I don't know how well you all are liking this! I do enjoy writing this (I'm turning it into its own spin-off that's connected to my main series as an AU. So it might take a while to finish…)
Enjoy my one-shot-that-somehow-turned-into-a-freaking-series-of-it's-own!
Review, favorite and follow!
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The sun shone through small drops of water that flew through the air as Whitepaw and Morningpaw frisked about, splashing one another in the cool stream as they followed their fellow Classmates as they patrolled along the WindClan border.
Silverstream murmured in amusement, occasionally flicking pebbles at them and nimbly leaping out of range as they tried to retaliate by splashing back at the warrior of only a quarter-moon.
Shadepaw had turned up her nose at their laid-back antics. While Mosspaw watched in interest on the sidelines, though neither joined in on the fun.
"You are all acting like undisciplined kits." Shadepaw snarked, nose high in the air. "It's unbecoming, especially for a warrior."
"Well seeing as there is only one warrior amongst us. I don't see what the big deal is." Morningpaw practically purred over her shoulder, looking smug as Shadepaw seemed to puff up in irritation.
"I'll be a warrior soon enough," Shadepaw snapped back, "after all, I've lived in Riverclan my entire life and know everything there is to know."
Before Morningpaw could make up a witty comeback, Whitepaw was already turning around and growling at Shadepaw, "Yeah, just like you know how to lose to Morningpaw during training."
Shadepaw's shoulder fur visibly began to bristle, her nettle like claws sliding out as she spat in their direction, but a sharp look from Silverstream and a gentle nudge from Mosspaw calmed the dark gray apprentice. Though just barely.
"It's so sweet that you're always so protective of Morningpaw, Whitepaw," Silverstream meowed, whiskers twitching in amusement as Whitepaw's head snapped towards the silver-and-black tabby warrior and how his eyes widened in panic. "Though as you always say, she is the amazing she-cat in the Clan, and the most skilled."
Whitepaw squawks. "Hey! I didn't say that!"
Silverstream unsubtly kicks Whitepaw in the side as they walk, while Morningpaw shoots him an amused glance.
"I think that's nice of you to say, Whitepaw." Morningpaw remarked, giving her friend a thankful look.
Whitepaw fur began to poof up in embarrassment, and the poor tom struggled to lick his chest fur back flat, it was amusing the way Whitepaw seemed so flustered over getting caught complimenting her. Morningpaw didn't see why he should be so embarrassed though, she had given similar praise to her own Clanmates in her previous life, after all.
"Well, it's just that you're just amazing and others should know that." Whitepaw admitted, his whiskers trembling still in embarrassment.
Silverstream stills. "Do you smell that?"
Morningpaw stills too. Whatever caught Silverstream's attention must have been important to how the warrior reacted. Raising her head, Morningpaw took a deep breath and scented the air.
The smell of ShadowClan warrior's wafted on the breeze. It was coming from WindClan's territory. Alarm blared throughout Morningpaw's entire being, memories of skeletal beatdown cats clustered together underneath a Thunderpath flashed in her mind.
Morningpaw took a moment to realize where they were, the tantalizingly narrowed stripe of land that connected RiverClan and WindClan borders that had a sharp drop off the side of the gorge, -terrible-howl-made-them-turn-their-head-Graystripe-was-leaning-perilously-over-the-side-of-the-gorge-his-hind-legs-straining-beside-him-a-white-paw-clutching-at-the-edge-.
Morningpaw gasped as she was jerked out of her internal vision, just barely hearing Silverstream send Mosspaw off to go get Oakheart.
But Oakheart might not get here in time and who's to say he'd help WindClan?
Running on impulse, Morningpaw had only enough time to make a split second decision, "We need to see what's going on!" Morningpaw crooned, breaking away from the patrol and taking off at a fast pace. Uncaring of the fact that she was trespassing on another Clan's territory.
She just needed to get there in time to help.
The startled meows of her Clanmates were abruptly cut off as more pounding paws came to run alongside the flame pelted apprentice.
"Are minnows swimming around in your brain?!" Silverstream screeched, trying to cut Morningpaw off but the flame pelted she-cat apprentice easily dodged. "We can't just-"
Surprisingly, it was Shadepaw who gave Morningpaw's a helping paw, "We're just seeing what's going on! Think of it as a stealth mission. In and out. We might find some great information to bring back to Crookedstar and Oakheart!"
Silverstream didn't in the least seem on board with the idea. Whitepaw didn't seem inclined either, but nodded in compliance to following Morningpaw anywhere.
The patrol pelted on to WindClan territory, Morningpaw felt nervous, having no idea how they were going to be treated once found on enemy territory, but pushed that worry aside for now. She was surprised to find that she recognized the shape of the land even though her memories of the old territory were hazy. There was the badger set and the rock Graystripe had once climbed to get a better view of the territory.
