ShadowClan is so underrated.

Chapter 25

Lionblaze

Lionblaze caught Doveheart's scent and turned around in time to see the dusky she-cat scramble backwards into ShadowClan camp, Tigerheart not far behind.

"You're a traitor to the Clans, just like the others!" she screamed.

And everything went to nonsense.

"A traitor?" spat Ivytail by the nursery, throwing her tail around her kits.

"Tigerheart isn't a traitor!" cried Dawnpelt despairingly, hurtling towards Doveheart.

"A traitor?" The voice belonged to Redwillow. "It is you who betray your Clan. Making allies with kittypets? Pathetic."

"You betrayed us!"

"You won't last a day!"

"Be gone, you foxhearted traitor!"

Lionblaze leaped towards Doveheart, pushing her back as Dawnpelt skidded into him at full force. They went down in a heap of fur and hisses, and when Lionblaze resurfaced, they were sitting at the edge of what had very quickly dissolved into a brutal fight. Cat turned on cat all around him – the truest form of civil war he had ever seen.

"Oh, no," said Dawnpelt, untangling herself from Lionblaze in a hurry. "What is this?"

"What we came here to warn you about," said Lionblaze, spitting dust. ShadowClan was at war with itself, all in front of him.

"ENOUGH!" The roar rang out, and the chaos died down as Blackstar himself made an appearance. The ShadowClan leader had emerged on a tree branch above them, and was now glaring at the group as a whole. "Get out of my Clan." There was no doubt to whom that was meant, and an uproar came from ShadowClan as a whole.

"These traitors deserve to be taught a lesson!" cried a young warrior.

"For now, they will leave," said Blackstar. He fixed his gaze into the crowd. "If you go now, there will be no more blood spilled today."

"Oh dear," said a voice, and the shocked cats parted for Redwillow, who stared defiantly up at his leader. "I'm afraid we must take our leave. We will see how long it takes for blood to spill."

"Today, if I have my way," said a warrior near Lionblaze – Applefur, he saw.

"There's no use in fighting now," said Dawnpelt, holding her back.

"Get out, Redwillow," said Blackstar in a cold voice. "If any honest ShadowClan cat finds you or your comrades in ShadowClan territory after dawn tomorrow, you shall be killed. That is my decree."

"An honest ShadowClan cat?" sneered Redwillow. "I should wonder if there are any left. The true ShadowClan warriors walk with me now."

Those words were the last he said before half of ShadowClan started to whisper again, saying words of mistrust. And then a third of ShadowClan – considerably more than had been involved in ThunderClan – moved to join him.

There was silence as Blackstar observed his ThunderClan visitors. Cautiously, Lionblaze moved back to join the other four.

"I think your purpose has just become redundant," said Blackstar. "Thank you for your concern, but there is nothing more we need to discuss."

"What about Tigerheart?" said Doveheart suddenly. Lionblaze pressed into his best friend's side, turning over his shoulder to glare at the striped amber tom. "He's been working with them all along. Why is he still here?"

"I'm not a traitor," hissed Tigerheart. He held his head high, stepping through the rows of his hostile Clan-mates. "I've been a spy for ShadowClan."

"Then how could you vouch for them?" said Doveheart.

"Enough, Doveheart." Sandstorm stepped between Doveheart and Tigerheart. "I'm sorry, Blackstar. We will leave ShadowClan's affairs to you now, Blackstar."

"See that you do," said Blackstar, and they took their leave. A patrol walked them to the border, although no one spoke. Each ShadowClan cat wore an expression that looked frankly homicidal. Lionblaze didn't know what to think – the reaction in ShadowClan had been so vastly different than his own. In ThunderClan, there was mourning. In ShadowClan, a thirst for revenge. Maybe it was in these times that the differences between the Clans actually came forth.

They crossed the border and said farewell to their escorts, and then Cloudtail turned to Doveheart with a savage glare. Lionblaze knew what was to be said, but he still took a step closer to Doveheart. He had agreed to this. It was partly his fault.

"What were you doing?" he spat. "You started that revolt with your outburst, and you should have been with the escort party the whole time."

"That's abandonment of the mission," said Sandstorm. "Or is there something you would like to explain?"

"I'm sure there's a logical explanation to this," said Brackenfur to the other two senior warriors. "Doveheart?"

"T-Tigerheart said he knew something about Ivypool," said Doveheart. Lionblaze saw Sandstorm's eyes narrow. "Or, more accurately, Ivypool's kits."

"And this valuable piece of information was?" asked Cloudtail.

