Nightstar's Calling (Discontinued)

Chapter 12

"They're on our territory, Shinestar." The dawn patrol reported back.
"Perfect." Shinestar replied. She leaped upon the Mist Rock and yowled over the clan. "All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Mist Rock for a clan meeting!"
The pelts of her clanmates streamed around each other, like a school of fish streaming around the water.
"This will be our battle plan," Shinestar began once the entirety of the clan had gathered around. "First, we shall track them down. I will send one group for that job. The cats with the lightest pelt colors must stay hidden in the undergrowth. Then, once we've gotten close enough, we attack. Knowing StormClan, they will bring more of their clanmates to battle, so once their backup patrol has gotten there, the tracking patrol must retreat and stay hidden. Once StormClan thinks its safe to continue, thats when I'll send the second wave of warriors, and we start attacking again. StormClan cannot navigate our territory as easily as we can, so it'll be even easier to win this battle."
The clan muttered among themselves, excited for battle. "The tracking patrol will consist of Mosspaw, Stormshade, Stagpaw, Ivystone, and Pinefur. Dovebreeze, Streamshine, Sundance, Patchpaw, you guys stay and protect the camp."

Mosspaw ducked down into the undergrowth as they followed Ivystone, tracking down the StormClan patrol. The grass felt damp with the early morning dew underneath his paw pads as they trekked onward. Ivystone froze as the patrol came to a halt.
"They're here." She whispered to the patrol quietly. She signaled with her tail for the patrol to follow her with caution. Anxiety and adrenaline rushed through Mosspaw as they stalked closer and closer. And then...
Hisses and screeches rang through the forest as the patrols suddenly collided, Ivystone flinging herself onto Lioncall. Mosspaw found himself face to face with Echopaw as he leaped onto the silver apprentice, sending them rolling onto the ground in a ball of teeth and claws. From the corner of his eye he saw a cat flee, and Mosspaw knew they were going to bring a backup patrol. Echopaw kicked Mosspaw off with his hind leg with a powerful kick, but he quickly recovered. The tom leapt at him as Mosspaw ducked down with his paw raised upwards, claws unsheathed. He sliced them against Echopaw's stomach as the tom flew over him, he rolled to the ground afterwards. Mosspaw's fur stood on end as Echopaw fled, his own blood staining the ground. The fleeing cat soon arrived with a backup patrol, the extra cats clashing into the battle.
"MistClan, retreat!" Ivystone yowled above the clamor of cats. They broke away from their tussles as StormClan dissapeared into the trees, the cats silently making their way up them. The patrol looked around, cats getting ready to celebrate their victory.
"Did they really give up that easily, Horizonstar?" Slitface whispered to his leader, breaking the silence.
"I guess so. Those mouse-hearts can't even defend themselves." Horizonstar sneered, signaling for his patrol to trek onwards.
Shinestar signaled for the rest of her warriors to circle around them to the other side.

