Broken

Broken- Return of the Warriors Trilogy
Yes! The story stop is over and I now present to you the highly anticipated: Broken. :)

Please know that there is a 6 1/2 moon time skip between Tides and Broken

ThunderClan
Leader- Foreststar- An immense brown tom with deep hazel eyes. Deputy-	Fallentail- A black tom with green eyes a white chest and a dipped tail. (Ravenpaw) Medicine Cat- Poppycloud- Petite black and white she-cat with blue eyes Apprentice- Emberlight Warriors- Whitestorm	Frostcloud- Large white tom with yellow eyes. Apprentice: Drizzlepaw Millie		Honeywhisker- Silver tabby she-cat with blue eyes. Hazelnose- A brown tom with white accents and yellow eyes. Jaggedtooth	Fangfur- Large ginger tabby tom with amber eyes. Apprentice: Fleetpaw Lightningstrike- A yellow tabby tom with matching yellow eyes Yellowfang	Rosethorn- Dark gray she-cat with orange eyes. Apprentice: Hawkpaw Firestar		Sunfang- A flame-colored tom with dazzling green eyes. Squirrelflight	Rustflower- Dark ginger she-cat with a fluffy tail and green eyes. Brambleclaw	Strikefang- Muscular dark tabby tom with amber eyes. Apprentice: Cavepaw Queens- Morningsun- Pretty golden tabby with hazel eyes. Mate is Fangfur. Kits: Willowkit, Coalkit, Foxkit Spottedleaf	Petaleye- Beautiful tortoiseshell she-cat with warm amber eyes. Mate is Sunfang. Apprentices- Emberlight- Deep orange she-cat with gray eyes. Hawkpaw- Dark silver tabby tom with green eyes. Cavepaw- Light brown she-cat with hazel eyes. Drizzlepaw- A blue-gray she-cat with dark stripes and yellow eyes. Fleetpaw- A tiny red tom with yellow eyes. Elders- Ravenwing- An old black tom with many battle scars and blue eyes. Shrewleg- A light tabby tom with yellow eyes. Nettlefur- A sleek black tom with a white muzzle from age.

