DustStars Decision

※Chapter Eight: Cloudy Marshes※

Blinking sleep from his eyes,leaping up and stretching with a wide yawn. AdderRiot leaped over the sleeping body of his clan mate,the rest of the clan had already started with their duties-...Understandable,it was a little after the first light of dawn. "Did you forget about our training?" AdderRiots apprentice sat in front of him with a frown,she was a light brown tabby with amber eyes. "Of course not,BirchPaw." AdderRiot slyly lied,giving a smirk to the disappointed she. "What should we do today?" The tom changes the direction of their conversation,a bit glad to see BirchPaw brighten up. "Battle practice of course. I'll need it to be the strongest deputy of the lands!" BirchPaw chirped,springing up at once. "I'll be AdderStar,you'll be Birch- what did you want your warrior name to be again?" BirchPaw rolled her eyes. AdderRiot had been her mentor for at least a moon now and still couldn't remember her dream name! "BirchBrook,after my mom-..BrookSoar." The she explained breathlessly,she was bored of repeating it so many times over. "Ah,it's still odd to me." AdderRiot shrugged,turning and beckoning for BirchPaw to follow him out the camp. "As if your name isn't odd!" The apprentice scornfully remarked,her long bushy tail thrashing- Though it often hit against brambles and thorny bushes. "Hush,we're out the camp. You know the rules." The tom sharply hissed,BirchPaw never understood why apprentices weren't allowed to speak outside camp during training unless it was urgent or something about the training session. "Why can't we talk,you've explained it before but I still don't get it!" BirchPaw whispered,quickening her pace to stalk amongst the marsh territory shoulder to shoulder with her mentor. "ShadowClan values silence,therefore we learn to keep their jaws shut early in life." He growled,glaring at her for silence. BirchPaw sighed,falling behind him a few mouse lengths. She didn't like being scolded,or even having a tone raised at her. It made since,they were ShadowClan,known for living in pure darkness and silence;But why didn't they speak amongst themselves like all the other clans? BirchPaw tried not to gag as the smell of the Burnt Sycamore clawed the roof of her mouth,it must've taken all the warriors a long time to get used to its foul stench. AdderRiot disappeared into the shadows,BirchPaw quietly following into the thorny tangled brambles to a small clearing looming with pure darkness. The sun didn't dare to cross paths with this place,making it difficult to train-...Difficult for other clans,not for BirchPaw or any other ShadowClan cat. "Let's jump straight into it." AdderRiot declared,a shiver went down BirchPaws spine. She didn't particularly enjoy battle training with her mentor,he was always unfair and she always ended up with some sort of injury at the end. Though she knew she needed the know how to battle,for starclans sake,her clan was known for being deadly! Squinting her gaze,she made out AdderRiots silhouette. She crouched down just as he had,her belly scraping across the muddy ground as she crept in a circle. Awaiting for the tom to make a move,and she'd be prepared for it this time. Just as AdderRiot shot forward to pin her,she slipped out the way. Heading the thud as he ran straight into a thorn bush,watching from the shadows as he heaved himself up with raged eyes. BirchPaw whirled out the shadows in an instant,landing square on his back with her claws digging into his shoulders;Right as he yowled,she leaped off and swiftly climbed onto a over hanging branch. Watching as he rolled over,not realizing until he had his belly fully exposed she wasn't attached to his back-....Screeching in agony as she let go of the branch and landing on all fours with claws digging into his soft pink belly. After a split second of hearing her mentors wailing she sheathed her claws and slipped back into the shadows,he heaved himself up tiredly yet seemed outraged. "Get over here,right now." The tom coldly hissed,standing up. BirchPaw slipped out in front of him,shivers touching her spine as she met his burning green eyes. "Do you wish to die?" AdderRiot scoffed,BirchPaw shook her head silently. It didn't make since to her,everyday AdderRiot always won the fight and gave her many wounds to prove a point! Why couldn't she inflect the same pain upon him for once? "I don't know who you think you are,but your nobody." BirchPaw stumbled back at his harsh words. Suddenly the world went back,forcing her head up she realized he had pinned her down;Her head to the ground. Pain stabbed her shoulders,feeling her warm blood trickling down her side as he dug his claws into her. "AdderRiot..I'm sorry..! I didn't realize you'd be so angry..I thought it'd be even since you always give me wounds when we do battle practice.." BirchPaw wailed,her voice cracking as she sniffled and trembled in dismay. "You will not live to be BirchBrook." AdderRiot whispered in her ear with an evil purr,before she could react she felt great pain rushing to the back of her throat. Slowly hearing a crackling sound behind her ears,she gave a tired sigh and closed her eyes suddenly feeling exhausted.
