"I really, really hope our trip worked." Lionpaw whispered to you for the 50th time.
"Shut up!" you shoved him, making him stagger.
The battle patrol was still trekking through the forest. You could see the edge of ThunderClan territory.
"Group one, scout." Firestar stopped and nodded.
The first group spread out and crept into bushes and ferns to scout around.
"We can't get spotted." Firestar whispered.
Honeypaw suddenly came running.
"RiverClan patrol, coming this way!"
"We're on our side of the border." Brambelclaw said calmly.
"But the whole of ThunderClan on a border patrol? It'll be sus!" Squirrelflight said. Your eyes gazed upon the trees.
"Climb a tree and hide!" Firestar shot up an oak. The cats of ThunderClan scrambled up oaks and pine trees. You dug your claws in a pine tree and pulled yourself up. You got onto a lower branch, which was covered in pine needles. They prickled your fur as you crouched there. You heard the small breathing of Cinderpaw and Birchfall nearby.
Two RiverClan cats were walking and sniffing at the border. You recognized them as Reedwhisker and Willowpaw.
You watched them shuffle around the ferns and trees.
You heard Birchfall shift slightly. The RiverClan cats didn't take suspicion and left.
"Where are the others?" Firestar asked Honeypaw.
"They're hiding and waiting for the second group." Honeypaw replied.
"Good. Group two, advance." Firestar said. "Do it slowly."
You padded forward and walked beside Brambleclaw.
You saw the river after a few moments of walking.
"The river's frozen solid." Brambleclaw remarked.
You watched the ice for a moment. What if it breaks?
"I'll go first." Berrypaw said. Brambleclaw nodded at his apprentice.
Berrypaw pressed a paw on the ice. He slid on the ice and unsheathed his claws.
"It's pretty thick!" Berrypaw ran more faster across.
Brambleclaw got on. The ice held his weight.
You unsheathed your claws and got on the ice. The cold numbed your paws as you started to walk slowly. You could imagine the sensation of drowning when the ice breaks.
Brambleclaw jumped on land. You felt your tail straighten out.
But as you took the last step, the ice broke. You already knew the ice near land was the thinnest, but it held Brambleclaw's weight.
Freezing water carried you under water, numbing your fur and filling up your mouth and nose.
Brambleclaw's teeth got into your scruff and pulled you up.
You felt your teeth chattering as a breeze went by. You shook out your pelt, splattering Brambleclaw and Berrypaw. Your fur felt heavy and your paws were numb with cold.
"Be more careful." Brambleclaw said. Mousepaw jumped on the shore.
Be more careful than being more than really careful?
"Hurry!" Brambleclaw beckoned with his tail.
You saw RiverClan camp. Fear and excitement fluttered in your chest. Your insides were warm when your fur was cold.
"Now!"
You leapt into RiverClan camp, trying to keep your claws sheathed.
You batted Pouncepaw away and shoved Mosspelt aside.
You saw Mousepaw slashing Minnowpaw's muzzle. You bumped Mousepaw away and nodded to Minnowpaw.
Minnowpaw scrambled away and spared you a look.
The Riverclan cats were in worse shape than the first ThunderClan patrol.
You felt Mistyfoot jump on your back, making your legs cripple.
"Ap/n!" Mistyfoot clambered off.
"There's another patrol coming." you murmured to her.
"Beechfur, Voletooth, get at camp entrance!" Mistyfoot screeched to her warriors. They ran to the entrance when you heard another caterwaul.
The scouting patrol came now.
You felt claws down your flank and teeth snapping at your tail. Dapplepaw was attacking you. You spun around and hissed at her, anger in your gaze.
"Ap/n, get to the medicine den! We need to destroy the herbs." Brambleclaw ordered. You stood still. You felt horror rising in your eyes. No herbs? That's a bad plan now.
"Ap/n hurry and go with Lionpaw!" Brambleclaw wrestled with another cat.
You set for the med den. You pushed another cat out of the way and found yourself in the med den.
You hid in a clump of reeds as Mothwing, the RiverClan medicine cat, left to aid another cat.
You gazed at the piles of herb when Lionpaw came.
"Mothwing!" Blackclaw stumbled in the den and saw you and Lionpaw.
You stayed silent and Lionpaw did too.
"We won't touch the herbs." Lionpaw blurted.
"I trust you two. Where's Mothwing?" Blackclaw dipped his head.
"She went out." you answered.
Blackclaw left. You slipped out of the den and was face-to-face with Firestar.
"Are the herbs gone?" Firestar asked.
"Yes, we ripped the useful ones up." you said.
"Good. Go help Graystripe." Firestar sped off.
You found your mentor quickly and chased off the cat that was pinning him down.
Suddenly, a foul smell reached your nostrils.
ShadowClan.
"ShadowClan has come to help RiverClan!" Squirrelflight said.
You felt darkness in your chest expand. RiverClan already trusted you not to attack, but you're gonna have to fight more because ShadowClan won't take mercy on you.
You leapt onto Smokefoot's back, your friend-to-enemy-to-bigger-enemy. He hissed and rolled over, smushing you to the ground.
Hollypaw slashed Smokefoot's belly. You felt drops of his blood on your pelt. He rolled over again and ran away.
"We never thought the other Clans would help RiverClan." Hollypaw panted.
"Thank StarClan ShadowClan is small." you breathed out.
You watched cats ripping at each other. RiverClan's camp was trampled and the dens were sliced open.
"Retreat!" Firestar's yowl caught the attention of all ThunderClan warriors.
You saw the pelts of your Clanmates blurring as they ran back, slipping over marshes and snapping reeds.
You stayed behind, thankful that Lionpaw and Hollypaw had enough sense to too.
An eerie silence rang over the battlefield when the Clan left.
You trotted down to the middle of camp with your friends and met Leopardstar.
"ShadowClan, thank you for helping us." Leopardstar spoke. The rest of the RiverClan cats crowded around.
"No problem. ThunderClan is doing this battle only for bloodshed. We had to help." Blackstar dipped his head.
"No! We tried to stop them-"
Rowanclaw slammed Lionpaw's head down.
"These apprentices should get back."
"These apprentices warned us about the battle before-paw." Leopardstar said coldly.
"We did! We crossed the river two days before the war to warn RiverClan." Hollypaw mewed.
You twitched your ear when Rowanclaw released Lionpaw. Lionpaw flicked his tail.
"Very well. We'll be going now. The next Gathering is in three days." Blackstar left with his warriors.
Leopardstar stepped forward.
"You three should get back to your Clan." Leopardstar meowed. "RiverClan owes you three."
"All right." you pushed Hollypaw up the small hill with Lionpaw and disappeared to the river.
(Timeskip, no you didn't fall in the river again)
Everyone had not noticed you, Hollypaw or Lionpaw had not come back right away. You were currently sitting on the medicine cat den floor, letting Jaypaw pretend to help with your injuries.
"At least RiverClan didn't kill you." Jaypaw said, spreading water on your pelt. He said it looked like herb juices.
You wrinkled your nose. "ShadowClan barely said anything."
You felt Jaypaw rubbing your pelt with a leaf, leaving a herby smell.
"Done. Go to sleep now." Jaypaw licked your ear and walked away, whiskers twitching.
You put your paws out and lay your head on them, allowing the herb smell of the medicine cat den help you sleep.
You didn't win your first battle, big deal. RiverClan owes you and your friends. It could be help someday.