Warriors(the Fire Rises): Choises (English version)

Chapter 8

Firepaw opened his eyes. The glowing cats were gone, Spark had also disappeared. 'What was that?'  he thought. 'What were those flowing lights? Do I really have their powers now?'

The spotted apprentice walked towards the water and looked at his reflection. But that shocked him. Everything was the same, except for a white, flame-shaped spot on his forehead.

'Does the fate of the clans really depend on me? Am I... the prophecy?'

He thought about the starcats. 'The clans really need me. I need to defeat Tigerstar.'

Firepaw turned around and started running. As his paws raced through the grass, dark clouds appeared and it started raining. Firepaw followed his own trace through the forbidden territory, all the way back to the woods of Fireclan. It started raining more and more, and Firepaw's tracks started to fade away. But the young cat didn't give up, he ran even faster through the streaming rain.

Then he started recognizing things. 'I'm in the clan territory! Now, where do I have to go? Spark didn't say where Tigerstar would attack...'

But then he already smelled the sharp scent of Tigerstar. Abruptly, Firepaw stopped and dove under a bush. Luckily, the mud and rain hid his scent. Carefully he looked through the branches, and there he saw the muscled tabby appearing in the field. He was coming from Waveclan's territory. 'So Spark was right..."

His fur pricked when he saw Snowstar coming down the hill. 'Snowstar doesn't know the danger she's in! Do I have to attack now?'

But before he could decide, Snowstar started talking. "Tigerstripe, why did it take so long? Did you have trouble?" she said, nodding to a bleeding cut in his side.

"Nothing to worry about." Tigerstripe growled. "That murderer didn't want to leave the territory at first, I had to fight him off before he finally gave up and crossed the border."

"So he went into Waveclan's territory. Why did you follow him?"

"I just wanted to make sure he wouldn't come back.."

"Tigerstripe, I asked you to follow him, you were assigned to look if he would really leave. There was no reason for you to enter the other clan's territories. What if you would have ran in an enemy patrol?"

"Then I would have told them Snowstar had assigned me to a very important mission that required me to go through their territory."

"That would be a lie, I didn't order you to do that."

"What does it matter? The murderer is gone.."

Snowstar sighed. "I don't know. He doesn't have any motives to be a murderer. Something tells me he's innocent.

Tigerstripe stiffened. "Who else could be the murderer? Firepaw was the only one outside of camp!"

But Snowstar still hesitated. "You, Goldenpelt and Firepaw... Tigerstripe, are you sure it couldn't have been a warrior from an enemy clan, or perhaps a rogue?"

"Yes! I saw Firepaw slash Goldenpelt's throat myself! Do you think I did it???"

"Tigerstripe! That's not what I meant!"

"Are you sure?"

"You're my family, my brother's kit! How could I doubt you?"

But then Tigerstripe started laughing. Snowstar was caught off guard and looked at him with a confused look. The large tom then looked at her again. "And I thought you were smart."

Snowstar didn't understand. "What?... What do you mean?"

Tigerstripe took a step forward. "You believed me, you trusted me blindly. How smart are you then? You didn't even realize what the truths and lies were, hah! And then you call yourself the great, smart leader of Fireclan..."

Snowstar took a step back in return. "Tigerstripe, what are you saying?..."

Tigerstripe held his head high. "I killed Goldenpelt! My own father! I took Stonestar's last lives and took over Waveclan. I am now Tigerstar! And you banished an innocent apprentice just because you trusted your dear nephew. You're weak, Snowstar! You only have three lives left, and those will be over soon..." He turned around and yowled: "Waveclan, attack!!!!"

Like droplets falling down a waterfall, uncountable Waveclan warriors threw themselves out of the woods, towards Snowstar. But she had already turned around and started fleeing. While she ran into the forest, she yelled for help. "Fireclan, help!! Waveclan is attacking!!

Firepaw saw Tigerstripe catching up to her and first he feared she would be caught, but then a black Fireclan warrior hurled herself towards the large tabby. "Traitor! The clan trusted you!!!" Behind her, a large patrol of Fireclan warriors appeared. Snowstar stood in front of them, like the brave leader she always has been. "We won't flee, Fireclan, attack!!!"

Firepaw watched with exitement and fear as the two clans went into battle. 'I know that black she-cat... I also saw her at my ceremony, but something else is familiar about her...'

But he didn't get more time to think. Because then he heard the call for help...

"Help me!!"

'Nightpaw!!'