Shadowspring's Wrath

A swift breeze sent chills running down Redpaw's spine as she stepped out of the den and into the snow-covered camp. The sun was at its highest point, warming the ground below, but its soft rays hardly penetrated the icy feeling of snow stabbing into her paws. She breathed deeply, her breath coming out as little wisps of frozen air, and raced across the clearing towards the Highrock, where Flamestar's den was.

"Flamestar!" Redpaw gasped, bursting inside.

The leader, a flame-point tom, was at the back of the den digging into a blackbird, and in surprise, he leaped to his paws. "What is going on?"

"Emberstar, he's in the medicine cat den."

Flamestar's eyes narrowed suspiciously as he fixed his gaze upon Redpaw. "Did something happen?"

"He...um..." She hesitated, struggling to find the right words. How could she explain it? Her father was confronting Willowbranch for making her a medicine cat. But isn't that what she wanted? Suddenly, a deep feeling of regret welled up inside, and her paws shook. What should she do?

"Redpaw," Flamestar's voice was stern. "Did Emberstar do something to Willowbranch?" He took a step closer.

"No!" Redpaw shook her head. "I don't know! Willowbranch just sent me here!"

Flamestar furrowed his brows, a mix of confusion and concern flickering in his blue gaze. "What are you talking about?"

"I don't want to be a medicine cat anymore!" She burst out suddenly, digging her claws into the ground. As she spoke everything began to spill out, and she couldn't stop herself. Her words, thoughts, and emotions rushed forth, crashing forward like tumbling waves. "I want to help my clanmates, but everyone is expecting me to take Flowerpetal's place! I just can't do it! What am I going to do when I don't have the herbs I need? What am I going to do when I don't know how to treat injuries? Everyone will die under my paws, and it will be all my fault! I can't deal with that! All I ever wanted was to be a warrior. Why does StarClan hate me so much? I didn't do anything bad! I was only a kit, and Hazelpaw was the one who always got into trouble!" Redpaw was a sobbing mess now, and her whole body shook. She couldn't stop the tears from falling.

The clan leader's ears flicked impatiently. "Listen to me! Now is not the time for that! What did Emberstar tell Willowbranch?" His voice was louder this time, and Redpaw's head shot up in surprise. He really didn't care at all, did he?

"He's confronting her for making me a medicine cat." Redpaw said finally.

"Tch...of course." Flamestar hissed. "I'll go talk to him." He brushed past her, not bothering to ask any more questions.

Redpaw, suddenly realizing that her father might get in trouble, spun on her heels. "Wait!"

He came to an abrupt halt, his fur bristling as he locked eyes with the young apprentice. "What is wrong with you?" He snarled, his tail lashing back and forth angrily. It was clear that he had lost all his patience. "You seemed happy for a few moons, and now you're in my den complaining. I don't have time to listen to you ramble on when we have much more important matters to attend to."

"But my father is only trying to help," Redpaw pleaded desperately, as she wiped the tears away with her paw. Suddenly Echobreeze's words repeated themselves in her mind, reminding her of the promise she had made to her after the apprentice ceremony: that they would figure something out. "He only wants what's best for me. For him to see me as a medicine cat instead of a warrior must be tearing him apart."

"Your father only wants what's best for himself," Flamestar growled. "He may be dying, but that will only make him more desperate to achieve his goals. He can't be trusted."

Redpaw opened her mouth to protest when suddenly, a blood-curdling cry pierced through the air, slicing through their conversation, and forcing both cats to widen their eyes with alarm.

Startled, Flamestar instinctively leaped to his paws, his fur bristling as he shot his gaze towards the den entrance. "Wait here," he commanded, voice laced with caution. He immediately dropped into a low crouch, and with slow measured steps, approached the lichen barrier that loosely shielded them from outside. When he pushed the tendrils away, Redpaw gasped in horror.

There, standing by the unguarded entrance to the gorse tunnel, was a dark tortoiseshell she-cat.

She pulled out her claws from Finchwing's bloodied pelt.

Her violet gaze drifted towards Redpaw, her cold eyes piercing straight into the young apprentice's soul. She then released a small grin and shouted, "SHADOWCLAN ATTACK!"

From behind her, cats from ShadowClan burst in through the gorse tunnel, stirring up a whirlwind of snow and ice. The element of surprise was on their side, as they vanished in a curtain of swirling snowflakes. When the snow had finally settled, Redpaw realized with shock, that they were easily outnumbered.

Flintfoot leaped at a tortoiseshell, his hackles raised, while Ravenstorm defended himself against two larger toms. Meanwhile, Icebreath and Blossomheart stood side by side, their bodies forming a formidable barrier in front of the nursery. Goldenbreath, heavy with kits, stood behind them with her claws unsheathed, ready to protect herself against the intruders.

Amidst the chaos, Hazelpaw's instincts kicked in. He unsheathed his claws, ready to fight, but before he could fully react, a sleek black warrior emerged from the crowd, bowling him over and pinning him to the ground.