ShadowClan
Leader- 	Cloverstar- A silver she-cat with white boots and beautiful green eyes. Apprentice: Shinepaw Deputy-		 Frozenwhisker- Black tom with short-stiff whiskers. Medicine Cat- 	Elkberry- Brown tom with a cream underbelly and grey eyes. Apprentice- Rabbitear Warriors- Graystripe	Blazeclaw- A large, thick furred gray tom with orange eyes. Apprentice: Wasppaw Darkstripe	Sparkclaw- Dark grey tabby tom with yellow eyes. Apprentice: Dapplepaw Tawnypelt	Fawnleap- Slender, dark tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes. Rumblefur- Black and brown tom with amber eyes. Apprentice: Cloudpaw Lionblaze	Burnheart- Golden tabby tom with amber eyes. Wildflower- Silver she-cat with darker stripes and green eyes. Cinderpelt	Fernleaf- A fluffy dark-gray she-cat with blue eyes. Treetail- Thickset brown she-cat with amber eyes. Brightcloud- White and grey tom with orange eyes. Hollyleaf	Bugwing- Black she-cat with green eyes. Apprentice: Splashpaw Mousefur	Littlemist- Small dusky brown she-cat with amber eyes. Apprentice: Boulderpaw Mothflutter- Silver tabby she-cat Apprentice: Oakpaw Spottedpelt- White and black spotted tom. Silverfeather- A light silver she-cat with blue eyes. Mousefang- A dark gray tom with a black tail and green eyes. Queens- Silverstream	Dewshower- A slender silver tabby she-cat with bright blue eyes. Mate is Blazeclaw Apprentices- Rabbitear- Small gray tom with unusually large ears. Wasppaw- A mostly yellow tortoiseshell she-cat with gray eyes. Oakpaw- Brown tom with amber eyes. Cloudpaw- A pale gray tom with orange eyes. Boulderpaw- Black tabby tom with silver eyes and white paws. Dapplepaw- Tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes. Splashpaw- Tiny calico she-cat with blue eyes. Shinepaw- Pale brown she-cat with a darker mask, legs, tail and blue eyes. Elders- Riseheart- Once-pretty calico she-cat with green eyes ===RiverClan=== Leader- 	Marshstar- Beautiful white and gray she-cat with green eyes. Deputy- 	Redlake- Muscular dark ginger tom with blue eyes. Medicine Cat- 	Leapbelly- Tall calico she-cat with silver eyes. Warriors- Jayfeather	Bluestorm- Gray tabby tom with blue eyes. Apprentice: Fogpaw Dustyrose- A pale orange she-cat with amber eyes. Salmonpelt- Pink-gray tom with silver eyes. Hawkfrost	Icepad- Large dark tabby tom with ice-blue eyes. Oakheart	Swiftstorm- Reddish-brown tom with amber eyes. Apprentice: Foampaw Crowfeather	Nightheart- A dark grey tom with brilliant blue eyes. Feathertail	Streamfrost- Slender silver tabby she-cat with blue eyes. Leafpool		Robinflight- Slender, light brown she-cat with amber eyes. Grassbreeze- A soft grey she-cat with dark stripes. Apprentice: Stripepaw Russetfur	Brindlefur- Dark ginger she-cat with sharp green eyes. Bluestar		Lilyfire- Blue-gray she-cat with a silver muzzle and blue eyes. Apprentice: Stormpaw Mintleaf- White she cat with light green eyes. Queens- Brownwhisker- A pretty brown tabby with pale yellow eyes. Mate is Salmonpelt Kits: Lizardkit, Otterkit Apprentices- Stripepaw- Black tabby tom with yellow eyes. Stormpaw- Dark gray she-cat with bright blue eyes. Fogpaw- A fluffy white she-cat with green eyes. Bubblepaw- A cream she-cat with hazel eyes and white boots. Foampaw- Orange tom with a white tail tip. Elders- Rockpelt- A dark gray she-cat with blue eyes. Goldenleaf- A golden tabby tom with a white underbelly. ===WindClan=== Leader- 	Tinystar- Small white tom with unusually long claws. Deputy- 	Juniperheart- Beautiful calico she-cat with dazzling blue eyes. Medicine Cat- 	Ivyshadow- Pale yellow she-cat with an unusually long tail. Apprentice- Mudpath Warriors- Tigerstar	Applefang- Big dark brown tabby tom with burning amber eyes Dustpelt		Falconflight- Dark brown tabby tome with amber eyes. Apprentice: Ringpaw Sandstorm	Dawnpelt- Pale ginger tabby with green eyes. Apprentice: Gustpaw Thornvine- A pale ginger queen. Birdflight- A calico she-cat with amber eyes. Cloudtail	Creekwhisker- A white tom with blue eyes and a fluffy pelt. Apprentice: Mallowpaw Thistleclaw	Raindrop- A thick furred gray tom with white and gray accents. Apprentice: Ashpaw Brokenstar	Darkcloud- Large brown tabby tom with orange eyes. Apprentice: Volepaw Clawface	Sleetpelt- Brown tom with orange eyes. Apprentice: Blossompaw Ferncloud	Dappleheart- Pale gray she-cat with darker flecks and light green eyes. Brightheart	Clearsky- White she-cat with ginger patches and green eyes. Apprentice: Owlpaw Queens- Heathertail	Skysong- Light brown tabby she-cat with heather eyes. Mate is Burnheart Kits: Heatherkit, Rushkit, Flarekit Apprentices- Mudpath- Brown she-cat with amber eyes. Ringpaw- A white and black tom with several black rings along his tail. Owlpaw- Light gray tom with white chest and mask and large amber eyes. Blossompaw- A dark gray tabby she-cat with green eyes. Ashpaw- A dark gray tom with orange eyes Volepaw- A pale ginger tom with amber eyes. Gustpaw- Pale gray tom with amber eyes. Mallowpaw- Pale ginger she-cat with silver eyes. Elders- None. ==Broken==

Prologue
A deep red tabby paced around a pool, his tail wiggling nervously as if it had a mind of it’s own.

“What are you making all that racket for?” a voice hissed.

