RiverClan Strikes The Heart

Brightkit sat in the hazel bush. Her chest fur touching the cold ground as she watched the patrol leave camp. She knew her mother would come to look for her soon, so she rushed out of the bush. Following warily behind the patrol.

Duskclaw's dark grey fur was lined with long pink scars. He had a deep look in his eyes- like he wanted to kill someone. Like he had lost his heart to fighting. He was the best fighter, well, besides Icetallon. Icetallon was the strongest warrior of ThunderClan. He was almost as strong as Tornstar. Though Icetallon took pride in everything he did. Like his kits: Quailpaw and Puddleleg. They were both known toms in the Clan.

"Greytail, I want you to climb a tree. Make sure there isn't another RiverClan patrol that could ambush us while we help our Clanmates." Duskclaw meowed as he abruptly stopped in his tracks.

Greytail nodded swiftly, gracefully clumping up the nearest tree, his grey tail-tip was the last thing visible to Brightkit before he had completely vanished from sight.

The small kit gasped quiet- her hiding spot not noticeable to the patrol as she noticed shadows behind a large bramble bush. A RiverClan patrol! Come to cut them off! What do I do! I can't tell them, Mothfluff will kill me! Feeling uneasy, Brightkit pressed herself closer to the ground. Her breath becoming slow and rasped as she became heavy with the burden of the unspeakable.

"Do you smell that?" Mossheart asked, cutting Brightkit's thoughts off. His nose was in the air as he looked over to the bramble. Brightkit let out a heavy sigh. He had noticed before she said anything. Duskclaw nodded, signaling with his tail for a silent approach.

As they all slowly stalked the bush, Brightkit flattened her ears to her head. Thick with layers of worry. Greytail was watching from a branch. Ready to spring at any moment, making Brightkit nervous. What if they got hurt, or worse, we're overrun and killed! No, killing is against the warrior code.

Suddenly, a large black tom stepped into the light seeping in from the trees above.

"Blackfang." Mistycloud growled, her fur standing on-end as she unsheathed her claws. The tom let out a cackle, showing his thick mussels- causing Brightkit to flinch.

"Hello ThunderClan kittypets." he smirked, "How's the two-leg food? Taste like mouse-dung? It's fitting for a mouse-brained group like you."

Mistycloud and Ratfoot took a step forward, ready to claw the tom's fur off, but Mossheart flicked his tail, stopping the cats.

"Conflict isn't needed Blackfang." Mossheart almost hissed, his claws ready to grab any fur threatening his- or his Clanmates'- safety.

The large black tom let out a snort, flexing his mussels as he tried to intimate the ThunderClan cats. Duskclaw let out a laugh, his teeth clenched together as he focused on not leaping onto the warrior that instant. Brightkit frowned, pressing herself lower, and lower to the ground every heartbeat. What if they noticed her! She couldn't risk that.

"Why can't we just get along? Why do we need to shed blood for a senseless fight?" Mistycloud asked, though her claws were still unsheathed, and her ears were flattened to her head. She was only being calm for Mossheart's sake. He had always been been a peaceful cat to Brightkit's perspective.

"There isn't enough prey in RiverClan. We already have two dead kits because the streams and rivers are dry. We need ThunderClan territory, and Mottledstar seems determined to achieve her goals. And I, as a loyal warrior, listen to her every command." The tom growled as three other RiverClan warriors stepped out of the bushes to stand beside Blackfang.

All of the ThunderClan warriors tensed up at the other opponents appearing so suddenly. Greytail shifted on the branch he was perched on, though he didn't move. Brightkit wondered why he wasn't leaping down to help his Clanmates. Surely the RiverClan cats already knew of his presence. . .

"Duskclaw." A silver tabby she-cat meowed tauntingly, her mouth forming a sneer. The grey tom hissed, as he took took a cursory look at the she-cat, baring his teeth as he snarled.

"Shallowstrike." he growled, as if he regretted her appearance, "What are you doing here!"

The she-cat flicked her tail as the other two cats stepped into the light enough to where Brightkit could get a clear look at them. There was a large white tom with multiple nasty scars that made Brightkit wince. The second was a slightly smaller tom. A light brown and dark brown mixed tabby. He looked nervous, and small compared to the other three boastful looking RiverClan cats. Why does he look so hesitant? Don't all RiverClan cats hate us?

"Let's not waste time with idle chit-chat. Either you leave while we steal your territory, or you fight us." The white tom growled as he and the she-cat, Shallowstrike, unsheathed their claws. The brown tabby did he same, but more hesitantly.

The white tom was the first to strike, his claws tearing at Sparrowfoot's ear. Letting out a yowl of pain, the tom slashed back, Mistycloud leaping on the white RiverClan warrior.

Duskclaw and Blackfang traded claw slashes. Duskclaw let out a loud yowl of pain as the other tom ripped his neck with his teeth. Brightkit shifted nervously. What was she to do! She couldn't just sit there and let them claw each other to death! She would just have to have faith in them. Yes, that's what she needed to do- have faith in them. For there was nothing in her power that she could do.

As Brightkit watched the fight, she saw Mossheart pin the silver she-cat to the ground. He was covered in new scratches on his flank and part of his ear was now missing.

"Mouse-brained kittypet!" Shallowstrike spat as she ran from the fight, knowing she was no match for the fierce Mossheart.

Duskclaw was being pinned down by Blackfang, but he was thrashing around so much it was hard to tell what was even happening.

Mistycloud and Sparrowfoot were still tooth-and-claw. The two RiverClan cats were still slashing at them with all their strength, though the small brown tom looked uncomfortable. Brightkit was still unsure why the tom seemed so unwilling to hurt the ThunderClan warriors.

A sudden yowl of pain caught all of the fighting cats off guard. Turning her head to see what all the noise was about, Brightkit's eyes widened with surprise.

He was dead! Greytail killed Duskclaw!