Conflagration [A Warrior Cats AU]

Chapter Six

"Mistyfoot! Stonefur! Mistyfoot! Stonefur!"

It had been two seasons since Mistyfoot and Stonefur became apprentices, and now Bluefur was training an apprentice of her own, Whitepaw. Now her daughter and son were warriors, and Bluefur couldn't be more proud.

Mosspaw ran over to the two new warriors as their names were cheered, nuzzling them. "I'm so proud of you two!"

"You'll get your name soon, I'm sure," Stonefur purred. "You're such a great medicine cat!"

Mosspaw snorted, her tail tip twitching. "By soon, do you mean when I'm an elder? It's been forever!" The apprentice whined.

Bluefur rested her tail on the medicine cat's shoulder. "You'll get your name quicker if you're patient!" She joked. Then she turned to her son and daughter, emotion glistening in her eyes. "I'm so proud of both of you. You're Warriors!"

Mistyfoot dipped her head, trying to hide her smile. "Thanks, mum. You've been so supportive while we've been apprentices."

Stonefur nodded in agreement. "I'm so happy that we've had someone like you around while we grew up. You and Oakheart."

Suddenly Stonefur got bowled over by a flash of brown. Bluefur leapt back in surprise, letting out a yelp. Oakheart had Stonefur pinned down and was purring over him. "Still can't beat your father, 'ay?" He teased, getting off.

Stonefur snorted. "I wasn't expecting it! I was talking!" He exclaimed, but despite his words, amusement glimmered in his blue eyes. 

"A great warrior is always expecting... uh... things." Oakheart hesitated, confused on what to say.

"A great warrior always expects the worst, you mean?" Bluefur purred, nudging him with a paw. "I didn't think you were so old you'd forget such a sentence! I can see the grey flecks now."

Oakheart scoffed. "I knew that! I just forgot. And if I'm old, you're old too!"

Bluefur snickered. "Yeah right!"

With narrowed eyes, Crookedjaw padded over to them. "If you're done?" he muttered pointedly. 

Bluefur licked her chest fur self-consciously. "Yes, Crookedjaw?"

Crookedjaw flicked his tail side to side in irritation. "You, Whitepaw, Stonefur, Thrushpelt and I are going to sunningrocks. We caught Thunderclan scent inside our borders."

Bluefur scowled. "Okay, Crookedjaw. We won't let ThunderClan disrespect our border!"

Crookedjaw's eyes narrowed and he gave a curt nod. "Let's get going, then. Go get Whitepaw."

Bluefur dashed off into the apprentices' den, calling inside for the black tom. "Whitepaw, come on, we're going on a patrol to sunningrocks," she meowed. 

Whitepaw jumped to his paws and ran over with shining eyes. "Really?" He purred.

Bluefur nodded with a smile. "C'mon, Crookedjaw is waiting for us."

Whitepaw raced outside and Bluefur followed at a trot. She smiled at the tom's enthusiasm and his eagerness to learn. Crookedjaw headed out and Bluefur, Mistyfoot, Stonefur and Whitepaw followed.

--

At sunningrocks, Bluefur saw Thistleclaw, Tigerclaw and Whitestorm talking. They chatted in low voices, excitement in their eyes and their tones. Bluefur's back fur bristled in hostility. Crookedjaw lowered his tail, the motion meaning for the RiverClan cats to be silent and tune in.

"And then the old mange pelt will be gone," Thistleclaw was meowing, with his chest puffed out and eyes gleaming. Tigerclaw nodded.

"But doesn't he still have lives left?" Whitestorm asked, tipping his head to one side thoughtfully. Bluefur felt sick. Whatever these cats were talking about, it didn't sound good, and it unnerved Bluefur to notice Whitestorm taking part.

The RiverClan cats spread out, hiding in bushes and behind trees. But it doesn't really matter, Bluefur reflected, since they seem to be so into their conversation. 

Her ears flattened against her head as Thistleclaw's flicked up. A snarl rose in his throat and he curled his lip to reveal sharp teeth. "I smell RiverClan."

Whitestorm's brilliant amber eyes narrowed. "Fresh, as well," he agreed.

Crookedjaw flicked his tail and suddenly the hollow was alive with yowling and screeching. Bluefur raced for Thistleclaw, attempting to bowl him over and pin him down, but the Deputy swiftly moved out the way with a smile, catching her ear and giving it a hard blow that sent her reeling.

Thistleclaw took Bluefur's distraction to run up to Stonefur, who was grappling with Tigerclaw. Once Bluefur regained her strength, she realised Stonefur couldn't survive with two large toms such as Tigerclaw and Thistleclaw attacking him. She raced up to the hissing toms and batted Thistleclaw on the head. It wasn't meant to hurt, just to distract him. And it did. He turned and spat at Bluefur. "Weak RiverClan traitor!" He snarled, letting go of Stonefur and running at Bluefur. But he went right past Bluefur, and she felt the wind against her face as he sprinted away. Bluefur let out a screech of warning. 

But she didn't get to see what happened, being attacked by a flash of white. She was suddenly pinned to the ground by Whitestorm, who was snarling in her face. She had never seen him mad before, he was usually so calm and composed. She couldn't believe she was fighting her nephew, the cat she raised from a kit when Thistleclaw was unfit to be a father.

"Traitor," Whitestorm growled, sinking his claws deep into Bluefur's shoulders. The queen let out a hiss of pain, trying feebly to get Whitestorm off. With a sinking feeling, she realised what was happening.

Whitestorm was going to kill her. 

With nothing to do, Bluefur just tried to kick at Whitestorm's belly. Slowly he leaned down to give the killing bite and Bluefur shut her eyes.

But the pain never arrived. Bluefur opened an eye and saw Whitestorm had gotten off of her. She got to her paws, satisfied, then turned and saw him. 

Thistleclaw was standing over the warrior, blood coating his paws and muzzle. The warrior's tongue was hanging out. His eyes were dull and lifeless, and he lay limp. The clearing was silent. No-one moved. They all just stared at his corpse and Thistleclaw. He looked down, not saying a word. There was no regret in his expression. Then he raised his head to the sky and let out a yowl of victory.

The cat who loved Bluefur, the cat who left his Clan to be with her, one of the bravest warriors in the forest and definitely the kindest one, was on his way to StarClan.

Thrushpelt was dead.