Broken Branches (Slatepaw's Writing Contest Submission)

**Note to anyone:**

**Please don't edit :3 I like my writing to stay the same, at least until after Twilightrose judges it.**

### Prologue

*Aspenstripe*

As the sun rose and struck a ray of light into the ShadowClan nursery, Aspenstripe yawned and lifted her head. Casting an affectionate look at her kits, born two nights earlier and curled against her belly, she thought about her mate and what he’d think.

Nightclaw was proud, almost too proud. He was busy too - as the deputy of ShadowClan, he was busy with a lot of things, and Aspenstripe knew that. He could be affectionate, but a long time taking care of most Clan matters had made his eyes cold and his heart stone.

Ever since the leader, Snakestar, had fallen into an unstable condition several moons ago, sometimes clear-minded and sometimes feverish due to a mysterious bout of an unknown sickness, Nightclaw had needed to fill in for the normally hardworking but now feeble Clan leader.

Aspenstripe sighed. *I wish Snakestar would wake up from this nightmare that is ShadowClan. Bring the rest of us awake with him. Then, I could go back to the world, where Nightclaw’s love still exists, that seems so recent… yet so far away.*

As she entered the camp, back from a quick piece of fresh air, Aspenstripe was greeted by a wild-eyed Ivycloud, who was the Clan medicine cat. *Something must be wrong.*

“Aspenstripe! I can’t find one of your kits!”

“NO!” Aspenstripe ran. Skidding to a halt in the nursery and poking her nose into the soft moss of her nest, a cold feeling slowly trickled down her spine. Only the small kit, the gray tom, was still inside. He had his eyes closed. But the other, a light ginger tom with a light tan foot, was nowhere to be seen.

--

### Chapter 1

*Smokepaw*

“Oh yeah! I’m TOTALLY going to beat you, Smokepaw!”

“No, you don’t! And I never agreed to a race- Adderpaw, wait up!”

Slowing for his friend, Adderpaw stifled a laugh as Smokepaw stumbled up next to him. Padding toward the camp entrance, the other apprentice was breathing hard.

“Great StarClan, any cat would think that you’d run to the moon and back!”

Wheezing, Smokepaw tried to explain. “That’s... That’s- that’s because you did make me do a race in a stupid obstacle course which you obviously had run before! I’m not a challenge cat, Adderpaw. I’m nervous and worthless and bad at traini-”

He stopped abruptly, catching sight of his mentor. Nightclaw was sitting at the camp entrance, glowering at the two apprentices.

“*Where have you been*? Come on, Smokepaw, you have a patrol to do - we were all looking for you! And as for you, Adderpaw, you can go ask Russetfang what she’d like you to do. Or,” Nightclaw paused. “You might be lucky and have free time.”

Smokepaw stared at his paws sadly but caught Adderpaw looking at him sympathetically. He followed the patrol towards the RiverClan side of the border.

Still thinking guiltily about how he’d disappointed his father and mentor again, Smokepaw almost didn’t hear or see the RiverClan patrol coming. But all of a sudden, the two patrols were arguing.

“We’ve smelled ShadowClan scent on our side of the border!” hissed one silvery she-cat from RiverClan.

“You think so?” Beetlefur, from the ShadowClan patrol, was rightly bewildered, but also indignant.

“*Yes!* Do you doubt our warriors?”

“It could just be a cat hunting, who had strayed too close. The smell could have drifted over!”

*Oh no, what if they fight? I’m so bad at fighting! I don’t know how to do anything! I didn’t even see the patrol coming*. Thinking of that again, Smokpaw sat down miserably. *I’m hopeless.*

A hiss came from the RiverClan side of the border. Looking up, Smokepaw saw a ginger tom - by the looks of it, an apprentice as well - staring at him.

Disdainfully, the RiverClan apprentice mewed, “*Real* warriors would back up his Clanmates. *Real* warriors are brave. Look at you, little mouse-heart.”

That made Smokepaw furious. “*You’re* not exactly helping your Clanmates either. You’re probably scared too!” Having Nightclaw as his mentor made Smokepaw often question his bravery, and he ended up often concluding that he was just useless.

Surprisingly, his weak retort worked on the other apprentice. The light ginger apprentice shook out his sleek fur and narrowed his eyes menacingly, but said no more.

*Wait… what? He was so tough.* Smokepaw was a little taken aback by how quickly the other had backed down. So he said no more and slipped quietly behind the ShadowClan patrol to make it seem like he’d been there the whole time. Instead of being a stupid mouse-heart. Like the other apprentice said.

