Sorry for taking so long on this chapter. Tidepaw chapters are always the hardest to write. Chapter 10 (her next chapter) probably won't take as long to write, so you don't need to worry about that. Also, today, January 21, 2013, is the 10th Anniversary of Warriors! I hope you enjoy that
Chapter 7
Tidepaw and Copperpaw danced through the water as they fought. They wrestled in the water for a few moments, then moved back to catch their breath. The water churned around them, displaced droplets sparkling in the sunlight.
Tidepaw surveyed the reddish brown tom. He was obviously tiring, and had barely been able to dodge when she had last swooped forward to strike him. It was clear who would win this fight.
"I'm getting tired of this," Copperpaw complained. "Let's just hurry up and get it over with, okay?"
"With pleasure," Tidepaw replied.
Ignoring the ever-present throbbing in her scar, she faked a lunge forward. While Copperpaw was distracted, Tidepaw flicked splashed him with her tail, momentarily blinding him. Then, tapping her power for an extra boost of speed, she swept Copperpaw's legs from underneath him. He started to spit out a curse, but it was cut off as he fell into the water.
"I win!" she declared. The rumbling in her stomach kicked in immediately, reminding her that winning a play wasn't that impressive of an achievement.
Twenty-one sunrises, exactly three quarter moons, had passed since the Gathering. Even without the threat of rogues and the lack of fish, this day would still have felt downcast. It was a somber day, one where tragedy had struck the Clans.
Exactly six moons before, Snowcloud had lost her mentor Cloverstem, while ThunderClan had lost its deputy Whisperwing. And, along with the deaths of those two noble she-cats, Lightningblaze's honour had been tarnished forever when his Clanmates had wordlessly judged him guilty of murder. This is a day of loss. When something important is taken from us, the void that it leaves behind can never be refilled. The piercing hunger for what has forsaken us can't ever be satisfied. Our innocence, our friendships, our loved ones…yeah, I know a bit about loss.
Copperpaw glanced at her impatiently. "Would you mind helping me up?" he asked. "I'm kind of stuck."
Through the water, Tidepaw could see that the older apprentice had gotten his paw wedged in between some rocks on the lakebed. She dove into the water and clamped her jaws around his paw, trying to free it. Soon, her vision grew fuzzy and she felt herself running out of air. Rather than go up for more, she tapped into her power and drew more oxygen into herself. With full lungs, she managed to pull Copperpaw's paw free.
Her work done, Tidepaw swam back to the surface and grabbed Copperpaw's scruff. Heaving, she dragged the apprentice to the shore, then sighed as she let him drop to the ground.
"Thanks, Tidepaw!" the apprentice purred. "I wasn't expecting a small cat like you to be so strong." Tidepaw smiled at him.
The other apprentices swarmed them. Copperpaw's sister Streampaw darted over to her brother, concern showing in her eyes. Meanwhile, Wildpaw and his sister Quillpaw moved to congratulate Tidepaw on her victory.
"You did great!" Quillpaw mewed.
"Strong as always," agreed Wildpaw.
"Thanks you two," Tidepaw replied, nodding to them. She wished that Brightpaw was with her, but her sister had been sicklier than ever in the recent days.
"I think I messed up my paw," Copperpaw loudly complained. "I can't handle any more training while I'm like this."
"I'll take him back to the camp," Tidepaw volunteered. "Then Nightheart and Rainpaw can take a look at him." Quillpaw's mentor Scaleshine, Streampaw's mentor Swiftstrike, and Wildpaw's mentor Amberfang were all present. However, the other two mentors, Graywave and Roseblossom, were absent. Copperpaw didn't have a mentor looking out for him at the moment.
Mistfur, who was leading the exercises, nodded. "You can go ahead, Tidepaw," she agreed. "If I forced him to fight, then I'd just be forcing further injuries on him."
Tidepaw bowed to the deputy and padded over to Copperpaw. She let the reddish-brown tom lean on her as they headed back towards the camp.
Behind them, Mistfur gave out further instructions. "Okay, it's time to practice team fighting," she declared. "Everybody goes into the water."
The three apprentices jumped into the water, splashing about as they did.
"I said everybody goes in," Mistfur repeated. "That means mentors too."
Swiftstrike and Scaleshine went in without protest, but Amberfang stood on the shore and grumbled. Then the dark tabby reluctantly followed the other warriors into the stream.
"Thanks," Copperpaw hissed to Tidepaw.
"It's no problem," Tidepaw replied. "You didn't think I'd let you go back alone, did you?"
"Thanks for that too, but I was thanking you for not killing me," Copperpaw explained. "You're ferocious beyond measure."
Tidepaw sighed. Is fighting all I'm good for? I know you mean well Copperpaw, but even with this power of mine, I can't protect the Clan from hunger's grip.
…
Nearly half a moon ago, Tidepaw had stood on the shore of the lake and seen the wounds from her fight with Darkclaw vanish. Now she knew that her power wasn't just for healing wounds. Through testing, she had found that she had a hidden reserve of strength, one that she could tap into to improve her capabilities. Tidepaw could draw strength, wakefulness, speed, and all manner of other things into herself. She still wasn't sure why StarClan had granted her this power, but she was determined to help her Clan with it.
But in the moments when she was confronted by RiverClan's hunger, Tidepaw worried that her Clan could never be saved.
She stood in the medicine den, watching Rainpaw treat Copperpaw. Outside a storm was breaking, but the den kept the apprentices safe from the downpour.
"That's my sister for you," Copperpaw said as Rainpaw finished applying herbs to his paw. "I'm feeling better already!"
The gray medicine apprentice blinked. "That may be the case, but you're still hurt," she warned him. "You'll need to rest for a little while so that you don't put stress on your paw. I would advise some sunning, but with the weather outside, that's not too likely. And for the last time, would you stop calling me your-"
Copperpaw stopped her with his tail. "Blood isn't everything," he insisted. "Yes, you were born a loner. But in our litter, you could feel joy and pain just as much as any Clanborn cat. We are a family, even if our blood says otherwise."
"You still insist on having me in your family then?" Rainpaw asked. "Well Copperpaw, keep on believing, and never give up on your faith in StarClan."
Copperpaw nodded. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'll head back to my den," he mewed. The reddish-brown tom hobbled out of the den and into the storm.
"He always tries to rely on himself," Tidepaw purred. "Even when he talks about kin, he forgets that Clan cats look out for each other. He didn't even ask for someone to help him back to his den. Ah well. I wouldn't fancy going out there and swimming on land."
Rainpaw smiled. "More than one cat in this Clan tries to shoulder everything on their own," she replied, rubbing up against Tidepaw. "Are you sure you're feeling okay?"
Tidepaw stepped back from her gray friend. "I'm fine, really," she insisted.
"That's exactly what I'm talking about," Rainpaw mewed, moving quickly to Tidepaw's side again. "You don't need to carry all your pain by yourself. Lean on me and Wildpaw and all your other friends. That's what we're here for."
"Rainpaw, you're even stormier than the weather outside!" Tidepaw teased, trying to distract her friend. "Have you had another run-in with that WindClan tom or something?"
Rainpaw ducked back a bit, embarrassed. "He swore revenge and all that stuff," she explained. "Nothing special."
The two she-cats sat together, sheltering from the downpour just outside the cave. For one simple moment, all was calm. Brightpaw was sleeping peacefully in a nearby nest, and Tidepaw nodded to herself. Her sister was safe in here, for now. But there were still things out there that threatened the Clans. I will protect you, Brightpaw. It's the only worthwhile thing I can do.
The storm began to give way, and the rain subsided. Tidepaw flicked her tail in farewell and padded out of the medicine den. Rainpaw nodded, heading over to sort through the herbs.
The other apprentices were just returning to the camp as Tidepaw stepped out of the den. Wildpaw noticed her, and immediately bounded over to her. Amberfang followed his apprentice and sat down at Tidepaw's other side. The blue-gray she-cat smirked at him. I'm not afraid of you.
"Tidepaw, I've been learning plenty!" Wildpaw said. "Next time we fight, I'm sure to defeat you."
"How about we face off tonight?" Tidepaw suggested. "We'll see who's learned the most. And the loser has to-"
"Complete some arbitrarily humiliating task?" offered Amberfang. "That's how apprentice competitions usually seem to work."
"Sounds great," Wildpaw mewed. "Like, what both of you said." Then his eyes narrowed as he glanced over at the fresh-kill pile. Tidepaw followed his gaze. The pile was filled with meagre pickings-a few fish, and some prey taken from WindClan territory.
"Why can't the other Clans just share something with us?" he asked. "They've certainly been fattened up."
"Such is the nature of greed," Amberfang purred. "It's easy to say that you have ideals, but acting on them could bring a disadvantage to your self. And so, they simply look the other way. But of course, acting on ideals can have its own problems."
He was cut short as Graywave padded into the camp, followed by four WindClan cats. Tidepaw recognized Galeflight, but the ginger tom's companions were unfamiliar to her.
Mistfur, the Clan deputy, padded over to greet the WindClan patrol. "Oh, it's you guys again," she mewed. "You need anything?"
Galeflight nodded nervously. "Well, uh, we sort of need to, er…" he started.