She followed her nose mostly until they reached a dip in the land that marked the WindClan camp. Morningpaw paused at the rim of the hollow with the others. For a heartbeat the wind dropped, and from below they heard the sounds of battle-screams and howls as cats fiercely fought with others. The gorse surrounding the camp was dense, but what they saw was horrifying to witness.
"It's a slaughter." Whitepaw gasped, looking horrified. "ShadowClan is being merciless."
Blood was practically seeping from underneath the camp walls, the reeking scent of fear and pain from WindClan was fresh and suffocating, so was the scent of death.
"What do we do?" For the first time Shadepaw didn't seem to have an opinion or something to have a suggestion, in that moment the dark gray RiverClan apprentice was simply an unsure confused apprentice.
But Morningpaw was so much more than a simple RiverClan apprentice.
"ShadowClan has threatened us before! Aid WindClan and drive off ShadowClan!" Morningpaw ordered, not missing a beat, began to race down the slope toward the blood soaked bushes.
Silverstream thundered after her, Whitepaw at the older she-cat's heels. Shadepaw was running right alongside the snowy-white pawed apprentice. Morningpaw charged in the lead, through the narrow tunnel that led into the WindClan camp. The gorse was as dense and sharp as she once remembered. Her heart was pounding like a frightened rabbit. For a split second Morningpaw closed her jade green eyes and sent up a prayer to StarClan for guidance.
Morningpaw skidded to a halt, reeling at the sight that greeted her in the camp clearing. WindClan cats were hopelessly outnumbered. A fresh party of ShadowClan warriors waited at the edge of the clearing, but WindClan could spare no backup group. The whole Clan was fighting, apprentices and elders, warriors and queens.
It might have been only the four of them, but Morningpaw felt as though she led a powerful army as she cried, "To me, RiverClan!"
It took only a second of the RiverClan cat's analyzing the battlefield before scattering and facing off against their own opponent.
Morningpaw spotted a small and lean, mottled, pale brown tabby tom facing off against two ShadowClan warriors. The WindClan warrior looked exhausted and frightened, his fur standing in ragged clumps. Still, he nimbly turned and scratched at his attackers, but the warrior was outnumbered against two much bigger opponents and was knocked easily to the ground between heavy blow's.
With a hiss of fury, Morningpaw leaped and landed squarely on the shoulders of the closest ShadowClan tom. She clung on while the surprised warrior spun and tried to shake her loose. The flame pelted apprentice sank her fangs into the warrior's right ear, ripping it to shreds, while also managing to use her full weight to drag him to the ground.
The ShadowClan warrior screeched and ripped himself free from her claws. He ran into the prickly camp wall and pushed his way through. One down, was what Morningpaw as she turned around to see that the WindClan warrior had driven off the ShadowClan cat he had been fighting against and was staring unsure at Morningpaw, trying to gauge whether or not she was a friend or foe.
"RiverClan has come to help WindClan." Was all that Morningpaw was able to get out before being slammed by another warrior.
She was rolled over with force and the ShadowClan warrior thrashed at her belly with his hind claws. Small as she was, Morningpaw was unable to move, twisting her hindlegs to better protect her stomach as much as she could, while her teeth bit into the gray tabby warrior's front leg.
"Give up!" The ShadowClan warrior hissed, the warriors pale eyes were filled with something as they glared down at Morningpaw.
"Morningpaw!"
Whipping her head around, Morningpaw's mouth fell open as Oakheart barreled towards her, his face annoyed. "It took forever to find you, you minnow-brain! You'll all have a long lecture after this!"
Oakheart's shoulder slammed into the gray tabby that was on top of her, knocking the ShadowClan warrior off their paws. With a single slash of his claws, Oakheart sent the warrior running.
Morningpaw leaped to her paws, though almost fell sideways from how unsteady and queasy she felt, but still managed to croak out, "Oakheart, we need to help WindClan! ShadowClan is trying to take over their entire territory!"
Morningpaw wasn't sure whether or not Oakheart had listened to her over the screeching of fighting cats, but instant relief flooded her painfully aching gut as the RiverClan's deputy whipped around and grasped a ShadowClan warrior by the scruff of their neck. The RiverClan apprentice left Oakheart to finish his fight.
Morningpaw looked around, shaking drops of blood from out of her eyes. The fresh patrols of ShadowClan cats had joined the fight now. But so had an entire patrol of RiverClan warriors. They were currently all evenly matched. Oakheart and Crookedstar had been amongst the RiverClan patrol that Mosspaw must have found and brought to them. There was also Stonefur and Blackclaw as well. Morningpaw could also spot Heavypaw and Mosspaw fighting side by side. This was a good patrol that Morningpaw thanked StarClan for sending them.
