Whitethunder gazed up at the sky through the trees. Tomorrow was the Gathering, tomorrow was the last day he would be in Thunderclan. 'Which means today things have to be settled,' he thought. He would not leave the clan without knowing if Lionblaze would hold his end.
The white tom turned back to look at the entrance of the camp. Through it he could see Autumnspot, Cherry, Luna, Ocean and Sakura inside the camp gathering together. Curious he went back inside. "What's going in?" He asked his mate. Cherry purred and nosed his chin.
"Tomorrow is the last day, you know this right?" She asked worriedly. Whitethunder nodded. "That means that you have to get Lionblaze ready today." Again, the deputy nodded. He glanced around to look for Bramblestar, Leafpool, Squirrelflight, Lionblaze and Sandstorm. He didn't see Sandstorm.
"She's asleep," Squirrelflight mouthed.
Whitethunder turned to Sakura. She looked, nervous. "Sakurablossom?"
Sakura looked at him. "This is not what we planned," she muttered to him.
Whitethunder sighed and nudged her shoulder. "You don't particularly look disgusted. Besides, I thought you liked his mean side." Sakura glared at him and huffed.
Lionblaze arched his back lazily before he stretched himself out on his side. Whitethunder and the others would be leaving tomorrow night. Did that mean that he had to claim Sakura today? 'I have to follow Moonclan customs today if I do. Whitethunder seems very set on it.' The tom turned to look at said cat. He was talking to his family. Sakura looked rather...nervous. Now a bit worried and anxious, the ginger deputy stood and walked over to them. Whitethunder eyed him in a way that made him super nervous.
"Ah, Lionblaze. So good of you to join us," the Moonclan deputy greeted.
Lionblaze nodded to him and looked at them all, trying his hardest not to let his gaze linger on Sakura. In fact, Sakura seemed to avoid his gaze. That hurt. "What's the plan today?"
"The plan is about to end. We leave tomorrow night." Lionblaze nodded, that was obvious. Autumnspot and Whitethunder looked at each other, then looked at Lionblaze. It wasn't Lionblaze they were looking at though. It was Mousewhisker, who was heading their way.
"Mouse dung," Ocean muttered. Lionblaze looked behind him and growled. He forced his fur to lay flat as he turned his body toward the tom, walking forward a bit to put himself between him and Sakura.
"Mousewhisker, what is it you need?"
"I need nothing from you," Mousewhisker snapped. This time Lionblaze couldn't hold back his bristling fur. "Sakura," Mousewhisker purred as he tries to walk past his deputy. The tom didn't move however, he only got in his way again. Mousewhisker snarled. "Move Lionblaze!"
"No, Sakura is mine!" Lionblaze snarled back. Openly admitting it like that brought a surprising warm current throughout his body, which made him shudder. Behind him Sakura softly squeaked. A shiver had shot up her spine.
"No she isn't," Mousewhisker retorted. "You weren't even thinking about her until I was!"
"I was thinking about her long before you was," Lionblaze growled lowly. "Besides, what makes you think she would want a traitor like you?"
Mousewhisker faltered, eyes wide. Squirrelflight stepped in, trying to play the ever stern mother. Her sister was by her side. "Lionblaze, that's too much."
"It's true!" Lionblaze exclaimed as he looked at her. The mirth in her eyes would've killed his anger, had Mousewhisker not opened his mouth right then.
"But she understands me! She was the one who helped me and made me see sense! Besides, I know if Cinderheart would've chosen you, you would've turned against the clan and became worse that Thornclaw! You would've become another Tigerstar!"
Lionblaze turned to him in a flash, eyes gleaming. He did not just compare him to that murderer! The audacity!
Bramblestar walked forward. "What's going on here?!" Whitethunder tossed him an amused glance and kept quiet.
Lionblaze stepped closer to Mousewhisker. "Don't compare me any of them."
"Why not?" Mousewhisker taunted. "You were trained by the murder yourself!"
Sakura blinked, she did remember Sandstorm, Dustpelt and Purdy telling her about the Dark Forest. "You were a part of the Dark Forest?" She asked.
Lionblaze looked at her with a bit of nervousness. "Yes, but I didn't follow them. I turned against them."
"He did, he was one of the four," Jayfeather piped. He was walking towards them with Gingerkit glued to his side. He'd long since given up telling the kit to wait until he was an apprentice.
Dovewing flicked her ears. Ivypool nodded. "Yup! I was there too! I also turned on them."
Lionblaze gave them grateful looks before turning back to Mousewhisker. The tom looked angry. "That doesn't mean anything!"
"You have no valid reason of why I can't have Sakura," Lionblaze sneered. Mousewhisker's claws dug into the ground.
"I honestly think Sakura and Mousewhisker will go great together," Longclaw mewed. Whitethunder, Autumnspot, Cherry and Mudfur glared at her, the first two more intense. "What? It's true. Mousewhisker and Sakura seem more compatible together. If you have noticed, they spend much more time together. She was with Mousewhisker more than she was with Lionblaze." Longclaw connected eyes with Whitethunder and smirked. The tom looked like he wanted to kill her ten times over.
