Warriors: Foreign Threats

by Fera Grelle Zanil

Prophecies are told, a promise is broken, a lesson is learned, a cat is forgiven. Five foreign clan cats journey to Thunderclan to seek aid and give it in return. Will it be enough though, to protect them from rival clans and save hundreds of cat's lives? ( Tons of OCs in here, just thought I might warn you :) Rated T for blood/violence.)

79. And So It Begins

(Took me a while to write and rewrite this, but I am slightly satisfied with it. Also, I have some big news!

THIS IS THE SECOND TO LAST CHAPTER!

Yup, the next chapter, the last one, will be a small epilogue. The sequel to this story, Warriors: Forest At War, will be made right after I post the last chapter to this story.

Sorry for it being so sudden, but in my sights and mind this story was going to be 160 chapters long by an estimate, and I thought, 'hmm, what if I make a sequel?' So yeah, sorry for the late notice! Be looking out for It thought! Thanks for those who stuck with me through the story!)

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The clan was a bustle of excitement. Anxious mews and the energy of four excited cats filled the air with a warm, welcoming hum. Bramblestar was currently sitting at the entrance of the camp with Poppyfrost, who was speaking silently with him. After a moment the leader stood, drawing everyone's attention. "Those who will be coming to the Gathering, we are leaving now," he yowled. Eagerly the cats assembled, and with one backward glance and nod at his mate Bramblestar led his clan away.

They crossed over to Windclan territory where they were met by Onestar himself. The leaders both greeted each other's silently and led their clans to their Gathering. The Windclan and Thunderclan cats mingled together, excited mews coming from the Thunderclan cats that made the Windclan cats curious. Onestar himself kept throwing them backwards glances, but Bramblestar kept his sights forward, pretending to ignore him.

In the middle of the large herd of cats were all of the foreign cats, close together to savor what time they had left with each other. "It's only until the battle happens," Autumnspot soothes as he nuzzles his sister.

Sandwiched between her brother and mate, the Rīdākirā whimpered and nuzzled them both. "I know, but I don't feel comfortable with it."

"Neither do we," Ocean mewed. Mudfur cackled in agreement, causing the group to roll their eyes. Longclaw hung behind the group, opting to stay out of harm's way. She was still trying to think of how exactly she was going to get in Whitethunder and the others' good graces before they confronted their clans. Saberrīdā had his name for a reason, the tom will literal rip out her throat if he found out about her disrespect on the Legendary.

Leafpool was walking with Jayfeather and Millie, talking in hushed tones and calculating the time left the foreigners had before they reached the forest. Jayfeather hissed something to the she cats, causing both of them to look stricken. Leafpool raised her head and looked around, her eyes anxious. Lionblaze wasn't with them. With a soft mew the she cat excused herself and walked up to her leader. The whispering between the two was quiet enough for Onestar not to hear any of it, but the reaction Bramblestar took, the expression on his face rather, gave him away.

"What is going on?" Onestar demanded in a hiss.

Bramblestar huffed and sped up. "Later, when the whole of the clans are here." Onestar scowled at the leader's back but otherwise said nothing.

They arrived to the Gathering, seeing that the other two clans were still there and instantly got down to business. Mistystar yowled for the Gathering to begin and everyone went quiet. "Prey is running well on my side of the forest, though in no time they will soon turn to be scarce. It doesn't take long for Leafbare to make the prey retire." Murmurs of agreement filled the air. "Also, there has been a strange sighting. A patrol was seen walking through our territory. We think them to be rogues, and when we confronted them they all ran away. To where, we do not know." She steps back.

Onestar steps forwards. "What Mistystar says is true, prey is running well but not for long. We did however smell the scent of Thunderclan crossing the border," the Windclan warriors hissed at this, "and we will not take any kind of trespassing."

"That can be explained," Bramblestar mews calmly. Onestar narrows his eyes and steps back.

Blackstar steps forward. "Prey is also running well." He steps back.

Bramblestar steps forward to address the clans. "Prey is running well. At the moment we have a brief reprieve, for Thornclaw sighted wandering around the territories of the clans. He has been captured and dealt with." Mews of satisfaction filled the air. Bramblestar flicked his ear for them to be quiet. "That is not the reason for the scent over Windclan borders though. My apologies, Onestar, but Lionblaze left on a secret mission and we do not know when he will be back, so until then Dovewing has been appointed my deputy." Said she cat looked around nervously and nodded, sitting under her leader.

