Warriors - Legend of the Mirror Stream

Chapter 16

Swiftstream was on her way to the usual place to meet Sunblaze. She couldn't help to stop her feeling that he doesn't love her anymore. Last time he just kept fussing over her half-sister, Nightstorm. No.. it's just my imagination. She thought as she passed the forest and trotted into the clearing.
'Sunblaze?' She called, her voice echoing. A lithe body of Sunblaze emerged from a bracken. She padded to him, licking his ears. She noticed his eyes were filled with sadness. Great Starclan! What happened? What's going to happen?! She thought.
'Greetings, Swiftstream.' He murmured.
'What's wrong?' Swiftstream mewed.
'I... I can't be with you anymore.' Sunblaze spilled the words put of him.
She backed away. 'I knew it! How can you?!' She hissed, her eyes flooding with tears. 'Is it Nightstorm?!'
'Yes.. I'm sorry.' He dropped his head.
Swiftstream's heart sank. 'My half-sister?!' You.. you coward!' She hissed. She spun around.
'Please, I need your help to beat my father.' Sunblaze begged.
'Don't worry. I'll do it for the Clans, but don't think I'll do it for you!' She hissed, turned and fled.
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Swiftstream was running toward the Cliffside. Soon, she saw a shape of a cat on the cliff. She stopped right in front of the cat. 'You?!' She growled.
'I'm sorry, Swiftstream.' It was Nightstorm. 'I- I didn't know! Please, believe me!'
'I do believe you. Be happy with that coward. But I can prepare you, he wil never be satisfied!' Swiftstream yowled, and ran into the woods.
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Soon Swiftstream turned her head up. She saw a huge tree, each of it's branches taking it's own way. She clawed the bark of it, pushing herself upwards. She leapt at the first branch, then another. Soon she was few fox-lenghts above the ground, letting her body go limp. She laid on the branch. She saw Turtlestar with her on a smaller tree, when she was just a kit. 'This is how ypu have to do it. It's like running toward the sky. Just push your body up and use your claws.' Her voice echoed in her mind. She saw herself climbing the small tree, Turtlestar waiting to praise her. 'Well done, little warrior.'
Swiftstream climbed down the tree, rushing toward a meadow. She pushed herself throught the bushes, stopping on a patch of dandelions. Her hind legs crashdd on the ground, tears running down her cheeks.
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Lionpelt watched Swiftstream on the meadow. That mouse-brained traitor! He wanted to sink his claws into the throat of the ginger warrior. He followed her from camp to the border and Cliffside. He was hidding in the bushes near her. The bramble bush beside him rustled and he saw his brother emerge from it.
'Thistlepelt?' Lionpelt meowed.
'I saw everything. You proved yourself too many times, brother. You greaved with her, comforted her, kept her happy even when she wanted to be sad. You didn't give up on your love for her even after you found out about Sunblaze. What are you waiting for?' Thistlepelt mewed, his eyes closed and head lowered. Lionpelt dipped his head and began to shoulder his way through the brambles.
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Swiftstream heard rustling of brambles behind her. A long fur brushed hers and a cat sat next to her. She turned her head up and saw the deep, gray-blue eyes of Lionpelt. She dropped her head, letting her tears fall. He pressed against her. She turned her head back to him. His eyes were filled with sorrow. She wanted to spill everything, but as if he knew, he closed his eyes and gave her a small nod.
'I know everything. I went after you.' He murmured.
She dipped her head. Her memories with Sunblaze and Lionpelt came into her mind. She understood.
'I was.. wrong.' She murmured. She pressed herself to him, burrying into his fur. She felt a purr rise in his throat. He pressed his head on hers. 'Thank you, Swiftstream.' He purred, rubbing his tongue on her cheek.
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Swiftstream and Lionpelt trotted through the entrance to see a large patrol of cats being led by Woolenstar. They stopped in front of their leader.
'What's going on?' Swiftstream mewed.
'It's time. We have to go. Clawstar waits by the Tidepools.' Woolenstar murmured. 'Come. I need both of you. As you said, you and Five bells.'
