Jackdaw's Cry cheerfully skipped into the den just as the sun came up. Fire Heart's eyes trailed after his friend. Two moons had passed since Fox died and yet life had gone on. Storm's kits, two moons now, skipped around camp, getting under every cat's paws. He looked over to Ravenpaw, who was curled up beside him. The older tom was looking way better than when he had last seen him.
Jackdaw's Cry, meanwhile, leaned down to his sister's ear and bellowed, "WAKE UP, SLEEPYHEAD!" Succeeding in waking the rest of the den. Ravenpaw jumped to his paws, startled and fur puffed up. Hawk Swoop looked around with groggy eyes but not too concerned and Falling Feather was scrabbling around as if under attack and had messed up her nest.
Realizing they weren't under attack, she swatted at him, snarling. "Why you little–" Ravenpaw gasped at the horrible insults she called her brother while Fire Heart just rolled his eyes.
Fire Heart sat outside the apprentices' den with Ravenpaw beside him as he waited for Gray Wing to finish organizing patrols. The black tom was still too scared to leave camp. He was a very nervous lad. So Fire Heart pressed against him comfortingly. He liked being with Ravenpaw.
Ravenpaw smiled nervously at him, looking flustered at the closeness and Fire Heart assumed he barely touched cats. Suddenly, Thunder and his sisters Ivy Breeze and Ash Blaze dashed over to them. Skystar had obviously named the two she-cats but Storm had named Thunder after her name to match.
"Can you play a game with us?" He inquired to Ravenpaw, who looked startled to be addressed.
"I…Um…"
"Go on, Ravenpaw," Fire Heart meowed, nudging him. "I'm going to go check out Yellowfang before training." He started walking away, waving his tail at them. "See you later!"
Yellowfang was crouched on her nest, staring at nothing. "Did you see the new kits?" Fire Heart asked as he approached.
Yellowfang shook her head. "I'd rather not push boundaries."
"Okay. I've got training. I'll see you later."
Yellowfang shrugged, frowning grimly. "Yeah. Sure."
I wonder what's up with her.
Storm was grooming her kits in the nursery. After letting them play hide-and-seek with Ravenpaw for a while she had taken them in for their daily nap. Thunder and Ash Blaze had complained, of course, but Ivy Breeze liked her naps.
Just as her kits were settling down to sleep, she froze and lifted her head, sniffing the air. Something bad-smelling was lurking behind the nursery. Should I investigate? Is Jackdaw's Cry up to mischief again? She remembered the time he had put fox dung in Shattered Ice's nest. His mentor had not been amused.
Suddenly, there was rustling and just as she realized she was in danger something slammed into her and she blacked out, never waking up again.
Clawface smirked as he headed into ThunderClan territory. He had just stolen three SkyClan kits and an overgrown one that had been alone in the medicine den, handing them to Stumpytail to take back to camp using the tunnel while he went to ThunderClan.
Brokenstar wanted them to recruit new warriors for ShadowClan and so that was what he was fulfilling. He reached the ravine but decided to climb up a tree. He had to assess the camp first to see any weak points he could sneak into.
Thistlestar was sitting in the middle of the camp, ordering cats around. They scurried around him like minions and Clawface was briefly reminded of his Clanmates and Brokenstar. Three apprentices were huddled outside of their den and a gray tabby queen sat outside the nursery, looking miserable for some reason. The other queens were huddled together talking farther away and Clawface perked up. The nursery wasn't being supervised from the inside.
He backed down the tree and slipped through a gap in the wall. Crouching behind the nursery, Clawface narrowed his eyes in concentration as he slowly started to pick the brambles apart from the wall to create a gap. He had to keep quiet in order for the queen in front of the entrance to not hear. He just hoped the kits wouldn't notice something sketchy going on with the wall.
Soon he had a gap big enough to peek one eye in. When he looked in he spotted a nest nearby with a single black-and-white kit. He thought it would be easier to just grab that one and go but Brokenstar would expect more than that, he knew. He spotted two kits farther away and then a nest of three kits.