AdderRiot bounded into his camp with wild eyes,his shoulders clawed up as well as his stomach. He rushed to the front of his camp where his leader and deputy was announcing patrols,the weight of BirchPaws limp body collapsed to the floor. Stepping a vole length away from his apprentices body,breathing heavily and staring at her with blank eyes. "What happened!?" CordsStar yowled in horror,leaping off ShadedRock and crouching at the apprentices limp body. "While training she decided to slip away for a moment to make dirt,when she didn't come back after a long stretch of time I checked on her-..A rogue had picked a fight with her,I chased them off but she didn't survive." AdderRiot explained,his fur standing on end. "Poor BirchPaw.." CrossStar sighed sympathetically,then turning his gaze to AdderRiot. "You are released from your duties for today,you'll sit vigil for your apprentice." CrossStar bowed his head. "She would've turned out as a bold,loyal warrior after her apprenticeship." CrossStar smiled then turned away,announcing BirchPaws death. AdderRiot sneaked away,pretending that he needed time away from the camp to grieve. He remembered the way to WindClan like the back of his paw,he knew about BonnetPaw being exiled from RiverClan after messing with CrossStars kin's. It would only make sense for the apprentice to seek refuge at the welcoming territory of WindClan,wrinkling his nose in disgust as the scent marks hit his nose like a foxes swipe. Parting his jaws and staying alert for any patrols,surely they'd be out with the sun over head! After a moment AdderRiot darted to a small patch of heather,using it as shelter from the plan eye. After a few darts to the next bush or heather patch he saw the outlook rock;A sign he was right next to the WindClan camp! He'd creep closer,hiding within a small prickly bush. Squinting his green eyes to observe,easily spotting his mother and father sharing tongues on the WindyRock. His tail thrashing as he spotted ThornPaw and DovePaw,along with who appeared to be BonnetPaw! Did they think they could replace him with BonnetPaw!? Fire started within AdderRiots heart,his claws unleashing and hooking into the moor grass along with roots. He forced his paws to the ground,trying not to spring onto BonnetPaw. Envy,that was what he felt towards that mouse brained RiverClan ShadowClan hybrid....Seeing her with his siblings,his siblings. Making them laugh,smile,play fight...All the things he should've been there doing with them,AdderRiot sat for a moment and imagined himself throwing BonnetPaw into the ThunderPath;Right in front of an oncoming monster,just so his siblings couldn't have happiness. They didn't deserve it! They should've still been grieving over him changing clans! Then,the perfect idea came up...Create a fake event between WindClan just to wipe the whole clan out! Then RiverClan and ShadowClan will rule the forest,of course not as one but still! AdderRiot scampered to the next bush and the next with his belly rubbing the moor ground,quickly climbing the fern wall and into the nursery. He peered in a saw one white kit had strayed,all the queens and kits were asleep. Perfect! AdderRiot smirked,twisting his paw through a small gap within the nursery's wall. Slowly he scooped the kit closer to him,covering it in the scent of Ivy leafs then biting into its throat until he heard a small sigh escape its small pink nose. AdderRiot pushed the kit against the nearest queens tail,standing up quietly and letting out a echoing screech. At once the queens flinched awake,their kits whining while the other cats rushed towards the nursery;AdderRiot made sure to leave behind the smell of ShadowClan though not to make it clear it was his smell. Quickly the Swift tom climbed back up the tangled ferns,hiding within the bush from earlier. The once peaceful camp now reeked of fear,giving a smile of success. Feeling no regret as he saw his siblings,his parents,and BonnetPaw had now horrified widened eyes. The queen sitting in front of the nursery with the kit in her paw,close to her chest as she sobbed and yowled. As he studied the queen to see if he could recognize her he realized she was BurningBreeze,the queen whom had helped his mother raise him...Suddenly regret stabbed his heart,shaking