"I'll explain, idiot," snapped his companion, a brown tabby she-cat. "We want an audience with the Clan. Ravenstar sent us."
"I'll go get Otterstar then," Mistfur mewed.
"That sounds good," mewed a gray tom with the group. "This place is too damp for my liking."
"You're not the runt you were when I last saw you, Pinefur," Mistfur teased.
Pinefur shrugged. "I've been training," he mewed.
As Mistfur headed off to Otterstar's den, Wildpaw rushed over to the WindClan group. "Are you Galeflight's apprentice?" he asked a light brown tom. "How do you fight in WindClan?"
"Sure am," the tom replied. "My name's Harepaw. In WindClan, we focus on speed and-"
"Awesome, then we can fight sometime!" Wildpaw mewed.
"I fear it may come to that," Galeflight mentioned. He glanced at the ground nervously.
"So it's all set," Wildpaw declared. "The loser has to make some sappy love confession to a ShadowClan she-cat."
"You're on!" replied Harepaw.
Tidepaw smiled. Wildpaw tried to make friendships with everyone.
Mistfur padded out of Otterstar's den, bringing the leader with her. Otterstar climbed onto a rock and called the Clan together.
"Why has Ravenstar sent this patrol?" Otterstar asked Galeflight.
Galeflight glanced around uncertainly. "Ravenstar has decided not to tolerate RiverClan's repeated…hunting on our territory," he explained, pausing between his words. "He's offering, well…"
He trailed off, and the tabby she-cat stepped in beside him. "If you're too much of an idiot to speak, I might as well take over," she snapped. "Ravenstar is sick and tired of RiverClan taking our prey." She flicked her tail towards a rabbit in the fresh-kill pile. "He's not going to put up with any of you fish-breaths stealing food. Against my wishes, Ravenstar is offering a bit of mercy. You have until the next Gathering to stop taking our prey. If not, there will be a battle. And mark my words, your Clan won't be on the winning side."
"I'm sorry," Galeflight said after his Clanmate had finished. "But fear not. I'll make a promise."
"Shut up with your promises, okay?" the brown she-cat interrupted. "We're going home."
Galeflight shrunk back, and the brown she-cat led the patrol out of RiverClan camp. She didn't even wait for Otterstar's response.
"That's another problem with ideals," Amberfang hissed to Tidepaw. "Some cats do follow them with absolute conviction. They craft themselves into the image of their ideals, and do not fail to follow them. But when they're beaten down by all around them, when the very world rejects their principles, they themselves will shatter like ice. Beware, young she-cat."
Tidepaw shrugged and groomed herself as the warriors discussed WindClan's threats. She focused on her black paw more than anything else. It was always there, a clear indicator of her guilt.
Just then, Roseblossom's hunting patrol entered the camp. Their ragged pelts were covered with scratches, and their steps were heavy with fatigue. They carried no prey in their jaws.
"What happened?" asked Willowfern. She rushed over to them in alarm.
"Reedfur and some of Bonetail's other rogues ambushed us," Roseblossom mewed. "They took the fish we managed to catch."
Willowfern's eyes darkened with anger and loss. "Why did he have to leave us?" she muttered. "Did he ever care about me or our kits?" Willowfern still hadn't gotten over Reedfur leaving her to join Bonetail's rogues.
"He's got some WindClan mate now," snapped Roseblossom. "Whitefeather or something. Get a hold of yourself and move on! He's not coming back."
"I've made up my mind!" declared Otterstar as Willowfern shivered with emotion. "Twolegs and the late thaw have made the catch much poorer, but Bonetail and his rogues are taking away from what little we have. If we can stop him, then maybe we'll be able to hang on for a little bit longer."
"So, like, we stop Bonetail and everything goes back to bein' rainbows?" asked Finflutter. "We gonna yell at them to go away or somethin'?"
Otterstar shook her head. "I've got a plan," she said. "But first, I'll need to make a patrol."
"What do you need the patrol for?" asked Roseblossom. "Can't you just tell us your plan first?"
Otterstar grinned. "The patrol comes first," she said. "And that's because we're going to ShadowClan."
…
Tidepaw followed Otterstar's brisk pace as the group headed toward the ShadowClan border. Graywave had been picked for the patrol, and Otterstar had agreed without question when he had asked to bring Tidepaw along. The Clan leader seemed distracted as she marched. Whether she was mentally running over her plans or pondering Ravenstar's threats, Tidepaw could not tell.
Tidepaw kept close to Rainpaw as she walked. Otterstar had allowed the gray medicine apprentice to tag along so that she could talk with the ShadowClan medicine cats. Nightheart had fallen ill, and Rainpaw meant to find a cure for her mentor.
