Alone #3: Broken Amber

Chapter 9

Amberclaw was sullen for the next few days. No one knew why, although she was pretty sure that Midnight suspected. Midnight was very similar to her secret mentor. They both were compassionate she-cats with black fur. Not that the fur colour mattered.

The loners had helped them hunt and keep watch, and the Clan cats were gradually warming up to them. Except for Amberclaw. She was still suspicious. They seemed to have joined them with very little effort at all.

The past few nights, they had been staying in the abandoned Twoleg settlement. Amberclaw thought that progress was slow, but the others believed otherwise. Ebonywind and Ravenflight were both relaxed and laid back. Blackshine and Rustfern had taken to chasing dogs around the settlement, which in Amberclaw's opinion, was a very risky and dangerous thing to do.

When she confronted them on it, Rustfern just rolled his eyes. "The loners are watching us. You worry too much."

The loners turned out to have lots of flaws, although none of the Clan cats could see them. John was over-confident and liked to brag. Lilac was egoistical and prideful. Midnight was shy but when she did speak, she always believed she was correct.

When Amberclaw told Dawnmist about her fears, Dawnmist had shrugged, pointing out their good traits. "John's alert. He smelt the fox when none of us could. Lilac's really brave. She fought off a fox before John could help once. And Midnight's really kind."

Amberclaw had stalked away, fur bristling. Now she stood by herself, fuming. It felt like none of the other cats trusted her anymore. She longed to go home; to go to her mentor again. It had been ages since Amberclaw had talked to her mentor.

Suddenly, Blackshine and Rustfern sprinted over to them, panting. "Quick! We need help!"

"What is it?" Ravenflight asked lazily. "The loners can take care of it."

"Yeah," Ebonywind agreed. "They're brave, after all."

"No, it's wolves!" Blackshine caught his breath.

Wolves.

Amberclaw rushed to her paws. "Where are they?" she demanded.

She might not have liked them, but no cat deserved to die. And besides, they loners needed to take them to the Dynasty of Truth!

Amberclaw led the Clan cats over to a grassy clearing. Her heart froze as she saw the pack of wolves. They were great beasts, with their shaggy gray-black fur and pale-yellow eyes.

"Attack!" Dawnmist ordered. "One cat on one wolf! We don't aim to win; we aim to escape!"

Amberclaw quickly counted the wolves before realizing there were ten wolves and nine cats. She stepped up, ignoring her fear. "I'll take two!" she called.

Dawnmist nodded swiftly; charging at a wolf. Amberclaw followed her lead, raking her unsheathed claws down the pelt of a wolf. Another wolf came at her, his great head swinging in fury. His ears were already clawed and Amberclaw easily took him on.

She soon tired, though. Her paws weren't aiming correctly, and her head was fuzzy. The wolves snapped at her flanks, catching strips of her fur and skin. She yowled in pain as a wolf shoved his head into her flank, his claws holding onto her.

"Help!" she had no choice but to yowl for help.

Midnight, John and Lilac shot over to her, Midnight and John ripping the wolf off her, Lilac subduing the other.

Amberclaw panted in relief as she watched with tired eyes. She was amazed by the loners as they knocked the two wolves out.

"Leave!" Dawnmist was screeching. "Ebonywind, Rustfern, Blackshine, carry Amberclaw! John, Lilac, stop the wolves from coming after us! Let's go!"

Amberclaw closed her eyes and lay on the ground. She opened them to see it was night, and they were back in a Twoleg nest. She groaned feebly, everywhere hurting.

Amberclaw sniffed her flanks, realizing there were herbs plastered all over her flank.

"You're awake!" Ebonywind nosed her way over to her, purring.

"Hey, Ebonywind," Amberclaw croaked. "What happened?"

"We escaped to the Twoleg nest. The wolves were occupied with John and Lilac." Ebonywind explained before hollering over her shoulder. "Guys! She's awake!"

The other eight cats trailed over to her. Dawnmist spoke up. "You're alive. I wasn't sure..."

"I wouldn't die...that easily," Amberclaw rasped. "We still have to find the Dynasty of Truth."

"We'll take you there once you heal," Lilac mewed immediately.

"I was waiting for Amberclaw to wake before I said this," Ravenflight mewed shakily. "But I think you should join us, John, Lilac, and Midnight. You've helped us and without you, we would all be dead."

Amberclaw noticed that all of the Clan cats were wounded; not just her. Ravenflight was missing the tip of her left ear, Ebonywind had a long gash down her side, Blackshine and Rustfern both had scraps of fur missing, Dawnmist seemed to be limping, and of course, Amberclaw was the most injured.

"She's right," Amberclaw struggled to speak; she was so weak. "I didn't trust them, but they saved my life."

John dipped his head. Midnight mewed, "I speak on the behalf of John and Lilac. You're welcome, we would've done it for any cat. We don't leave cats to die."

"We were wondering if, when our quest is over, you would like to come back to the Clans?" Dawnmist asked them. "You'll take on Clan names and join a Clan of your choice."

"What's a Clan?" John asked.

"A Clan is a group of cats who work together. There are sometimes fights between Clans but nothing big. You'll have friends and might even take a mate and start a family," Ebonywind supplied.

Lilac looked at the others before nodding. "Sure. Sound sweet."

"Me too," John agreed.

Midnight hesitated. "Alright. I'm in."

Dawnmist, being the senior warrior, acted as the Clan leader. "John, Lilac and Midnight, do you promise to uphold the ways of a warrior and defend your Clan, even with your life?"

"I do." John spoke firmly.

"I do," Lilac's eyes shone.

"I do." Midnight's voice was strong.

"Then by the power of StarClan, I name you Johnwatcher, Lilacblaze, and Midnightcall," Dawnmist rested her muzzle on their heads and they licked her shoulder in respect.

"Johnwatcher! Lilacblaze! Midnightcall!" the cats called.

"Now, a more serious matter," Dawnmist faced the loners. "You must choose your Clan."

"Is there a difference?" The newly named Lilacblaze questioned.

"ThunderClan typically attack with brute force, like thunder. They live in the oak forest. I'm a ThunderClan cat. WindClan typically are fast and elusive, like the wind. They live in the moor, with no trees. Blackshine and Ravenflight are from WindClan. RiverClan typically swim and live in the marshland. Rustfern and Amberclaw are from RiverClan. And ShadowClan likes the shadows. They are good at camouflaging in the shadows and live in the pine forest," Dawnmist told them.

"Do we have to belong to the same Clan?" Johnwatcher queried.

"No," Ebonywind purred. "You'll still see each other once a moon, at a gathering."

"I'm feeling ShadowClan," Midnightcall mewed quietly.

"I think I'ma WindClan cat," Johnwatcher purred.

"I can't decide between RiverClan and ThunderClan!" Lilacblaze burst.

"That's fine. You can decide later," Amberclaw replied. "I think we should start moving as soon as possible. Leaf-bare will be here very soon."

The cats nodded solemnly. Now that they were all on the same side, it was time to rest. Then, it would be time to find the Dynasty of Truth. 

A/N idk about this chapter. i mean how do cats fight off wolves? then again, these are warrior cats, and they didn't win. Let me know your opinion