Summary: Birdsong had an apprentice, Clawpaw, who's father, Goldenstar (leader of GoldenClan), wants him in his Clan--GoldenClan. Clawpaw, who is torn between his homeclan, FernClan, and his father's Clan, GoldenClan, flees for GoldenClan, so Goldenstar won't start a battle over him. Birdsong gets a new apprentice, Smallpaw, who is blind, and he becomes Smallstone. Birdsong's sister, Featherpelt, then goes missing with a GoldenClan she cat, Scarletnose--no trace to be found. Scarletnose and Featherpelt had been captured by two big, hungry foxes and were rescued by Driedearth, a BoneClan tom far away from the four other clans, and his sister, Grasstooth and their cousin Fastfoot. Bonestar, and his deputy, Strike, have taken in GleamClan cats as prisoners--and think of Scarletnose and Featherpelt as prisoners, too. Driedearth and Fastfoot help the two escape, along with two BoneClan apprentices, Clawpaw and Steampaw, and five kits. Meanwhile, Birdsong is in love with Clawpaw--now Clawlion--and they meet almost every night and soon have their son, Clawkit. Scarletnose and Featherpelt return, and the BoneClan apprentices join MountainClan and the kits follow Featherpelt to FernClan. In GoldenClan, Scarletnose finds out about her past--and she is reunited with her brother and sister, Eagle that Soars High in the Sky and River that Runs Through Tall Pines (Eagle and River). She is renamed her original name (Sun that Shines High in the Sky/Sun) and given an apprentice, Crypaw, who was originally from BoneClan and Driedearth's and Grasstooth's little sister. Then Sagestar, leader of FernClan, finds out what Birdsong and Clawlion have been doing--and banishes them from the Clans. Goldenstar is heartbroken to see his son leave.
Birdsong, Clawlion, and Clawkit find a kittypet named Ravenclaw who is looking for his Clan, GleamClan. He is crushed by a Thunderpath. Birdsong, Clawlion and Clawkit find GleamClan themselves--the Clan that was imprisoned by Bonestar and BoneClan. Birdsong becomes the medicine cat, and Clawlion a warrior. Birdsong finds a helper, Squirrel, a she cat abandoned at birth and is not ready to accept her destiny as a medicine cat. She finally accepts it and becomes Squirrelmoon. Behind all this, Bonestar is seeking revenge for Scarletnose's and Featherpelt's escape.......
Chapter Thirty-Three
Sandcloud ate her blue bird unsteadily. Her friend, Spottedstorm, came up to her and brushed her tail against her's.
"You okay?" she asked.
"I'm fine," Sandcloud lied.
Spottedstorm smiled. "You're not fine."
"Why did stupid Sagestar have to banish Birdsong and Clawlion? Can't her accept the fact that they love each other?" Sandcloud hissed.
"Don't let Sagestar hear you saying that," Spottedstorm joked. But then she frowned. "But seriously, though, I miss Birdsong, too. But it's against the warrior code to mate other cats outside your homeclan."
"But Clawlion used to be FernClan," Sandcloud muttered.
"Sandcloud, you know that doesn't matter, especially now that you're deputy, and you should stick by the warrior code," Spottedstorm reminded. "Now I remember this patrol. What was it called again? Bunting....punting....lunting.....grunting...."
"Omigosh! I almost forgot! I'm on the hunting patrol!" Sandcloud got up. "Finish my bird, bye!" she yelled quickly over her shoulder.
The patrol--Starnight, Nightstalk, Stormpelt, and Sandcloud's temporary apprentice, Jaypaw--were all waiting impatiently at the entrance to the den.
"Where were you?" Nightstalk asked.
"Sorry, I forgot. I was eating," Sandcloud explained. "But that's no excuse. Let's get moving."
The patrol went through the trees, and Jaypaw caught a squirrel as big as him.
"Good job! Did Echowish teach you that?" asked Sandcloud.
Jaypaw nodded.
Echowish was Jaypaw's original mentor, until she had to move to the nursery because of her two kits, Wingkit and Coalkit. Sandcloud had been assigned the temporary mentor.
Nightstalk and his sister, Starnight, were climbing a tree silently, looking at a bird. They loved to hunt at night--when the shadows were there, and they were protected by the trees.
Stormpelt came over with two pigeons and a mouse.
"Thanks, Stormpelt," purred Sandcloud. "We don't get mice often."
"That's why we're JayClan. We hunt birds," Stormpelt replied.
Sandcloud nodded and saw a bird digging a worm out of the ground. She licked her lips, still wishing she had finished that bird.....
She pounced, and Sandcloud killed the bird with ease.
"I wish I were good like that," Jaypaw mewed.
"You got a squirrel your size, though!"
"Squirrels don't fly."
Sandcloud rolled her eyes and looked at the prey they had collected. Nightstalk came down with the bird, and Starnight came over with three mice.
"More mice!" Jaypaw licked his lips.
Stormpelt chuckled. "Wait till dinner. I'll save one for you." He looked at Nightstalk. "Have you ever considered mating?"
"Of course not!"
"I'm just saying, because Lilystorm has stolen some glances at you..."
"I don't care for her," Nightstalk growled. "I don't want to mate."
"Sure you don't," Stormpelt muttered.
*
The patrol returned with plenty of food. Soystar, their leader, jumped down from the Meeting Rock.
"Do you think Jaggedkit and Cracklekit should be made apprentices?" he asked her.
Sandcloud thought. "Well, they are six and a half moons old...and their mother Icefoot should be heading back to the warrior's den...and we only have two warrior apprentices...yes, they should be apprentices."
"Good," Soystar mewed and, he flicked his tail for her to follow him to his den. "Have any mentor ideas for them? For Jaggedkit, I was thinking Nightstalk could be his mentor. But Cracklekit, I don't know."
Sandcloud sighed. Who should be his mentor? Cracklekit was many things: brave, dumb and smart at the same time, strong, clumsy, and loud--who was like that in the clan?
"How about Bluewing?" She wasn't exactly like Cracklekit, but she could make him a true warrior, since she was young and clever.
"Good idea. I'll call the meeting." The two raced out and Soystar yowled, "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, join here beneath the Meeting Rock!"
Warriors, elders, queens, apprentices, and the medicine cat all raced over from whatever they were doing.
"It is a special day today because there is going to be two new apprentices!" Soystar meowed. "Jaggedkit, Cracklekit, please come forward."
The two kits' pelts were groomed, and they bounded up.
"Jaggedkit, you are young and strong. Your name shall now be Jaggedpaw, and your mentor is Nightstalk."
"Jaggedpaw! Jaggedpaw!" everyone chanted, and Nightstalk padded up and touched his new apprentice's nose.
Soystar turned to Jaggedpaw's brother. "Cracklekit, you are young and courageous. Your name is now Cracklepaw, and your mentor is Bluewing."
"Cracklepaw! Cracklepaw!" cats chanted.
Bluewing padded up and touched Cracklepaw's nose.
"We cannot wait for these two apprentices to become warriors. I know they will become fine warriors, I know, and I hope they find the true meaning of the warrior code."
Cats parted, and Cracklepaw and Jaggedpaw bounded to the apprentice's den. Birdpaw, Jaypaw's older sister, blocked their path.
"New apprentices, huh? You're still five moons old!" she hissed.
Sandcloud padded over. "They're six and a half moons old, Birdpaw. And don't be mean. You know what it was like when you became an apprentice. Be nice, or else."
Birdpaw rolled her eyes. "Fine."
The new apprentices carried on to the apprentice's den, stopping to get moss from the medicine den.
Sandcloud looked up at the sky. There was something coming on. Something bad. Deaths and blood. But she couldn't concentrate on that now. There was a Mooning tonight.
Chapter Thirty Four
Featherpelt saw the Mooning rock. Riverbank, her mate, brushed her flank.
"Lovely night for a Mooning, right?" he asked.
Featherpelt sighed. "I guess."
"Birdsong will be okay. She used to be deputy, and she has a strong warrior, too--I know she's still living."
Featherpelt nodded, and Sagestar raced down, FernClan following. Featherpelt smelled blood. Where was it coming from?
"Smell that?" she asked Riverbank.
"Smell what?"
"That blood...."
Riverbank laughed. "I just smell cats."
Then she understood. Only she could smell it.
*
The Mooning started, and Featherpelt was sitting next to Riverbank and Smokeysong.
"I will start," Soystar mewed. "JayClan are doing excellent. We have to new apprentices here tonight--Jaggedpaw and Cracklepaw!"
"Jaggedpaw! Cracklepaw! Jaggedpaw! Cracklepaw!" cats chanted.
When they quieted down, Soystar continued. "Our prey is running well--it is rare that JayClan ever gets mice, but earlier today we got four mice." He looked at Sagestar. "You may go."
Sagestar padded up. "FernClan, too, are doing well. As you know, Birdsong has been exiled, along with her mate and kit, but we are doing fine without her. Riverbank is an excellent deputy. We have plenty of prey and fish in our territory. Brownstar, you can go."
Brownstar padded up. "MountainClan are fine. We have celebrated that Lion Tooth and Great Bear have been killed, and now we have more prey. There are more kits, which means a bigger MountainClan." She turned to the last leader. "Goldenstar?"
Featherpelt almost gasped. Goldenstar looked as if he had aged a lot--and he wasn't that old! Then she remembered Clawlion, who was exiled, too, was his son--Goldenstar must be so heartbroken!
"GoldenClan are fine as always, with plenty of prey. But Sun senses trouble."
There were gasps and mewls.
"She has smelled blood and heard cats dying."
Even more gasps. Featherpelt saw Sandcloud's eyes widen, and she wondered if she had smelled blood, too.
"GoldenClan is in danger!" Goldenstar cried.
"Not just them!" Everyone turned to see Rumblefang of MountainClan. "I've smelled blood, too! And cats yowling!"
"Me, too!" Sandcloud agreed.
Featherpelt was nervous to speak, but she decided to cry, "I have, too!"
"That means every clan is in danger!" Soystar gasped.
"But from what?" asked Brownstar.
"How should we know?" Sagestar snapped.
"Oh, StarClan, help us!" Goldenstar muttered.
"Quiet, all of you!"
Everyone turned to look at one of the medicine cats, Sweetcicely of GoldenClan.
"None of the medicine cats have gotten this--at least I haven't--that means these for, whatever it'll be, must lead us into whatever this thing is--by the sound of it, it's a battle," she suggested.