Bramblestar sat quiet for a moment, a moment too long it seems, for Blackstar narrowed his eyes. "You obviously have much more to say, Bramblestar. Get on with it."

Bramblestar blinked slowly and cast the Shadowclan leader a brief glare before he looked back at the cats. "There are two things to be said, both lengthy. Will you willingly sit by and here the news?" A chorus of affirming yowls filled the air, for all of them knew that something terrible was to be said. Bramblestar nodded and stood. "I've been thinking of which information to divulge first, but it seems that getting the bad news out of the way is better." He stood up, his fur flat against his back. "The foreign warriors have moved quicker than we thought. Jayfeather and Leafpool both have received a premonition. They are almost here, just beyond the forest of the Big Cats. By morning they will have settled down away from us."

A collection of gasps and wailing filled the air. Onestar, Mistystar and Blackstar look stricken and each cat called for their clans to be silenced. Once the goal was achieved they turned to Bramblestar. "How?" Mistystar asked.

"They came riding long monsters," Leafpool answered from inside the circle of medicine cats. All turned their attentions to them. "These cats are bold you see," Leafpool mewed, "long monsters, they are bigger and longer than the monsters on the thunderpath; they have a large horn on top of their heads that blow smoke and one great eye! Their growls would shake the stars in Silverpelt had they been even louder, and when they move they sound like a pack of wild dogs. When they move they do not run on the thunderpath, they run on a path as hard and as shiny their pelts."

"How long are these long monsters?" Smokefoot, a cat from Windclan, asked with his eyes wide in anxiety.

"They are so long that if they stood on their hind paws they could be as tall as the mountains," Leafpool told him gravely. That made the cats surrounding murmur. The smell of worry and fear clogged the air for those few moments.

"That's absurd! These long monsters will run them over!" a cat yowled.

"No, they caught the long monsters while they were asleep. They climbed into one of its many bellies and stayed there until the long monster started moving again. Afterwards when it stopped they climbed out of it and continued on," Jayfeather mewed. "Their four leaders, their Rīdā, are leading the cats. One of them is small, one is large, one is ginger and one is brown."

"Starrīdā, Saberrīdā, Brightrīdā and Rustlerīdā," Autumnspot mewed with a bit of trepidation. He entertained the idea of running out to find his clan and confront his father but shook it away. He heart constricted with homesickness. All of the foreign cats did sans Ocean, Sakura, Raven and Luna, who never had the chance to meet them.

"So then what do we do?" Onestar asks. "Just sit here and wait for them to be comfortable? Instead of waiting for the battle to come to us we bring it to them!" A large amount of agreeing yowls answered Onestar's suggestion, though Leafpool and Jayfeather didn't seem to agree.

"No we can't." Jayfeather growled, irritated.

"And why not?!" Onestar growled back, standing and glaring at Jayfeather with challenging eyes. Then he remembered the tom was blind and the action would have no affect on him.

Then again he never knew that Jayfeather had vibrant green eyes.

"Because you would be killed all the more quickly," Jayfeather answered, only with a deeper, menacing voice that sounded all too cheerful on the subject. "You will be torn to shreds, ripped limb from limb, tortured and broken in so many places that you would lose faith in your precious Starclan and wish for death all the more quickly. Your kits will be eaten, your apprentices skinned to the bone and your leaders tortured with each life they lose. Then your home will be theirs."

The sudden turn made most cats yowl in surprise and other back away. Leafpool scowled heavily, her fur standing up on ends at that, though Whitethunder, Cherry, Sakura, Luna, Ocean, Raven and Autumnspot looked pleased.

Onestar took a confused and horrified step back. Jayfeather grinned, a grin so unlike him it sent a shiver through everyone. No one ever saw the tom so...filled with malicious glee. "Wh-what is this?!"

"Don't mind him, Flameblood just loves to make an impressive entrance," Whitethunder purred. "But what he is saying is true. Do you really want to desert your homes to take care of a threat that you won't survive from?"

