Defiance (One-shot short story)

*The cold breeze blew accross RockClan camp.....* the warrior Wolfclaw was at her deouty ceramony.

"Wolfclaw, you are to be the deputy of RockClan." Mewed Crowstar, the leader and her father. His mate, the mother of Wolfclaw had just died in a battle, and he was making Wolfclaw the new deputy. Wolfclaw was sad to lose a Clanmate, but hse had never known he mother, or like her much.

She had never really wanted Wolfclaw, she hadn't wanted kits, but Crowstar did. He only wanted kits to be new warriors for the Clan. So the two agreed to have kits, but it wasn't what the two has thought, or wanted. First of all, it was just one kit. Which supposing the kit does not ie before warriorhood of a sickness or as battle as an apprentice or being to weak to surive as a kit, is just one new warrior, and that'sat best.

And for another thing, Wolfclaw was a she-cat, rather then a tom, why someone would want an annoying tom over a brillient she-cat was something Wolfclaw could not understad. ANd when she said annoying, she wasn't saying all toms were annoying. But the toms that her parents wanted to have, were annoying. The parents wanted the kits to be honer-bound and noble, maybe not to bright, but strong. Which would be good for.....Wolfclaw hated to even think it.

But her parents always said, that a strong tom would be good for saving she-cats, which was the most horrible thing Wolfclaw had ever heard. She-cats did not in any world need toms to save them, sure she-cats had been saved by toms in the past, but toms had been saved by she-cats as well. She-cats could look after themselves with no help form a tom what so ever.

But Wolfclaw's parents seemed to think otherwise. Wolfclaw's parents hated her for being a she-cat, that was strange in her mind since her mother was a she-cat, but no one seemed to think about that. In fact, no one at all seemed to think in the dark Clan of RockClan. Wolfclaw had become an apprentice at five moons and a warrrior at nine moons, it seemed normal to her but she was forbidden to talk about it at the gatherng.

"And Wolfclaw, as I make you deputy I give you two options. You can become an hunter, or a fighter. It is your choice. It is how we do things here." Crowstar mewed.

"Thanks, but I am happy being both." Wolfclaw mewed, something abotu choosing unnerved her from her kit days, but she was sort of okay with it, she coud just deny the request, and stay the cat she always was. No problem, no fight, no choosing. Perfect. But Crowstar seemed to think otherwise.

"You have to choose one." Crowstar mewed, he seemed like he thought Wolfclaw was the stupedist cat in the world, which he likely did think, since Wolfclaw was a she-cat. "Since this is how we do things in RockClan away from the other cats, I am commending you to choose." The blakc cat hissed to Wolfclaw.

She was starting to get angry, she was ready to give this tom a peice of her mind. No one made her choose, choosing was a horrible thought, but being forced was so much worse. Wolfclaw had a free-spirt, and she was not going to give it up since someone asked her too. "No one can make me choose! Ever! I will never choose anything, I do not care about what you want or how the Clan works!" Wolfclaw admitted.

She had never been so happy then when she saw the look of dread on her father's face, and the look of surprise. Wolfclaw was far from being the son Crowstar had wanted, she was the *female* who was the oppisite of that cat. Crowstar seemed like he wanted her to go into exile, but what could he do in front of the Clan? "Wolflcaw, you will take a  deep breath and choose. I am a tom, and I am your leader, so you wil listen to me. And you will be bound by the honer code the son I never had would have. Do you understand me?" Crwostar asked.

"I understand you my ears work fne!" WOlfclaw mewed, doing the best to keep her temper, she took deep breaths and glared at the Clan, who seemed intrasted in hereing more of her and Crowstar's personal life.

"If you were a tom you would no more, but we have to deal with the weak mind of the she-cat, the mind that understands nothing, and needs the toms out there. If it was not for the toms in the world, the she-cats would be hopeless. SO to all the toms in the Clan, look out for the helpless she-cats, those cats need it."  Crwostar mewed, he wasn't really thinking himslef though, Wolfclaw knew that since he was surpirsed when she scratched him and ran into the forest screaming about how no one could make her choose a hunter or fighter.

She had left the Clan, she had left all that nonsense, and she was never going back, she would ot go back in a million years, or at least until RockClan had a new leader.

Wolfstar ran, she tripped into a plant. "Ugh" She mewed, and tried untangling herself from the plant it failed.

"Need some help there?" Came a voice, she turned to see a ginger tom, purring.

"I need help from no one, and you smell like a RockClan cat! Which must mean you think I am weak, so get out of my way I have stuff to go and this is not part of it." WOlfclaw hissed.

"You're fesity, I like that. And you will need it out here in world." The tom puured, Wolfclaw aced the tom, he had ginger fur and green eyes. He was maybe a two of thrree moons older then her, older then her by the looks, but not by much.

