The Wolf's Last Cry: A Warrior Cat Story

Chapter Eight

 {Flamestar’s P.O.V}

       It was almost moonhigh before the fight. I was starting to feel a little nervous. I mean who wouldn’t, I could possibly be leading my clan into a blood bath that could lead to the death of all my clan. I took a deep breath. I was still leading the patrol of fighting cats and I needed to announce to the clan who was coming. At that moment Foxfang walked into my den. She stood in the archway and said.

        “I want to fight in the battle today.” I got why she wanted to fight, after all, it was her son, Eaglepaw, that was killed. 

        “Are you sure. I mean I understand why you want to, but you have kits.” 

        “I know the risk and I want… need to do this.” There was such conviction in her eyes that I knew that she was going no mater what I said. 

        “Ok.” I replied and Foxfang left

        I was running through the people who were going once again so that I wouldn’t forget anyone who I might need for the battle. So the cats were Splashbelly, Stormysky, Sparktail, Foxfang, Leapordspots, Spazpaw, Fiveclaw, Strongclaw, Ivybrossom, Burpaw, Poisinfang, and Sweetpaw. That was everyone. I walked out of the den and climbed onto the ledge. 

        “Let all cats old enough to hunt their own prey gather under Tree Ledge for a clan meeting.” I finished and watched the cats groggily climb out of their nest. “The battle will commense before dawn and the cats who will be coming are Splashbelly, Stormysky, Sparktail, Foxfang, Leapordspots, Spazpaw, Fiveclaw, Strongclaw, Ivybrossom, Burpaw, Poisinfang, and Sweetpaw. I want to see Splashbelly, Sparktail, Strongclaw, and Fiveclaw in my den after this last announcement. I need a patrol of cats who are not going to the battle to hunt and provide some food for everyone in the camp. As a group assembled I watched as the cats either went back to their dens or sat around the clearing and shared tongues. Blazefur walked up to me and we rubbed muzzles. 

        “Promise me you will be carful. Promise me.” Blazefur’s eyes were filled with concern

        “I will. I love you Blazefur, I don’t want to leave you.”

        “Before you leave I wanted to ask you if…if…you would…want to be my mate?” Blazefur was nervous and I was so flattered

        “Of course, Blazefur, I’ve been wanting you to ask me that question for a long time.” Blazefur’s eyes lit up we twined our tails lovingly. In our clan that was something only mates did. The one exception was if there was if a cat had passed to Starclan and you were trying to comfort them. This sensation warmed my body and I loved every second of it. Blazefur was walking back to his den and I could’t blame him, I mean it was the middle of the night, who would want to be up at that hour. Rainkit was one of the few kits who were awake when I made the announcement. She walked over to Spottedowl, who was sitting in her den silently with the lichen propped open, and whispered something in her ear. Then Spottedowl beaconed me over. I sat down and Rainkit was the first to speak. 

        “I want to become a medicine cat apprentice.” In Rainkit’s eyes I saw that there was conviction and she truly believed that was her destiny. In truth, I believed it too.

        “Is that ok with you Spottedowl?” I asked

        “I’m not going to be around forever and I could never ask for a better apprentice.” Spottedowl replied

        “Then it is settled Rainkit will be the next medicine cat apprentice.” I said at last

        I left and the hunting patrol came back with their jaws filled with prey. I then realized that I was supposed to be holding a meeting inside my den a while ago. I raced back to my den to see the cats that I assembled sitting outside sharing tongues calmly. I briskly walked over beaconed them into my den with a flick of my tail.

        “I’m sorry I got caught up.”

        “It’s ok we were having a good time just talking.” Sparktail was very wise. It seemed normal that the calm remark came from her. 

        “I wanted to tell you that each of you will be leading a patrol into the camp. Their camp has a front entrance and we can take my patrol in through there that will be the first one to get in. When I yowl the second time a patrol led by Splashbelly will come in through the back. Then on my third yowl the patrol on the right, led by Strongclaw, and left, led by Fiveclaw, sides of the camp will burst in at the same time, as that is happening the last patrol, led by Sparktail, will come in through the entrance like my patrol did. We will fight and after fighting I will tell you all when to stop.”

        “How will we know?” Fiveclaw asked

        “You just will.” I answered

        “Meeting dismissed” 

        Everyone left my den and I strolled into Spottedowl’s den again. Her leg was broken. I asked her after we came back from the encounter with the wolf. I walked in and saw her sitting and trying to organize herbs in the dark.

        “How are you going to heal when you can’t walk?” I asked

        “I can walk.” She replied defiantly

        “Then do it.” I replied

        She tried to stand up on all legs, winced, and limped on her three good legs.

        “See I can walk.” Spottedowl replied as she sat down again with another wince

        “I may not be a medicine cat, but I don’t think that you should be walking on it.”

        She looked at me and tried to hide the fact that I was right. 

        “I can still do my duty to my clan.” Spottedowl said

        I nodded and asked two last questions.

        “How long will it take to heal?” I wondered aloud

        “It could take a moon at the least.” 

        “How will you go to Gatherings and Starlake?” Now that my last question was out she seemed at a loss. It was as though she had not thought about that before. 

        “I can limp there it’s not that far. I’ll be fine.”

        “Ok, bye Spottedowl I will see you after the battle.”

        “Bye, be safe.”

        It was almost time to leave and I felt as if something was about to go terribly wrong.