadowClan scent all over him. Care to explain that?" Ravenstar said through gritted teeth.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Flamestar scoffed.
"Fox-dung!" the small black she-cat growled.
"Are you calling my clan leader a liar?" Pinepaw hissed at her.
"Yes, I am!" she spat. Before I could stop her, Pinepaw leaped at the black she-cat. Blazepaw leaped at Pinepaw, blocking her from the black she-cat. I jumped on top of his back, digging my claws into his back. He flipped onto his back, crushing me under his weight. I could hear Blackpaw and Graypaw snickering. That isn't fair! Blazepaw has been an apprentice far longer than I have! I wanted to hiss at them but instead I helped Pinepaw fight the black ThunderClan apprentice. I noticed Blazepaw's ginger pelt dashing out of the camp. He's going to get more warriors! I start to follow him but a large gray ThunderClan tom knocks me over. Stormcloud.
"Don't even think about it." he hissed.
"You aren't a ShadowClan cat." I spat.
"No. I'm not." he agreed. "But neither are you, kittypet. At least I was born a warrior." he snickered.
"I have warrior blood in my veins!" I hissed. "My father was a Clan cat." I growled, slashing his flank.
"Then it is bad blood, if your father broke the warrior code." he laughed.
"You are one to talk about parents breaking the warrior code." I sneered, leaping onto his back. He threw me aside like a piece of rotten prey. I shook my black fur free of the dust and snarled at him.
"Look at you. You are nothing but an excuse for an apprentice." Stormcloud snickered.
"I-" I was interrupted by the sound of Foxheart's battle cry. He brought back more warriors! My eyes widened when ThunderClan cats streamed into our camp. Stormcloud had slithered away. I leaped at a small gray ThunderClan tom. I recognised him from the battle. Ashpaw! I clawed at him, opening the large wound on his flank that I had given him before. I smiled as he cried out in pain. I felt someone knock me over and I spat the dirt out of my mouth. I turned to face my attacker. Shadepaw. Of course. Those two never fight alone. I leaped at him but he moved aside, making me knock into Graypaw.
"Watch it, kittypet!" Graypaw hissed, slashing my face.
"Graypaw!" Rabbitstripe spat, batting him away. "We don't now fight our own cats!" he hissed, leaping back into the massive group of ThunderClan warriors.
"This isn't over, kittypet!" he growled before turning to fight Blazepaw. I turned back to Shadepaw but him and his brother were gone. They had already disappeared in the crowd.
"Stop this fighting!" Flamestar ordered. Flamestar stood over the body of Stormcloud.
"Stormcloud?" One of the ThunderClan tom's whimpered. He was much younger looking than the other warriors, only a few moons older than me. He must have been made a warrior recently.
"Stormcloud no! You can't leave me. Whitepelt doesn't need you to join her yet, I need you more please don't leave me!" Sunnysky cried.
"I'll...never...leave...you." The white and gray warrior coughed.
"He's alive!" Foxheart purred. The ThunderClan cats began cheering.
"Are all ThunderClan cat's okay?" Ravenstar mewed. I looked around at the cats. Most of them had just a few cuts and scratches except for Stormcloud, who had a huge gash on his stomach, and a white she-cat who lay motionless on the ground. Blazepaw slowly made his way over to her. The cats murmured softly. I couldn't hear what they were saying.
"Snowfall!" a large gray ThunderClan tom screamed. Wolfclaw. I remembered seeing the tom at gatherings. Bluepaw had pointed him out.
"She hunts in StarClan now, with Deerpelt, Larkkit and Dawnflower." Ravenstar mewed.
"I'll carry her back to camp." Wolfclaw mewed.
"I'll help." a gray tom sighed.
"We will too." a white she-cat and a black she-cat mewed.
"ThunderClan, we will return to our camp." Ravenstar said, leading the ThunderClan cats away.
"Good riddance." Pinepaw muttered as they disappeared.
"Pinepaw. I would like to speak with you." Flamestar snarled.
"Yes Flamestar." she muttered, following him into his den. She started the fight. Flamestar's probably isn't too happy about that.
"Shadowpaw." I turned to see Blackpaw and Graypaw sitting with their tails wrapped around their paws.
"We saw your little friend," Graypaw mewed cheerfully.
"We gave some pretty bad wounds. She won't be forgetting us anytime soon." Blackpaw snickered.
