Conflagration [A Warrior Cats AU]

Chapter Forty-One

Bluestar was lying in the sun in RiverClan's camp. Her ear pricked as she heard pawsteps and she got up. Whiteclaw came bounding into camp, followed by Beetlenose and Onewhisker of WindClan. Bluestar dipped her head. "Onewhisker," she greeted cautiously. "Is everything alright with you in WindClan?"

"No," Onewhisker sighed, looking at Bluestar with desperation in his eyes. "Brokenstar's warriors are attacking us right at the heart of our camp and we need your help. They outnumber us!" 

Bluestar's eyes rounded in sympathy for the young tom. "Okay," she meowed calmly. "Whiteclaw, Beetlenose, Petaldust, Oakheart, Mistyfoot and I will come with you to help."

Eyes glittering with anxiety, Onewhisker hung his head. "Yes, ma'am. Thank you."

Bluestar turned to face her Clan. "The cats I just listed, come with me! Whiteclaw, Beetlenose, Petaldust, Oakheart and Mistyfoot!" She called.

The cats soon ran over to her and she stared at the five of them gravely. "WindClan needs our help. Brokenstar and his cats have attacked their camp and they are outnumbered. I've chosen you to come with me and fight against ShadowClan."

After the cats nodded and agreed, Bluestar turned to Onewhisker. "Lead the way."

Onewhisker nodded vigorously and turned to run off into the bushes. Struggling to keep the same pace, Bluestar sprinted after the WindClan warrior, making sure her Clanmates were right behind her.

They ran through RiverClan territory and across the moor. As they ran, Bluestar began to lose breath. "Onewhisker!" She called, slowing down.

Onewhisker snapped his head around. "Hurry up!" He hissed, his anger driven by fear for his Clan.

"I'm sorry," she panted. "Run ahead, I'll catch up. I'm not very fast!"

Onewhisker stared at her, then nodded and ran off in the direction of WindClan camp. After a few moments that Bluestar and her patrol used to catch their breath, they followed, sprinting after the brown tabby tom. 

Bluestar skidded into the camp and ran in, leaping on a ShadowClan cat she remembered was named Brackenfoot. She clawed at his cheek and pinned him to the ground. The tom snarled at her, clawing at her belly fur with his hind paws. After pummeling to get her off, he seemingly gave up, lying limp and looking desperately up at Bluestar. The blue-grey she-cat found her grip loosening and was kicked off harshly by the tom, who jumped to his paws and bit down on her tail. Letting out a screech of pain, Bluestar got to her paws and landed a clumsy blow on Brackenfoot's ear.

The tom sneered. "Is that all?" He asked. "A few lousy blows and a bit of sympathy? You gonna kill me with kindness?"

Bluestar snarled at the ShadowClan tom and tried again, hitting his head with force that made him stumble. While he was distracted, she clawed at his shoulder and jumped back. Brackenfoot looked enraged, his eyes fiery. Bluestar stared at him through narrowed eyes, her tail lashing. She used her lithe build to slip under the large pawed tom, clawing at his belly and making him yowl in terror and then biting onto his tail. The large tom glared at her and then ran off with his tail between his legs.

Satisfied, Bluestar turned to fight someone else. She saw Whiteclaw struggling to fight off Blackfoot, the Deputy of ShadowClan, and raced over. The two battered the large tom, landing blows at the same time and making him back away, looking confused. But he focused and landed a hard blow on the side of Bluestars head, pushing her back and making her collapse. She struggled to her paws, but the second she got up Blackfoot tackled her and pinned her to the ground, spitting in her face. "You RiverClan heroes think you can save all the Clans, huh? WindClan and ThunderClan will be so grateful for your help and they will bow down to you!"

Bluestar snickered. "Not at all. My allies wanted help so I gave them some! Of course, ShadowClan cats would know nothing about keeping promises," she snarled.

Blackfoot growled and prepared to bite down on Bluestar's throat. She stared up at him coldly. "If you kill me, all the Clans will think of you as a coldhearted killer."

Blackfoot bared his teeth. "They'll congratulate me for killing the traitor and the scourge to the Clans. The cat who left her Clan because she was having a half-Clan relationship! It might seem like no-one cares, but I assure you they are all talking about you behind your back. Wouldn't it be good to stop hearing them backtalking you? I can help you with that."

Before Blackfoot could attack her any more, Whiteclaw tackled him and pushed his face into the ground. "How dare you!" He spat in the white tom's face. Blackfoot stared up, eyes blazing. He didn't say anything, just looking up with a gaze full of hatred. 

He pushed Whiteclaw off and the two deputies stared at each other. Both stood as still as stone as if they were rooted to the ground and unable to move. Bluestar got to her paws shakily and stared at the rivals warily. Who's going to attack first? She wondered anxiously.

Before either of the deputies could launch himself at the other, the yowls of cats fighting stopped, turning into murmurs and whispers as cats began to notice Brokenstar and Tallstar, walking in a circle. Both of their gazes were locked and their lips were drawn back. Brokenstar had a cruel grin on his face, his claws sinking into the ground and his crooked tail lashing. Cats had stopped fighting and watched the two leaders before they fought.

Tallstar's amber eyes narrowed. "Brokenstar. Tell me why you have attacked us in our own camp?" He hissed.

Brokenstar snickered. "WindClan is weak and deserves to be driven out," he snarled. "I'm beginning to think that Thistleclaw had the right idea with his idea of TigerClan. How about you join us in ShadowClan? We'll have a lovely time!"

Tallstar's eyes widened in disbelief. "Never!" he growled, dropping into a crouch.

Bluestar's eyes widened as the two leapt at each other, claws unsheathed.