"
"But why would we battle each other?"
Cats yowled more questions, but Goldenstar silenced them. "Everyone keep a close eye out. Whatever this is, it's dangerous."
The Mooning came to an end, and everyone padded home.
*
Featherpelt was tired the next day--what was the blood scent? Did she have a connection to Sun, Sandcloud, and Rumblefang?
"Take a nap," Cindersage suggested, and Featherpelt did.
But she still smelled blood.
Chapter Thirty Five
Rumblefang yawned the next day. He thought he was the only one that smelled it--but now he had figured out every clan was in danger.
"Rumblefang! Brownstar said I could go on the border patrol, as long as you come along!" Clawpaw, his apprentice from BoneClan, cried. "Can you come with me, please?"
"Sure," he mewed. "Maybe it'll get my mind off the blood."
Heatherstripe, Blackfoot, Stripeclaw, and Hooffoot were waiting at the entrance.
"Let's go," the deputy, Blackfoot, meowed.
The patrol exited the camp and went up the mountain.
"Ugh! Our last patrol didn't do so well!" Heatherstripe growled. "I can barely smell our markers!
Blackfoot remarked it and Rumblefang went a little farther, marking here and there. Clawpaw did the same. For a cat that had lived on flat land, she was good at climbing mountains without complaining.
"This area is good, I think," Stripeclaw meowed. "Let's go to the border we share with JayClan."
They all went down and marked the territory, all the way to the the border with FernClan.
"I think we're done for the day," Hooffoot mewed.
Blackfoot nodded. "Let's go home."
They all padded to their camp in the valley.
Chapter Thirty Six
Sun ate a rabbit with her sister River. But she couldn't smell the rabbit. She could smell blood.
"You okay?" her sister asked
"I-I'm fine," Sun stammered. Their brother, Eagle, padded up with a mouse in his jaws.
"You don't look okay, Sun," he meowed.
"Yeah," River agreed. "You should go to the medicine cat's den.
Sun nodded and got up unsteadily. She saw Sweetcicely at the entrance.
"Sun! You look terrible! Here, come in." Sweetcicely guided her into the den.
Sun laid down.
"Eat these," the medicine cat meowed, giving her some herbs. Sun ate them, feeling sick.
"Go to sleep. You need rest."
Sun yawned and closed her eyes.
She opened her eyes to find herself belly-high in an ocean of blood. The blood was rising. "Help!" she screamed, and she heard cats yowling and screaming to their deaths. Sun had to swim to stay above blood, but it wasn't any good. The blood was past her nose...
She closed her eyes and wished this all away. She opened them again. She wasn't in the ocean of blood anymore, but she was in front of Bonestar.
He was huge, bigger than she had remembered. Bigger than Goldenstar, even!
"Miss me, prisoner?" he growled, with a sly smile.
"Get away!" Sun cried, but blood filled her mouth...
Sun shot open her eyes. She was wet, and back in the medicine den.
"You were screaming, so I poured water on you with some moss," Sweetcicely explained. "Why'd you say 'Get away'?"
Sun panted. She felt tired, even though her swim in blood really wasn't real. "I....I don't just smell blood." She looked up at Sweetcicely. "I'm seeing BoneClan."
Thirty Seven
Birdsong went into Swallowstar's den. "Swallowstar? I need to talk to you."
"Yes, Birdsong?"
"I-I'd like to be a warrior," Birdsong mewed.
Swallowstar blinked. "Really? Is there something wrong?"
"No, no, everything's fine!" Birdsong meowed. "And Squirrelmoon doesn't need any training at all, and she knows herbs better than me so she doensn't need any training. And warrior means more to me than a medicine cat. I haven't felt myself when I was around herbs...I feel better hunting."
Swallowstar nodded. "I'll tell the clan."
He called for a meeting. "Birdsong would like to be a warrior. Squirrelmoon is our new medicine cat."
"Birdsong! Squirrelmoon! Birdsong! Squirrelmoon!" everyone chanted, and broke up.
Clawlion padded over to his meet. Now they could hunt together, for the first time almost in the same clan! He remembered when he was Clawpaw, apprentice of FernClan. Birdsong had run beside him, both of them chasing a rabbit...now they could do it as warriors!
Birdsong padded over to the edge of the camp, looking at the sunrise in the east. "Isn't it beautiful?" she asked.
"Yes," Clawlion agreed.
Birdsong saw something...something black in the distance. She squinted. It was cats! Heading west...
"Swallowstar! Come!" she screamed.
Swallowstar bounded over. "BoneClan. But they're heading away from us."
West, Clawlion thought. BoneClan's heading west......the four clans!
"Swallowstar, they're heading to our original home," Clawlion meowed urgently. "They'll attack FernClan, GoldenClan, JayClan, and MountainClan!"
"We need to help them!" Birdsong cried.
"It's our homeland they're going to destroy," Clawlion mewed.
"I thought they exiled you," Swallowstar reminded.
"Sagestar, my old leader, did. Goldenstar was forced to exile Clawlion....."
"We can't do anything, though!" Swallowstar mewed.
"Please! My friends are there...." Birdsong pleaded.
Swallowstar sighed. "Okay." He turned. "BoneClan is attacking the four Clans where Birdsong, Clawlion, and Clawkit came from. We must help."
Everyone looked uncomfortable, but Lakefur bravely mewed, "What should I do?"
"Tell the queens to stay with the kits, and then go around the territory and search for patrols."
Lakefur nodded and raced away.
Everyone got ready for battle.
"Mama, can I come too?" Clawkit asked.
"No, Clawkit, it isn't safe. Follow Gleamingstripe to the nursery, and stay there," Birdsong mewed, nudging him.
Clawkit followed the queen into the nursery and looked back. "You're coming back, right mama, daddy?"
Birdsong looked worriedly at him. Clawlion felt as if someone has clawed at his heart and made hime heart broken. "Of course," he rasped uneasily.
Birdsong and Clawlion looked at each other. "We will come back, right?" Birdsong mewed.
"It's hard to say. But if I die, I die for GleamClan and our Clans," Clawlion meowed.
Then something hit their noses: blood.
*
Sandcloud saw Starnight race over.
"Unfamiliar cats are approaching! And a huge cat is leading them!"
Suddenly, Sun, Rumblefang, and Featherpelt raced into camp.
"Sandcloud! Come quickly, BoneClan's here!" Sun cried. "Bring JayClan! The rest of the clans are waiting outside!"
Sandcloud shot up. "Nightstalk! Tell the queens to gather the kits and hide them in the nursery! The elders that are still battle-ready guard the camp! Older ones will stay in their den! Everyone else, get ready!"
Soystar came out of his den.
"I'm coming, too," he announced.
"You're on your eighth life! What if..."
"Sandcloud, I'm the leader and I risk my life for the clan." He touched her with his tail. "Besides, if I die, you'll make a great leader!"
Sandcloud gulped. Leader? Deputy, maybe, but was she really ready for leader?
She ran with clan out the camp. Every warrior, deputy, leader, and apprentice was there--and now JayClan was joining them.
"Over here, Sandcloud," Rumblefang called. Sandcloud followed them. They were in the lead! Finally in the lead, as if she was the leader. Is this what it feels like to be leader? Everyone behind you, countin on you to show the way?
The Clans went into the Great Open, where every clan could hunt. Sandcloud saw new cats in the distance, coming toward them.....
The clans stopped, and the new cats came closer.
"Bonestar," Featherpelt whispered angrily.
"And Strike," Sun added.
Strike? Was that the deputy?
The new cats stopped a few fox-lengths away.
"I am Bonestar, leader of BoneClan," a huge black cat yowled. Sandcloud stared in awe. He was almost twice the size of her--bigger than the biggest cat in all the clans.
"I have come to seek to prisoners, and my apprentices and kits," he continued. Then he snarled louder, "Where are they?"
"We're here, Bonestar." Steampaw and Clawpaw of MountainClan padded up.
"Where's the kits?" Bonestar growled.
"They're safe--safe from you," Clawpaw snapped.
Bonestar growled. "I want them."
"Then you'll have to kill us all, if you can." Crypaw stood up.
"I though you died!" Bonestar hissed.
"I didn't," snapped Crypaw. "You'll never be a leader, Bonestar. Never."
Bonestar yowled angrily and called, "BoneClan, attack!"
Half the clan fought the clans--the other half jumped on Bonestar.
"What're you doing?" he yowled.
"Crypaw's right. You aren't a good leader," a tom mewed.
"Driedearth!" Sun whispered happily, but was thrown over by a big black cat.
Bonestar roared and pushed all the cats off.
A gray she cat limped over. She was one of the cats that had attacked Bonestar. "Tell me," she asked Sandcloud, "where're my kits?"
Another cat came over. "Mine, too?"
"They're fine, I know," Sandcloud mewed, throwing off a tom. "Safe in a camp. I'll show them to you after battle."
The queens nodded and fought one of Bonestar's followers.
Sandcloud pounced on a tom and bit him. He yowled, and turned over, facing Sandcloud. She swung her claws, scraping his throat, and blood came out....
She had killed him.
Sandcloud raced over to help a clanmate get up, when she heard Featherpelt yowl.
Chapter Thirty Eight
Featherpelt threw off a BoneClan cat and jumped on Bonestar. He kicked her off with ease. She landed, the breath coming out of her.
"Featherpelt!" Riverbank flew to her and helped her up.
She panted. "Thanks."
"No problem. Now watch out!"
Featherpelt dodged a BoneClan cat. She looked up, to where GoldenClan territory was. She was the slope that led down into the territory, or JayClan's. She saw cats running down the slope. She yowled.
A BoneClan cat knocked her down, and she fell, the breath taken out of her.
*
Featherkit saw Birdkit racing to her....calling her name, and laughing. Featherkit was lying down, smiling. "Birdkit! Come here!"
Then she opened her eyes, and she was Featherpelt again....and she saw Birdsong racing to her, still calling her name and yowling. "Birdsong! Help!" Featherpelt cried.
Birdsong helped her up.
"You're back," Featherpelt gasped.
"I joined GleamClan," Birdsong mewed. "I don't have time to explain. We need to fight!"
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Thunderkit heard yowling. He was closer to the battle! He could be a true warrior and fight, and then Sagestar would make him a warrior right away....
Thunderclaw! Then Thunderstar!
