The omen was still stuck in Cinderpelt's head after the following night. Light cracked into the former dark barn, lightening it up and casting darkness away. She got up from the ground, looking around to see she was the only cat in the barn. They must be out for a walk, she thought and began to leave the barn.
Cinderpelt blinked, adjusted her eyes to the light the sun casted. All of a sudden she spotted Fireheart racing out of bushes, looking panicked. Cinderpelt was confused as the ginger tom, whose pelt was shining like fire, appeared by her side. “What’s wrong?” she asked.
“A WindClan patrol found me,” Fireheart replied, panting as if he had run around the whole of StarClan itself. “They’ve been chasing after me but I’m not sure if they still are. I think I lost them.”
“Where’s Barley, Sandstorm and Greystripe?” the grey she-cat asked. Surely Fireheart would know where the other three cats went off to, seeing as they weren’t seen around the barn by Cinderpelt. Fireheart hesitated.
“I’m not sure,” he then replied. “Greystripe was with me but then we got separated by the WindClan patrol. Barley said he was going for a walk and Sandstorm. . . I have no idea where she is right now.” Cinderpelt gave a nod. I just hope StarClan lights their paths in a time like this, she thought.
The bushes rustled and Fireheart’s head turned. Cinderpelt looked past the ginger tom, seeing a WindClan patrol consisting of Runningbrook, Whitetail, Mudclaw and Crowpaw. All of them except Whitetail looked mad. They shouldn’t be doing this. Have they forgotten about what TigerClan has done for them in the past? Cinderpelt asked herself.
“So you’ve been at Barley’s farm all along,” Mudclaw spat. “No worries, we’ll just finish you off and you won’t be a problem for WindClan or any other Clan.” They want a fight! Cinderpelt noticed Mudclaw’s claws were unsheathed, as well as Crowpaw’s.
“Have you forgotten what we did for your Clan?” Fireheart questioned. “We brought you back into the forest after ShadowClan drove you out. Surely this isn’t how you can repay us?”
“That was in the past,” Runningbrook mewed. “You’ve betrayed the whole forest and you deserve to die, Firepaw. Your little friends can, too.” Whitetail showed a look of uncertainty on her face when Runningbrook said ‘traitor’.
Mudclaw was one of those cats who would rush into a battle with a good enough reason; the whole ‘Fireheart the traitor’ thing gave him just a good enough excuse to attack without any command. Though Tallstar was a wise cat, would he really believe Tigerstar’s lie and attack the two cats – Fireheart and Greystripe – who helped his Clan in the past? Should he even order for an attack on any TigerClan cat when they’ve done nothing wrong?
Mudclaw gave his tail a flick and at once the WindClan cats began to dash towards the two former TigerClan cats. Fireheart and Cinderpelt both turned and began to run away from the WindClan cats. Runningbrook was at Fireheart’s tail and lashed her claws out, catching at bit of fur and taking it off of the tom’s tail.
Mudclaw gave a leap, pinning Fireheart to the ground. Fireheart began kicking his hind legs at Mudclaw’s belly but the mottled warrior refused to loosen his grip. Mudclaw’s amber eyes brightened while Cinderpelt was cornered by Whitetail and Runningbrook. Crowpaw stood back a bit with hesitation. It was clear the apprentice wasn’t taught how to fight much.
Fireheart opened his jaws and bit into Mudclaw’s exposed neck. Mudclaw’s eyes widened and at once the mottled brown tom was thrown off – but not by Fireheart. Fireheart looked to see Greystripe had knocked Mudclaw onto the ground, pinning him. Mudclaw’s eyes were full of fury.
“Need an extra paw or two?” Greystripe questioned. Fireheart nodded to the long-haired grey tom. Cinderpelt lashed her claws out at Whitetail and Runningbrook, failing to hit them. Cinderpelt was left vulnerable against any attack as she was a medicine cat, not a warrior. Fireheart had only basically taught her how to hunt, much to her disadvantage. But when under the training of Yellowfang, she was taught a little bit of battle moves.
“Any last words before you die, medicine cat?” Runningbrook questioned. Cinderpelt shook her head. Runningbrook was bowled over, landing on the ground.
“Barley!” Cinderpelt exclaimed, seeing the black-and-white loner. Barley unsheathed his claws, raking them at Runningbrook’s muzzle. Only Whitetail and Crowpaw were left without an opponent. Crowpaw leaped at Cinderpelt and the dark grey she-cat only dodged to the side, making Crowpaw go flying into a bush.
“Tallstar told us to attack,” Whitetail told Cinderpelt. “I’m sorry, but I must follow my leader’s word. I remember what Thun – TigerClan – has done for us in the past unlike some.” The corner of her eyes fixed onto Mudclaw for a few heartbeats before looking back at Cinderpelt.
