The Better Choice

Onestar One War Part 1

Jayfeather looked Briarlight and turned to Gemlight.

"She'll be OK." Jayfeather finally said.

"Thank StarClan." Gemlight sighed.

"Don't be so relieved" Briarlight rasped. "You'll be kicked out before leaf-fall."

"Rest, Millie's worried sick." Jayfeather replied. "You should leave, Gemlight."

"But what about-"

"I meant this den, not the Clan." Jayfeather growled. "Although you should leave this Clan too."

Gemlight winced as she realized that despite being a queen, she was still deputy, and she had to help prepare for this fight.

She walked out of the medicine cat's den and saw cats all over the place, half with Bramblestar and the other half with Brackenfur.

"Where's Dovewing?!" Bumblestripe cried to Brackenfur. "She must've been kidnapped by WindClan! Our kits are missing!"

I have an idea of where she took them

"Brackenfur, I'd like to send a patrol to-"

"Shut your mouth, this is your fault." Brackenfur growled over Gemlight.

"I can just report to Bramblestar you know!" Gemlight hissed. "Dovewing took her kits to ShadowClan!"

"Had to get the last word in didn't you?" Spiderleg snarled. "Go back in the Nursery, flea-brain!"

What?! No one was listening to her!

Bramblestar was talking to a group of warriors when Gemlight walked towards him.

"Bramblestar?" Gemlight meowed. "I think Dovewing took her kits to ShadowClan."

"She can take her kits to StarClan for all I care, we're so busy that I can't worry about that now." Bramblestar sighed. "Brackenfur's doing your duties till our kits become apprentices, OK?"

"What?" Gemlight gasped.

"I should've done this when you started expecting our kits, but a war is starting...just stay in the Nursery." Bramblestar laid down and put his head in his paws. "I should never have made you join this Clan. I'm so sorry...I can't be your mate anymore, I need to protect this Clan."

Gemlight just stood in place, staring down at him.

She didn't feel moved to say anything, so she said nothing and walked away.

"Gemlight, wait!"

Gemlight was just about to leave camp when she saw Stormcloud run to her side.

"Where are you going?" Stormcloud asked.

"Bramblestar dumped me, so I don't know." Gemlight sighed.

"Don't leave." Stormcloud frowned. "I heard Brackenfur and Spiderleg and all those other cats pick on you, they can jump in a lake. We'll fight WindClan and make it out alive, I promise."

"But-"

"Forget Bramblestar, I'll help you raise the kits along with the rest of the Clan." Stormcloud looked at her and rested his tail on her shoulders. "It'll be OK."

"Sure." Gemlight sighed. "It seems that he'll probably make Brackenfur deputy for good."

"It won't be the end if he does." Stormcloud replied. "I'm still your friend, and you'll have your kits."

"WINDCLAN!" A voice cried from camp.

"Oh no." Stormcloud whispered before turning to Gemlight. "Stay where you're at, or hide in a burrow. We'll fight them off."

Stormcloud licked Gemlight's forehead before running back to camp.

Bramblestar ran out of his den and saw Onestar growl as he lead his cats into camp and leaped into battle.

"Find her and kill her on sight!" Onestar snarled.

"Attack ThunderClan!" Brackenfur roared. All the warriors leaped into the WindClan warriors in a fury of blood and claws.

Bramblestar saw the two apprentices Barkpaw and Skypaw sneak ahead to the other side of camp.

They're going to look for Gemlight!

"Berrynose, Poppyfrost!" Bramblestar growled. "The apprentices!"

The two mates turned from fighting Gorsetail and both leaped at the apprentices and clawed at them.

Bramblestar got up, he knew he had to help fight for his Clan. He leaped out of his den and slammed into an unsuspecting Onestar and slammed a paw into his head.

"I'm going to rip all your lives from you!" Onestar growled, getting up and slamming his paws down on Bramblestar's shoulders.

Ivypool ran to her leader and clawed Onestar's side, Onestar swung around and smacked her aside.

He finally turned around and slammed his paws across Bramblestar's skull and everything went black.

"Get up."

Bramblestar got on all four of his paws and saw Firestar walk over to him.

"You messed up." Firestar muttered. "You better find her and make things right."

"But Gemlight must really be upset-"

"I'm talking about Squirrelflight!" Firestar hissed. "She is in Twolegplace beyond ShadowClan. Chase WindClan off and find her!"

"But-"

"Just do it!" Yellowfang hissed beside Firestar.

Bramblestar saw Hollyleaf give a reluctant nod and he was ready to take Onestar down.

Stormcloud saw Bramblestar get up and look rapidly around the fighting cats.

"Where's Onestar?" Bramblestar rasped.

"Trying to break into the Nursery." Stormcloud answered. "I've been waiting for you to get up."

"You OK? Did you get a bad injury?" Bramblestar asked.

"The only bad injury is Gemlight's heart from your words." Stormcloud muttered. "Leave me alone."

Stormcloud turned tail and leaped at Leaftail, whom was trying to enter the Nursery.

Bramblestar dashed and leaped with unsheathed claws onto Onestar's back.

"G-get off!" Onestar stammered as he could barely handle Bramblestar's weight.

"Not until your Clan leaves!" Bramblestar snarled.

"Warriors! Attack him!" Onestar gasped as he kept trying to stay on his paws.

Gemlight walked farther away from camp until she saw Tigerheart and Dovewing on the ShadowClan border with their kits.

"This'll be Eaglekit, and the gray tom will be Stripekit." Tigerheart purred. "Proper ShadowClan names!"

"Of course, not disgusting Petalkit and Ripplekit!" Dovewing showed her tongue in disgust. "Has Grasswing had her kits yet?"

"She had them two sunrises ago." Tigerheart purred. "But we don't need our kits to nurse on her because they'll have you! You...you're coming to ShadowClan with them right?"

"Yes." Dovewing meowed. "Let's go."

Gemlight gasped and rushed to call them when she collapsed in a sweat, horrified at the timing.

Her kits were coming.