Disclaimer: The Warriors series doesn't belong to me, nor will it ever. Please don't sue me. These are all my original characters…cats, so please don't take them.
I hope you liked the last chapter, pukos. Now we actually get to see ThunderClan! Isn't that a concept? (Stupid grin) Now, methinks that the main cats that this series will follow from chapter to chapter (like in The New Prophecy series on) are Foxheart, Poppystripe, Dawnstar, Bluekit and Crimsonkit (Duh). There may be another one or two, but I doubt it. As for the Prophecy, let's see how many of you can figure out what it means… XD; The first part is pathetically easy, like Firestar's Prophecy…but the rest…twist time! (Mwahahaha!)
Note!
Since this is the Lakeside territory, I'm using that map since even after 50 years, I don't think that it would have changed that much. Therefore, I believe that the direction that it is on the map(s) is facing up for North. So…if it isn't, then the world has now inverted to that direction! All hail Yuukan, and his bendy-timey-spacey abilities! YATTA!
So, without further ado, please read on pukos!
Chapter 2
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join beneath the Highledge for a clan meeting!" Dawnstar's yowl rang throughout the ThunderClan camp. Numerous eyes turned to look up at her as all sound quickly vanished from the clearing. Small lithe shapes quickly slithered from under the ancient pine and around the camp to below the ledge; their necks craned back to look up at their leader.
From the look of unease in some of their eyes, Dawnstar could tell that word of the badgers had found their ears. It didn't help that her deputy was one of the injured warriors to return camp; not that she wished for it to be a secret. Flicking an ear in anticipation, she carefully looked down at the ThunderClan cats, examining their faces and mixed reactions.
She surveyed the front of the group first. Blackblade sat at the foot of the Highledge, where Badgerclaw would have been if not for his injuries. The black warrior's back was to her, making it impossible for her to guess his thoughts. A tail-length away from him though sat a small ginger she-cat: Morningwind, one of her most trusted senior warriors. Her amber eyes caught and held Dawnstar's blue ones for a moment, before the leader broke her gaze and looked on. She held little opinion of the matter, as of yet, something Dawnstar liked about the ginger warrior.
Behind Morningwind sat two grey warriors: Thrushtail and Greysnout. Next to Greysnout sat her apprentice, Darkpaw, his tabby fur bristling slightly. It was simple enough to see that Darkpaw was upset about the news of the badgers, but the senior warriors beside him were a different story. Like his sister, Thrushtail looked up to Dawnstar expectantly. His green eyes betrayed none of his thoughts, but the way his thick tail swept the ground showed he was interested in chasing the beasts from their territory. Greysnout, on the other paw, watched Dawnstar more calmly. It was clear she had no interest in the badgers; only training Darkpaw safely.
Dawnstar's eyes drifted towards the back of the group, noting a slim black tom sitting a number of tail-lengths from the rest of the cats. His foreign scent told her that he was Onefeather, a cat formerly of WindClan. His eyes glanced nervously from her to the main group of cats, but he dared not move. Dawnstar could understand his unease. Cats rarely changed clans, and those who did had to prove their loyalty to the clan ten times over. Though she herself trusted Onefeather, from moons of hard and loyal work, it was clear that the rest of the clan had not forgotten that he was once of WindClan. It was difficult to forget when the scent of the moors still clung to his fur, even now…
Movement in the corner of her eye caught Dawnstar's attention as a blue-grey queen emerged from the nursery. She shook some moss from her fur before turning back towards the entrance and mewing something inside. Jerking her head back from practise, the queen moved out of the way just in time as a kit barrelled out of the nursery and towards Onefeather. Dawnstar could barely suppress an amused mrrow at the kit's endless energy. She ran into Onefeather's paws, as if trying to bowl the warrior over, and nuzzled into her father affectionately. Whiteleaf, the kit's mother and Onefeather's mate, followed more slowly. She too nuzzled him, ignoring the hostile glares of the cats ahead of them.
The presence of his mate and kit put Onefeather more at ease, Dawnstar noticed, as another cat slipped out of nursery entrance, a little grey tom following her close behind. She too stuck to the edge of the mass of cats, though away from Onefeather and Whiteleaf. It seemed that even after three moons, the tortoiseshell-and-white queen could not bring herself to trust Onefeather, or even fully trust the ThunderClan-born Whiteleaf and Bluekit…
Well, Thornwhisker's always been sensitive to boundaries… Dawnstar reminded herself, watching Granitekit pounce after a moss ball around his mother's paws. Never once did the queen allow the kit to stray from her eyes.