Also on the patrol were Grasstail, Amberfang, and Skystorm. As always, Grasstail was nervous. He glanced at the area behind him every few seconds, and jumped at every flicker of movement from the forested area they traveled through.
Otterstar brought the group to a stop, motioning to show that they had reached the border. "Now it's time to wait for a patrol," she mewed.
Tidepaw sat herself in the grass next to Rainpaw. The two she-cats waited outside the dark forest, neither exchanging words.
Finally, the medicine apprentice broke the silence. "Why do you think StarClan sends prophecies?" she asked.
Tidepaw hadn't been expecting this kind of question from her friend. "I suppose it's to guide us along the right path," she suggested. "They tell us what has yet to come so that we can prepare to take action."
Rainpaw shook her head. "That doesn't make sense," she said. "If all events are predetermined, they'll come to pass without StarClan's interference. Like the story of Bramblestar and Hawkfrost. The medicine cat only figured out what their prophecy meant after everything was finished. Or in the Blood Purge. Dawnstripe's prophecy was only unravelled after she became a martyr for peace."
"The Blood Purge?" asked Tidepaw. "I don't think I've heard that one."
"Some cat claiming to be Scourge nearly wiped out RiverClan," Rainpaw explained. "It's a really long story, and the elders told me it over the span of several days. I spend a lot of my free time listening in on the stories that the elders tell to the kits. But let's not get off topic here."
Tidepaw shrugged. "StarClan cares about us then," she mewed. "They send prophecies to let us know that we aren't alone. They want us to know that they'll be right beside us for every step of our lives."
"Maybe," mewed Rainpaw. "But even so, they really could do better than a few vague words that won't make sense for moons."
The arrival of the ShadowClan patrol took away any chance that Tidepaw had for a counterargument. Three cats had come to recognize the border, and Tidepaw knew all of them. The leader was Sootstain, a white tom with black spots. Following behind him were a brown-and-white she-cat called Finchwing and Darkclaw. Painful memories flashed before Tidepaw's eyes, and she reflexively massaged her scar. If only I could have been a better cat. If only I could have been a better sister.
"Hey guys, I think RiverClan have organized a protest," mewed Finchwing.
"How wonderful," grumbled Darkclaw.
"What brings you here, Otterstar?" Sootstain asked, ignoring his Clanmates.
"I seek an audience with Duskstar," the RiverClan leader explained. "Would you mind granting us entrance to your territory and an escort to your camp?"
"You brought seven cats for that?" Darkclaw snapped. "It looks to me like you're planning an invasion."
Sootstain nodded. "Usually I would quiet him, but Darkclaw has a valid point," he said. "Either explain why you have brought so many cats, or come alone."
Otterstar nodded, a deceptively submissive look in her eyes.
"I am here to speak with Duskstar," she explained. "Graywave and Amberfang are here to join our discussion. Duskstar can match them with her own warriors if it pleases her. Graywave asked if he could bring Tidepaw along and show her what the other Clans are like. I agreed to that. Rainpaw is here to speak with Foxwhisker and Stonepaw, although the subject isn't your business. Is that a good enough explanation?"
"That's five of you," grunted Sootstain. "Why are you bringing the other two?"
"You mean Grasstail and Skystorm?" Otterstar asked. The milky white she-cat smirked. "I thought you might want to see your kits again."
Sootstain's fur stuck up and he spat a curse at her. For a moment, Tidepaw thought he would attack them. Then Skystorm walked over to him and draped her tail across his fur. The ShadowClan tom sighed and seemed to calm.
"So nobody is ever going to let me forget that one night I spent with a RiverClan she-cat?" Sootstain asked. "At least you're showing consistency. I'll play along with your game, Otterstar. Just don't try anything."
After the ShadowClan cats had finished setting the border, they took the RiverClan patrol to the camp. Tidepaw shivered as she entered the chilly forest. Tall, leafy trees let little light into the territory. Darkclaw glared at the her for the entire trip, his gaze seeming to pierce her soul. She suffered it in silence.
Finally, they pushed their way into ShadowClan camp. ShadowClan's leader Duskstar was nearby, having a conversation with one of her warriors. When she noticed the patrol, she excused herself and padded over. Tidepaw noticed Darkclaw's expression begin to lighten.
"You three are dismissed," the gray she-cat mewed to her Clanmates. "When the other patrol gets back, we'll start the apprentice ceremony." Darkclaw's whiskers drooped, but he padded away without complaint.
"What brings you to ShadowClan camp, Otterstar?" Duskstar asked. "I hope you're not here to ask for more food. We just sent you some a few sunrises earlier."
