\\// JointClan/MellowClan \\// Part 8 \\// Have Faith \\// ((UPDATED. PLEASE READ.))

"But I did," Branch grinned as Moonshadow pinned her down. She knew she couldn't die, she knew that she couldn't for Fernpaw's sake. "OFF! MOONSHADOW! MISTRESS SAYS OFF." Branch snarled, shoving him, and getting up. "MIstress isn't mistress at all. Her name is MELLOWHEART. Becauses shes oh so mellow and harmless," She taunted.

"But she's MY mistress, because I serve HER!" Moonshadow retorted and tried to roll Branch off of him.

Branch clawed and snarled. "What IF she dosen't suceed? She doesn't care about you at all, she'd feed you to dogs before she'd give up ruling a bunch of cats!!!"

"That's her choice, but it's my destiny to serve her. It doesn't matter what she thinks of me," Moonshadow explained vigerously.

"Really? You would rather serve someone who treats you like DIRT then serve someone who treats you nicely? How do you know its your destiny?" Branch cnoubntered.

Silver was behind. She snuck around and crouched behind Wolf. She brushed her tail against him. She used her mind to tell him something. "Wolf, slowly follow me. Me and Branch are going to get you out of here." She said with her mind as she lead him away to the nearest brush. Once they where near she shoved him behind the brushes and whispered so only he could hear, "Get out of here! Run!" She darted away And told Kira the same she had told Wolf. She pointed a long claw at the brush where Wolf had gone. "Follow me to there. Once you get there, run to camp. Go! Hurry!" she whispered urgently into his ear.

((LOL SIlver doesnt have a icky butt! xD Nice Branch I loved that one. xD Yo guys left meh and now I gotta reread the posts and catch up on chu. lol))

Holy. Snapples. wrote:

"Really? You would rather serve someone who treats you like DIRT then serve someone who treats you nicely? How do you know its your destiny?" Branch cnoubntered.

"I-I-I... shut up!" Moonshadow failed at explaining. Because he didn't know how to. Maybe Branch was right. Maybe Mistre- no MELLOWSTAR did treat him like dirt. He never really put much thought into it. "Well, who would treat me ni-ni-ni-nicely?" He asked Branch in a low voice so Mellowstar wouldn't hear.

Kira awoke with a start but realized Silver was saving them. He stay put, seeming to be asleep but really just laying down and squinting.

"I would." Branch whispered. "I wouldn't make you do anything for unless you felt like it. You could join JointClan, and lead a normal life, no being a servant." Branch said, eyes huge. Silver was getting them away, perfect.
~~~
Wolf helped Kira up quietly, and lead him into the bushes. "C'mon, we're to go to camp. Branch is saving us. And Fernpaw, it looks like." He siad.
~~~~
Fernpaw tended to Wingstar's wounds quickly, then help him hobble over to Wolf and Kira.

"I-I don't know. I mean, I don't know how to lead a normal life. Serving is all I know. And besides, Mellowstar would kill me if I tell here," Moonshadow explained.

Kira nodded and whispered, "Let's go, then!"

Wolf helped the trembling and weak Wingstar to camp. Fernpaw oke up everyone else, and they snuck away quietly.
Branch shook her head. "She can't resist Fernpaw and I's power, I could make her good, I could make her do anything. And the Clan would take care of you, and show you that its not all about serving."

Moonshadow was silent for a minute and replied, "Fine. I'll go with you." He smiled a bit, which he hadn't done with a nice tone since he met Grasstail.

Mistress hissed in anger, and lunged at the two.
"MISTRESS! BRANCH SAYS STOP!" Fernpaw and Branch shouted, both glowly faintly white. mistress froze in midair, trying to fight it, but tumbling to the ground.
"Go back to JointClan camp, if anyone asks, say that you have Branch's full permission!" Branch hissed quickly to Moonshadow.

Moonshadow nodded and ran towards the Jointclan camp as fast as he could. He slowed down to a walk, howe ever, as he entered it.

