Warriors: The Unknown Threat Series Book #4: Blazing Fire

Chapter 8: Shadecloud

SHADECLOUD

            Shadecloud led the ThunderClan cats through the forest. Every cat could smell the pungent odor of WindClan as they crossed the border. Soon, the trees disappeared and transformed into moorland. Shadecloud shivered as a huge gust of cold wind ruffled her fur. “We are almost at the WindClan camp!” Dustpelt hissed.

            Soon, they reached the camp. WindClan slept in the open, unaffected by the gusts of wind and oblivious to attack that was moments away. Shadecloud took a deep breath and tried to calm herself before yowling, “ThunderClan, attack!”

            She hurled herself into battle, and soon saw Harespring, the WindClan deputy, flinging himself at Molefur, who was already fighting with Sunstrike. Shadecloud dragged him off of her Clanmate. He wriggled free of her grip and raked his claws across her nose. “A medicine cat fighting? This should be easy! You haven’t even had proper battle training!” Harespring meowed, dodging her claws as Shadecloud tried to rake them down his side.

            Harespring darted forward, preparing to rake his claws across her face. Shadecloud sidestepped, and leaped onto his back, sending him tumbling on the ground. “Is that the best that you can do?” she hissed.

            Harespring heaved himself upwards, sending her flying through the air and crashing onto the ground. She pulled herself back onto her paws. She raced forwards and guessed that Harespring would go left to avoid her blow. She skidded to a halt and found that her instincts had been right. Harespring had leaped to left. She spun around and saw him coming towards her, about to rake his claws across her spine. She rolled out of the way just in time and quickly sprang to her feet.

            Harespring was panting. “Not bad, for a medicine cat,” he said as he leaped into the air.

            Shadecloud knew he was trying to land on her back. She reared up on her hind legs and slammed her front paws into Harespring’s side. She pinned him onto the ground and raked her claws across his belly. He yowled in pain and fury and tried to throw her off of him. She clung on though and he finally gave a defeated sigh. Harespring lay there, limp in her grip. Shadecloud didn’t loosen her grip though, knowing that it might be a trick.

            She looked around the WindClan camp. To her left, Lionblaze had Ashstar pinned to the ground. “WindClan, retreat!” Ashstar yowled.

            “That isn’t good enough!” Lionblaze hissed. “You need to suffer the same way we have! You must die!”

            Shadecloud watched as Ashstar unsuccessfully tried to fling the ThunderClan deputy off of her. Lionblaze sank his teeth into Ashstar’s neck, and scarlet blood flowed from the wound. Ashstar twitched once and was still. “How many more lives does she have left?” Lionblaze asked Kestrelflight.

            “That was her fourth,” Kestrelflight meowed fearfully.

            “Five more to go,” Lionblaze said.

            Lionblaze clawed at Ashstar throat, making the wound bigger. “Lionblaze, what are you doing?” Shadecloud asked.

            “Making the wound so big, that not even StarClan can heal it,” Lionblaze growled. “Should we really let her live after she has killed our warriors?”

            Ashstar blinked open her eyes and weakly opened her mouth. Blood trickled out of her mouth as she twitched again and fell still. “No!” Kestrelflight exclaimed.

            Shadecloud watched, not wanting to but unable to avert her eyes from the horrifying scene, as the WindClan leader died four more times. Harespring gasped in horror, reminding Shadecloud that she still had him pinned to the ground. “Go, Harestar,” Shadecloud whispered. “Return when we have left your territory.”

            She let Harestar flee. Lionblaze chased after him, but Shadecloud stopped him. “No,” she said. “We have gotten our revenge now. Their leader is dead! Hopefully, Harestar will be a better leader than Ashstar was.”

            “Let’s go home, ThunderClan,” Shadecloud yowled.

            The ThunderClan cats gathered behind her and they began the long walk back to camp.