Keep Your Hopes Up High: Part 4

Updated Allegiances.

ThunderClan
Leader: Mothstar-large, pale brown lanky tom with pale amber eyes.

Deputy: Liontail-dark ginger tom with yellow eyes.

Medicine Cat: Sunpetal-bright ginger she-cat with white paws and green eyes. Apprentice-Flowerpelt.

Warriors: Forestwhisker-large pale gray tom with darker tabby stripes and blue eyes.

Brambleflame-dark tabby tom with amber eyes.

Ashclaw-gray tabby tom with darker paws and smoky-blue eyes.

Dawnfire-dark golden she-cat with warm amber eyes.

Cloudstripe-very pale gray tom with snow-white tabby stripes and bright blue eyes.

Amberblaze-small golden tabby she-cat with yellow eyes.

Whitepelt-small, fluffy white she-cat with blue eyes.

Smokestorm-dark gray mottled tom with dark blue eyes.

Foxflame-ginger tom with green eyes.

Nightsong-black she-cat with bright green eyes.

Snowleaf-pure white she-cat with blue eyes.

Birchshade-brown tabby tom with amber eyes.

Brackenstripe-ginger tabby tom with yellow eyes. Apprentice-Finchpaw.

Blossomlight-dark tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes.

Adderstorm-dark tabby tom with amber eyes.

Ivysplash-calico she-cat with green eyes.

Icepool-white she-cat with black tabby-rings on her legs and tail.

Tigerfang-dark tabby tom with a white tail-tip and paws with yellow eyes.

Stoneclaw-large dark gray tom with blue eyes.

Blacktalon-black tom with green eyes. Apprentice-Streakpaw.

Badgerclaw-large black-and-white tom with ice-blue eyes. Apprentice-Cherrypaw.

Stormwhisker-dark gray tabby tom with blue eyes.

Rainsong-blue gray she-cat with dark blue eyes.

Mistfeather-gray she-cat with darker tabby-rings on her legs and tail.

Leopardheart-black she-cat.

Birdfeather-red tabby she-cat.

Leafshade-very dark tortoiseshell and white she-cat with leaf-green eyes.

Apprentices: Flowerpelt-gray she-cat with blue eyes (BrackenstripeXNightsong) Finchpaw-dark ginger tabby tom with amber eyes (FoxflameXBirdfeather)

Streakpaw-red tom with green eyes and a darker red streak down his spine (FoxflameXBirdfeather)

Cherrypaw-ginger tabby she-cat with forest-green eyes (FoxflameXBirdfeather)

Queens: Frostwing-white she-cat with silver paws and ice-blue eyes. Expecting Ashclaw's second litter.

Nightsong-black she-cat with bright green eyes. Expecting Brackenstripe's second litter.

Elders: Twigfoot-brown tom with amber eyes.

Firetail-ginger tom with green eyes and a white tail-tip.

Whitefur-white she-cat with one blind blue eye.

ShadowClan
Leader: Snakestar-dark brown tom with black tabby stripes on his legs.

Deputy: Marshpelt-dark gray tom with blue eyes.

Medicine Cat: Ashflower-gray dappled she-cat with misty-blue eyes.

Warriors: Darkclaw-black tom with amber eyes.

Shadefur-dark tabby tom with amber eyes.

Flamefang-dark ginger tom with green eyes.

Stormshadow-gray tabby tom with blue eyes. Apprentice-Emberpaw.

Grayshade-gray tom with long fur and blue eyes.

Pineleaf-dark golden tabby she-cat with amber eyes. Apprentice-Rowanpaw.

Darktail-dark gray tom with a black tail and pale blue eyes.

Nightfeather-black she-cat with silver-tinged fur on her paws and green eyes.

Bluefrost-blue gray she-cat with blue eyes. Apprentice-Lionpaw.

Hawkeye-dark tabby tom with piercing amber eyes.

Eaglepelt-black tom with white paws, ears, and tail-tip with icy blue eyes.

Scorchpelt-ginger tom with gray eyes.

Dawnfeather-ginger she-cat with dark golden tabby stripes and amber eyes.

Hollyshade-black she-cat with yellow eyes.

Falconwing-dark tabby tom with amber eyes.

Fireleaf-ginger she-cat with bright green eyes.

Dawnstripe-dark golden she-cat with black tabby stripes.

