Chapt 43

Lionblaze paced around the camp. It was a day after Gingerstep had left and he couldn't stand waiting here for a signal. Skyclan was growing used to Shadowclan's old camp, the nursery had been patched up and the elders were gossiping under the Tall Pine. Leafstar was checking in on all the cats in the dens, making sure everyone was comfortable. No one could leave the camp, except for at night to hunt. Echosong had found Flametail's herbs and was settling in nicely.
Lionblaze hissed quietly. How could any cat relax at a time like this? He wanted to be back helping the clans, fighting beside his clanmates.
"I know how it feels," Heathertail was suddenly  next to him,"I feel like I could just run back to the clans and fight them. But what good would that do? We would get killed. We have to wait for Gingerstep's signal." the two cats had grown closer over their journey, even with their troubled past.
"What if she didn't make it," Lionblaze gulped,"What if she was...killed?"
"Than Starclan would send us a sign." Heathertail mewed.
"Starclan has nothing to do with this. We hold our destiny in our own paws." Lionblaze spat. Heathertail didn't flinch.
"No, Starclan are always with us. If we don't believe they can help us, we will all die," her gaze ripped through his pelt,"They haven't deserted us before, and they won't now." Heathertail stood up and padded away.
"Don't forget that Lionblaze," She mewed so only he could hear. Lionblaze watched her go, still unsure that their warrior ancestors truly cared about he clans around the lake. Would they be there to fight with them when Gingerstep gave them her signal?
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Lionblaze tossed in his bedding. Sleep would not come to him tonight with his mind full of  memories of the first battle. He remembered seeing Graystripe being torn apart by a whole group of cats. He recognized one as Darkstripe. Lionblaze had tried to help him, but he was attacked by another Dark Forest warrior. By the time he got to Graystripe, he was dead.
the next memory flashed in his mind, the vision of Breezepelt racing across the battle field, and plowing down Crowfeather. Breezepelt had learned Tigerstar's battle moves, and had pinned down his father, ready to strike his throat with an unsheathed paw. Lionblaze had been close enough to attack Breezepelt this time, so he tackled the black tom.
"This is not your battle!" Breezepelt spat to his half brother. Lionblaze bit his ear, making Breezepelt screech in fury.
"That is your father, how could you betray your family, your clan, the Warrior Code?" Lionblaze hissed in his ear.
"I'm protecting it from half clan cats like you!" Breezepelt used his hind legs to flip Lionblaze off him, and jumped on his shoulders. Lionblaze reared back and sent the dark tom to the ground. Lionblaze pinned him down again.
"Good-bye Breezepelt," He murmured. For a moment fear flashed through Breezepelt's amber eyes. Lionblaze thrust his teeth into his half brother's throat until he could taste the salty liquid. That's when Dovepelt had called an alarm that Firestar was being attacked.
Lionblaze shook his head, he didn't want to relive that again. Another memory appeared, a happier one. After Firestar had appeared fighting as a Starclan warrior, Lionblaze had gone to check on Cinderheart who was with Jayfeather and the other medicine cats behind a boulder. He saw Cinderheart laying slumped over a tussock of grass, with Jayfeather and Kestrelflight over her.
"Jayfeather! I need to talk to you!" Lionblaze limped to his brother. Jayfeather didn't look up.
"She's going to be okay Lionblaze. Are you hurt?" Jayfeather mewed, wrapping cobwebs around Cinderpelt's wounds.
"No, I'm fine. It's just well, Firestar's dead." Jayfeather finally looked up.
"How?" he murmured.
"Tigerstar attacked him. They fought, than I fought with them, and Firestar killed Tigerstar. Firestar was bleeding so much, and he died. But h-he told me something." Lionblaze guided his brother away from the other medicine cats.
"What are you doing? It's dangerous to be out here!" Jayfeather hissed at his littermate.