The red tom whirled around, searching for where the sound came from. His green eyes detected a lashing tail out of the corner of his eye. Next to him was a pretty tortoiseshell she-cat with pretty blue eyes. He recognized her as RiverClan cat by her sleek pelt.

“Go somewhere else if you seek quiet,” the red cat retorted.

“What has you so worked up, little one?” she asked, looking sympathetic. The she-cat was almost completely invisible, and he knew she was departing soon.

“My name is Talonpaw, not ‘little one’,” Talonpaw mumbled. “It’s my sister, Brindlefur.” At his words, the pool reflected the pretty she-cat who was tucked away in her nest, sound asleep.

“Russetfur,” a white tom corrected him, padding out of the bushes.

“Maybe to you, Blackstar, but to me she is Brindlefur, my sister,” Talonpaw shook his head.

Blackstar looked at him with confidence, “Be sure, little one, we are working on a way to help them.”

Talonpaw turned around to face the former ShadowClan leader, claws unsheathed and eyes burning. “Do not take me for a fool, Blackstar,” he hissed. “I know you did not wish to help us. You spoke out against it.”

Blackstar stared evenly back at the apprentice, unashamed. “This is more than that.”

“What has changed. What is more?” Talonpaw challenged him.

“It doesn’t involve you.”

Fury burned away any of Talonpaw’s civility. “None of my concern?” he growled, outraged. “My sister is down there!”

“Peace, Talonpaw. We are going to help them and correct the problem, but you’re not going to be put at risk.” The large tom padded away, ignoring Talonpaw’s hissing.

“What is going on?” Talonpaw yowled to the stars, but he knew no answer would come. They were the stars now.

“The Place of no Stars,” the old she-cat told him.

The name sent chills down his spine. “What about them?”

“They are the problem,” she informed him. “They lay in wait.”

Talonpaw’s fur bristled with alarm. “Tigerstar is behind this, isn’t he?”

“No,” the tortoiseshell corrected him. “There is another who seeks revenge on the Clans, trying to regain what she lost.” ===Ch. 1 - Stalked===

“When am I going to become a warrior?” Owlpaw asked, irked. The gray and white tom rarely made outbursts like this, but it was for good reason.

“Soon,” Skysong assured him. She wasn’t his mentor anymore, but she still felt responsible for him.

“Skysong,” he addressed her head on. “I’m more than old enough, and cats in other clans who started their apprenticeships after mine are already warriors. I deserve answers. Ringpaw as well.” His large amber eyes were more serious than Skysong had ever seen.

“Why don’t you talk to Clearsky about this?” the she-cat prompted, before getting too involved. She wanted to give the first-time mentor a chance.

“Too preoccupied and inexperienced,” he sighed.

Skysong nodded. “I’ll talk to Tinystar when I catch him on a good day,” she promised him.

“Thanks, Skysong. It means a lot,” Owlpaw nodded. His eyes dropped down to her belly. “So how much longer until the kits are born?” he asked.

The brown she-cat peered at her unborn kits proudly, remembering the day she had discovered she was expecting, and the day that Burnheart had found out. The tom had tried to persuade her to join ShadowClan, but she assured him it was fine.

“Sometime in the next quarter-moon,” she told him, excited.

“Safe delivery,” he wished her.

“You know what I think would help?” Skysong pondered loudly.

Owlpaw chuckled. “I think I’ve heard this somewhere before,” his eyes narrowed with mocking suspicion. “You’re not leaving the camp to go hunting, I’ll go fetch you the rabbit,” the tom ordered.

“Drat,” she cursed.

“Better luck next time,” he called over his shoulder as he exited the nursery.

Skysong sighed as he left, rolling onto her side lazily. It was a few more days before the gathering, and she hoped the tom would be a warrior before then. Might as well see how Tinystar is now.

The queen hefted herself up, making her way across camp to her leader’s den. “Tinystar?” she called softly.

“Who’s there?” he hissed.

Skysong burst into his den, worried. Tinystar was crouched in his nest, eyes slits and claws unsheathed.

“Oh, Skysong,” Tinystar gasped. “For a minute I thought you were-” he cut himself off, glancing around as if there were cats waiting to pounce.