However they couldn't yet finish the fight, not until--
Morningpaw squealed in a mix of pain and fury as teeth snapped down on the back of her nape. The flame pelted she-cat was harshly shook, making Morningpaw look at the battle through a blur, the apprentice was thrown to the ground, bleeding from practically everywhere, making her fur turn an even darker color of red.
Morningpaw took in ragged gasps of air, her head barely able to turn as they locked on the towering abomination just above her. Soulless orange eyes stared back. Blood that was unfortunately not his own was slathered all across his pelt, his jaws were practically dripping with it.
"RiverClan was foolish to interfere! We shall drive you all off as well as WindClan!" Brokenstar cackled, looking deranged.
"RiverClan has driven off ThunderClan and we can drive you off too." Morningpaw bit back.
Brokenstar became enraged as a mere apprentice's audacity to back-talk a leader such as himself. The horror of being unable to defend herself wasn't present as Brokenstar raised a massive paw, crooked claws thinly shadowing over Morningpaw's throat, before--
A large, black-and-white tom jumped in the way and slashed his claws across Brokenstar's scarred, broad, flat face. The cry Brokenstar let out as he staggered back, head shaking blood from three gash wounds now marring his face, was satisfying to hear.
"Leave my territory at once, Brokenstar!" Morningpaw's savior hissed, baring his blood soaked fangs at the ShadowClan leader. "Now, before I kill you."
Brokenstar cackled, as though what this tom had just said was amusing to him, "The only one who will die today will be by my claws, Tallstar."
"Don't be so sure, Brokenstar." Crookedstar's gruff voice came from directly behind Morningpaw as the RiverClan leader circled around to stand beside Tallstar. "Look around you, you've been abandoned by both your living and dead warriors. There's nothing more you can do. That is, if you think your nine lives can hold up against our eighteen?"
Brokenstar paused for a moment, swinging his massive head around to see many of his Clanmates had run off or were now dead. The ragged, dark brown tabby swung back around to glare between both Crookedstar and Tallstar, the hatred that was expressed so clearly on his face spoke volumes to his defeat.
"I won't be beaten next time." Brokenstar hissed as he backed away.
"But today, you have been beaten." Tallstar growled as Brokenstar and the few remaining ShadowClan warrior's fled the camp.
Morningpaw was finally able to catch her breath, taking in the eerily silent camp, apart from howling of the wind above the gorse. Morningpaw starred around her. The RiverClan warriors were tired and battered, but the WindClan cats looked far worse. Every one of them was bleeding, while some lay unmoving on the frozen ground. Their medicine cat, wasted no time in rushing from one cat to another, attending to their injuries.
Bodies, both WindClan and ShadowClan, laid scattered about, forever parted from this world and making their journey to StarClan. Crookedstar walked towards the edge of the gorse wall, blood dripping from his cheek, calling out to his warriors to assemble together.
Morningpaw sluggishly dragged herself over, laying right outside the circle of warrior's, listening in as Crookedstar spoke harshly to the only warrior part of the patrol that first arrived at WindClan; Silverstream.
"What were you all thinking?" Crookedstar demanded, "None of you should have gotten involved between WindClan and ShadowClan. You shouldn't have even been on their territory in the first place."
Morningpaw feebly pushed her way through the throng of cats to stand before Crookedstar. "It was me!" Morningpaw meowed, "I'm the one that forced the patrol into helping WindClan. It's all my fault, I'm the one to blame for us being involved."
Crookedstar rounded on her, his twisted jaw clenched in rage, glaring down at the nearly unconscious apprentice, "There will be consequences for you all once we return to camp."
"Crookedstar," Tallstar dipped his head as he approached the RiverClan group, "WindClan owes you a great debt for coming to our aid. We would have been driven out by ShadowClan and more of us would be dead if you hadn't intervened."
Crookedstar looked totally flabbergasted, taken off guard by the WindClan leaders' humble gratitude. It was a bit funny to see the RiverClan leader struggle on how to respond, certainly telling the WindClan leader that it had all been the impulsive actions of an apprentice that lead to their involvement, truly that would take away from their noble actions. Crookedstar settled for dipping his own head in acceptance, "We will certainly remember this day."
As the group turned to leave, Crookedstar gave Morningpaw a look that said that they would soon be speaking privately once they reached camp.
Morningpaw dreaded the walk home.
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Fun Facts:
The battle is based off the one at the end of Fire and Ice!! Slightly tweaked. I hope you still enjoyed the battle either way.
Yes, this was the battle that originally drove out WindClan. (In my personal opinion)
Much more death this time around. But Brokenstar doesn't care for cats' lives and would sacrifice everyone to the bitter end.
Thank you, Morningpaw! However there will be consequences!
Though she saved WindClan, how will she ever be able to save ThunderClan? Also what will Brokenstar plot next? And what's to come?
By this point Morningpaw should just become a medicine cat! By how many times she puts herself in danger and gets hurt! At least move in at the very least!
Show me a little love by reviewing please!