Murmurs of approval were sweeping through the gather Felis, but Sootpaw ignore it, looking up at the night sky. There was no sign of the moon, great rumbling clouds covering Lord Mourna's eye.
Berrypuddle was looking at Raggedsnarl in dismay, pressing Lichen against her, "It's okay," she whispered, pressing her muzzle against the brown and white tom's soft head, "You'll be safe in the nursery," her gaze lifted up to meet Azaleaswipe's, and a small flash of fear pass through them that made Sootpaw's pelt bristle.
Rainfeather tensed beside Berrypuddle, "Will all the apprentices have to fight?"
"All must fight when we face this much danger!" Foxheart snarls. "I know Sunrisepaw is thirsting for this battle!"
Raggedsnarl turns to Lizardstripe, "Is Eveningpaw ready?"
Lizardstripe smirks, "She is more than ready for this,"
"But Cougarpaw is not," Rainfeather quietly said, grimacing as Raggedsnarl glares at him, "She only started training yesterday,"
"I would never send an apprentice into battle with so little training," Raggedsnarl scoffed, "No she and Cloudwhisker will remain behind with Sunleaf and Deerleap to defend the camp if those fucking Winds decided to counterattack,"
Cougarpaw looked like she was about to object, but Cloudwhisker nodded his head, "We will defend the camp with our lives if necessary,"
Raggedsnarl nodded his head in satisfaction, but Sootpaw swallows, shivering as the wind plucks at his fur, "Shadowmire Felis are powerful. More powerful than the other kingdoms. Our apprentices are ready to fight when others are still useless balls of fluff. These apprentices are loyal to Shadowmire, and they're glad to fight.
Barkpaw at that moment, came over, carrying a large leaf bundle in his jaws. His yellow eyes were still glaze in grief from the death of his brother, who had just been buried as quickly as possible before Raggedsnarl had begun shouting out battle plans.
"What are those for?" Sootpaw asked quietly, making Barkpaw look at him.
"These will give you strength," Barkpaw whispers, "all of you shall eat some before the battle,"
"Have anything for bravery?"
Barkpaw smiles, a glimmer of light shining in his eyes as he nudges his shoulder with his nose, "Bravery will come from your heart," he promised.
Sootpaw was uncertain about that, but he soon stood up and walked over to where his denmates were. All of them were staring at Raggedsnarl, all waiting for the call.
"Nervous, Ruindweller?" Eveningpaw smirks, looking up at him with amusement in her eyes.
"And you're not?" Sootpaw asks, ignoring the ruindweller remark.
Eveningpaw scoffs, holding her head up high, "And why should I? I know every battle move there is out there. There is no way a Wind will be able to beat me,"
Branchpaw looked less sure, "I've been practicing my attack moves since I woke up. Batear had to tell me to stop wasting my energy," he groans, "I just hope I can remember my defensive ones well,"
"You will," Nightpaw reassures him, before she smiles, "Besides between Eveningpaw and Sunrisepaw, I don't think any of us will be fighting that much.. those two will hog all the Winds for themselves,"
"You got that right," Sunrisepaw grins, standing up, "When I'm fighting, I'll get one of those scrawny Winds like this," he hook up some moss that had dropped from a larger pile but hasn't been picked up yet, "and shred it," the tossed the ball of moss to the ground before pouncing on it, claws unsheathed.
"At least you're not pretending to be a tree anymore," Eveningpaw mocks, making Sunrisepaw sit up and sputter, staring at his littermate with wide eyes. Sootpaw couldn't help the bit of laughter that escaped from his throat.
"Shadowmire!" Raggedsnarl calls out, drawing their attention. He was standing in the middle of the clearing, Foxheart and Wolfclaw by his side as the others began swarm around him, lashing their tails. The fur along Batear's spine stood as sharp as thorns. Lizardstripe tore up clawfuls of earth while Nutwhisker and Vulturefrost paced at the edge of the clearing, muscles rippling across their broad shoulders. Barkpaw was moving from one Felis to the next, dropping small flurries of herbs at the paws of each.