"That Ivypool is trying to stay in the army of the Place of No Stars, but Tigerstar wants to kill her kits and make her pay," said Doveheart quietly. Lionblaze took a deep breath, thinking this through. He didn't like Ivypool – in fact, were it not for Doveheart, he would have declared that he hated her. But this information hurt. Those were Bumblestripe's kits just as much as they were Ivypool's, and the kits themselves had not been involved in this war.

"As a warrior, we have a duty to defend kits," said Lionblaze at the skeptical looks. "Does it matter whose kits they are?"

"Lionblaze is right," said Brackenfur. "We should tell Firestar right away."

"And Ivypool and Bumblestripe," added Doveheart.

"Well, I'm glad you told us this, Doveheart," said Sandstorm. "It wasn't right to go speak to a ShadowClan warrior when you were on a mission for ThunderClan. But I understand that you were worried about your sister's kits. That shouldn't be something you are held accountable for, and I'm sure Firestar will see it this way. But please ask one of us next time."

"Yes, Sandstorm," said Doveheart. Lionblaze stared at Doveheart, at the exhaustion in her eyes and the way she dragged her paws. It was impossible not to see it – there was something more that Doveheart wasn't saying. Perhaps it was residual anger at not being able to speak to Ivypool that she was now taking out on Sandstorm. Perhaps it was something buried in that conversation with Tigerheart.

They continued on to camp, and Lionblaze pressed against her fondly to gain her attention.

"Are you alright?" said Lionblaze. Doveheart nodded.

"I will be," she said. "Today has just been…a lot to take in."

Yes, there was something she wasn't saying. Lionblaze would let her have her discomfort, though, for if it involved him, she would have said something.

"I assume this means you're never going to speak to him again," said Lionblaze. "Even if he was a spy – what do you think is happening with Littlecloud, anyways?"

"Jayfeather says he hasn't been coming to the Moonpool," said Doveheart. "And I saw Flametail and Tigerheart gathering herbs for Littlecloud some while ago. Something is wrong."

"I see," said Lionblaze. With a pang, he realized that Doveheart had been lingering in the medicine den perhaps way too often.

"And no," said Doveheart hollowly. "I'm never speaking to Tigerheart again."

She meant it. Lionblaze was sure that she had meant it last time, but this was different. He could see it in the dullness of Doveheart's eyes.

The camp was unguarded, so Lionblaze picked up his pace, hurrying after the senior warriors and bursting into camp. He had expected his entrance to be heralded with at least a few interested questions, but to his surprise, there was something more exciting going on.

"What is going on?" said Cloudtail. Lionblaze followed the snow-pelted warrior towards the edge of the crowd, near Brightheart. He couldn't see any indication of something being wrong.

"WindClan said Doveheart, looking towards Firestar's den with sudden interest. "What's going on?"

Brightheart and Blossomfall turned back, frowning.

"They came asking for a place to help wounded warriors," said Blossomfall. "Onestar and Ashfoot are talking to Firestar and Jayfeather."

"What's going to happen?" asked Brackenfur.

"Hard to tell," said Brightheart. "I think Firestar wants to help, but we're already several Clan members short after this morning." Addressing the patrol, she went on. "Firestar asked you to report once you returned."

"I'll go speak to him," said Sandstorm. "Doveheart, come with me." Nodding, Doveheart separated herself from the group and followed. Lionblaze had half a mind to feel bad for his friend, but at that moment, Icecloud detached herself from her conversation with Windkit and Ferncloud. Lionblaze met her halfway so that their words could go unheard.

"How was it?" said Icecloud. Her face fell at Lionblaze's sigh. "Go on."

"Doveheart snuck off to talk to Tigerheart about Ivypool, one thing led to another, and then ShadowClan revolted. It was slightly more vicious than what happened here."

"I see," said Icecloud. She took a second to take this in. "How are they taking it?"

"From what I could see, they're ready to fight," said Lionblaze. He clawed the ground absently. "I see that. I would like nothing more than to sink my claws into anyone who would dare destroy my Clan."

"I thought I would say that, too," said Icecloud softly. "And then my littermate snarled in the face of my apprentice and left camp."

Lionblaze stopped short at that comment. He had forgotten about Foxleap, and that Icecloud and Foxleap had been close. And he had just made a comment about hurting him…

"Icecloud, I'm sorry, I didn't mean – "

"You meant it, and that's not something to apologize for," said Icecloud. She sighed. "It hurts to know that he hated the Clan that much. But I'm not the problem." She glanced over to where Daisy was talking to the unresponsive kits. "Windkit and Briarkit just saw both their parents walk out on them."

"The apprentices have been hit hard, too," said Lionblaze cautiously. Icecloud nodded, and Lionblaze followed her eyes to Bouncepaw. "Is there any way I can help?"

