"What have you done?" Cloverstar snarled, spitting with rage.
She pinned the murderer down with such force, that his head made an awful cracking noise in the process.
"I said, what have you done!" She repeated, slamming his body down once more. Her claws were dug in so deep into his flesh, that she could feel his warm blood curling around her claws.
"I got rid of one weakling, and I'm about to do it again!" He snarled back.
Suddenly, he kicked his hind legs with such force that she flew off him. She knew that if she was going to fight him, she'd have to move it outside, so that there'd be no chance of hurting the kits.
"You think you can kill me?" She demanded, baring her thorn sharp teeth. "Then you'd better try real hard, because I've watched your training sessions, and you are not all that."
Enraged, Bumblestripe leaped, only to land face first in the dirt as she steped aside.
"You see, that was pitiful. You'll have to try harder than that." She snarled, backing out of the nursery. Her main objective was to keep the kits safe. After that was done, she'd kill him.
Screeching, he followed her out, and caught her on surprise as he leapt for her shoulders. They tussled for what seemed like moons, then finally, Bumblestripe pinned her down.
"I'm going to kill you, and all your little friends. I'm going to watch and laugh as all the happiness in your life is sucked out from the very core. I'm going to make you feel like I felt." He snarled, spitting in her face as he tightened his grip on her shoulders.
She was bracing herself for death, when suddenly, his weight was lifted off her and she stood up again. Foxleap was standing over Bumblestripe, spitting with rage and clawing every scrap of fur he could reach. But she wanted to be the one to kill him.
Thunder cracked in the sky above them, and black clouds covered the sky showing every cat with heavy rain. But the battle was still on.
"Bumblestripe, you are a coward." She hissed at her once loyal clanmate. "You gave up everything, just for revenge. You betrayed your clanmates, you betrayed your friends, and you betrayed your family. I gave you one chance. I should've killed you when I had the chance, but instead I exiled you, but that's all going to change tonight."
Screeching, she lunged for his throat, tearing it out with such force. He fell, surprised and fearfull, and tried to speak but nothing came, except for the gurgle of blood in the back of his throat.
"How's that for revenge." She growled, staring at his dead, mangled body. She kicked it before returning to the action of the battle, which was going down already. Seeing as they had no real leader anymore, most fled, others captured and killed. Soon, only the faithful ThunderClan cats were left, along with the bodies of traitors and dear fallen clanmates.
"Cats of ThunderClan," Cloverstar yowled, leaping up onto the Highledge. "We have beaten the Dark Forest once again. Though it is not time for celebration. We must account for the dead, bring their bodies to the center of the clearing so that we may have a proper vigil for them."
And so they did. Brightcloud was examined and reported dead, having one last moment with Toadstep before she joined Rainkit in StarClan. Molewhisker, Poppyfrost and Purdy were brought to the clearing as well, with Molewhisker's pelt covered head to toe in blood, and both Poppyfrost and Purdy had their necks broken and bent the wrong way. The clan mourned in silence for days, never speaking unless needed.
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Highledge for a clan meeting!" As she yowled the formal call, she felt odd. Her voice was strained from not using it for so long, and her bones ached from the battle, but non of that was what made it wierd. This would be her first warriors ceremony. "Stormpaw, Echopaw, Silverpaw! Step forward." The three surprised apprentices glanced at each other before padding up to their leader excitedly. This would at least give a break from grieving their mother, Brightcloud. "I, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn.
Do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"
The three over excited apprenticed meowed "I do" at once.
"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Stormpaw, from this moment you will be known as Stormcloud. StarClan honors your loyalty and your strength, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." She touched her nose to his head, and he licked her shoulder in reply, and she carried on with Stormcloud's sisters.
"Echopaw, from this moment you will be known as Echoheart. StarClan honors your loyalty and your kindness, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." Once again, she repeated the gesture to Echoheart, and then returned to Silverpaw.
"Silverpaw, from this moment you will be known as Silverwing. StarClan honors your loyalty and your intelligence, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." After Silverwing licked her shoulder in reply, their clanmates cheered their new names loud and proud.
Cloverstar had decided to mention loyalty in each of their ceremonies, to remind the clan of each and every one of the apprentices devotion to their clan. But she had one more announcement.