Thunderkit was racing with joy. He reached the battle, and saw a huge cat--bigger than the biggest cat in the clans--caught his eye. "I'll deal with him!" Thunderkit meowed and jumped on him. The huge cat turned and saw him, wriggling him off.
The huge cat then hit Thunderkit, and a slash mark went along his back....he cried in pain....
He saw Brooksong, a clanmate, race over....."Thunderkit!" she was screaming, but the huge cat grabbed him in his jaws and threw him. Thunderkit hit a tree, and everything went black.
**************************************************************************************************************
Thunderkit opened his eyes, and saw starry cats surrounding him. He got up, his back not hurting anymore.
"W-Where am I?" he mumbled.
"You are in StarClan," one of the starry cats answered.
"I'm dead?" he cried.
"Yes."
"And it's all your idiot fault," a second cat growled.
"Streamfire, shut up," hissed the first cat. She bent down and licked Thunderkit's forehead. "It isn't your fault you're dead, young one. You didn't know you'd die. But you wanted to be a warrior so much, you went out like a true warrior, wanting to defend your clan. It was a silly thing, but a brave one, Thunderkit."
"How do you know my name?" Thunderkit asked.
"StarClan know everything. And I watch over FernClan, because I was apart of it once, too."
"Really?"
"Yes. I'm Featherstar, FernClan's former leader, before Sagestar." She looked at the grumpy tom. "And this is my mate, Streamfire."
"What do I do now?" asked Thunderkit.
"Watch the battle."
Chapter Forty
Clawlion saw his father being attacked by a bigger BoneClan cat. Goldenstar must have aged a million years.....
"Father!" he cried. Goldenstar saw Clawlion, and his face brightened. The two made the enemy race off, tail between his legs.
"You came back," Goldenstar whispered.
"You haven't betrayed me," Clawlion panted. "I know what I did was wrong."
"No, it wasn't. It's not fair that I wasn't punished for mating your mother, and you were."
"It's okay, honest. Now let's take care of BoneClan."
*
Grasstooth had hid in a bush while the battle was going on, scared. What would she do? Go there and fight the four clans? Or go there and help bring down Bonestar.
Kill Bonestar.
Grasstooth yowled and raced from behind the bush, and Bonestar looked at her in shock. She knocked him down.
"I thought you were on my side!" he hissed.
"I was scared of you. But now I'm not," she snarled.
"Strike!" Bonestar cried for the deputy.
Strike came over. "I'm not helping you, Bonestar. You said I'd be your joint leader. Strikestar and Bonestar. But you lied to me. You can't keep promises. Finish him, Grasstooth."
Grasstooth yowled, and Bonestar roared. Grasstooth shot down, digging her claws into her leader's flesh and digging her teeth into his throat. She got up, and everyone stopped fighting, and there was pure silence, until Bonestar started screaming, but when he opened his mouth blood came out. His breathing became slower, and then he stopped screaming.
Cats who didn't follow Bonestar cheered. Grasstooth looked up and saw Crypaw and Driedearth running toward her.
"I thought you were a true follower of Bonestar," Crypaw meowed.
"Me too," Driedearth added.
"I was scared of him. I didn't want him to harm me. But my anger and hatred to him made me kill him. He killed our mother. I don't care if he was our father. He deserves to die."
Driedearth and Crypaw nuzzled her.
*
Birdsong sighed. The battle had been won--GleamClan were free, and more cats would escape. BoneClan had no leader--but then she remembered Strike.
Strike the deputy was growling at a clanmate. Birdsong padded up to her.
"Bonestar is dead. You wouldn't dare be leader, would you?" Birdsong hissed.
Strike said to the other cat, "Leave, Bonetail," and turned to Birdsong. "I never liked Bonestar. And it is worthless being a BoneClan cat. Everyone on Bonestar's side has decided to be rogues and loners. But the rest of us would like to be part of the clans, if you'll have us."
"Of course we'll have you," Goldenstar meowed, coming up. "This'll mean more warriors for all the clans, making us stronger...and we can show you what clanhood really is about."
Strike nodded, and spotted a cat, no bigger than an apprentice. "Steampaw! I'm so happy you're alive!" she mewed.
"I thought you were on Bonestar's side. I thought you were evil," Steampaw meowed.
"I never was, Steampaw. I'm sorry."
Featherpelt knocked Birdsong over. "Oh, Birdsong, you're back! You're home! I missed you so much! Will you come home to FernClan? You, Clawlion, and Clawkit? Oh, please, please, please????"
"She'll never be a FernClan cat," Sagestar spat. "As long as I'm alive. And when I'm dead and she dares comes back, I'll put a drought on the river and FernClan will go hungry."
Birdsong sighed. "I don't think I'm coming back."
"Where do you live? Who are these cats?" Featherpelt asked.
"This is GleamClan, my clan now. I'm a warrior. See that cat over there? That's Swallowstar."
"Oh."
"I'll visit," Birdsong promised, and the two licked each other's forehead.
Chapter Forty One
Sandcloud looked around for Soystar.
"Soystar!" she called. "Soystar!"
She heard a faint rasp mew, "Sandcloud."
Sandcloud turned and saw Soystar, her father, bleeding everywhere--paws, face, tail, belly, back....
"Father, oh Soystar, what has happened?" Sandcloud wailed.
Soystar coughed. "BoneClan cat....attacked.....lost eigth life......"
"So you're on your last life? Don't worry, father, JayClan will not let you lose your last life, I--"
"Sandcloud," Soystar interrupted, "another cat attacked."
Sandcloud gasped.
"I'm losing my last life," Soystar rasped. "I'm dying. Where is your sister?"
"I'm here, father." Fastpelt, Soystar's medicine cat and daughter and Sandcloud's sister, padded up to them. "Father....I wish there was a type of herb to restore all nine of your lives. I wish a cat like you could live forever."
Soystar smiled, but he had to force it because he was so weak. "I love both of you, Sandcloud and Fastpelt. Sandcloud, Fastpelt, take care of each other."
"We will," Sandcloud promised.
"Sandcloud, take care of JayClan, too, and lead them to happy times. Fastpelt, heal our clan with all your strength. Both of you guide JayClan. Show them wisdom, love, firmness, and companionship. I shall watch over you from StarClan. Good bye, daughters. I am not a afraid to die. I will be with StarClan, I know, and with your mother....I wish you had known her." He looked at the rock her was sitting on. "Poppybird was a wonderful she-cat....adventurous, funny, kind......that's why I loved her. And then she died."
Fastpelt sniffled, tears running down her cheeks.
"I must tell you something.....Bonestar has children," Soystar rasped. "Driedearth, Grasstooth, and Crypaw....but that was Bonestar's first litter. He mated a she-cat named Lightfur, and she was filled with kindness and light......and then he killed her when the three were born. But.....not long ago, about seven months ago, he and another dark cat, Wingshadow, had a kit.....Scarkit. Even though his parents were dark.....he was light, and small. So Bonestar had three followers of his take him to a poison pool, but Scarkit escaped before they could kill him. He's somewhere, out there, looking for a place to call home. No cat takes him in, because he was bred from two dark cats. He needs JayClan. Find him."
"How did you find this out?" Fastpelt asked.
"StarClan. They told me a few sunrises ago." Soystar took a deep breath. "Good bye, my daughters.....my little heroes." Then he breathed out, and was gone.
Fastpelt nestled into Sandcloud's fur.
"Do you think he's right about Scarkit?" she wailed.
"I think he's right about everything."
Three tears ran down Sandcloud's face....one for her father Soystar, another for her mother Poppybird, and the last.....for Scarkit's dark fate.
Chapter Forty Two
When the battle was over, the clans went to the
The leaders went on top of the Mooning Rock, clearly confused that Sandcloud was with them.
"Where's Soystar?" Goldenstar asked.
"He's dead," Sandcloud whispered.
The other leaders bowed their heads, and the clans did the same.
When the heads went back up, Brownstar called, "What will happen to BoneClan?"
"Bonestar's followers have decided to become loners and rogues, and have promised to stay outside our territory," Goldenstar meowed. "Ones that weren't Bonestar's followers want to become clan cats--true clan cats."
"That seems fair, as long as they don't join my clan," Sagestar growled.
"Sagestar, don't be rude!" Sandcloud snapped. "Ones that went against Bonestar would be a fine addition to any clan. And the five kits are a lively bunch--lively means energetic warriors, which means warriors that don't get tired as easily."
Sagestar mumbled, "Fine. But shall we choose now who's going into our clans?"
"Let's start with GoldenClan," Goldenstar mewed. "When I ask who wants to be in GoldenClan, yell your name. Who wants to be in GoldenClan?"
"Driedearth."
"Grasstooth."
"Eclipsefur."
"Firecracker."
"Lungefoot."
"Fastfoot."
Brownstar meowed, "Now for MountainClan. All in favor of MountainClan, please say your name."
"Strike."
"Heft-tooth."
"Throatfoot."
"Now all who want to join FernClan, say your name," Sagestar mewed.
"Featherstripe."
"Coldfoot."
"Callwild."
"Now for JayClan," Sandcloud mewed.
"Shallowcall."
"Firecracker."
"That's it then," Sagestar meowed. "Every other BoneClan cat, leave this place and never return. Take Bonestar's body with you, too."
The followers carried Bonestar's body up the slope and were never seen again.
Chapter Forty Three
Sandcloud found Birdsong with Clawlion near the back of the hollow after the meeting.
"Birdsong, I heard you can't return to FernClan....and I know about GleamClan and all, but....would you, your mate, and kit like to be apart of JayClan?" Sandcloud asked.
Birdsong and Clawlion gasped. "You'd accept us?" Clawlion asked.
"Of course! I know Birdsong has a fascination for birds.....and you can both fish! JayClan has never had fish before. And Clawlion, you can chase rabbits--you're fast enough for that. You'll be great hunters for JayClan, and Clawkit will make a great warrior." Sandcloud saw the uneasy looks on both of them. "You can visit GleamClan, too, if you want," she added.
Their faces perked up. "Thank you. We will," Birdsong mewed. "But we need to go home with GleamClan to get Clawkit."
"Of course," Sandcloud meowed. "I've already talked about it to some of my clanmates, and they think you'll be a good addition."
"Who's the new deputy?" Clawlion asked.
