Warrior Cats Fanfiction: The Changed Clan #1: The Dark Leadership

Chapter Eleven

      The omen was still stuck in Cinderpelt's head after the following night. Light cracked into the former dark barn, lightening it up and casting darkness away. She got up from the ground, looking around to see she was the only cat in the barn. They must be out for a walk, she thought and began to leave the barn.

      Cinderpelt blinked, adjusted her eyes to the light the sun casted. All of a sudden she spotted Fireheart racing out of bushes, looking panicked. Cinderpelt was confused as the ginger tom, whose pelt was shining like fire, appeared by her side. “What’s wrong?” she asked.

     “A WindClan patrol found me,” Fireheart replied, panting as if he had run around the whole of StarClan itself. “They’ve been chasing after me but I’m not sure if they still are. I think I lost them.”

    “Where’s Barley, Sandstorm and Greystripe?” the grey she-cat asked. Surely Fireheart would know where the other three cats went off to, seeing as they weren’t seen around the barn by Cinderpelt. Fireheart hesitated.

    “I’m not sure,” he then replied. “Greystripe was with me but then we got separated by the WindClan patrol. Barley said he was going for a walk and Sandstorm. . . I have no idea where she is right now.” Cinderpelt gave a nod. I just hope StarClan lights their paths in a time like this, she thought.

    The bushes rustled and Fireheart’s head turned. Cinderpelt looked past the ginger tom, seeing a WindClan patrol consisting of Runningbrook, Whitetail, Mudclaw and Crowpaw. All of them except Whitetail looked mad. They shouldn’t be doing this. Have they forgotten about what TigerClan has done for them in the past? Cinderpelt asked herself.

    “So you’ve been at Barley’s farm all along,” Mudclaw spat. “No worries, we’ll just finish you off and you won’t be a problem for WindClan or any other Clan.” They want a fight! Cinderpelt noticed Mudclaw’s claws were unsheathed, as well as Crowpaw’s.

    “Have you forgotten what we did for your Clan?” Fireheart questioned. “We brought you back into the forest after ShadowClan drove you out. Surely this isn’t how you can repay us?”

    “That was in the past,” Runningbrook mewed. “You’ve betrayed the whole forest and you deserve to die, Firepaw. Your little friends can, too.” Whitetail showed a look of uncertainty on her face when Runningbrook said ‘traitor’.

    Mudclaw was one of those cats who would rush into a battle with a good enough reason; the whole ‘Fireheart the traitor’ thing gave him just a good enough excuse to attack without any command. Though Tallstar was a wise cat, would he really believe Tigerstar’s lie and attack the two cats – Fireheart and Greystripe – who helped his Clan in the past? Should he even order for an attack on any TigerClan cat when they’ve done nothing wrong?

    Mudclaw gave his tail a flick and at once the WindClan cats began to dash towards the two former TigerClan cats. Fireheart and Cinderpelt both turned and began to run away from the WindClan cats. Runningbrook was at Fireheart’s tail and lashed her claws out, catching at bit of fur and taking it off of the tom’s tail.

   Mudclaw gave a leap, pinning Fireheart to the ground. Fireheart began kicking his hind legs at Mudclaw’s belly but the mottled warrior refused to loosen his grip. Mudclaw’s amber eyes brightened while Cinderpelt was cornered by Whitetail and Runningbrook. Crowpaw stood back a bit with hesitation. It was clear the apprentice wasn’t taught how to fight much.

    Fireheart opened his jaws and bit into Mudclaw’s exposed neck. Mudclaw’s eyes widened and at once the mottled brown tom was thrown off – but not by Fireheart. Fireheart looked to see Greystripe had knocked Mudclaw onto the ground, pinning him. Mudclaw’s eyes were full of fury.