Reluctantly, Dawnstar forced herself to look towards the medicine den. For a number of heartbeats nothing stirred, until finally Poppystripe poked her red head out of the prickly entranceway. Once she was fully out, Dawnstar was relieved to see not only Badgerclaw and Lightningclaw follow her slowly, but Bristlepaw as well! Sparrowpaw instantly raced back to meet his mentor and den mate and sat next to them at the side of the clearing, where Foxheart already awaited. Her amber eyes starred up at Dawnstar nervously, her tail twitching anxiously as if she had no idea what she was going to say.
Dawnstar soon noticed how many cats were beginning to murmur nervously as they stared up at her. Taking a quick moment to clear her head and take a deep breath, she finally began the meeting.
"I am sure that by now most of you, if not all, have heard that there were badgers in our territory earlier today." She started formally, scanning over the cats with a quick but meaningful glance. "The Dawn Patrol, Badgerclaw, Lightningclaw, Foxheart, and Sparrowpaw met and battled them, forcing them to leave, if just to the outskirts of our territory."
There was a mixture of yowls, ranging from cheers to fearful hisses. Dawnstar could see the panic flooding Sleepingflower's eyes at the mention of the striped beasts. She could remember stories of how badgers had once attacked and nearly wiped out ThunderClan, frightening her for moons as a kit. She was sure that that was what the brown and white elder was thinking right now, if not Mousenose and Shorttail as well.
"What about the kits!" Thornwhisker hissed from the back, pulling Granitekit closer with her paw. He struggled to pull away from his mother, though finally gave up when he found he wouldn't be able to best the older she-cat's strength. "Will they be safe with those striped flea-bags around?!"
Blackblade stepped forward silently. "They will be fine, Thornwhisker. I organized a patrol earlier with Morningwind and Thrushtail; there was no sign of them. The camp will be safe, at least for now…"
Dawnstar curled her lip distastefully at his foreboding report, but the message seemed to get across at least. The yowls started to die down, and fur began to lay flat again. Blackblade quickly stepped back and took a seat once more.
"There is another issue that must be addressed right now as well…" The ThunderClan leader started slowly, unsure of what exactly to say. Curious eyes burned into her fur like the merciless embers of a flame. Finally, taking one last glance at Foxheart, she stared back down at her clan. "ThunderClan needs more warriors," She began, nodding to Badgerclaw to speak.
The black and white tom sat tall, regardless of his injuries, and spoke. He explained how Sparrowpaw had dashed out of the clearing first, allowing Lightningclaw to mention how he couldn't find the brown apprentice anywhere until it was too late. The battle was explained in greater detail; the tactics they used to make the first badger back down, until suddenly Foxheart went flying, the second badger only a mouse-length away from himself and Lightningclaw. He then paused, turning his amber gaze to Foxheart.
It took a heartbeat for the ginger she-cat to catch on. Nervously, she struggled to sit upright, casting an unsure glance at the clan, and then Badgerclaw. When the deputy didn't speak, she continued the tale from where he left off, adding in all the details she could as Badgerclaw had done before. She finished when Blaze had left the warriors, leaving out the part about the Prophecy as her eyes met Dawnstar's.
The clan leader had not stirred as she and Badgerclaw spoke. After a number of heartbeats, waiting for the clan to finish its murmuring, Dawnstar waved her tail impatiently. All sound stopped immediately as she cast a challenging stare down at her clan. Those who knew her well—her deputy, senior warriors, and siblings—tensed at her icy gaze.
"After Blaze left, I spoke with Poppystripe. She believes that Blaze has an important role to play in ThunderClan, and I agree with her. We need more warriors—" Dawnstar repeated more firmly, swishing her tail fiercely. "—and that is why I believe that Blaze should be invited to join ThunderClan! To help protect our kits, and uphold the Warrior Code like a true clan cat!—if she agrees to join us…" Dawnstar couldn't help but agree that it was possible that Blaze might not want to join ThunderClan. She was a rogue, a loner; she was use to living alone, but it would never hurt to try. The great Firestar, a leader long past from ThunderClan, had once been a kittypet. She saw no reason to ignore the possibility of her joining.
Quiet murmurs quickly spread through the mass of cats below her. Their eyes flickered between curiosity and unease as they voiced their quiet opinions to each other, refusing to speak out with no backing from their clanmates. Finally, Badgerclaw stood up tall.
"I believe that Dawnstar is right!" He meowed loudly, ignoring the two apprentices gawking in astonishment beside him. "We do need more warriors, and she has already proved her strength and courage in battle against the badgers!"