"This is going to be a dangerous battle," Raggedsnarl began, making Sootpaw's belly cold, "We had never attack a Kingdom's camp before. We will be fighting all of Windmoor in a place they know and we don't," he then grins, flashing them all a victorious look, "But we will have the element of surprise! We will be fighting at close quarters, and the Wind's nimbleness will count for nothing against our strength! Now… let us go! For Sagewhisker! To those who died at the claws of Windmoor!"
Heart lurching, Sootpaw follows the raiding party through the thorn tunnel, feeling the breeze from their pelts and tries to swallow, but his mouth was too dry. Bursting from the tunnel, setting off in a single line, Sootpaw finds himself just behind Flintfang and Sunrisepaw. Sootpaw couldn't help but frown at Flintfang, it was clear that he was tense and unhappy. His long gray tail twitching back and forth, and his head seem to turn this way, not settling on any single point.
"Calm down, Flintfang.." Vulturefrost offered, stepping back to walk beside him, "Don't look so miserable…we're about to get revenge on the Winds for what they did to you and Bishop Sagewhisker," he grins, bumping his shoulder a bit.
"Yeah….but this time," Flintfang trails off, shutting his mouth. Frowning, Sootpaw looks further ahead and notices that Raggedsnarl was glaring at the red orange scale legged tom over his shoulder.
"I'm…I'm just worried about my shoulder…that's all,"
"My dad said Warriors suffer their pain silently," Sunrisepaw remarked, and Vulturefrost nodded his head in agreement at these words, "That injuries are a fact of life," he then breaks out in a grin, "I can't wait to get my first scar! This is going to be the real thing!"
"Just remember what everything that Foxheart taught you," Vulturefrost purred in amusement, "and remember there is no shame in losing your first battle,"
Sunrisepaw scoffs at this, but Sootpaw attention was pulled away from the golden fur tom as fresh air came from somewhere up ahead. A few heartbeats later, they all were scrambling on top of the Rising Hill, showering scarps of earth and debris down below.
Sootpaw took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves. Every hair on his pelt was standing on end as he gazes down at the wide stretch of grass that swelled to the horizon in an unbroken sweep. Wind blew down on the Shadowmire Felis, ruffling up their fur and bringing with it the scent of Felis and rabbits.
Raggedsnarl waved his tail, "This way. Stay together,"
"I'm surprise that the Winds can catch anything in these open spaces," Eveningpaw mutters to Sunrisepaw as they followed Raggedsnarl across the moor.
"Right?" Sunrisepaw agrees, "I can hardly hear myself speak, with all this wind,"
"Look!" Branchpaw whispers, flickering his tail over Sootpaw's shoulder. Gazing upwards, Sootpaw spots two Felis standing guard on top of a large boulder. One was a brown tortoiseshell with gray violet feathers on their back and tail, white horns protruding from their head. The other was a gray furred Felis with dark blue feathers covering their legs and shoulders.
The gray one stood up, ears prick as he stares through the gorse having heard it rustle. When it looks like he was about to sound an alarm, Batear lunges out, sharp claws ripping his throat open.
"Stoneclaw!" The tortoiseshell molly cries out, turning to see her fellow lying on the ground, the life bleeding out. "WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!" She bellows before the air was knocked out of her by the weight of Foxheart, her voice dying out as the ginger molly's tear into the flesh of her neck.
Sootpaw stares at the sight in horror, as the others pour past him into the clearing. All of them ignoring or even not caring for the corpse that they had just left behind. Swallowing, Sootpaw gives himself a shake before charging into the clearing himself, claws unsheathed.
Sootpaw takes in the sight of the battle. Blizzardwing and Dragonflyleap were harrying a black and white tom on each side. Two Windmoor mollies were blocking the entrance of what could only be the entrance of the nursery, the wail of kits making Sootpaw's ears ring. Blood was running down the chest of a light gray molly whose shoulders were covered in golden brown feathers, but she stood her ground as Wolfclaw hisses to her to move aside.