Tidepaw's mind went back to two sunrises before, when Finchwing, Crowfur, and Skypaw had brought a few pieces of prey to the RiverClan warriors. Duskstar hadn't wanted to look soft at the Gathering, but at least she had found it in her heart to send RiverClan something to eat later on.
"This isn't about food," Otterstar assured Duskstar. "I wanted to speak with you in front of the whole Clan. What I have to share concerns all of us. After that, we could have a more private conversation."
Duskstar nodded. "Today two of our kits will be apprenticed," she explained. "I'll hold the ceremony just as soon as the cats checking the ThunderClan border get back. Until then, feel free to share tongues with my Clan."
"Thank you, Duskstar," mewed Otterstar. "RiverClan will not forget your friendship."
The ShadowClan leader shrugged, heading back to finish her conversation with the cat she had been talking to earlier. As she departed, a white she-cat came to join them.
"It's been too long, hasn't it?" greeted Creamfur. "I may no longer be one of your Clanmates, but I'll always consider you my friends."
Skystorm and Grasstail perked up at the sight of their sister. "We really need to catch up," said Skystorm. "Plenty has happened in RiverClan."
Tidepaw padded off to sit on her own. As soon as she found solitude, it was disturbed by a ShadowClan tom.
"It's not often that we get visitors from RiverClan," he purred. "Would you care to exchange stories with me?"
"What kind of stories are you interested in?" she asked. "I could probably tell you something, but wouldn't there be a better place to start than with an air-headed RiverClan apprentice?" He better not start asking about my scar like so many others have. If they could just ignore it, maybe I could fade away in peace.
"Pardon me for not introducing myself," the tom mewed. "My name is Goldleaf, and I'm one of the Clan elders. I've been trying to find as many stories about the Echo Wars as I can, but I already know all of ShadowClan's tales. Fresh blood from the other Clans may aid me in my quest. Do you know much about it?"
Tidepaw nodded. "I've spent plenty of time hearing about it from old Troutfin," she explained. "I'll bet that I've got at least one story you haven't heard. Are you trying to collect the entire history of the Echo Wars or something?"
Goldleaf sighed and shook his head. "I'm Bonetail's father," he explained. "In those last few days, before my son betrayed the Clans, he came to me. He wouldn't say why, but he wanted to know as much as he possibly could about the Echo Wars. I didn't know any more than your average cat, so I couldn't help. But each day I've felt regret. Maybe if I had been a better father, he might not have left. So I'm searching the lore, trying to find out what he was after. Maybe if I can understand my son, I can get through to him. Pardon me. I'm old, and prone to rambling."
Tidepaw nodded, feeling sympathy for the elderly tom. I can understand family troubles. Back at RiverClan, I have no mother or father to watch over me. Brightpaw and I are on our own. "I'm not sure how long I'm staying here, but I have a friend who loves listening in on the stories our elders tell," Tidepaw explained. "If we're still here after my leader addresses yours, could we talk then? If not, there's always the Gathering." Just not a secret meeting behind the backs of the Clans. I know how well those work out.
Goldleaf nodded. "That sounds wonderful," he purred, his good humour returning. "You try your best to look sweet and harmless, but I can see that you have a bit of a wicked streak. Would you like me to tell you the story of Hawkclaw and Violetcloud? Two cats from different Clans were seeing each other, and in the end the she-cat tore up the tom and ate him."
Tidepaw shrugged. "Sure I'll listen to that one," she replied. "I'll even tell you an extra story as a bonus. You'll get to see 'The Tale of Tidepaw's Most Recent Meal' set before you in all its grandeur."
Goldleaf grinned. "I'll see you later then," he purred. "I have to go talk with one of my Clanmates." He padded off, leaving Tidepaw alone in the camp.
The brambles guarding the camp shook. Four ShadowClan cats padded in, none of whom Tidepaw recognized. Duskstar noticed the patrol, so she climbed up a vine and onto a ledge.
"Let all cats old enough to sneak through the shade gather beneath the Leader's Ledge for a Clan meeting!" the gray she-cat declared.
The ShadowClan cats poured into the clearing. Feeling awkward, Tidepaw sat next to Rainpaw. The medicine apprentice Stonepaw took Rainpaw's other side, while Skypaw sat next to Tidepaw.
"How's Wildpaw doing?" Skypaw hissed to Tidepaw.
"He's fine," Tidepaw replied. "Now quiet down. The ceremony is beginning."
"There comes a time in every cat's life when they must leave the safety of the Nursery and take their first steps into the real world," Duskstar mewed. "For two of our kits, that day has come. Hopekit and Blazekit, come forward."