Dawnstar relaxed a bit, proud that Badgerclaw had chosen to back her, even if he was bound to do so by the warrior code. Her eyes glowed as cats began to murmur in agreement, gaining a quick nod from Greysnout and an acknowledging tail flick from Blackblade. She opened her mouth to speak, but Morningwind quickly stepped forward.
"Well I'm against it." The orange she-cat mewed flatly, her amber eyes half closed in a dull expression. Dawnstar's heart plummeted as Morningwind looked up at her defiantly. It was rare that the she-cat was against her ideas, and when she was, she was normally right too…
Her muscles tensed as shocked silence filled the air. Her heart beat quicker in her chest. Dawnstar could barely stop herself from wondering just what could go wrong if Blaze joined ThunderClan. Sure, there was the Prophecy…but Poppystripe herself had admitted that she still didn't understand what the entire thing meant. Blaze could be 'Blood', good or bad, or not even in it at all!
"And why do you say that?" The pale-ginger she-cat asked, more weakly than she would have hoped.
To her relief, none of the clan seemed to notice her voice slip into her internal fears. Instead, Morningwind answered with a small shrug. "I only have ThunderClan's reputation in mind." She explained with another bored look at Dawnstar. "ThunderClan has been known for taking in strays for countless moons. The other clans looked down on us when the great Firestar led ThunderClan because of this ideal. Warrior blood, they believed, only comes from pure-bred forest cats, as they still believe in now!" She suddenly whipped around, her amber gaze resting on Onefeather. He flinched as her cold eyes starred him down, drawing the looks from other cats too, even Dawnstar herself.
"Just look at how the other clans reacted when we allowed Onefeather to join ThunderClan. WindClan nearly clawed our ears off, and ShadowClan and RiverClan looked down on not only him, but us as well! How do you think they'll react when another cat, one we don't even know anything about, suddenly turns up in ThunderClan?" Morningwind slowly turned her harsh gaze back up to Dawnstar, who clenched her jaws together hard at the thought. It was true that no one was thrilled at Onefeather's decision to join ThunderClan, but not even WindClan would have accepted him back with his relationship with Whiteleaf.
Dawnstar's lip curled as she thought on about how the other clans may react to Blaze. ShadowClan would mock them, surely, and WindClan would believe them to be weak to not only take one of their warriors, but a rogue into their clan as well! She couldn't guess what RiverClan may think of them, but hold their tails high and think themselves superior to them; their pride was too great for their own good.
The pale leader's tail lashed defiantly. She wasn't finished yet!
"And who else agrees with Morningwind?" She demanded icily.
Without a moment's hesitation, Thrushtail stepped next to Morningwind.
"I'm against it." He answered coolly, oblivious to his leader's glare.
Slowly, more cats filed themselves beside Morningwind, and those against her next to Badgerclaw. Dawnstar's heart raced as she looked down at her clan, each cat taking a side for his or her own reason. All three elders quickly shuffled next to Morningwind and Thrushtail, instantly followed by Thornwhisker as well, who herded Granitekit along with her. Sparrowpaw remained seated next to his mentor and Badgerclaw, reluctantly watching as Bristlepaw timidly joined Morningwind's group, only to be welcomed openly despite his mentor's choice. Whiteleaf stood silently from the back of the group of cats and joined Dawnstar's side, followed by the enthusiastic Bluekit and nervous Onefeather. Hisses sounded from the other side as Onefeather was about to sit.
"He gets no choice!" Thrushtail growled, unsheathing his claws and sheathing them again. "This is for ThunderClan cats only!"
Dawnstar bit back a harsh reply as Onefeather shook his head. His blue eyes told her that it was fine with him, and he needed no support for his position. Reluctantly, Dawnstar looked back down. On Morningwind's side, there was Thrushtail, Sleepingflower, Shorttail, Mousenose, Bristlepaw, Thornwhisker and Granitekit. She scanned her side quickly, ignoring Onefeather as they demanded. Badgerclaw, Lightningclaw, Foxheart, Poppystripe, Blackblade, Sparrowpaw, Whiteleaf, and Bluekit sat, awaiting her decision.
She blinked. It was nearly a tie; her group with only one more cat than Morningwind's. Her eyes hesitantly swept to the center of the clearing, where Greysnout and her apprentice Darkpaw still sat, watching her closely.
"What do you think, Greysnout, Darkpaw?" She asked as the grey she-cat finally stood. She leaned close to Darkpaw, whispering encouragement for him to choose his own side of the debate, refusing to move until he had chosen.
