Disclaimer: I don't own the Warriors series!

Title: Deep Dive

Summary: In a world where ThunderClan absorbed ShadowClan seasons ago, young warrior Weaselface is tasked to rebuild the fourth Clan and take her place as leader. But how can she betray all she's ever known and loved, all on the word of one ghost with a grudge?

Chapter Title: The How-To Guide to Fighting

...

It was a surprisingly warm day for Leaf-fall. Anyone with two bits between their ears was using it to sun themselves; Pinethroat was purring happily in the clearing while Mossytooth snored on his back, paws dangling. Ted had Huggy Bear in one paw and Picklekit in the other, grooming aer with sleepy strokes that trailed off into bleps. Squirrelwhisker was loafed outside of the nursery, actually looking somewhat happy for once.

Weaselstar was pacing, because some would claim she lacked a relax button.

"Squirrelwhisker," she meowed. "You've been a warrior for a long time."

"Calling out my age when I'm too sleepy to claw your eyes out? Well played."

"I mean that you've been part of a lot of patrols. Like. A criminal amount of patrols. And you're, well, you. You must've caused plenty of fights."

Squirrelwhisker cracked an eyelid, unimpressed.

"How do I start a fight?" Weaselstar asked in one big mush. "With all the issues with ThunderClan, and prey starting to peter out, I just need... ShadowClan has to take a stand. How do I do that?"

"Have you tried yelling 'fight me bitch!' and punching the first warrior you can?" Squirrelwhisker replied. "Always worked for me."

"I'm pretty sure leaders aren't supposed to cuss."

"Yesterday you told the sky to fuck off when it rained on patrol."

"I'm not supposed to cuss around the other Clans," she amended.

"Then I'm fresh out of ideas." Squirrelwhisker rolled over, tail flicking up dust. "Why not go talk to StarClan or whatever?"

Weaselstar paused, considering the idea. It wouldn't hurt. Not counting dreams, I've not seen or heard from StarClan since I fell into the Moonpool. It's not like I can send Dew to convene with them either. "Maybe I will."

"Great. Go chat with dead cats and let me nap in peace." She waved her off with a paw.

The ShadowClan leader approached the medicine den with quite a bit of trepidation, poking her head inside. Dew's thick pelt meant the molly was hiding away from the daylight entirely; she looked like a giant mop of fur on the floor. "Hey, mom? You wouldn't've happened to figure out the herbs for traveling, would you?"

"Sorrel, daisy, chamomile and burnet," she rattled off. Weaselstar stared at her. "What? Those are the easy ones. S'just some tiny flowers and ugly green leaves."

"Nothing, I'm just... surprised. You're making more progress than I expected."

Dew huffed and sat up. "I said I'd stay here, didn't I? Wasn't gonna spend my last few moons here sitting on my ass all day." Padding over to the stores, Dew grumbled and shoved bits and scraps to the side. Weaselstar didn't spot any kind of order to the madness. "Going to get more outsiders?"

Weaselstar ignored the jab, ears flat. "I'm off to see StarClan."

"Imagine there's worse ways to spend the day than staring at a puddle," she replied. Dew was slowly coming around to the idea of weird supernatural forces, having seen the ghastly scar Beetooth had given her, but a leopard can't change its spots. "What do these ghosts got that you don't have here?"

"Suggestions on how to start a fight, for one."

"You ever try yelling 'fight me bitch' and sluggin' the first cat you see?"

Weaselstar sucked in a deep, exasperated breath.

The night was decently warm as well. Weaselstar hardly noticed it as she walked through the territories- the afternoon turning into evening, the evening turning into early night. She kept to herself, carefully avoiding any potential infractions. Even the slightest brush of leaves had her pelt tingling. She didn't think leaders went to the Moonpool to ask for tips very often. As far as she knew, only medicine cats visited very often.

Trotting up the well-worn pathway, Weaselstar blinked back the glow of moonlight as it reached the waters. The world is so quiet here. Not even the crickets chirped. Everything smelled like sandalwood. Her shoulders slumped, tension ebbing away. She hadn't realized how much she missed StarClan until she was brushing pelts with it.

Loafing on the edge, Weaselstar brushed the waters with the tip of her nose. There was no gentle dip into sleep here- one moment she was normal, the next she was infinitesimal. Her paws barely seemed to brush the grass. Quiet whispering echoed through green leaves as Shadows trotted between the branches.

"Brackenstar?" she called, a bit confused.

"He won't speak to you."

Weaselstar whirled around as Beethroat appeared, expression stormy. "What? Why?"