She turned, surprised, and smiled a little hollowly.

"You're doing everything you can to help already," said Icecloud. "You and Doveheart and Jayfeather are going to get us out of this."

Lionblaze wished he could share her faith, but he smiled and touched noses with his mate all the same. It felt good to have her with him properly this time.

"All cats gather for a Clan meeting!" The pair turned in unison to see that Firestar was perched on the Highledge again, and Brambleclaw was walking Onestar and Ashfoot out. So things had been settled, then. "It has come to my attention that our situation has escalated, and I wanted the entire Clan to be on the same page about what was going on."

"What's the problem with WindClan?" called Sorreltail.

"What happened in ShadowClan that no one is saying?" cried Berrynose.

"What are we going to do about the cats that left?" said Toadstep.

Firestar waited until the outcries from various cats had died down, and then he took another steady breath and went on.

"The fact of the matter is that we are waging a war that no one thought we would ever have," said Firestar. "I'm sure you all remember the shadow warriors that injured several of us. We have gained information that suggests that these shadow cats were sent by the Place of No Stars."

"That's just a kit's tale," said Ferncloud. "You can't be serious?"

"I am," said Firestar. "I know this is hard to hear, but we thought it was the right time to say something."

"Lionblaze?" said Icecloud, pressing into his side. "What are you thinking?"

What was he thinking? He didn't even know. He felt so empty. He wanted Firestar to take charge of this entire mission and give orders and decide who knew certain things and who didn't. But he knew that this wasn't…it wouldn't work.

"The cats that are currently taking refuge in WindClan's camp have been trained by the cats of the Place of No Stars for some time, according to our sources," said Firestar. "We do not know exactly what their plan is, but we must assume the worst."

"Civil war," said Mousefur. All eyes went to her. "Is that what you are implying, Firestar? Because in all my time…this is something that has only happened once, and never like this."

"I will imply nothing," said Firestar. He earned a grmph from the elder, but Firestar held Mousefur's gaze as he went on. "I am telling all of you that this is a civil war, and you are exactly right. None of us have ever lived something like this. But according to our sources, the Place of No Stars hopes to erase our existence as Clans, and that will mean a fight."

"Who are these sources you keep talking about?" said Leafpool. "How do they know so much, and can we trust them?"

Firestar hesitated, and Lionblaze tensed as their leader's green eyes passed gently over him.

"He can't say anything," said Icecloud softly, but it was disbelief. "He can't."

"I am." All heads turned, but Blossomfall was sitting calmly on the receiving end of all the stares. "And I know what I know because I trained in the Dark Forest for several moons."

"You're one of them?" cried Graystripe, staring at his kit in despair. "Blossomfall!"

"It's alright," said Blossomfall. "Jayfeather and Toadstep helped me to get out before I couldn't anymore. So I told Firestar everything I knew."

"Of course," said Lionblaze under his breath. "I forgot about Blossomfall."

"Good for you, Blossomfall," said Sorreltail, breaking the awkward silence that had descended between Blossomfall and everyone else. "Can you tell us why the others are working for the Place of No Stars?"

"I can't say for certain," said Blossomfall. "For me, it started out as extra lessons. The leaders there, they promise you that they can help you become a great warrior, and they teach you special moves that help you in battle. After that, you're making a stronger Clan. After that, your Clan is corrupted, and you're helping to rebuild it. Their goal is to turn you against everyone."

"So that's what happened to all of them," said Ferncloud. "To Birchfall and Foxleap and everyone else."

"After that, you're in," said Icecloud quietly. Lionblaze turned to his mate, appalled, but she stepped forward. "If you try to get out, it's impossible. They threaten you. They threaten your family. Anything to make sure that you stay loyal."

"How do you know this?" said Sorreltail. "Are you like Blossomfall, then?"

"No," said Icecloud. "The Place of No Stars was never interested in me. But there is at least one cat in WindClan's camp in that situation, I can guarantee it. I've been trying to help them for a few moons now, and so has Lionblaze." She glanced up at him, and he nodded. Icecloud's move made sense. "I don't want to say who this is out loud in case we are overheard." She shrugged. "But I promise that it isn't all as black-and-white as it seems."

"So Whitewing, and Thornclaw, and the others…" said Brightheart. "They could be doing this to save other cats?"

"It's very possible," said Icecloud. "I can't guarantee who is a genuine believer and who isn't, but yes."

"And what about the traitor in our own midst?" said Berrynose harshly. "What do we do about Ivypool? She's their leader."

"We will question her," said Firestar. "I think Ivypool has had a lot to do with this."