"You doubt us?!" A cat yowled. It was Breezepelt. "You think that because your clans are so cruel, that the Dark Forest spawn would swipe us aside like fresh kill? I don't even believe that these cats are that close to us! It doesn't take strength to win a battle; it takes skill, smarts and numbers!"

"Something you obviously don't have," Cherry hissed.

"Breezepelt, what do you think we have been doing in Thunderclan?" Mudfur asked with curious amber eyes. "Did you think that we were just there, living and helping out with patrols and hunting?" Breezepelt narrowed his eyes at her. Mudfur continued. "We have been helping them, training them, as we are about to do you all. As prideful as we are in out clans we are as well wary of the damage they can cause, the damage we know they can cause, especially Moonclan."

"Which is why you can't attack them head on," Flameblood concluded, sitting with a smug look. It made Jayfeather look even creepier.

"Can I have my son back?" Leafpool huffs.

Flameblood looks back at her with seemingly innocent eyes. Then he grins, showing too much teeth. "I am your son." Leafpool growls and Flameblood rolls his eyes before he stills.

Jayfeather's green eyes turn back to their pale blue and at once the blind cat staggers a bit, his paws shuffling forward. He shakes his head, then snarls and snaps at the air to his left with his teeth. "Stop doing that!" He hisses. The crazy looks he receives from others in understanding and hilarious to the Thunderclan warriors.

Bramblestar gives the confused leaders an awkward shrug. "It's a medicine cat thing, I don't understand it."

Mistystar blinks slowly. "Well, now we know why a preemptive strike is ineffective. So when the warriors are separated and moved to our clans they will teach us the necessary moves to defend ourselves in case of a battle?" Bramblestar nods in affirmative. Mistystar looks to said warriors. "Can I trust your word that you will uphold this? No trickery?"

"You have or word," Longclaw mews, speaking for the first time.

Blackstar scratches his ear. "That's fine and all, but wasn't there something else you wanted to tell us Bramblestar, now that we have this all situated?" At that the foreign warriors' eyes lit up. Bramblestar himself purred.

"Yes. It is tradition to their clans," he motions to said warriors, "that their apprentices are made warrior at the Bonding under the Stars, which is to them our Gathering." Sakura, Ocean and Luna perked up at that, eyes widening in excitement. Raven licked his paw and rubbed it over his ears.

The three leaders look curious. "They name their warriors in front of the clans?" Onestar asks.

Bramblestar nods. "Cherry, while traveling here, has taken Ocean, Luna and Sakura as her apprentices, and when they came across Raven Ocean took him as his. They are long overdue for their warrior names. Whitethunder and Cherry would like it if, just for tonight, you would let them enact on their tradition."

"Well," Mistystar mewed, "I am curious as to how they do this."

"As am I," Blackstar murmurs.

"Very well," Onestar grumbles.

Bramblestar nods and turns to the clans. "Well?"

"If our leader has decided then why disagree?" Snowtuft from Shadowclan mews. The others murmured their agreement.

"Whitethunder, Cherry. You make do as you wish." The four leaders jumped down and took their places beside their deputies. Cherry and Whitethunder exchanged excited, nervous looks before their made their way over to them. Whitethunder took his place where the leaders sat while Cherry took the deputy position. Autumnspot and Mudfur moved towards the front of the group of clan cats with the four apprentices, Autumnspot acting as a worried queen to their amusement and licking their fur, sans Raven, until it was presentable. None of them complained.

Whitethunder looked up at the sky as he remembered Starrīdā doing. "Starclan, your warriors have granted me permission to do this, and it will only be fair to ask you as well. Will you allow our ancestors of Skyclan to walk your skies for this moment?" Nothing happened. Then, the wind blew, carrying with it leaves, moss and flower petals. It was all the reassurance he needed.

"Skyclan, hear me and watch as I make four of your apprentices into the warrior you will hopefully approve of! Sakura, Ocean, Luna and Raven have had a long, arduous journey and tough times; their training has been hard and trying. They have all succeeded in their own way.

Moon, our founder, please looking upon Sakura, Luna and Ocean, who has grown from kits to fierce and proud warriors, and Raven who was but a stranger to our cause and has given in and contributed to our ways, taken in our beliefs and training until he too has become the fierce and proud warrior in your image. They has fought tooth and fang even in the direst of situations, killed for their family and clan and posses the will as strong as yours.