*But thinking again… My accusation that he wasn’t brave seemed to shake him right out.*

*What’s he hiding about himself? I wish we could be friends-* He caught himself. *I would never do that, with that stupid RiverClan apprentice and his better-than-you attitude.*

*“Real warriors are brave.”*

*“Look at you, little mouse-heart.”*

Smokepaw growled softly, trying to clear away the memories of what the tom had said at the border. *I’ll prove myself. When I get to go to the next Gathering… maybe we’ll see who’s weak then.*

--

### Chapter 2

*Sandpaw*

It was a clear night. Sandpaw was supposed to be sleeping, but he didn’t want to. Obviously. Why else would he be sitting at the edge of the lake, staring at the reflection of the stars in the water?

What the gray apprentice had said to him… was not what Sandpaw had expected. *Looking so small, I didn’t expect him to see through me. Oh, but maybe he didn’t see through and he was just making an insult.*

The ShadowClan apprentice’s name was Smokepaw, his mentor had told him. Smokepaw was scrawny, but there seemed to be an unnamed quality in him that Sandpaw wanted to have, but- *NO! Stop thinking of how Smokepaw is good at things. Think about how* you’re *good at things. He shied away from the battle. He’s scared of everything, I could tell. You could beat that pile of twigs any day!* His brain whispered to him, and Sandpaw felt his self-worth rising again. He dug his foot into the sandy shore, feeling the grains slide over his pad. It was oddly satisfying, but he pulled the foot out. *That’s right. I can show Smokepaw that RiverClan is the best. That I’m the best. And I’ll prove to the whole Clan that they can rely on me.*

--

“Hey, Sandpaw, hurry up!” Hailfrost, Sandpaw’s mentor, beckoned to him. “You don’t want to be late for the Gathering, do you?”

“No, I’m coming!” Hurriedly, Sandpaw caught up with the rest of the Clan. Padding across the log, the RiverClan cats scattered themselves throughout the clearing, claiming their favorite spots and eagerly awaiting the arrival of the other Clans.

*I wonder if Smokepaw will come.* As soon as Sandpaw thought of that preposterous notion, he snorted and cleared it away. *Obviously not. He looked about my age, so he’s only been an apprentice for a moon or so, maybe two moons. It wouldn’t be logical for him to suddenly transform to be qualified. While I’ve proved so much to my Clan, it was only logical for ME to go to the Gathering.* Shaking out his fur - as he often did when he was nervous or frustrated - Sandpaw looked up at the moon. Several clear wisps of clouds were near it, but not covering anything.

Somewhere close, a twig snapped. Turning his head around and listening, Sandpaw heard the paw steps of approaching cats. *Oh, it’s just the other Clans.* He was about to look back at the sky when he remembered to look for Smokepaw. *He can’t be here. Pile of little sticks.*

Gazing around the clearing as cats spilled in, he caught a glimpse of Nightclaw, who was the acting leader of ShadowClan. Good. That made it easier for him to look. *WHY are you so COMPETITIVE with this OTHER APPRENTICE from ANOTHER CLAN?* A part of his mind yelled. Sandpaw ignored it.

A flash of gray caught his eye. *Could that be Smokepaw? He can’t possibly come…*

But as he looked closer, he saw that it was indeed the nervous apprentice, trailing towards the back of his Clan. He settled at the very edge of the clearing, then shrank back into himself, seemingly uneasy with so many cats around him.

A wave of disbelief washed over Sandpaw, but once again he shook out his fur, as if to loosen the feeling, and pushed it back.

*What have I been working for? Recognition. If the trembly, mouse-hearted ShadowClan apprentice can go to a Gathering that I worked so hard to attend… then I have* more *to prove.*

Barely listening to the leaders make their reports, Sandpaw looked up at the moon again. One of the wispy clouds had drifted over the bottom. He frowned.

As WindClan’s leader, Sorrelstar, finished her report, the moon was still full in the sky, and the cats started sharing tongues. Sandpaw looked around, unsure of what to do or who to talk to. So he just sat there, not doing anything.

“Sandpaw! Come with me,” meowed a voice behind him.

Sandpaw jumped. Turning around, he let out a breath, seeing as it was his mentor, Hailfrost.

“Come on, Sandpaw. I want you to meet someone.”

--

### Chapter 3

*Smokepaw*

*I’m so nervous. I’m so nervous. I’m so nervous.*

*What do I do at a Gathering?*

Smokepaw shrank back from the crowd of cats, who were all at ease with each other. He felt sad, and out of place.

*Stop being nervous!* He scolded himself. *You’ve been being your best for the past moon. And isn’t this what you wanted? To attend a Gathering? So stop being scared out of your pelt and instead enjoy what you deserve!*

But he couldn’t shake off the feeling of being an outsider. *Nightclaw doesn’t like me. Aspenstripe is sad all the time and doesn’t want to look at me for whatever random reason. I don’t have any siblings.*

With a sad sigh, Smokepaw curled his tail over his paws and stared down at the ground.