Apprentices: Rowanpaw-dark ginger tom (FlamefangXFireleaf)

Lionpaw-ginger tabby tom (FlamefangXFireleaf)

Emberpaw-dark golden she-kit with a black stripe down her spine and black paws, tail-tip and ear-tips (EaglpeltXDawnstripe)

Queens: Brindlecloud-dark tabby she-cat with yellow eyes. Expecting Shadefur's second litter.

Ravenflight-black she-cat with yellow eyes. Mother of Darkclaw's kits, Spiderkit (black tom) and Crowkit (black she-kit).

Elders: Tawnyfur-pale ginger she-cat with green eyes.

Redpelt-reddish tom with green eyes.

WindClan
Leader: Dovestar-very pale-gray she-cat with white paws and ears with blue eyes.

Deputy: Blueclaw-dark blue gray tom with pale blue eyes.

Medicine Cat: Grasstail-pale brown tom with green eyes. Apprentice-Mousefoot.

Warriors: Flamefoot-ginger tom with darker paws and green eyes. Apprentice-Thornpaw.

Beetlefang-large dark brown-and-white tom with yellow eyes.

Hareleap-tawny furred tom with amber eyes. Apprentice-Heatherpaw.

Rabbitspring-lithe pale brown tom with darker tabby stripes and amber eyes.

Boulderclaw-large gray tom with pale blue eyes. Apprentice-Sandpaw.

Crowtalon-dark gray tom with white paws and muzzle with icy blue eyes.

Gingerbreeze-pale ginger tabby she-cat with bright green eyes.

Rosedapple-red dappled she-cat with green eyes and long fur. Apprentice-Oakpaw.

Sparrowtalon-dark tabby tom with yellow eyes and white socks. Apprentice-Firepaw.

Sorrelsong-tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes.

Runningfire-bright ginger tabby tom with green eyes.

Snowpelt-white she-cat with blue eyes and black ears and tail-tip.

Meadowpelt-pale dusty-brown tabby tom with green eyes.

Sedgefur-pale brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes.

Ryefrost-brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes.

Sunsplash-ginger and white she-cat with green eyes.

Flameheart-pale ginger she-cat with green eyes.

Apprentices: Mousefoot-dusty brown tom with pale yellow eyes and darker brown paws. (GingerbreezeXBrackenstripe) Sandpaw-pale ginger tabby tom (RunningfireXFlameheart)

Oakpaw-pale brown tom (RunningfireXFlameheart)

Thornpaw-ginger tom (RunningfireXFlameheart)

Firepaw-ginger tabby she-cat (RunningfireXFlameheart)

Heatherpaw-brown and white she-cat (BeetlefangXSunsplash)

Queens: Thrushfeather-gray/brown she-cat with green eyes. Mother of Hareleap's kits, Featherkit (gray tabby she-kit) and Gorsekit (pale brown tabby tom).

Brightfrost-white she-cat with bright blue eyes. Expecting Rabbitspring's kits.

Elders: Littleflame-small ginger tom with green eyes.

Petalfoot-silver she-cat with gray paws and pale blue eyes.

Blackmeadow-black tom with white tabby stripes and blue eyes.

Nettleclaw-gray tom with pale green eyes.

RiverClan
Leader: Froststar-small white she-cat with frosty-blue eyes.

Deputy: Troutclaw-dark blue tom with blue eyes.

Medicine Cat: Featherpelt-silver tabby she-cat with bright blue eyes.

Warriors: Fogwhisker-pale gray tabby tom with blue eyes.

Reedfang-dark brown tom with amber eyes.

Rushstripe-white tom with dark brown tabby stripes and yellow eyes.

Graystorm-large dark gray tabby tom with blue eyes.

Stoneheart-gray tom with blue eyes. Apprentice-Duskpaw.

Rockstream-dark gray tom with blue eyes. Apprentice-Waterpaw.

Jayfrost-light gray tabby tom with ice-blue eyes.

Mossystone-dark tortoiseshell she-cat with gray socks and green eyes. Apprentice-Redpaw.

Lilyflower-pale gray she-cat with blue eyes.

Hawkpelt-dark tabby tom with a white chest, underbelly and tail-tip and amber eyes.

Ivyheart-tortoiseshell and white she-cat with green eyes.

Hailclaw-large pale gray tom with black tabby stripes and blue eyes.

Stormflower-light gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes.

Mistpelt-pale gray she-cat with ice-blue eyes.

Ivyheart-tortoiseshell and white she-cat with green eyes.

Skyfeather-white she-cat with barely visible silver tabby stripes and blue eyes.

