Bluefur's Choice

First Battle

A quarter moon later, Bluefur was resting in the camp after a dawn patrol when a group of ThunderClan cats hurried through the gorse tunnel. From their furious expressions, she could tell that something bad had happened.

Thistlestar looked up from his spot next to the Highrock as one of the cats, Windflight, bounded forward and yowled as much to the rest of the Clan as to Thistlestar. "RiverClan has trespassed upon Sunningrocks! They have marked it as their own!" Caterwauls of shock and outrage rippled through the clearing.

Within a heartbeat, Thistlestar was on top of the Highrock.

"ThunderClan, we must not let this treachery go unanswered. RiverClan will regret this day for many seasons." Thistlestar paused, his yellow eyes gleaming as he swept his gaze over the Clan. "Tigerclaw, are our cats ready for battle?"

Tigerclaw gave a stiff nod.

"Excellent," Thistlestar murmured. He shared a look with his deputy, and then turned to the rest of the Clan. "Cats of ThunderClan, RiverClan has disrespected us for many moons, failing to recognize us as the true holder of Sunningrocks. But now they have once again trespassed, and ThunderClan must respond with force!"

Whitestorm padded over to sit beside Bluefur. "How many warriors were there?" he meowed to the patrol.

"We could only smell one," called the newest ThunderClan warrior, Darkstripe. "He wasn't there, but we all know they'll be back with even more cats."

"We must act soon, or RiverClan may gain total control," growled Adderfang, sitting in his spot near the rest of the elders. Stormtail was nodding in agreement.

Bluefur bristled as yowls echoed across the clearing. Surely the trespassing of one cat wasn't worth an all-out war, even with the recent problems between ThunderClan and RiverClan.

"Will we attack right now?" Stoneclaw asked, his tail flicking. Bluefur pushed back a wave of sadness. Did her son think this was a normal part of Clan life, taking on one's enemies with a full on attack at the slightest provocation? Granted, RiverClan had trespassed several times lately, but it was one cat for StarClan's sake! There had to be a better way!

Thistlestar responded, his voice loud and clear. "If RiverClan wants a fight, then by StarClan, we'll give them one. And not just at Sunningrocks." Bluefur's heart dropped. "There will be two patrols taking part in this attack. The first will take back Sunningrocks. Whitestorm, you lead that one. Take Mistyfur, Stoneclaw, Goldenflower, Speckletail, and Runningwind with you." Whitestorm nodded, his expression unreadable. "The second patrol will go through the patch of forest upstream from Sunningrocks, along the river."

"Up the river?" Bluefur spoke up, unable to keep silent any longer. "What does that help us? That's RiverClan territory, Thistlestar."

"It won't be for much longer," Thistlestar spat back. "Taking that area will show RiverClan that we are not a Clan to be trifled with." He swept his gaze over the crowd and kept going. "The second patrol will mark a new border, following the river up to the stepping stones. Tigerclaw, take Darkstripe, Redtail, Lionheart, Patchpelt, Mosstail, and Bluefur- if that's okay with you." His last words were snarled at Bluefur.

"Are you afraid to fight for your Clan?" Darkstripe taunted her. Tigerclaw touched his tail-tip to the young warrior's shoulder, but he still gave Bluefur a distrusting look. Mistyfur and Stoneclaw approached Darkstripe, hackles raised, and Bluefur gave a tiny flick of her tail, warning them not to say anything.

I'm not afraid to fight for my Clan, she realized. I'm afraid for its future.

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