I, Whitethunder, Deputy of Moonclan, ask for your approval and that of Skyclan to name them warriors." He looks down at all four cats. "Ocean, Luna, Sakura, Raven, do you swear upon your life to uphold the law of our clans, to believe in your ancestors, respect your future mates and the Legendaries of each clan?"

"I do!" The four chorused strongly, tails fluffed and pelts bristled as a cold wind swept over them. Their eyes searched around wildly and the flowing leaves and whirling petals and moss. The clan cats themselves gasped, watching avidly.

"Who hear supports my claim?" Whitethunder called.

"I do," Autumnspot answered. "My nieces and nephews and his apprentice have greatly satisfied me in their ways. Sunclan approves of this naming."

"As do I," Mudfur agrees. "Sandclan will always look forward to more allies and adversaries, and these cats have proven to be both."

"Darkclan approves!" Longclaw mewed. "I also agree that they have held themselves correctly."

"I, Bramblestar, Leader of Thunderclan of the forest, agree as well," Bramblestar purred, shocking the other clans and their leaders. "They have held just to our rules in their time of visiting and have played fair by our ways. Thunderclan agrees with the naming of these four cats." The Thunderclan warriors yowl their agreement.

Blackstar, Mistystar and Onestar shared looks, before shrugging. "I, Mistystar, leader of Riverclan of the Forest, approve as well!"

"I, Blackstar, leader of Shadowclan of the Forest, agree!"

"As do I, Onestar, leader of Windclan of the Forest, agree!"

The other clan cats, much like Thunderclan, yowl their agreement.

Whitethunder looked at them all with grateful looks before turning back to the sky. "Skyclan, the others have approved! Do you approve as well, or do you think them not suited for such title?" The wind bowed again. Whitethunder closed his eyes and purred. "Then by the power invested in me I give you your warrior names!"

He went silent, ears flickering as though listening to something. "Sakura, daughter of me and Cherryblossom, from henceforth you will be known as Sakurablossom. Ocean, your warrior name is now Oceanclaw. Luna, you will be known as Lunalight! And Raven, you will be known as Ravenwing! Skyclan has given you your names, you are hereby Moonclan warriors. Yowl your might to your ancestors; let your rivals know of your ascendance in power!"

Sakura didn't hesitate, she took a deep breath and let put the loudest yowl she'd ever done. Oceanclaw, Lunalight and Ravenwing followed soon after. Mousewhisker stood up in the crowd. "Sakurablosson! Oceanclaw! Lunalight! Ravenwing!" Thundercclan joined him in the chant. The other clans joined as well.

Whitethunder let the moment go and glanced down at his mate, who looked like she would keel over in pride and love. She frowned at something thought, and whitethunder followed her gaze. Sakurablossom looked disappointed, looking around for someone. It occurred to her that she was looking for Lionblaze. Both parents traded looks of fury. Lionblaze was going to pay.

Mousewhisker walked over to Sakurablossom with a pained smile. "Congrats!"

Sakurablossom nods slowly, looking down at her paws. "Yea, thanks…" Mousewhisker felt a growing flame of anger spread through him. When he saw Lionblaze again he was going to-

"Sakurablossom!" Through the loud chanting the call of the newly made warrior's name was heard and on instinct a large group of cats turned in that direction. The chanting came to a gradual stop.

"Lionblaze?" Sakurablossom mewed hopefully.

"Where were you?!" Mousewhisker spat, his eyes ablaze in fury. He then paused to take in the deputy's appearance. He looked well groomed, apart from a few scrapes here, a few scratches there. "What... what is that?!" he exclaims suddenly, looking at the thing in Lionblaze's mouth.

Said tom ignores him and makes his way quickly to Sakurablossom. He drops it at her paws and steps back. "I'm so sorry I'm late!" he mews quickly. "I didn't expect to be gone so long! I had to run a long way to find one, and when I did I ran into a fox, some…very angry squirrels, and then I ran into this patrol of-OW!" Lionblaze drew back quickly and pawed his nose.