"Cats of ThunderClan, we have done well in rebuilding our home, though we are far from finished, I say it won't be long. The sky is clear, and the threat of danger is over, so I have decided that ThunderClan will attend the Gathering tonight. The cats who will come are as follows : Willowfrost, Foxleap, Spiderleg, Gingerpaw, Ambercloud, Ivypool, Breezepaw, Snowstorm, Dewfeather, Stormcloud, Echoheart, Silverwing, and of course, Sandbreeze and Jayfeather. Moonlight, I think you should stay home to watch the injured." She concluded, and Moonlight dipped her head in polite acknowledgement.
As they padded along towards the island for their first ever Gathering in moons, Cloverstar remembered that the other clans never knew of Bramblestar's death.
When each ThunderClan cat was safe and sound onto the island, Cloverstar lead her clan into the clearing where ShadowClan and RiverClan were waiting.
"Greetings, Rowanstar, Reedstar. I hope you are well." She meowed coolly, dipping her head to the older leaders. They exchanged a glance before speaking.
"Greetings, are you the leader now?" Reedstar asked rather quickly.
"Yes. I hope there is no problem with that." She meowed defiantly, noticing the awkward glances the two leaders made towards each other.
"No, no. Not at all. My condolences towards Bramblestar." Rowanstar answered before leaping onto the oak tree were all the leaders sat. Reedstar sprang after him, and Cloverstar followed.
At last, after what seemed like moons, WindClan arrived, looking more battered than any of the other clans. But the most surprising thing was, Onestar wasn't with them. In fact, the cat leading the clan wasn't even Harespring. They must've died in the battle, she thought. At least Harespring never got the chance to lead.
"Greetings," the cat in front meowed as he leaped onto the tree branch next to Cloverstar. She reconized him as Weaslefur.
"Let the Gathering begin!" Rowanstar yowled, starting the Gathering as he was the oldest.
"Weaselstar, would you like to begin?" Rowanstar meowed.
"It's Weaslefur, to begin. I am not WindClan's leader. Onestar died during the attack, along with many others. Harestar is leader now, but he caught Whitecough and is now recovering. I am filling in for any leadership positions will he's away. As every other clan, we have been attacked once more by the Dark Forest. We have beaten them once more. The list of the dead are as follows : Onestar, Whitetail, Crouchfoot, Larkwing, Softlight, Gorseclaw, Mudwhisker, Runningfoot, Timbertail, Ryefeather, Rabbitpaw and Smallkit. Let them find peace in StarClan for many moons to come." He finished.
Next Rowanstar stepped up. "During the attack, we too have lost members. Aside from that, Littlecloud has passed from sickness. Nightfrost is our sole medicine cat now." Cloversplash looked down to see the large, bulky, jet black tom. It was a surprise he wasn't a warrior. But behind his tough physique, he had large, kind blue eyes. "The lost ShadowClan cats are : Dawnpelt, Ferretclaw, Stoatfur, Pineheart, Lizardclaw, Spiderflight, Marshfoot, Beetletail, Stickpelt, Ravensong, Ratscar, Ivytail, Whitepaw, and Sagepaw. We all grieve for them." He finished.
"The lost cats in RiverClan are : Minnowtail, Mallownose, Lakeheart, Rushtail, Pouncetail, Fishfoot, Salmonfur, Heronflight, Antfoot, Birdsong, Copperfur, Swimpaw, Splashpaw, Streampaw, and Featherkit. We grieve for those who died fighting for their clan." Reedstar said in a hurry.
It was Cloverstar's turn. "We too have suffered hardships. The cats who passed from ThunderClan are as follows : Bramblestar, Icecloud, Bumblestripe, Blossomfall, Hazeltail, Fireleaf, Leafpool, Birchfall, Molewhisker, Poppyfrost, Purdy, Brackenfur, and Brightcloud." She meowed, bowing her head as she called the last name. "They will all be missed. Though we also have new life in the nursery, kits of Frostflower and Coalpelt. And we have three new warriors here tonight, Stormcloud, Echoheart and Silverwing."
"Stormcloud, Echoheart, Silverwing!" The clans called out.
It was a rather short Gathering, but with nothing else to report, the leaders, and Weaslefur, all jumped down into the clearing and lead their clans home.
Yay, new chapter! Yet there won't be many chapters now.
anywho, here's a poll :3 -
who's name is the best?
a) Stormcloud
b) Echoheart
c) Silverwing
review!