Nightpaw pressed her paws down silently, careful to not make any noise. She fell in beside Daypaw and the other warriors as they eyed StormClan's patrol. They crept closer and closer, sneaking around hidden in the thick undergrowth. Shinestar held her tail up high as the warriors came to a halt.
"MistClan, attack!" Shinestar yowled. One half of her warriors burst out of the trees, landing on the enemy clan below. While Nightpaw and the others leaped from the grasses. She landed on Moontail as she sunk her claws into the she-cats shoulders. Daypaw followed too as the apprentices fell into a defensive position, ready to protect eachother at all costs. Moontail whipped around and whipped around, slashing her claws against Nightpaw's face, hissing. Daypaw leapt to Moontail's side and barreled into her, unbalancing the she-cat. Nightpaw swiped at her face with her paw and threw her to the ground, while Daypaw raked her claws across the she-cats side. Moontail quickly got up as she scrambled away, fleeing from the apprentices. The battle raged on around Nightpaw as she was suddenly thrown to the ground by a tom. She barely had time to see who attacked her as the tom swiped his claws against her face, letting out a hiss. She struggled under the tom's weight as she tried to kick him off, bu to no avail. She tried calling out for Daypaw, but the tom pressed a paw onto her throat, and it only allowed her to let out a weak croak. Nightpaw got weaker with each kick as she struggled to breathe.
StarClan help me, I'm going to die...
Just then, as though StarClan answered her prayers, someone barreled into the tom and threw him off, allowing Nightpaw to get up, gasping for air.
Mosspaw?!
Mosspaw hissed at the tom as he sliced his claws against the tom's face. He then pounced onto the tom, who turned out to be none other than Thunderstripe, who was suspected to be the one who had killed Driftpaw. Mosspaw bit down on the back of Thunderstripe's neck, who struggled to get him off. After a few moments, Thunderstripe threw him off as Mosspaw landed with a thud to the ground. Thunderstripe got on top of him and weighed him down, his claws pressing into his throat.
"Mosspaw, no!" Nightpaw screeched as she tried to run to him. But then, Shadowstep blocked her way. She tried desperately to push past the tom, but it was no use. It was too late. Thunderstripe suddenly slashed his claw's against Mosspaw's throat, leaving a huge gash. Mosspaw tried to hiss, but what only came out was the gargle of blood. "No!" Nightpaw screeched. The world seemed to freeze around her. He was gone. Gone, gone, gone. Everything inside of her had shattered. It was at that moment it felt like her entire life fell apart. She froze in what seemed like an endless state of shock.
"StormClan, retreat!" Horizonstar yowled above the battling cats. Within moments, all of StormClan had retreated.
"Mosspaw?" Nightpaw heard Stagpaw call. He rushed across the battle site, only to see Mosspaw's now lifeless and bleeding body.
"StarClan, no!" He screeched, running over. He started hyperventilating, almost like how Nightpaw felt. He whipped his head up and faced Nightpaw.
"What happened to him?!" Stagpaw screeched at her face, ready to absolutely shred her at any moments.
Nightpaw was still in shock, stuttering and and breathing heavily. Her limbs trembled and her fur stood on end.
"He... He's dead. He saved me."
Stagpaw seemed to snap as soon as she said that. Stagpaw crashed into her, pushing her down.
"So this is all of your fault!" Stagpaw screeched, clawing at Nightpaw's ear. Nightpaw said nothing. She wanted to just be nothing. She wished that the world would break and swallow her whole. "I knew you were bad news! You're nothing but a freak, and now look!" He swiped once again at Nightpaw's face, who did not fight back. "You're pointless existance cost me my own starclan-damn brother!"
"Stagpaw, that's enough!" Violetdawn yowled as she pulled him away by his scruff. Blood poured from Nightpaw's wounds as she staggered upwards.
"Nightpaw?" Daypaw squeaked as she ran over to her, pushing her muzzle into her shoulder. Then she spotted Mosspaw's body, and she finally understood. "Oh StarClan... I'm so sorry, Nightpaw." Daypaw whispered. Nightpaw's claws dug into the earth as she broke down, sobbing violently.
Shinestar walked over slowly, brushing past Nightpaw and over to Mosspaw's body.
"All cats gather around here." She spoke steadily to her clan. Slowly, the clan gathered around Mosspaw's body, heads hung low and a thick silence in the air. Nightpaw sniffled as she too took her place within the warriors. This time, no other warriors moved away or eyed her. They shared her grief for the fallen apprentice. "I ask my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has learned the warrior code and has given up his life in the service of MistClan." Shinestar spoke, slowly looking up at the sky. "Let StarClan receive him as a warrior. He will be known as Mossrush." Nightpaw choked back her tears for this moment, she breathed heavily as she called out.
"Mossrush! Mossrush!"
The clan slowly started cheering the name. As the clan came together to honor their fallen clanmate, Nightpaw could've sword she had seen his spirit drift up to StarClan, now a warrior. As the cheering gradually died down, Nightpaw came to a decision. "Shinestar?..."
Shinestar, and some other warriors turned to look at her. "I'm... I'm leaving MistClan."
Shinestar looked like she was shocked, but it died down quickly when Twigshade stepped to stand beside her. "But I wish to attend Mosspaw's vigil before I leave."
Daypaw moved closer to Nightpaw.
"But what about me? I don't wanna lose you..." she sobbed a bit as she nuzzled her muzzle into her sister's fur.
"I know, but, I feel like I need to do this..."
Daypaw's gaze was filled both with sorrow and with understanding.
"I understand."

Shinestar and her clan arrived back at camp, while Nightpaw helped two other warriors carry Mosspaw's body. Once he was set down, the vigil began. Friends, family, his mentor, everybody was there. For one last time, they shared tongues with Mosspaw. Nightpaw of course sat there too, covered in cobwebs after a trip to the medicine cat den. From sunhigh to moonrise, she sat there, as was customary for a vigil. But even if it was not, she did not want to leave. She wished to be with Mossrush one last time before she left.