Code of the Clans/Code 14

:Below contains in-depth information for code fourteen of Code of the Clans. If you are looking for a shorter summary of the entire book, please check the main article.
==Chapter description==
:Mossheart treats Smoketalon's infected wound after a battle. Smoketalon mutters that he will tear out the throat of the WindClan warrior who gave him the cut, but Mossheart disagrees, as she believes that this will only feed the cycle of bloodshed between WindClan and ShadowClan, their own Clan. She reflects that the two Clans had been battling for multiple moons because of nothing but their pride, resulting in the death of a WindClan warrior and the laming of a ShadowClan she-cat who would never again be fit for warrior duties. She finishes packing Smoketalon's wound with marigold and exits her den to escape the smell of herbs. She finds her Clanmates fixated on the trees and goes to stand beside Lilyfur, who tells Mossheart that there is another battle being waged. The medicine cat suddenly feels as if she is coated in warm blood, but when she attempts to spit out the blood clot caught in her throat, she finds that it wasn't real. Believing this to be a vision from StarClan, Mossheart runs towards the battle to stop it, with Lilyfur racing after her to help despite expecting kits.
:The two she-cats reach a clearing beside the Thunderpath to find two large patrols of warriors and apprentices fighting with each other viciously. At the same time, Swiftfoot, WindClan's medicine cat, bursts through the bushes and yowls for the cats to stop. With a regretful glance at the limp bodies dotted around the clearing, he approaches the nearest cats—a WindClan warrior and a tabby ShadowClan tom—and demands that they return to their respective camps. The WindClan cat obeys, much to Mossheart's surprise, and leaves for the bushes. Logfur prepares to rejoin the battle before Mossheart stops him and tells him to go home. ShadowClan's deputy Silvermask asks if Mossheart wants ShadowClan to lose, to which Mossheart replies that she only wants them to live and brings his attention to the dead cats around the clearing. Silvermask jubilantly points out that two of the three dead are WindClan and they are two less warriors ShadowClan must battle. He goes on to say that ShadowClan could have come out victorious as both Clans begin to disperse from the clearing.
:When Lilyfur pads up to offer her assistance, Mossheart notices Spottedpaw among the dead, the wind stirring his fur to give the illusion that he was still breathing. Swiftfoot and Mossheart express their sorrow for the lives lost to each other, and Swiftfoot states furiously that the fighting must end. The two medicine cats agree to meet by Highstones next sunrise with the other medicine cats to force StarClan into action.
:The following morning, Mossheart and Swiftfoot travel with medicine cats Kinktail, Quailfeather and Prickleface to Mothermouth until the sun begins to set. Mossheart notices that the rising half-moon is colored red, something she had never witnessed before. Quailfeather muses that it is the color of blood, and Mossheart wonders silently if StarClan is awaiting their arrival. All five medicine cats race through the tunnel to the Moonstone, which was glowing red due to the unusually-colored moon illuminating the cave. The cats settle down beside the Moonstone and touch noses with it.
:Mossheart finds herself at the beginning of yesterday's battle, watching as WindClan and ShadowClan throw themselves at each other again. Spottedpaw tells her that she can't stop the battling cats, and Mossheart asks why he isn't participating in the skirmish. Spottedpaw replies that he's unable to as he is dead. The brown apprentice continues that these battles will be waged for moons over and over for the sake of safety and honor and that this is the way of a warrior. As his spirit fades away, he reminisces over his death at the paws of a WindClan warrior and reflects on how unnecessary it was, as he knew he had already been beaten and would have fled if given the chance. He states that Mossheart is unable to prevent the fighting, but she may be able to stop the dying. Mossheart regrets the waste of life as she wakes up.
:Back at the Moonstone, Mossheart finds the other medicine cats already awake. She recounts what she had seen during the night, and the other cats unanimously agree that they had experienced similar dreams with their own deceased Clanmates. Prickleface asks if the Clans would accept that victory need not involve death, and Swiftfoot replies that this is what StarClan had shown them, so they must. Kinktail questions about battles with cats and animals outside the code where a warrior would be battling for survival, and the WindClan tom says that while there will be outliers to the rule, killing is not necessary in battles between Clans. Quailfeather suggests that they tell their leaders at the Gathering a quarter-moon away with the belief that they cannot disregard all five united medicine cats and Swiftfoot adds that they should all get together every half-moon to meet with StarClan. The gray tom continues to muse that perhaps medicine cats should not face the same borders as warriors because they work together towards their common goal of peace among the Clans. The cats proceed to head back to their territories, and alongside her, Mossheart hears the disembodied voice of Spottedpaw thanking her.
==Characters==
===Major===
*Mossheart
===Minor===
===Mentioned===
==Important events==
*The fourteenth rule of the warrior code is added: An honorable warrior does not need to kill other cats to win his or her battles, unless they are outside the warrior code or it is necessary for self-defense.
===Deaths===
*Spottedpaw; killed by a WindClan warrior.
==Notes and references==
de:Das Gesetz der Krieger/14. Gesetz
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