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Soon, the Fireclan patrol joined Nightclan's and they headed toward the Tidepools. By then, Sunblaze's patrol joined the two clans. He didn't even look at Swiftstream, but she noticed Lionpelt casting an angry looks on him. She rested her tail on his shoulder. He looked at her, nodded and padded along her. By the Tidepools, Clawstar stood on the high stones that parted the pools. Below him, Eaglestrike's group was hissing and growling. Behind the group, few Bloodclan warriors that stayed loyal to Clawstar clawed the ground, their teeth bared in a snarl. Woolenstar beckoned Swiftstream to lead them. Swiftstream nodded to her friends, the Five bells. Minnowtail and Nightstorm nodded and joined them. She took the lead and stood on a stone that parted another two pools. Her pelt bristling, she hissed at Clawstar. He let out a mrrow of laugher, narrowing his eyes at her. 'Very well. I thought you gave up. But after all, you have a prophecy to fullfill.' He laughed at Swiftstream. She growled. 'Yes, I have. And I will fullfill it. And I'll start right away. Clans, attack!' She yowled and leapt at Clawstar. Cats began to claw their enemies, shrieks and caterwauls of pain rose from the valley. Swiftstream bared her teeth and sank them into Clawstar's shoulder. He growled and threw her into the water. He leapt down, landing on her. She turned and pinned him to the ground. It was too easy to be real. She felt Clawstar's hind legs push her and she was thrown into the water. She leapt after her, landing perfectly on her shoulders. His weight pinned her to the ground. She found herself drowning in the pool. Her head was held by Clawstar to unable her to breath. It's a trap! She shrieked, clawing one of his fore-legs. Soon his grip eased and she threw herself into air. Her claws raked his broken jaw, making it go narrower. He cried in pain, hauling himself on his hind legs. He lost his balance, falling into the water on his back. He fell on a sharp stone. When he hit it, the let out a yowl of pain. His body went limp, his eye closed. Water around him was being colored by the sticking blood, oozing from a large gap in his back. He broke his backbone! Swiftstream's jaws opened in a gasp. She leapt on the rock, letting out a yowl of triumph. Cats stopped fighting and looked at her. 'Clawstar is dead!' She yowled. Cats gasped. Their eyes turned in the direction of Clawstar's limp body laying on the surface of the pool, water the color of blood. Eaglestrike's eyes narrowed in small slits. Then, he laughed. Cats turned on him and his group. Bloodclan cats backed away from the hunters and fighters, wide-eyed. 'You pathetic excuses for cats! You did the job for me! It was a lie all along! I'm here to get my group a new home. Even if Clawstar succeed, I would kill him after anyway. Fighters, hunters, attack!' Eaglestrike yowled and leapt at Woolenstar. Robinstar fought with her. Sunblaze fought Shadow, the lead hunter. Falcon leapt at Swiftstream, her long claws unsheated. Swiftstream felt her pelt being torn on her shoulder. A warm blood oozed from the wound. She spun around and fastened her teeth in Falcon's tail. Her claws raked Falcon's flanks, making the fighter shriek. Suddenly, Falcon flung herself into the air, turned, sank her teeth in Swiftstream's throat and throwing her into the water. Claws raking her shoulders, Swiftstream found herself below the surface. Fallowwhisker swam around her, dissapearing into her. She found herself get second breath, flung herself up, tearing Falcon's ears and throat. Falcon backed away, turned and fled. Shadow was laying still on the ground, Sunblaze and Lionpelt standing next to him. Thistlepelt and Stormpool flung themselves at Eaglestrike. He wasn't fighting.. Swiftstream thought. Oh no.. Woolenstar! She ran across to the place where she last saw them. Woolenstar laid on the ground, her breath shallow. 'No.. Woolenstar.' Swiftstream sat down.
Woolenstar coughed, opened her eyes and looked at Swiftstream. 'Take care, my friend. Fullfill the prophecy. The thread is still here. Eaglestrike is very strong. Your friends need you. He must be banished from the forest by the six chosen cats, not killed.' She murmured, gasping for breath.
'That about your nine lives?' Swiftstream mewed.
'He killed me eight times, not even waiting for me to recover. This is an end of my ninth.' Woolenstar mewed.
'Don't say that! You will recover!' Swiftstream cried out.
'I knew I won't be leader for too long. I am prepared to walk the hunting ground of Starclan with my sister. I can't wait to see her. Remember, it was her who told me that I'll join her soon. It's my time. Rule Nightclan wisely, Swiftstream. I'm proud of you, and so is Turtlestar and Fallowwhisker.' Woolenstar mewed, closing her eyes. Then, she took her last breath.
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Woolenstar and Robinstar laid still on the ground. Swiftstream looked around. Cats from the group were laying still on the ground, there was only Eaglestrike left. 'Five bells! We have one thing to do!' Swiftstream called to her friends. The five cats joined her and went to face Eaglestrike. 'Drive out, not kill.' Swiftstram reminded them. All her friends nodded and launched at Eaglestrike. Soon the tom backed away and ran the way Falcon fled. Swiftstream, Nightstorm and Sunblaze leapt and the rocks. 'Cats of all Clans! The battle was won. Our fallen will be burried and will live on in our hearts. Thank you. I wouldn't fullfill the prophecy if it wouldn't be for you. Each clan should rejoin their clanmates in their camps. Sunblaze, you are welcomed as a new leader of Bloodclan.' Swiftstream meowed to the cats. 'Thank you. But I must correct you. My clan will not be known as Bloodclan. It has always been Sunclan, and it will be from now on again. I won't leave a thing like my father did.' Sunblaze meowed, signalling to Sunclan cats to carry the fallen warriors and began to make his way toward the border. Nightstorm nodded and led her clan back. Swiftstream looked at her clanmates. They were waiting for her order. I'm a.. leader.. they except me to lead them..
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After few days, all the fallen warriors were burried. Otterclaw and Blossomcloud insisted to come to the battle, saying they want to die defending their clan. Their courage will never be forgotten. Swiftstream thought. She padded to her new den, laying on the ground. Lionpelt came after her, pressing against her. She closed her eyes. She found herself in pure darkness. Soon she was blinded by a large ball of fire. It looked as sun, bright and warming. Half of the sun vanished and moon covered the half. In shone calmly, but she felt as if claws raked her pelt. What Moon harms to protect, Sun will heal.
Swiftstream woke from the dream. Another prophecy?! Swiftstream thought. Lionpelt looked at her doubtfully. 'What Moon harms to protect, Sun will heal.' Swiftstream mewed to him. Lionpelt nodded and went to fetch Hollyberry. Swiftstream told her whole of her dream. Hollyberry closed her eyes. Her tail bristled for a moment as if she was asking for Starclan's answer. 'Come. The time for your nine lives has come. Starclan will show you the answer then.
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