The dark grey and black apprentice gave Greysnout one last sober look, before quickly stepping beside Badgerclaw and Lightningclaw, his head held high. Without a word Greysnout joined him as well, resting her tail on his shoulder as she did so.
Silence filled the air as Morningwind's group realized that they were outnumbered. Thrushtail lashed his tail grumpily and Morningwind dipped her head in understanding. Slowly, Dawnstar released the breath she hadn't noticed she'd been holding in, nodding to Morningwind as well. She couldn't keep herself mad at her closest friend; she was only concerned for ThunderClan's sake, as was she.
"It's settled then," Dawnstar meowed curtly. "If Blaze is still within our borders, then we will invite her to join ThunderClan." Waiting for silence again, she glanced up at the setting sun and starred sightlessly as stars began to appear in the Silverpelt. "Thrushtail, Blackblade, Morningwind, Poppystripe," she listed easily, looking back down to the cats she named. All but Thrushtail looked up at her expectantly for orders. "I want you to come with me to take one last look for those badgers before sundown. If they are still in our territory, then I'd rather get rid of them as soon as possible instead risk putting the clan in danger."
Instantly Thrushtail jumped to his feet and joined the other listed cats eagerly. As Dawnstar scrambled down the tumble of rocks beside the Highledge, the rest of the clan quickly dispersed to their own duties as well. Some went to the fresh kill pile while others moved to guard the camp in their absence. She watched for a moment as Bristlepaw and Sparrowpaw carried some prey under the thick branches of the ancient pine to the interwoven elder's den, before padding towards the bramble tunnel, where her warriors awaited.
Thrushtail was shifting from paw to paw restlessly, giving Poppystripe a sidelong glare.
"Why is she coming with us?" He demanded irritably when Dawnstar was within hearing distance. "She's the medicine cat! She should be looking after the sick and injured!"
"And what if any of us get hurt if we do find those badgers?" Dawnstar asked evenly, though non-challengingly. "I'm sure that if the injured cats are strong enough to leave the medicine den, then they're healthy enough to miss Poppystripe for one patrol, Thrushtail." After a short pause, she added, "and if we meet Blaze, she can help convince her to join ThunderClan. She already helped to treat her wounds earlier."
Thrushtail bowed his head and hissed something inaudible as Dawnstar pushed her way through the prickly tunnel. As soon as she emerged from the bramble, Dawnstar turned away from the sinking sun, heading towards the WindClan border where the badgers were last seen, her warriors following wordlessly behind.
It wasn't hard to find the badger's scent. Dawnstar barely had to slow down before the powerful stench met her nose, mixed with the scent of blood. Looking around, she could see the carnage left behind from when the badgers had fled before.
"Stale." Morningwind reported after sniffing a few of the broken twigs.
"Just as it was when we left it." Thrushtail growled, his eyes following the path of destruction.
"It heads further into our territory, then veers off into WindClan territory." Blackblade explained as he joined them.
Dawnstar nodded as she approached the warriors cautiously, her ears pricked for any unwanted surprises. If the badgers really did go into WindClan territory, then they wouldn't be ThunderClan's problem anymore, she reflected, glancing around for any signs of the badgers returning. But we need to be sure… She argued. If the badgers went into WindClan territory, only to come right back into ThunderClan territory further up the border, then they'd still be a dangerous threat for her clan. Badgers killed just for the blood-lust, as she'd witnessed before…
"We'll follow it," She decided, flicking her tail as the putrid scent wafted into her nose again. "They might have veered off into WindClan territory further in, but we need to be sure that they decided to stay in WindClan…" From the corner of her eye, Dawnstar noticed Poppystripe flick her tail disapprovingly, but the tabby said nothing. Ignoring the medicine cat, she waved her tail for Blackblade to lead, quickly followed by Thrushtail and Morningwind. "You know we can't have them in our territory." She meowed, beginning to lope after them, her eyes fixed ahead.
Poppystripe sped up until she was instep with the pale she-cat.
"You didn't need to put it that way!" She hissed, before speeding after her clanmates, leaving her sister behind.
Dawnstar watched Poppystripe's retreating tail for a moment, lonesomeness welling up inside of herself until she sped up as well, brushing it off like a leaf. It wasn't Poppystripe's fault that she couldn't understand her position. She had friends in WindClan too, but the warrior code came first. She had a duty to protect her clan, and lead it through hard times. She doubted that any cat in ThunderClan could possibly understand how it felt…to have so many cats depending on her every decision as a matter of life and death.
Morningwind's orange tail came into view just as an overpowering stench appeared, making Dawnstar and the other cats halt.