A golden torbie, with white feathers along her neck and back squirms out from behind, passing over two kits, one a small white fur one, another a dark brown over to a dark gray tom with orange scales covering his legs and a pale brown molly with a white fluffy belly and golden brown feathers on her legs. She herself picked up another kit, a pale golden ginger into her mouth and her eyes roamed over to where a light gray tabby molly with blue feathers on her shoulder was waiting, holding a silver tabby in her jaws.
She herself stood up, ready to race out of their camp when Nutwhisker pounces on the dark gray tom from behind, knocking the white kit out of his jaw and to the ground. The brown molly whipped around startled, but Lizardstripe was already barreling into her, quickly pinning the smaller felis underneath her.
"Maplefall!" the gray tom cries out, struggling underneath Nutwhisker, "Run! You have to run!"
Maplefall looks at him, green eyes wide and seemed to slouch in on herself. She takes a few steps back, tears streaming down her face, slowly shaking her head, before she quickly turns running towards the gray tabby.
Sootpaw just stood frozen, his whole world being filled with screeching, clawing felis and he didn't know what to do as he stares at the horrifying sight. He soon pulled himself together as a Windmoor felis lunges on top of him, pummeling him with strong claws. Hissing, Sootpaw lashes out at him with a wild blow, but it only ruffled his whiskers. Scrambling away, Sootpaw's eyes were wide, all but popping out of his head as the large white and brown tabby bore down on him, his blue eyes blazing. Frantically, Sootpaw tried to remember his battle moves, darting at him and trying to trike a blow but the tom easily ducked away from his claws. Crying out, Sootpaw staggers backwards at the tom swiped him so hard over the ear with one forepaw that for a heartbeat the sky grew even more darker. He lashes out again, trying to use the move that he had practice with Sunrisepaw, but as he tried to twist in the air the tom batted him down so that he landed all wrong.
"Fuck...he's too strong," Sootpaw thought despairingly as he struggles to his paws again.
"Out of the way!" a voice sounded in Sootpaw's ear and a paw scooped him to one side. With a gasp of shock, he sees Sunrisepaw flash past him and hurled himself onto the big tom. Sunrisepaw's claws dug into the Windmoor warriors shoulders and blood started to well up. With a yowl of pain, the tom flung Sunrisepaw and fled. Sunrisepaw sprang to his paws, ignoring Sootpaw and then dashed into a fight between Eveningpaw and a dark gray tabby molly with violet feathers on her back and legs.
Sootpaw stayed where he was, panting. But...he couldn't help but feel admiration for Sunrisepaw… "He… He saved me…" Rising to his paws, Sootpaw grimaces with pain, feeling like every scrap of his pelt and scales had been ripped off.
Glancing around, his ears pinning to his head as he sees the bodies of two elders slumped to the ground, their blood staining the grass. Sootpaw pulls his gaze away, realizing quickly that the fight was all but over. Most of the Windmoor felis were circling around the Monarchs and the one surviving elder, fighting their way to the edge of the clearing. A brown molly with gray feathers on her chest and throat was the first to break through the gorse wall, a white and brown kit bumping against her legs in terror. The tortoiseshell molly who had been attacked by Foxheart was next, supported by a black tom with golden feathers on his shoulders. One by one, the rest of Windmoor followed, tearing through the gorse, their blood spattering the ground until only one remained. Sootpaw felt himself gasp, staring at the black and white tom whose tail was very long. He had golden brown feathers laying on his shoulders and his amber eyes were all but glaring at Raggedsnarl.
"This isn't the last of Windmoor, Raggedsnarl," spats Bishop Krestletail.
Raggedsnarl glares down into Bishop Krestletail's eyes, "This is you're only warning...if we find a single Windmoor felis here tomorrow...we will kill you all. Wherever you run...we will find you," the enormous brown tabby hissed back at him.