"What do you m--Oh, you mean JayClan's deputy. Well, I'm still thinking. Nightstalk would be good, and so would his sister Starnight, but when she becomes leader........"
"Starstar," Birdsong mewed.
"Exactly. But I really want Whitefur to be my deputy......he's good, big, and strong....and a father, so he'd know what taking care of a clan is like." Sandcloud nodded. "It's Whitefur, I'm sure of it."
Birdsong licked Sandcloud. "We'll be back by dawn," she meowed.
"Bye!" Sandcloud called, and led JayClan home.
Chapter Forty Four
Clawkit tapped at a leaf boredly. Without the rest of GleamClan, there was nothing to do. The other kits were huddled in a corner, hiding from BoneClan, the clan GleamClan and Clawkit's parents went off to fight with.
"They're back!" Gleamingstripe cried. The queen ducked her head into the nursery. "Come out kits! They're back!"
Clawkit jumped out first and ran to his mother and father. Birdsong laughed and licked his head.
"You're bleeding on your tail," Clawkit mewed. "And dad, you have a wound on your forehead."
"I'll be alright," Clawlion meowed. "We need to talk to Swallowstar."
"About what?" asked Clawkit.
"About....things," Birdsong answered vaguely.
"That's no answer!"
"Clawkit, please."
The two padded to the leader. Swallowstar's face turned grim, and nodded.
"Very well," Clawkit heard him say. "I shall tell the clan."
Swallowstar went onto the flat rock he stood on for meetings. Everyone gathered.
"I have big news. GleamClan have fought alongside GoldenClan, FernClan, JayClan, and MountainClan, and a cat from BoneClan has destroyed Bonestar."
"His own clanmate?" Gleamingstripe gasped.
"Not every BoneClan cat is evil," Swallowstar reminded.
"Who was it?" Frostfoot asked.
"Grasstooth," Lakefur answered.
"I thought she was evil," Frostfoot mewed.
"Guess she wasn't."
"Anyway," Swallowstar meowed, "we have won, and now we have bigger territory for prey."
"Amen," Jayfall muttered.
Swallowstar continued. "But Birdsong and Clawlion have been asked by the leader of JayClan to join JayClan. They have accepted."
"What?!" Mistfur, the deputy, cried. "But....they haven't been here that long!"
"It is their choice," Swallowstar pointed out. "Not ours." He turned to Birdsong and Clawlion. "We will miss you terribly."
"We'll miss you all as well," Clawlion mewed. "But Sandcloud, the to-be-leader, has given us permission to visit you. Do you give us permission to visit?"
"Of course," Swallowstar meowed.
Everyone agreed.
Squirrelmoon, Birdsong's friend, touched her nose. "I'll miss you every day you're not here."
"Me, too. Remember to go to the Caverock every quarter moon," Birdsong reminded with a smile.
Squirrelmoon laughed. "I will."
Clawkit ran up to his parents. "We're leaving?"
"To JayClan," Clawlion mewed.
"But....this is my home."
"We'll visit here often, we promise," Clawlion meowed.
Clawkit nodded and said good-bye to his friends.
"Have a nice life in JayClan," Bouncekit mewed.
"I'll miss you sooooo much," Popplekit meowed.
"See ya," Gleamingkit laughed.
"Wouldn't wanna be ya," Clawkit smiled.
Pouncekit rested her chin on Clawkit's shoulder. "Good-bye, Clawkit. It was nice knowing you."
Clawkit looked into her eyes and saw the pain of loss in them. "I'll be back," he promised.
Pouncekit licked him and backed away.
Birdsong and Clawlion were saying good-bye to their clanmates, too.
"Hey, Clawkit," Bloodpaw meowed, "see you in a little while."
"Bye," Clawkit meowed.
"Come on, Clawkit!" Birdsong called.
"Bye everyone!" Clawkit called behind his shoulder, and followed his parents.
Chapter Forty Five
Crypaw's paws tingled with delight. Today, it was her turn to become a warrior.
"Sun that Shines High in the Sky, do you believe it is time for Crypaw to become a warrior?" Goldenstar asked.
"I do," Sun replied.
"Then Crypaw, you are brave, fierce, and strong--I name you Crysong."
"Crysong! Crysong! Crysong!"
Crysong's brother and sister, Driedearth and Grasstooth, and her cousin, Fastfoot, cheered the loudest, which made her puff up in pride.
Beacheye padded to her. "You look so much older," he meowed.
"Thank you," Crysong mewed.
Driedearth, Grasstooth, and Fastfoot padded over. "Congrats, Crysong!" Grasstooth cried.
"Now we can hunt equally," Driedearth mewed.
"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Fastfoot.
"Got no clue."
Firepaw padded over. "When will I be a warrior?" he mumbled.
"Very soon," Grasstooth mewed.
"She's right." Goldenstar padded over to them. "I've decided that you, Steampaw, and Lionpaw are ready for warriorhood. You'll be warriors in seven sunrises."
"Yes!" Firepaw did a backflip and raced over to his littermates.
All of them laughed, and Driedearth padded over to Sun.
"There's the future mates," Grasstooth muttered.
"Oh, don't be jealous," Fastfoot laughed. "I don't have a tom either." Then she padded over to Lionstorm and started to gossip.
Chapter Forty Six
Birdsong, Clawlion, and Clawkit padded into the JayClan camp.
"Birdsong, Clawlion, Clawkit, you're here!" Sandcloud cried. She raced over to them. "I'm so sorry I won't be here long. Fastpelt is taking me to the Fire Rock to become leader!"
"That's wonderful!" Birdsong exclaimed. "A sister taking a sister to become leader....that makes it extra special."
"I know," Sandcloud purred. "I'm so excited. Oh, here comes Fastpelt! Good-bye!"
The to-be leader and medicine cat exited the camp, and Birdsong, Clawlion, and Clawkit stood at the entrance.
Birdsong recognized Nightstalk and Starnight coming over.
"Hello," Starnight mewed. "We're going to find you places to sleep in the warrior's den. How old is Clawkit?"
"Almost six moons," answered Clawlion.
"Then a new apprentice is in our hands. Here, follow us. We'll show you to the nursery." Starnight and Nightstalk led them to a bush well-guarded with thorns and thorn-covered roses.
Inside, two queens and six kits were sleeping. One woke up, and saw the three newcomers.
"Ah, Birdsong and Clawkit have come to join us," she mewed. "I'm Bluefeather."
The other queen woke up.
"And this is Echowish," Bluefeather added.
"Hi," Echowish mewed. "Kits, wake up."
Two newborn kits nestled into her and nursed.
"These are my newborns, Wingkit and Coalkit. Their father is Stormpelt," Echowished mewed.
"I've heard of him," Clawlion meowed.
"And this is Bluekit and Hollykit. My mate is Oceanpelt," Bluefeather added.
"I've heard of him, too."
"My other kits are Jaypaw and Birdpaw, but you know.....they're practically grown-up." Bluefeather rolled her eyes. "Icefoot just left the nursery. Her kits, Jaggedpaw and Cracklepaw, became apprentices. We already have a nest for you."
"Great," Birdsong meowed.
"Can we go?" Nightstalk grumbled.
"Nightstalk, don't be rude," Starnight hissed.
"I'll leave you here," Clawlion mewed. "I'll be alone in the warrior's den alone for only a little bit."
Birdsong nodded, and Clawlion, Nightstalk, and Starnight left.
Birdsong laid down on Icefoot's old bed. Clawkit snuggled up to her and sighed. "This will be our last home, right? We won't be moving anywhere else?"
"No, dear," Birdsong answered.
Bluefeather and Echowish returned to a midday nap, and their kits were snuggled up with them. Birdsong and Clawkit went outside for some fresh air.
Cats stared at them, and as Birdsong went over to the fresh-kill pile, one cat stepped back and whispered something to another.
Clawlion came over to them. "Some cats are suspicious."
"Clawlion, I know GoldenClan and GleamClan were more welcoming to you, but each clan is different. Soon they'll see we're honest warriors.....warriors of JayClan," Birdsong meowed.
A JayClan cat, Lungefoot, who was from BoneClan, padded up to them. "Having any fun?"
"No," Clawkit muttered.
Birdsong whacked him with her tail. "Don't be rude, Clawkit."
Lungefoot chuckled. "It's alright. I know what it's like to join a new clan now, too...........Some cats are wary of us newcomers, since we're from BoneClan....but we're good, loyal cats, and that's all that matters."
"It must be harder for you," Clawlion meowed.
"Yeah, but as long as I've got my brother Firecracker, and our friend Shallowclaw, I'm fine," Lungfoot mewed. He turned. "I hear Firecracker calling. We BoneClan cats have a good sense of hearing, since the place where we used to live was windy, and usually never brought prey-scent toward us." Lungefoot bowed his head. "All the good cats of BoneClan believed in StarClan....but some were killed for our beliefs. StarClan wasn't with us, because Bonestar was our leader....and most of the clan was evil. But now StarClan is with me and my brother and friend, and the rest of the good cats of BoneClan in other clans."
Birdsong touched his bowed head. "I think StarClan was always with you. You just didn't realize it."
Lungefoot nodded. "Thanks. Well, nice talking to you. Bye!" With that, he padded across camp to his brother Firecracker.
*
Sandcloud returned as Sandstar at dusk, and climbed the Meeting Rock. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, join here beneath the Meeting Rock!"
"Stay here," Birdsong mewed to Clawkit. "You can watch from the nursery like the other kits."
Echowish stayed with the kits to watch from the nursery, and Bluefeather and Birdsong went over with the rest of the cats. Birdsong saw Nightstalk clawing the ground. Clearly he was hoping to be deputy.
Clawlion sat next to Birdsong, and the meeting began.
"As you know, I have left at dawn for my leader ceremony," Sandstar meowed. "I have come back as Sandstar, true leader of JayClan."
"Sandstar! Sanstar!" everyone chanted.
When the noise died down, Sandstar continued. "Birdsong, Clawlion, and their son Clawkit have joined us today--they will be warriors, and good additions to JayClan."
"Birdsong! Clawlion! Clawkit!" cats chanted, some half-heartedly.
Birdsong sagged, but Clawlion lifted his head and looked stern, clearly showing that he wasn't afraid of any JayClan cat that tried to torment him.
"For my deputy, it was hard to choose. But my decision is good and final," Sandstar meowed. "My deputy will be--" Nightstalk lifted his head with pride--"Whitefur."
