Crash and Burn

Filthy, worthless RiverClan warriors. We defend them from ShadowClan at the last Gathering, and they repay us by trying to steal every scrap of prey from our part of the forest. Sorry Bluestar, but I think we should just let them starve.

"Redtail! Redtail!"

I spun around at the sound of my voice, to see the young apprentice, Ravenpaw, sprinting towards me. His eyes are wide with fear and his fur is bristled. I look around for the remainder of of his patrol. Where is Tigerclaw, his mentor? Oh wait.. he's over eating with Lionheart.. Why did he send Ravenpaw out alone?

"Redtail! RiverClan is hunting at the Sunningrocks!"

Anger surges through me. For too long were we handing over prey to RiverClan. Now they were going to pay.

I sprang up, looking for cats to join the raid party. "Go get Tigerclaw, Runningwind, and... Willowpelt. Tell them to prepare for battle!" The apprentice nodded and darted over to Tigerclaw. I sprang forward to find Bluestar in her den.

I found Bluestar chatting with my sister Spottedleaf.

"Bluestar! RiverClan are at the Sunningrocks again!" I snarled angerly.

Spottedleaf's nose twitched. "If I had a mouse for everytime a ThunderClan cats said that!"

"You'd be the fattest cat in the Clans." Bluestar said offhandedly. "Redtail, what are you planning?"

Bluestar has come to trust so much as a deputy that she will ask me my opinion first. Training, she says, for when I become a leader. I am deeply honored for the support Bluestar places in me. I told the pair my plans.

"You'd better get going." Bluestar said, he voice thick with worry. "Its a pity. I just sent Lionheart and Whitestorm out on a little mission for me. "

"I'll be fine." I assured her. My dear sister looked terrified. "Goodbye." I turned to leave, but stopped when I felt a tail slick over my legs.

It was Spottedleaf.

"be careful." she whispered quietly.

And For a moment the entire world disappeared. Bluestar and the cave were gone. It was just me and my sister, and I felt the love that we shared forcing down upon me like warrior's claws. The sensation soon passed.

I gave my sister a brief nodd, dipped my head to Bluestar, and ran from the den.

It was the last time I saw either of them.

""

The RiverClan patrol was evenly matched agaisnt us. Oakheart.. the RiverClan deputy.. I would see to him. Stonefur, the fierce warrior. Tigerclaw could handle him. Mistyfoot was a good match for Willowpelt. The young warrior Blackclaw could be taken by Runningwind. Mistyfoot and Stonefur had brought their apprentices. I shuddered. They were obviously going to double target Ravenpaw. I looked into the black cat's determined face and knew that he would fight his hardest.

"Oakheart! This is the last time you will hunt on ThunderClan grounds!" I spat, signaling for my Clanmates to leave the safety of our hideout.

The deputy turning, and smiled, taking in every member of our patrol and sizing them up. I knew he was coming to the same conclusion as I was; We were evenly matched.

Just as I suspected, cats lined up agaisnt opponents, like some weird sort of game. Oakheart and I stood staring at eachother with hatred. The two RiverClan apprentices looked at Ravenpaw like a piece of fresh-kill. Everyone was silent, ready to see who was going to be the first to start the battle.

I gave Oakheart a half smile and then leapt at the tom, yowling for my Clanmates to attack as well. I was half aware of Ravenpaw rolling to avoid an attack of one, while raking his claws at the other's paws.

I lunged at Oakheart with all my might, willing myself not to be pushed over. Oakheart was a bigger cat than me, but I would use all the skill the Bluestar had ever taught me. As he tried to knock me over, I rolled to the side and sank my teeth into his shoulder.

The heavier tom let out a moan and tossed me off of him. I stumbled and rolled to the ground. My fears confirmed, Oakheart leapt at me, the smaller cat, and I braced myself for the coming blow. It came and I felt my shoulder and chest lurch in pain. I shifted my weight and the two of us went crashing into the rocks.

A rumbling from above struck my attention and I gasped in horror. The rocks were collapsing on top of us. I tried to shove Oakheart aside; It would be useless for us both to die. But my efforts were in vain. Rocks came inches from our heads and I knew that we were done for, and that neither of us would ever survive this.

Then Oakheart did a surprising thing. He leapt on top of me and tried to shelter me from the rocks. I was moved and awed by his gesture. Ten seconds ago he was trying to rip my leg off, and now he was trying to save my life.

Then the rumbling stopped. There was a heavy silence.

"I... don't regret it..." Oakheart managed to choke out.

"Why?" I managed to reply through shock.

