StarClan isn't real..

Chapter 22

Talontail hissed and spat, snapping and clawing at every Dark Forest warrior she saw. They were in the moor now, which was better than the camp. Beside Talontail, her brother, Speckleleg, fought viciously, his sleek pelt like a RiverClan warrior's in the moonlight. But RiverClan wasn't here; just vicious, Dark Forest warriors, and WindClan heroes.

Lifting a forepaw, Talontail struck one of the dark warriors on the muzzle. He realed and swiped at her, but Speckleleg was on his side in an instant, clawing at the opponent's side. We're winning! Happiness surged through Talontail's heart.

As they fought, she realized that the Dark Forest warriors were fleeing. Did we win? Then she saw with horror that they were heading towards the moonstone. The medicine cats! The untrained healers would be no match for a whole Clan of enemies. The rest of the Clan seemed to have the same thought, as they bolted after the Dark Forest cats.

Stormcloud was faster; Talontail noticed she was crouched under a bush, in case a cat got injured. She shot out from under it and raced ahead of the Dark Forest warriors, straight across the thunderpath that led to mothermouth.

As the medicine cat ran, she felt adrenaline, making her paws go faster. Stormcloud needed to save the medicine cats! They'll get killed, She thought, diving into the hollow that led to mothermouth.

She clawed her way into the tunnel, her claws picking up stones and earth and throwing them behind her. Please, let Weedtooth and the others be okay. She assumed the Dark Forest cats had come out of the moonstone... Dark Forest and StarClan were connected, after all. Weedtooth left only a bit before the attack, and he didn't go straight towards the thunderpath, since he likes walking... what about the other medicine cats, though?

Not knowing what to expect, Stormcloud burst into the cave.

The moonstone sparkled silently, shining down on the other medicine cats. They hadn't laid down yet, and were quietly talking. The ThunderClan medicine cat, Mistleg, turned around first. "Stormcloud?"

The other medicine cats turned their heads. "What are you doing here?" Weedtooth asked. "I thought you didn't want to come."

Stormcloud didn't have time to explain. She could hear the faint sound of pawsteps; the Dark Forest warriors were on there way. "Get somewhere safe!" She yelped. Spotting a ledge sticking out of the cave wall, she pointed with her tail towards there. "Get on the ledge, or you'll get trampled, and probably killed!"

The medicine cats seemed confused, but obeyed, trying to scramble up onto the ledge. The sound of pawsteps drew closer. Quickly!

Just as the medicine cats were all on, Weedtooth slipped, his hind paws scrambling on the crumbly stone. The pawsteps were in the tunnels now. The Dark Forest warriors were almost here. "Get on!" Stormcloud yowled, giving her fellow medicine cat a shove.

The impact of her own movement knocked her backwards. As Weedtooth scrambled onto the ledge, the Dark Forest cats flooded in.

Before Stormcloud could even think of getting up, paws slammed down on her. Claws raked across her chest, and yet many more Dark Forest warriors flooded in. Stormcloud's own pain seemed to drown her, and she was dimly aware of Weedtooth yelling her name. A paw slammed down on her jaw; her upperbite caused by how her jaw was broken slammed into her nose, and blood poured down her neck.

Finally, the Dark Forest cats cleared, and Stormcloud was left on the ground, twitching with pain and discomfort.

***

Talontail streaked acrosss the thunderpath, her paws pounding on the rocky surface. No monsters were out at this time of night, so no cat was in danger of getting hit. Speckleleg was at the back of the crowd, so she'd have to wait for him. Let the medicine cats be okay! She had watched as the Dark Forest warriors flooded into mothermouth and vanished.

As she ran, Yellowpaw raced alongside her. The apprentice had battled ferociously against the Dark Forest cats, as strong as any other apprentice. Talontail hoped that she would have a warrior ceremony, once the battle was over.

"Come on, Speckleleg!" Talontail called as she reached the other side of the thunderpath. "Let's teach these fox-hearts what they have coming!"

She halted and turned, watching as her brother leapt onto the thunderpath and began to run. As he was halfway there, the earth began to shake. A monster! Talontail peered across the path and saw glowing yellow eyes advancing on her brother. He halted and glanced back, his ears flattening and his fur laying back.

The monster didn't falter, and slammed into Speckleleg. "No!"

Talontail gasped as her brother's body was knocked towards her. She took a step back, eyeing his now-bloody brown pelt. "Speckleleg," She hissed, prodding her brother with a forepaw. "Speckleleg, come on. We need to go fight off the Dark Forest cats."

Speckleleg didn't move. He lay limp and quiet, his eyes glazing with something that Talontail realized was death.

Oh, brother... Talontail's eyes rounded, then narrowed with determinition. The Dark Forest warriors would pay! Not looking back, Talontail turned and bounded down the hollow, towards mothermouth. She'd kill as many warriors as possible if it meant her brother would return. Dark Forest, consider yourself already dead.

***

Yellowpaw burst into the moonstone cavern as one last shadowy tail slipped into the moonstone. The medicine cats all crouched on a narrow ledge, staring at something slumped on the ground.

"Stormcloud! No!" Weedtooth leapt down from the ledge and raced over to the his friend. "Stormcloud, get up!"

The medicine cat didn't stir. Blood trickled from her mouth, and scratches on every inch of her pelt. "What happened?" Yellowpaw whispered. Around her, her clanmates were staring with sorrow and grief at the dead medicine cat apprentice.

"She saved us all," Weedtooth croaked.

One of the RiverClan medicine cat's, Sheepdapple, leapt down from the ledge and dipped his head to Stormcloud. "She came to warn us. She saved us, even though she could've saved herself." He pressed his muzzle into his fellow medicine cat's fur. "RiverClan will forever honor her sacrifice."

"ThunderClan will, too." Mistleg murmered. "She was my friend."

The medicine cats of ShadowClan; Stoatwatcher, Troutskip, and Acornpaw, murmered agreement. Fennelfeather and Halfpaw of SkyClan nodded.

As the cats mourned, something flashed behind the moonstone. Yellowpaw tensed and unsheathed her claws. A Dark Forest cat? Then joy lit her heart. It was Stormcloud!

The medicine cat looked young and healthy, with no crooked jaw and energetic eyes. She glanced at her body sorrowfully. Weedtooth perked up, then flattened his ears. "You saved me," He whispered. Running over to his friend, he pressed his head against her neck. "You saved all of us. You didn't even half to." Looking up at the tortoiseshell, he whispered, "Are the Dark Forest cats gone?"

"No." Stormcloud's voice seemed to echo with the voices of many warriors. "They are in their lair, recovering before attacking again. But I can take you there," She added. "A spirit cat can travel between worlds, and I can get you in." Her eyes shadowed. "But if you die in the Dark Forest, you'll die in real life."

Ryepelt spoke up. "I'd risk it."

"Where is Specklebird?" Applestar pushed to the front of the crowd. "And Finchpaw? They went missing, but we never saw bodies."

Ryepelt dipped his head. "That's because they went with the Dark Forest cats."

Applestar's eyes widened, and he curled his claws into the stony ground. "My own deputy," He hissed. Looking around, his eyes widened. "Come to think of it, were missing another cat... where is she?"

Dread hardened Yellowpaw's belly as she scanned the crowd. She knew exactly who was missing, just like the other Dark Forest warriors. "Fallenthroat..."