"Stop trying to flirt with me, I can handle myself, and have no intrest in having a mate. So....." Wolfclaw mewed, she was ready for the ginger cat to leave, she wanted no mate, she wanted to fight.

"I am in no world trying to flirt with you, I too have no intrest in mate, but I am honest when I say we are on the same page." The tom purred, he lifted a paw, being friendly. Wolfclaw would have none of it.

"I am fairly cetion we are far from being on the same page." She growled, most RockClan toms were like her father, and did not understand anythng. Despite the fact those animals had what Wolfclaw viewed as stupid opinions, Wolfclaw would often here the cats out, but today she just wanted to be alone.

"Hey, I might have RockClan scent, but I am no RockClan cat, at least not anymore." The ginger tom mewed, and he licked his paw, he had a humble yet confident look on his face. Was this gignercat really on Wolfclaw's side?

"So you are in exile? Great. Why are you telling me this?" Wolfclaw asked, flatly. Did this cat have no sense?

"I am not in exile, thought it is strange that you would think all cats who left Clans left be exile, since anyone can see that you are no longer a RockClan cat, and something tells me by the look of anger on your face, you were a runaway, and not in exile. I am a runaway as well, I left as an apprentice, the reason I left is strange condidering I am a tom, I left since there was a kit, she was hated by her parents due to the fact she was a she-cat rather then a tom, do you know her?" the cat asked, he seemed to be hinting something, but not strongly.

"I am her. And I think I know you...Wolfpaw, right?"  Wolfclaw asked, she would remenber that cat's name anywhere, it was always awkward that  the two had the same name.  "I ran away since I was forced to choose, I hate choosing. It ws my deputy ceramony and I had to choose between a hunter anf fighter, I hated doing that." Wolfclaw mewed.

"Deputy? You are young to be deputy, what ae you....ten moons? And your mother, whatever her name was, died?" the cat  aksed. "Anyway, I am Wolfpaw. Or I was. I go by Blaze now, it is a name that fits a loner or rogue. I planned on coming back, maybe when there was a new leader, but I do not think I would be allowed back. Anyway, I know you as Wolfkit, I am guessing Wolfpaw is your name now? Almost Wolfwhatever? And I am so sorry about your mother." Blaze mewed, touching noses with Wolfclaw.

"I am deputy, and I am ten moons. And yes, my mother died and I do miss her, but I was never close with her, shewas sort of like my father. Anyway, I am a warrior. Or like you said, was. I became a warrior about a moon ago, my name is Wolfclaw. But I should go by somehing else, Wolf I guess." Wolf mewed, she had always liked Wolfpaw-or Blaze rather-but she had more respect for himnow.

"So then come with me! Just one thing, if we do this, we are in it together!" Blaze mewed.

"Agreed." Wolf purred. "Always together."

Crowstar was lurking around the settled area, Wolf could tell the unfair leader had plans to bring her back, he he needed to know something, she was never going back. "There you are." Came a voice, Wofl turned around, thinking the ginger tom who had become her mate would be there, instead an older gray and black tom was standng there.

"Get away from me Crowstar, you were begging for me to run away all along, maybe you regret it now but after what you did, I can never forgive you." Wolf hissed, the cat had always feared her father and had done what he had wanted but she was a changed cat now, one who would put up a fight. "DId you do anything to Blaze?"

"Wolfclaw, calm down. I am here to do no more then the right thing, I am bringing you home, you can be my kit. Maybe it was wrong to make you choose so young, a young cat with a weak mind, weaker for a cat of your gender, would have a hard time choosing such a big decision! I understand where you were coming from, it was a hard choice for me as well. I made a male cat deputy, he had no problems choosing, but then again toms are the stronger gender, I will care for you until you are ready for the choice." Crowstar mewed.

Wolf let out a long and low hiss, and managed to somehow aviod atttacking the warrior. "My name is Wolf, I went as Wolfclaw as a Clan cat but now I am a loner, or better yet I am a rogue now! I am the cat of the stronger gender, bot genders are the same in terms of being storng and smart! I work on being a smart cat and was born that way well, she-cats are smart, but even if she-cats were not smart I am, and never try to put me in a category, it is far from being thoese who are dumb who are unable to choose, those who are unable to make a choie are the ones who are smart! Now tell me, where is Blaze?" Wolf hissed.

"You mean Wolfpaw? That ginger tom you hang out with? We took him back to the Clan, and are holding him at that place, of course. Like we would do with any old rogue, and that is what he is, and average rogue that you see tons of. But you Wolf are different, you have been a rogue for a moon, any longer then that and you will be like Blaze, hopeless. But right now you have hope of being a Clan cat again, and I want you to come back, so what do you say?" Crowstar asked.

