Warriors: Nightpaw's Identity(Book 3 of the WBI Trilogy)

Chapter Nine: Bleak Reality

Nightpaw POV

It was eerily quiet as we entered our camp. The group fanned out, searching the premises for any sign of the invaders. All that was left were the two bodies of our sentinels lying in the center of the area. Seedflower and Lilyshade. The blood-soaked grass reflected the silver glow of the moon, illuminating the latest victims of these conflicts. I wondered if we would even have a vigil held for them.

"I should have never left them. To die alone, hopelessly outnumbered and outmatched. Two whole Clans against three cats. Why would they do such a thing?" Ambershade wailed.

It was obvious; they knew that the night of the Gathering would be the perfect opportunity. They knew it would give them the element of surprise, that just for one incident they could have the upper hand. The temporary truce was never going to last, and sitting around waiting for Bumblestar's next move would be a death sentence. The only way was to go on the offensive, to opt against passivity and leap into action.

Realization dawned on me, its cold claws sinking into my heart. It was exactly as I feared; in playing the part of Bumblestar's puppet, I was becoming like him. My heart had hardened to the bleak reality that was spelled out before us. What kind of warrior's first reaction to the death of his Clanmates was to logically ponder their killers' reasoning? I had witnessed so much death in such a short time that it barely meant anything to me anymore. Where did this end? What was the point of such suffering?

Bumblestar seemed as unfazed as I was, gazing at the bodies with distinctive indifference. "ShadowClan and RiverClan made the first move it seems. Good for them. Perhaps they aren't so stupid after all!"

Ashstar shouldered her way through the crowd, eyes sweeping the hollow as though she was committing every detail of the scene to memory. She approached the slain warriors and bowed her head in respect. Her actions said everything without her uttering a word. ThunderClan and WindClan warriors alike followed her example, dipping their heads to honor the fallen. As they formed a circle around the corpses, I was struck by the magnitude of the display. It was a show of reverence and unity. Perhaps not all was lost. Perhaps good could still regain a foothold in the world. 

I stepped into the circle, closing my eyes. Meditating on the warrior code and the ways of StarClan, I felt the flame of determination rekindled in my heart. My Clan, all of the Clans, needed me to be strong and remain undeterred.

As I reopened my eyes and glanced behind me, I saw Bumblestar, eyes narrowed, hanging back from the crowd. The scene of compassion appeared to have only stoked his temper. 

From the edge of my vision, I saw Jayfeather emerge from his den. He must have slipped away while the crowd was focused on the impromptu memorial. The medicine cat seemed distraught, fur bristling on his spine.

"Our herbs: they're all gone! They've been stolen!" Jayfeather shouted.

Bumblestar POV

I could barely restrain myself from snarling or intervening as members of both Clans paid their respects to Seedflower and Lilyshade. This behavior reeked of weakness; the embarrassment at leading such a soft bunch of "warriors" was unbearable. Why would Ashstar take such pathetic actions? It was a poor example for any leader that wanted to project power to their suboordinates.

And why had Nightpaw joined this sniveling display? My protégé had no business dealing with sympathy and love. This was a war, not a game for kits. It was not for the faint of heart, and it was not a time for everyone to be caught up with emotion. I wanted to drag him away, lifting him by the scruff and snapping him out of this foolish trance. But that risked the backlash of Ashstar and my own Clan, so I sunk my claws into the dirt and watched. It took all of my willpower to do nothing. My teeth were gritted with such force that I thought they might break each other in half.

Fortunately, Jayfeather helped my cause for the first time ever. After he declared that the herbs had been taken in the raid, he had returned to the crowd to a mood of outrage. Indignant yowls sounded throughout the camp, and all eyes turned to me. Posing the question that should have been on everyone's minds the entire time: what do we do now?

I strutted up to stand alongside Ashstar, surveying my audience. "We must retaliate immediately! We must take down ShadowClan and RiverClan with no rules to hold us back, and we must show no mercy. ShadowClan will be eliminated first, as they are the weakest. After tonight, we will rule the lake! Our Clans will possess power that has been unknown to any that have come before us!"

The warriors cheered, and without another word, I began to lead the way to ShadowClan's camp. The forest passed by in a blur, the concept of time vanishing in my haze of rage. My claws unsheathed as we crossed the ShadowClan border, ready to strike down the first enemy I saw.

A gray shape appeared next to me. I could practically taste the salty blood in my mouth, and I was salivating at the thought. The hunger for death overwhelmed me and I curled my teeth, feeling all control leave my being. I turned without telling myself to, every muscle in my body trembling in the anticipation of the kill. 

My gaze fixed on the target, and I registered that it was Ashstar. She had caught up to me, likely wishing to lead the attacking party together. Mustering every ounce of restraint I had left, I reined in my impulses. My breath was coming in ragged gulps, and judging by the confusion that registered on the WindClan leader's face as she detected my stare, the wild intensity I felt shone in my eyes.

The patrol arrived at the ShadowClan camp, and I charged through the entrance without hesitation. There was no need for a calculated plan; the plan now was to kill everything that moved. It was unmistakable that this was a deciding moment in warrior history. The gravity of this event hung in the air, impressing itself on my mind. Only one side would emerge victorious. There would be no retreats and no surrenders; this was the final battle, and it would be fought fiercely to the death. If we could triumph here, this day would be told in legends for seasons to come.

As my warriors swarmed into the camp, we were met with no resistance. There were no ShadowClan or RiverClan cats in sight. I raced to each of the dens, searching for a single face. Once the residence of an entire Clan, this hollow was now an abandoned clearing. It was desolate and lifeless, showing no signs of the bustling community it had once given shelter to.

What was the meaning of this? They hadn't lingered in ThunderClan territory after their raid. Why had they not returned to their camp?

And then it hit me. How could I not have seen it? I had been blinded by anger, and it had cost us precious time. We could have avoided wasting our energy and chasing ghosts if someone had thought to pause to check the scent trails.

After they struck the ThunderClan camp, Mistystar and Rowanstar must have set their eyes on the WindClan camp next.