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Finished Assignment for:

"Your job is just as important as the party sent to rescue Russetfur, Viperfang..." came the exasperated voice of Kindlestar as she repeated the same words for what felt like the hundredth time. As in the previous times, the hot headed warrior opened his mouth to argue but closed his mouth, either because he found it futile to continue the argument or because he saw the truth in Kindlestar's words. There was no arguing the direct difficultness of the position FireClan currently stood in. There were still many injured, the lack of a medicine cat making their recovery slow and painful, and for some even doubtful. There was tension in the air, as those who had been in the attack feared above all the return of the rogues, a second wave of blood and violence that might actually end the Clan.

Kindlestar knew this worry, and what was worse shared it with them. She did not let it be shown, however. She stood strong and fearless, expressing an air of confidence and almost optimism, hoping this would rub on her fellow Clanners and spirits would rise. Slowly it had been working, and some kits could already be seen playing outside again, although the queens were more watchful than ever still, and warriors would quickly jump with hackles raised if one of the playing kits accidentally bumped on them. Still, this slow recovery was better than no recovery at all, and Kindlestar took it all as a promise that all will be well. Besides, there were even more pressing worries, suspicions that some of the cats had started believing more and more lately, mostly courtesy of the eternally conspiracy theorizing Dawncloud.

Had MoonClan been in on the rogue attack? They were the ones to have warned of the rogues, but had been so quick to dismiss them as the attackers in the Gathering... could they be trying to weaken FireClan and attack them afterwards? Kindlestar still refused to believe these accusations despite the nagging in the back of her head telling her it was a possibility. But there was something wrong... What could MoonClan possibly want attacking FireClan? Why would MoonClan possibly want to attack their apprentices, and what's worse, kill them and take their medicine cat? It just made no sense.

And there came the worse thought of all. Russetfur was still missing. This was possibly the thing that had the Clan most on edge. A Clan with no medicine cat was no better than a Clan with no leader. They needed to find Russetfur at all costs. Kindlestar especially needed to know he was safe. The bond she shared with that soft, bumbly fuzzball was stronger than the bond she had ever shared with any other cat. If something happened to him... The mere thought made Kindlestar quickly shake the thought from her mind, unable to finish it, always fearing the worse outcome. No. Russetfur would be found and brought home, and then everything would resolve itself, everything would be fine, and life in the Clan would slowly go back to normal. Why, he might even help uncover the mystery of why he had been taken and why such savagery had taken place!

"Kindlestar..."

"Your job is just as-" Kindlestar began again, her yellow gaze exasperatedly on Viperfang once more. She was cut short, however, when she realized he was not looking at her, but at the Clan entrance. And then she heard it, the voice she had been hoping to hear good news from all day.

"Kin...Kindlestar... We have news. Russetfur has... Russetfur has been found," Twopelt's voice came from behind her, hesitant, his muscles tense as he braced himself for his leader's wrath.

"You found Russetfur?!" Kindlestar asked, jumping immediately to face them, her face hopeful as she looked at the bi colored eyes of the warrior tom. Her hope was quickly crushed, however, as soon as she saw the tense, sorrowful look in his eyes, and as he turned his head to gaze behind him, her eyes slowly followed, soon seeing Twopelt's patrol behind him, a defeated, weak looking Dawncloud carrying Russetfur on his back, his eyes on the ground before him as he remained speechless for the first time in his life. "No..."

"We were too late, Kindlestar. The rogues seem to have-"

"No, no, NO!" Kindlestar interrupted him, running towards the party, a look of rage clouding her eyes.

Twopelt quickly stood in her way, afraid the diminutive leader would attack the party in confused rage, and after a second's struggle as Kindlestar tried to reach her fallen friend, she collapsed, her body limp against Twopelt's as she used him for support, her brave, optimistic facade breaking down immediately as the one hope that had been keeping her strong shattered in front of her eyes.

"No... No... not Russetfur! Why Russetfur? He's a medicine cat, medicine cat's aren't supposed to die in battle! They help everyone, they don't die in battle, they don't! Russetfur... RUSSETFUR!" Kindlestar moaned and cried, all fight gone from her body as Twopelt attempted to console the broken shell of a leader, pressing his head against hers as he knew that words would not be able to remove the current pain in her heart.

"We found him in MoonClan territory... disposed of as though if he were prey gone bad," came Dawncloud's voice from behind them after many long, awkward minutes in which no one knew how to react, making all look towards him as Kindlestar pressed against Twopelt, his silent comfort slowly bringing her back to her senses.

"Dawncloud!" Twopelt reprimanded, turning angry eyes towards the massive tom.

"She has the right to know!" Dawncloud snarled. "MoonClan denied that the rogues had done anything, they said the rogues were under their control. Then how did they do this?! Do you really expect MoonClan to have not known?"

As Dawncloud spoke, Twopelt realized Kindlestar had stopped shaking, her sobs had ceased. Turning around questioningly, the dual colored tom stared at their leader, and his ears quickly flattened, fear clutching his heart as he saw hatred in her eyes as he had never seen in any cat before, her pupils nothing more than narrow slits against the bright yellow of her stare.

"Kindlestar?" Twopelt asked tentatively, his whiskers twitching apprehensively as Kindlestar turned her gaze from Dawncloud to him, his heart stopping for a beat as she responded.

"MoonClan will pay for this in blood..."

- - - - - - - -

Woo, this was a long one. Sorry for the long read, will not blame you if you did not make it this far.

Kindlestar and Dawncloud ©

Twopelt and Shortpaw ©

Pounceflight ©

Russetfur and Viperfang ©

Description
Finished Assignment for:

"Your job is just as important as the party sent to rescue Russetfur, Viperfang..." came the exasperated voice of Kindlestar as she repeated the same words for what felt like the hundredth time. As in the previous times, the hot headed warrior opened his mouth to argue but closed his mouth, either because he found it futile to continue the argument or because he saw the truth in Kindlestar's words. There was no arguing the direct difficultness of the position FireClan currently stood in. There were still many injured, the lack of a medicine cat making their recovery slow and painful, and for some even doubtful. There was tension in the air, as those who had been in the attack feared above all the return of the rogues, a second wave of blood and violence that might actually end the Clan.

Kindlestar knew this worry, and what was worse shared it with them. She did not let it be shown, however. She stood strong and fearless, expressing an air of confidence and almost optimism, hoping this would rub on her fellow Clanners and spirits would rise. Slowly it had been working, and some kits could already be seen playing outside again, although the queens were more watchful than ever still, and warriors would quickly jump with hackles raised if one of the playing kits accidentally bumped on them. Still, this slow recovery was better than no recovery at all, and Kindlestar took it all as a promise that all will be well. Besides, there were even more pressing worries, suspicions that some of the cats had started believing more and more lately, mostly courtesy of the eternally conspiracy theorizing Dawncloud.

Had MoonClan been in on the rogue attack? They were the ones to have warned of the rogues, but had been so quick to dismiss them as the attackers in the Gathering... could they be trying to weaken FireClan and attack them afterwards? Kindlestar still refused to believe these accusations despite the nagging in the back of her head telling her it was a possibility. But there was something wrong... What could MoonClan possibly want attacking FireClan? Why would MoonClan possibly want to attack their apprentices, and what's worse, kill them and take their medicine cat? It just made no sense.

And there came the worse thought of all. Russetfur was still missing. This was possibly the thing that had the Clan most on edge. A Clan with no medicine cat was no better than a Clan with no leader. They needed to find Russetfur at all costs. