Finpool's Frustration

Prologue

Many cats were mingling about the Clan, giggling, laughing, and snorting at each other. The leader, however, scowling at his Clan, was resting atop the Wetrock, his forelegs folded over one another. Obviously, he was a blood-thirsty, war-wanting tomcat. He wanted to start drama in Riverclan. His own Clan. He'd take a stance, and glanced down at his deputy, who was sitting on a lower ledge of the Wetrock. He grinned, and hopped down.

"Leopardglare. I'll be going hunting, and you'll be in charge of the Clan while I'm gone. Don't do anything bee-brained, too." He was obviously lying about the hunting bit, but Leopardglare acted like she didn't take notice. "I'll be back whenever I feel like it." The tom growled, before leaping off and into the open, not allowing his deputy to respond.

The spotted she-cat snarled. "Buzzardstar is such a stupid flea-pelt. I know he's not hunting," the yellowish, black-spotted she-cat grumbled under her breath, and she leapt down. The she-cat squeezed into the nursery to check up on her kin; Kestrelpool.

Meanwhile with Buzzardstar, he was trekking towards the Greenleaf Twolegplace, only to hear the cackles and barks of the Twolegs and dogs. Leaves crunching under his paws, he'd slowly creep towards the area, only to see two dueling dogs. They seemed to be battling over a.. bone? A massive one, too! No bone Buzzardstar had ever seen. He lashed his pale head, shaking the rest of his pelt, which was black, and stalked forward. He meowed as loud as he could, snarling and hissing at the dogs, and soon enough, they cocked their heads to the side and gazed at him. One suddenly barked, and began to charge at Buzzardstar, who screeched and zipped off. The dogs weren't far behind him.

Soon enough, he reached another cat. The leader had lost the dogs, but he even knew, not only Starclan, that the dogs would find him again. The cat was apprentice-aged, and apprentice-sized, who had a white pelt, icy blue eyes, and a crooked jaw. Snappaw. Buzzardstar saw his own Clan cat as a target, and suddenly raced behind a tree, which caused the arriving dogs to lose track of him. However, the two massive hounds did spot Snappaw, and began to ravage.

"What the-" Snappaw mewed in a panic as he turned to the dogs. Screeching, he'd race towards the Riverclan camp, and began calling out the word "dogs."

"Dogs! Dogs!" he yowled to the other cats as he raced into camp. The other cats began to panic, but some were preparing themselves for battle. In just a few moments, the dogs began tearing through the camp.

One of the kits came bounding out of the nursery to see what the screeching was about; an orange tabby kit. Finkit. His mother, Kestrelpool, suddenly came shoving through the den, but before she could get to him, one of the dogs grabbed ahold of the kit's scruff. It threw him across the camp, and enraged the she-cat.

"Don't you ever touch my son again, you rat!" she screeched, before leaping atop the dog and pummeled its spine with her hind legs repeatedly. The massive dog flung her away from it, and held her down with a large paw. It then wrapped its jaws around her neck, before enclosing its teeth, crushing her throat. Everything went black. She could no longer hear the screeching of cats, the rustling of reeds, the crunching of leaves, and the howling of dogs. Nothing. It was all over for her.

***

The dogs were soon driven off by the power of Riverclan, but not all was alright. Kestrelpool and Leopardglare were dead, and one of the warriors, Birdflight, had a sprained hind leg. The corpses of the dead tabby queen and the deputy were peacefully resting in the middle of the clearing. The Clan had been mourning them, especially Kestrelpool's mate, Quickleap, and then there was her kit, Finkit, who was trying to decline the fact that his mother was dead. Leopardlgare's half-brother, Birdflight, was taking her death the hardest.

"S-she can't be dead!" the tabby kit protested. "She's just asleep! She'll wake up soon! I just know it, watch and wait!" His eyes swelled up with tears as he stared into his heart-broken father's eyes. "Please tell me she's alive.. I beg of you!"