Just as he was about to reach out for them a furry gray face with big, blue eyes blocked his vision as a kit, he hadn't noticed before, looked at him curiously, crouching down to be level with his face. Clawface blinked. The kit blinked. Before anything else could happen something slammed into him and he tumbled to the ground.
Fox dung!
He scrambled to his paws to see Spottedleaf, the medicine cat. He smirked. She would be easy to get rid of. He lashed out at her and she ducked. Quickly, she pushed brambles in front of the gap in the nursery. He lunged at her and she slashed out at him, catching his cheek. Blood dripped down. He glared and slammed her to the ground.
She scrabbled at his belly but he hardly flinched as he slashed his claws down her flank. She yelped in pain and he inwardly cursed. Now he would be caught for sure. He should have just killed her right away before she could make a noise. The tortoiseshell leaned forward and bit his leg.
"Ow! What the–" She kicked him off. Before she could pin him, he jumped on her and pinned her to the ground roughly, scoring his claws deeply down her sides and slashed her ears. Clawface lunged forward and bit into her neck. She struggled feebly and just as he was about to bite all the way through to her spine someone ripped him off violently and slammed him to the ground.
The cat lunged at him and then there was nothing.
Spottedleaf was in a haze of pain and a pool of blood but she was sure she was very much alive still. She stared at the dead body of Clawface as Thistlestar stood over it, smoldering rage in his amber eyes.
Brindleface and Frostfur's faces appeared above her, staring in horror. "Don't just stand there! Get her to the medicine den!" Thistlestar snapped and started dragging her. Willowpelt came out of nowhere and helped him take her to her nest.
"Spottedleaf, tell us what to do!" Willowpelt mewed with panic in her voice. But Spottedleaf didn't answer as her eyes closed. She was so tired. And she hurt.
"Just…need to close my eyes…"
Brindleface had been sitting outside of the nursery when it happened. At first all was normal and quiet but then Cinderkit padded out to her and nudged her. "Brindleface?"
She stared off into the distance, wondering what had come of their Clan.
"Brindleface?"
She watched Graypaw being roughly shoved towards the entrance by Tigerclaw for battle-training. The young tom was still grieving his mentor and best friend and Brindleface felt bad.
"Brindleface?!" Cinderkit physically shook her. She looked down at her sister's kit. "Hmm?"
"There's a creepy cat behind the nursery. He started ripping apart the wall and I saw him."
Brindleface blinked, wondering if she had heard that right. She jumped to her paws, fur fluffed and raced behind the den. Frostfur had seen her panic and followed her. Brindleface startled when Thistlestar suddenly shot past her as if he had sensed something.
They rounded the corner to see Spottedleaf laying still in a pool of blood and Thistlestar standing over the dead body of Clawface. After he and Willowpelt took her to her den, they checked on the kits. Brindleface did a head count.
Swiftkit was on his nest looking wide-eyed at the gap as was Thornkit. Cinderkit bounced around, energetic as always, Brightkit and Brackenkit peered from behind their brother also shocked and Cricketkit was huddled beside Featherkit, her brother staring in the other direction, oblivious to what had gone down.
"She almost risked her life for them," Frostfur murmured.
"Yeah, I wonder if Ravenpaw had anything to do with it all," Brindleface couldn't help meow sarcastically. She left the den now that the kits were safe for sure.
"STORM, NO!"
Hawk Swoop scrambled to her paws and tripped over Fire Heart as the apprentices scrambled to get out of the den. The cats of SkyClan were all crowded outside the nursery where Skystar stooped by his mate's dead body.
Not another murder!
"Wait, where are her kits?" Rainswept Flower cried suddenly. Hawk Swoop sighed. When would they ever catch a break?
"Yellowfang is gone!"
Penance has never been subtle.
Fire Heart and the rescue party were weary and soaked by the time they got to ShadowClan territory. Fortunately the storm was beginning to move on.
The sky was still dark, although the black clouds were rolling away.
