Oakheart's Promise - A Warriors AU

Chapter 18

Graypaw sat beside Oakheart. The two cats rested in the clearing together, a long day of hunting ahead of them. Clouds concealed the sky, and leaf-bare had finally begun. Cold air swirled around the camp. So, the two huddled together beneath the boulder in the center of the clearing.

"It's a lot warmer here," Graypaw remarked as she and Oakheart leaned against each other. The boulder shielded them from the wind. The reddish tom nodded, taking his eyes away from Graypaw and glancing around the clearing. Beetlenose, who had recently earned his warrior name, was sitting with Voleclaw, his brother. Their sister was nowhere in sight.

Just as Oakheart was relaxing, a shadow fell over him and Graypaw. He lifted his head, peering up to see Hailstar on the boulder above them. "May all cats old enough to swim gather to hear my words!"

What is it this time? Oakheart barely stopped himself from rolling his eyes at the leader. He's been calling so many meetings lately.

But Oakheart knew complaining would get him nowhere. So, he and Graypaw left the shelter of the stone, staying close together while they joined their gathering Clanmates. Brambleberry sat near Crookedjaw and Willowpaw, while Shellheart joined Hailstar beside the boulder. Rainflower was away from Crookedjaw this time, watching him from a distance.

Hailstar announced, "With leaf-bare arriving, we need more territory than ever. We need prey now that the river is frozen over. ThunderClan won the battle last time, but they will not win again!"

Oakheart blinked as he realized what Hailstar meant. He's talking about the battle at Sunningrocks. We're fighting again. However, as exciting as the idea was, he hesitated. Would this fight really be worth it? The rest of the Clan seemed to think so, as yowls of support echoed around the clearing.

Mudfur is awfully quiet. Mudfur, one of the Clan's best warriors, was normally openly eager for upcoming battles. However, the brown tom only watched the leader with uneasy silence. Oakheart wondered if he should be hesitant as well, but he heard Crookedjaw's voice above the others. "Finally! It's time we take back our rightful territory!"

It's what Mapleshade would want from me. Oakheart remembered his StarClan mentor who had been training him every night. And it would help the Clan. It would bring me closer to being leader. With a nod of his head, the reddish warrior decided, "I'll join the battle!"

"Excellent!" The leader smiled at his Clan. "I'll send Oakheart, Crookedjaw, Shellheart, Graypaw, Rippleclaw, Mudfur, and Beetlenose."

Waving his tail, Hailstar finished, "The rest of you can begin hunting." He dismissed the Clan, turning and heading towards his den. Shellheart and Rippleclaw stepped away from the rest of the warriors, Mudfur joining them. Graypaw and Oakheart trotted across the clearing, arriving beside the group. Finally, Crookedjaw and Beetlenose arrived, quietly bickering as the patrol left the camp.

The patrol quickly crossed RiverClan territory, keeping their eyes on the clouds above. They darkened as the day continued, threatening a thunderstorm. However, as it began to drizzle, the group arrived at Sunningrocks.

Oakheart crouched down beside Graypaw, letting small raindrops fall onto his pelt. He was surprised that it wasn't snowing. It feels like my nose is about to freeze off.

The patrol didn't have to wait long. While they were still whispering plans to one another, a yowl erupted over the stones. "I smell RiverClan! Their scent is fresh!"

Another voice, a she-cat's, rang out. "They must still be here! Show yourselves!"

With that, Shellheart left the shelter of the stones, jumping out from a crack between the rocks and snarling as he tumbled into a ThunderClan warrior. Oakheart sprang away from Graypaw, bounding across a large boulder and tackling Adderfang, a respected ThunderClan warrior. The battle raged around him as he sank his teeth into Adderfang's tail.

Adderfang screeched, whipping around and slashing Oakheart across his muzzle. He lurched back, wiping the blood off of his face with a paw. A crack of thunder sounded in the distance, lightning momentarily illuming the dark stones. For just a second, the RiverClan tom could see his Clanmates battling around him.

As Oakheart prepared to strike again, a shriek pierced through the sounds of fighting. "Adder!"

Adder? I thought they only lived at Snakerocks! What is one doing here? Oakheart immediately leaped away, climbing onto a high stone. As lightning flashed once again, he caught a glimpse of the creature snaking its way between the rocks.

"There is a snake!" Oakheart shouted over the distant thunder. "Scatter!"

With that, Sunningrocks began to empty. ThunderClan cats bounded off into the forest, tripping and skittering over pebbles as they went. RiverClan warriors dived into the water, escaping from the deadly snake. However, as Oakheart was about to leap off of the boulder, he heard a cry from below.

Graypaw! Oakheart immediately recognized the voice. He couldn't see the she-cat through the now pouring rain, but he was able to catch a glimpse of her at the next strike of lightning. Sure enough, she was lying on a stone, her side bleeding. It bit her!