“Smokepaw.” Nightclaw’s cool mew sounded next to him, and Smokepaw looked up. “It’s a Gathering. Why don’t you go and introduce yourself to some cats?”

“B-but, uh, I don’t, um… I don’t know who I should talk to,” Smokepaw stammered.

Nightclaw shot him a look of impatience and disgust. “Fine! How about I take you to meet others and you just trail behind?”

As he followed his mentor to a corner of the clearing, where some cats sat chatting in the shadows, Smokepaw looked around nervously again. *Everyone seems so comfortable with each other. And even if they’re not, they still look the part.* Sighing once more, he glanced over to the cats in the shadows. *Are those the cats I’m going to meet? Which Clan are they? Will they be nice? Or will they just hate on ShadowClan? I won’t be friends with cats who think ShadowClan is dishonest and sneaky. We’re as honorable as any other Clan around the lake…*

Scuttling in the leaves made Smokepaw jump violently. Just then, a loud, drawling voice rang out.

“Why, it’s the jumpy, mouse-hearted ShadowClan apprentice.” Stalking over from the shade was a sleek ginger tom, looking all puffed-up and important. *Who’s this?* Smokepaw wondered. Then, as he glanced at the other, noticed that the cat had a light orange foot, a peachy tan. His heart sank into his paws, remembering the day by the border.

“Um, uh, hi, I’m-” Smokepaw squeezed out. He silently scolded himself for starting the conversation.

He was cut off by the RiverClan apprentice. “I know who you are. Why are you at a Gathering?”

Confused, Smokepaw replied, “Because… I was… chosen to come? Wh-why else would I be here?”

The other cat snorted a derisive noise that made Smokepaw want to shrink and disappear. It wouldn’t have been bad if other cats were usually giving him approval, but why did everyone seem to think he sucked at everything?

*Because you* are *useless, mouse-brain,* A rebellious part of his brain whispered. Smokepaw pushed it away. *I know I’m not useless! I’m fine! Everything’s fine! It’ll just take time. They just don’t appreciate me* yet*, but they will! No need to be stressed, no need, no need…*

“Sandpaw!” A cold voice snapped. Smokepaw looked up, wondering who that could refer to. *Oh, it’s the RiverClan apprentice.* He vaguely wondered what was going on, still feeling miserable.

“Yes, Hailfrost?” Sandpaw’s originally condescending voice towards Smokepaw had changed into a calm and respecting tone.

“Come over here. And you, Smokepaw. Let me tell you something.” Smokepaw couldn’t tell what this was about. *Why involve me? I thought he was scolding Sandpaw.*

Nightclaw swished his tail nearby. “Smokepaw, did you hear?”

“Um, wha- oh!” Smokepaw rushed over, avoiding his mentor’s gaze.

The two apprentices stood together, but Smokepaw and Sandpaw were both edging away from each other. *I don’t want anything to do with this RiverClan cat that has that dreadful attitude.*

They waited, while Hailfrost argued with Nightclaw over something about “Is this the time” and “Not worth the trouble.” Finally, Nightclaw turned around slowly.

“You are brothers.”

--

### Chapter 4

*Sandpaw*

Sandpaw’s heart stopped.

Then, the full weight of what the ShadowClan tom had said hit him in the face like a stone.

*Brothers?! With a SHADOWCLAN cat? What’s going on? Am I half-clan? Was I even RiverClan born? If I wasn’t, how did my Clanmates- no, just RiverClan cats now - even manage to keep it a secret?* He had no Clan. What if he was born in ShadowClan? Why did he go to RiverClan? Who took him? Was it possible that he wasn’t even a Clan cat? Questions and questions bubbled up in him, wanting to burst out, yet hanging back.

Smokepaw seemed to be in shock. His eyes were wide, and he gaped at the two warriors. *Pathetic bag of mouse-brain,* Sandpaw’s mind immediately went. *No, no, he has reason to be freaked out. He probably has the same questions as I do.*

Yet, looking at the ShadowClan apprentice again, Sandpaw felt repulsion. He wanted *nothing* to do with Smokepaw. He wanted *NOTHING* to do with ShadowClan or with the scrawny apprentice who was apparently his brother. Nightclaw and Smokepaw should DISAPPEAR! This truth, if it was even real, should NEVER BE EXPOSED! Never. Never! He had to keep this a secret.

Fury emerged out of his jaws, and as he hissed, he leaped.

*Smokepaw*

As Smokepaw was recovering from his confusion, something smashed into him. Staggering back, he felt fur and claws and teeth and a spitting, furious Sandpaw. Yowling in pain and fright, Smokepaw scrabbled at the other apprentice’s belly, trying to get Sandpaw off of him. As the two tussled fiercely, Smokepaw suddenly heard a commanding voice, then strong paws pulling them apart.

