A New Beginning

Chapter 14

Chapter 14: The Sixth Cat 

        Red and black. That was all she saw, screams of cats echoed all around her, slowly getting louder and louder. She saw her clanmates, dying in front of her blue eyes. Mapleclaw, Copperbee, Ryenose, Fireheart. She watched each of them slaughtered by the vicious cats, teeth and claws were everywhere. Blood spilled around her paws. Suddenly, she was surrounded by five large cat and one on the slightly smaller side. She recognized one as Tigerclaw, the Shadowclan deputy,  I scream as they pounce at me, and all goes black.

   Beechstar sat up in her nest, panting. It was just a dream, she thought. Relieved she stood up and made her way into the clearing. Mapleclaw was in the clearing, talking with some warriors about patrols for the day. It had been a day since Fireheart's injury and he'd been forced to rest in the medicine den. Beechstar had not wanted Fireheart attempting to get up and accidentally opening his wounds. So she had assigned Mapleclaw to temporarily fill his position. She held herself with pride and strength, the qualities Beechstar always looked for in a deputy. She would have been deputy had Starclan not interfered in her choice. But, as much as she valued Mapleclaw, she knew Fireheart was the best option.

          She entered the medicine den where Leafdrop was standing over a sleeping Fireheart, applying herbs to his wounds. Tinybreeze and Yellowpaw were nowhere to be seen. Beechstar knew she was lucky to have three medicine cats, most of the time clans only had one or two. Three was a very rare phenomenon. 

          "Where are Tinybreeze and Yellowpaw?" the sandy coloured leader inquired. Leafdrop jumped slightly, not noticing when Beechstar had entered.

          "They went to try and find herbs. It's unlikely that they will, but our store is low this leaf-bare," she explained softly. Beechstar nodded in understanding. 

          "How is he?" she asked. Leafdrop paused for a moment like she didn't want to answer. Beechstar didn't know how to take the medicine cat's silence. Surely he couldn't be that bad. 

          "His wounds are healing," Leafdrop said, "But he'll be unable to fight for hunt for a while." It was the best news she could have hoped for. The Windclan deputy did a number to Fireheart, and it saddened her to see such a lively tom so beat up. After taking one long, lingering look at her deputy, Beechstar reluctantly left the medicine den. Beechstar smiled at Mapleclaw and made her way back to her den where she lay down on the soft moss. There wasn't much to do today, she figured a little break wouldn't harm anyone. Of course, Starclan chose that moment to ruin it.

          A yowl rang through the camp, a battle cry. Beechstar's eyes snapped open and she ran from her den to see Windclan cats streaking through the entrance. Thunderclan warriors and Windclan warriors clash together in a fury of claws and blood. The leader's head whipped over to where Sandstorm was guarding the nursery, the other queen's standing with her.

          Beechstar turned away from the nursery and saw Hazelstar emerging from the entrance. Beechstar ran over to the Windclan Leader, pouncing on her and digging her claws deep into her shoulders.

          "Why is the meaning of this," she demanded. The Windclan leader glared, her eyes held fury and anger. 

          "Do you remember our warrior yesterday, Robinlight, the one that was severely injured," she growled. I nodded sharply, curious as to where this was going. "She's dead." the Windclan leader lept up and flung Beechstar across the camp. She skidded on the sandy floor. Beechstar hauled herself to her feet and continued to fight with Hazelstar. The two leaders tussled and wrestled for a long time, neither one giving up. Beechstar couldn't leave their home, and Hazelstar wasn't going to either. Beechstar felt her jaws clamp down on the leader's leg sharply, causing the Windclan leader to howl in pain. Hazelstar growled and prepared to jump at Beechstar once more before a devastating meow broke the leader's from their trance. Every cat stopped and looked towards where the yowl was heard.