Warrior Cats: Forest of Blood

~Chapter Seven~

There is going to be a lot of time skips in this book and I apologize, but please bear with it. I need these time skips to help move this book along and help emphasize some points. This book will also mainly be in Thistlestorm's point of view, occasionally Featherwing's and Snowberry's.

~2 Moons Later~

   Stoneheart, being deputy and all, never had much time to be around Yellowgaze's kits. But he always spent time with them when he had the chance. Thistlestorm's own father hadn't been around much, that's why he wasn't super close to Yang. He asked Stoneheart why he bothered trying to create a strong bond with his kits. Stoneheart had simply replied with, "Things didn't go well with my father and me, I don't want that to happen to my kits."

   Thistlestorm had gotten permission from Stoneheart to hang around the kits and act as sort of... a second father. He let them attack him, and in turn, he'd gently prod them with his paw and knock them over. Kits were amusing to him, he couldn't wait until Snowberry bore his kits in less than a moon. Which reminded him that she, along with Featherwing, moved into the nursery recently. Those ignorant she-cats, Thistlestorm snorted.

   Mousekit, a cream fluffy tom with green eyes, pounced on Thistlestorm's tail. Thistlestorm felt tiny, harmless teeth bite into his tail. Purring, Thistlestorm knocked Mousekit over, "What do you think you're doing?"

   Mousekit shuffled his small paws, "Longkit and Amberkit are busy playing their own game. They said my paws were too small to do anything right because I always trip. So I was thinking, you and I could play a game!"

   Thistlestorm was completely aware of Mousekit's other siblings occasionally being rude to their smaller brother. Sometimes Thistlestorm had to force the kits to let Mousekit play with them.

   "Well, what do you want to play?" Thistlestorm asked.

   Mousekit ran into the nursery and came back out with a small clump of moss, "Mossball?"

   Thistlestorm remembered that mossball was his favorite game as a kit. What kit doesn't like a good, old game of mossball?

   "Okay," Mousekit gave the clump of moss to Thistlestorm to roll up into a ball. Thistlestorm flicked the ball towards Mousekit, who then proceeded to try and stop it from passing his "goal".  By goal, Thistlestorm meant two sticks put next to each other.

   Together, they played mossball for a while until Yellowgaze called the kits in to nurse and take a nap. Mousekit ran towards the nursery, almost tripping in the process, "See you later, Thistlestorm! I'll try to get Stoneheart to play mossball with me too!"

   Snowberry came out of the nursery as soon as the kits came in, she laid down next to Thistlestorm, "You like Mousekit, don't you?"

   Thistlestorm looked at his mate, "He's a cool little guy. I think I'll ask Nettlestar if I can mentor him."

   "I've seen the kits play around in the nursery," Snowberry sniffed, "Mousekit is always excluded or gets the smallest part in the game. It's a little sad to watch, Yellowgaze barely notices."

   "Yeah," Thistlestorm sighed, "I feel like Stoneheart is more involved in the kits than Yellowgaze is. It's sort of surprising because Yellowgaze was absolutely exhilarated when she found out that she was pregnant."

   "I don't know," Snowberry sighed, "Do you plan on going to the Gathering in a bit?"

   "I plan to," Thistlestorm nodded.

   Nettlestar leaped out of the leader's den, "Blossomheart, Thistlestorm, Willowfoot, Pikeleap, Bouncestep, along with Stoneheart and Flowerstorm of course, let's get going!"

   "Speaking of the Gathering," Snowberry purred, "Make sure to tell me what happened!"

   When LightningClan arrived, to Thistlestorm's surprise, they were the first ones there. That almost never happened. They waited a while until eventually, the other three Clans came. Thistlestorm stood up and walked over to RainClan. He looked for a light gray tom by the name of Crashclaw.

  Finally, he spotted the tom grooming himself. Thistlestorm ran over to him, "Hey...Crashclaw, right?"

    Crashclaw looked up, his amber gaze had a hint of humor and seriousness in it, "Featherwing's brother, right?"

    "You two are mates," Thistlestorm let out a low growl, "You come from an enemy group and you come here, seeking a better society and then you break the rules?"

   Crashclaw's ears perked up, "I was totally aware of the warrior code, but, I couldn't help it."

   Thistlestorm growled. Crashclaw scratched his claws through the dirt, "I moved here not only hoping for a better society but to start a family. Flailwhisper and Splashstream are both way older than me, I had no one."

   "Fine," Thistlestorm sighed annoyingly, "But you treat Featherwing like she's the leader of your Clan, got it? If I find out you disrespected my sister in any way-"

   Crashclaw interrupted Thistlestorm, "I love Featherwing, okay? I wouldn't do anything to hurt her! Now back off and leave me alone before you draw attention to us!"

   Nettlestar yowled, calling the signal for the Clans to stop sharing tongues and sit with their own Clan for the Gathering to start.

   Thistlestorm walked back to LightningClan's section of the meadow and sat down. Nettlestar spoke first, "LightningClan is doing well, along with our three new kits that I mentioned in the last Gathering. We have two queens that are rather close to giving birth, so pray to StarClan that it goes well."

   Pebblestar nodded and stood up, "We have two new apprentices, Foxpaw and Hollypaw, their mentors are Voleheart and Eaglecry. Other than that, BreezeClan is well."

   "Foxpaw! Hollypaw!" The Clans cheered. Thistlestorm caught sight of them hiding amongst their mentors.

   "Littlestorm has gotten severe greencough," Emberstar breathed out, "Even in his sickness, he is frantically trying to teach Sparrowpaw everything she needs to know. She is learning quick and well. Littlestorm knows that this is what was going to kill him, so I pray to StarClan that his last days aren't painful."

   Murmurs spread throughout the Clans. Thistlestorm was devastated to hear the news. Littlestorm was a great medicine cat, it was hard to hear that his last days were near.

   Cavestar brought the Clans back to attention. Thistlestorm couldn't help but notice how scrawny the leader was. It must be hard having to live outside of their territory and cope with land prey. They didn't have access to their river.

   "I have a favor to ask of the leaders here," Cavestar began, "I ask for help."

   "Help with what?" Pebblestar twitched an ear.

   "Getting our territory back," the RainClan leader replied.

   "That's your problem, Cavestar," Emberstar growled, "We can't afford to lose our own warriors for your cause!"

   Cavestar hissed at her, "Do you not see the state I am in? RainClan needs a river! We can barely hunt on land, and that's costing us! If the 'Big Battle' is coming soon, then we are in no state to fight alongside you!"

   "BreezeClan will help," Pebblestar meowed after talking to Redspots.

   "Thank you!" Cavestar sighed in relief, "At least one Clan is nice enough to help!" He eyed Emberstar and Nettlestar.

   Nettlestar sighed, "I wish I could help, but we have queens that we can't afford to get hurt. If we help you, we're leaving only a few warriors back at camp, leaving us at a weakness for any NightClan warriors who take the advantage to take our camp."

   Cavestar pounced on Nettlestar, pinning the leader down, "I never thought of you as selfish, Nettlestar, but now, you're nothing more than selfish!" With a hiss, Cavestar shoved Nettlestar off the Great Rock and stalked off, beckoning RainClan to follow him.

   Thistlestorm was relieved when Nettlestar was able to (barely) land on his paws. It was still enough to wind the old cat. Flowerstorm cussed under her breath and aided Nettlestar on the way back to camp.