“Just who,” the voice said, “do you think you are, fighting on the night of a GATHERING, for StarClan’s sake! This is a night of peace! Hailfrost, you’re one of my senior warriors. Why didn’t you stop them?! And you, Nightclaw, as acting leader of ShadowClan, how did you decide to just watch them fight? It is breaking the truce to be doing so, apprentices!”

Calm and smooth as if it were any other day, Nightclaw responded, “Lilystar, I only just arrived, and found them fighting. I’m not sure what was going on.”

Hailfrost said something similar, something about not really looking at Smokepaw and Sandpaw and only just realizing that they were fighting.

*Liars. That’s not what happened at all*. Smokepaw wanted to say it out loud, but looking at Lilystar, the two mentors, and Sandpaw, he swallowed down the words, instead deciding to gaze at his paws.

Guilt washed over him, as Lilystar turned to the apprentices. “You two! If this happens again, I’ll see to it that you’ll be properly punished. *Especially you,* Sandpaw. He may not be in my Clan, but you are. However, I trust that young apprentices can learn from their mistakes and not make them again.”

Still looking at his paws with guilt, Smokepaw stammered in a small voice, “Y-yes, Lilystar, I won’t do it again.”

*I fought my* brother. Smokepaw tossed and turned in his nest, flinging up bits of pine needle and shreds of moss. Adderpaw, in the nest next to him, grunted and curled his tail over his ears.

*I fought my own brother.*

*Well, he’s not exactly nice, is he?*

*It was the night of a Gathering!*

*But he attacked first.*

*That’s not important. How could I have a brother in another Clan? Am* I *the one who doesn’t belong, or is he? It’s probably me. That’s why I’m so bad at everything. Well, maybe nobody else will know.*

Smokepaw sighed, hoping everything would turn out fine, and finally fell asleep.

--

### Chapter 5

*Smokepaw*

As he curled his tail over his paws and scrunched down in the cold, Smokepaw worried about things. Well, mainly one thing.

On one paw, Aspenstripe had always been a sad, withdrawn cat. Not much of a mother. But on the other paw, she loved him, and that was what mattered, right? And he knew that he loved her back.

*Wait… is she even my mother? The reveal changed everything. I can just hope she is.*

A pang of sadness went through him. *Am I being “weak” by thinking about something that happened a moon ago? But I can’t stop being sad. Why am I always like this?*

Gazing at the pine needles above his head, covered in frost and some unmelted snow, Smokepaw tried to forget his troubles. But it didn’t work, because it never did.

He breathed out a puff of air, then watched as the fog from his breath floated up, away, then slowly faded out into the bit of sky that was visible. *Will she be in StarClan? I hope so.*

--

Smokepaw was giddy with excitement. *I’ll become a warrior today! I can’t even believe it. I don’t even know how I made it through the assessment. Becoming a warrior is* so *great.* He stood in the throng of cats clustering in front of the leader’s branch. Nightclaw stood there, looking solemn.

“It is time for an apprentice to become a warrior. Smokepaw, step forward.”

Smokepaw did so, his insides flipping around like butterflies out of control.

“...wait.” A voice croaked. All the eyes turned towards the voice. Then a ripple of surprise passed through the crowd.

“It’s Snakestar!”

“He hasn’t come out much in so long!”

Pleased voices conversed softly. Smokepaw was rather taken aback. *What’s Snakestar coming out for?*

“Nightclaw, let me… do this one,” the old leader rasped.

Nightclaw dipped his head, sparks of something glittering in his eyes. But he didn’t say anything, instead jumping off the branch and sitting on the side.

*Wow! Snakestar’s doing my ceremony? He’s never done something like this since he became sick!*

*But what’s that expression on Nightclaw’s face?*

“I, Snakestar, leader of ShadowClan… call upon my warrior ancestors… to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn.

“…Smokepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?

*This is the moment!* Smokepaw felt faint. But he forced his voice to become steady, and meowed, “I do.”

Snakestar’s eyes were warm with approval. “Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Smokepaw, from this moment on… you will be known as Smokewing. StarClan honors your loyalty and perseverance. I have seen you training alone, training with… your friend Adderstrike, and taking every chance to become a better warrior. We welcome you as a full warrior of ShadowClan.”

Cheers erupted among his Clan. Confidence filled Smokewing’s chest. But glancing around, he caught sight of his father and former mentor, Nightclaw. The dark gray tom was staring right at him, eyes angrily narrowed.

*What’s all that about?*

*Sandpaw*

“I, Lilystar, leader of RiverClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn.

“Sandpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?”

*I wonder what my warrior name will be?* Sandpaw couldn’t stop filling up with pride in himself, as he meowed, “I do.”

“Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Sandpaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Sandfoot. StarClan honors your courage and prowess. We welcome you as a full warrior of RiverClan.”