the feeling away at once. He couldn't go back now,she was a senior queen at this point. Trying to comfort himself that she's had many successful litters,one death wouldn't do any harm. Though he couldn't help feeling a bit disappointed n himself that he hurt his adoptive mothers heart,crouching in the bush and watching as chaos erupted within the WindClan camp. After a moment longer he forced himself to retreat back to his side of the border,a bit of relief washed over him once he stepped into the safety of the shadows. Now was to create a event with his clan,he reeked of WindClan-...It wouldn't be a surprise if ThunderClan could smell him! He quickly bounded through his marsh territory,dropping into a Swift crouch as he reached the outside part of the nursery. Basically where the queens made dirt but he seemed of a WindClan warrior,to his surprise the nursery was practically deserted of any queens or their kits. One he held back a scoff,fixing his glowing green gaze on the small dark ginger kit known as foxkit. To him,it wasn't a big deal if Foxkit died;The kit had a very boring name,making it seem like his parents picked the first name they thought of! Slowly he reached a paw through the gap in the nursery's walls,just as he had done at WindClans nursery. Edging the sleeping kit closer to him,thinking it would be the same boring death for the kit;Until it let out a cry for its mother,giving an evil laugh he bit into its stomach. Foxkit winced and squirmed helplessly before going limp,giving a soft sigh. AdderRiot left the stench of Ivy leafs on the kit,the reek of WindClan all on the floor and behind the nursery that led to no name and led no where else. It was a fun game,watching from a over hanging branch as the queen of the kit scooped the kit up into her paw in horror. CrossStar busting into the nursery in dismay,seeming to pray to StarClan for forgiveness. CrossStar must've been weakened at the thought of loosing two cats in one day,yet it didn't effect AdderRiot one bit. If anything it was entertainment,the horror he could cause cats to feel,the chaos he could stir two clans into with such ease. After a moment longer he leaped off the branch he had perched upon,cleaning his pelt off and replacing it with the scent of ShadowClan. Taking some time to hunt,entering his camp with three lizards in his jaws. He smirked when he saw the clan gathered in a meeting,CrossStar giving the normal burial ritual to the dead kit. Nobody seemed to notice AdderRiot's absence,dropping the prey into the pile of fresh kill and slipping to his spot off to the side. Watching the meeting with emotionless eyes,he knew all what was being said and even more. "I declare war on WindClan! AdderRiot," Is the only thing that caught the warriors attention. Standing up and walking to the front of the ShadedRock,"I grant you the mission of traveling to RiverClan and informing them that we will be attacking WindClan at moon high." AdderRiot gasped with surprise. Giving a sharp nod,he expected the war to be soon but not for him to be chose to inform RiverClan! "Lonesome?" AdderRiot had the feeling CrossStar expected him to go alone,though he wanted to be verified. "Lonesome." The black and white tom nodded,his eyes sharp. "Go to the medical den and eat some traveling herbs,it's quite the travel but I trust you to be fast. Make sure to eat before you set off as well." With a sway of his dimmed tail,the meeting came to an end. The apprentices bunched together to spill gossip about RiverClan and WindClan,excited for the thrill of war that was coming near. AdderRiot slipped into the vines that blocked sight of the inside of the medical den,though the medicine cat was speaking to CrossStar. Therefore AdderRiot helped himself,grabbing the herbs he was sure were the traveling herbs. Gulping them down and wrinkling his nose in disgust,slipping out as quiet as he had came in and collecting a plump frog from the fresh kill pile. Though he didn't take the time to enjoy it,this was a timed mission;If any time was wasted,it could fail the entire event! Gulping down the last of the frogs slimy leg,giving a disgusted cough then bounding off into the marsh territory. Lizards ran away from his paws,not seeming to like the idea of being stepped on.