Two kits bounded away from their parents to stand beneath the ledge. The father beamed at them.
"You first, Blazekit," said Duskstar. "The time has come for you to take your first steps out of kithood and onto the path of the warrior. Until you have completed your apprenticeship, you will be known as Blazepaw."
The golden brown tom nodded eagerly.
"Shrewfang, come forward," called Duskstar. A silver tom padded out of the crowd to stand at the foot of the Leader's Ledge. "You will mentor Blazepaw," the leader mewed. "You are clever and determined. Pass on your unyielding will to your apprentice."
Shrewfang and his new apprentice touched noses, signifying their new bond. Then, Duskstar continued.
"Hopekit, you are prepared to start you training under ShadowClan," she purred. "Until you have completed your apprenticeship, you will be marked by the named Hopepaw."
Tidepaw noticed that Darkclaw was staring hungrily at the white she-cat. Oh no. I'm not letting you ensnare another cat in your plans. Not ever.
"Owlflight, you will mentor Hopepaw," Duskstar declared.
Darkclaw lashed his tail angrily, but only Tidepaw noticed. The other cats, excluding Webnose, were all focused on Hopepaw's ceremony.
Tidepaw recognized Owlflight as the she-cat who had tried to help her when Darkclaw had attacked her. She smiled at this. Hopepaw was in good paws.
"Owlflight, you are both fierce and compassionate," Duskstar mewed. "I trust that you will share these qualities with your new apprentice."
Owlflight nodded. Mentor and apprentice touched nose as ShadowClan called out the names of its new apprentices.
"Hopepaw! Blazepaw! Hopepaw! Blazepaw!"
The Clan seemed prepared to dissemble, but Duskstar moved her tail, signalling them to stop. "We have one more order of business to get through," the gray she-cat mewed. "Otterstar, leader of RiverClan, has come to speak with us. She requested all of ShadowClan as an audience. Otterstar, come forward."
As RiverClan's leader pushed her way through the crowd, Duskstar gracefully leaped from the Leader's Ledge to the ground. "What is it you wish, my friend?" asked Duskstar.
"I'm here to discuss an alliance against Bonetail," Otterstar explained. "He has proven to be formidable, but with the strength and strategists of our two Clans, we may stand a chance."
"So you mean to crush Bonetail with the might of two Clans?" asked Duskstar. "Or perhaps you want to lure him into an ambush. Otterstar, tell me your plans for this Clan alliance, and I'll consider the offer."
Otterstar nodded. "Bonetail claims that his rogues want revenge against the Clans," she explained. "But that's not how rogues work. Bonetail can say whatever he likes, but in the end he buys the loyalty of his army with food and shelter. Together, we have enough cats to separate him from his rogues and fight them. We'll make it look like we want to destroy his army, but we'll really be going for Bonetail. Once we capture him-or kill him if it comes down to that-the rogues will have no leadership. They'll dissolve, leaving smaller, disorganized group whose threat to the Clans is severely diminished."
Duskstar smirked. "Alright then Otterstar, I'll take up your offer," she purred. "I'll get Redclaw to organize a patrol that will hunt down Bonetail's camp."
"There is no need for that," Darkclaw mewed as he stepped out of the crowd. "I know where the rogue camp is." Showing off, are you Darkclaw?
Redclaw replied instead of Duskstar. Padding over to the jet-black tom, the deputy mewed, "This is a stroke of fortune, isn't it? Darkclaw, would you mind showing Creamfur and me where Bonetail is hiding?"
Darkclaw shrugged. Creamfur left the crowd to join them, and the three cats headed out of the camp.
"How lucky of you," Otterstar said. "Now, ShadowClan and RiverClan should learn to fight together. I'll send Skystorm back to RiverClan to get some more warriors. While she's gone, Tidepaw and Grasstail can train with some of your warriors."
"Sounds fair," mused Duskstar. "What about the other two warriors you brought?"
Otterstar motioned for Amberfang and Graywave to join her. Within heartbeats, the two toms were backing the milk white RiverClan leader. "Graywave and Amberfang are RiverClan's two best strategists," she explained. "Feel free to match them with your own warriors while we discuss battle plans."
Duskstar's reaction was something that Tidepaw had never expected to see from her. The gray ShadowClan leader laughed. "So I see that you're still the same as always," she cackled. "But I'm going all in for this, so I don't want you pulling any of your old tricks. I want your best strategist. Accept no substitutes."
Otterstar seemed just as confused as Tidepaw was. "These are my best strategists," she insisted. "What are you talking about?"