Lilystar rested her muzzle on Sandfoot’s head, and although he was excited, he did as the ritual said and licked her shoulder.

“Sandfoot!”

“Sandfoot!”

“Congratulations, Sandfoot!”

Hailfrost’s voice purred in his ear, and as Sandfoot looked up, the tom said, “You’re finally a warrior. I can’t wait to see what you’ll do for the Clan.”

--

### Chapter 6

*Smokewing*

Sunshine was everywhere, and Smokewing was in an unfamiliar meadow. He saw a flitting butterfly and leaped after it, feeling like a kit again, but just before his paws got near the insect, the world darkened.

With wind whispering past his ears, rain drizzling on his fur, stone under his paws, and a bright moon in the sky, Smokewing was bewildered at how sudden the change came. *Where’s the butterfly?* *Where’s the sun and the meadow?* He saw sparse pines around him, and as he watched, dark clouds rolled across the sky. Lightning flashed, thunder roared, and one of the pines fell down in a loud crash. Smokewing shrank back, searching for shelter. The wind grew stronger and a shadowy cloud, in one stroke, blocked out the moon. The land fell into darkness.

Smokewing ran.

An opening at the bottom of a rock in the near distance barely caught his eye, and without a moment’s hesitation, he dove in. Trembling, he silently cursed himself for being so mouse-hearted.

A voice sounded in his ear.

“Smokewing. I must tell you something.”

Smokewing jumped, and whirled around. He gasped. A cat sat in the opening of the rock shelter, glowing with a faint pale sheen. Stars showed faintly in the cat’s fur.

*It’s her again!* Overjoyed, Smokewing leaped up to his mother, wanting to snuggle with her in the horrible weather, but she pushed him back with a sad look.

Confused and bewildered, Smokewing looked questioningly at Aspenstripe.

“I have to tell you this. Listen to me, Smokewing.

“I am proud of what you’ve become recently, and I hope you’ll keep working hard. But despite being a new warrior, there’s something you have to do.

“Night is in the Clan, and if it continues, a storm will come… and all will be lost.”

Aspenstripe’s clear blue eyes looked straight at him, and as Smokewing stared, confused at all this, she started to fade.

“No, wait! Aspenstripe! Why are you telling *me* this? Why not some other cat? I-”

The last wisp of Aspenstripe was disappearing, and as she went, a voice whispered,

“Go to the RiverClan border tomorrow night at midnight…”

--

### Chapter 7

*Sandfoot*

Swishing his tail impatiently, Sandfoot waited at the border.

And he waited.

And he waited.

And he waited some more.

*Was that just my imagination last night? Or am I really ShadowClan-born? No, no, no, I can’t think about that. But was that she-cat really my mother? Hmm. We’ll see.*

Sandfoot heard a rustle in the bushes from the lower side of the border, near the lake. A fluffy gray face poked out, breathing hard.

He gaped in surprise.

Smokepaw seemed equally shocked, his eyes wide.

Finally, Sandfoot said, “So, what’s the reason you’re here?”

“Uh- I-” Smokepaw stuttered. Then he burst out, “Well, um, last night, I dreamed of my mother, Aspenstripe, and, uh, she told me something about night in the Clan and everything falling and oh no I don’t know what else but then she told me to come here.”

“But that’s not possible!” Sandfoot stared at his brother. *Wait, so this means he* is *my brother.* “A light ginger cat came to me last night and told me almost the exact same thing. And then she told me she was my mother and the Clans had to be saved and to come here.”

Smokewing looked at him. “I don’t see how, er, that’s not possible. It’s very possible. Because we’re brothers.”

“But I don’t see how she would have chosen YOU, Smokepaw, a scared nervous furball, to SAVE the Clans!”

Angrily, the other shot back, “It’s Smoke*wing* now! And I’m, uh, *not* a nervous furball!”

*What?!? He has a warrior name now?*

“Smoke*wing*? That’s so unfair. All I got was *-foot*!” Sandfoot was outraged. “Why must YOU have everything? You grow up in your own Clan. You get your father as your mentor. And now you have a gracefully philosophical suffix!”

Smokewing shrank away.

A small voice in his head said, *Don’t get mad over this. It’s not your fault.* But then, the much larger part of him thought, *PRECISELY! HE’S SO MUCH LUCKIER THAN ME! WHY?!? I didn’t do anything to be this unlucky! And how did we both have to end up in this weird Clans-saving situation?!?*

Ripples went through his legs as he resisted the urge to claw Smokewing’s face to pieces.

Angrily, Sandfoot whirled around and stalked off.

*Smokewing*

“What do you mean by that?”

Smokewing took a pawstep back.

“We must take action! We can’t let them straight up murder every cat, starting with us!” Sandfoot was panicking.

