Silentmelody's Dream

Chapter 22

Mudpelt was the first to explode from the brambles. With rage, he fought against Lightningstar like never before. Lightningstar hissed, and whipped around fiercely, making Mudpelt fall. Unsheathing his claws, the ShadowClan leader clawed deep into the brown tom's neck, leaving him still on the ground.

"That's all you can do? ShadowClan, attack!"

It sounded like a herd of rhinos as what seemed like all of ShadowClan rushed to the lake shore. Silentpaw's eyes grew wide as she was toppled over by a thick-furred brown apprentice. Straightening her thoughts, Silentpaw cut back into action as she shot her hind legs up, digging her claws into the tom's belly. The mute ducked under a swipe of a paw and turned across the ground, clawing the tom's side. The apprentice yelped and fell backward. Suddenly, a huge weight towered on top of Silentpaw making her crash into the ground, grubby sand scratching her muzzle.

"You," Came a deep voice. Silentpaw managed to turn over to face her enemy, and she realized that it was Lightningstar.

"You are the one that we captured! What's your name, Quietface?"

Silentpaw struggled and tried to escape the ShadowClan leader's grasp. Suddenly, deep claws raked into her shoulders, dragging her away from Lightningstar.

"Bloodfang! Take care of her."

Black paws swiped against her body. Bloodfang was Blood's mate! And Cinderfire's mother! Soon, Silentpaw's murderer.

"Reeeahhhh!" A yowl broke into the night air, and Silentpaw heard shuffling and claws raking fur above her. Breathing hard, Silentpaw struggled up on all fours to see a silhouette of two she-cats fighting fiercely. A small flash of white whipped across the other she-cat's belly, blood spurted and dripped into the lake waters. More blood flowed into the lake from all warriors, and after that heartbeat, the lake was pure red, creating fire-like light because of the moon. A black she-cat walked over to Silentpaw, watching the view with her. Icy blue eyes glared into her odd-eyes. It was Moonstar! Moonstar saved Silentpaw's life from Bloodfangs. Not a single cat knew Bloodfang's secret.

Moonstar closed her eyes and flopped helplessly on the ground, water lapping at her neck fur. Moonstar! Silentpaw exclaimed, and crouched down with her leader. What's happening?

Then, the familiar scent of StarClan surrounded Moonstar. After a couple of heartbeats, her eyes opened again. She just lost a life. Silentpaw thought.

Moonstar shook her head hard, then looking at the fierce battle in the moonlight, pelts turned into silver and blood glowing and covering the ground.

"We're loosing." She said quietly, then pelted over to the top of the shore. Dark clouds covered the moon.

"The lake is running with blood, and the moon is covered with storm clouds! StarClan has had enough of this!" Moonstar yelled.

"Stop and be still!" Lightningstar ordered his warriors.

"We fought over a mouse-brained reason, Lightningstar. Go back to your territory now."

Lightningstar stared at Moonstar. "This isn't the end, Moonstar. Watch your back, sleep with one eye open."

"ThunderClan will ignore your cowardly threats, Lightningstar. Go."

The ShadowClan leader flicked his tail to summon is warriors, and the stompted away.

"Now what, Moonstar?" Thunderheart asked.

"Get back to camp as fast as we can. Everybody here, go the medicine den, I don't care what you have to say for an excuse--"

"Um, Moonstar, you might want to come here and see this," Wolfheart interrupted. Moonstar's eyes grew wide as she headed in his direction. Thunderheart looked back, shaking his head as he helped him and Mudpelt back to camp. Silentpaw scampered over to Wolfheart and Moonstar.

Winterheart lay still on the ground, blood dripping from her mouth. A huge wound to the chest looked as deep as it was. Her legs were bent the wrong way, the only healthy part about her was her front legs. Her left ear was ripped in half. A work of a blood-thirsty warrior was right in front of Silentpaw.

"Winterheart?" Moonstar asked.

"She's gone, Moonstar." Wolfheart said, looking at the ThunderClan leader. "Winterheart hunts with StarClan now."

Silentpaw closed her eyes sadly as Wolfheart and Moonstar managed to lift Winterheart off of the ground to carry her up to camp.
**********

"Not ThunderClan nor ShadowClan won the battle tonight. It was greatly unexpected. The lake ran red and heavy storm clouds covered the moon. StarClan stopped the battle."

A wave of murmurs went across the hollow.

"Winterheart has joined StarClan. And, it is time I shall make a new deputy for ThunderClan."

Cats looked around at one another, not expecting who will be the next deputy.

"I say these words in front of the body of Winterheart, who served her Clan highly, above anything else. Wolfheart, will be the new deputy for ThunderClan."