Wolf's head snapped around, and he glared at Moonshadow. "What are YOU doing here? You're Mistress's little puppet, aren't you?"
~~~
Mistress was pressed to the ground by the force of Branch and Fernpaw's power. "Fernpaw, go, Moonshadow might need you. I can handle this." Branch said, and Fernpaw scampered off hesitantly.
Branch let Mistress up slowly, and they stared at each other, eyes locked. Suddenly, they met in head on collision in the air, and they were wrestling on the ground. Branch broke away, paws dripping in blood. Mistress lay on the ground, bleeding, but not close enough to death in the opinion of some.
"Why.. Why aren't you killing me? Why aren't you finishing it?" Mistress stuttered.
"I have my reasons," Branch said, standing directly above her. They stared into each other's eyes for a long moment before Mistress spoke.
"You had so much potential, but you were so weak." Mistress stated quietly.
"I'm letting you live, I'm letting you continue your sorry life. I'm letting you live because one, you'd be more miserable living and not having power then roaming the skies and plotting. And two, because you are my grandmother." Branch said, and turned around, and walked away.
Mistress was done for. For now.
~~~
Wingstar was too hurt, he lay on the ground, writhing. Suddenly, his head shot up. "Fernstar?" He whispered, blinking. "Wait for me," He whispered, and then he was.. He was gone. his time was up.

Silver froze at the den's entrance. Her glaze fell on WingStar as her eyes clouded with fear and pain. "He's... he's.." she couldn't say it. She juust stared, blinking away tears as the image of Fernpaw slahing the leader. a tear hit the ground. He was gone. She had lost him. A yowl escaped her. A yowl of sorrow and pain for this loss that had become. This yowl broken anys heart. She yowled for WingStar. He had left this cruel world. And what if...?

"Oh, StarClan, no!" Wolf cried as Branch entered. Branch's eyes clouded, and she raced over to her father. She crouched over him, "No.. no.. noo.." She whispered. "He hated me, and he died without me saying that I was sorry," She whispered, blinking away her tears.
"We're going to need a new leader," Wolf pointed out softly, his tail gently and comfortingly wound with hers.
"Nobody can step up now, we're all shaken and frazzeled from this whole thing," Branch sighed.
"Mom, why don't YOU step up as leader?" Fernpaw put in.

Silver didn't say anything. Her eys where downcast and filled with pain. She nuzzled him. "He.. Will be joining.. StarClan." she sniffled, her voice thick with grief and pain. She gentley licked the leader she had terribly failed to save. She stepped back. She wanted to die.

Wolf put his tail on Silver to comfort her. "Don't be hard on yourself, it was his time to go," Wolf soothed.
Branch felt shocked at the pain and pang of jealousy that racked her body at Wolf touching Silver. She shook it off, and stared incrediously at Fernpaw. "B-but.. Me? I can't, I'm a rogue, remember?" Branch sighed.
Mellowtail and Stormrage stepped up first, and dipped their heads. "You are JointClan, you are meant to be our leader!" They started chanting her name, and slowly, Stripepelt, Shadowheart, and everyone joined in.
"Branchstar! Branchstar! Branchstar!"

She tooka another step back. "He could have lived. But he has left us. I barley know him but he deserves to be honored. I shall also honor him if you wish." she looked straight into Branch's eyes. "You MUST be our leader. We depend on you, Branch. We NEED you."

Branch felt like a hurricane of emotions hit her. First, it was shock, everyone had shunned her before and NOW, only NOW they were depending on her to lead them. Then, it was a rush of power thirst. Branchthorn was still inside her, waiting for her chance to take over, she knew for sure. Mistress had created a monster, yet Branch could control her, for the moment.
"I-I.." Branch's voice faltered. Could she really lead the Clan? Could she really keep Branchthorn under control? Well, it looked like it was a risk she was going to have to take. Nobody could step up now, but her. "I'll do it."
Wolf nodded approvingly, Fernpaw smile like a ray of sunshine. "Mom, you'll need a deputy." Fernpaw reminded her lightly.
"Yes, of course." Branch said, her voice taking on a tone of authority. "Moonshadow, you're loyal and brave, and I know you'll be a wonderful warrior of my Clan, will you help me lead it and be my deputy?" Branch asked.

((We gotta wait for Suburbia. ;) ))

((KK LOL I havent seen suburbia in a few days O.o))

"I, uhm... Aww, why not?" Moonshadow said, shocked. He had just been on Branch's side for 5 minutes and already she asked him to changed from a servant to a deputy!

Branchstar trusted him, plus, if her wacko Branchthorn side came out, Moonshadow would have the guts to beat the crud out of her so she wouldn't hurt anyone. Branchstar dipped her head, "Thank you," She gave him a look saying she walked to talk later.
"Wolf, take Fernpaw and Kira and will you go hunting?" Branchstar asked, "And Moonshadow and I will check on the rest of the Clan."

Kira nodded and replied, "M'kay." He started towards the forest.

Moonshadow was still a little freaked out by all this, but decided to go along. Checking on the clan wasn't so hard, right?