Warriors: The Return Of The Greatest Heroes

37. The Mock Battle

Whitestorm, Bluefur, Oakheart, Ravenheart, Fireheart, Sandstorm, Dustpelt, Silverstream, Graystripe, Hollyleaf, and even Mapleshade stood watch that night.

The wind howled through the hollow. The leaves bristled every few heart beats. The dust blew across the camp ground. The fur of the new warriors were all over the place.

Sandstorm wanted nothing more than to groom Fireheart's pelt. It was a mess.

Well, she thought, I guess he gets out of it for now.

The weren't supposed to groom themselves during watch, anyway. Apparently, one warrior was grooming their pelt while a clan attacked, and they couldn't get a warning out in time. There were a few casualties then, but no one's allowed to groom themselves or their mates while watching. Fireheart knew that, and Sandstorm respected that.

But it was annoying her. Even more so now that Fireheart was grinning at her, acting like he had won.

Oh, how I had missed him between our deaths, she found herself thinking.

Sandstorm expected that she and Mapleshade will become quick friends. She didn't know why, but it was just a feeling. They both loved a cat more than life, and all they wanted to do was groom that cat right now. Mapleshade was observing Whitestorm's pelt like it needed to be fixed.

Also, another rule, no talking.

Sandstorm could only contact Fireheart by touching him and meeting his eyes, passing on an understanding.

The night was long. The night was harsh.

Graystripe noticed that the branch honoring all of the cats who died in the Great Battle stood tall; he didn't notice it before. Maybe it was because he was sure that ThunderClan had moved on, but, well, Ashfur was the leader. Of course he wouldn't have forgotten.

Then, like a monster, a thought struck him. What if we are recognized?

His eyes darted around the other cats. If they were recognized, Mapleshade would never be trusted. Even if she killed the BloodClan leader, she would have supported an entire forest of cats who want nothing more than to kill everything. It was dangerous.

She wouldn't be trusted.

Graystripe decided to start thinking of Silverstream instead. She was beautiful...hopefully Millie understands.

That was when dawn broke over the trees.

"You may talk," came Ashstar's tired voice.

Ravenheart let out a breath, like he's been holding it the entire night in order to keep from talking. "Thank StarClan!"

Fernfur, the ThunderClan deputy, emerged from the warriors den. "I wanted to try something with you eleven."

"What?" Fireheart asked.

"A training thing."

All of the cats in question smirked.

"Let's go out into the forest." the deputy walked briskly out of camp.

Once they have arrived, she started her plan. "Since ThunderClan has never had this many warriors be made at once, I wanted to make them all fight in a training battle. Claws sheathed." Fernfur explained.

"But one team will have a greater amount of warriors!" Ravenheart objected.

"Yes," Fernfur nodded, "That is why I've decided to do more than one round. The team with the extra will sub on and off."

Sandstorm nodded, it seemed fair.

"Now," she smiled. "Seperate into your teams."

Fireheart, Sandstorm, Graystripe, Dustpelt, and Ravenheart clustered together immediately. As per usual. That meant that Bluefur, Whitestorm, Mapleshade, Hollyleaf, Silverstream, and Oakheart were on the other team.

"We call being ThunderClan!" Graystripe shouted out randomnly.

Fernfur purred. "Very well. Who will your team like to be?"

"Can we be ShadowClan?" Bluefur questioned innocently.

Fernfur purred even harder. "Yes, Fireheart, take your team over there," she flicked her tail to one side of the hollow, "Bluefur, take yours to the other side."

Once the teams seperated across the hollow, Fernfur and Silverstream, who was out for the first round, quickly climbed a tree. "Begin!" Fernfur called.

Bluefur's team slowly entered the hollow, but Fireheart's did not.

Then, a tail brushed against a bush that was surrounding the fight zone, almost like a signal...

"Oh no," Bluefur groaned. "How could I have been so mouse-brained?"

The attack was launched. Ravenheart, Graystripe, Sandstorm, Dustpelt, and Fireheart streamed into the battlefield, keen on winning.

Graystripe barreled into Whitestorm, knowing that the white warrior would try to take someone down with his size. Therefore, he was Graystripe's perfect opponent. Same size.

They tusseled, only using their paws, not their claws.

Mapleshade met Sandstorm.

Hollyleaf met Ravenheart.

Oakheart met Dustpelt, once again, perfect opponents via size.

Fireheart met Bluefur.

Bluefur was faster than Fireheart. Not by much, but it was what counted. She barreled into him.

He fought back though. They wrestled for a while. That was, until Ravenheart couldn't take on Hollyleaf anymore. Dustpelt darted to his side, fighting off the black she-cat.

Oakheart didn't have an opponent. Oakheart saw the leaders tusseling. Oakheart wanted to interfere.

How Oakheart did it was unknown. Fireheart had landed a blow on Bluefur that sent her reeling backwards to the other side of the hollow.

Oakheart struck.