"I'm... too.. old to die.. young..." Oakheart rasped. "And you..." the tom broke off, unable to finish.

"I owe my life to you, Oakheart. You are a noble warrior." I said quickly. Okaheart's eyes gleamed for a minute and then went still.

He was dead.

I hurled the rocks out from atop myself and sprang back onto the battle field. Most of the fighting had subsided. Ravenpaw was gone- he must have fled. The fourRiverClan apprentices could be seen swimming frantically back to shore. Willowpelt and Runningwind were darting away at Tigerclaw's orders.

"Oakheart is dead!" I called out. I turned my back to Tigerclaw to see if the RiverClan warriors had heard me.

A flash of amber. A roar of battle. A stinging pain in my neck. Then nothing.

When I came to, I was lying in a clearing bathed in starlight. Swirlying, foggy figures danced down from the sky to sit before me. I was astonished to recognize that Oakheart was among them already. He had died to save me yet I died only a few short moments after him. How sadly ironic.

It was Oakheart who trotted over to me and fixed me with his respectful gaze.

"You should not have died." he murmured.

"Neither should you." I awknowledged.

Oakheart shook his head. "Doyou wish to join StarClan and recieve your immortal name?"

"Ummm.. yeah sure.. but I don't really know what an unnmorral name is." I replied confusedly.

"Immortal." Oakheart corrected. "And its just like a warrior name- except its more.. spitirtual."

I personally thought that Oakheart was still cocky from the head trauma, but I kept this to myself.

"Just one minute. I would really like to know... What killed me? I thought it was Tigerclaw.. but that can't be right..." I trailed off.

Oakheart's eyes hardened at the mention of Tigerclaw. I noticed that other StarClan warriors were shifting uncomfortabley at the mention of his name.

"So he did." I said, taking their discomfort as an answer. I could hardly believe it; Tigerclaw, the cat I had grown up with, had killed me. I remembered the many patrols I shared with the tom, and the apprentices we trained together. I recalled the Gatherings we attended and gossiped at together, and the friendship we used to have.

"Tigerclaw will be dealt with." Oakheart growled after a few moments. "But this is about you. Now- do you want your immortal name or would you rather go to the Place of No Stars?" his tail flicked towardsa dark foggy entrance way in the far right. My paws twitched and I felt an odd shivery cold run down my spine.

"No thank you." I mumured quietly to myself. "I never wanted to refuse StarClan- I just wanted an answer."

"And I gave it to you." Oakheart muttered, more to himself then to me. He shook his head. "Alright, if you're ready."

He placed his nose between my eyes and I felt another rush of cold. It was much different then the cold that rushed through me as I looked at the foggy entrance way.It was more of a cold that lifted my spirit and for a moment I felt like I could fly.

Oakheart led me to the center of the StarClan cats and he began to speak.

"Cats of StarClan!" he began. "All too soon after being granted a second chance at life, Redtail was murdered in cold blood by a cat from his own Clan."

The cats of StarClan all yowled in dejection, many of them having a dull fire flickering in their eyes that made me slightly uncomfortable.

"Tigerclaw must pay!" some of them yowled together, but Oakheart raised his tail for silence.

"Tigerclaw will be dealt with in his own Clan." he assured, and at the mention of ThunderClan I felt like I'd been kicked in the stomach- completely winded.

"ThunderClan!" I cried. "None of the Clan know about Tigerclaw's treachery- what if he strikes again?" the thought of Tigerclaw killing any of my Clanmates was madening.

"Do not worry." Oakheart cooed. "Tigerclaw will be brought to justice- one day you will see."

I glared at him, not entirely convinced.

"Redtail, do you wish to join StarClan, and help to ensure the safety of the Clans and get avengence on your killer?" Oakheart asked loudly.

"Yes." I answered slowly, feeling an odd sense of loss as I thought of the leader I could have become. I shook my head and convinced myself that their was no sense looking in the past, and that I should try my hardest to be the best StarClan warrior I could be.

"Than I give you your immortal name. From this day forward, you shall be Redfire, for Fire shall save your Clan and avenge your death."

I looked at him oddly. Fire was going to avenge me agaisnt Tigerclaw? How- were StarClan going to set him on fire? That would be an interesting sight to see! I smiled shyly as the StarClan warriors welcomed me to their Clan, chanting, 'Redfire! Redfire!'. This was my new Clan. Someday, maybe I will get over the shock of Tigerclaw having murdered me. Maybe someday, I will even be able to forgive him. But now, I will just have to try and forget how quickly my life crashed and burned, and use all of my remaining strength into protected my Clan for the future.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.