Wow, I haven't worked on this for almost a year! Seeing as the story has pretty much turned to the apprentices, I'm going to switch back to Flamestripe's POV for this chapter! It's a moon after the fight, since I'm sort of lost right now. Not literally, but I'm confused about where I am in the story! ;D
Flamestripe's eyes were narrowed slightly. It was the first Gathering since Hiddenpaw had disappeared, and
this was where he had disappeared? Hatred welled up in side of him. How could he? That traitor! Digging his sharp claws into the ground beneath them, he tried his best to remain calm. And failed.
Lashing his tail, Flamestripe stalked over to Frostywind, who clearly hadn't seen Hiddenpaw yet. "Frostywind." he mewed, flicking his tail uncertainly. She would either be heartbroken, or hateful - to him, or to Hiddenpaw. Probably not to Hiddenpaw. "Yes?" Frostywind murmured, her eyes dull. She hadn't slept much since the disappearance of her kit.
"Hiddenpaw is here." Flamestripe told her, in a serious tone. Her eyes widened, and she looked more alert than she had for days. "Where?" she demanded, casting her gaze around the entire clearing. "With ShadowClan."
Frostywind froze, her eyes wide. She was silent for a long moment, and then spoke. "He . . . left . . . for ShadowClan?" she showed no emotion, but Flamestripe was certain that she felt betrayed; or at least an emotion similar to that feeling.
"Do you want to see him?" Flamestripe inquired, and pointed with his tail to the exact location of Hiddenpaw. He was standing beside a ShadowClan cat the same size of him, but white with bright green eyes. "Ivypaw. I saw him at the last gathering," Flamestripe mewed.
Frostywind remained silent, then narrowed her eyes. She pushed past Flamestripe, but didn't go in the direction of Hiddenpaw. Instead, she stalked over to Darkfeather, who was sitting beside Dawnfur. "Darkfeather," she mewed, standing in front of him. He looked at her curiously.
"Hiddenpaw has -" she trailed off as yowls were heard for the Gathering to begin. She snorted. "You'll find out." with that said, she darted back over to Flamestripe. "I can't believe it." she muttered, shaking her head.
"I would like to begin," Emberstar mewed, her eyes narrowed into slits, but a grin on her spiteful face. ShadowClan cats smirked quietly, casting glances at a few ThunderClan cats. This clearly infuriated Frostywind, and Flamestripe wasn't very happy with it either.
"Go ahead," sneered Ravenstar, who had clearly noticed Hiddenpaw was no longer part of ThunderClan's ranks anymore, but of ShadowClan's. "ShadowClan is thriving. We have plenty of prey on our territory, and no cat is sick or injured. We have a new apprentice. All should welcome Hiddenpaw, mentored by me, Emberstar."
Shocked murmurs and hisses rose throughout the clearing, but also angry yowls - some directed at Emberstar, others at Hiddenpaw. "Traitor!" Flamestripe heard one cat cry out. Mews of agreement sounded throughout Fourtrees, but Frostywind and Flamestripe remained silent.
"I will go next," Ravenstar snorted, rising her voice. "Yes, Hiddenpaw is a filthy traitor," she agreed, her eyes gleaming. "But that is not important." Flamestripe glanced at Frostywind, who looked as if she were about to explode with rage at her leader. He rested his tail on her flank in attempt to comfort her, but she was trembling in fury already.
"ThunderClan have proof that ShadowClan was the cause of the fire last moon!" she yowled, glaring at Emberstar triumphantly. Emberstar hsised, unsheathing her claws and digging them into the surface below her. But she made no effort to deny it. "Yes, we did! And you deserved it too!"
Shocked yowls, and angry accusations were heard. Flamestripe hissed, and padded over to Darkfeather, who was murmuring something to Dawnfur, who looked quite angry and shocked. "Darkfeather!" snorted Flamestripe. "Do you care that your kit left to join ShadowClan? Or have you turned back to the careless murderer you once were?"
Darkfeather ignored Flamestripe, and stalked off to join Blackwhisker. Flamestripe took his place beside Dawnfur. "What was he telling you about?" he asked her. Dawnfur looked uncomfortable. "Nothing . . . nothing important."
"Enough of this!" Spottedstar yowled, his voice louder than the rest. Silence. "Gatherings are not the place for battle!"
Cheetahstar snorted. "If ShadowClan started that fire, they should be banished from the forest! Let a fight break out, and chase those filthy pieces of fox-dung out for good!"
Yowls of agreement and protest drowned out all other sounds. Emberstar looked infuriated, Ravenstar looked triumphant and Spottedstar looked . . . calm.
"Ravenstar, what is your opinion?" asked Spottedstar, stepping up beside the black she-cat. She looked at him, blinked, and then glanced over at Cheetahstar. "Let us chase them out. They do not deserve a place in our forest. They are apprentice stealers and trouble causers, and idiots in short."
Spottedstar nodded. "I will fight with you." he mewed reluctantly, touching noses with the black she-cat, who smiled. "RiverClan will fight with you as well," mewed Cheetahstar, taking a step so that she was beside Ravenstar as well. "Thank you."
Emberstar yowled in rage. "Fine, then! Break the truce, and fight us! ShadowClan are no cowards!"
The light was blocked out, and everyone knew clouds covered the moon. But that didn't stop the fight from breaking out anyway. Three RiverClan cats, five ThunderClan cats and two cats of WindClan all lunged at Hiddenpaw, clearly hating him for his decision. Flamestripe didn't care. He, feeling confident, lunged for Emberstar.
The moment before Flamestripe reached her, she yowled something to her Clan; "Shadowclaws! Go back to the camp, and bring back everyone but the elders and kits!"
Flamestripe swerved in the air, so that he landed two tail-lengths away from Emberstar. He would kill Shadowclaws, which would mean they could not get backup. Noticing a black tom dart into the trees, Flamestripe followed, his speed becoming a great advantage. He pelted past only a few trees before he was on top of Shadowclaws, one paw on his throat.
But would he kill? Did he have the courage?
Surely it was the right thing to do. For revenge.
But revenge isn't the right thing. he thought.
Quit thinking and kill him!Flamestripe pressed down on Shadowclaws' throat. Revenge. Even if it was wrong, it seemed right - they had killed ThunderClan's medicine cat, and injured many. Anger pulsing through him, he pressed down until a crack was heard. A wave of shock overcame him.
He had killed someone. Pushing the thought away, Flamestripe whipped around to continue battle.
--~--
That's all for that chapter! I will write another one tomorrow, which will feature . . . HIDDENPAW!
;D