Now that the rain had finally stopped, they could see around them easily. Fire Heart could smell Yellowfang's stale scent. He stopped at a fern and noticed a paw print in the mud, filled with water. "Tracks!" The rest of the patrol, Gray Wing, Shattered Ice, Tall Shadow, Frost, and Turtle Tail and all four apprentices crowded around.
Gray Wing looked at him. "Maybe you should lead the way. You know Yellowfang the most." The others nodded in agreement except for Shattered Ice, who snorted contemptuously.
He pushed through the wet undergrowth. The rest followed. The rain was easing, and the thunder was fading into the distance.
Yellowfang's scent was leading them steadily into the heart of ShadowClan. The forest was gloomy, the undergrowth crowded with nettles and brambles.
"I lost her trail," Jackdaw's Cry complained.
"Me too," Tall Shadow murmured. Fire Heart noticed she looked a bit distracted, staring around at the marshy pine forest with a starry gaze.
"I've still got it," Fire Heart assured them.
"Wait, what's that?" Turtle Tail, with her sharp eyes, stopped suddenly, narrowing her eyes at a patch of the muddy ground. Fire Heart followed her gaze to a small splatter of red on a clump of pine needles.
Blood.
They all looked around nervously. It must be fresh if the rain hadn't washed it away.
The cracking of a twig made them jump. Fire Heart whirled around to see a familiar cat ducking behind a wide ash tree. Tall Shadow and Gray Wing exchanged nods.
Instinctively, the patrol separated, moving to cover all sides of the tree. They crept over the soft forest floor, stepping light.
Yellowfang gasped as the SkyClan cats surrounded her. She backed against the tree. "I knew SkyClan would blame me!" she growled. "At least ThunderClan stopped him."
"What?" Falling Feather asked but Frost wasn't having any of this and demanded, "Where are the kits?"
"We found blood!" Shattered Ice growled. "What did you do with them?"
"I didn't take them," Yellowfang snapped. "I came to rescue them."
They all exchanged glances.
"Why did you run away, then? Why did you kill Storm?" Gray Wing cried.
Yellowfang's eyes widened in shock. "Storm's dead?"
Relief flooded through Fire Heart. "So you didn't do it?"
"No! I left camp as soon as I heard the kits were missing."
The others were still frowning with suspicion, except Hawk Swoop, who easily forgave and forgot, but Fire Heart knew Yellowfang was telling the truth.
"I know who took the kits," Yellowfang went on. "I picked up his scent immediately- that's why I left so quickly. It's one of Brokenstar's friends- Clawface. They always target ThunderClan and SkyClan if it comes to taking kits. We need to find those kits quickly. They are in terrible danger."
"Surely not even Brokenstar would harm helpless kits!" Turtle Tail protested.
Yellowfang's expression was hard. "Brokenstar will use them as warriors."
Hawk Swoop gasped. "But the oldest is only seven moons!"
Yellowfang frowned, confused.
"Jagged Peak has a limp so his apprenticeship is delayed," Gray Wing explained.
Yellowfang nodded and meowed, "it's Brokenstar. Whaddya expect?"
"If he's done such things, how is he still leader?" Fire Heart asked.
"Because he blamed me for it," Yellowfang growled bitterly. "He accused me of killing my own littermates, and ShadowClan believed him!"
Fire Heart suddenly understood. "Is that why you were driven from ShadowClan?" he asked. "You have to come back with us and tell Skystar."
"Not before I rescue those kits!" Yellowfang growled.
"Okay, so does anyone have a plan?" Frost asked, flexing his claws and muscles.
"I do!" Yellowfang announced. "The elders for sure will help."
"The elders?"
Yellowfang glared at Shattered Ice's scoff. The gray-and-white tom ducked his head.
"Yes, the elders. Brokenstar kicked them out and made them live on the outskirts to fend for themselves."
"Wow…"
"I'll be back."
The SkyClan patrol waited in tense silence, looking around, alert for any ShadowClan cats, especially one of Brokenstar's followers. Finally, after a few moments there was rustling in the bushes.
The patrol tensed, ready to fight if it was the enemy. Yellowfang poked her head out and slid all the way out followed by a cat and another and then another. Seven cats lined up behind the ex-Shadowclan medic.
