Warriors; MoonClan: Fire [ 1 ]

Chapter Sixteen

Moonpaw's fur bristled. Did news of Raven spread through the four Clans like a wildfire? When had Willowstar heard of this? It had only happened a few sunrises ago. Willowstar stepped forward. The sun disappeared behind the trees and the moon shone above the camp, plunging the Clans into night. Willowstar looked up. Her brown pelt gleamed ginger in the moonlight. Her amber eyes turned red in the dim moonlight. "I have come to claim what was mine," she mewed calmly, her amber gaze resting on Hawkstar as he slipped down the boulders. Shadows gathered around Hawkstar's tabby pelt. "We have not seen Raven since Moonpaw, Weaselpaw, Ripplefawn, and Darkcloud fought him."

Willowstar blinked. "I see." She calmly turned around and her eyes flickered across the bristling ThunderClan cats. "Which one of you is Darkcloud?" 

Darkcloud's dark pelt was barely visible as she stepped into the ray of light and stood beside Willowstar. "I am," she announced proudly, sitting down and wrapping her tail around her paws. "Are you sure this was Ravent--Raven?" Willowstar narrowed her eyes as her gaze rested upon Darkcloud's piercing eyes. "If admitting to it wasn't enough, you're mouse-brained to think he wasn't," she snarled, unsheathing her claws and planting them in the ground. Willowstar stared at Darkcloud. "I see," she repeated as she glanced at Moonpaw's yellow eyes.

 Willowstar flicked her tail. "I've had enough of this nonsense, which one is Moonpaw?" An icy wave of fear flashed through Moonpaw. Darkcloud rose from her spot and stalked over to Moonpaw. "It's okay, she's not scary," Darkcloud assured him.

Moonpaw turned to Willowstar, his pelt bristling with anger and fear. He commanded his pelt to calm and took a deep breath. "I am Moonpaw," he expressed loudly, jumping up to meet Willowstar's soul-staring gaze. He shivered, both in fear and cold. The ray of moonlight shifted away from him, his black pelt becoming invisible. Only his yellow eyes indicated his whereabouts. "You seem to be just out of the nursery, filthy mouse-heart," Willowstar hissed, her pelt bristling. Moonpaw decided picking a fight with Willowstar was not a good idea. He sat down. "I'm sure my brother and I could help you lose a life if you wish it," he growled under his breath. "Excuse me?" Willowstar snapped back. "I was not the only top-of-my-rank apprentice!"

Moonpaw met her gaze. "What you think is not reality, but only the mind speaking it." Willowstar padded around Moonpaw. "I like you," she meowed. "You are wise. The Clans need cats like you." Weaselpaw leaped to Moonpaw's side. "He's not going, if that's what you're implying!" he hissed. "Oh, no," snarled Willowstar. "Not willingly, I presume?" Moonpaw unsheathed his claws. "Never!" Willowstar leaped at Moonpaw, her eyes flickering for his shoulders.

Moonpaw rocketed to the side and landed a blow to Willowstar's shoulder. She shrieked and landed on four paws, immediately bounding at him. Weaselpaw headbutted her in the flank, sending her sprawling across the clearing. "Nice move," Moonpaw complimented. "Thanks," panted Weaselpaw. Willowstar snarled and sprang at Weaselpaw. Moonpaw met her head-on and sunk his teeth into her spine.

She screeched and fell back, landing on her tail. Pieces of fur stuck to Moonpaw's lips. "Get off of our territory, we've had too much trouble recently and we are in no place to fight," he half mewed, half growled. "Look at Weaselpaw, look what your faithful warrior has done to him." Weaselpaw's chest had pieces of cobweb barely hanging on. Flesh was exposed, and the flesh was black from dried blood. "He could have died, and that's not following the warrior code, is it?

"Your warrior almost killed an apprentice for revenge on what we didn't do. Is Hickoryspring still alive? Talonbranch?" Willowstar widened her eyes. "Talonbranch is an elder, and Hickoryspring is close to it. Hickoryspring has been mourning Raven's supposed death until news spread from RiverClan he was alive. She was on a patrol and RiverClan was told by WindClan to share the news. We presumed you thought there was too much tension between us, so you told WindClan to tell RiverClan to tell us." Ripplefawn stood up from the crowd of cats and shook his head. "No, Moonpaw got his eye in an attempt to escape his claws and he ran off toward the WindClan border."

Willowstar nodded. "We thought you still had him. I am sorry for the misunderstanding. ShadowClan thought you had kept him as a prisoner after we thought he died." Dappleheart was soon at her side. "Marigold," she breathed. "Dappleheart!" Willowstar exclaimed happily. "How's it been?" Dappleheart nodded. "Good."

Paws padded beside Moonpaw and Weaselpaw. "Dappleheart used to be a ShadowClan warrior," explained Grayfoot. "Willowstar and Dappleheart were good friends, and Dappleheart became tired of ShadowClan's cruelness toward other Clans. She left, and Willowstar was sad, but she thought it for the best."

The kits were huddled around Barkclaw and Rose. "Did you take in a loner?" Willowstar asked, her eyes flickering towards Rose. "Kittypet, hated Twolegs loved kits more, left, one kit dead, mate dead," Hawkstar explained. Willowstar narrowed her eyes. "Kittypet?" she snarled. "What kittypet leaves their stupid Twolegs? I thought they loved to be pet!" Rose leaped up, fur bristling. "This queen does, and not all kittypets are soft mice that eat slop and sleep all day. My Twolegs did nothing for me!" Rose hissed. Her voice rose to a yowl. "They abandoned me! They don't deserve me, I decided. I have more potential  than my siblings ever will! I-I'll fight you to earn my trust!"

Willowstar glanced at Hawkstar. "You chose well, for an old sickly cat." Hawkstar nodded. "My cough has gotten better," he mewed calmly. "I am leaving," Willowstar announced. "But first, how did your mate and kit die?" Rose flicked her tail. "I tried defending them in a fox attack, my mate was sick and my kit was helpless. Fox suddenly pinned me and took my kit. Ate him in front of me." Gorsekit shuddered. "Then it got dad and ran away!" he wailed. Willowstar's eyes filled with sympathy. It quickly turned to malice. "Did you realize that the real world was harder than you expected?" 

Rose shook her head. "I prepared for worse." Willowstar nodded. "My medicine cat can take if from here. Thank you, old friend." She rose from her spot and padded away.