"Are you dense or something?" Duskstar asked. "You've withheld the most celebrated strategist the Clans have. RiverClan has been graced with a tactician of a class that has not been seen for lifetimes. He won the Clans their victory over the Sky Avengers. With a patrol of four cats, he managed to defeat over three times as many ShadowClan warriors in the battle where my predecessor died and I had to leave the Nursery. He's your mate for StarClan's sake! Do I have to spell it out for you? I want Finflutter."
"Does she have the wrong cat?" Tidepaw hissed to Rainpaw. "Because if Duskstar thinks that the tom who always steals Nightheart's catmint and can't speak a legible sentence will lead us to glory, I'm worried for her sanity."
Otterstar stared guiltily at her paws. "Former mate," she corrected, her voice turning into a squeak. "Finflutter really hasn't been the same since our kits died. Sorry. I'm not sure he's in the proper state of mind to command us. But if you want him here, I'll get Skystorm to bring him. Just don't get your hopes up."
"Very well," agreed Duskstar. "Now, we should get to training our warriors to fight together. Crowfur and Skypaw can practice with Tidepaw, while Cherrynose and Sootstain can work with Grasstail. The rest of the Clan are dismissed."
Sootstain's glared at Duskstar when she announced that he would be working with his son, but he accepted her orders without complaint.
Crowfur quickly joined up with Tidepaw and Skypaw. "Let's get started then," he mewed. "And after that, you two should come visit my adorable kits."
…
Dusk was settling in as another bout with the ShadowClan cats ended.
"I guess we should be heading back," Crowfur mewed. "Tidepaw, I could introduce you to Stickkit, Shadekit, and Needlekit. They haven't opened their eyes yet, but it's coming any day now."
"It would be a pleasure," Tidepaw replied automatically.
As she started to go with the two ShadowClan cats, something stopped her. Unless she'd finally gone mad, a nearby bush was talking to her.
"Miss Tidepaw," the bush whispered to her. "Over here."
"You two head back without me," Tidepaw mewed. "I need to make dirt."
Crowfur nodded. "Don't take too long," he instructed. "My kits will be going to sleep soon."
"You can come out now, Jester," Tidepaw called to the bush as soon as she knew the ShadowClan cats were gone. "It's all clear."
The golden kit tumbled out of the bush. Excluding the leaves stuck in his pelt, he hadn't changed at all since their first meeting. He started to say something, but Tidepaw quieted him.
"Jester, before you start, I need to confirm something," she mewed. "This isn't going to turn into a string of secret meetings, is it? Because if so, kindly ask your master to go drown himself in the lake. If you want to find me, I'll usually be in RiverClan camp."
Jester grunted. "Feeling flustered, Miss Tidepaw?" he asked. "I guess Spectre was right. Not all ladies are as agreeable as Winter."
Tidepaw waited for him to continue. More words I don't know. Lovely.
"Anyway, I would come to visit your camp, but my master forbids it," Jester explained. "Don't worry a bit though. I got the drop on you today, but I probably won't be seeing you much in the future. So, let's get to the business at hand. Have you ever met a tom named Arise?"
"I've heard of him," Tidepaw replied. "My mentor mentioned him in passing. Is Arise your master?"
Jester shook his head vigorously, displeased at the idea. "No, no, not at all," he mewed. "Well, if you haven't met him, how about this? Has anyone in your, uh, Clan I think it's called, gotten sick with some mystery illness?"
"Yes," Tidepaw replied immediately. "My sister, Brightpaw. Is there any way your master could help?"
As she spoke, her mind whirled back to that day. Everything was still perfectly clear in her mind. She could still feel the breeze in her fur. She could still see the shadow that had flickered there for a heartbeat. She could still taste the blood in her mouth.
"Kill me! Tidepaw, please, just kill me!"
"I can never tell what my master is planning," Jester said, knocking her out of her memories. "But I'm sure it's in his power to help you and your sister." He grinned awkwardly.
The golden kit looked behind him, as if considering whether to leave yet. "Jester, why don't you stay the night?" Tidepaw asked. "You're young, and it isn't safe out in the forest."
"I can't," said Jester, shaking his head. "That's too close. I have to go back to Spectre, and then to see my master. But you're doing a good job fighting Bonetail. He's a shadow preying on your light."
"At least tell me who your master is," Tidepaw urged him.
The golden tom shrugged. "You Clan cats believe in something called StarClan, right?" he asked.
"Yes," Tidepaw confirmed. "It's a resting place for warriors whose lives have ended."
"Well, have you ever wondered what happens to the cats who fade from StarClan?" Jester asked.
"A question for a question," Tidepaw grumbled. "That's not helpful at all. Well then, Jester, give me a different answer. Tell me who you are."