"Never, I will never come back to your Clan, at least never while you are leader, so you can back up, I am expecting Blaze's kits, and it suprirising me to say this condisering why experience, but it would be terrible for these kits to grow up without a father, so I will get Blaze, and more then that Blaze is myy friend ans husband, I will get him back. And about the father thung, I grew up without one too." Wolf hissed.

Even Corwstar looked taken back. "That was never how it was, you grew up with a father and a mother you were too naïve to see it, but you did, you are so ungrateful, and the fact that you are having kits make you were of a target, we need new warriors and these kits will do nicley, maybe there father was rogue and there mother nearly one but we can fix these kits." Crwostar mewed.

Wolf slashed the leader accross the face, how dare he? Wolf raced to camp, a group of rogues were waiting. "Get away from me, my friend is in there and I will fight all of you by myslef before I let him stay in this place of doom, do you undertsnad me?" Wolf hissed, chalageing the savage animals.

One walked over and bowed. "Wolf, wondeful to meet you. We have heard so much about you, we understand you and respect you, we are on your side. We are friends of Blaze, he talks about his mate all the time. I think you are expecting kits? We have come to free Blaze, and wish to do so." The cta mewed

Wolf nodded, and ran into the cmap. She slasheda few warriors. "Blaze come on run, the rest fo you too, we should go to twolegsplace now, the Clan cats are too cowardly to ever come near towlegsplace, come on!" Wolf mewed, once the cats were back she glared at Blaze. "You told these cats about me, but you never told me about these cats, explain in the seconds five minutes or we are done." Wolf mewed, panting.

The gigner tom looked unphased for a cat who had just battled many warriors, he was purriing and had a light in his eyes, one Wolf never saw until then. "Sorry Wolf, I should have told you about it, I wanted to build a group with these cats, and I wanted to surprise you with a rebellion, I guess the surprise was kind of runined since these people all came to help break me out. Thank you by the way, for saving my life." Blaze mewed.

Wolf rolled her eyes, this was what she disliked most of the young warrior, he wanted to do everything himself. It made no sense. "We were in this rebellion together, you can tell me anything, you should have told about these cats. Blaze this is truely horrible, and your welcome for savign you." Wolf mewed.

Blaze looked like he wanted to speak, but his mouth stayed shut. The black tom from earlier stepped in, he looke slighly awkward, which was understandable for a cat getting invloved with others personal lives. "Sir Blaze did what he thought was best, he wanted to help, I know him well and he is a fair and kind-heated cat, he talks about you fondly, but also with respect. He views no cat as tougher then you. Please forgive him my lady." The tom mewed.

Wolf was annoyed as she glared down at the black tom. "Thank you for sharing your opinion, I know Blaze fairly well too, and also agree he was trying to do what was best, but he should think before he acts on something like this, I was with you fully until the last part, while I my be able to forgive him, quit it with the my lady nonsense." Wolf mewed.

"Of course, thank you for listening to me." The tom mewed, "You can call me Snatch, I am in many worlds the thirdin-commend of the rebbelion, after you and then Blaze." The cat mewed.

"Wonderful." Wolf mewed, slighly anooyed.

*Moons Later*

"The kits are coming! Do we have a medicine cat?" Blaze asked.

"It will be fine." Wolf said, through yowls of pain. It was the most painful feeling in the world, something alive was trying to get out of her, five living animals, were pushing there way out. The first kit droopped out. "Lick it!" She mewed.

The next four were born, quickly. SHe rolled over to see her youngest two kits, one wasn't breathing, and was cold as ice. The other breathed in gasps, but in begain to fade away.  The middle kit was coughing, and the two oldest seemed strong.

"No." SHe mewed. "The two last kits...are dead....." Wolf mewed.She tocuched her nsoe on the kits, sadly. While Blaze glanced at the floor. The oldest and middle kit had seemed strong, but had died as well.

*Five moons later*

Sometime later, Wolf and Blaze were in the forest. "What's that noise?" Blaze asked. Wolf listened, she could here it, but just barely. A crying noise. She ran, she saw to rogues. She knew that they were named Berry and Sharp, Wolf had heard remurs of the rogues, but the rogues were evil. What are they doing with kits? One kit, it was gray and white and a she-kit, was hissing. Behind her was a smaller kit, a black tom with bright green eyes.

Berry had her paw on the black tom's neck, and Sharp on the gray and white she-kit's neck. The black tom looked horrified, he was crouched down and his ears were back. He was slightly shaking. The she-kit looked a bit tougher, she was hissing and growling at the rogues. It was pretty clear that she would put up a fight. Blaze and Wolf ran to them. Wolf attaked Sharp, holding him to the ground she hit him over and over, he scurried into the forest.