"Good," I said calmly. "Maybe then ThunderClan will learn to stop making false accusations against us."
"Very good thinking, Shadowpaw. You are starting to talk and act like a true ShadowClan warrior." Rabbitstripe purred. I dipped my head in appreciation. I padded into the apprentice den before Blackpaw or Graypaw could make any remarks. I gave my wounds a quick lick before closing my eyes and falling asleep.
"Do you promise to uphold the warrior code, and to serve and protect this Clan even at the cost of your life?" Flamestar asked.
"I do." I purred. I glanced back to see Blackpaw and Graypaw glaring at my in jealousy. Flamestar had decided to make me a warrior, but not them. They had to wait a bit longer for their ceremony.
"Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your warrior name. Shadowpaw, from this day forward you will be known as Shadowclaw. ShadowClan honors your loyalty, and your bravery." Flamestar rested his muzzle on top of my head. I licked his shoulder respectfully before sitting next to Pinepaw. Her punishment for attacking ThunderClan was that she would have to wait longer for her warrior ceremony. She said she didn't mind, but I knew that she was jealous that I was becoming a warrior first.
"Shadowclaw! Shadowclaw!" my Clan mates cheered. See father? I can be loyal to my Clan! I thought amusingly. I won't be a murderer, like you. At least they don't know that I have your treacherous blood in my veins.
"It is time we left for the gathering." he mewed. I was one of the cats he had chosen. Pinepaw was staying behind this time. I followed my Clan mates to the island. We were the last Clan to arrive.
"Let the gathering begin!" Wolfstar mewed. Spottedstar stepped forward.
"RiverClan's prey is running well this new-leaf. We have lost our deputy Mossfern to green cough. Thornheart will be RiverClan's new deputy!" Spottedstar mewed.
"Thornheart! Thornheart!" The Clans chanted. Spottedstar dipped his head in approval before stepping back. I watched Flamestar took a step forward.
"ShadowClan is well. We bring along a new warrior, Shadowclaw!" Flamestar purred.
"Shadowclaw! Shadowclaw!" The Clans cheered. I sat up straight as they called my warrior name. Ravenstar stepped forward.
"ThunderClan's prey is running well. ThunderClan bring along six new warriors; Breezefeather, Tigerfrost, Thornfur, Tawnyheart, Ashberry and Shadestripe!" Ravenstar said proudly.
"Breezefeather! Tigerfrost! Thornfur! Tawnyheart! Ashberry! Shadestripe!" Everyone cheered loudly, just as they had done for me.
"A few sunrises ago, Redstripe, Ivypelt, Ashpaw and Shadepaw led a border patrol on the ShadowClan border. They found the body of one of our warriors, Deerpelt. I lead a patrol to see if Flamestar and his warriors knew of this and we were attacked. If it weren't for one of our apprentices, Blazepaw for running back to camp Thunderclan would have had some serious injuries. In the battle, another one of our cats died. We grieve for Snowfall, Deerpelt's sister. She left the nursery in order to fight for her brother and paid dearly for it. Her kits, Sorrelkit and Dovekit will soon be apprenticed." Ravenstar added, glaring at Flamestar.
"Well, Ravenstar. I assure you my warriors had nothing to do with Deerpelt's death." Flamestar mewed.
"Fox-dung!" a gray tom hissed.
"Are you calling my leader a liar?" Mosspool growled. The gray tom unsheathed his claws, ready to attack her.
"Stop it!" The black she-cat from the battle jumped in between the two cats.
"WindClan is doing well. Many of you know on the great journey, Lionclaw of ThunderClan murdered ThunderClan's deputy, Berrypelt as well as one of Dawnflower's kits, Larkkit." Wolfstar mewed. I winced as he reminded me of my father's treachery. I had only learned of my father's actions a few sunrises before.
"Why are you bringing this up?" Rabbitstripe hissed.
"Well, Lionclaw was found on our territory just this morning. We have him as a prisoner in our camp until I decide what to do with him." Wolfstar said. Cries of horror burst out from the Clan cats.
"Lionclaw?"
"He's dangerous!"
"He might kill more of our cats!"
"Kill him!" My eyes widened at the comments from the other cats.
"WindClan will dispose of Lionclaw immediately once we return to our camp." Wolfstar dipped his head.
"No!" I screamed. It took me a few moments to realise that I wasn't the only one screaming. Two ThunderClan warriors had cried out as well.
