Thunder, Lightning, and the Smell of Blood

The thunder rumbled from the dark sky above, but was unheard due to the crashing of the waterfall. Cats were curled up together in the damp cave sharing tongues and chatting to each other warmly. Despite Leafbare being around the corner, the camp had an odd way of staying the perfect temperature. Perhaps it had to do with the rocks? No one knew for sure, but no one was complaining.

Maplepaw was dashing in between dens with herbs clamped in her jaw. Viperstrike was following behind her closely, due to her own request. The pretty orange tabby had found out just days ago she was expecting kits and now her sister was being worrisome over her. Maplepaw didn’t mind the help though. As Maplepaw moved to check Sunflowerwish over, she nosed a few herbs towards Viperstrike and gave her an innocent smile. “Can you please bring those to Scorpionfang? His infection is going down and he needs these.”

Viperstrike growled lowly before snatching up the leaves and trotting across camp to the elder’s den. As per normal, Spiderkit was curled up into his father’s side, telling him the wild stories of what he had done today. And that very story had been pushing poor Bellkit into the cold river. Bellkit was in the medicine cat den recovering from a small cold because of the incident.

Dreamfrost was watching the clan silently move around as Falconscreech laid pressed beside her, his tongue rasping over her ear in a doting manner. She herself had just received news from the golden medicine cat apprentice. Kits. The thought made her stomach twist in all the wrong ways. It wasn’t supposed to happen. Yet it had.

Berryrose was trying to gather all of her kits in one place, but was having a hard time locating Loyalkit and Roaringkit due to a game of hide and seek they refused to break. Shadowkit was following closely at her paws along with Opalkit, trying to help her mother end the game quickly so they could all sleep.

Paws twitched in irritation and claws flexed out, causing Dreamfrost to shiver. Falconscreech stopped his licking and looked at her with slightly narrowed eyes. “What?”

“I’m tired of waiting.” The dark she-cat got to her paws and Falconscreech watched as she padded towards another dark warrior. Venomgrin. The two of them had talked before. He was very eager to join their cause. And there was no more time to wait. After talking silently for a few moments, she padded away from the older warrior and Falconscreech moved to stand beside him, watching Dreamfrost move across the camp.

Hiccupstar had just walked out of his den, Peridotkit and Jadekit weaving between his paws as they had decided to use his den as a hiding spot. His eyes lifted as he saw Dreamfrost approach and he tilted his head to the side in curiosity. “Is there something you need, Dreamfrost?”

The tabby warrior stopped only paw steps away from Hiccupstar. Scalewing was walking back into camp chatting happily with Cherryhaze and it distracted the leader just long enough for Dreamfrost to get what she wanted. With what she wanted in sight, she let out a loud yowl and lunged forward, sinking her teeth into Hiccupstar’s neck.

A familiar darkness covered his eyes and Peridotkit at his paws let out a blood curdling scream as the leader fell limp in front of them.

Everyone’s heads immediately whipped around and shocked gasps filled the cave along with a few hisses. Berryrose was frozen in shock and the first one to move was Scalewing. “You liar!” The silver tabby ran at Dreamfrost who simply gave her a cold look before the deputy was bowled to the ground by Venomgrim.

Falconscreech screamed at the elder warrior and it gave Cherryhaze enough time to attack him and roll him off the silver tabby, who shakily got to her paws. Falconscreech froze only a second too long from watching his sister get attacked before a yowl filled the air and he turned to see Sleetstorm running at Dreamfrost. He hissed at jumped on the warrior, digging his claws into him and hissing loudly.

Panic ensued from there.

Berryrose quickly darted across the camp to her limp mate, falling back a few pawsteps to see Scorpionfang push the lifeless leader onto his back, just like how he had come into camp before. “Get your kits! I’ll get Hiccupstar! Go!”

Without arguing Berryrose snatched up both Peridotkit and Jadekit quickly, running over to where Shadowkit and Opalkit were frozen in fear. Whisperkit and Talonkit had joined their frozen siblings, but Loyalkit and Roaringkit were nowhere to be seen. “Where are your brothers?”