"I don't want my daughter mated to some brainless idiot!" Cherry snapped. "It's true that since she's been here he has seen the error of his ways, but what if she wasn't here? You all would be doomed!"
The clan stared at the two she cats in anticipation. Now Longclaw's attention was shifted to the Moonclan she cat. "So? Either way she is going to be mating outside of the clan." Longclaw's amber eyes sparkled. "Are you telling me you are teach your daughter that mating outside of the clan is Ok, just like your mother?"
"Take that back!" Autumnspot snarled viciously. "Leave our mother out of this!" Sakura looked livid, as did Luna and Ocean. Raven realized an insult when he heard one, especially from a cat both respected and feared, also deceased. Being a friend of Cherry, he growled. Whitethunder growled. Everything was going in the complete opposite direction of what was planned, again.
Lionblaze was wondering when this shifted from them to Cherry.
"Bringing up the past is useless, especially when its about the legendary she cat of the clans, Longclaw," Whitethunder warned.
The rusty red she cat narrowed her eyes. "Isn't that what you are doing to Mousewhisker?" Whitethunder inwardly cursed.
Mousewhisker looked triumphant, looking to Longclaw. "An excellent point, thank you Longclaw." The Darkclan she cat dipped her head.
Sakura looked at her father and frowned. Everything wasn't going as planned, she knew she had to put a stop to it.
Bramblestar stepped in the middle of all of them. "Whatever is happening now needs to stop. This feud won't be stopped by fighting."
"I believe it is the only way, Bramblestar," Whitethunder growled. "Moonclan will declare war against Darkclan!" The Thunderclan cats looked a bit confused. Longclaw looked shocked. Mudfur looked indifferent and Autumnspot looked pleased.
In fact, he said, "Sunclan will join Moonclan in declaring war against Darkclan!" Cherry yowled her agreement. Surprisingly to them Sakura, Ocean, Luna and Raven yowled along with them, fur bristled.
"What?!" Sandstorm gasped. "What's going in?!"
"Moonclan has declared war against Darkclan for the insult of the now legendary warrior Silverclaw. Every since her death the clans have told their kits the story of Silverclaw, about her up bring, her clan, her strengths, weaknesses and her brave fall. Respecting a warrior considered legendary by the clans is heavily forbidden and can resort in either the death of the cat or cats, or by a clan war. Clan war is the worst, because many cats or mortally wounded and/or die." Mudfur told them. "Sandclan will stay out of this feud. Darkclan was in the wrong and they should take responsibility."
Longclaw looked like she saw a ghost. "Mudfur..."
"You made this mistake on your own," Mudfur said solemnly. "You know better than to insult a Legendary. You brought this fall upon your own clan. You will pay the price for it."
Longclaw looked suddenly really afraid. Moonclan were known for their savagery. They spared no mercy on those who insulted their Legendaries, not even if it was their own clanmate. Added with Sunclan and their undying will to fight and not quit, their wits and cunning, Darkclan could be very well knocked clean out of the forest.
"You will let a clan fight on their own?" Lionblaze gasped.
Whitethunder glared coldly at him. "Next to the mating law, the insult of Legendaries is to be heavily followed. I'm sure her leader Saberrīdā will trade her over and provide extra compensation for both of our clans. They know very well they will die out otherwise."
"Whitethunder, declaring war isn't necessary," Longclaw reasoned. "I was just trying to prove a point."
"Did you?" Whitethunder sneered. "First you doubt my leadership on our way here, then you threaten to take my mate to the clans before we even help this clan," he steps towards her, "and now you dare to beseech the name of Silverclaw, my mate and her siblings' mother, Starrīdā's mentor, Brightrīdā's daughter and a Legend of Moonclan AND Sunclan? And yet you say it was only to prove a point?!" The last bout ended in a furious roar.
Autumnspot stepped up. "We've been suspicious of you since we got caught by the Catchers, Longclaw. This is all the proof we need. Because of you, your clan will die." A savage grin consumed both toms' faces.
Longclaw's fur bristled as her ears flattened. "Please, Whitethunder, Autumnspot," she mewled as she got low on her stomach and crawled towards them. "I-I meant no disrespect-"
"YOU LIE!" Both toms snarled.
"War on Darkclan!" Whitethunder roared.
"Death to you all!" Autumnspot added with a growl.
"The sun and the moon will converge, unless you die, your clan will die," Cherry hissed nastily. Bloodlust glee filled her eyes. "Your clan will die! Darkclan will fall!" She yowled.
A cold wind swept through the clan. Thunderclan backed away, they didn't know the full extent of the foreign clans' rules, but two clans against one was uncalled for and unfair. Then again, it was them. Bramblestar flattened his ears. He felt he wasn't looking at the cats lead the to protect them, he felt he was looking at the savage cats who was coming after them, and being half Moonclan even Autumnspot counted. These were three fierce and fear, ruthless and bloodthirsty monsters, merciless and cruel on their enemies. 'Those are Moonclan warriors,' Bramblestar thought with a gasp. For a split moment, Bramblestar was truly afraid.