"I needed to talk to you alone," Lionblaze had to yell over the sound of fighting cats,"We have to forgive Leafpool and Squirrelflight. Now. or everything will fall apart. Family is the only thing we have,"
"I don't know Lionblaze. So much has happened,"Jayfeather murmured,"I'll try." Lionblaze nodded, the two cats walked back to the medicine cats.
"Should we tell them now?" Lionblaze murmured into his brother's gray tabby ear.
"We can tell Leafpool for now, she's helping us," Jayfeather answered. Lionblaze could see his mother's white and brown tabby fur mingling among to wounded warriors and apprentices. Jayfeather approached her and said something Lionblaze couldn't catch. Leafpool's tail curled up in joy.
"Do you really mean it?" Leafpool's amber eyes blazed with happiness even though it was in the middle in the battle.
"Yes, we forgive you," Lionblaze mewed. Jayfeather added his apology. Leafpool rushed up to the both of them, covering Lionblaze in licks.
"I'll tell Squirrelflight as soon as I see her," Leafpool added quietly,"You do forgive her? Right?" Jayfeather and Lionblaze nodded simultaneously and Lionblaze explained he had to go fighting.
Lionblaze trotted away, giving one last look at his mother. She was watching him go, her eyes filled with love and concern.
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"Lionblaze," A brown paw poked at his ribs,"Wake up you lazy fur ball. Leafstar has called a clan meeting. Come on. Wake up." Lionblaze opened his eyes, Woody was standing over him.
"Hurry up!" Woody poked him harder this time.
"Alright, I'm getting up," Lionblaze threw his paws underneath him and hauled himself out into the camp. The dim sunlight of leafbare barely warmed his cold fur. Leafstar was standing on a low branch on the tall pine. She was talking as Lionblaze exited the warriors' den.
"...Signal will come any time now. I believe we should be ready for it. Sharpclaw, Sparrowpelt, Rockfur, and Lionblaze will help sort out our battle plan. Cherrytail, you organize battle practice sessions, I want to make sure that every clan member can defend his or herself," Lionblaze searched for the tortoiseshell fur of Cherrytail, but he could not see her past the hoard of cats in front of the camp.
"Sharpclaw will organize hunting patrols for tonight, no less than three cats though. If any dark forest cats are roaming around I don't want them caught without proper defenses." Leafstar dismissed the clan with a flick of her tail. Lionblaze padded across the camp, grabbing a piece of fresh kill, a frog, and quickly made his way to the leader's den. He pushed into a den made of thickly intertwined branches and low lying bramble thickets. The den was big enough for all the cats that had been summoned. As in all the dens, there was no moss, it was too difficult to gather while going out to hunt at night- not to mention dangerous.
Leafstar entered the den behind them, clearing the way as she padded through and stood in front of Lionblaze.
"This is going to be a very important battle. I think we can pull it off, if we have the correct strategy. Does anyone have any ideas?" Leafstar mewed. Lionblaze began to munch on his frog as he thought. The only thing that came to his mind was, How could Shadowclan eat these vile things? They have the taste of mud and slide down my throat!
"I think we should have different patrols of cats go in at a time. You could have wave one of the attack, and when you give the signal, wave two would come in," Sparrowpelt suggested. Leafstar nodded thoughtfully.
"When would we attack? Right when Gingerstep sends her signal, or would we wait?" Rockfur questioned.
"A night attack would be harder, but we would have the advantage of the night," Sharpclaw added.
"But the Dark Forest cats live in a Dark Forest, I think they would see a little better than us. They wouldn't suspect an attack during the day," Sparrowpelt argued.
"But how could we travel through the whole of Thunderclan territory without being spotted in daylight?" Sharpclaw hissed.
"I haven't worked that out yet," Sparrowpelt admitted.
"Lionblaze," Leafstar looked down at the golden tabby,"You haven't said anything yet. What do you think we should do?"
Lionblaze chewed his frog thoughtfully for a moment before answering.
"I think we should do it like this..."