Sakurablossom was glaring at him furiously. "You MOUSE BRAIN! What in Skyclan's name possessed you to just abandon me?!" she all but snarled. Lionblaze backed away quickly as she advanced on him. "Do you know how WORRIED I was?! I thought you gave up on me! Father was ready to rip your pelt from your body! Not only that, but you miss my warriors ceremony and all you can say is SORRY?!"

Everyone was shocked into a silence. This was… much unexpected.

"I didn't miss the ceremony! I came as soon as Whitethunder was making you say vows!" Lionblaze defended, fur bristled. This was not the reaction he was expecting from her, completely the opposite.

Sakura gave a low, guttural growl. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't skin you myself!"

Lionblaze nodded and hesitantly nosed her shoulder, making her walk backwards. Then he made her sit down where she was before. He took a deep breath after that, aware of the many arrays of eyes staring at him, including the ones that belonged to two possibly furious blood thirsty cats. He shook his fur. "I…well...I went searching for a gift, an apology gift."

Sakura raised an eyebrow at him. "An apology gift? You think you can just give me something and I'll be happy and forgive you?!" She hissed with growing loudness. While it was sweet and she wasn't really that angry at him, remembering what happened earlier during the day brought back some pushed aside anger.

"No no no!" Lionblaze says quickly, shaking his head. "I kinda...sorta hoped so, but no all the same! And it's not just any gift really..." He glanced down at her paws.

Sakura looked down and frowned. "That's another thing I wanted to claw your hide for! What in Skyclan's name gave you the mouse brain incentive to leave the clans to hunt a stinkin' adder? Are you even thinking?! That thing could've KILLED you!"

"Lionblaze, you interrupted a clan meeting just to come back and show us you hunted an adder?" Onestar hissed with growing annoyance.

Lionblaze felt his fur bristle at the disappointed glares being thrown at him. He huffed and glared at Onestar. "No, I came here and interrupted the clan meeting to show that I hunted an adder for my mate!" He hisses back. Onestar only looks more annoyed. The leader only growls in more annoyance as Whitethunder jumps and lands neatly in front of him and starts speaking rudely cut him off.

"Now now Onestar, see reason. Hunting an adder in our clan is highly approved of in my clan."

"But we aren't in your clan!" Blackstar pointed out.

"No, but it is my daughter he is mated to." Whitethunder shot back. "It's a tradition that, if mates fall out and it is the tom's fault that he does something to make up for it. Hunting adders is one of the many, safest, things he could do. He could've gone and fought a badger or a fox by himself."

"It was her fault too you know," Ivypool mewed.

"Which is why it's the she cat's job to accept it," Whitethunder said without missing a beat.

Sakura stared down at the adder, then looked to Lionblaze. "I thought you were mad at me," she murmured.

"I was...then I thought about it and it was sort of the right thing to do, I know you meant good by it." Lionblaze's tail twitched slightly as he fought to stare into Sakura's eyes and not look away. "I just didn't want you to fall for Mousewhisker, so I went out at brought you an adder." Sakura purred loudly at that and nuzzled him. Lionblaze returned it. "We just have to get to know each other better is all, then everything will be fine."

"This is lovely and all," Mistystar mewed urgently, "but it is late and we have to go home."

"Oh! No not yet!" Lionblaze yowled suddenly. "I didn't come back with just the adder!" There was a look in his eyes at made Sakura curious...and wary. He seemed in the verge of anger while oozing with triumph and pride. He ran back to where he entered the Gathering, somewhere in the back of the trees, and came back dragging a mangled, yowling body of grey. Black paws flailed in the air, trying to reach back and claw at Lionblaze furiously. Lionblaze snarled as he dragged the cat back, pausing once to knock the cat on its head with a heavy paw. The cat was easier to drag without the struggling. He then dropped the cat in front of Whitethunder and Cherry.

At once the two Moonclan warriors snarled.

"Where did she come from?!" Cherry snarled, her pupils turning into slits.

Lionblaze puffed out his chest. "On the way back I ran into her. She said she was lost, trying to find her clan. Her clan is Moonclan."

"We know that," Whitethunder rumbled as he stepped closer until he was towering over the she cat.