Sootpaw watches as Krestletail's eyes seem to try and light Raggedsnarl on fire. The black tom tried to call out to him, to walk over to him...to ask him why...why did he have one of his warriors kill Sagewhisker. But he staggers, almost falling to the ground if Nightpaw didn't come over, helping him stay on his feet. He watches as Bishop Krestletail disappeared into the bushes, and Windmoor left their home and fled into the night.
And yet...as the others raise their voice high in the sky, bellowing their victory… all Sootpaw could feel was dread. "This...this is wrong… even worse than exiling the Elders," Sootpaw glances over his shoulder and his eyes widen as Wolfclaw, Nutwhisker, Lizardstripe and Blizzardwing carried over four kits, settling them down in front of Raggedsnarl. Two of them looked about four moons old, one a pale ginger molly with yellow feathers along her back, which were poofing up as she hisses at Raggedsnarl. Beside her was a light brown tabby, a bit leggy than the other with green eyes. Her long legs were covered in violet feathers. The other two were the kits that the gray tom and brown molly had been force to drop when they had been attacked.
"We got these four," Wolfclaw grins, licking away the blood that stained his muzzle, "I think that after all they took from us...its only right that Windmoor gives us some new blood," he explains as Raggedsnarl gave him a slightly confuse look.
Raggedsnarl blinks, before he broke out into a grin, "Right you are my friend," he looks down at the four kits. "And we must do everything we can to keep Shadowmire strong...once the other Kingdoms find out what we did...they will work against us...not understand why we had to do this. And anyway...these kits are young enough that they'd soon shall forget their loyalty to Windmoor. These kits will be full members of Shadowmire...from now on...let Lady Solta know these four by their new names...Dawn," he nodded his head at the ginger molly, "Poppy," he gestures to the light brown tabby, "Snow and Rat," Sootpaw couldn't help the wince he did at the last name, but at the sound of agreement at the name, he guess calling a kit by the name of Rat was… good.
Raggedsnarl then raised his tail, "Now let us return to our camp.
As they headed back to the Rising Hills, the apprentices bunched together.
"Did you see me scratch that Wind's nose?" Eveningpaw puffed, "She ran like a rabbit,"
"I use the move that Batear taught me," Branchpaw put in, "That Wind looked do surprise!"
Sootpaw couldn't join in their chattering. With every heartbeat, he felt like he was about to fall over and never get up again. His head was bowed, tail between his legs. "Sootpaw?" he looks up a bit, seeing Nightpaw staring at him in concern, "Are you alright? You're shaking really badly,"
"Y-yeah… I'm fine," Sootpaw whispers, struggling to speak. He knew it was a lie...all of it was a lie...he felt terrible, "We...we didn't even stay to bury those we killed...we just left them there,"
The rest of Shadowmire greeted them with yowls of welcome. Raggedsnarl quickly silence them with a swish of his tail, "Tonight...we have shown Windmoor that we in Shadowmire have teeth and claws to punish those who do wrong! Never again will Windmoor take our love ones away. From now on, we are the guardians of Highstones!" his face then grew solemn, "But this does not mean that the fighting is over. Once Thundergrowth and Riverglade find out that we chased Windmoor out of the Strath, they will be coming for us. They will not understand our reasoning; they will not understand that Windmoor did us wrong and would had keep coming for us...just as they will. The other Kingdoms believed that we are evil, because we embrace the shadows that our territory gives us!"
"Hey," Sootpaw looks up, Nightpaw gently laying her tail on his shoulder, "Don't worry about it...you will have more chances...it was only your first fight," she softly mewed, trying to encourage him, "and next time you will be more ready,"
"I wish that I was feeling disappointed about my fight...I wish I could feel thrill...be glad that I'm part of Shadowmire...but right now I only feel shame...great shame," he shakes his head, and sits up, "I'm...I'm going to head to my nest...I… I just need to rest,"
"But we're about to have a feast!" Sunrisepaw said, turning his head towards him and away from his sister and Tanglepaw. Sootpaw had to hold back the urge to scrunch up his nose. Yesterday, Tanglepaw's own brother died and yet she doesn't look upset at all anymore. He knew that if Ardere had died, he would be devastated for moons.
