Shorestar yowled as claws hit her back. The attacking cat was enormous compared to her, and the calico was unprepared for the blow.

"Knights, charge!" The huge cat yowled. "There must be a guard hiding, search the ditches!"

As the smallest tom ran unknowingly towards Pearpaw, Mangopaw kicked up a huge cloud of sand. Unfortunately, it also struck Pearpaw. Eyes filled with sand, she ran towards camp. She had to get a patrol before Shorestar lost a life.

Pearpaw didn't know how many lives her leader had left. No one knew besides Mistgaze and Spiralwind.

She ran with her head lowered, water streaming down her face. It sort of helped, as the water washed most of the sand out of her eyes. "Pearpaw!"

It was Plumpaw, Pearpaw's brother. "Pearpaw, what happened?" he asked worriedly. "Ivypaw said Shorestar was escorting a strange cat to the border, and to bring a patrol."

"Shorestar was attacked," Pearpaw gasped. "The tribe ambushed us. It was all a trap. Bring the patrol, quickly!"

Suddenly, the clouds became more patchy and light shone through the gray moss. Plumpaw replied, "They're coming, soon. Don't worry, let's get you back to camp."

"No!" Pearpaw snapped. She was too panicked and breathless to know exactly what she was saying. "I have to go back and fight!"

The tabby sighed. "Go quickly. I'll meet the patrol...I hope we brought enough cats." He streaked towards the camp, water flying off his fur.

Pearpaw ran in the opposite direction, towards the border. I hope it isn't too late...

I hope Mangopaw isn't dead.

Pearpaw arrived on the battlefield. Her gaze fell on Shorestar first, lying on the ground. Her breathing was ragged and she didn't move. Pearpaw hoped that a paw would come crashing down to save her from her misery. But what if she's on her last life?

She shook her head. No. She's younger than Duskblossom. Shorestar might be on her seventh or eight life, but she can't be on her last.

Right?

Mangopaw wasn't anywhere to be seen. She's hiding, Pearpaw thought, as the huge cats bounded around the field. She heard yowls from the horizon.

Whirling around, she saw the patrol dive in and begin fighting the tribe cats.

Shorestar stopped breathing.

Pearpaw saw the faint rise and fall fade from the calico, and a yellow-and-blue wisp floated up to the sky.

Shorestar suddenly jerked awake. Mountain Snowcap looked over at the exact moment, and his eyes lit up.

The clan leader flopped back onto the sand, acting as though she was dead. Mountain Snowcap, not fooled, took Shorestar by the scruff and dragged her into a ditch. Shorestar flailed her paws, abandoning the act.

Pearpaw sprinted towards them, Ivypaw joining her. "You cannot kill Shorestar," she spat. "TideClan would be thrown into chaos!" She leapt at the white and gray tabby, who dropped Shorestar and backed away. She struggled to her paws.

"Listen to me," he said, a hint of a plea in his voice. "You need to move your cats out of your territory, at least for a while."

Ivypaw puffed up, hissing. "Why should we?" she growled. "You attack our clan unprovoked. You fight and kill Shorestar. We are not leaving until we win this war."

"Ivypaw, it is too late. We have already lost. Frankly, I am too old for another war, and so is Mistgaze. Palmdance may be dead. Duskblossom is bleeding to death. No cat will be able to lead the clan through this," Shorestar warned, her voice firm. She turned to Mountain Snowcap. "Why did you attack? We could have been allies."

The tribe leader sighed. "Lord Eagle Soars oversees the Knights. I have no control over what they do if Eagle Soars has given them contradictory instructions."

Pearpaw tilted her head, unsheathing her claws. "What's the point of a king, then?" she inquired. Mountain Snowcap turned to Pearpaw. "I am still the leader of the Changing Skies tribe. I choose if there is a full-out war. I choose when we rotate territories or if we move at all. It was a duty my father created in his time. King Lion Roar was a formidable cat. But he caught an illness."

"He wanted to make sure he was the one with near total control. He wanted to control when our tribe moved to the other territories. He could make cats suffer...if he wanted to."

"Even with this new power, he wanted to control more. When my kits were born, he brainwashed them with stories of illness. He wanted them to think only royalty deserved to live. He wanted them to think he was gifted the ability to change anything, even though he gave himself that power." He sighed heavily.

"None of my kits believed it, except for Eagle Soars. He was sure that King Lion Roar was right. After all, the king could not be wrong. So it came time to change territories, he decided to leave them behind. Lion Roar postponed the journey, until the Citizen's den flooded. Lord Eagle Soars changed from a loyal son to a murderer."

"That's why your Lord wants to kill us, because he thinks only your royalty can live?" Pearpaw whispered.

"Yes. He would do anything to kill other cats that he believes are unworthy of life."

Pearpaw stopped, unsure what to do with this information. The king turned and padded away. Pearpaw gasped, her gaze falling on the battlefield, filled with fallen cats.

Lord Eagle Soar stood above it all, triumphantly staring at the horrid scene before him.

Duskblossom's body was in his jaws.

This is only the beginning.

⊹˚︵‿₊˚ʚ🍃ɞ˚₊‿︵˚⊹

many obstacles are approaching Pearpaw.

~what do you think's going to happen next?

~are there any details you've picked up?

~do you think Mountain Snowcap is telling the truth?

thanks to WishcIouds & my other friends [who don't have wattpad, haha] for helping me edit this! c: 

published: 06.19.21

edited: 08.02.21

word count: 993