“Wait, but what do we do?” Smokewing didn’t want to be making decisions before they thought everything out. A part of him wanted to bury his face in the ground and disappear forever.

“Well, what *can* we do?” Frustration edged Sandfoot’s mew, barely concealing a fire of fear.

Smokewing stepped back a little bit more.

The other continued. “We can tell the leaders, but they won’t believe us. We can try and thwart them ourselves, but they’re powerful and we’re new warriors. We-”

“There’s a way somehow. And plus, if we just stay quiet maybe they won’t notice us anymore and decide we’re not a threat…?” Smokewing was unsure. *I wish I could just return to the world where everything’s fine and I am a good warrior. But I can’t.* “It’s, um, a long shot, I know, but maybe it’s safer.”

Sandfoot had started pacing along the pines, his tail bristling. His blue eyes glinted and sparked under the moon, which filtered through the branches and bushes.

“And just let them kill us? Nightclaw said he’d begin next moon because Snakestar needs to be out of the way. He also only sees us as an experiment, and you said it yourself - we’re to be discarded because we argue too much, and face it, we hate each other! We’re not similar enough, so we “backfired”! They’ll do whatever it takes to accomplish their goals. We don’t have time!”

“But what if the leaders, unlike you said, DO listen to us?”

“It’s not likely! You keep talking about not taking risks, but this whole thing is just risk! I-”

A rustle came from the nearby bushes and trees.

He froze in place.

Sandfoot also paused, his paw in the air.

The sound came closer, seemingly wandering aimlessly…

… but also coming straight for them.

--

### Chapter 8

*Sandfoot*

His heart hammering in his chest, Sandfoot tensed up his muscles.

*Who is this in the middle of the night?*

Smokewing’s fur was fluffed up like a squirrel’s. *Scared mouse-heart,* Sandfoot almost thought, but then stopped as he realized that his bones were trembling. He tried to tell them to stop. They didn’t listen, and kept going, almost shaking to the rhythm of his beating heart.

The pawsteps moved closer, and gradually they heard a sound like a cat’s breathing. Something reflected in the corner of his eye, and silently, Sandfoot turned his head around.

Nearby, a twig snapped.

Both of them stiffened further.

The sound seemed to hang in the air.

Sanfoot barely dared to breathe… *This is all so creepy,* he thought. His eyes seemed to move of their own accord, flicking towards a bush, then towards a tree, a cluster of dying ferns, even the glimpse of the lake, rippling and shining under the moon.

Something flashed.

Senses on high alert now, Sandfoot cautiously sniffed. A strange, almost stinking smell was detectable. Like ShadowClan… but not Smokewing.

A mouse scuttled through the underbrush. Smokewing jumped.

*Mouse-brain! Stay still!* But that thought had barely crossed his mind, when a loud rustle began, moving closer and closer.

A cat’s terrified screech cut through the air, as suddenly a heavy, fluffy thing barreled into Sandfoot, crashing him through the bushes.

“*SMOKEWING! What-?”* Breath coming in gasps, Sandfoot struggled to make sense of it all.

“Run! Sandfoot, Nightclaw is coming!”

That chilled him to the bone. “Are you sure? Did you see wrong, or was it really-”

He was cut off by Smokewing, who hissed, and with fur fluffed as a squirrel, Sandfoot’s surprisingly strong brother had launched himself onto Sandfoot, hurling him down towards the lake.

*No time to question. What if he’s right? I never thought he’d notice something ahead of me.* Legs stretching as far as they could, Sandfoot ran.

*Smokewing*

His first whiff of the air had caught something familiar.

*It can’t be… please don’t be…*

But as the quiet rustling drew nearer, his stomach felt sick with dread, for the familiar scent was indisputable now.

A glint of green flashed from the bushes, as if from the light reflecting off of an eye.

A scuttling noise made him jump. *NO! Why did I move?* But it was too late. A flash of black under the pale moon…

An overpowering fear seized him, and Smokewing turned to run.

Only he’d crashed into Sandfoot.

*He’s my brother, I suppose, I need to tell him. Why isn’t he recognizing the danger we’re in? No time!*

Now they were running, leaping, straining their legs with all their might, to save their pelts.

*But what will Nightclaw do to the Clans if we run away? What will happen to my friends, my home? No, I have to stop thinking that. Don’t be a mouse-heart.* Smokewing ran even faster, his tail streaming out, the wind from his own panic ruffling through his fur.

It felt enjoyable… only it wasn’t. *I would’ve liked something like this if it were only in a happy world where I could just live in peace. StarClan, why?*

--

### Chapter 9

*Sandfoot*

They crashed through the plants, dodging stiff-bladed grasses, feathery bushes, fallen branches, all dark under the trees.