The calico shook her head. "He's decided to be all huffy about taking in outsiders. I told him he was being a hypocrite- that his successor was full-blooded loner- but I guess he felt you were the exception."

Weaselstar worked her claws into the dirt. Even StarClan is against my choices. "Is that... did I do something wrong?"

"Not wrong," she replied sharply. "It's rare that every leader agrees with a single choice. Brackenstar just happens to be the only leader you have to guide you, is all. He'll move past it soon."

The enormity of the situation buzzed underneath Weaselstar's skin as she flopped back on her haunches, puffing out some air. To think that she was somehow supposed to rebuild the Clan- not just the cats alive with her, but in the stars as well. She had to cobble a legacy out of some pine trees. "I was, uh. Hoping for some guidance. I can't exactly send a medicine cat to commune with you guys, so... here I am."

Beethroat's whiskers twitched with humor. "I've seen your medicine cat. She's a capable cat. Stern. Just... not big into the spiritual stuff."

"Spottedkit is going to be joining her in a few moons. Then we can start really hearing the stars."

"When that day comes, I have a few Shadows I'd like you to bless. They were medicine cats in life; they can guide her in ways Brackenstar and I simply can't." She cleared her throat. "But that's for the future. What ails you today, Weaselstar?"

"How do I start a fight?" she asked, desperate for a concrete answer.

Beethroat slowly blinked at her. Another blink. A few too many blinks, she thought. "You've sought the aid of the stars... for a brawl?"

"I just- I don't know all the protocols! Is there, like, a thing to say, or a way to properly challenge someone, or-"

"Weaselstar," she purred. "This isn't a code or a warrior name. It's a part of life. You don't ask StarClan how to pick fur from your teeth, do you?"

"I've never- I've never started a fight," she admitted.

"Have you tried yelling 'fight me bitch' and slapping the first cat you see?" Beethroat meowed.

Weaselstar let out a whine and covered her face with her paw. "Now you're just being a dick."

"Weaselstar," Beethroat said quietly. "Why is this so troubling? You can start this fight when your Clan is ready."

"Because we don't have time!" she blurted out. Beethroat stepped back, eyes wide. Weaselstar instantly felt ashamed, shrinking down. Her ears flew back. "It's not... Leaf-bare is coming every day. We need to strike out now, to set up boundaries before-"

"Before your daughters are old enough?"

She flinched. "Yeah. Before then." Weaselstar cleared her throat, trying to inject conviction into her voice. "I know I can't show favoritism- I know, I know. But this is such a mess, and it's not their fault. They shouldn't have to fight their grandfather for a choice their parents made."

"Some would argue that's favoritism in its own right," Beethroat pointed out. "Weaselstar. No one is forcing Spiderstar to do these things. No one is making him take land that will rip food from his grandkits' mouths. Spiderstar is fully aware of his choices and how they will affect the dynamic between himself and your children. The only ones who aren't aware is the children. You can't stuff cotton in their ears forever."

"I just... I want them to have family left. My mom's leaving, Sweetshine's parents died, and Spiderstar-"

Beethroat flicked her ear dismissively. "Is no family of yours. Pull out that cotton, Weaselstar. Before it's too late."

The world swirled, twisted, and Weaselstar was wide awake, pulling her head away from the waves with a gasp.

Slumping into her nest, Weaselstar let out a bedraggled sigh. Halfway across the damn Clans and she knew about as much as she did this morning. The kits glommed on like honey to a branch, climbing up and all over her tired limbs.

"Squirrelwhisker said you went to see StarClan," Spottedkit whispered.

"No, she didn't," Honeykit shot back, kicking her, "Squirrelwhisker said Weaselmama has a weak punch and she went to learn how to do it better."

"It was both," Weaselstar confirmed. "But my punch is as weak as ever."

Elmkit calmly loafed across her back. Despite being less-than-pleased with the current state of affairs, the brown and white tabby still enjoyed the cuddling, and she'd refused to stop even while angry. "That's why you gotta sneak up on them! I bite Honeykit's tail all the time."

"Don't bite your brother's tail."

"Yes, mama," she intoned. Weaselstar felt she should've been more specific as the kit glanced at Honeykit's back paws. "Your teeth are scarier than your paws anyway."

Weaselstar chuckled and clacked her fangs. "That... might be a great idea, Elmkit."

"Of course it is!" she meowed. "But, uh, which part? Chewing on Honeykit?"

"A sneak attack," she replied.

Author's Note: Bit of a middle ground chapter! It's more of a character study than anything else lol.

-Mandaree1