Nightstalk sagged lower that Birdsong, and had a look of despair in his eyes. Whitefur padded up, cats chanting his name. "Whitefur! Whitefur!"
Bluefeather, his mate, raced over to him and covered him in licks. Hollykit and Bluekit ran over and purred at their father.
"I-I don't know what to say," Whitefur stammered. "But I accept my duty, and I will be the best deputy JayClan can have."
Sandstar smiled and nodded, and the meeting broke up.
Clawkit ran over to his parents. "That was terrible! Cats chanted our names with no soul!"
"I know," Clawlion growled. "I'm just as angry as you are. But we're going to have to earn their respect, one way or the other."
Chapter Forty Seven
Scarkit trudged through some leaves, shivering from last night's rain. The air was damp and unwelcoming, promising no sun today.
Only two months ago he had escaped his father Bonestar's clan. He didn't want to be killed like Bonestar intended...so he had ran, far away from home, crossed the bridge that went over the Big River, and landed in woods.....dark woods.
It wasn't fair how his half-siblings, Driedearth, Grasstooth, and Crypaw were trusted because of their mother that knew light. Just because his mother, Wingshadow, was filled with darkness, and his father was worse, he was an outcast--the good cats of BoneClan stayed away from him and ignored him, and the evil cats of BoneClan tormented him for his size. And Bonestar--his own father--wanted to kill him. No one loves me! he cried in his head. Nobody, no one! Everyone hates me! Not even rogues and loners like me, because they hate my father........stupid Bonestar. I wish I was never born!
Over the passed few months, a feeling in Scarkit's heart had formed--empitness, anger, and coldness. He ignored it, because he didn't want to be like his father.
Scarkit looked in a puddle that had formed in the woods. He stared at himself--one red eye, one orange eye, dark black fur, blacker than night itself--he resembled Bonestar, and only his size was different--Bonestar was huge, Scarkit was small.
This story scared Scarkit. He shivered some more, but not from the cold--but from how the part said Bonestar killed his own clanmates.
Even his own son.
Scarkit tripped on a tree root that came out of the ground, and fell down a slope. Another woods was here, with cat-scent--not BoneClan, not loner, not rogue, and not GleamClan. He heard some cat voices, and desperately tried to get up the slope...but his claws wouldn't get a good grip, and he would fall down.
Scarkit raced under a bush, and watched as two slim and sturdy black cats, a big, muscular orange tom, and a ginger she-cat in the lead walked passed, sniffing the air.
"I smell something," the cat in the lead said. She turned, smelling the air again. "It's in that bush. Stay quiet. It smells like cat."
The black tom narrowed his eyes and sniffed.
Scarkit backed up further into the bush, but a thorn pierced his back and he had to hold his mouth shut not to cry in pain.
There was a rustle, and then a squeak, and Scarkit was pulled out of the den, with the thorn still in his back.
"It's Bonestar!" the black tom gasped.
"He lives again," the black she cat growled.
"But he won't make it to apprenticehood," the orange tom hissed, showing his claws and baring his teeth.
"Scarkit," the ginger she cat whispered.
Chapter Forty Eight
Sandstar looked at Nightstalk, Starnight, and Clawlion. "It's Scarkit."
"Scar-who?" Clawlion asked.
"Scarkit. I know it is. Bonestar's son," Sandstar explained.
"How do you know about him?" Starnight asked.
"Before Soystar died, he told Fastpelt and I that a cat of seven moons was Bonestar's son. His parents were both dark and evil, but there was light in him. He was to be killed for that, and his size, but he escaped and was alone. Soystar told us that he'd find JayClan, because he needs us."
"Did StarClan tell Soystar?" asked Nightstalk.
"Yes." Sandstar turned to Scarkit. "You are Scarkit, aren't you?"
The black cat that was a scary, spitting image of Bonestar nodded. "Yeah. Who're you?"
"I'm Sandstar, leader of JayClan. And these are some of my warriors, Nightstalk, Starnight, and Clawlion. We're on hunting patrol."
"Can I have something to eat? I'm starving. A porcupine would do," Scarkit meowed quickly.
"We don't hunt porcupines," Nightstalk replied. "We hunt birds. That's why we're JayClan. Notice the JAY."
"Nightstalk, please," Sandstar mewed sternly. She turned to Scarkit. "Sorry. Nightstalk's a grump."
"I can hear you!"
"You were supposed to!" Sandstar meowed at the black tom. "We should get you back to camp. I can see your ribs."
The cats led the way back to this 'camp'.
"After I eat, can you give me some extra food, teach me a few hunting tricks, and show me how to defend myself, so then I'll be set for a loner life?" Scarkit asked.
"Why would you want to be a loner?" Clawlion asked. "You'd be all alone, no one to care and comfort you, no one to hunt for you when you're ill. Loner life is no real life."
"Do't forget rogue," Nightstalk meowed.
"Yes, thank you, and rogue. Rogue is no life either."
"Or a Twoleg life," Starnight meowed. "Twolegs waste their lives eating and drinking out of cans and watching this box that shows more Twolegs and animals."
"It's terrible," Nightstalk agreed.
Sandstar kept pace with Scarkit. Ever since Birdsong, Clawlion, and Clawkit's arrival which was eight sunrises ago, Nightstalk and Clawlion had become good friends--even if at first they were enemies.
They headed into camp, cats staring at the newcomer. Sandstar saw Scarkit look uncomfortably around. Would he like it here? Would JayClan accept him?
Firecracker came over with a piece of prey, freezing when he saw Bonestar's son. His mouth open, and his food fell out. "Sc-Scarkit! I thought you were....dead."
"I'm not," Scarkit hissed.
Sandstar felt bad for him. Scarkit was dead to some of his clanmates, and to others, he had escaped from being murdered and was probably starving somewhere, perhaps dead from no food.
"That's either Scarkit, or Bonestar reincarnated himself," Sandstar heard Lungefoot whisper to Shallowclaw.
"It better be Scarkit," Shallowclaw whispered back.
Sandstar jumped onto the Meeting Rock. "Clan meeting! All come!"
Cats rushed out of their dens, from the fresh-kill pile, or raced into camp from a patrol.
"My hunting patrol and I found this kit, Scarkit, in our territory," Sandstar meowed. "He is Bonestar's son."
"Kill him!"
"Have our fastest and fierecest warrior take him far away, far, far away!"
"Sink your teeth into him!"
"Starve him!"
Scarkit bowed his head, wincing at all these cries.
"Quiet!" Sandstar cried. She repeated the story she had told Nightstalk, Starnight, and Clawlion. "Scarkit is one of us. He hates Bonestar, his own father."
Scarkit raced his head, the black part of his eyes slits and his eyes angry.
"Why must I be judged for who my father was? Just because Driedearth, Grasstooth and Crypaw had a good mother, they're trusted and thought of as loyal!" he spat. He glared at Firecracker, Lungefoot, and Shallowclaw. "You three and the rest always stayed away from me, because both my parents were sinister....everyone else picked on me and tormented me! I've had enough! Start respecting me, or you'll get it!"
"Isn't he cute?" Nightstalk muttered.
Scarkit jumped from the rock and knocked Nightstalk over.
"Stop! Scarkit, get off of him!" Sandstar hissed.
Nightstalk kicked Scarkit off and got up, slinking away from him.
"Scarkit, if you want other cats to respect you, you can't fight and kill for it!" Sandstar growled. "You need to show them respect and work hard. I don't want to see you hurting others, unless it's for play or in battle. Got it?"
"Fine," Scarkit grumbled.
"Good. The meeting is over," Sandstar meowed, jumping off from her rock. "Scarkit, follow those other kits to the nursery. Now."
Scarkit looked at her angrily. Now she hated him too? Everyone did. He wouldn't be surprised if his own father hated him. All my life, I've wanted to earn cats' respect. Even Bonestar's. But no one respects or trusts me.....even if I respect them.
A heavy weight landed on top of him, and Scarkit fell to the ground. He looked up and saw a tom his age that looked exactly like Clawlion, except with gray fur.
"Nice pounce. Most kits can't knock Nightstalk over," the tom meowed.
"Get off! Who are you anyway?" Scarkit asked.
"Clawkit, Clawlion and Birdsong's son," the tom answered, without getting off. "I don't judge you for who your parents are. I never saw Bonestar, but he's hard to love from all the stories I've heard. I need to earn cats' respect, too. You see, my parents were both from FernClan, but then my dad left to be in GoldenClan, because his father was the leader there and he would start a battle if Clawlion didn't come. Then my parents started dating, had me, and then we were all exiled. Then we found GleamClan, and lived there until Bonestar died and then we joined JayClan because Sandstar invited us and so I'm new and not many kits like me and--"
"Wait, wait, wait, did you say Bonestar's dead?"
"Yep!" Clawkit jumped off him. "He was killed not long ago, maybe a week and a half ago. He attacked the clans, and GleamClan helped fight him, too. But half of BoneClan was fighting against him, so we won."
"Who killed him?"
"Grasstooth. I wasn't there, I just heard this."
"Grasstooth? My half-sister? Geez, I thought she was evil."
"Everyone hates Bonestar, deep down."
"What happened to the cats that were fighting with Bonestar?" Scarkit asked, getting up.
"Became rogues and loners. Strike the deputy, I heard, is now a MountainClan cat because she actually hated Bonestar. I think I heard Mintscent say they changed her name to Skywish."
Scarkit shook his fur. "Wow. My father's finally dead!"
"I wouldn't want my father to die. He's good. And so is my mom."
"You're lucky you don't have to evil creeps as parents, and one of them nursed you," meowed Scarkit.
"I guess I am. But my mom can be protective sometimes--a little too much."
"My mom wouldn't dream of protecting me."
"My mom and dad lick me every night before sleeping time."
"I haven't been licked by my parents in my life!"
"I feel bad for you, Scarkit. But also good. Licks can be happy and gross at the same time."
Scarkit laughed. "Why're we talking to each other?"
"Dunno. You interest me. I've never met a cat with two evil creeps as parents, one nursing you and the other planning to kill you. I've always had two loving creeps as parents, one nursing me and the other fighting and hunting for me."
"I think we should get inside," said Scarkit. "It's getting late."
Clawkit nodded, and the two headed inside. Three queens, one of them Clawkit's mother, Birdsong, were sleeping. Clawkit curled up with his mom, and Scarkit slept on the ground with no moss under him. He didn't mind.