"So they did come back…" Thrushtail growled, swiping his claw at some bracken fiercely. "What do you want us to do, Dawnstar?"
Dawnstar's eyes narrowed.
"We'll follow them," She lowered her head, sniffing the ground distastefully to find the badger's direction. After a matter of seconds, she flicked her head up towards the crimson smudge left in the sky. "They went this way…and if we have a chance, we'll chase them out of our territory once and for all."
Morningwind and Blackblade nodded their heads in agreement as Thrushtail let out a yowl of cheer. Dawnstar's glare silenced him instantly.
"Let's go." Dawnstar meowed, flicking her tail for Morningwind to lead. The ginger warrior obeyed without question and the cats moved on silently, their ears pricked for trouble.
Dawnstar stiffened slightly as the scent became stronger. The badgers were close now…they'd have to be ready for anything… The sun had finally vanished over the tree tops, leaving a long bloody mark in the sky, making the ThunderClan leader shiver. She could see her sister stalk more edgily before her, noticing that same thing she had as well… Was it sign from StarClan? Dawnstar had to force the fur to remain flat on her shoulders as the thought haunted her. There was still some light left in the sky, but she knew that they would be at a disadvantage against the badgers, especially if the light vanished completely, swallowing the forest into a vast pit of darkness. Badgers were active during the night. They were made for the night. Were they ShadowClan, who were used to hunting in the darkness, it wouldn't be so much of a problem…but they weren't ShadowClan.
Dawnstar's eyes drifted uneasily up to the sky again as doubt filled her. Was she bringing her clan to their death, just to scare away a couple of badgers…? No. No, stop thinking that! She commanded herself, speeding up to take Morningwind's place in the lead. Doubt won't solve anything! We need to finish this, and we WILL finish it!
The stench of the badgers was starting to become ominously strong. Dawnstar halted, holding her tail up for her warriors to stop. They obeyed without question, lowering themselves to the ground for cover in the undergrowth. Dawnstar's stomach churned uneasily. Badgers had much better night vision than a cat. Seeing Morningwind's bright orange fur, and her own near-white ginger against the browns, reds, and blacks of the forest floor was like seeing a WindClan cat swimming in the river! Blackblade and Poppystripe's dark pelts were better suited for this job, or even Thrushtail's thick grey fur.
The tip of her tail twitched for her clanmates to follow as she stalked through the undergrowth, her belly close to the ground. Dawnstar nearly jumped as the sound of harsh, rumbling breathing appeared only a few tail-lengths in front of herself, as a large striped beast burrowed into the ground with its massive claws. She could barely force herself to move as she saw the size of the badger, easily three times as large as herself! Slowly, she inched forward, conscious that her clanmates were just as cautious behind her.
The badger continued to rip into the earth, swallowing grubs and other insects as it continued to dig a new set. Dawnstar was glad that its back was to them, even if they were well hidden under the bracken and tree roots. She flicked her tail as much as she dared to halt her clanmate's movement, then squinted her eyes make out the shapes in the partial darkness.
She could make out the rustling of the badger easily enough, its lumbering body working tirelessly as it made a scar in the earth. She glanced around quickly for the second badger, but nothing stirred. Resisting a growl or hiss, Dawnstar inched forward, her belly closer to the ground than ever as she looked around wildly for the second badger. Where could a beast that size possibly hide?! She knew that there was the scent of two badgers here, but where was it?!
Without warning, the digging badger, only two tail-lengths away from Dawnstar's nose suddenly reeled on the spot, slashing its blunt claws angrily as it howled in pain. Dawnstar shot up without thinking and jumped back, narrowly avoiding a giant black paw as it shot out before her. Her head snapped up to see the second badger hiss, saliva dripping from its gaping jaws as it lumbered after her, taking little notice of the warriors behind her. She dodged around the badger's flank as it tried to crush her with its giant paws again, narrowly avoiding getting her own paws tangled in a thin tree root.
Dawnstar could barely understand what had happened until she saw a small dark shape dart between the digging badger's paws as it tried to crush it. Blaze! She thought, relief rushing over her like a wave. The ginger-and-gold rogue shot away from the giant beast again when it swiped another claw at her, narrowly missing her head.
Dawnstar barely had time to notice the second badger as it snapped for her neck. She drew back her head just in time for the badger to taste nothing but air, before yowling loudly for her warriors to attack.
Thrushtail shot out of the undergrowth like a rabbit and bit onto the badger's hind leg, making it reel around on him angrily. The badger snapped its jaws at Thrushtail, but the grey tom hopped back just as Blackblade slashed at the beast's face with both front claws, only to be swatted away like a bug.