"Okay. Now can we drop-kick Brokenstar?" Jackdaw's Cry asked eagerly. The older cats exchanged amused looks.
Yellowfang beckoned them all closer. "Okay, here's what we're gonna do…"
Yellowfang would admit she felt a bit nervous as she headed back into her old home. The seven elders surrounding her also seemed nervous. She could sense it. She wondered if they won and this was all over if Skystar would allow her back into his Clan. She hoped. She had really grown to love SkyClan.
As soon as they entered the camp, all eyes went to them. Stumpytail (the idiot) immediately darted to Brokenstar's den to warn him while Blackfoot, Boulder, Russetfur and his other closest allies lined up in front of them.
Yellowfang spotted her littermates staring with wide eyes as if they were seeing a ghost and Runningnose was peeking out of the medicine den in silence. Brokenstar appeared just then.
Yellowfang was too angry to wait for the others and immediately launched for him. His eyes opened in surprise before she slammed him to the ground, letting out a war cry to let the SkyClan cats know they could join in.
Gray Wing nervously crouched beside Turtle Tail and Tall Shadow as they waited for Yellowfang's signal.
Suddenly, a yowl sounded from the ShadowClan camp. Without hesitating, the SkyClan patrol raced through the entrance, Shattered Ice and Frost the most eager out of them all. Time to avenge Storm! He thought, feeling rage at the foxhearts, who left her kits motherless and Skystar with more grief.
Yellowfang, Archeye, Poolcloud Nightpelt, Hollyflower, Crowtail, Ashfur and Featherstorm stood in a muddy clearing, wrestling with six muscular warriors. Gray Wing recognized Brokenstar, along with his deputy, Blackfoot. The warriors looked hungry and battle scarred, but Gray Wing could see the strength in their muscles.
Around the edge of the clearing, groups of scrawny warriors stared uncertainly at the mayhem. They recoiled from the violence, staring on in horror. Gray Wing spotted Runningnose backing away, then racing for his den.
The SkyClan warriors leaped into battle.
Gray Wing grabbed Boulder and pulled him from the fray. The ShadowClan warrior turned on him, slashing. Gray Wing managed to dodge, slashing at the tom's chest. The warrior shouted in pain, shoving Gray Wing away.
Gray Wing regained his footing. A young ShadowClan apprentice–or kit– charged at him. Gray Wing shoved him away, but not too harshly. "Don't! This isn't your battle."
Frost had Blackfoot pinned to the ground. He clawed his muzzle until the deputy pushed him off, racing for the camp entrance.
"Hey! Look out!" Poolcloud screamed. Stumpytail slammed into Gray Wing.
Gray Wing maneuvered them around so that he had the brown tabby pinned to the ground. He almost slashed his throat out of rage for Storm when Tall Shadow pulled him back.
"No killing in cold blood!" She reminded him as she kicked Stumpytail away, who was sent tumbling.
An angry screech came from behind Falling Feather, who jumped out of the way. Yellowfang and Brokenstar rolled around, covered in mud and blood.
"I never thought you'd be harder to kill than my father!" Brokenstar snarled. Yellowfang recoiled at this, grief filling her face.
"Y-you killed Raggedstar?"
Gray Wing wondered why she cared so much.
"Well, someone more reliable–myself–had to take over as leader to whip this Clan into shape," Brokenstar snarled. Yellowfang looked around, sarcasm gleaming in her eyes.
"Yeah, and how great you've all turned out to be." Some of the cats flinched and Gray Wing almost felt sorry for them. Almost. They were the Clan that had murdered his brother's mate even if they hadn't all been involved.
"Okay, and what about my littermates? Y'know, the ones you blamed me for killing?"
Brokenstar lunged at her. "They were weak! It's not my fault they died!"
Brightflower, the mother of the kits, stared horrified and frozen as if she couldn't believe what she had heard. Brackenfoot, her mate, looked ready to kill Brokenstar.
"Ha! I knew it wasn't Yellowfang all along!" Runningnose called from his den. When some cats turned to stare at him, he shrunk back into his den.