Dazed amber eyes blinked rapidly before they stared into his own. She let out a startled gasp that quickly turned into an outright purr. "Whitethunder! Oh thank Skyclan you're here! I was so worried..." Cherry snarled and drew forward, claws out. The she cat saw her and narrowed her eyes. "Cherryblossom."

"Bloodclaw," Cherry said just as coldly.

"So you found her, excellent. Our rīdā will be pleased."

"Your rīdā can lose the rest of her two lives!" Cherry snarled.

"Traitor!" Bloodclaw spat. "Running off with your half blood brother, betraying our secrets, turning on your clan-"

"She betrayed nothing!" Autumnspot hissed.

Whitethunder shushed him and gave Bloodclaw a look. "Yes we going Cherryblossom, these cats helped us do so. We need to return back to the clans. Do you know where they are now?"

Bloodclaw looked at him with adoring eyes. "I think I do. We were in a forest the last time I checked, I don't know which part..."

"What of Starrīdā? Shadowtree?"

"They live, though your brother ended up really sick. He is Ok now."

Whitethunder gave a grunt that showed that he really didn't care. "My sister?"

"She's fine, as are your mother and fa-"

"He is NOT my father!" Whitethunder snarled.

Bloodclaw recoiled and nodded quickly. "Everyone is fine. We lost and elder, Yarrowwing, and we lost Ratpaw while trying to escape the flood. Everything has been horrible since you left."

Whitethunder sighed and looked away. Ratpaw was his apprentice. "I failed him..."

"It's Ok," Cherry murmured while touching her nose to his cheek.

Bloodclaw hissed and pushed Cherry away from him. "You don't get the privilege to do that anymore, you aren't his mate!"

The cats surrounding backed away. Cherry looked...scary. It was an image Oceanclaw, Lunalight and Sakurablossom remembered all too well. Whitethunder saw that look as well, for he smirked, though his eyes looked enraged. Bloodclaw didn't notice his reaction though. "You ran away, you left him, left the clan! You aren't fit to be his mate, I am! Whitethunder belongs to me now!"

"Is that so," Whitethunder purred as he lightly touched her back, eyes half lidded. "Yes I see your point. Cherry did leave..." Bloodclaw shot him a hopeful look, arching her back. Cherry looked even angrier. Whitethunder chuckled. "And how did you get here Bloodclaw?"

"That tom attacked me!"

"Are you injured?"

"Yes, he fought with our moves! I couldn't believe it!"

Whitethunder passed Lionblaze an appraising looked before turning back to Bloodclaw. "I hope you feel better," he murmured to her as he walked past. Bloodclaw purred even more and watched him. Whitethunder walked over to Cherry and said as loud and clear as day: "Kill her."

Bloodclaw felt her blood run cold. "W-what?!"

But Cherry had already attacked her, pouncing on her like a starved cat on another who had stolen its prey. Everyone watched in horror as Bloodclaw was knocked to the ground, clawed and bitten until Cherry tore out her neck. She spat the chunk out and watched as Bloodclaw stared with shocked, teary eyes. Those amber eyes watched as Whitethunder purred and nuzzled Cherry and licked the blood that splashed on her ear off.

Bramblestar growled. "Whitethunder! We don't kill at the Gathering!"

"Our ancestors walk your skies at the moment, remember? Bloodclaw was suppose to be long dead anyway. Plus, we got out needed information. Our clans are indeed close. It will take at least three moons for them to settle, remember? We can train the other clans in time for the battle."

"The Gathering is over!" Mistystar yowled. Then she gave them a meaningful look. Whitethunder sighed. Autumnspot, Mudfur, Oceanclaw and Lunalight crowded Cherry and Sakurablossom, murmuring farewells before going to their respected clans: Whitethunder and Oceanclaw went to Mistystar, Autumnspot and Mudfur went to Blackstar and Lunalight and Longclaw went to Onestar. Cherry and Sakurablossom watched sadly and Ravenwing stood between the she cats, his tail stroking them both on the back in comfort.

As the clans separated the three stood there and watched them leave until they were out of view. Lionblaze came up to them. "It's time to go," he told them. "Ravenwing, help me with Bloodclaw's body." Ravenwing nodded and helped him.

Cherry and Sakurablossom followed Bramblestar and the rest of the clan back to the camp. They slept in the apprentice den together. It had never felt so empty.