Apprentices: Redpaw-tortoiseshell and white tom. (ReedstripeXSkyfeather)

Waterpaw-very pale gray tom. (ReedstripeXSkyfeather)

Dustpaw-pale brown and white she-cat. (ReedstripeXSkyfeather)

Mosspaw-dark tortoiseshell and white she-cat with a white underbelly. (HawkpeltXIvyheart)

Frostpaw-dark brown she-cat with a snow-white underbelly and chest. (HawkpeltXIvyheart)

Queens: Echofall-gray tabby she-cat. Mother of Reedfang's kits, Maplekit (very dark tortoiseshell she-kit) and Ripplekit (dark gray tabby tom).

Streamflower-silver and white she-cat with green eyes. Expecting Fogwhisker's kits.

Nightpool-black she-cat with green eyes. Mother of Graystorm's kits, Sootkit (dark gray tom) Minnowkit (dark gray tabby she-kit) and Pebblekit (gray tabby tom).

Elders: Owlfur-white tabby tom with blue eyes.

Blueflower-blue gray she-cat with blue eyes.

Chapter 14
Badgerclaw's POV

"You're expecting kits?" I growled.

"Yeah! Isn't that great?" Mistfeather mewed.

"Well...Yeah, but we've barely been warriors for little more than a week and you're already expecting kits?"

"Fine, you don't want to father these kits, then I'll play the role of both parents and I'll never tell them who you truly are!" Mistfeather snapped. She stormed off back to camp.

"Mistfeather-" I started to pad after her, but decided it was more important to guard Nightsong while she kitted.

"Why were you out of camp while you were so close to kitting?" Sunpetal asked, while giving Nightsong a stick to bite.

"Because cats can't stay confined to camp for a long time ya know!" Nightsong snapped. I wasn't watching, but I heard a wail of pain and then Sunpetal mewing.

"It's a she-kit! Brackenstripe, start licking it while Nightsong continues," Sunpetal ordered.

"Do I ha-"

"Just do it!" Nightsong hissed at her mate.

"Are she-cats always like that when they're having kits?" Finchpaw asked me. We were both looking the opposite direction, disgusted by the scene.

"I wouldn't know, this is the first time I've been around a kitting she-cat. But you never know, some say Nightsong was really sweet and nice with her first litter." I made the last part louder, as if to tease Nightsong.

"I can hear you, Badgerclaw!" Nightsong growled.

Finchpaw and I laughed.

"A tom!" I heard Sunpetal mew, "And he looks like you, Brackenstripe!"

"Do I have to stay here?" I groaned, anxious to get back to camp. I didn't want to be around while a she-cat gave birth, that's disgusting! Shouldn't it just be Brackenstripe? -

After another while, Nightsong had given birth to two she-kits and two toms.

"Badgerclaw, can you help us carry them back to camp? Nightsong is too exhausted to carry them all that way," Sunpetal asked.

"Sure," I mewed. I was actually thinking, ''They're not my kits, why should I carry them? Have Finchpaw do it!'' But that would be wrong, so I did as the medicine cat said. I picked up a black tom by his scruff and he squeaked in pain.

"Careful!" Nightsong growled.

"I am being careful, Nightsong!" I growled back. I let loose some pressure on the kit and followed the other cats back to camp. -

"Nightsong!" Stoneclaw greeted his mother when he saw us emerge from the thorn tunnel. Her other kits greeted her and Brackenstripe. I set the black tom on the ground and glanced at the sky. Almost night already.

"Have you decided on names?" Blacktalon asked. The rest of the clan began to gather around the new kits, happy for new arrivals.

"Yes," Nightsong mewed, "The dark tabby she-kit is Briarkit and the black tom is Cedarkit." She looked over to Brackenstripe.

"The ginger tabby tom is Owlkit and the black-and-ginger she-kit is Robinkit," Brackenstripe finished.

"Good names," Blossomlight mewed. Icepool nodded in agreement and Ivysplash flicked her tail.

"I'm off to my nest. Do you need anymore help?" I asked Sunpetal, silently hoping I could just go.

"No, you can go Badgerclaw. Thank you," Sunpetal answered, dipping her head to me as I walked past.

I crawled under the bramble bush the warrior's slept in and padded to my nest. I wasn't surprised Mistfeather wasn't already in it, as she was sleeping soundly in a nest next to her mother, Leafshade.

I curled up in mine, resting my tail over my nose and closing my eyes.

Chapter 15
My dreams were always strange, but never like this. I woke into a dark, misty, foggy forest filled with screeches and yowls. I knew where I was in an instant, and I feared it, the Dark Forest. Why had I come here? I never hoped to come to this place, I'm not evil.