He had a home.
Chapter Forty-Nine
A few days passed, and JayClan was getting used to Scarkit around. Clawkit saw Birdsong getting a little plumper...was she eating more? That wasn't like her.
"Mom," he said, "what's happening--"
"Clawkit, there you are!" Sandstar padded up, with Scarkit behind her. "I have decided you two will become apprentices today."
Apprentices? Finally!
"I need to wash you up!" Birdsong cried, licking at Clawkit's long fur. When she was finished with him, she started on Scarkit's. Sandstar and Birdsong--the only females that REALLY trusted him--had been treating Scarkit like their own, washing them and stuff.
Sandstar laughed. "I'll talk to Clawkit's mentor."
"My mentor? Who is it?" Clawkit cried excitedly.
Sandstar laughed again. "It's a surprise. I hope you two will be happy about your mentors." She winked at them and padded away.
A little later, the meeting was called and Sandstar called Clawkit's and Scarkit's names.
"Clawkit, you have been here for some sunrises now," Sandstar mewed, "and I think you should be an apprentice. Clawkit, you will now be Clawpaw, apprentice of JayClan, mentored by Nightstalk."
Clawpaw padded over to Nightstalk, touching noses excitedly. An apprentice! With one of his father's friends mentoring him!
"Scarkit, you are very new to JayClan. But you are the same age as Clawpaw, old enough to be an apprentice," Sandstar meowed. "Scarkit, you shall now be Scarpaw, apprentice of JayClan, mentored by I, Sandstar, leader."
She jumped from the rock and Scarpaw and her touched noses.
"Clawpaw! Scarpaw! Clawpaw! Scarpaw!"
Sandstar continued, "I hope you two will rise to be noble, great warriors, loyal to the right cats, Clan, skies, and---"
"EEEEEEEKKKK!!!!!!!!"
JayClan turned and saw, behind them, a black cat fall down into the camp.
Great, my apprentice ceremony is ruined, thought Clawpaw annoyedly.
Nightstalk growled. Whitefur, the deputy, held him back from fighting the black cat.
The cat got up. "Owwwww.......," she mumbled.
Scarpaw sniffed the air."She doesn't smell like a loner. Nor a kittypet."
"Maybe a GleamClan cat," someone suggested.
"No," Clawpaw meowed. "I don't remember her."
The cat got up. "I....I....I don't know what you're talking about. I'm a stray. I live in the Twoleg neighborhood, with my brother and sisters."
Sandstar got down from her rock. "What's your name?"
"Nila," the cat answered. "My brother and sisters wanted a new life, so we came searching for a new home." Nila bowed her head. "I guess this place is taken."
"Who are your brother and sisters?" asked Sandstar.
"Harley, my brother, and my two sisters, Velvet and Elphaba."
Someone laughed. "Elphaba?"
"It's our mother's name. She was owned by Twolegs, and they named her for a green witch. At least that's what she said---"
"We get it," Whitefur snapped. He turned to Sandstar. "I think she should go now."
Sandstar padded up to Nila. "Show me your brother and sisters."
"O-okay," Nila mewed, shrinking down. She was probably no older than Clawpaw and Scarpaw, and smaller than Sandstar. "Just follow me."
"Wait." Sandstar turned to Whitefur. "Come with me. Nightstalk and Starnight, too. And Nightstalk, bring Clawpaw and Scarpaw. This'll be their first apprentice journey."
Clawpaw's paws tingled with joy. Scarpaw flicked his tail in excitement.
As Nila led the way, Clawpaw heard Nightstalk whisper to Sandstar, "Why all these cats?"
"It could be a trap," Sandstar whispered back. "She might want territory, and will put up a fight for it.".
Nightstalk nodded.
Nila approached a tree with a hole in the bottom of the trunk. Three cats, all black with emerald-green eyes like her, were sleeping on the dirty ground in the tree. The biggest got up. It was Nila's brother, Harley.
"Nila," he said with a yawn. "Who are these cats? We're looking for a home, not friends."
"I'm Sandstar," Sandstar meowed. "And this Whitefur, Nightstalk, Starnight, Clawpaw, and Scarpaw. We found Nila in our camp. This is our territory. You'll have to move."
"I like it here!" a she-cat growled, getting up.
"Quiet, Velvet," Nila mewed.
"We've heard of cats like you," Harley meowed. "You hunt and fight over territory. Where's the other three clans?"
"In their territory," Nightstalk muttered.
"Nightstalk," Sandstar meowed, a warning to her voice. "Listen.......um......."
"Harley."
"Harley. Listen, Harley, we will show you out of clan territory. And don't come back, or there will be trouble," Sandstar concluded.
Harley sighed. "Velvet, wake up Elphaba. We're leaving."
Velvet looked at the clan cats and growled. Nila's tail and head lowered. "I wanted to stay," she mewed.
Elphaba woke up. "I wasn't sleeping," she mewed. "I was listening to the whole thing. Why can't we join this....clan?"
"StarClan, no," Nightstalk groaned. "We have enough already."
"Shut UP Nightstalk," Whitefur growled through gritted teeth.
"I'll accept, if you prove yourselves," Sandstar meowed.
Nila smiled. "I like that idea!"
"But my parents and Scarpaw and I didn't have to prove ourselves," Clawpaw meowed.
"I knew your parents, and my father and StarClan told me to bring in Scarpaw," Sandstar pointed out.
Clawpaw nodded.
Sandstar and the others led the four cats to the JayClan camp. Harley was behind his sisters, looking back to see if any cats were following them and if this was a trap.
As soon as they got back, JayClan were waiting near the Meeting Rock, clearly knowing there'd be a meeting. They stared Harley, Elphaba, and Velvet, but no so much at Nila, since they knew her. Sandstar jumped on rock. "These are Nila's siblings. Harley, Elphaba, Velvet, and Nila will be staying with us until they prove themselves worthy warriors. If they do not pass, they will be led off all clan territory, and into the unknown land. If they do pass, they can stay." She turned to the newcomers. "Clawpaw and Scarpaw will show you to the apprentice's den. Everyone can return to their duties."
"Great," Scarpaw growled. "We need six new beds for the apprentice's den."
"And there's already four other apprentices, not including Mayfeather," Clawpaw pointed out. "She's the medicine cat apprentice, so she sleeps in the medicine den."
They padded up to Harley, Velvet, Nila, and Elphaba.
"Come on," Scarpaw meowed. "We need to get some moss for our beds, too."
"We became apprentices today," Clawpaw mewed proudly. "We'll be warriors."
"You mean you don't have to prove yourself?" asked Nila.
"Nope. We're true JayClan cats," Clawpaw meowed.
"Cut it out, Clawpaw," Scarpaw meowed. "You both know you, me, and your parents haven't even been here for a moon."
Birdpaw and Jaggedpaw were talking to each other while Cracklepaw and Jaypaw were sharing fighting moves their mentors had taught them.
"Hello, Clawpaw and Scarpaw," Birdpaw mewed. "There's room for you in the back." She looked at the four newcomers. "Um.....Go with them."
"There isn't enough room," Velvet growled. "We should've stayed in the tree."
"It's their territory," Harley reminded.
"'Their' has a name," Jaggedpaw snapped. "It's JayClan. I'm Jaggedpaw, this is Birdpaw, over their is my brother Cracklepaw, and Birdpaw's brother Jaypaw. We're apprentices."
"And since there isn't enough room," Cracklepaw meowed with a grin, "someone will have to sleep outside."
"Let it be you, then," Birdpaw growled. "You and your cruel heart. You want all of them to sleep outside."
"Not Clawpaw and Scarpaw!"
"No, not them, but you meant Nila and her siblings!" snapped Birdpaw. "We'll just squeeze."
"No. No squeezing. I'm sleeping outside," Harley meowed.
"Oh, for StarClan's sake, no, Harley!" Nila cried.
"I never knew strays knew about StarClan!" Jaypaw gasped.
Everyone froze.
"Sh-She didn't say StarClan, whatever that is," Velvet stammered. "Nila's always saying strange things. I can't even understand her sometimes."
The apprentices looked at each other uncomfortably.
Mayfeather, the medicine cat apprentice, came with moss. "A bed for Scarpaw, a bed, for Clawpaw, and then three beds for the newcomers.
"We'll set up," Clawpaw meowed, taking the moss.
Mayfeather left, and Clawpaw gave moss to Scarpaw, himself, and the newcomers.
"I'll take this moss," Harley meowed. "Elphaba, Velvet, and Nila, put these two moss together and share the bed. I'll be outside."
"Please no," Elphaba mewed.
Harley wasn't listening. He padded outside, right when it started to rain.
Chapter Fifty
The next morning, Birdsong got up. She could feel the kits moving inside her.
"It's the Gathering tonight," Sandstar mewed.
"I can't come. I'm pregnant," Birdsong whispered. "With Clawlion's kits."
"That's wonderful! That's great! How many?" Sandstar asked.
"Fastpelt says about two, but we can't be sure."
"I'm so happy for you and Clawlion. Does Clawpaw know?"
"Not yet. I want it to be a surprise." Birdsong looked at her belly. "Well, it won't be a surprise for long."
Sandstar purred. "Good luck. Now I have to go, I'm leading a hunting patrol."
Birdsong nodded, and spotted her son and Scarpaw near the fresh-kill pile.
"Hello, you two," she meowed. "How about you get acquainted with the newcomers? I'm sure they'd like that."
Clawpaw and Scarpaw looked at the new four cats. They were sharing two blue jays.
"I...don't know," Clawpaw mewed. "They haven't been talking to anyone all day."
"Yeah. Just working their butts off," Scarpaw added.
"No one has talked to them, and they're trying to prove their loyalty. Now go on, talk to them." Birdsong nudged her son.
Clawpaw felt nervous. "Do we have to?"
"Yes. Now move."
He and Scarpaw trudged over, a squirrel in Scarpaw's jaws.
"Uh....hi," he mewed.
"Hello," Nila meowed. "That better not be for us. I'm getting full."
"It's for us," Scarpaw explained. "So...how do you know about StarClan?"
"All clans do," Velvet growled.
"Except for bloody BoneClan," Harley hissed.
Clawpaw saw Scarpaw flinch.
"Um....yeah. They stink alright," Scarpaw mewed uncomfortably.
