Warriors: Will Lightclan Survive? ~Series 1 Book 1~

Chapter 26

This chapter has been edited

__________________________

Clearlight's POV:

Clearlight woke up beside Snowpetal. He smiled and gave her white head a soft, tender lick. She stirred with a small mumble, smiling as she opened her eyes. "Morning." She yawned, rolling onto her back and stretching.

The grey tabby tom yawned as well, rising to his paws. Looking up, he saw it was nearly sunhigh and his heart skipped a beat. My clan mates will have noticed my absence by now! I have to go!

"I-I'm sorry Snowpetal, I need to go back to camp now. I'll see you tonight, yeah?" Clearlight shook out his pelt, beginning his trot back to camp.

"Yeah, see you tonight!" Snowpetal purred, trotting away in the other direction.

As Clearlight neared Lightclan camp, the strong scent of fox and blood flooded his nose. His pace immediately picked up.

__________________________________

Skyheart's POV:

"Foxes!" A shrill yowl of panic came from outside the den. Skyheart jolted awake and rushed out the warriors den along with her clan-mates. She saw Roundclaw, who had been on guard, wrestling with a fox. He was pinned but still fought bravely, hissing and spitting fiercely.

Skyheart surged forwards to help her kit but before she could, a hairless tom-cat knocked her away. She looked up at him and realised that the tom was the rogue Clearlight had chased away all those many moons ago. Why was he here?!

She hissed and threw him off her with a powerful kick and lunged for him, scoring her claws down his flank and biting at his ears.

A heavy weight suddenly pinned Skyheart and she turned around to see a fox on her. She wriggled around so she faced the fox and scratched it's face and muzzle. The fox snarled angrily and raked its claws down Skyheart cheek. She screeched in pain and nipped its paw, glancing across the clearing to see more foxes pouring into the main clearing. The entire camp was under attack.

The fox squealed and lunged for Skyheart's throat but instead of the fox biting Skyheart, another cat's neck was in the way. She looked at the cat and realised it was Jumpingstar.

Skyheart gasped and knocked the fox away, forcing it towards a tree with a swift wave of front paw blows. The fox squealed and turned tail, running away from camp.

Sprinting back to her leader, Skyheart heard a cat yowl. "DeathClan, fall back! The leader is dead, our mission is a success."

Skyheart turned her head to see a huge black tom with broad shoulders and neon blue eyes. He was standing on the slope near the camp entrance, his head held triumphantly high. DeathClan? What kind of Clan is that? Skyheart stared at him, her eyes wide.

Within seconds the foxes and rogue cats were out of LightClan's camp. Skyheart turned to Jumpingstar. He was motionless. "Someone get Waterfly!" She gasped, but the medicine cat was already beside her, checking Jumpingstar over.

After many long heartbeats, Waterfly stood back and announced grimly. "Jumpingstar has lost all of his lives. Our new leader is Skyheart."

_________________________________

Waterfly's POV:

Skyheart seemed frozen for a long while, staring at the dead body of her leader. "I... I can't." The deputy stammered.

"You can." Waterfly mewed, resting her tail on the white she cat's shoulder. "Now go to the HighTree. You must speak to your Clan."

Waterfly watched as Skyheart reluctantly climbed up the HighTree. Shs wraped her tail around her paws and lifted her head. "It pains us that Jumpingstar has gone to Starclan but we must stay strong and prepare. That attack was only a warning and there will definitely be another one soon and this time, more cats with surely die." She took a shaky breath. "I will now appoint my new deputy." Skyheart looked at her clan and at each cat. She then gazed at Roundclaw, who was bleeding from a cut on his forehead and a bite mark on his back. The tip of his tail was gone. "Roundclaw will be the new deputy of Lightclan!"

Yowls of approval exploded throughout the camp. Roundclaw smiled proudly and dipped his head to his clan mates. "I will do my best." He promised solemnly.

Waterfly stood up and waved her tail. "Skyheart we will leave for the Starcave now."

Skyheart nodded and followed Waterfly through the entrance. The yowls of her clan mates echoed through the forest and slowly faded as Skyheart and Waterfly neared the Magiclan border.

__________________________________

"Welcome to the Starcave." Waterfly mewed as she and Skyheart approached the cave. The moon was nearly at its highest point and Waterfly stood up, heading into the darkness beyond.

Skyheart followed more carefully. "Waterfly?"

The medicine cat turned her head "Yes?"

"Will I be.. Accepted by Starclan?" Skyheart stammered. "I know that's what the prophecy says but what if we interpreted it wrong?"

Sighing, Waterfly murmured. "You will be accepted. There's nothing they can do to stop you, you are a good cat who will lead us to victory. Now come on." The medicine cat took off again through the darkness. Skyheart followed her timidly, not at all reassured by her medicine cat's words.

______________________________