Quickleap ushered his son closer to him with his tail. "Finkit, sometimes.. we lose someone we love. I'm so sorry for all of this," he whispered into his kit's ear, his voice cracking. He then arched his ears to a cat yowling behind him. Cats turned their heads.

"He lied about all of this!" the cat snapped. It was one of the most straightforward cats of the Clan. Antleaf. His closest partner, Russetbee, was on his heels. "Buzzardstar lied about going outside of the camp to hunt! He dragged those dogs here from the Greenleaf Twolegplace!" he hollered, causing the other cats to gasp and snarl.

"Antleaf is in fact correct," Russetbee admitted alongside the other tom. "He did head to the-" The large dark brown and yellow tomcat was tackled onto the camp floor by another figure. Buzzardstar!

"You ruined it all for me, you piece of dirt! You rotten cricket.. I should've killed you moons ago! Might as well end it now." The tom would aim his jaws towards the tomcat's throat, but before he could even reach the fur of it, Antleaf bashed the leader to the ground. He held the tan and black tom down with his forepaws.

Mistynose shouldered out of her den, Birdflight limping close behind. She shook her head with a snarl. "I heard it all, and I think it is time for what I've been preparing for." She leapt atop the Wetrock with a hiss at Buzzardstar. "Bring him to the clearing!"

"Understood." Antleaf and Russetbee would keep ahold of Buzzardstar's scruff, and dragged him to the clearing, and once they reached it, they released their jaws. Backing up, Russetbee puffed a sigh and sat aside Antleaf.

Mistynose clearing her throat, the cats gathered beneath the Wetrock, and she parted her jaws as she was about to speak. "Buzzarstar, is it true that you lead dogs to the camp for no reason, and then put not only Snappaw, but also the entire Clan in danger?"

He lowered his head. "Yes, Mistynose. Yes it is all true," Buzzardstar murmured. He raked the ground after he unsheathed his claws.

"Starclan's gaze and hope had left you. You practically killed your former deputy, Leopardglare, and a former queen who was mothering Finkit, Kestrelpool," Mistynose snarled. "I hereby exile you from Riverclan for your wrong doings!" the medicine cat suddenly yowled, the cats cheering at the announcement. Buzzardstar let out a howl of protest.

"This isn't over, you fish-breaths. I will return one day to get my revenge!" He stomped a paw onto the raked ground, before storming out of the camp and paddling through the river to Thunderclan's territory. He trudged into the forest.

Once the cheering of Buzzardstar's exile died down, Mistynose continued. "Now, there is no deputy to take charge of the leader's duties, since the former leader is now exiled. As the medicine cat of Riverclan, I must choose a wise, noble cat to lead this Clan." She then scanned the swarm. "Antleaf, do you accept the role as leader, and lead your Clan to the stars at the cost of your life?"

Antleaf gazed up, and took a stance. "I do," he nodded, blinking his evergreen eyes.

"Then it is settled," Mistynose called as she began to crawl down the rock. "Antleaf is the new leader of Riverclan. Show respect and loyalty to him." The cats began to chant the new leader's name as she leapt down, shaking her pelt as Antleaf took his place on the rock.

"Antstar! Antstar! Antstar!"

Antstar cleared his throat. "As new leader of Riverclan, I must appoint a new deputy." He'd eye his partner, Russetbee. He began to give the proper speech. "I say these words before Starclan, so that the spirits of our warrior ancestors hear and approve of my choice. The new deputy of Riverclan is Russetbee."

The Clan congratulated the new deputy by cheering his name, and he ducked his head. "I accept the role." He leapt atop the rock, and Antstar began to speak again.

"A vigil will be held overnight for Leopardglare and Kestrelpool. The elders will bury them in the morning. Whoever wishes to mourn over their deaths, you may do so, and the ones who wish to carry on with their duties, they may as well. Meeting dismissed."