Fallen Code (Storm Series, Book Two) (Warriors Fanfiction) (SERIES DISCONTINUED)

Chapter 6

Stormberry let out a low growl at the sight of Tigerstar when she heard another growl behind her. She turned around to see that Mapleshade had followed her in her pursuit of Tigerstar's pawsteps.

"You promised me she wouldn't see you." Mapleshade snarled at Tigerstar as her tail flicked in anger.

"I thought you would be done by now. I finished ages ago with Hawkfrost and Brambleclaw." He replied while throwing a glare and Stormberry toward the end of his sentence.

What? Stormberry thought with a gasp.

"You mousebrain! She wasn't supposed to know yet!" Mapleshade flicked her tail in anger.

"Oh, I know that this is just about... catching up with an old friend," Tigerstar smirked and his gaze sharpened.

"I-I'm sorry, what?" Stormberry began, "What were you saying about Hawkfrost and Brambleclaw?"

"Oh? You hadn't heard? They haven't told you?" Tigerstar turned to look over to Stormberry.

"Tigerstar," Mapleshade stated in a warning, yet angry tone.

"Told me what?" Stormberry cocked her head to the side out of confusion.

"Hawkfrost and Brambleclaw are my sons, that's why I train them here." Tigerstar let out a purr of laughter as he finished his statement.

It was then that all their similarities struck Stormberry, the coarseness Hawkfrost's lighter brown fur seemed to have, Brambleclaw's tall, broad figure, his deep amber eyes, and dark brown fur. Then Stormberry's thoughts took to the tom's sisters, Tawnypelt and Mothwing.

"Does that mean... Tawnypelt and Mothwing.... are they....?"

"Yes, Stormberry, they are indeed my daughters." Tigerstar was fully facing Stormberry now, his tail wrapped around his paws as he sat seated upon the dry leaves of the forest floor. It was as if they were having a normal conversation. But the conversation was far from normal. "We have tried to recruit them, but they steadily persist to stay alongside the stars. I pity them really."

Stormberry sat in silence as Mapleshade fumed from behind her.

"Surely this will make you want to rethink your friendship with them?"

"No," Stormberry replied to Tigerstar's question without hesitation.

"No? What do you mean?" Tigerstar appeared confused, he thought for sure he had her there.

"I don't judge cats by the mistakes their parents made. No matter how big they may have been." Stormberry smiled fakely at Tigerstar before turning around and facing Mapleshade. "I can no longer continue training here, so this is goodbye."

"Tigerstar!" Mapleshade snarled angrily at the older tom. "You can't just leave, Stormberry!" She snarled at the younger shecat.

"I'm sorry", Tigerstar meowed as he began to approach Stormberry, "Did you want your right eye to match your left?"

Stormberry snarled as her fur began to light aflame and she slashed a paw at Tigerstar before she raced off, hoping to reach the border with Starclan. After she raced off, Mapleshade and Tigerstar also raced after her, but they had no trouble tracking her through the trees due to her flames. The other cats of the dark forest also noticed the chase between them and the flaming cat but decided it best not to intervene.

That was when Stormberry saw it. The border with Starclan. It was beautiful, bright, shining, happy, and teeming with life.

It was perfect.

It was a paradise.

She wanted to stop for a moment to admire the beauty of the place before her, perhaps even compare it to the one she was in, but she knew she couldn't. For Tigerstar and Mapleshade were rapidly gaining on her, she could hear their growling and pawsteps coming closer and closer.

So, Stormberry ran faster and faster. Then she jumped, right over the line in between light and dark.

Her body hit the soft grass of Starclan with a muffled, thump as the flames died down. She looked over her shoulder to see Mapleshade and Tigerstar angrily retreating back into the dark forest. For they knew that they could not cross the line into Starclan.

Stormberry turned around, very out of breath, to see many of Starclan's residents looking back at her.

"Well, uh, hi?" Stormberry called out awkwardly.

"Everyone back up, I'll handle this." a familiar voice sounded from the crowd and approached Stormberry.

"I take it you died then, Mudfur?" Stormberry called out to her old friend.

"Yeah, not too long after the clans departed actually." The pair sat down beside each other in the small clearing Stormberry arrived in.

"It seems nice up here. Very peaceful. Are you... is everyone... happy?"

"Oh, yeah, we're always smiling here. Not the same out there though." Mudfur flicked his tail towards the dark forest.

"Yeah", Stormberry sighed "And I'm sorry about me being well... you know... in there."

"No, no, it's ok. You were just horribly... misguided." he shrugged. "All is forgiven on your behalf."

"But what about the other cats that are training there?" What about my friends? Stormberry thought.

"It depends on how deep they let the darkness pull them. If they are like you, and leave it behind, all will be forgiven. But if they stay..." He trailed off.

"They stay there when they die." Stormberry finished.

"Precisely. Now, as nice as it was to see you again, I imagine you'll need to wake up before you're late for patrols."

"Oh, yeah, and.. uh... thank you.... and I hope you're happy here." Stormberry smiled as she stood up.

"And I hope you find happiness down there." Mudfur smiled back as his starry fur shimmered.

"Hey, umm.... is Feathertail doing ok?"

"She's fine. She's off in the Tribe of Endless Hunting today, but next time I see her I'll tell her you miss her."

"Thanks." Then the dream began to fade.

"We do miss you you know, all those that you've lost." Mudfur stood up and began to walk away.

And with that, everything was dark once more. 

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Stormberry awoke in her nest that morning just in time for patrols. As tired and injured as she seemed, she was smiling. She looked to the skies as she walked out of the warrior's den.

I miss you guys too, She thought.

Stormberry was happy, for the old her was back.

She had been found.