*Coward* Wolf thought. The she-kit looked unphased. Wolf glanced at her mate, he was still tumbleing with Berry. While the black tom hid behind a tree. Wolf ran and helped Blaze with Berry. the evil rogue mewed, and raced off. "Com out now, it's okay." Blaze mewed to the black tom kit.

"Is she gone?" the black cat asked, he had a small and quiet voice. He was curled up, and shaking.Blaze started trying to get him to come out again.

"Who are you?" Wolf asked the she-kit.

"My name is Slash!" The she-kit mewed. She pointed to the black tom in the bush. "That is my little brother, his name is Morning." Slash mewed. "Sharp and Berry are our parents, they abuse us a lot." Slash mewed.

"I can understand how hard that must be. But you are safe now, my name is Wolf, and that's my mate Blaze. He are loners, we have a group of us, he are fighting the Clans. Or just RockClan, rather. If you want to join us, you may." WOlf mewed.

Slash nodded earerly. Blaze emerged from the bush, holding Morning. The black kit shook still, and his eyes are sqeezed shut. Blaze placed him on the ground, he rolled into a ball. "Come on, come out. If you stay in a ball, we will never see those pretty bright green eyes of yours." Blaze said to the kit gently. The kit shook his head.

"I overheard yoir conversation, you really think we should adopt them?" Blaze asked, he seemed unsure of the idea. Wolf nodded. "Okay." Blaze mewed. He glanced at the kits. "I heard Wold talking to you, you are named Slash and Morning right?" Blaze asked.

Slash nodded. "Can we go before my parents come back?" Morning whispered in a muffled cry. He and his sister were a bit younger then Wolf and Blaze's litter would have been, so no loger in need of milk.Slash seemed happy to walk, but Morning was still trembling as Blaze carried him, his claws dug into Blaze's muzzle.

Snatch raced over. "Wolf, and you Blaze, the cats made the wrong choice and attacked RockClan, we are losing, badly. We nearly lost five rogues already." Snatch yowled, and an to the battle feild.

Crowstar padded out of the den, limp and old, he struck at Snatch, he seemed hurt. The loner forced himself to fight, Wolf knew this wouldn't work. "Snatch, go take care of Slash and Morning, my new adopted kits. Slash is gray and white she-kit who is helping the wounded cats, and Morning is the black tom who is in the corner shaking." Wolf mewed. Snatch limped off.

He cornered Wolf. Wolf hit his face. "So we meet again, Wolfclaw. I tried to help you, but you refused me. And now, we have to fight, maybe to the death but you shoud have stayed." He hissed, backing up and scared, Wolf was cornered.

Suddenly, Crowstar yelped in pain. "Watch me!" Called a little voice, Wolf glanced down to see Crowstar bleeding from his leg, and Morning. The little black kit was shaking, his green eyes were wide, Wolf had never seen anyone so scared. *He must have left the nursery, Slash must have been here and scarred Crowstar. An Morning must have come.* Wolf thought, but she saw Slash in the nursery, and Morning had blood on his paws. Morning ran in circles, distracting the tom, like a flash, his bright green eyes went in circles.

"Fine I give up, you win, just leave me be. And take that little tom kit away from me." Crowstar mewed. "Retreat!" he finechsed, and the cats followed him, or most the cats anyway. The rest bowed to Wolf.

"You are rightful leader." Songwillow, the medicine cat mewed. "And the rest of us, are happy to serve you." Songwillow mewed. Wolf bowed to respond. As the moons went on, everything change, the loners and rogues cleared out, happy to live  elsewhere from the Clans. Moring and Slash were called Slashkit for Slash, and Morning named himself Morningkit. After a whie, Morningkit changed his name to Flashkit, Wolf  now Wolfstar, and Blaze, now Wolftail, were happy too.

Flashkit became Flashpaw and then Flashmind, but after rumors of him being like his father, he ran away from the Clan.

And Whispheart and Falconcry had a litter of kits. "Your smart, even thought everyone says you stuped." Wolfstar heard Flashmind, who wandered around the Clan, ans who renamed himself Flash, say to Runningkit. Who was Whispheart and Falconcry's youngest kit.

"I know! I hate it." Runningkit mewed.

"That's what you say, but you don't really mean it. You are happy Runningkit, and be that." Flash mewed, and left.

A misty cat came over to Wolfstar, a StarClan cat. "You like him, don't you?" The cat asked.

"I do." Wolfstar agreed.

"That's good, his oldest surviving kit from his second litter with a different mate, will bring you half-life, forever." The cat said, and disappered.

Wolfstar knew one thing, that she would protect her Clan with all nine and half lives she had.

THE END