"Of course she has," said Dustpelt. "She's been at the heart of this. We can't forgive that, and I can't think of anyone she'd want to protect." Lionblaze heard murmurs of surprise, and he glanced over at Bumblestripe. The dark-striped tom was the subject of quite a few whispers around the camp, but he didn't say or do anything about it. He just sat there, staring at his paws, as the conversation turned sour.

"Please, wait!" said a small voice. It was Bouncepaw. As usual when Bouncepaw spoke, there was an air of hesitation throughout ThunderClan. The small, cream-colored apprentice looked nervous to speak, but then she cleared her throat once she realized that everyone was waiting for her to go on.

"I know that I haven't gotten along with all of you," said Bouncepaw. "This isn't where I was born, and I didn't grow up with the warrior code and with StarClan. But C-Crouchpaw and I joined ThunderClan because we could see that, even if not everyone saw eye to eye, everyone here cares about ThunderClan, and about someone else. I wanted to be a part of that. Maybe I'm not, but that's okay. I just wanted to say that…that ThunderClan to me is full of the best, kindest cats that I know. Everyone here is brave and caring, and I think that's clear in the way that you still worry about the cats that walked out. I believe in them, and I believe in all of you. And once, you believed in Ivypool, too. Maybe she doesn't care about ThunderClan, or maybe she has just stopped believing in ThunderClan. If you stop believing in Ivypool and the others now, then what are you? Are you any better than what they have become?"

She finished her speech by looking up at Firestar, but no one knew how to say a thing.

"I don't know much about Clan laws," said Bouncepaw. "But that's why I love ThunderClan. So, please, Firestar, keep that in mind when you make a decision."

"Bouncepaw is right." It took Lionblaze a second to realize that he had been the one who had spoken. "We can't take sides and turn against anyone now. We need to be a Clan. We need to be united, and I don't think we have been in a long time." He gulped back his fears and pressed on. "Which is why I wanted to tell you something."

"Lionblaze," said Icecloud. "Lionblaze, what are you doing?"

"I will do anything," he said. "Anything to protect every single one of you. With all the power I have. Maybe that isn't much, but…" He took a deep breath. "You all know that I'm a skilled fighter."

"Lionblaze, stop," said Icecloud. "You're going too far."

"I don't know why I was born like this," said Lionblaze. "But what skill I have…I will put down to this cause. Unconditionally, until it's used up."

Icecloud let out an audible sigh of relief. He glanced at her and smiled.

"And you all can do that, too. Icecloud, for example." Icecloud blinked twice, confused. "No one can help every Clan member the way Icecloud does, in a completely natural way. When something happens, my first thought is battle. Her first thought is making that cat feel as if everything will be okay. We complete each other. We all complete each other – maybe we just haven't seen it before." He turned to them, eyes bright. "We have to make this Clan come together in a way that it hasn't before. If we all believe in…in ThunderClan, and if we all devote ourselves to ThunderClan, unconditionally…we will win this fight."

He was still staring at Icecloud, and she was still staring at him, the worry in her eyes having turned to an unconditional devotion of a different nature.

"We are ThunderClan," said Squirrelflight. Lionblaze met his foster mother's eyes, and the two exchanged a smile. "Let's fight to stay that way."

"ThunderClan! ThunderClan!" With a giggle, Cherrypaw led a chant. It took a moment, but then her brother joined in. And then Bouncepaw. And then Blossomfall and Toadstep and Cinderheart and…slowly, it all spread. Lionblaze turned back to Icecloud as the chanting echoed throughout their camp, and the two of them smiled at each other like they hadn't smiled in their entire lives.

"I don't know if you're being romantic or patriotic anymore," she said.

"How about a little bit of both?" said Lionblaze. "I love you and I love ThunderClan."

"I love you and I love ThunderClan," said Icecloud with a purr. Then they turned and joined in the chant, laughing and smiling until Lionblaze's throat hurt from yelling –

"ThunderClan! ThunderClan!"

For a moment, they were exactly that – a Clan as loud and powerful as thunder.

Icecloud is my favorite. Icecloud and Lionblaze make my life. I hope you enjoyed that cutesy romance at the end there! It kind of contrasts with the end of the last chapter. In a lot of ways, this entire chapter reflects the other one. Yay parallels!

Anyways, I think the most pressing question is - Ivypool? Well that and Tigerheart, but screw Tigerheart. Ivypool gets the next chapter, so get ready for more emotion! I've written the Ivypool chapter, but I need to write the accompanying Sunstrike's Story chapter before I post it. Just a little longer.

Thank you all for reading this far, and don't forget to review/favorite/follow!

~Elsi