Warriors: Lost

Chapter 9

We're under attack!

Redpaw's mind was screaming as RiverClan raided the camp. He braced himself for any RiverClan apprentice— or worse, Warrior— to come and pounce at him. He prayed to StarClan that it wouldn't be Cinderpaw.

His prayers weren't answered as Cinderpaw pounced on him; making him stumble into the ground. "What are you doing!? We're supposed to be allies, remember?" He hissed.

"We're not on the 'journey of self-discovery' yet, frog-brain!" Cinderpaw spat and forced him to the ground. Redpaw was shook as another ThunderClan apprentice named Bluepaw rammed herself into her.

"Yeah, that's right! Leave our medicine cat apprentice alone! The Warrior Code forbids attacking medicine cats or their apprentice!" spat Bluepaw.

"Oh, so medicine cats can injure warriors?! Or have you already forgotten Bluestar's era as an apprentice? Didn't Moonflower get killed by a medicine cat?" Cinderpaw hissed.

Bluepaw was enraged, and almost killed Cinderpaw. Redpaw pounced on his clanmate. "What are you doing?!" yowled Bluepaw. "I could've had her!"

"ThunderClan doesn't kill to prove a point, mouse-brain!" scolded Redpaw, then he turned to Cinderpaw. She knew why he really defended her. It was because they were going on a journey together soon, so she can't die!

"Cinderpaw!" yowled another warrior. RiverClan's deputy, Dawnfur! "Get over here and help us carry Stonepaw to safety!"

Cinderpaw and Redpaw exchanged glances. Redpaw knew they said the same thing: See you at Half Moon.

Bluepaw nuzzled up against him after she left. "Oh, Redpaw! Are you okay? Jeez, that code-breaker! Doesn't she know you're not allowed to attack medicine cats, unless they attack you?" hissed Bluepaw.

The sound of yowls crossed their ears. Redpaw flattened himself while Bluepaw hopped in front of him as mad as a fox in a fit. "Bluepaw!" hissed Featherpool, her mentor. "Get over here or I'll feed you to the foxes!"

"I've got to go. You know how Featherpool can get." Bluepaw replied, then bounding off to join her mentor. Redpaw said goodbye and turned around to prepare herbs for battle wounds. Runningpelt had gone off to help in the fight.

Redpaw grabbed horsetail, chervil, and marigold. He also grabbed some cobweb. "Need this, need that— screw it, StarClan! I'll need everything!" He panicked, scrambling to get the herbs.

Once the battle was over, the medicine den was crowded. Suddenly, Snowfall burst in. "Stormstar is losing a life!"

"What?!" Runningpelt shouted. "Come here, Redpaw! It's his last life!"

Last life... Redpaw was puzzled. He followed his mentor into the leader's den. Stormstar was lying limp on the ground. The ride and fall of his hips ceased. The light in his bright, brown eyes died away.

Please, Stormstar, let Runningpelt be joking!

"Stormstar..." he whispered.

"Who did this?" Runningpelt asked.

"It was a RiverClan apprentice." Snowfall recalled. "She-cat with light gray fur, tabby patterns, and bushy tail."

No! No! No! That's Cinderpaw!

"A RiverClan apprentice killed our leader?" hissed Runningpelt furiously.

"He was old and weak. He told me that he was planning to move into the elders' den and let me take over as leader. A RiverClan kit could have beaten him."

That, or StarClan is just so determined to set us on that mouse-brained journey, that they made Cinderpaw invincible. Redpaw thought bitterly.

"We have to tell the clan." murmured Runningpelt.

Snowfall climbed to the top of the Highledge. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather around the Highledge to hear my words!"

Every cat gathered around the Highledge, some too injured to gather but well enough to hear what Snowfall had to say.

"Stormstar has lost his last life to a RiverClan apprentice. He was an honorable leader; and his death will not be in vain. I will step up to take his place as leader." mewled Snowfall.

"RiverClan Apprentice!?" echoed Bluepaw.

"Wait, what!? But that can't be! Stormstar has never died to an apprentice before!" yowled another warrior named Honeyflower furiously.

Snowfall waited for the yowling to die down. Then, he continued. "I shall appoint a deputy to watch over the clan while I'm at the Moonpool."

Redpaw took his place beside his mother, Moonheart and his brother, Thrushpaw, listening carefully to the deputy ceremony.

"Moonheart," meowed Snowfall. Redpaw felt like tripping over his own paws. Thrushpaw's ears perked up. "Do you promise to defend your clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do." Moonheart meowed. "Of course I do."

"Come;  take your place on the Highledge with me."

Moonheart flicked Redpaw's ears with her tail, and licked the top of Thrushpaw's head as if they're still kits getting filthy in the nursery, then trotting up to the Highledge to sit beside Snowfall. Snowfall rubbed his forehead against her's.

"Assign patrols, will you, Moonheart?" asked Snowfall.

"Redpaw!" hissed Runningpelt. "We have to get ready to bring Snowfall over to the Moonpool."

Redpaw nodded, and bounded over to the medicine den, fury burning in his eyes.

How dare you, Cinderpaw! How dare you, StarClan for making me go on a journey with my leader's killer!