The black warrior crashed into a tree a number of tail-lengths away and did not stir, terrifying Dawnstar as she rushed for the same badger. If it had taken Blackblade's life, then she would stop at nothing to get this beast out of her territory!
She leapt onto the beast's back and fastened her claws into its thick fur, penetrating its skin. She could just make out the sticky red blood that oozed around her claws while the badger thrashed its head wildly, trying to throw the clan leader off of itself. Hissing, Dawnstar drew back one of her claws to make a long scar down its back, something it wouldn't soon forget about its encounter with them.
The beast yowled in agony as Dawnstar fastened her claw back into place to keep her balance on its back. The badger's uneven lumbering was too difficult to get used to, and she knew that she'd have to let go soon or else fall, and more likely than not be trampled by its heavy paws. She could just see Morningwind take a long swipe at the badger's snout before something hard slammed into her, sending her flying off of badger's back.
Dawnstar landed heavily on her side, winded. She blinked, trying to make sense of what happened before a giant black and white shape hovered over her, its jaws dribbling with blood. Dawnstar's own blood turned to ice as starred up at the beast in horror. The amount of blood dripping from its jaws could only mean one thing. Even with Poppystripe with them, she doubted that the medicine cat could save whoever had been bitten by the beast…
Forcing herself to her paws, Dawnstar winced as the beast raised its claw for her again, ready for the finishing blow. Having only become a clan leader a number of moons ago, Dawnstar had yet to lose one of her lives. Terror seized her at the thought of losing one now. It was too dark to see what cats remained with her, if any. She could only hear the rumbling of the badger's breathing, and her own terrified heartbeat.
Then, like a flash, Morningwind unleashed a fierce caterwaul and shot at the badger's flank, both claws ripping into its coarse fur. It let out an enraged scream as it tried to snap at Morningwind, but the orange she-cat was faster! She hopped back nimbly as its huge fangs drew near, then slashed at its muzzle as it tried to draw back for a second strike. The badger screamed again in pain as Dawnstar quickly launched herself to Morningwind's side.
"I thought you needed some help." The warrior mewed to her leader while the badger pushed its heavy paws into the ground, forcing itself up.
"Thanks," Dawnstar panted, her breath finally coming back. She slowly lowered herself into a pouncing position, the badger having finally forced its giant body up, while Morningwind readied herself as well. For a moment, the badger looked at both cats, indecision clouding its tiny black eyes. For a heartbeat, Dawnstar wondered if the beast would back off before it suddenly lunged at Morningwind, bloodied claws ahead to pierce.
With a vicious screech, both cats flung themselves around the badger's flanks, spinning on their hind legs as they raked at it with their claws. The badger let out one final scream in pain as it shot its head up in defeat and trampled through the undergrowth, heading towards the WindClan border for the second time that day. Dawnstar was torn between following it and staying to help her clanmates, but her duty as clan leader took over. She span on the spot, her icy blue eyes piercing into the remaining badger as it watched its mate flee.
The black and white monster scuffled its front paws into the earth uneasily as looked around itself, noticing just how outnumbered it was without backup. Dawnstar saw Thrushtail hiss and take one threatening step forward, his lips drawn back into snarl. Blackblade stood next to the tom, leaning heavily on one of his paws, but growling at the badger nonetheless. Poppystripe was behind the badger, her eyes full of unease and terror, but she held her ground anyway, conscious of what would happen if she backed down now. Dawnstar twitched her whiskers for Morningwind to follow as she too approached the badger, unwilling to give it any ground.
"Back off, you mangy flea-bag!" Thrushtail hissed, lowering himself like he was about to jump at it.
The badger sniffed loudly, defiance brimming from its eyes, but it knew it was defeated. It turned its huge head and quickly lumbered after its mate, ignoring the cats completely. Dawnstar spat and yowled in victory as the stubby black tail vanished completely into the night, quickly joined with the other cats around her.
"Well done, everyone!" She mewed, her eyes brimming with relief. All of her clan survived the badger attack, and other than a few scratches from what she could see, they all seemed perfectly fine as well!
Morningwind's tail shot up in glee as she let out a loud cheer, quickly followed by Thrushtail.
"That'll show those black and white dung-eaters whose boss!" The grey tom growled, thrashing his claws at a fern. Blackblade nodded his head.