The four cats stared at him, and then Elphaba spoke. "We came from CloudClan. It was wiped out by BoneClan. We're the last of it."
"Stupid Bonestar," Harley growled. "He killed our parents and baby sister and brother. Whoever has any relation with him, I'll claw their eyes out."
Scarpaw flinched again, and backed away. "I just remembered...I'm supposed to be on a patrol." He ran to the entrance, and exited the camp.
"He seems twitchy," Velvet meowed sourly.
"He's just......um.....scared of BoneClan, from all the stories. I'll go get him."
Clawpaw raced out of the camp, and found his friend in the shadows of a tree, sitting on a branch. Clawpaw clawed up the tree after him.
"What was wrong with you back there?" he asked.
"It's what Harley said....Clawpaw, my father is Bonestar. I have a relation with him....I'm related to him! He'll hurt me for that, lots of cats want to," Scarpaw mewed. "When I was on my own...every loner neglected me and ignored me, because they didn't see a helpless kit that was sentenced to death by his father....they saw a monster. That's the problem with me. I look just like him."
"But you aren't him," Clawpaw pointed out.
"It doesn't matter if I'm him or not! I'm his son, cursed with his ugly face, and I can't take it back....I wish I could, but I couldn't." Scarpaw looked away from Clawpaw. "Just go away, please. I want to be left alone."
Clawpaw felt sympathy for his friend, but nodded and climbed down the tree.
"Where's Scarpaw?" Nila asked.
"He told me he'll go hunting," Clawpaw lied.
"The food pile is pretty full," Velvet pointed out.
"Yeah, but...what if the prey rots? There'll be maggots gushing out and--"
"We get it," Harley interrupted, making a sick face.
Chapter Fifty
Scarpaw woke up. Birdpaw and Jaypaw weren't in the den, so there was lots of room to stretch. Cracklepaw was already up, too, and stretching.
"Are Birdpaw and Jaypaw on the dawn patrol?" Scarpaw asked.
"Sandstar wanted to talk to them. They might be becoming warriors. It's about time, since they've been in here for a while," Cracklpaw answered, licking his fur.
"Lucky them," Scarpaw muttered.
Clawpaw woke up. "What's happening?" he yawned.
"Jaypaw and Birdpaw might become warriors today," Scarpaw answered.
"I've always dreamed of becoming a warrior," Elphaba mewed, making Scarpaw jump because he hadn't realized she was up.
"Shut up," Velvet hissed. "You can't bring up you-know-what."
"What're you talking about?" Cracklepaw snapped.
"Nothing," Nila mewed.
"Who woke me up?" Jaggedpaw growled.
"What's going on?" Clawpaw asked.
"Nothing. Everything's fine," Scarpaw meowed.
"Then why's everyone--"
"Shut up!" Velvet hissed to everyone. She looked at Elphaba. "Don't bring it up again, Elph. And you," she twisted her head to Nila, "I'm going to get myself a mouse."
She stalked out of the den.
"Why's Velvet in a grumpy mood?" Harley asked, peeking in.
"No reason. She always is," Nila meowed. Scarpaw thought he saw her wink at her brother and then glance at Elphaba. Harley's eyes grew wide.
"Sorry" Elphaba mouthed.
What's going on? Scarpaw thought. What's wrong with these cats?
Clawpaw's father, Clawlion, rushed in. "Clawpaw, come quick!" he panted and then raced off to the nursery.
"Come with me," Clawpaw meowed to Scarpaw and then the two raced after Clawlion.
In the dimness of the nursery, Birdsong looked as if she were in pain.
"Ow...." she moaned.
Fastpelt the medicine cat gave her some herbs. "Eat these, the pregnancy will go a lot smoother," she meowed.
Birdsong nodded and ate them.
"Mom's having kits?" Clawpaw cried.
"Yes," Fastpelt meowed. "And here's one now. And another....two kits, Birdsong, two wonderful kits!"
Birdsong sat up. Scarpaw raised his head higher to see the kittens. One was a male that looked like Clawlion, and the other was a female that looked like Birdsong.
The kits crawled unstabbily to their mother, looking for milk.
"Featherkit, after my sister and lost first apprentice," Birdsong meowed, flicking her tail to the she-kit.
"And Ravenkit, after the cat that helped us find GleamClan," Clawlion added, referring to the tom.
"Clawlion, you can stay, but everyone else, let's give Birdsong and her kits some room," Fastpelt ordered.
Everyone was ushered out and Scarpaw looked at Clawpaw.
"Congratulations, you're a big brother," he mewed.
Clawpaw smiled. "And I'm really happy. Featherkit and Ravenkit, my younger siblings. Wow."
Harley padded over. "What's wrong?" he asked.
"Clawpaw's a big brother," Scarpaw answered. "Birdsong had two kits, Featherkit and Ravenkit."
"Me and my siblings want to tell you two something," Harley meowed as if he hadn't heard Scarpaw.
Nila, Velvet, and Elphaba were waiting at the entrance. Harley led them all out of the camp and into a part of the woods that wasn't a good hunting place and there were no clan borderlines.
"I know us four must act strange," Nila meowed. "But...you see....we know about clan life."
"There's a lost clan," Harley meowed. "CloudClan, and we're the last of it. It was wiped out by BoneClan."
Scarpaw flinched. He remembered that.
"Are you okay, Scarpaw?" Elphaba asked.
Scarpaw shook his head. "Do I look familiar?" he asked.
"Yes," Velvet growled. "You look this old sh--"
"Velvet," Harley snapped, "don't." He turned to Scarpaw. "We could sort of tell you're Bonestar's son for a while. But you're nothing like him."
"Except you could become a great leader," Nila meowed. "A better one than him."
Scarpaw looked at Clawpaw. "I know why I was brought to JayClan."
"Why?" Clawpaw asked.
"I think these four were supposed to come to JayClan," Scarpaw meowed. "So then I'd meet them and then learn they're part of CloudClan. And I could learn of good Clan ways...Clawpaw, I think I'm supposed to reestablish CloudClan."
"StarClan told us that you're supposed to become leader of it," Nila meowed. "Will you?"
Scarpaw gulped. A leader? He looked in pain at Clawpaw. "You could always visit me," he meowed.
"Visit? Who said anything about visit?" Clawpaw asked. "I'm going with you. And I'm bringing Pouncekit. She must be an apprentice!" Clawpaw looked dreamily at the sky. "She's part of GleamClan. We liked each other. And boy, was she one piece of pretty!"
Scarpaw rolled his eyes. "Should we go tell Sandstar?"
"Yeah," Harley mewed.
The group padded to Sandstar's den in the center of camp.
"Who is it?" the leader called.
"Scarpaw, Clawpaw, Harley, Nila, Velvet, and Elphaba," Scarpaw answered.
"Come in!"
The cats padded into the dim, cool den that belonged to their leader.
"What's wrong?" Sandstar asked.
Scarpaw explained what the six of them had just been discussing. Sandstar looked at him with a grim face on when he was finished.
"What about your training?" she asked. "What about that?"
"Well..."
"And if Clawpaw's coming with you, he'll have to finish his training, too," Sandstar pointed out. "Otherwise, Nightstalk won't be too happy." She turned to Clawpaw. "And what about your parents? You'll have to talk to them, too."
"They'll understand. I know they will. And somehow, I feel as if I was meant to be in a different clan...I've lived in so many clans, but I never felt they were the right ones.....I think the new established CloudClan would do for me. And maybe Poppykit would like to join.....she's so pretty, without those pretty ears, pretty eyes, pretty tail, pretty bu--"
"We get it, Clawpaw," Scarpaw interrupted. He faced Sandstar. "I hope you understand."
Sandstar sighed. "I do."
"There's one problem, though," Harley meowed. "The CloudClan camp is gone. It's near BoneClan's old territory, but it became too overgrown with plants....it would never be a suitable place for a Clan."
"What about BoneClan camp?" Scarpaw suggested.
"You can't do that!" Nila shrieked. "Unclean souls lie there, souls that are pure evil."
"Not all BoneClan cats are evil, and many cats outside of BoneClan died there," Scarpaw growled. "Besides, it's the last camp I know of, except for this camp. And there's good prey there."
"I thought BoneClan cats only ate porcupines, hedgehogs, owl talons, and other spiky, sharp things," Velvet meowed.
"That's what Bonestar wanted. But there's lots more prey...rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, birds, voles......There's enough food there for two clans practically!"
"But you'll have to ask GleamClan first," Sandstar meowed. "I hear they've taken over a part of BoneClan territory."
"That helps," Velvet muttered. Elphaba swatted her with her tail.
"Shut up," her sister meowed.
"I know! We could go and see GleamClan! And I know the way!" Clawpaw cried.
Sandstar sighed. "Fine. You six will all go, with Birdsong, Clawlion, and me. But tomorrow, okay?"
They all nodded excitedly.
"You can all go to the Gathering tonight, okay?"
"Yes!" Clawpaw cried. "My first Gathering!"
"Is it true Birdpaw and Jaypaw will become warriors today?" Scarpaw asked.
Sandstar nodded. "Yes. They're out hunting, and before the Gathering, I'm giving them their new names."
"So they won't be going to the Gathering?" Clawpaw asked.
"Nope. They'll guard the camp like everyone else has. Now. Clawpaw, go get Nightstalk and Clawlion and meet Scarpaw and I at the entrance to the camp. We can go on a border patrol."
"What about us?" Harley asked.
"Harley and Nila, I want you two to go into the Great Open all the way to the Gathering Place, and make sure it's ready for the Gathering tonight. Velvet and Elphaba, you can go hunt near the GoldenClan border."
They all nodded, and padded off. Clawpaw raced to the fresh-kill pile where his mentor and father was, and Scarpaw followed Sandstar to the entrance.
"Are you sure you want to become a leader? It's quite an ambition for someone so young," Sandstar meowed.
"I'm sure, Sandstar," Scarpaw mewed. "The only good thing Bonestar passed on to me was leadership....but not evil leadership. Good, kind leadership. If I do become a leader, I want to lead fairly and be loyal and think first of my clan. Not kill everyone like Bonestar did."
"What's it like to be sentenced to death by your father?" Sandstar asked.