“Who?” she prompted him in the inquisitive but kind voice she had created to deal with situations like this over the past season.

Tinystar leaned in to whisper in her ear, and Skysong tilted her head slightly. “There are cats here we cannot trust,” he told her. “At night, I see them stalking the camp, teaching our cats how fight not to win but to kill.”

Skysong scrunched her face, slightly taken away. Normally when he had things to tell her, they were about his past. “Tinystar, what can I do?” she asked.

“Protect my clan when I am gone,” he sighed. His brown eyes suddenly cleared up, more than they had in a long time. “I’m sorry, Skysong, I’m rambling again, aren’t I? What do you need?”

Her heart thudded happily as the tom seemed to come back to his senses. “It’s about the apprentices. Aside from Gustpaw and Mallowpaw, they are all ready to become warriors.”

Tinystar nodded. “I will give Ringpaw his ceremony today,” he decided.

“Why only Ringpaw?” she questioned. “Owlpaw, Ashpaw, Blossompaw and Volepaw all are ready too.”

“Yes, but Ringpaw is the oldest, therefore, he shall be a warrior first.” The old tom padded out to the Tallstump, calling WindClan to gather around.

“Ringpaw, please step forward,” he asked.

Skysong watched as the tom quickly grasped the situation and thrust his head high into the air. Owlpaw shot her a thankful look, but saw Skysong’s miserable eyes and slipped over to her side.

“What?” he asked. “What is wrong?”

“Only Ringpaw is getting his warrior name,” she told him sadly. “Tinystar thought that because he’s been apprenticed longer that he should be first.”

It hurt her to see the pained look in his eyes, but he quickly covered it up. “Well, it’s a step forward at least,” he said optimistically. “Small steps.”

“I Tinystar, leader of WindClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in his/her turn.

“Ringpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and defend this clan, even at the cost of your life?” he asked.

Ringpaw nodded. “I do.”

“Then by the powers of Starclan I give you your warrior name. Ringpaw, from now on, you will be known as Ringtail. WindClan welcomes you as a full warrior.”

The clan cheered Ringtail’s name enthusiastically. Despite only one apprentice being named, it showed that WindClan was recovering and, for now, it would have to be enough. ===Ch. 2 - Trapped===

“What are you doing here?” Sunfang hissed.

Dawnpelt froze, slightly confused. “What, no hello?”

Sunfang watched with horror as the WindClan she-cat traveled so easily onto ThunderClan territory.

“Dawnpelt,” he commanded, “stop. What are you doing?”

“Coming to visit you,” she said as if it was obvious. “Do you know what it took to sneak away from camp, especially with my apprentice?”

This wasn’t okay. He had been visiting the pretty she-cat for a while now, just for chats across the boarder and harmless play at first, but now there was a complication.

“Petaleye is in the nursery,” he told her.

Dawnpelt stiffened, but shrugged it off. “So?”

Sunfang dug his claws into the soil, annoyed. “So? They’re my kits!”

The pale she-cat padded right up to him, looking him in the eye. “Sunfang, I don’t want this to end.”

“Neither do I but-”

“That’s all I need.”



“I’m back,” Sunfang announced himself as he padded into the nursery with a crow.

“Welcome back,” Petaleye purred, drowsy from the warmth.

“How are you?” he asked.

“The same as always, Sunfang, I’m great,” she assured him. “You shouldn’t be spending so much of your time in here.”

