Chapter Text
The bright moon hung high in the sky, casting its light equally upon all things below. Moonlight painted the shadows of the forest across the ground, and the deep river reflected its glow.
A dark shape swam across the water and emerged silently onto a pile of rocks, the moonlight illuminating his form. It was a large dark reddish-brown tom, who stood at the very top of the rocks, his green eyes filled with satisfied delight. His figure loomed large against the stones, and behind him, countless shadows climbed up the rocks in his wake. A silver-black tom raised his head high and let out a long, howling cry. The cats' eyes fixed on the direction of the forest, their claws glinting coldly in the moonlight, as if awaiting someone's arrival.
A small tortoiseshell tom darted out from the forest. His tail was as fiery red as a fox's, and that strange tail lashed wildly behind him. The tortoiseshell tom opened his mouth to scent the air, catching the heavy smell of fish, and wrinkled his nose in disgust. Behind the tortoiseshell tom, countless cats poured out of the woods, their eyes blazing with fury.
"Oakheart, this is no place for RiverClan! Get out of ThunderClan territory!" The tortoiseshell tom arched his back and snarled at the reddish-brown tom. Though he looked much smaller than Oakheart, his presence was every bit as commanding. As soon as the tortoiseshell tom finished speaking, the cats behind him bristled, unsheathed their claws, and glared fiercely at the RiverClan cats.
Oakheart snorted dismissively. He looked down at the tortoiseshell tom and let out a triumphant roar: "This is an old mistake! Redtail! Sunningrocks has always belonged to RiverClan. You've held it briefly, but now I will correct that error!"
"Dream on, you fox-hearted coward!" Redtail's voice was sharp to the point of distortion. "Sunningrocks is ThunderClan territory. It always has been, and it always will be!"
Oakheart narrowed his eyes. Without wasting another word, he flicked his tail and shouted, "Warriors! Attack!"
In an instant, RiverClan cats lunged at ThunderClan cats with claws bared. Claws flashed, fur flew, screams pierced the sky, and every cat sought to sink teeth and claws into their opponents. Redtail pinned Oakheart to the ground with savage force, his hot breath blasting across Oakheart's muzzle. "Hear this, RiverClan cat," Redtail rasped, "Sunningrocks will always belong to ThunderClan."
The moon gazed silently down from the sky, and the splattered blood seemed to stain even its pale face a gory red.
Besides the moon, there was another observer. A ginger tom watched the ThunderClan cats defending their territory with pity. He passed between cats locked in combat, yet the warriors paid him no attention at all, as if he were a ghost drifting through the world. The ginger tom reached Redtail's side. Oakheart was staring maliciously at the tortoiseshell warrior, a faint, almost imperceptible smile curling at the corner of his mouth. At that moment, a shrill cry tore through the sky: "RiverClan... more RiverClan reinforcements are coming!"
Redtail's eyes widened in terror. More shadows burst from the river. RiverClan warriors' fur was still dripping wet, and they charged into battle without even bothering to shake themselves dry.
The battle was lost. The ginger tom saw the outcome clearly. If they kept fighting, ThunderClan would only lose more warriors. Redtail pulled back from Oakheart and ordered with all his strength, his voice filled with anguish: "ThunderClan! Retreat!"
The ginger tom's heart ached for him and for ThunderClan. He saw the struggle in Redtail's eyes, and the fresh and old scars on the ThunderClan cats were shocking to behold. A black tabby she-cat let out a furious yowl at the gloating RiverClan cats, blood still seeping from the scratches on her lip. A large golden-brown tom was supporting a small dusky brown she-cat, a wound in her flank from which life poured steadily away. They were great warriors, without a doubt, the ginger tom sighed, yet now they had to endure such humiliation.
The RiverClan cats jeered and mocked the retreating backs of the defeated. Redtail flattened his ears, fury burning in his chest at the insult. But he could not lead ThunderClan into battle again. He knew his leader would never want to lose any more warriors. The ginger tom followed the group back to ThunderClan camp. The wounded cats comforted one another with shared tongue-strokes. He saw the golden-brown tom help the wounded dusky brown she-cat stumble into the medicine den, and he saw Redtail lower his head guiltily before a tall gray-blue she-cat.
The ginger tom knew who she was. Bluestar, he recalled her name. "The loss of this battle is no single cat's fault, Redtail," Bluestar comforted him, though her gaze anxiously flicked toward Sunningrocks. The ginger tom couldn't help but agree with her. He gave a slight bow of his head to Bluestar, knowing she was a great leader, and that she would lead ThunderClan to victory again.
Nor did he forget his purpose. The ginger tom walked slowly into the medicine den. A long-furred white tom was examining the dusky brown she-cat. The old medicine cat had gray-white markings around his muzzle, the marks of countless seasons served in devotion to his Clan. Even now, he continued to give his life for them.
"Fire will save the Clan."
The ginger tom whispered softly to the white tom, leaving the second half of the sentence unspoken—that a loyal warrior should never suffer such unjust suspicion. The white tom flicked his ear. The ginger tom knew the white tom could not see him, yet the old medicine cat's gaze fell squarely upon him. He had heard the message; his mission was complete.
For the last time, the tom looked at his Clanmates. This peaceful Clan would face many trials ahead. He lowered his head, grieving for the companions he would one day see suffer. But ThunderClan would not fall. He always believed that—believed in the loyalty, courage, and wisdom of ThunderClan cats, those proud traits rooted in their blood since ancient times.
"StarClan is with ThunderClan."
His paws once again touched familiar territory. He had not been gone long, yet the beauty before him made him linger with longing. The ginger tom thought of what he had foreseen and shuddered involuntarily. But what they had seen would never come true—of that, the ginger tom was certain.
Heavy footsteps sounded behind him. He turned, knowing he would come. The reddish-brown tom appeared before him, but his eyes no longer held any trace of the respect they once had; instead, they burned with anger and grief. The reddish-brown tom lunged furiously at the ginger tom, but struck empty air. The ginger tom pinned his impulsive Clanmate down, stopping him from going further.
"Why did it have to be this way!" The reddish-brown tom burst out. "It's not fair! It's not fair at all! You can't do this to them!"
"It is their destiny," the ginger tom's explanation came out weak and hollow.
The reddish-brown tom let out a cold laugh. "What kind of destiny is that? Why does it always have to be them who pay the price!"
The ginger tom stepped back and looked away, unable to meet the reddish-brown tom's furious eyes. His paws trembled. Didn't he understand the other's pain? But this was the destiny of these young cats—none of them could change it.
The warrior curled up, all his strength to attack the ginger tom gone. He draped his tail over his muzzle and let out a long, mournful wail, its raw emotion shaking the ginger tom to his core. But he had to do it. This was about ThunderClan's survival, even if some cats had to be sacrificed. He couldn't help but resent those cats—especially the one who had once stood proudly beside him, looking down upon their Clan. How could they do such a thing? How could they allow this to happen?
But he could change nothing. All he could do was help ThunderClan survive this crisis.
A gray tom approached the ginger tom, watching him in silence. This cat, whom he had once regarded as a father, laid his tail across the ginger tom's shoulder and spoke softly: "Thunderstar, you must trust your Clanmates. One day, he will understand."
The gray tom's voice carried an ancient echo: "ThunderClan will endure forever."