The golden kit turned to go, and Tidepaw thought for a moment that he would leave without answering her. Then he murmured, "Just a cat who doesn't know the meaning of eternity." He vanished into the forest.
…
The sun had set by the time Tidepaw made it back to the ShadowClan camp. She wanted to find Rainpaw and then go see Goldleaf, but she didn't know where her friend was.
The blue-gray she-cat padded over to Hopepaw, Owlflight's cheerful white apprentice. "Hey there, I'm Tidepaw," she introduced herself. "If it isn't too much trouble, would you mind pointing out the medicine den to me?"
"Right over there," said Hopepaw, pointing her tail at a cave off to the side of the camp.
"Thanks!" said Tidepaw, but Hopepaw stopped her as she went to leave.
"The Winds of Death are following you," Hopepaw mewed. "I can't tell who will die, but you're surrounded by shadows."
"So I'm cursed by StarClan now?" asked Tidepaw. "How delightful. I'll be seeing you."
She headed into the medicine den. More suffering, and more death will sprout from me? Is there anything I can actually do right? But at least now I've found a purpose. To fight Bonetail. To die protecting the Clans. To redeem myself, if that's even possible.
In the medicine den, Rainpaw was talking with Stonepaw, while Foxwhisker was sorting the herbs. Hearing her, Foxwhisker glanced up. "Don't try to fight pointy plants," the medicine cat grunted. "They always win." Then she immediately went back to her work.
"Hey Rainpaw, want to come talk with Goldleaf?" asked Tidepaw. "He wanted to exchange some stories."
Her friend nodded, eyes gleaming with hunger for knowledge.
The two she-cats headed to the elders' den. Stonepaw ended up tagging along, and the three cats talked with Goldleaf until long after they should have gone to sleep.
…
At the crack of dawn, every cat in the ShadowClan camp was awake. Pelts bristling with anticipation, they waited for Otterstar and Duskstar to come out of the Leader's den and into the camp.
Four days had passed since RiverClan and ShadowClan had made their alliance. At last, the Clan alliance was ready to fight Bonetail.
Tidepaw was clustered with a group of apprentices. They chatted nervously. Marshpaw and Copperpaw were arguing over which Clan had more delicious prey, but the other apprentices were focused on the battle to come.
"Rainpaw, are you sure you want to tag along for the battle?" Quillpaw asked. "I could roll in herb dust and serve as a decoy if it's too dangerous."
The gray tabby medicine apprentice shook her head to decline Quillpaw's offer. "I'm not going as bait for Bonetail," she explained. "I'm running herbs to the wounded cats on the battlefield. Bonetail only wants the five medicine cats who were around when he started his rebellion, so I should be safe."
"If you say so," sighed Quillpaw.
Meanwhile, Wildpaw was trying to demonstrate a move to Skypaw. "Don't worry if you get it wrong," he said. "Just stick close to me during the battle and you'll be safe."
Skypaw's eyes lit with the fires of competition, and she tried the move again with new resolve.
"Hey Tidepaw, have you seen Blazepaw?" Streampaw asked. "He said he was going out to make dirt, but I haven't seen him for a while."
Tidepaw shook her head. She hadn't seen Blazepaw anywhere.
"I hope he turns up," grumbled Streampaw.
Just then, Darkclaw padded over to Tidepaw, a wicked grin on his face. But before he spoke, cats padded out of the Leader's den to address the Clans.
"Yo RiverClan and ShadowClan!" greeted Finflutter.
Otterstar moved in front of him. "Bonetail's mad quest for vengeance has thrust us into dark times," she declared. "His army of rogues has been preying on us, sapping the strength of the Clans. But I say no more. Today, we have combined our strength. We will not let the darkness overcome us. No, it's time to start fighting back!"
The Clan cats cheered.
…
In a faraway clearing, a tortoiseshell tom blinked open his pale yellow eyes. He stood surrounded by small flames, whose fire began to spread through the trees.
"I guess Hazelfrost is doing well," he muttered. "And after the Clan cats defeat Bonetail, things will go back to normal."
In the distance, a crow cawed. Arise glanced at it, sighed as the frenzied flames curled around him. "The time has come," he said.
His form dissolved into mist, and the wind carried it back towards the familiar land. The storm of his hatred would soon descend upon the Clans. And when it did, he would finally have his vengeance.
To be continued…
The next chapter will probably be out much sooner. Darkclaw chapters tend to fly by. Next chapter is Rogues Vs. Clans! Place your bets! (Sorry to Leafkit fans, but I can't just cut to her in the middle of a battle, can I? Chapter 9 is going to be really good though. I promise.)
Thanks for reading! Can you believe that Warriors has been going on for 10 years? It's pretty amazing.
See you next time!