“Of course it’s fine,” the tom told her. “I don’t have an apprentice, I’m keeping up with my patrols and even fitting in extra hunts.” “I didn’t ask,” Petaleye’s amber gaze locked onto his green ones. “Stop spending so much time in here.”“But-”“No buts!” she shook her head, exasperated. “Go spend some time with Rosethorn, or spend some time helping Strikefang with his apprentice.”Sunfang gave in. “Fine, but I’m still dropping by now and again.” He licked her cheek before exiting the nursery, catching up with Rosethorn who was leaving to hunt.“Mind if I join?” he offered.Her orange eyes narrowed, but she nodded, racing out of the camp quickly. “So what’s happened?” she asked.“What makes you think something had happened?” he countered.“Don’t deflect, Sunfang. I know something is wrong.”Sunfang wished he could tell the senior warrior all his troubles, because she always had an answer, but this was one even he couldn’t spill. “I’m nervous about Petaleye.”Rosethorn evaluated him, rolling her eyes. “That’s up to StarClan, but she’s at the best age to have kits and we have two medicine cats. She will be fine.”Sunfang nodded, but since it wasn’t the heart of his troubles he still wasn’t satisfied.Rosethorn turned to look Sunfang right in the eye. “We have more power over our destinies than we think, Sunfang. StarClan cannot control everything, and even if they could, what kind of life would that be? What would be the point? I believe StarClan is where we watch and wait for our loved ones and truly redeem ourselves before continuing on.”“Onto where?” Sunfang asked, curious.The she-cat shot him a disgusted look. “I dish out that great advice and you’re more curious about that?” She paused just a moment, not letting the ThunderClan tom get a word in. “I don’t know, Sunfang, I really don’t. But do you think that we spend the rest of our time in StarClan?”“Why wouldn’t we?” he challenged, confused.“That question cannot be answered by simple means, and I don’t have the energy to answer it right now. Focus on the hunt, let yourself be consumed by your instincts, and things tend to become clear.”===Ch. 3 -===

“Bluestorm, I like you.”

He stiffened as the words came out of Dustyrose’s mouth. The long grass nearby rattled slightly, and he knew that they weren’t alone.

“I like you too,” he assured her, “but not like that. I don’t have much interest in finding a mate.”

Dustyrose’s amber eyes searched his for the faintest hope that what he said was a lie, but found none. She nodded briskly, and padded away, trying to hold her head up as she did but couldn’t find the strength.

After she was out of earshot, Bluestorm called out the eavesdropped. “I know you’re there, Lilyfire.”

The blue she-cat made her way out of grass, sharking her pelt free. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to,” she apologized.

“I know,” he sighed, staring off at the path Dustyrose had taken.

“Why don’t you give her a chance?” Lilyfire suggested. “I know it’s not my place, but-”

“A chance to do what? Be together more? She already tried that. There isn’t anything you can do to change someone’s feelings, Lilyfire,” Bluestorm shrugged. He looked at Lilyfire’s slightly swollen belly. Must be expecting Swiftstorms’ kits. “When are they due?”

Lilyfire gave him a blank stare. “When are what due?” she asked slowly.

“The kits,” he rolled his eyes.

“Brownwhisker gave birth a half-moon ago,” Lilyfire told him, confused.

“I mean yours, Lilyfire.”

The blue warrior’s eyes widened as she saw the truth in his words.

She didn’t know. “I’m no medicine cat, go talk to Leapbelly,” he grunted.

She turned and raced to camp, a blank stare still adorned on her face.

“What a nice way to tell her,” a voice commented dryly.

“What, is everyone eavesdropping today?” Bluestorm hissed. He watched the stream as a group of fish circled not far away. The RiverClan tom’s paw darted in, pulling two out. “She was going to find out eventually. It’s a good thing.”

“So,” Marshstar walked next to him, “you figure that it doesn’t matter when they find out, because eventually they all will?”

“I guess.”

His leader shot him a dubious look. “You guess?”

Bluestorm nodded. “It depends on the situation. Why should I give myself a label when I don’t think I can keep it?”

Marshstar chuckled and shook her head. “I still don’t understand why you turned down the deputy position I offered you all those moons ago.”

“I don’t have an interest in becoming leader,” Bluestorm told her, flicking his ear. “I’ll do all I can to support RiverClan where I am, plus my brother was much better suited for the job.”

“Yes, Redlake has turned out to be a great deputy,” she dipped her head. “I wonder what he’d be like as leader.”

“He’ll go on a power-hungry rampage and destroy the clans,” Bluestorm snorted, rolling his eyes. “How can we know?”

“I know you’d stop him,” Marshstar mewed matter-o-factly. “You’re not as stubborn or cruel as you portray yourself to be, Bluestorm. You’re in love with the façade you’ve created, and are unable to look past it. You should try it once in a while.” The she-cat left with a flick of her tail, leaving Bluestorm to mull it over.