Warrior Cat Short Stories!

Mapleshade's Betrayal

Dead leaves lay on the ground as Mapleshade stood through them. The dark sky towered over her with bright stars and the glowing moon, a silent air blowing through the forest. She saw her Clanmates in Sunning Rocks, fighting against RiverClan's warriors. She let out a sigh and closed her eyes for a few heartbeats before opening them.

My Clan will need my help. Why should I stand here and watch them fight against a rival Clan? Those fish-eaters will pay for setting a paw step in my Clan's territory! Springing off of the ground, Mapleshade joined in with the battle.

She unsheathed her claws and raked them across a she-cat's muzzle, drawing blood. "Mapleshade! Where's backup?" Redheart, ThunderClan's deputy, asked as he leaped to her side.

"Applestar said she'd bring in more soon," Mapleshade answered, dodging her head to the side to miss an oncoming blow. "She should be here by now." Applestar was one of the strictest leaders in the forest. She often got a single cat in trouble for the slightest thing.

She'll most likely be sleeping now, after sending in some warriors, Mapleshade thought. But nonetheless, RiverClan will not win this battle. She pinned down a she-cat and the RiverClan warrior couldn't get up. "Run off and tell Rainstar ThunderClan will not be messed with," she snarled in the warriors' face. "Go on; go back to your little fish Clan."

She let her opponent go, her fierce gaze staring back at the RiverClan warrior. The RiverClan warrior began to scramble away, going across the river where RiverClan's camp lay. They have no right to Sunning Rocks. Just because they eat fish they think they can get what they desire.

She turned her head to see Appledusk of RiverClan leaping towards her. Taken by surprise, Mapleshade found herself rolling past a boulder and into some bushes. Her opponent was off of her, and she scrambled to her paws, hissing in rage.

"Why did you knock me out of the battle?" she questioned. "Maybe I can shred your pelt here to teach you a lesson for trying to claim part of ThunderClan's territory."

"I don't want to fight," Appledusk replied, "especially not against you, my friend. Let's just stay here and --"

"Watch our Clanmates get hurt, possibly die? Appledusk, I can still attack you whether we're friends or not. I'm loyal to my Clan, always, and you cannot change that." Appledusk circled around her. Every part of Mapleshade's pelt told her she shouldn't be talking to the RiverClan warrior, but she couldn't help herself.

"I know how you feel," he then sighed. "I want to be a loyal RiverClan cat. But I can't help it. You're always at the back of my mind and I always think of you. It's hard to try focusing on tasks without you coming into my head. I'm drawn to you, Mapleshade."

"Why?" Mapleshade hissed. "Friends are only for Gatherings. I cannot make my Clan look upon me as disloyal. I want to make a good impression so I could maybe become a leader one day. Why should I care about a RiverClan warrior?"

"You shouldn't," Appledusk answered. "It's just that I do not want to mess up our friendship, at a Gathering or not."

"But you almost killed Firepoppy, my own sister!" Mapleshade argued. "How can you be a friend if you almost killed a cat who is my kin? You mustn't want to be my friend if you did that."

"I didn't want to show Rainstar up," Appledusk mewed. "He wouldn't be pleased with me at all. StarClan knows what he would do." Mapleshasde stared at him and let out a sigh, sheathing her claws. Perhaps her Clanmates wouldn't know she was there as they'd be too busy fighting.

"Look, Appledusk, what do you want?" she questioned. Surely the RiverClan warrior would have a good reason to pull her out of the heat of battle?

"Meet me here at moonhigh, okay?" Mapleshade continued to stare at the silver tabby. She then gave a nod after a few heartbeats.