Lighttail's Courage (A Warrior Cats fan fiction)

Chapter three

It had been a long two sunrises. The former Darkclan cats were weak and starved, and the clan soon found out that they had rebelled against Tiger's and Hare's orders, causing them to starve for the last two sunrises before the gathering. The kits had arrived wailing with hunger, to weak with starvation to walk any further. They were now settling in the nursery, Daisy helping them, while the elders found shelter in the Thunderclan elder's den. The four toms, Sleekfur, Swiftleap, Ripplefur, and Featherpelt, seemed nervous in Thunderclan camp. They had proved that they would be helpful, hunting for the queens and elders that had came to refuge in Thunderclan camp. Ripplefur, Featherpelt, and Sleekfur each had arrived to Thunderclan with their mates and kits, and to avoid the awkwardness of only talking to one another, they often went to visit their families in the nursery. 

The three Skyclan she-cats, Riverwhisker, Hailfur, and Softstep were also rather awkward around everyone else as well; they too kept themselves busy by going on patrols, though Lighttail noticed how Tree, Voiletshine, Rootpaw and Needlepaw seemed to be friendly enough, helping around camp and making themselves useful as well as spending time with Twigbranch, their kin. Lighttail soon had learned the queen and kits names since she had been assigned to giving prey to the nursery. Lighttail gave much credit to Daisy, who had her hands full with the kits. Only this morning did she go to drop off prey and Daisy had been breaking up fights. "Now, now, Dandelionkit. Hailkit, Goosekit, and Marshkit, come apologize to your sister." Lighttail had watched as Daisy made the litter apologize to their sister. "We're sorry." Hailkit licked her brown-and-white spotted fluff embarrassedly, her siblings doing the same. Their Shadowclan mother, Pinecloud, her kits a spitting image of her, snoozed softly nearby next to Windclan Beetail, whose two kits, Rabbitkit and Moorkit played around her, plotting on how to steal the best prey from the fresh-kill pile, their gray fur fluffed with mischief.

Meanwhile Windclan Windsweep basked in the weak morning sunshine, her speckled black-gray fur fluffed for warmth, yet content as her two kits Ravenkit and Sparrowkit slept beside her. Lighttail tiptoed past them,but she still managed to trip over some ball of fluff. "Here you go." dropped the mouse at Daisy's feet. "Thank-you very much Lighttail." Daisy mewed, hungrily gulping down the mouse, her eyes wide with exhaustion. "What happened Daisy?" Lighttail meowed concernedly, before sitting down next to her and sharing tongues. "Well, I haven't slept for the last two nights. I've got my paws full with these kits." Daisy yawned. "The mothers have enough on their plates, so I didn't wake them when Goosekit had a nightmare, and Moorkit hurt Ravenkit, and so on." Lighttail was surprised Daisy wouldn't stop and ask for help.

 "Why haven't you asked for a break?" she asked. Daisy looked right at Lighttail. "Can I trust you with a secret?" "Yes." Daisy sighed. "I feel like it would be ungrateful for me to ask Bramblestar for a break when I'm barley an asset to Thunderclan." Lighttail licked Daisy's shoulder. "Don't say that! You have brought many kits to Thunderclan, and no one can take care of them like you do. You deserve a break." Daisy looked at her desperately. "All right, you can tell Bramblestar. Just please don't make me feel ungrateful." Lighttail was thoughtful for a moment before telling Daisy that she would be right back. She had raced to Bramblestars den and told him the idea, and he had agreed that Daisy needed a break and that Lighttail could be excused from her duties for a day so she could take care of the kits while Daisy rested. It had been a long, restless, day, and Lighttail now had a whole new appreciation for Daisy. It now was the next morning, the day before the big battle. 

Bramblestar and Mistystar had been talking for the last two days, and they had made a plan. There would be three waves of battling cats. Each wave would contain twelve warriors or experienced apprentices from each clan. Four warriors or apprentices from each clan would join the first wave, each of them using their clan's skill to an advantage. Four Riverclan cats would be hiding between gorse and undergrowth, waiting to dart out and swipe unsurprising warriors, and the four Thunderclan cats would be attacking head on. Then the second wave would switch, and then the third. Lighttail was in the third wave, where the most experienced warriors would be attacking. She was surprised she had been chosen, but she had been pleased too, and she intended on doing the best she could. The attack would be tonight, and the goal was to capture Hare and Tiger, and bring them back to camp to question and force them back to leadership and the ways of the warrior code. If all went well, tomorrow Tiger and Hare would be in Thunderclan camp, guarded heavily. But nothing was ever that easy, and Lighttail was worried.