"I should've killed you when I had the chance!" Brokenstar snarled into Yellowfang's face.
"But you didn't!" Yellowfang spat, struggling. Brokenstar lunged down to kill her. Gray Wing tensed, preparing to jump to her rescue but his apprentice got to her first. He sent him tumbling off the old medicine cat.
"Don't waste your time, apprentice! I have nine lives!" Brokenstar announced arrogantly only for his face to fall when the remaining ShadowClan warriors advanced, eyes slitted. He ran towards the entrance and stopped long enough to meow, "this isn't over, you pests!" His eyes lingered on Fire Heart.
Gray Wing thought he sounded kinda like Yellowfang. Strange.
Fire Heart looked at Gray Wing and asked, "should we go after them?" Gray Wing shook his head. "I think they've got the message."
Nightpelt nodded in agreement. "Leave them. If they dare show their faces here again, ShadowClan will take them on."
The rest of ShadowClan huddled together, looking at each other with joy and hope. They were free.
"Jagged Peak!" Jackdaw's Cry suddenly called from the corner of the clearing. Fire Heart turned to rush for his friend and Gray Wing raced after him with Hawk Swoop and Shattered Ice following.
As they approached, they could hear the mewls of kits. Quickly Shattered Ice and Hawk Swoop removed the leaves and twigs to see Jagged Peak, Thunder and his sisters. Jagged Peak stared back up at them calmly, his injured leg lying by his side awkwardly.
"Are they okay?" Tall Shadow demanded.
"They're fine," Gray Wing replied. "They have a few scratches, though. Yellowfang, can you take a look?"
Yellowfang raced over as the apprentices pulled them all out. Gray Wing held Jagged Peak close to him, giving his ears licks. "Thank you for being so calm in this situation. You really helped Thunder and his sisters stay as calm as possible."
Jagged Peak's body rumbled with a purr. "I was honestly a bit scared though."
Yellowfang examined a nick in Thunder's ear. "We need to stop the bleeding."
Runningnose appeared, holding a roll of cobwebs, which he passed to Yellowfang. She nodded to him, then set about treating Thunder.
"Yellowfang?"
The gray she-cat looked up to see her littermates, Rowanberry and Nutwhisker pushing through the others and greeted her happily.
"I'm glad you're safe!"
"Where did you go?"
After a moment of hesitation, Yellowfang smiled and chatted easily with them. Gray Wing turned as Nightpelt approached the SkyClan patrol. "You helped ShadowClan rid itself of a brutal and dangerous leader, and we are grateful. But it is time you left our camp for your own hunting grounds. I promise you, we will bring no more harm to SkyClan."
"Like Skystar ever did anything to y'all in the first place," Frost muttered only to have Turtle Tail step on his tail.
Tall Shadow nodded. "SkyClan knows you need time to rebuild, Nightpelt. We will leave you in peace as well."
"Like we've ever bothered them anyway," Shattered Ice muttered so Falling Feather stepped on his tail.
Tall Shadow turned to Yellowfang. "Do you want to stay here and help your old Clan?"
Runningnose, Rowanberry, Nutwhisker and a few other cats looked up hopefully. Yellowfang narrowed her eyes, looking contemptuous.
"No," she meowed, voice cold and eyes slitted.
Rainswept Flower, ever the Nursery Queen, was pacing around the middle of the clearing. She whirled around when the patrol entered.
Her eyes lit up and she rushed forward. "Kits," she cried. "You're okay!"
Yellowfang stayed by the camp entrance.
Skystar beat Rainswept Flower to his kits and sniffed them all over before sighing in relief. Fire Heart felt proud at their victory.
"They're fine," Tall Shadow assured him.
"Well done, all of you. SkyClan honors you."
"Why did you bring back the traitor?" Leaf stalked over to the patrol, standing beside his leader.
"She's not a traitor," Fire Heart insisted as Skystar stiffened.
"She killed Storm!" Petal growled.
"No, she didn't," Jackdaw's Cry meowed.