At once the she-cat sprung, taking Cinderpelt by surprise, and knocked her to the ground. Claws gripped at her pelt like thorns. Whitetail wasn’t really trying her best. It was as if she had forgotten her training or she didn’t want to attack.
I’ve got it! Cinderpelt fell limp under Whitetail’s paws, much to the white she-cat’s surprise. Was the fight won so easily without even trying? Whitetail slowly loosened her grip and at once Cinderpelt pushed herself up explosively, knocking Whitetail onto the ground.
Cinderpelt leaped onto the white warrior, looking down at her. She didn’t dare to attack the WindClan she-cat as she might kill her – Whitetail wasn’t fighting anyway. All she did was just lie on the dusty ground. “Do you give up?” Cinderpelt asked.
“I give up,” Whitetail replied without shame. Cinderpelt backed away and at once Whitetail shot up, shaking her pelt. She then stared at Cinderpelt, mouthing “Thank you” and began to leave. Mudclaw got up, blood welling from several wounds Greystripe and Fireheart had inflicted on him.
He was utterly beaten and didn’t look too pleased about it. He casted a glare at Cinderpelt as he limped past her. Crowpaw, who had gotten out of the bush, stared at his mentor as he flicked his tail for the apprentice to follow. Crowpaw obeyed the tom.
“Where’s Sandstorm?” Fireheart asked. Barley, having fought against Runningbrook, had a scar on his shoulder and a torn ear. The loner clearly put up a good fight as Runningbrook looked as beaten as Mudclaw.
“I’m right here,” Sandstorm answered, walking into the clearing. She noticed the wounds on each cat and paused. “What happened here?”
“A WindClan patrol found us,” Greystripe replied. “We got into a fight and we just won by a whisker. I think a stiff rabbit could have beaten Mudclaw.”
“Probably,” Fireheart agreed. “We should get back to the barn --”
“It’s not safe,” Barley interrupted. “You’ll have to go somewhere else. WindClan could tell the other Clans and they could come after you.” Cinderpelt froze to the spot. Where are we going to go?
***
Tallstar padded over to the defeated WindClan patrol. He stared at them, noticing they had several scars. “What happened?” he asked. His deputy, Deadfoot, joined his side.
“Those exiled TigerClan cats defeated us,” Mudclaw replied, looking humiliated. “I’ve been beaten by a kittypet.”
“I didn’t tell you to attack if you saw them,” Tallstar answered. “Why would you attack without my order, Mudclaw? You should know fine by now.”
“Mudclaw told us you said we were able to attack those rogues if we saw them,” Runningbrook mewed, her gaze fixing onto Mudclaw. Tallstar continued to stare at Mudclaw.
“I was told!” the brown warrior mewed. “Crowpaw told me you told him we were able to attack. Besides, those rogues were in our territory.”
“Crowpaw, why would you make that up?” Tallstar asked the apprentice, sighing. Crowpaw opened his mouth to protest but sighed. Does my Clan even bother listening to me anymore? Tallstar asked himself. Do they even want to follow Tigerstar’s laws? An image of Gorsepaw appeared in his head. His death was my fault. I did that to the poor apprentice. . .
Tallstar saw Morningflower, Gorsepaw’s mother, walking across the clearing, looking sad. The she-cat decided to stay as a queen because she didn’t want to return to her warrior duties. Am I making the right moves, StarClan? Tallstar asked his ancestors, staring into the sky. They wouldn’t be able to hear him but Tallstar wished they never let Gorsepaw die. Was the apprentices’ death a warning that WindClan should have joined Tigerstar or was it just Tigerstar’s own warning?
Will my Clan ever be safe? Is Tigerstar going to destroy us until we beg to join up with TigerClan? Tallstar’s gaze returned to the defeated patrol. “Crowpaw, you will have an empty belly for the rest of the day. You could have gotten a cat killed!”
Mudclaw casted a glare at the black-and-white leader and Tallstar guessed what he was thinking. I should be repaying Fireheart. I shouldn’t have told them to leave my Clan. They did bring WindClan back into the forest after what Brokenstar did.
Nightpaw bounced over to the cats. Although she was an apprentice, she acted like she was still a kit. “Go away, Nightpaw,” Mudclaw told the apprentice. Mudclaw was Nightpaw’s father and Nightpaw often wanted him to spend more time with her. Nightpaw frowned slightly and went away at her father’s word.
“Go see Barkface,” Tallstar instructed the patrol. “I don’t want my warriors to get infected wounds or anything.” The patrol nodded and began to make their way to the medicine den. Tallstar watched them disappear into the den. Wherever you may be, Fireheart, I hope you are okay and that StarClan is with you.