The sun was crossing over the sky,threatening to dip under the milky clouds soon. Letting go of a held breath as the wind clan scent marks hit his nostrils,once again bounding from heather clump to bush. Luckily no WindClan cats patrolled,it seemed as if they had deserted their own territory. Flinching a bit at every kestrels call,breathing heavily as the sun showed his back no mercy;Relived to recognize one of the great oaks looming close by. Practically collapsing in front of an abandoned fox den,his paws ached! Though the sun seemed stuck half way in the sky,as well as the sky being as bright blue as possible. Dragging himself into the fox den and resting in the spacious den,chewing on a small brown speckled robin he had found while venturing within WindClans territory. Though still on the edge of their territory,basically in the middle of them and RiverClan.
After a few minute nap he trotted out the fox den,fully energized at last. Crossing the odd two leg bridge,wrinkling and spitting in disgust of RiverClans scent marks. He could never get used to the stench of fish,though he never said it to the cats of RiverClan faces. Giving a small sigh of relief as he reached the stepping stones,swiftly crossing and into RiverClans camp. Lucky for him,StreamStar perched upon WetRock,instantly noticing him and trotting to him. "You've traveled quite far,it must be important." StreamStar remarked,seeming a bit surprised at how much land AdderRiot had covered in such short amount of time. "Very important." AdderRiot dipped his head,not wanting to waste another second. Quickly,at his presence all of RiverClan huddled to hear what he had come to inform them about. "A WindClan warrior snuck into the nursery and killed a ShadowClan kit in cold blood,as well as my apprentice being killed by a rogue today. CrossStar cannot deal with any more deaths of clan mates and has decided to declare a surprise war upon WindClan." AdderRiot gave a quick over view of the event,StreamStar blinked with an opened jaw of surprise. "When?" AdderRiot breathed heavily,catching his breath to reply. "Moon high." StreamStar seemed surprised that there was a war at such short notice but bowed her head,"Thank you for traveling so far so quick. May Starclan walk with you." The molly sweetly smiled. Though the tom tried not to hiss at the words 'StarClan',he never supported those made up tales made for kits. "You will guide my clan straight to your clans camp,from there RiverClan will follow ShadowClans orders." StreamStar raised her tone for her clan to also hear,a few low growls of disapproval came yet none voiced it to their leaders face. "But,won't WindClan suspect something when they smell our smells mixed in with a ShadowClan cat?" SalmonPaw,the medicine cat apprentice boldly pointed out. StreamStar narrowed her eyes,AdderRiot was a bit surprised to see hatred flash in the leaders gaze. "WindClan is far to busy with bees in their brains to notice anything,we've been stealing rabbits from them for moons but have they noticed anything?" StreamStars reply was scornful,seeming to challenge the apprentice to object yet none came. AdderRiot didn't ask why RiverClan was stealing prey,he already knew about it,two legs had poisoned their rivers and such. "Then,AdderRiot." StreamStar gave a growl at the medical apprentice,turning her harsh gaze to the ShadowClan tom. "Lead the way." She ordered,all the RiverClan cats kept silent though a few still held objective gazes. AdderRiot bowed his head then turned,swiftly clearing the slippery stepping stones and awaiting for the clan to finish. Not surprised to see all the clan had come,queens carried the few kits the clan had within their jaws while warriors helped elders across the stepping stones. His gaze settled on StreamStars half clan kin,MistyPaw and FogPaw,they held unsure gazes as they sat at their mothers side. AdderRiot shifted uncomfortably as StreamStar flicked her judgmental gaze to his green gaze for a split second of time then turned it back to her clan,at-last they had finished crossing. "You'll have to speed up if you want to reach my clans camp in time." AdderRiot retorted boldly,glaring at StreamStar in challenge. "I'll make sure my deputy takes care of the elders,I believe our medicine cat and medicine apprentice are carrying two kits." StreamStar dipped her head,not daring to battle with the tom in front of the whole of her clan. "You'd better." The tom hissed,sharply turning and leading the clan through their terrain. FogPaw and MistyPaw soon walked at each side of him,StreamStar watching closely behind. "What's it like to be a