"Hello?" I called out.

"Ah, if it isn't Badgerclaw," A deep voice answered, "We've been waiting for you."

"Waiting for me?" I mewed as a huge, dark tabby tom stepped out of the shadows. His amber eyes shone with the need for bloodshed.

"The Dark Forest sees your need for revenge, your haunting past. We can help you with your little problem if you join us," The dark tabby mewed.

"First, I need to know who you are," I growled, "Second, I'm never joining the Dark Forest, I'm not an evil cat."

"I'm Tigerstar," He mewed, "The Dark Forest needs you. Just like you need us."

"I need the Dark Forest?" I snorted, "I don't think so." I turned and began to walk towards the direction I came from.

"Stop!" Tigerstar ordered.

I stopped dead in my tracks, but I didn't turn around. I wasn't afraid, I just didn't want anything to do with this so-called Tigerstar.

"We will help you with Frostwing, if that's what you want," Tigerstar offered. A slim, dark gray tabby tom with shining yellow eyes padded up to his side, "Darkstripe, what do you need?" Tigerstar asked.

"Seeing the newcomer," Darkstripe mewed.

"I don't think he's with us," Tigerstar growled softly.

"Look," I snapped, "The only reason why I'm keeping my mother alive is because I care for my littermates and my father. How do you think they would react if I up and killed her? No, I actually care for somebody, unlike you lost souls!"

"He just called us lost souls..." Darkstripe mewed.

Tigerstar tensed, and he sprang at me. I saw a glint at the tip of his long claws before he had me pinned to the ground. He used one paw at my throat, and he raked at my stomach with the other. I yowled in pain and thrashed wildly, trying to escape from him. I lashed out at his scarred face with a free paw, spraying blood onto the grass.

"Leave him alone, Tigerstar," A mew sounded from behind me. I lifted my head and saw a blue-gray she-cat. Behind her was a flame-colored tom, a large brown tabby tom with a crooked jaw and a ragged gray she-cat with a flattened face.

"Bluestar," Tigerstar sneered, "I see you've crossed Dark Forest borders. Come to beg for our power?"

"Why would we want your power?" The flat-face gray she-cat spat.

"Stop, Yellowfang," Bluestar mewed, "We've come to tell you that Badgerclaw doesn't belong here. Let him lose or feel the wrath of StarClan just like you did all those moons ago."

"After you killed me, Tigerstar," The flame-colored tom mewed, "I became stronger, and I'm willing to fight again if it comes to that."

"Firestar, we haven't come to start war again," Bluestar warned, "Go now, Tigerstar, and leave this warrior be. Or we will come back."

Tigerstar growled and hesitated before bounding off into the foggy forest, Darkstripe at his heels.

I stood up, shaking from blood-loss. The wounds on my stomach burned crazily, and for once I couldn't ease or ignore the pain by any means.

"I'm sorry about that, Badgerclaw. We'll make sure the Dark Forest never comes in contact with you again," Bluestar mewed.

"I like your spirit," The cat with the crooked jaw mewed, "And the way you can control your thoughts. That's great, considering the amount of emotional pain you've gone through."

"Where will Frostwing go when she dies?" I asked, curious.

"Frostwing will go to StarClan," Bluestar answered.

"She will?" The crooked-jawed cat gawked.

"Yes, Crookedstar. She was saddened by the loss of her son. Wouldn't you be if you had lost Silverstream?"

"I did lose Silverstream!" Crookedstar growled.

"As a kit, I mean. Come on, let's linger no longer on Dark Forest land. Go, Badgerclaw," Bluestar ordered.

I nodded, and as the four cats turned and dashed off to their territory, I closed my eyes and awakened to sun-high light peering through the brambles of the warrior's den. -

I attempted to stand up from my nest, but I collapsed with a small wail of pain. I looked at my nest and saw only blood-stained moss.

"Badgerclaw?" Stormwhisker peered over from his nest, "What happened?"

My fur burned with embarrassment, what was I going to say? I was still in pain, though not as much. What could cause this much blood-loss?

"It's all over your fur, too," Stormwhisker continued.

"Might've been thorns," I lied.

"Thorns? Well, must've been a few pawfuls of thorns to cut you up that bad! Come on, I'll help you to Sunpetal's den." Stormwhisker got up from his nest and came over by mine. I sat up, trying not to show how much I was hurting.

