The Dream SMP War as Warrior Cats

Chapter 13

The half moon came around in a way that seemed far to slow for Sootstar's liking. Rattooth had relayed the message Dreamstar had given him upon entering their destroyed camp.

There hadn't been a trace of the other clans anywhere near their borders since then. It was unsettling, knowing that you had enemies around your home but with no idea to where they actually were. Or what they were doing. 

They'd spent the days up until now rebuilding and fortifying the camp, lacing the walls of every den with brambles and stashing their supplies in a more hidden area of the rocks.

They would not turn tail and run. StrongClan would stand up to this threat and win. They would keep their territory and wait for the others to realize their mistakes. One day his vision would come true, he was sure of it.

"It's time," he said as his warriors gathered around him. 

He could see mixed emotions. Pride, anger, fear and determination. These were good warriors, he knew he could trust them with his life. Today they would face their enemies together, and stand united through it all. 

"No matter what happens during this war," he told them. "No matter who wins and who loses just remember, we are on the right side. We're leaving now."

In a line they marched to the border closest to RainClan camp and were met by the four enemy toms. 

"Greetings Sootbreeze," Dreamstar said, his voice calm despite the furious scowls of his clanmates. "I assume you are here to leave?"

"We did not come here to have you watch us run away with our tails between our legs," Sootstar answered. "We are here to negotiate, it does not have to be this way."

Dreamstar bared his teeth. 

"I'm afraid it does." 

And sprang at the brown tom, who met him with his own claws. They slashed at each others throats, blows barely missing their marks.

RainClan surged forward in a wave of claws and teeth, ready to tear apart his cats. 

"We need to go! Run!" shrieked Shallowpool. "Into the trees!"

"Yes into the trees! Follow me all of you!" his deputy ordered, preparing to spring away. 

"No!" he snarled at them, managing to push Dreamstar away for a heartbeat and call to his warriors. "Get back over here right now and fight. We have only just begun. I want you to rip the fur from these-"   

He didn't get to finish his sentence before the sandy tom slammed into him. They rolled across the grass, claws slashing blindly at each other while StrongClan met the RainClan warriors with yowls of courage. 

Sootstar could barley see his warriors, but he knew that they were each fighting with the strength and courage of ten warriors. And so was he. 

He felt his claws catch on skin and rip it open, spraying blood. Dreamstar let out a choked cry. 

"Retreat!"

He leapt away from Sootstar, and he glimpsed an enormouse gash on the sandy tom's throat, glistening with red. A fatal, possibly deadly wound.

The RainClan warriors gathered around their leader as he turned and fled, protecting him from any more harm. 

"They're retreating!" declared Tussockflame. "Towards the ridges! The cowards are going to try and hide there! We need to go after them!"

"I agree! After them!" he ordered, and they gave chase.

The ridges were some of the worst hills in the shared territory, consisting of nothing but dry plant-less dirt and shelves of rock stacked on top of each other. There was almost never prey around them or any sort of plant that was useful to the clans. But it was a perfect place to hide form your enemies, and this was RainClan's plan. 

"There at the base now!" he observed as they drew near. "Follow them up there! We can't let them escape!"

Showers of loose pebbles and chips of rock rained down on them as they scrambled after the fleeing toms, swiping at their tails. 

"Yes! Run you rabbits!" Tussockflame shouted as the four of them gathered on one larger shelf and looked down at the StrongClan warriors. "Who's being driven off now! You-"

His words cut off with a yowl of terror as a rock bounced down the slope towards him. He shuffled to the side as another followed. 

"Aahh! They're trying to hit us!" yelled Shallowpool.

"Press yourselves into the gaps!" Sootstar commanded, pressing against the rock beneath a lower shelf. "They can't hit you if you're beneath them!"

Quickly his toms flattened themselves beneath the rock shelves as more stones and chunks of crumbling rock rained down on them as RainClan tried to crush them. 

Suddenly something that wasn't a rock flew down the slope and landed clumsily at the bottom. It was Dreamstar, followed by TruthSeeker, then Saptail and Badpaw. 

"That's it!" Dreamstar called to his clanmates. "Jump and run! Let's go!"

With yowls of triumph, Sootstar and his warrior watched RainClan flee back to their camp. They had won the first battle. Soon they would win the war.