"Yes," Morningwind agreed, turning to Dawnstar. "It's a good thing you decided to—" Morningwind drew in a sharp breath and fell silent, looking past Dawnstar. Blinking, the ThunderClan leader turned slowly, fear gripping her like an icy claw. Somehow, she already knew what Morningwind saw, even before turning. Poppystripe bounded past her as her eyes rested on a small, motionless shape, surrounded by a pool of blood.
"Oh no…" Dawnstar breathed, oblivious to her paws taking her to where Blaze lay. "No, Blaze…" She remembered the badger that hung over her; the blood dripping from its mouth. The badger must have bitten her neck before coming after me… Dawnstar realized, grief welling up inside of her. The only thing that showed that Blaze still lived was the faint rise and fall of her flank. Her eyes looked on in pain as Poppystripe tried to stop the worst of the bleeding with leaves from the forest floor, but even she knew that there was no hope.
"If only I was sooner…" The medicine cat mewed quietly, brushing Blaze's shoulder with her tail. "She's in the paws of StarClan now…"
Dawnstar nodded solemnly, regret piling onto her like stones. Blaze would have made a fine warrior. She was brave, even in the face of danger, and if not for her, ThunderClan might not have even made it out of the battle with so few wounds.
"I'm so sorry, Blaze…" Dawnstar mewed quietly, unsure if she could even hear her anymore. Her eyes were glued shut in pain as her life slowly bled out of her wounds. She could barely force herself to keep looking at rogue until slowly, she stirred.
"If you're…that…sorry…" Blaze panted, her words partially slurred with exhaustion. "Then…do me…a…favour…"
Dawnstar's tail and ears shot straight up in attention. Though she didn't know what a rogue could possibly want of her and her clan, she felt that it was only right to listen to her final words. From the stiffness of Poppystripe beside her, Dawnstar guessed that she too understood her feelings.
"Go on," Dawnstar prompted quietly, nudging Blaze lightly with her nose.
The red and gold rogue laid silently for a number of heartbeats. Dawnstar was beginning to wonder if StarClan had taken her from them before she suddenly jerked, forcing her eyes open into slits.
"Th-there…" Blaze weakly pushed a paw forward as far as she could, her body shaking with the effort. "In…there…"
Dawnstar's ear flicked curiously as glanced over to where Blaze pointed. From where she stood in the darkness, she could only make out the thick gnarled roots of an oak tree. The ThunderClan leader slowly turned and approached the tree, pointedly ignoring Thrushtail's hiss. She knew that he and her other warriors were only worried about her safety, but this was something she had to do. Whether it was a trap or not, she decided, she'd risk it for Blaze's brave sacrifice to the clan.
Nearing the tree, her belly close to the ground, Dawnstar could hear a faint scribbling in the earth. She paused, blinking in confusion. Did Blaze want a last meal before she joined StarClan…or whatever warrior ancestors rogues held dear? Dawnstar's distraction lifted when a low growl rumbled in Blackblade's throat as the black warrior stalked after her, just as cautiously as she had. Her tail tip flicked irritably, but she couldn't help but admire Blackblade's courage to follow her into such a situation. Waiting for him to catch up, her ears pricked for the sound she had heard, but it had already vanished. Was it just a mouse after all…?
Dawnstar continued forward once Blackblade was a tail-length behind her, alert for the sound of any badgers or foxes. She could see by now, that an old den of some sort had been dug between the roots and under the tree, just large enough for a fox to fit in.
"Foxes," She growled lowly, though she could not pick up any scent now. They must have left seasons ago.
"Dawnstar," Blackblade hissed urgently as the pale she-cat inched forward until she was only a mouse-length away from the old den. "Wait, I'll—"
Dawnstar waved her tail for silence, though whether he saw it or not she was unsure. She paused, making sure Blackblade was finished, before opening her mouth to drink in the scents surrounding the hole. She blinked. The only scents that she could pick up were the scent of Twoleg rubbish, and Blaze.
This must have been where she was staying! She realized, just as another familiar scent wafted into her nose. Her ears and tail pricked up instantly. She knew what Blaze wanted…
"Wait for me here," Dawnstar ordered curtly. Blackblade opened his mouth to protest, taking a step toward her, but Dawnstar lashed her tail into his mouth for silence. "I'll be fine." She assured, and without waiting for him to answer, she quickly slithered down into the old fox den.
It was deeper than she expected. A sea of darkness swam over Dawnstar as her whiskers brushed the sides of the hole, telling her which way to go. Her head narrowly avoided a thick root when the scribbling sound reappeared, louder than before. She paused, listening to it for a number of heartbeats, before continuing forward slowly.
