StarClan isn't real..

Chapter 26

Logpaw launched himself down the moor, his pelt brushing against Yellowpaw's. For once, he didn't mind. The Clan is in danger. There's no time for pettiness. Ahead of him, Yellowpaw, and his brother, Fallowpaw, were also springing into battle. Dark Forest cats and WindClan warriors fought tooth and claw, tearing blood and flesh with thorn-sharp weapons.

Lunging towards a Dark Forest cat who was attacking Heronburr. He tore the warrior off the black WindClan cat, shocked to see hazel eyes, not Heronburr's blue ones. He could smell fish, all around him. A RiverClan warrior!

"Thanks, kid." The warrior croaked.

Peering closer, Logpaw realized it was Stumpyshade, one of the senior RiverClan warriors. Glancing around, Logpaw spotted Sandleap, Lilypaw, a black and white she-cat called Tallpaw, and a short-tailed tortoiseshell tom called Featherskip, all launching themselves into the fray with claws gleaming in the moonlight.

A battle patrol has come! Logpaw let out a sigh of relief.

The yowls of battle must've attracted some SkyClan cats, too; a patrol of four cats, Darksong, Brindlescar, Jayspirit, and Willowspeck, launched themselves into the fight.

It may not be enough. WindClan was weak, and there were so many Dark Forest cats. We need help from ThunderClan, and ShadowClan.

Spotting Sandleap, he bounded over to her. "We need more help than this," He panted. "Can you send Lilypaw to go fetch ShadowClan or ThunderClan?"

"Lilypaw's not my apprentice. I was just taking him out for training one day," Sandleap told him. "But I can send someone! Featherskip," She called to the tortoiseshell tom, who was fighting off a Dark Forest warrior. He gave them one final blow before turning to look at Sandleap. "Go tell Bouncestar and Smokestar about the attack!"

Featherskip hesitated, then nodded and bounded off.

"He's fast. We'll have backup in no time." Sandleap purred. "Where's Talontail, or Speckleleg? Or Greenfern? Are they okay?"

"Greenfern and Talontail are fine," Logpaw murmered. "But Speckleleg... he's dead."

Sandleap let out a shriek of horror, that sounded over the sounds of battle. "Dead? How?"

"A monster," Logpaw explained, feeling dread weigh down his paws at the fact he had to explain this to a mother. "When we were chasing the Dark Forest cats across the thunderpath, he was hit by a monster."

Sandleap let out a growl of rage. "Dark Forest! They'll pay."

Logpaw watched as she launched herself into the storm of battle, fighting and tearing at any enemy warrior that came her way. Logpaw nodded solemnly, then turned back to the fight. The Clan needs me. It's time to be the warrior that I've always wanted to be. Glancing back at the battle, he sighed. Without Finchpaw.

***

Applestar hissed, teetering at the edge of the gorge as he thrust Specklebird away. "I trusted you!" He hissed, leaping away from the dangerous water edge. "I picked you as deputy. Wasn't that enough?"

"It was, for young me," Specklebird snapped back. "But I want more than that."

The blue-gray warrior pounced on Applestar, and the white tom hissed as claws sank into his shoulders. "Have you no morals?" Applestar spat, pummeling his deputy's belly with his powerful hind paws. "You made an oath when you were made a warrior. I was the deputy at the time; I remember!"

"Applefall, yes." Specklebird rolled his eyes and leapt away from Applestar's kicking hind paws. "You're as foolish as you were moons ago."

With a yowl, Applestar lunged at Specklebird. He rolled the deputy over on the ground, wishing he had seen the signs. He was always slightly lazy. He'd wake up and send whatever cats he wanted on the dawn patrol, then mostly just talked with Finchpaw, Ryepelt, and Fallenthroat for the entire day... or Oatflower. He and Oatflower would go out in the moor, and sometimes that she-cat would have scratches or even a worse limp.