Sleetstorm’s form was flung painfully into the nursery; stopping the conversation and making everyone jump. The gray and white warrior ran back out to jump at Falconscreech again, Sunflowerwish screaming. The orange queen was pushed and she jumped in fear only to see Viperstrike nudging her, Spiderkit and Bellkit clamped in her jaws. Sunflowerwish’s eyes watered but she quickly grabbed Bellkit from her sister and the two she-cats ran out of the camp.

Scalewing had gotten to her paws and was running at Dreamfrost who simply swiped her claws out fast catching the deputy off guard. Cherryhaze hauled himself off of  Venomgrin and jumped on Dreamfrost, causing the dark she-cat to hiss in anger as she was pinned down. “Run Scalewing!”

“No! This is my Clan! I have to protect it!”

“Protect it by staying alive! Hiccupstar looked badly hurt. A ripped throat can take more than one life. RainClan needs you to survive. Run so you can save your clan!”

The ginger tabby’s words crushed Scalewing’s heart, but she nodded quickly and dashed out of the camp.

Berryrose had slipped out of the camp through a backway with the entry, counting her kits quickly and her heart feeling heavy. Loyalkit and Roaringkit were still missing. However seeing the form of Venomgrin chase after them she screamed at her kits and they ran.

Most everyone had been too shocked to move. A few other cats had run from the camp but most everyone else had stayed frozen in place. Ripped to shreds and bleeding heavily, Cherryhaze and Sleetstorm were thrown onto the ground of the middle of the camp, the two rebelling warriors pinning them down. Whimpers came from cats across the camp as Dreamfrost stepped forward, her eyes cold and she glared down at them. “Make examples of those who defy me.”

Two sharp snaps filled the air and the camp was suddenly quiet again.

Maplepaw was shaking in the corner, Scorchpaw and Joltpaw standing protectively in front of their crying little sister. Dreamfrost whipped her head around and the three of them froze. Maplepaw tried to shrink farther down into the wall and Joltpaw and Scorchpaw’s warning growls got louder. Joltpaw’s eyes flashed darkly and Dreamfrost hissed before slashing her claws at him and batting him a few tail lengths away, dazing him. Scorchpaw screamed and jumped at the warrior only for her to pin him down and snap his neck in her jaws. Maplepaw’s eyes were watering as she looked up at Dreamfrost. Her eyes shown bright for a moment before they faded down and she turned to her brother and screamed. “RUN, JOLTFLASH! RUN!”

The thunder rumbled loud and after moments of silence, Dreamfrost’s laugh filled the air.

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Berryrose’s paws were heavy. The rain soaked the pelts of the group and Hiccupstar’s blood had stopped flowing long ago. Scorpiongfang said he could still feel him breathing, but it was faint. Without treatment soon, he would lose all of his lives.

Sunflowerwish was crying and Viperstrike was still holding Spiderkit in her jaws, but Bellkit had been transferred to Scalewing, who’s ears were flat to her skull.

A bush rustled and they all froze, hearts pounding heavy in their chests. Scorpionfang’s silent eyes turned towards the sound and he flicked his ears and sniffed. “We wandered into MoonClan.”

Shaking breaths left Berryrose as the group was surrounded by warriors they didn’t recognize from her old home. Warriors who had joined after the journey. Growls and bristling pelts met the group.

“Stop!” Nightcatcher pushed his way to the front of the patrol, all the warriors backing down from their senior’s command. “Berryrose? What’s going on? Is everything okay?” It was only then he spotted the limp form of Hiccupstar on Scorpionfang’s back and his heart sunk.

The blue queen hiccupped loudly, tears falling from her eyes as she collapsed onto the ground, her kits huddling around her and looking up at their father with wide eyes. With a voice raw from screaming, she looked up at her mate with sad green eyes.

“Help us.”