*Where are we going? Where are we going? Where?*

The thought repeated over and over in Sandfoot’s head, combining with his wild heartbeat, forming a deafening pulse that drummed in his ears.

Sounds came from behind him, and he knew that another cat was following them. *So Smokwing was right! I have to run faster.*

“Smokewing! Hurry!” Panting in exhaustion, Sandfoot urged himself and his brother. They had to get away… but where? Where?

They burst out into the open.

With a gasp, Sandfoot realized that they’d run all the way down to the lake.

Smokewing was looking wildly around.

“There, there’s that halfbridge thing in RiverClan territory! Maybe we can hide near-”

The sounds from earlier were closer now, moving faster and faster down the slope, seemingly going to emerge at any moment. Sandfoot desperately leaped for a small dip beneath the halfbridge nearby, wishing with all his might that he’d make it.

*Smokewing*

As he and Sandfoot made for the halfbridge, hoping the water would hide their scent and the halfbridge their pelts, Smokewing heard a louder sound than before, at the edge of the forest, just as they scrambled onto the wooden platform.

*Oh, no. StarClan, please-*

A dark shape, with fangs bared and claws unsheathed, hurtled towards them, deep green eyes glinting.

Clouds covered the moon.

Darkness fell.

Whatever it was that made him do it, Smokewing leaped onto Sandfoot, flattening his brother against the ground and moving him out of the way.

Just then, the dark form of their father, full of silent menace, whistled past their ears.

Smokewing couldn’t move, although his mind was urging his legs to get up, to run away, to disappear forever, but nothing was working. He was petrified with fear, waiting for claws on his throat at any moment, waiting to perhaps be pushed into the lake…

A skittering of claws on wood,

A growl of anger and fear,

A loud splash,

A moment of frenzied spluttering…

A powerful wave washed in, then out…

And all was still.

--

### Epilogue

*Ivycloud*

“What do we do?”

That was the first thing Smokewing had asked.

Ivycloud hadn’t known what to say at all.

She’d meowed, “Supposing what you said is true… ShadowClan is now without a leader, nor a deputy.” Snakestar was still semi-invalid. *Unfortunately.*

Ivycloud had promised to look out for any signs from StarClan, but it had been half a moon and none had yet come. She was starting to think that either the two were lying or that it was too trifling a matter to StarClan for the ancestors to care. Either way, this problem was real and had to be solved. Quickly.

A beetle wriggled out of her nest as she curled up in the soft moss and fern. Ivycloud wrinkled her nose at it. *Have a nice night, little bug.* Closing her eyes, she fell asleep.

*Hmm.* She seemed to be surrounded by mist. *I wonder where this is? Eh, it’s just a dream.*

“Ivycloud!”

*Wait… what?*

Turning around, she saw Aspenstripe. *Oh, Smokewing and Sandfoot’s mother? Interesting.*

There was something Ivycloud wanted to ask, though, so Aspenstripe coming to her in a dream for whatever reason seemed a good opportunity to do that.

“Um… So about ShadowClan’s leader - I don’t know if you came here for that, but our Clan doesn’t have any leadership anymore-”

“Yes, I know.” Aspenstripe cut Ivycloud off. “That *is* why I’m here today.”

“Oh, thank StarClan, finally. It’s been half a moon! What’s been going on-”

“A lot of things, Ivycloud. Once Nightclaw drowned, the entirety of StarClan was arguing over whether or not we should do our best to revive Snakestar, or whether it would be unnatural to restore him, since he has been weak for so long.

“Our decision was, yes, he will be restored to leader. It was a mistake on our part to even let him lapse into such a state, allowing Nightclaw to make attempts to assert his own influence.”

Ivycloud was confused. “So why see me, then? Can’t you just brief him on everything and then help get him back to health? I mean, I know you can’t revive him the whole way. He still has to recover by himself.”

“Because you’re the one treating him all the time, Ivycloud. I need to let you know what’s going on.”

“So what do I have to do?”

“Just keep doing what you normally do, but at midnight tomorrow, make sure to be awake… The other Clans must not know too much of these happenings. We will get Snakestar back again. ShadowClan will be well again.”