No! Panic surged through Redpaw, as she watched her brother fight against the larger tom. His white belly fur was fully exposed, and it looked as if he could be gutted at any moment. She flexed her claws, ready to run out and help him when suddenly she was blocked by a ginger tail. "Stay out of sight," Flamestar told her. "I'll end this battle quickly."

"But I have to help Hazelpaw!" Redpaw protested as she pushed his tail away. "This is the first time he ever fought in battle!"

"And it will be your last!" Flamestar argued back. "I understand your worry, Redpaw. But we must have faith in our warriors."

Just as Redpaw was about to cry out, a surge of relief washed over her as she witnessed Littleleaf spring into action. With swift precision, the ThunderClan warrior grabbed his opponent by the scruff and flung him off Hazelpaw, freeing the young apprentice from his grasp.

"Go somewhere and hide!" Flamestar ordered. He swung his gaze around to face her, his eyes brimming with rage. "And don't dare talk back to me again!"

Redpaw stood still for a moment, shaking her head with frustration, before finally bursting out, "Fine!" Reluctantly, she retracted her claws and took a step back, blending into the shadows of the den. From her hidden spot, she maintained a watchful gaze, her muscles primed and ready to fight any cat who got too close.

"Shadowspring," Flamestar growled, his eyes narrowing as the ShadowClan warrior approached the Highrock.

She licked her jaw, cocking her head to the side as the battle continued to rage on around her. "We meet again, Flamestar."

"What do you want?" ThunderClan's leader hissed. He unsheathed his claws, his white fur bristling with fury. "How dare you attack ThunderClan!"

"Oh no, I think you're misinformed; ThunderClan attacked us." She mewed calmly, "Come down from there so we can talk."

Flamestar narrowed his blue eyes. He knew better than to trust Shadowspring. She was renowned as the most fearless and bloodthirsty warrior in all of ShadowClan. She was so notorious for her behavior on the battlefield that Ripplestar held a renaming ceremony for her, changing her name so that it fit that of a ruthless warrior.

"Should I come up there?" she asked, amusement lighting up her eyes. "I understand if you're scared."

"No," Flamestar replied firmly. "Only leaders are allowed up on the Highrock, and you will never be a leader."

"Aww..." Shadowspring pouted, her voice dripping with mock disappointment. She lifted a paw from the crimson-stained snow, the remnants of Finchwing's blood still clinging to her claws. "And here I was looking forward to sinking my claws into your throat. I thought you could give me some words of wisdom with your last dying breath. After all, I'm the one who took down Emberstar." She blinked open one violet eye, fixing her intense gaze on ThunderClan's leader.

Redpaw shuddered, her fur bristling at the sight of the cat responsible for her father's injury. Shadowspring may have seemed unassuming at first glance, but closer inspection revealed that she was a natural-born killer. Thin, faded scars crisscrossed her pelt, evidence of countless battles she had endured. One ear was badly tattered and torn, and a long scar stretched from her left cheek to her neck. Yet, it was the intensity of her unusual gaze that held Redpaw captive—an eerie and menacing stare that seemed to freeze everything around her.

Flamestar's pelt bristled, his fur standing on end as a surge of anger coursed through his veins. "Oh, shut your trap already!" he shot back. "For the last time, why are you here?"

"Your warriors are disloyal, Flamestar." Shadowspring mewed. "You can't lead a clan with half the warriors against you."

"I don't care about that." Flamestar retorted. He lifted his gaze defiantly, looking down on her from on top of the Highrock. "I've changed, and if they can't accept that, then they'll just have to deal with it. Emberstar is no longer the leader for a reason. He is a scourge on everything ThunderClan stands for."

Redpaw flattened her ears and felt as though a thorn had pierced her heart. She had only heard stories about her father, and they didn't paint him in such a negative light. How could he say something so insulting?

Shadowspring released a sigh, disappointment in her voice. "I know everything that happened, Flamestar; I was there. You should be more careful who you send out on patrol next time. The least you could do is apologize." She turned to go when suddenly a voice rose from behind her.

"I'm sorry!" Flamestar mewed, his voice trembling with sincerity as he swallowed his pride. He gritted his teeth and forced his pelt to lie flat again. "I apologize for everything! Now will you leave us alone?"

Shadowspring took a few steps forward, and then turned back, revealing an expression full of disgust. "You know Flamestar, I worry about you, I really do. ThunderClan deserves a better leader than your sorry ass."

With a flick of her tail, she called out to her warriors. "ShadowClan fall back!" Her voice echoed loudly around the clearing, causing the battle to come to an abrupt halt. Immediately her warriors stepped away and began making their way toward the gorse tunnel. There were no cries of protest or retaliation from them, as their intentions had clearly been planned from the start. Meanwhile the ThunderClan cats, furious that they had dared encroach on their territory, hissed at them, throwing insults, and swiped their powerful claws at their hindquarters as they retreated.

"Don't come back!" Sparkpaw hissed, releasing his claws from a small tortoiseshell apprentice who was the last of the invaders.