The scribbling continued even as the ground beneath Dawnstar's feet became more even. A small shaft of moonlight filtered into the den from somewhere above, slightly illuminating everything around her. Dawnstar could just barely make out the small shape a number of tail-lengths in front of herself, lying on the ground pathetically. She took a cautious step towards it. The scribbling stopped as it turned its tiny head to look up at her.
"It's okay…" Dawnstar breathed soothingly, "I'm here to help you…"
The tiny scrap opened its mouth wide, as if trying to speak, but no sound came out. Dawnstar's heart twisted in pain.
She's leaving the only thing she had behind… She stepped up to the kit and gently fastened her teeth around its scruff, careful not to hurt it. It's so light…and thin… Carefully, Dawnstar turned around, whiskers brushing out to feel the walls around her. Her head swivelled, trying to make out the entranceway, before finally catching a glimpse of it. Lifting her head high, the ThunderClan leader carefully began to ascend back out of the hole again, the kit held firm between her teeth.
Blackblade must have smelled the kit and her coming. He was less than a tail-length from the hole when Dawnstar finally emerged, his eyes large.
"A…kit…?" He breathed, trying to comprehend what his leader had found.
Dawnstar strode past him without a glance, the kit still held firmly between her jaws. The moon had finally risen above the treetops, its glow guiding her path to Blaze as if StarClan itself had made it so. She spared a quick glance at Morningwind and Thrushtail as she passed them, their faces just as bewildered as Blackblade's.
They believe me to be walking into a pit-full of foxes, yet they're surprised when I come out with a kit… Dawnstar thought, mentally shaking her head. They could at leasthave given Blaze a bit more credit…
Poppystripe was still at Blaze's side when Dawnstar padded back. The tabby scarcely noticed her as she nosed Blaze for the worst of the bleeding, vainly trying to get it to stop. Her head shot up in surprise when Dawnstar gently placed the kit down beside Blaze, her eyes wide.
"The poor scrap…" Poppystripe mewed, nosing the kit gently. "So thin…"
It was the first time that Dawnstar could actually see the kit clearly. She too noticed just how thin she was, her pelt stretched out over her bones. That didn't seem to stop her though. Weakly, the tiny she-kit nuzzled towards her mother, opening her mouth wide to mew, but no sound came out. Her miss-matched blue and amber eyes stared up at Blaze as if she knew how much pain her mother was in.
Blaze coughed weakly as she pushed a paw forward to pull her kit closer.
"She's quiet, and doesn't cause much trouble," she explained, her words slurred with weakness. "P-please…take care of her…that's all I ask…she doesn't deserve to die yet…"
Dawnstar didn't need to be asked twice.
"Of course, Blaze. We will care for her as if she was one of our own." Dawnstar's ear flicked in annoyance at Thrushtail's shocked gasp behind her. Blaze seemed too weak to notice though as her head drooped back down to the ground. Her ears laid back contently at the words of the ThunderClan leader.
"Thank you…" She purred, closing her eyes for the last time.
Dawnstar's heart twisted in pain as she looked down at the silent queen and her kit. The tiny red kit nuzzled into her mother's fur as if she was still alive, seeking warmth and comfort.
"Thrushtail, help me lift Blaze. We're going back to camp." Dawnstar ordered.
"What?!" The grey tom hissed, only for his mouth to meet her pale tail.
"I don't believe you heard me," Dawnstar meowed coldly, her blue eyes slit. "Or were you just disobeying an order from your leader?"
Thrushtail's fur slowly settled. Dawnstar waited an extra few moments to make sure he'd completely calmed down, then removed her tail and nudged Blaze's limp body onto her back.
"Poppystripe, will you carry the kit?" She asked as Thrushtail slithered under Blaze's belly to support the body.
"Of course, Dawnstar." The medicine cat mewed, gently urging the kit closer with her nose.
The she-kit raised its paws pitifully in defence, then slowly nuzzled into the tabby's fur, searching for milk.
Poppystripe mewed coaxingly to the kit and picked her up, ears perked for Dawnstar to take the lead.
"We're going back to camp and giving Blaze a proper burial," she explained, nodding to Blackblade as he nudged Blaze's body onto his own back in her place. "Then, we speak about what happened today, understood?"
Silence answered her question. It was time to head back to ThunderClan.
Yaaaaaay, done...again. This chapter was muuuch better than Chapter 1. Way less "before"-s, but a million more "as"-s. But they weren't that bad. I was so sad rereading the last part. T oT BAAAW! POOR BLAZE!
Hopefully you enjoyed though. Thanks for reading!