Warriors - The Leopard's Apprentice

-Faded Memories - The Death of Featherclaw-

       The thunder storm raged on as all the cats in Forestclan hardly noticed the weather however, Lakeclan had sent a raid and the clan was trying their best to fight in such a weather. "Where's Featherclaw?!" A young tom yowled through the chaos; Sprucethorn. Try and try again he couldn't find her and she didn't acknowledge the brown tom in the slightest, typical Featherclaw always wanting the action of a battle he thought with much irritation. Sprucethorn skidded towards the Oaktree just in time to see a large warrior come barreling towards him claws fully unsheathed. The warrior was white with black round spots on his back, he hissed at Sprucethorn and circled him "Filthy Forestclan!" he spat before leaping onto Sprucethorn. Sprucethorn growled and slashed the tom against his cheek. Infuriated, the Lakeclan tom pinned Sprucethorn to the ground his claws covered in crimson blood. Sprucethorn tried to move but without much luck, he writhed against the ground but was still stuck; a white shadow struck the tom sending him barreling into the Oaktree his fur covered in his own crimson blood.

"Featherclaw." Sprucethorn breathed, "you have to go your expecting our kits." he panted. "Sprucethorn I'm not leaving to go hide somewhere like some mouse-brained apprentice" she snapped, "besides I couldn't let you die" she added. "Featherclaw what are you doing?!" Pearleaf hissed leaping through the scene "I told you your not fighting you could put your kits in danger!" he growled. "Pearleaf I can defend myself just fine I'm not worried about that I need to defend my clan." she insisted. But Pearleaf shook his head "I'm sorry Featherclaw, but this time I don't want you fighting - not for you but for your kits." Sprucethorn nodded agreeing with Pearleaf's statement his eyes pleading. "But-" Featherclaw stopped and flicked her tail "I'm only going to protect my kits." she growled under her breath.

"Sprucethorn, I need your help" Pearleaf continued, "we have to get everyone out of here we aren't going to win." "Try taking that up with Bearstar he's not going to like your idea to much." Sprucethorn growled tackling a Lakeclan apprentice to the ground, the young tom was black with a tan lightningbolt looking marking, the apprentice's eyes looked pleading. Sprucethorn lifted his paw and swiped the apprentice across his chest just enough where he knew it would leave a scar before letting him go. Sprucethorn had to find Poisonstar and convince him to stop this madness - he knew however it was no use. Meadowlark banged into Sprucethorn on accident quickly apologizing "I'm sorry I need to find Rivershadow, where's Bearstar?" she asked in a hurry yowling over the noises of the battle. Sprucethorn shrugged and clawed another Lakeclan cat "I haven't seem him since the battle started!" he yowled "Pearleaf just told me that we have to stop this battle." he continued, now back-to-back fighting with the orange she-cat. "Bearstar isn't going to want that!" she yowled.

A screech rang through the clearing as soon as she answered, but Sprucethorn didn't have time to think about it. Meadowlark was tackled to the ground by the Lakeclan deputy - Flameclaw. The large orange she-cat ripped into Meadowlark's pelt causing the she-cat to cry out in pain but the larger cat did not stop her claws covered in numerous cats blood. Sprucethorn reacted quickly tackling the younger warrior to the ground, she growled in protest and began to claw at his face. Sprucethorn helped Meadowlark to her feet both of the cats growling menacingly Flameclaw still did not seem deterred as she circled the two cats with an evil glint to her eyes "Forestclan will forever rot" she snarled leaping at the two cats. Taken by surprise both cats only had enough time to leapt out of the way and Meadowlark immediately tried to pin the she-cat but because of her size the task was nearly impossible.

Meadowlark yelped in surprise as another cat had gotten up; it was the white tom from earlier who had now gained consciousness. "Moonspots, you take the she-cat, the pretty little tom's all mine." Flameclaw sneered jumping towards Sprucethorn. The white tom, Moonspots began to claw Meadowlark's fur in the places Flameclaw had already slashed, she growled and spun jumping on top of the Lakeclan tom and pinning him her claws were covered in blood but she didn't stop as her claws sunk deeper into his neck. Moonspots cried out in pain but it was short lived as his eyes began to glaze over and his mouth filled with his own blood. Meadowlark panted and jumped away to find her mate, leaving Sprucethorn alone with the crazed she-cat Flameclaw. "Oh I do love get togethers especially when it's so unexpected." she said her tone dripping with malice "It's a shame you never got to see your precious kits and they were so cute too." Sprucethorn's heart dropped.

