Warriors || Hopestar's Choice: Book 3 (3 of 3)

Chapter 2

When the patrol returned to camp, Hopeflame was tired and hungry. Lately she's been hungrier than usual, and Mapleheart explained that it was because of the kits. Thornclaw disappeared into the warriors den almost immediately. Hopeflame watched Ebonypaw wander back towards the apprentice den with Dewpaw before she headed for the fresh-kill pile. She picked out a particularly fat rabbit and dragged it to the edge of camp.

Hopeflame settled beneath the shadows cast by the four great oaks. So far, the Fourtrees camp has worked well for TigerClan. There seemed to be no shortage of space for the enormous clan. Everyone had their place, but the four great oaks were a constant reminder of the four clans that died so that TigerClan could exist.

Out of the corner of her eye, Hopeflame glimpsed Sandstorm padding over. The she-cat's pale ginger tabby pelt glimmered like sunshine under the sun rays.  "Hungry?" Sandstorm stood over her, whiskers twitching in amusement.

Hopeflame's pelt felt hot with embarrassment despite the cold chill. "What, I haven't eaten yet today..."

"I'm only teasing you," Sandstorm purred. She settled down beside her in the sun, tucking her paws neatly under her chest. "So, how are you adjusting?"

"To being pregnant?" Hopeflame wondered out loud. What was she supposed to say? The clan treated her differently, especially Brambleclaw. They acted as if she grew fragile like a twig that could snap at any moment. "I'm doing well, I guess. Brambleclaw is really protective of me. He thinks that I should be in the nursery already."

"All toms handle fatherhood differently." Sandstorm chuckled, then her expression became solemn. She gained a faraway look in her eyes as if she were peering into a hidden world only she could see. "Graystripe wanted me to leave TigerClan to live with him in RiverClan."

"What?!" Hopeflame gasped in shock. She stared at Sandstorm as the words sunk in. "Really?!" It was strange to consider.

How would her life be different if she had grown up in RiverClan? Probably, Stormblaze and Featherstream would've known her as their sister from the very beginning. Perhaps Sandstorm wouldn't have given Free away. She never would've known Brambleclaw nor been impacted by the clans she infiltrated. Hopeflame would've been a very different cat.

Hopeflame twitched her ears nervously. "Why didn't you go to RiverClan with Graystripe?" She wondered. "Wouldn't it have been easier?"

Sandstorm nodded slowly. "Yes, it would've been easier than keeping the truth from you kits." She hesitated, sitting up as if to prepare herself. "But I felt that I had a duty to my clan. ThunderClan was my home and I still had hoped that Tigerstar could be stopped. If I had left, who would've remained to watch over those who couldn't protect themselves?"

For a moment, Hopeflame contemplated her words. If she had been in Sandstorm's position, would she have left or remained in ThunderClan? She wasn't sure. All Hopeflame knew was that her mother made a choice, and whether it was the right one or not, they couldn't go back in time to change it.

"You did what you thought was best," Hopeflame meowed, meeting her mother's gaze. "Owlgaze, Mapleheart, and I know that."

Distress filled Sandstorm's pale green eyes. "But you could've had a better life," Sandstorm growled. "Free could've grown up alongside you and your littermates." She took a shaky breath. "You could've known Graystripe as your father..."

Hopeflame didn't say a word. Everything that Sandstorm said was true, but what use would it be to worry about the past? The past couldn't be changed and they needed to focus on the present. That's where they lived, not the past.

"Our lives would've been different, yes," Hopeflame murmured softly, eyes downcast. Then she looked up to meet her mother's gaze. "But this is our life now, and we need to live it. Worrying about the past won't change a thing."

Sandstorm started at her for the longest time before finally speaking. "When did you become so wise? It seems only yesterday you and your littermates were born." She shook her head in disbelief. "You've all grown up so much."

Suddenly, a commotion broke out at the center of camp and, when Hopeflame looked, she saw Cloudpool and Ashfang locked in a clawing mess of fur and blood. Onlookers began shouting and dodging them as they rolled in the dirt. The fur along Hopeflame's spine stood on end and she was on her paws in an instant.

"Pull them apart!" She ordered since no one else seemed to be taking charge. Tigerstar and Brambleclaw were nowhere in sight. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Blackfoot and Leopardfur watching without moving a muscle to stop the fight. "I said pull them apart!" Hopeflame repeated with more urgency. "Don't let them fight!"

Her words prompted Rainwhisker, Tawnypelt, and Owlgaze to leap into the fray. Rainwhisker and Owlgaze managed to pin Cloudpool down while Tawnypelt pushed Ashfang back. Cloudpool had patches of fur missing on his shoulder and Ashfang had blood trailing down his chest.

Hopeflame marched over with her tail lashing in anger. "What was that?!" She demanded with fire in her green eyes.

"Not that it's any of your business," Cloudpool spat from his place beneath Rainwhisker and Owlgaze's paws, "That TigerClan rat said I was weak!"

Ashfang's blue eyes flared at the accusation. "He tried to take fresh-kill right from my jaws!"

"Enough!" It was Whitestorm's voice that rang out across the clearing. "No more in-fighting! We're all one clan so we must get along!"

"I'll never call that TigerClan filth my clan mate," Cloudpool snarled, his grey and white pelt bristling with anger. "I'll never call TigerClan mine!"

Murmurs of agreement rose up out of the crowd from the former RiverClan and WindClan cats. Their faces were solemn as they voiced their agreement. A chill ran down Hopeflame's spine at the realization of their reality: they were a clan divided, one that might never become one.

"It's all her fault." Crowfeather hissed, casting a side glance in Hopeflame's direction. "She's the one that brought our downfall."

"Silence!" Tigerstar snarled, appearing out of nowhere to claw Crowfeather across the face. "I won't have any traitors in TigerClan!" He bared his fangs so near Crowfeather's face that the warrior flinched.

The large tabby tom surveyed the rest of the clan, his amber eyes burning with fire. "Anyone else have anything to say?!" Tigerstar leaped up onto the Great Rock, his entire body taunt with tension. "TigerClan is the greatest clan to walk this forest. You should all be grateful to be a part of this momentous era."

He snarled, eyes flashing. "I will have no more talk of resistance!" Then he leaped down and marched over to his den. "Blackfoot! Leopardfur!" The two advisors leaped to their paws to follow him.

Hopeflame felt a light touch at her shoulder, making her jump. But when she looked, she found herself looking into Brambleclaw's gaze. He didn't say a word, but she could sense his uneasiness. Brambleclaw gestured for her to follow him to their den on the other side of camp.

"Don't say anything," Brambleclaw warned once they reached the safety of the den. "My father's been on edge since the Merge with WindClan. He fears that not everyone supports him."

"Tigerstar fears something?" Hopeflame mewed sarcastically, resting the top of her tail on his shoulder. "It'll take some time, but the clan will feel united soon."

Brambleclaw visibly relaxed before her at her words. "I can only hope that you're right." He disappeared into their den, but Hopeflame paused.

Hopeflame decided that she's put it off long enough. It was about time that she traveled to Highstones. She needed to know what StarClan had to say, if there even was a StarClan.

~*~

A/N

I would like to thank all my readers for their patience. After my iPad died where I did all my WattPad writing, it's been hard to get back into it. It was never my plan to abandon any of my series.