Rising Mist || 1 || Warrior Cat's Fan Fiction ✔️

Chapter Eleven

It was a sunny day, no clouds were to be seen. Most of Skyclan lounged around, grooming themselves and devouring the prey. There were only two hunting patrols out, with Lilypad, our clan's best hunter, and Stormcloud accompanying Tropicpalm and Huckleberry to pick herbs. Amberstorm was slacking at border patrols, with only one out to keep watch. I took another lazy bite of my thrush, chewing it mind-bogglingly slowly. 

Suddenly, Stormcloud burst into camp, fury written across his face and the way his ears flattened, "Shadowclan has crossed the border! They sent a patrol all the way here to attack! Those mange-pelts!"

I swallowed my mouthful of prey, cursing, "Fox dung!"

Only yesterday, at the Gathering, Shadowclan had accused Hawkstar of allowing Lilypad, Tropicpalm and I to influence the minds of all the apprentices and kits. No cat had thought they would actually attack. 

Amberstorm shot me a look of accusation, jumping to action, "Stormcloud, Eaglesoar, Nightpelt, Patchwhisker, Morningpaw and Mistysky! Come with me!"

Nightpelt and Patchwhisker, our fastest runners, shot after her, causing the vines covering the camp entrance to sway. Stormcloud followed, not far behind and I started to chase his tail but stopped. Morningpaw had her ears flat against her head in fear and Eaglesoar was nudging her forward persistently. 

I rushed to her side, "Morningpaw! It's okay, Skyclan shall triumph in this fight! We shall tear the pelts of those mouse-brains! Littlebird will be so proud of you!"

Morningpaw's resolve seemed to harden immediately at the word 'Littlebird'. She sprinted off out of camp without another world. Eaglesoar and I followed fast on her tail. Putting on a burst of speed, I passed Morningpaw and Stormcloud, running beside Nightpelt determinedly. I skidded to a halt, opening my mouth in a gasp of shock as I saw the Shadowclan cats. 

There were so many of them! 

They poured from the bushes, slamming into Nightpelt and Patchwhisker with their claws unsheathed. From the trees, three cats dropped down in front of me. I slid out my claws, slashing at them ferociously.

How dare they use a Skyclan attack method! 

The tortoiseshell hissed, dodging, "It's us! Lilypad, Tropicpalm and Huckleberry."

I withdrew, forcing my fur flat, "Sorry! Tropicpalm and Huckleberry should be somewhere safe!"

Hustling them into a bush, me and Lilypad charged into the battle. As I raked my claws across a brown tom's pelt, Amberstorm's voice sounded above the chaos, "Skyclan! Hold them back for as long as you can! We can't let them get to camp! Nightpelt! Go get backup!"

The tom turned around with his front paws flying. I ducked low, clawing his hind legs before rising onto my back legs and crashing down onto him. The older warrior jerked me off easily and scored his claws across my ears before tripping me with a bat of his paw.

I tried to scramble back up but he pinned me down with his paw, snarling, "You're a good fighter. But not good enough."

He slashed my side and I yowled painfully. A flash of golden-brown fur knocked the tom off and he fled, tail between his legs. Eaglesoar heaved up several breaths. There was a deep scratch on his back and clumps of fur were missing on his shoulders. His ears had been clawed and there was a scratch on his cheek. 

But he still tilted his head with pride. 

I jumped up, "Thanks, Eaglesoar."

The warrior nodded at me then dove back into the battle, his tail whisking out of sight. Looking around, I stiffened. Morningpaw dueled Frostcloud, a warrior two times her size. Blood poured from a severe shoulder wound but she kept fighting, her teeth gritted. I let out a caterwaul, jumping across to him and sinking my teeth into Frostcloud's tail. I dragged him sharply away from Morningpaw, paws shredding his hind legs. 

The much bigger warrior turned and cuffed my ears. I held on determinedly, scoring my claws across his chest. Eaglesoar appeared again, latching himself onto Frostcloud's back and sinking his teeth in to his ear. The enormous tom reared and landed on his back. I let go of his tail, jumping away with a gasp; Eaglesoar had been flattened underneath him. 

I head-butted Frostcloud off and buried my muzzle into Eaglesoar's chest, listening for a heartbeat. I heard nothing. For a moment, I froze, my fur standing on an end. Regret made me bit my lip; I had never really gotten to know the young warrior. 

But then a wave of grief jerked me into motion. Throwing my head back, I let out a wail of pure misery and defeat. Morningpaw crouched beside me, her shoulders trembling and tail drooping as she licked Eaglesoar's fur tenderly. Her softness startled me and my fur froze in realisation. 

Eaglesoar was her mentor, but could he have been more than that?

I swung around, my teeth bared. Most cats had frozen when he had been crushed but there were still more cats that were at each other's throats. Amberstorm stood a little way in front of me, shaking uncontrollably.

Her eyes were wide with shock but she recovered, for the sake of the clan, "Skyclan! Retreat!"

I saw Stormcloud slap Blackwhisker across the face before turning around and running off after Amberstorm. Sootheart, the Shadowclan deputy, called, "Shadowclan! Back to camp!"

Tropicpalm and Huckleberry burst out from a bush as the cats all dispersed. The older medicine cat grabbed Eaglesoar by the scruff and I crouched as she moved him onto my back. Morningpaw held onto his tail, making sure it didn't get caught in any branches. 

Tropicpalm wailed, "What happened?! Stars above! How did this happen?!"

Morningpaw spat out Eaglesoar's tail with a sudden surge of mad fury, "Frostcloud killed him! I will kill Frostcloud!"

She had never looked less like a Kittypet as her tail puffed out and she growled, "Who will be my mentor, NOW?"

Huckleberry mewed reassuringly, "Patchwhisker is an experienced warrior. If you don't like him, there's always Thistletail. His injuries have gotten better, though he's still got a slight limp."

I added onto Hucklberry, "Don't forget Amberstorm! How fun would it be to be trained by Skyclan's deputy? Besides, what about Treeclimber?"

Morningpaw's whiskers drooped and she hissed, "It's like you've all forgotten about Eaglesoar..."

I slowed until I walked beside her and mewed softly, "Oh, Morningpaw. We haven't forgotten him. We'll hold a Mourning for Eaglesoar immediately tonight. But, after the vigil, we have to start thinking about YOUR future."

Tropicpalm nodded her silent agreement but Morningpaw was still seething by the time we got back to camp. As I pushed through the vines, there was a frightened pause, then a collective gasp. Lilypad startled, trembling, and leaned on Stormcloud. Nightpelt threw back her head and let out a sorrowful yowl.

 Amberstorm padded over, pressing her muzzle into Eaglesoar's fur and I was reminded that she had been his mother, "Say hi to Claywhisker for me. He will take care of you."

Claywhisker, I remembered, was his father. Treeclimber limped out of the warrior's den, a chewed mouse hanging from his mouth, "Wuzzz goin' 'n?"

The mouse dropped to the ground. For a second, he seemed dumbstruck as I lowered Eaglesoar's body to the ground. Then, Treeclimber rushed forward sobbing, "Eaglesoar!"

Patchwhisker sung, "Eaglesoar! Eaglesoar!"

Amberstorm took up the chant, "Eaglesoar!"

Stormcloud howled, "Eaglesoar!"

I closed my eyes, biting my lip as I listened to my clan mates sing. 

I thought, this is what Peaceclan can stop. The needless dying of cats. This is what we are fighting against. 

We are warring against war.

 I opened my eyes.