The fight was over, but it didn't feel like a victory at all, Redpaw realized as she stepped out of the leader's den. All around her, bleeding and injured cats staggered around the clearing. The thin snow on the ground was smeared in dark red. Shadowspring came here to make a statement, and yet she left devastation in her wake.

"Let's find your father," Flamestar mewed, leaping down from the Highrock.

Redpaw didn't dare bring up his moment of weakness. Quietly, she followed him to the medicine cat den, her head drooping and her tail dragging across the snow. She suddenly felt guilty for not rushing to her clanmates' aid like Willowbranch had done so effortlessly.

Flamestar stopped mid-stride. "Is everyone alright?" he called out to his clanmates.

"Finchwing! Finchwing!" Mintpaw mewed, pushing her mentor's body with her paws. Dewpaw stood next to her, trying to lick up his wound. The reddish-brown warrior lay lifeless on the ground, a large gash on his side. As she approached, Mintpaw leaped to her paws, her light green eyes narrowed into tiny slits. "He's dead!"

Redpaw stood frozen, hardly able to comprehend why she looked so angry. She then realized she was staring past her and at another cat standing only a few pawsteps away.

Silversky.

The tom stood alone in the clearing; all eyes now focused on him.

Although Redpaw hadn't been part of the dawn patrol, something had clearly happened that led the ShadowClan warriors to attack them.

"What did you do?" Flamestar asked, turning his attention towards the silver tom.

The deputy's ears fell back, and he looked uncomfortable, his eyes shifting uneasily between his clanmates. Being put on the spot was not part of his plan.

When he didn't respond, Flamestar swung his head around to face the other warriors. "Leopardstrike! Littleleaf!" he demanded angrily.

Leopardstrike and Littleleaf shuffled their paws uneasily, their eyes avoiding Flamestar's piercing gaze. They had been part of the dawn patrol as well.

"Come to my den later, you four, and then we'll speak," Flamestar ordered. "I don't have time for this at the moment."

The two warriors exchanged glances, guilt evident in their expressions, before quietly acknowledging the order with nods.

"Yes, Flamestar." Leopardstrike mewed.

Silversky, watching the exchange from a few mouse lengths away, had an unmistakable gleam of anger in his eyes but he said nothing more. With a snort of disapproval, he padded away towards the nursery to check on his mate, Goldenear, who had taken a moment to peer outside. The future queen had a horrified look on her face when she saw Finchwing's dead body.

"Where are Echobreeze and Emberstar?" Icebreath asked, her blue gaze searching the clearing. "They weren't in the elder's den during the battle." Her words hung heavy in the air, worsening the growing unease that spread like wildfire among the ThunderClan cats.

"I saw them leave camp," Rabbitclaw announced, her raspy voice rising about the crowd. The white elder slipped out from underneath a thorn bush, shaking her white pelt free of ice. "I always knew that tom was trouble." She slowly padded up to them, moving unsteadily across the uneven snowdrifts with her aching limbs, and then pointed with her ears towards the apprentice den, where a steep slope heavy with snow and covered in paw prints led to the top of the ravine. Low-hanging tree limbs covered much of the surface, so it was mostly hidden from unsuspecting eyes.

Flamestar shot his gaze towards the nearest apprentices, Cloverpaw and Sparkpaw, who flattened their ears. Cloverpaw shrank back and looked smaller against the white landscape, while Sparkpaw simply slumped his shoulders and looked away.

With a heavy heart, Redpaw realized that the apprentices' secret shortcut outside of camp had been revealed.

"They probably haven't gone far," Flamestar replied. "Ravenstorm, Blossomheart, and Hazelpaw, go after them."

The two warriors dipped their heads respectively and then sprinted away towards the direction the elder pointed at.

Hazelpaw, covered in scars, paused for a brief moment in front of Redpaw. "Goodbye!" he mewed, as he hurried to catch up to them.

Redpaw waved her tail, her heart swelling with a mix of emotions, as she watched him disappear up the slope. With a heavy sigh, she murmured gratitude to StarClan her brother got away with only minor injuries. However, just as she was about to breathe a sigh of relief, she was struck with the sudden realization that her mentor was nowhere to be seen. Filled with panic, she glanced at Flamestar, but the tom was already giving out new orders, his tail lashing back and forth in agitation. He was clearly in a frazzled state, too distracted to even think about anything other than the safety of his clan.

Doubt clouded Redpaw's thoughts. Would Emberstar dare to harm a medicine cat? The sanctity of their role was protected by the warrior code, and any harm inflicted upon them would be in direct defiance of StarClan. That must mean – no. She shook her head. She didn't want to believe it. She couldn't believe it. The former leader of ThunderClan would never do something so heinous as to hurt, or even kill a medicine cat. Without further hesitation, she spun on her heels and sprinted towards the clump of ferns on the far side of the camp, her heart pounding in her ears. She had to see her – she had to make sure she was okay otherwise; she would be stuck taking care of her clanmates all by herself!