"Had you kept your mouth shut you wouldn't been in this situation," Mudfur deadpanned, not at all helping the rusty red cat in her situation. Longclaw looked thoroughly afraid.
Whitethunder looked at Sakura, her pupils were dilated, the bloodlust was clear in her eyes. She felt it, the wind, the spirits of her ancestors protesting at the dirtying of Silverclaw's name, the anger and demand for blood they felt. Sakura's black paws were twitching, and Whitethunder knew why. He turned to Mousewhisker and Lionblaze, then pointed to his daughter with his tail. "Do you see her for what she truly is?" He asked darkly. "A bloodthirsty, battle ready Moonclan warrior, a true killer. Do you really want her? If so then expect this. Expect everything Moonclan about her, for she will not change because of your ways."
Lionblaze froze when Sakura turned his way. Her pupils were still blown, but were slowly shrinking back to their normal size. Fangs were covered and claws retracted. Red fur laid back flat on her back, but her tail still lashed. Lionblaze was fearful, and excited. Unexpectedly but uncaringly excited. Sakura looked wild and beautiful, only half the things expected in his ideal mate. Beautiful yes, but the wild, savage, ready to kill look largely surprised him, and he liked it. He idly wondered how her mother looked in battle.
"I do," Mousewhisker replied. "I will kill for her." All eyes turned to Mousewhisker.
"WHAT?!" Foxe spoke for the first time since the other day and was ignored completely.
Mousewhisker stepped forward. "Sakura, I will do anything for you, please be my mate!" Mousewhisker begged. Sakura blinked owlishly, she was till trying to come down from the bloodlust she had just experienced for the second time in her life. Once she registered what Mousewhisker said she looked pained.
"Mousewhisker..."
"Sakura," Lionblaze meowed, walking over to her. "Be my mate," he mewed. "Live with me, fight by my side, and if you want even bear my kits. I promise to stand by you and protect you in all things right, I swear it on my grandfather's spirit in Starclan I will. I will protect our kits and clan. I-I love you..." He trailed off, unable to say anything more. He didn't even know if he did it correctly in the Moonclan way.
Mousewhisker beside him looked livid. "No! She's my mate!" He screeched and launched himself at Lionblaze. Lionblaze ducked just in time to, watching the tom fly over him with wide eyes.
"Are you out of your mind?!"
"Lionblaze, Mousewhisker, enough!" Bramblestar ordered. Mousewhisker ignored him and launched himself at Lionblaze again, this time the ginger tom meeting him halfway. Cats broke the two apart, pinning them under multiple bodies. Mousewhisker snarled like a rabid dog while Lionblaze struggled, trying and failing to get his clanmates off of him. When he finally thought it futile he gave up and just lied there, panting from the exertion.
Sakura looked at her parents and uncle, the at the two toms. Sighing she dipped her head and sat down. Slowly, after Mousewhisker gave up struggling, they let the toms up. Lionblaze inched towards Sakura, eyes on her and Mousewhisker, who was doing the same. Sakura looked at them both, first Lionblaze, then Mousewhisker, looking them dead in the eyes. "I-"
"You don't have to answer yet, it will take a while I know. Take all the time you need," Lionblaze offered, even though he knew they didn't really have time. Then again it didn't really matter anymore. The plan was off and what was happening now was real.
Sakura looked at her dark paws the whole time. "I'm sorry Mousewhisker," she muttered finally.
Mousewhisker looked crestfallen. "W-what?"
"I can't be your mate," she told him as she stood and made her way to Lionblaze. The ginger tom looked a bit shocked and relieved.
"B-but, you've been there! We've been... I told you things! You helped me!"
"But I have never held any feelings for you."
"You have to! We've spent so much time together!" Mousewhisker screeched.
Sakura's eyes hardened. "You had a mate then, however unwanted she was. I had boo interest. Besides, I've liked Lionblaze for a good while now. He's a good tom." Lionblaze purred deeply for that. Mousewhisker looked betrayed and outraged.
"How dare you?! Traitor! I'm better than him!"
"You killed Thornclaw while his kits sat onto of him, coating them in his blood. Why would I want a mate like that?" Sakura snarled. "You're making this harder than it is Mousewhisker. I want Lionblaze as my mate, not you." The remark stunned him. His eyes widened comically, then suddenly he deflated. He then turned and ran out of the clan.
Silence followed his departure, none went after him. Sakura felt guilty and Lionblaze felt happy. Others were trying to process the drama and emotions that shifted rather quickly for them, making them confused. Bramblestar was speechless, he actually didn't know what to say on the subject.
Dustpelt stepped out of the den. "Someone should find Mousewhisker. We don't know what he will do on his own."
It gave them something to do but still didn't stop their thought process, so Bramblestar sent Molepelt, Brightheart, Bumblestripe and Briarlight to find Mousewhisker. Whitethunder and the other foreign warriors, including Sakura, retreated to the apprentice den. When Longclaw moved to join them Cherry quickly clawed at her, housing and spring in rage. The Darkclan she cat worried away.
A confused, dark cloud seemed to hang over the clan.