"I'm not hungry…" Sootpaw murmurers, shaking his head, "I'm… I'm just tired…"
Sunrisepaw stares at him, before he nodded his head, "Alright... I'll save you something so you can eat when you wake up,"
Sootpaw smiles and nodded his head in thanks before he limps over to the Apprentice Den and slips inside. Hissing in pain, he flops into his nest, sighing loudly. "Maybe...maybe I should leave...but would Dad even take me back if he learns of what I did? What I did to his...best friend...to his ex?"
Squeezing his eyes shut, Sootpaw forces himself to slowly relax, to block everything from his mind. But suddenly, Sootpaw found his paws standing on solid ground. Opening his blue eyes, he blinks startled to find himself in a lush clearing, with a sream gurgling through it and flowers of all colors scattered through the grass. Trees in full lead surrounded the open space, their branches stirring in a warm breeze that carried the scent of growth and abundant prey. Everything was bathe in sunlight, even the white fur molly that stood suddenly in front of him.
Mewing in shock, he quickly stands up, eyes widening when he recognizes her as Bishop Sagewhisker. She stares down at him with blue eyes, not caring for the blood that was still dripping from her throat. Sheer astonishment struck Sootpaw as she spoke to him, "You must not leave Shadowmire, especially in their time of need."
Sootpaw stares at her, before he shakes his head, "What do you mean I can't leave? Why would I want to stay after what they...what I did,"
"Because you must trust yourself...and trust in the others. Not all of them believed that Windmoor should had been chase out...same as you do. But they are afraid," her blue eyes grew solemn, "Raggedsnarl has always been fierce and well respected but he has always been a bully not making friend easily. But the friends that he do have are as fierce and large as he is...and with Needlefang out of commission, no one is brave to fight back,"
"But what does this have to do with me?" Sootpaw snaps, hissing slightly, "Why are you even talking to me? You never even met me!"
"Because it has everything to do with you," Bishop Sagewhisker told him, "You, who have been bless by Lady Nocta," Sootpaw''s eyes widen at this, taking a step back, "You, who saw me in the clearing when no one else did.." her eyes were stern, and froze Sootpaw in place, "You, who will one day take over Needlefang when she passes into the Startrail, becoming the next Bishop of Shadowmire,"
Sootpaw stares at her, "Me...Bishop? I mean...I'm a Liege Heir and would become Regent if something happen to Rubinus, Fortis or Ardere...but I'm the last in line…" he mutters to himself, slowly looking up at the wraith, "How am I the next Bishop? No one in Shadowmire will accept an ruindweller," he spats out angrily, "as their leader,"
"They will get over it in time. They do not chose who is the next Bishop, not even Needlefang will be able to chose who her successor will be...only Lady Nocta chooses and she chose you. The Kingdom will need you, especially in these times...you must find a way to get rid of Raggedsnarl or his poison will spring from Shadowmire and spread to all the other Kingdoms, bringing a storm of blood and burning fire that will sweep through the Strath!"
"What do you mean? How will Raggedsnarl do that?" Sootpaw asked, his voice shaking, "How am I suppose to get rid of him?"
"By telling the truth," Bishop Sagewhisker let out an irratable grunt, fixing Sootpaw with an icy blue gaze, "By telling all of Shadowmire that it wasn't Windmoor who killed me, but him,"
Sun has become Dawn
Fawn has become Poppy
Lily has become Snow
Leaf has become Rat
Driftnose has died
Blisterclaw has died
Lilywhisker has died
Rabbitear has died
Stoneclaw has died
Maplefall, Ryestalk, Viper and Sand has been separated from Windmoor