"They're right," Jagged Peak limped forward.
Skystar looked up at his youngest brother worried. "Are you okay?" Air Leap had slid out of Skystar's den. Fire Heart guessed he had been keeping him in there.
"I'm fine. It was Clawface. I went to check on the kits and found Storm's body. I was about to call out when suddenly everything went black. I think the reason Air Leap was safe is because he was with Ravenpaw outside."
"Yes, and Yellowfang helped us find them," Fire Heart added, exhausted and impatient. "She went after them when I found her. She risked her life going into ShadowClan's camp. It was Yellowfang who thought up the battle plan and helped us defeat Brokenstar."
"They're right," Tall Shadow meowed. "Yellowfang is a friend."
Skystar walked up to Yellowfang and touched his nose to her head. "I'm glad to hear it."
"Is Brokenstar dead?" Moon Shadow asked.
"No," Tall Shadow told her brother. "But ShadowClan has kicked him out." She then looked at Skystar. "I promised ShadowClan we would let them revive in peace. In return, they promised not to attack us."
Skystar nodded. "Sounds good." He looked at Yellowfang, who lowered her eyes. "Yellowfang, I must ask… would you like to join SkyClan?"
The others murmured amongst each other. Yellowfang looked around anxiously. She then nodded respectfully. "Thank you, Skystar. ShadowClan is dead to me now. SkyClan is my Clan."
Fire Heart felt a surge of satisfaction.
Skystar nodded before he beckoned the four apprentices forward. They gave each other surprised looks before approaching. "I think you all deserve to become warriors. SkyClan should be lucky to have such loyal cats."
Fire Heart looked around and caught Gray Wing's eye. He was standing, brushing pelts with Turtle Tail. Jagged Peak stood beside them, looking bright and Ravenpaw stood beside the gray tabby, shuffling his paws, but he smiled shyly at Fire Heart, who smiled back, heart beating.
"I, Skystar, leader of SkyClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these four apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn." He looked down at the apprentices. "Do you all promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your lives?"
Fire Heart shuddered, feeling a fire burn within him. "I do," he whispered.
"I do," Jackdaw's Cry echoed.
"I do," the she-cats meowed simultaneously.
"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior status. Jackdaw's Cry, StarClan honors your bravery and strength, and we welcome you as a full warrior of SkyClan." Skystar stepped forward and touched his nose to Jackdaw's Cry.
The black tom stepped back, smiling widely. He exchanged a grin with his now former mentor, Shattered Ice. The gray-and-white tom nodded in approval.
"Falling Feather, StarClan honors your determination and quick thinking and we welcome you as a full warrior of SkyClan." Skystar pressed his nose to her head as well and the white she-cat stepped back to join her brother, blue eyes glowing with pride.
"Hawk Swoop, StarClan honors your kindness and dedication and we welcome you as a full warrior of SkyClan." Hawk Swoop joined the crowd and gave Fire Heart an encouraging nod. Fire Heart smiled at his second best friend.
Finally, Skystar turned to him. "Fire Heart, StarClan honors your loyalty and your courage, and we welcome you as a full warrior of SkyClan." He did the same gesture one last time. "I'm so proud of you," he whispered. "Gray Wing was right about you. Serve your Clan well, young one."
Fire Heart was trembling. "Thank you, sir," he meowed emotionally, then slipped away to stand beside Jackdaw's Cry.
Shouts of tribute sounded from the crowd. "Fire Heart! Jackdaw's Cry! Falling Feather! Hawk Swoop!"
Fire Heart looked around the Clan, seeing the faces he'd grown familiar with in the last few moons. He listened as they called his name, joy threatening to make his heart burst.
"It's almost midnight," Skystar meowed. "Keeping with tradition, these four must sit vigil until dawn, and guard the camp while we sleep."
The four young cats nodded solemnly.
As the clan melted away, Fire Heart looked up at the moon and stars, a breeze ruffled past him and he breathed in the air, smiling.
I've come so far. I'm proud to be here.
So instead of getting a full name since they don't do "paws" they get their warrior attributes.