Crookedstar’s Promise

Adderfang was on his hind paws now, striking out fiercely, one swipe after another, driving Mudfur back. The RiverClan warrior’s face welled with blood that ran into his eyes.

How can he see? Stop!

Adderfang drove forward, forcing Mudfur toward the edge of the space. Crookedjaw had to force himself to stay still. Every muscle screamed to attack. Then Mudfur struck back. With a yowl he plunged forward, rearing up at the last moment and meeting Adderfang head on. He sank his teeth into Adderfang’s shoulder and pushed him down, his wide shoulders rippling. Adderfang squirmed beneath him, shrieking, but he couldn’t fight free. Mudfur pressed his paws to the ThunderClan warrior’s throat, pinning Adderfang to the rock as though he were a trout.

“Give in?” Mudfur growled.

Adderfang stared up at him, eyes blazing.

“Give in?” Mudfur repeated, louder.

“Yes.” Adderfang’s gasp was barely audible.

Mudfur let go and staggered back, panting. Blood ran off his pelt. Adderfang crouched on the sandy ground, his fur hanging in clumps.

Hailstar lifted his muzzle to the sky. “Sunningrocks is ours!” he yowled.

The ThunderClan warriors gathered around Adderfang and steered their wounded Clanmate toward the trees. Crookedjaw watched them disappear into the undergrowth, feeling a prickle of satisfaction. Adderfang had underestimated Mudfur. He glanced at the old RiverClan warrior, expecting to see triumph light his gaze. But Mudfur just turned away and began to limp slowly home.

Chapter 31

“Why did you fight alone?” Rippleclaw hissed at Mudfur as Brambleberry bustled around the injured warrior, trying to smooth ointment into his wounds.

Mudfur shook Brambleberry away. “Why risk hurting more warriors? Too much blood has been spilled for those rocks already.” He glanced across the clearing to Leopardpaw. “Battles only seem to lead to more battles. It is bad enough we fight, but we teach our kits to fight and then we watch them get hurt.”

Crookedjaw watched his Clanmates through narrowed eyes. They’d hurried to hear Hailstar’s battle report, clustering beneath the willow, faces puzzled, paws shifting. Crookedjaw was relieved that he wasn’t the only one worried by the idea of a single warrior fighting a battle for a whole Clan. Mudfur refused to go to the medicine cat’s den so Brambleberry was treating him out here, muttering as she tried to close up the deeper scratches.

Timberfur scowled at Hailstar. “Why did you let him?”

Hailstar met his gaze. “I trust him the same way that I trust all my warriors.”

“He did win Sunningrocks for us,” Softwing pointed out.

Tanglewhisker sank his claws into the dusty ground. “But RiverClan has never fought that way.”

“And we shouldn’t start now,” Troutclaw put in.

Crookedjaw lashed his tail. “It’s cowardly.”

Mudfur snapped his head around.

“You’re not a coward,” Crookedjaw added quickly. “But I felt like a coward watching a Clanmate fight without helping him.”

Shellheart stepped forward. His paws were muddy from burying Rainflower. “No warrior wants to feel like he can’t help his Clan.”

Hailstar gazed uneasily at Mudfur. “Did you doubt the courage of your Clanmates?”

“Never!” Mudfur bristled. “But I’d rather spill my own blood than theirs.”

“It mustn’t happen again!” Cedarpelt shouldered his way to the front of the crowd. “We’re a Clan. We must fight as a Clan.”

“Cedarpelt’s right.” Hailstar dipped his head. “Fighting beside our Clanmates gives us all strength.”

Ottersplash pushed forward. “Letting one warrior fight makes the rest of us look weak!”

Hailstar signaled for silence with a flick of his tail. “Mudfur showed great courage today, and RiverClan thanks him. He returned Sunningrocks to us. But from now on, we fight as a Clan. No warrior will go into battle alone. Where one fights, we all fight!”

“RiverClan! RiverClan!” The Clan burst into cheers. Relief washed Crookedjaw’s pelt. Mudfur closed his eyes, letting Brambleberry tend to his wounds.

“Can we go to Sunningrocks now?” Reedpaw begged Beetlenose.

Skypaw excitedly circled Softwing. “I’ve never been there!”

“Later,” Softwing told her. “When you’ve cleared out Birdsong’s nest.”

Sunpaw crouched behind Frogpaw. “Watch out, ThunderClan!” She leaped on her littermate. “No one takes Sunningrocks and gets away with it!” They fell, tumbling, to the ground.

Crookedjaw padded to Shellheart’s side. “Are you okay?” He glanced at his father’s torn and dirt-filled claws.

Shellheart nodded. “I’m fine.”

Crookedjaw glanced at Oakheart’s den. “I don’t know if Oakheart will speak to me again.” His brother was still sleeping, oblivious to the victory at Sunningrocks.

Shellheart ran his tail along Crookedjaw’s flank. “He’s just angry. It’ll pass with the grief.” His eyes glistened. “You probably don’t remember how loving she could be.”

I do. Pain jabbed Crookedjaw as, for a moment, he was a kit again, with Rainflower watching him play, pride lighting her eyes.

Shellheart went on. “She wasn’t—”