"Your lying!" he spat, however he soon remembered the screech in the distance. Flameclaw seemed undeterred by his response her claws digging into his shoulder "and why would I lie to someone as lowly as you I saw them with my own two eyes." she said her fire like eyes felt as if they were burning into his skull. "What did you do to my children!" he spat leaping onto her. Flameclaw was caught off guard and scrambled away leaving Sprucethorn heaving in pain. "Bearstar!" he yowled noticing the leader fighting Poisonstar up on the Oaktree, lightning struck just in time to make out two silhouettes of cats. With no time to think about his kits and the crazed she-cat's words he leapt up the Oaktree and began to help Bearstar with Poisonstar. Poisonstar snarled at the newcomer but he didn't stop his fight with Bearstar, "Bearstar!" Sprucethorn yowled again. Bearstar gave Sprucethorn a strong smile - "Thanks for the help. I knew I made the right choice to make you deputy." he said with a lopsided grin. Poisonstar growled and began to back away, "Poisonstar wait!" Sprucethorn said leaping towards the black tom but it was too late.

Poisonstar began to plummet to the ground, it took a second to realize he had just lost a life. "Lakeclan Retreat!" he growled, rushing towards the camp exit, Sprucethorn was heavily panting beside Bearstar before he remembered something. It's a shame you never got to see them, they were so cute too. Flameclaw's words hit him like a boulder and he rushed towards the battlefield where the rest of Forestclan was being looked over by Pearleaf while others helped cats and started repairing dens despite the rain. Sprucethorn rushed towards the clearing "Featherclaw!" he called "Featherclaw!" Meadowlark looked at Sprucethorn with a sad expression grief clouding her eyes but she didn't say anything just flicked her tail for Sprucethorn to follow.

As the two cats went towards the back of the camp Sprucethorn gasped, there in the center of the clearing was Featherclaw's body completely destroyed her organs lay sprawled out and her neck still pooling crimson blood. "No, no, no, no, no, no, NO!" Sprucethorn yowled. "She was my best friend." Meadowlark mumbled sadly. The two cats looked to see three small bundles of fur beside the she-cat mewling in the darkness "A-are those m-my kits?" Sprucethorn stammered. Meadowlark nodded and gripped one of the kits in her teeth, the kit was a tom that closely resembled Sprucethorn himself while the other two she-kits were smaller and closely resembled Featherclaw one had bright green eyes while the other had beautiful blue eyes, the tom had darker green eyes like Featherclaw's.

Meadowlark motioned Sprucethorn to pick up the other kits and he sadly padded over to the dead Featherclaw gripping the youngest she-cat in his teeth, Meadowlark called Rivershadow and the rest of the clan over and with a little effort the clan had managed to carry Featherclaw's body into the clearing. The three cats moved the tiny kits into the nursery where Suntail promised to look after them with Branchkit until Meadowlark moved into the nursery and would help care for them. Pearleaf put a nightingale's feather on Featherclaw and all the cats who knew her shared tongues with their beloved friend for the last time. Sprucethorn still hadn't said anything he padded sadly toward the camp entrance to sit vigil for his beloved mate, Meadowlark to his left and Rivershadow to his right.

It had been two days since the vigil for Featherclaw and even though he knew she would be furious with him, Sprucethorn still had not visited his kits in the nursery - in fact he hadn't even named them. He padded into the nursery where Suntail sat with Branchkit and his kits. Sprucethorn sat beside the queen and nuzzled his precious kits, "I'll name this one Lilykit." he said staring at the smallest white she-kit with dazzling green eyes. Suntail looked towards the kits and smiled "that's a lovely name." she whispered "This one will be Dovekit." he purred staring at the second smallest white she-kit with darker sapphire eyes. "And-" he said staring at the largest, a light brown tom with some black markings "And this one will be Timberkit, Featherclaw always wanted a tom kit named Timberkit." he murmured. Suntail placed her tail on her brother's shoulder "she's looking down at you with pride from Starclan." she whispered soothingly. Sprucethorn purred in response and stared up at the stars his three kits curled up beside him "thank you Featherclaw." he murmured before drifting off to sleep.