-- JointClan & BloodClan -- Part 6 -- Sticking Together Through It All -- (OPEN)

Amberstar growled weakly. Her time was over. She collasped by Fernstorm, without breathing.

Fernstorm ducked down. "Amberstar? Amberstar.. Please.. No!" Fernstorm said, eyes wide. Mellowstar cackled. "Now, the kits," She growled, prowling closer.

Amberstar stopped breathing. She was dead.

Another warrior from MellowClan hissed at Fernstorm.

(How many kits are there? Oh and, Duskkit and Lightning kit were taken)

(( Umm.. 4 or 5 I think. STRIPEPELT TO THE RESCUE! xDD ))

Fernstorm growled, and slashed at the warrior. She was going to avenge Amberstar, oh yes, she would,

(Names?)

The warrior growleld and clawed at her neck.

Fernstorm fell, being pregnet it was hard to fight. "We didn't hurt Mellowstar when she was gonna have kits!" She growled, slashing.

((Duskkit, Lightningkit, Spottedkit and I believe one more. Lemme see..))

(( OH! AND DAWNKIT!))

GorseClaw shrugged. "That's Toothstar's fault!" He faltered.

(So, Dawnkit and Spottedkit are remaining.)

(( Yuppers.))

Fernstorm snarled. "Back off, bucko." She growled, and slashed at them, pouncing and spitting.

Gorseclaw pushed her off.

Fernstorm growled. "Leave me be!"

((Is the attack still going on?))

((NO! DON"T TAKE THE KITS! *cries*

I sound angry, I know, but I'm sad. They're MY CHARACTERS, and I never said you could do that!

))

(Didn't Branch tell you? I'm sorry..... Things happen ya know, it's easy to get them back!)

((By the PM you sent her, it doesn't sound like it... What do I do now, when I'm deprived of almost half my characters in JointClan?))

(I've only got three too! Your not the only one. Mine were either killed or abandoned!)

(Umm... CAN SOMEONE ANSWER MY QUESTION!!!!))

((What happened to Stripepelt, anyway?

Still... Well, now I just have no idea what to do since Raincloud's been following Mellowpetal all the time, so she can't go out of sight, and her two kits are left without Stripepelt, so they can't do anything either, and my other two characters have been captured.

By the way, since they're my characters, technically you just controlled them....))

((Okay, I'll try something...)))

Raincloud didn't even know where she was going anymore. She knew she was on MellowClan territory -- why were they called MellowClan? They didn't even follow the warrior code! Real warriors didn't steal kits! Raincloud had to get her kits back. She raced after Mellowpetal, even into camp, which was mostly empty since many warriors were attacking JointClan; the medicine cat would have to be quick. Ferociously, Raincloud tried to claw the side of the cat who had her two kits in her jaws, trying to be silent so the cat wouldn't know she was attacking until it hit her.

((What DID happen to Stripepelt, anyway?))

(( I.. I PM'd you because Vixen told me to. I told her to tell you 'cause their your characters and she told me to forward it to you. Stripepelt followed Raincloud and Mellowpetal, and then like Mellowpetal disappeared. ))

(( And yes, the attack is still going on in camp, I believe.))

((Raincloud says that's not fair because they're her characters and she didn't agree to that.))

((Besides, if Raincloud is chasing Mellowpetal, can't she just follow her scent?))

As the warrior lay stunned ((you didn't reply to her actions)) Raincloud took Lightningkit and Duskkit in her jaws, racing back to camp. Please let Stripepelt be okay... she only wanted that none of her family -- her Clan, too -- had died. She had to perform her duty. She ran as fast as her paws could carry her, not even looking back to see if anyone was following. There was a headwind, but she fought it powerfully, and burst into camp, placing the kits in the den and guarding them, trying to locate Stripepelt.

Larchstar turned to see Brackenheart. He was breathing heavily, a small trickle of blood dripping from one side of his head, and his normally beautiful eyes were dull, sad, hopeless and fatigued. She raced over, taking his scruff in her jaws. He didn't protest at being carried like a kit, so he was either tired or... His pelt was smothered in cuts and gashes, some bleeding and others dried. She was tired, but Larchstar used determination to keep her going and to get Brackenheart to the medicine den. She made progress towards her destination to see Raincloud.

"He's badly hurt," she stated, gently placing him on the ground. He looked as if he had been running all day; his breaths were shallow and frequent. "You have to help him."

"No..." Brackenheart pleaded. His voice could barely be heard, and even though it was normally smooth, the loyal warrior's words faltered as he spoke. "I've done my battles. I don't have to kill or fight anymore. Larchstar, let me die. I promised to give my life for JointClan when I needed to." He coughed heavily, moreso than when he was sick in the past. "And that time has to be now."

"No, Brackenheart," Larchstar choked, but her voice was firm. "That's enough. You're not leaving. I can't lose you once more. Raincloud, please treat his wounds." The powerful warrior could normally fight without serious injuries, but even he had been clawed and bitten terribly.

Brackenheart heaved a deep sigh. For a while there had been tears glistening in Larchstar's eyes, but she appeared not to notice. The white warrior had given up on arguing with his leader.

Raincloud nodded fearfully, chewing marigold carefully and spreading it on his wounds. But Duskkit held up a paw, and seemed to concentrate hard, then closed his eyes. He swirled a paw around a bad wound on Brackenheart's shoulder, and it began to close. Duskkit stopped for a moment, sighing. "Not too fast -- or it will heal wrong," he breathed, apparently tired. Then his mother spread cobwebs on the wound, and continued with the marigold poultice. Duskkit stole a strengthening herb from a pile that Raincloud had told him about, and began to heal one near Brackeheart's neck...

((Well, that's his power. :) ))