warrior in ShadowClan?" FogPaw hesitantly asked after they reached the two leg bridge that crossed into WindClan,StreamStar decided to stop at their side of the bridge to speak with her deputy. "Quiet." AdderRiot sat down,fixing his gaze to the two curious apprentices. "Do you hunt all day in nothing but darkness?" MistyPaw piped up,seeming a bit more bold than her brother. "Yes. It's what we prefer,we are ShadowClan after all-..Not SunClan." The tom snorted,his tail lashing slowly. "No need to be a fox heart." MistyPaw snapped,her eyes narrowed and tail thrashed. FogPaw gave his sister a look that AdderRiot could only imagine said stop it,flea brain! Yet before he could respond to the nagging apprentice,StreamStar appeared in front of him. "How far of a travel is it across WindClan,exactly? It's not everyday I travel these lands,but you know the path well." The formal she asked,trying not to give away she had no clue what to think of the events until she spoke with CrossStar. "Not very long of a journey,but the path we have to take is edging close to their camp. And after we cross their territory,we have to cross the thunder path to actually get to my camp." AdderRiot explained,holding back a chuckle because of the fact the she was mates with CrossStar yet had no clue how to actually get to him. "Alright,lead the way then." StreamStar must've known exactly what he was thinking,her tone seemed offended. AdderRiot shrugged,heaving to his swift pale grey paws and crouched amongst patches of heather as he lead the way through the WindClan territory. To their luck,no patrols where out,they must've already gone out since there was a stale smell of them. "WindClan!" AdderRiots felt bristled as FogPaw yowled under his breath,immediately diving into a nearby spacious fox den. "We're not all going to fit in here!" StreamStar hissed,the whole of the clan fit except for the elders. "Then leave the elders outside in a bush!" AdderRiot coldly decided,it didn't matter to him what happened to the ancient flea bags! Quickly,the deputy shoved the cramped elders out the den,watching as they scrambled into a bush. "What in StarClans name!?" AdderRiot gave a gasp as it was BonnetPaw who yowled in surprise,her eyes widened and fur bristled. Yet no streak of hostility within her gaze,oddly. "No time to explain,BonnetPaw." StreamStar growled hostilely,"Lead us across your territory and to the thunder path at once." BonnetPaws face twisted in deep curiosity yet didn't dare to ask her former leader anything. "We'd better be quick,a patrol is being arranged as we speak-..The whole of your clan and you,won't be welcomed." BonnetPaw scoffed,surprise tingled AdderRiots paws as she flicked her ear towards him. "Follow me at once,unless you want your tails to be ripped off!" StreamStar let out a growl deep within her throat at the apprentices sarcastic remark yet hesitantly followed with the rest of her clan,AdderRiot somehow ended up bringing up the rear. To his relief BonnetPaw hadn't tricked them,she actually and quite quickly lead them to the side of the thunder path. "I'm not sure what your traveling for,but I hope you end it safe and sound. Before you ask or threaten me,no,I'm not going to tell WindClan anything of this kind happened." BonnetPaw bowed her head,AdderRiots heart ached as he knew something she didn't. A war would be coming up and her clan would practically he driven to extinction,pushing the feeling of mercy away as soon as it came. "I hope you stay safe as well,BonnetPaw." The ShadowClan tom slyly lied,watching as the apprentice slipped into a heather patch and out of sight. "StreamStar and your deputy will cross first,then the warriors and apprentices,then queens and their kits along with the medical cats,lastly me and the elders." AdderRiot ordered,the clan mumbling quiet agreements. As he had ordered,each rank bounded across the unbusy ThunderPath. At last it was his and the elders turn,shoving the elders along with a hiss of impatience,suddenly through the dusks slow darkness the beam of a monsters eyes crept closer. At once AdderRiot leaped the rest of the way,landing on the marsh territory of ShadowClan then turned with a cold stare at the ThunderPath;Watching as the two helpless elders got crushed by the monster with small gasps of horror. "Well,there goes those burdens." AdderRiot shrugged,watching as their squished flanks rose for the last time and the monster trailed off carelessly. "ReedWinds,please gather the elders body's and throw them over there." StreamStar flicked her wispy ended tail towards a two leg made fence that dipped to a small stream.