"Lean on my shoulder," Stormwhisker ordered. I did so, and we limped out of the warrior's den together. I was surprised at how sturdy Stormwhisker had gotten, and just a few moons back he was a weak apprentice. I got a few concerned stares as we exited the warrior's den, which annoyed me more than anything. Even from Mistfeather, who was mad at me for not wanting the kits.

"What happened?" Birdfeather asked.

"I'll explain later," I mewed through gritted teeth. Stormwhisker and I reached Sunpetal's den, and he called out to the medicine cat.

"Come in!" Flowerpelt answered, "Great StarClan, what happened?" She gasped at the sight of claw marks all up and down my stomach and scratches at my throat.

"I don't know," I lied once more.

"It doesn't matter," FLowerpelt mewed, "Here, I'll get you fixed up!" She led me over to the back of the dimly-lit den, "First, cobwebs to stop the bleeding."

"Where's Sunpetal?" Stormwhisker asked as Flowerpelt was draping cobwebs over the cuts, and I had to roll onto my back just so she could get to the ones Tigerstar made on my stomach.

"She went out collecting herbs. You know how leaf-bare is, shortage of prey for warriors and shortage of herbs for medicine cats," Flowerpelt mewed.

"Got ya," Stormwhisker mewed.

I waited impatiently as Flowerpelt dabbed a poultice onto the cuts, which burned. I squirmed every so often, ready to go on patrol even with this pain.

"Okay," Flowerpelt mewed once down, "You're going to have to wait to leave camp or do anything involving a lot of movement for a few days. Keep checking back with me or Sunpetal to get the herbs applied back on."

"Fox-dung!" I growled. Flowerpelt purred in amusement then shooed Stormwhisker and I out of the medicine cat's den.

Chapter 16
1 moon later.

WindClan stench flowed over ThunderClan's border.

"Have you seen any WindClan cats?" Birchshade asked me. The brown tabby tom opened his jaws to taste the air.

"No." I kept casting glances over at the barren moorland, wondering if Ryefrost had been one of the cats to linger around our border.

Stop thinking about her, mouse-brain! I scolded myself, ''She's worthless. Just a WindClan rabbit-eater.''

"Now that I think about it," Streakpaw began, "I scented something familiar a few days ago."

"Well why didn't you tell anybody?" His mentor, Blacktalon growled.

"I didn't think it was important..." Streakpaw squeaked.

"It's always important if you scent anything suspicious. Always tell a warrior," Blacktalon growled again.

"Go easy on him," I mewed, "He's barely become an apprentice." I thought about my apprentice, Cherrypaw, who was stuck in camp with whitecough.

"Come on," Birchshade interrupted, "We have to go report this to Lionstar. WindClan scent has been coming around our border off and on, and it has to stop."

We turned back into the forest and hared away. Trees flashed before me as I kept pace with Birchshade and the others. My pads had hardened over the moons have continuously running over sticks and thorns.

We slowed as we approached the thorn tunnel so as not to destroy it.

"Lionstar!" Birchshade called after we squeezed through.

"I'll get him!" Icepool mewed, scrambling up the Highledge. Moments later, my former mentor appeared with Forestwhisker and Icepool right behind.

"What is it, Birchshade?" Lionstar asked.

"Patrols have been scenting WindClan over our border. It gets farther over each day, but we haven't spotted any of their warriors," Birchshade explained.

"Really?" Lionstar mewed, "Then why haven't I been told this before?"

"We thought we'd wait until it drifted over our border," Birchshade mewed, "And today it did."

"Well I'll speak with Dovestar about it at the next Gathering. Until then, I want cats patrolling the site every second of the day, got it?"

"Yes, Lionstar." Birchshade dipped his head to the dark ginger tom, then padded off to the fresh-kill pile.

I glanced in the direction of the nursery, where Mistfeather was now residing. The gray she-cat was sharing-tongues with Nightsong while the other she-cat's kits wrestled with each other.

Then I got a strange feeling about our border, and who was waiting there.

"Forestwhisker, I'm going hunting," I lied to the new deputy.

"Okay," The gray tom flicked his tail, "Good luck."

I dashed out of the camp entrance, and retraced my steps back to the WindClan border. I sniffed around the stream, trying to remember a familiar scent. Then the cat I hoped wouldn't be here, was here. -

'''Okay well that's part 3! I know it was really short but the updated allegiances took up most of what my computer could handle on one page. Part 4 will be a lot longer since the allegiances won't be there. I hate u allegiances! >:( Anyways, part 4 will be when BadgerXMist's kits come! Can you guess what they are and what their names will be???