"Not very good. I remember him taking me with him to CloudClan territory. CloudClan doesn't have a very food-rich territory, so he said, 'Come and join BoneClan. There's lots of food, and no one will go hungry.' But he didn't want to be kind. When CloudClan accepted and came, he started killing them off. I saw Harley, Nila, Velvet, and Elphaba. Their mother was there, calling them their clan names. But then she and her mate were killed, and their four kits escaped. They're the last of CloudClan, so it's important they stay alive."
"What were their clan names?"
"Harley was Crowpaw, Nila was Soarpaw, Velvet was Wingkit, and Elphaba was Moonkit."
"How'd they escape?"
"I helped them. I rolled myself in mud, so they wouldn't reconize me as Bonestar's son. They told me they'd change their name, so Bonestar wouldn't recognize them and then hunt them down. When Bonestar found out I had helped them, he led two cats who were herding me to Deep Pool."
"What's that?"
"It's not a lake, but it's deep, and small, and poison water. They were going to drown me, but then I got away."
Sandstar didn't have time to respond, because the other cats bounded up.
"Let's go," Sandstar meowed. As they were halfway to one of their borders, she said to Nightstalk, "Let me see Clawpaw's hunting skills."
Nightstalk nodded. "Go on," he meowed to his apprentice.
Clawpaw sniffed the air.
"Bird," he muttered.
Scarpaw saw it in the tree above them. Slowly, carefully, and quietly, his friend climbed up the tree and stalked to the branch with the bird.
Clawpaw came down, a blue jay in his jaws.
"Very good," Sandstar mewed, and Nightstalk and Clawlion congratulated him. "Scarpaw, you hunt something."
Scarpaw sniffed the air. There were lots of scents--vole, rabbit, bird, mouse--
Mouse. He hadn't had one in a while.
He stalked to the creature, which was in the shadows of a tree, nibbling on a cherry. Scarpaw pounced, and felt mouseblood in his claws.
He picked it up.
"Excellent. After border patrol, you two will show me your fighting skills," Sandstar mewed and they padded on.
*
"Clawpaw, you're a FernClan leader. Scarpaw, you're a JayClan leader. You both start with nine lives, and every time you fall exhausted or get hurt you lose a life. The one that falls first is the loser, and the other's the winner," Sandstar meowed. "Go."
Scarpaw lunged at Clawpaw, claws sheathed. Clawpaw darted him, and Scarpaw fell with a thud.
"Clawpaw Nine, Scarpaw Eight," Nightstalk called.
Scarpaw got up. Clawpaw was running straight for him. Scarpaw dodged him, and nipped him as he passed.
Clawpaw yelped.
"Both Eight."
They both continued fighting with sheathed claws , until Scarpaw won and Clawpaw was left defeated.
"Good game," Clawpaw panted.
"Nice try," Scarpaw panted playfully.
Clawpaw smiled and cuffed him gently at the ear.
Chapter Fifty One
Clawpaw watched as GoldenClan came to the hollow.
It was the Gathering night, and Scarpaw and Clawpaw had come along. Nightstalk and Clawlion were sitting with Nightstalk's sister, Starnight, and Harley and Nila and Velvet and Elphaba had come, too.
Other JayClan members were with cats from FernClan and MountainClan. Clawpaw felt nervous. This was his first Gathering. What was he supposed to do? Make comments, or be quiet as he saw the leaders talk peacefully or argue?
"Do you think Sandstar will mention us going to make a new clan?" Scarpaw asked.
Harley answered, the whole time staring at Sandstar. "I don't think so."
When cats settled down, Sagestar, the leader of FernClan, yowled to call the beginning of the Gathering.
"I'll go first," he called. "FernClan is thriving, even though winter is coming soon. And we have a new warrior. Bluepaw, who was only an apprentice two sunrises ago, has become Bluewing."
Brownstar, the leader of MountainClan, stood up. "MountainClan is thriving, too. No mountain lions or bears have been in sight, so were are all well."
Sandstar went next. "We made two warriors. Jaggedpaw and Cracklepaw are now Jaggedfur and Cracklefoot. They are not with us tonight, but they are guarding the camp."
There were cheers for the new warriors
Goldenstar got up when Sandstar was finsished. "My brother and deputy, Clawfoot, was killed some days ago by a Twoleg hunter from JayClan's territory. We have buried him, and Firepelt is our new deputy."
Firepelt, a popular handsome tom, glowed as cats chanted his name and congratulated him.
"Otherwise, GoldenClan is fine and well," Goldenstar concluded.
The cats parted to leave. Clawpaw wished Sandstar had told everyone of Harley, Nila, Elphaba, and Velvet. And what would she say when he, the four cats, and Scarpaw disappeared? Would she tell the clan where they went? Should Clawpaw or Sandstar tell his parents that he was leaving?
Clawpaw shook his head. It was too much to think about.
Chapter Fifty Two
"Come on."
Clawpaw's eyes opened, and he saw Scarpaw leaning over him.
"Clawpaw, we're leaving tonight. Follow me," Scarpaw meowed.
"Wha--?"
"Shh! We can't wake anyone up. Now follow me."
Outside, Harley, Nila, Velvet, Elphaba, and Sandstar were waiting at the entrance.
"Clawpaw," Sandstar whispered, "Harley and the rest do not wish to have warrior names. But Clawpaw, by StarClan and I's approval, you shall be Clawbird." She touched Clawpaw with her nose. Then she turned to Scarpaw. "You shall be Scarstar, leader of CloudClan. Now go." There was hurt and sorrow in her voice. "Go before someone catches you. Run, if you have to, so the dawn patrol can't catch up to you."
Clawbird looked confused. Leave? Now? Without saying good bye? And was that even a proper warrior's ceremony? Was that a leader's ceremony? If so, what type?
The six cats raced out, Clawbird trailing behind. He had family in JayClan. Scarpaw--Scarstar--didn't have any. And the four others had each other. His parents nor his little siblings were coming.
"Clawbird, we're going to go to GleamClan's camp first. Show us the way," Scarstar meowed.
"Why are we stopping there?"
"To bring Pouncekit."
At least someone Clawbird loved was going with him.
Clawbird led the way to the GleamClan camp, and they got there by mid-morning.
Clawbird recognized the leader, Swallowstar immediately, and many other GleamClan cats. Then he saw Pouncekit. She was prettier than ever.
"Clawkit? Is that you? You're so much bigger!" Swallowstar cried. "Who are your--" He froze.
"What's wrong, Swallowstar?" Clawbird asked.
"Bloody images," Swallowstar muttered, half to himself. He fixed Scarstar with a cold gaze. "Murderer!"
"No, Swallowstar, no!" Clawbird cried. "This is Scarstar, not Bonestar! Scarstar is Bonestar's son, but is kinder!"
"We're going to rebuild a clan. CloudClan," Scarstar meowed firmly, eyeing the leader coldly. He looked at the other four. "Harley, Nila, Velvet, and Elphaba are the last of them."
"CloudClan? I thought they were gone fore sure...Well, what're you doing here then?" Swallowstar asked Clawbird.
"Well, for one, I'm Clawbird now. And we've come here because....well, because...."
"Clawkit!" Pouncekit squealed.
"Pouncekit!" Clawbird cried, not caring what Pouncekit called him.
They covered each other in licks.
"It's so good to see you! How are you?" Pouncekit asked.
"Fine, fine. I'm a warrior....sort of. I didn't get the big ceremony. It was sorta....rushed. How're you?" Clawbird mewed.
"I'm good, too. I'm Pouncepaw now. An apprentice!" She beamed happily.
"We're rebuilding CloudClan. I was wondering.....would you care to join us?" Clawbird asked. He was waiting for a no.
"Clawbird....I......I don't know. I'm not finished with training, and I can't leave my clan now...." Pouncepaw looked down. "I just don't know."
"It's alright if you can't....I understand."
"As soon as I'm a warrior, I'll join you!" Pouncepaw promised. "We will you live?"
"In the old BoneClan camp. We're redoing all of it--dens, structure, hunting, everything!"
"I'll come. Just wait for me." Pouncepaw licked him. "Bye, Clawbird. I'll see you later."
"Bye, Pouncepaw."
Chapter Fifty Three
Scarstar looked at the camp. His stomach churned. The old BoneClan camp was in front of them--and it smelled of frsh cat.
"Think we should go?" Harley asked. "There's fresh cat scent."
"Then we'll take whatever chances. Come on." Scarstar flicked his tail for everyone to follow him.
In the center of the camp, all was quiet. The dens were broken, and Scarstar knew it would take a lot of repairing.
"Who's there?"
It couldn't be. But it was.
Firestripe, the old BoneClan medicine cat that never did his job, trudged out of the remnants of the warrior's den with his neck down.
He froze, and glared at Scarstar. "Bonestar! No one wants you here!"
Scarstar laughed. "Firestripe, don't you remember? Bonestar had a light-hearted son. Scarkit. I am that son. Scarstar. And these cats are my friends, and we are here to rebuild CloudClan."
"CloudClan?" Firestripe looked appalled. "How do you remember them?"
"These four--Harley, Nila, Velvet, and Elphaba--are the last of them." Scarstar pointed his tail in the direction of the four cats.
"You're rebuilding it here?" Firestripe asked. "But this is our home!"
"Our home? Who lives with you?" Clawbird asked.
Five more cats crept out of the cave, as skinny as Firestripe and they necks down, looking defeated and tired and hungry.
"We hear Scarkit's back. Or Scarstar, as I should say," one of the cats, Scarstar recognized him as Deeptooth, meowed. "At least I hear. I don't see."
"Deeptooth, Clawedeye, Bonestripe, Bloodfire, and Blackstreak live with me," Firestripe answered. "Deeptooth become blind when his eyes were cut by porcupine hairs."
"Sorry to hear it," Scarstar meowed, "but now it is either stay and join CloudClan or leave as a loner. Your choice."
Firestripe turned to the other cats. "We can't afford to be on our own. We can barely hunt for ourselves. We must join."
The other five nodded, even though they looked uncertain.
"Firestripe, please be my medicine cat. You were so great once, until Bonestar killed your family. Become that great medicine cat again. For CloudClan," Scarstar pleaded.
Firestripe sighed. "If it makes me useful, I'll do it."
"We'll serve as warriors," Bonestripe meowed.
"Thank you," Scarstar meowed. "It's nighttime. Tomorrow we can rebuild."
"It's cold in the den. We'll have to sleep together for warmth," Firestripe mewed.
"Very well." When the five others weren't listening, Scarstar whispered to his friends, "Keep one eye open."