--

## Extra Information

*To see the image in greater detail, I suggest you open it in a new tab*

**I didn’t include Allegiances, due to that being a waste of space and needless characters.**

### Mentioned Characters’ Descriptions:

*SMOKEWING (warrior, ShadowClan)*

Fluffy gray tom with bright green eyes, a pink nose, and slight, white-orange spots on his ears

*SANDFOOT (warrior, RiverClan)*

Slender ginger tabby tom with clear blue eyes, a tan-colored right front foot, pale chest, and a white-tipped tail

*NIGHTCLAW (deputy, ShadowClan)*

Sleek, dark gray tom with piercing green eyes, sparse white markings, white paws, and a white tail

*ASPENSTRIPE  (deceased warr., ShadowClan)*

Pale ginger tabby she-cat with round sky-blue eyes and a fluffy tail

*ADDERSTRIKE  (warrior, ShadowClan)*

Brown tom with yellow eyes and overall spiky fur; notably spiky and short tail

*HAILFROST (warrior, RiverClan)*

Large muscular white tom with grayish-tan patches, large ears, and bluish-violet eyes

*SNAKESTAR (leader, ShadowClan)*

Broad-faced brown tabby tom with amber eyes, a scarred ear, and a long, usually curled tail

*IVYCLOUD (med. cat, ShadowClan)*

Calico she-cat (white, orange, gray) with emerald-green eyes and short stout legs

*BEETLEFUR (warrior, ShadowClan)*

Compact, reddish-brown tom with rounded ears and round amber eyes

*LILYSTAR (leader, RiverClan)*

Smokey-purple she-cat with faint spotted gray markings, deep blue eyes, white ears, and a mane of fur around her neck

*NOTE:* Russetfang, Adderpaw/strike’s mentor, was mentioned, but as she had no lines in the story, I didn’t draw anything of her.

**Some behind the scenes for you :P**

In the beginning I started with a basic outline but I lost the paper. I then developed some pretty different plot endings

As of this writing, the date is 1/14/2021, and I have not yet finished my ending. I’m quite certain it’ll be different from both I developed, so take a look at the discarded lines…

*Also, reading these images might change your view of me because my handwriting in this case is so atrocious lol I wrote these at night in a hurry, it’s when my brain develops plots best -* Scroll down to skip the horrible writing and difficulty of reading for a much more brief summary, but you miss out on some juicy scrap material :D

I also included just some random things lol, feel free to just read it all but warning it’ll be incoherently organized

Plot development images to the right -->

Okay, so the general idea, or differences, or discarded points, or interesting abandoned events, etc, etc, from these three pages is that:

* At first, I was wildly not sure how the second half was going to go
* The brothers were going to be stirred up by their mentors, advertently or inadvertently - I never made up my mind, but I ended up deciding that it would be neither. They’d do it themselves, as you can see in the story, but their mentors didn’t do anything to stop it.
* First theory on how these whimsical kitties of future Clans end up saving their lives through a rivalry: they’re too competitive and threaten Nightclaw’s psycho vision of a united Clan. I didn’t quite like that one. I scrapped it.
* Another theory as to life-threats was that ThunderClan leader found out and threatened them with death unless they worked against Nightclaw and Hailfrost.
* An aspect to Nightclaw’s plot to overtake the Clans was that he would poison Snakestar. Nope, I scrapped that as well.
* I don’t quite understand what I was going for when I look back on the top of second image, but it was something along the lines of fake-fighting to fool both ThunderClan leader and their former mentors into letting them off? I don’t even remember. Anyway that line’s dead.

* **BLOOD/DEATH OR SELF-HARM ALERT: *Proceed carefully.*** At the end of image 2, you can see a “semi-idea”: Smokewing pushes his mentor dad off a cliff and into a small ravine, maybe at the edge of the territory, rarely visited or seen by anyone, so it’s relatively hidden, and then - here’s the semi-idea - he is so scared and nervous of what he did (we all know our jittery floof catto amiright) that he either leaves the Clans forever or he also jumps and suici--- ok that’s morbid I’ll stop now :P Anyway it’s highly unlikely that I’ll go with this semi-idea, but Smokewing killing his dad is kind of irresistable so I’m sorry but I may end up doing that after all

Couple other differences, less notable, mainly characters:

* Hailfrost was originally named Hailstorm
* Sandfoot originally had a black foot but that was removed as I deemed it far too unrealistic even by Warriors standards
* Medicine cat names varied, until I decided Ivycloud. First it was Patchspark, then Pebblespots (feels too canon although it isn’t) and then I landed on the cutest bean design and Ivycloud it was

I recommend you at least skim through the images if you want to see more, I’m so sorry for the quality, I thought I’d made sure of readability when I edited them, but :/ *what sad resolution it came out as*

Other stuff:

* I wrote chapter 7 listening to Play To Win by Blixemi
* Sandfoot was hard to develop; I had to make him unstable inside but derisive. I hope you think I did a good job :D

**Ok um update, 2/7/2021**

I had a very hard time writing the epilogue i’m so sorry lol

But it was bad to just leave chapter 9 on such a cliffhanger, plus it wouldn’t be complete if the story just ended like that

So apologies if the epilogue is far under par but i tried my hardest :P

I hope you liked the story overall though, it ended up being far over the word limit, but it was the best i could do

SAFSDFJKLSDJFLSKDJ 5933 WORDS WOW HOW GOOD I AM AT FULFILLING WORD LIMITS.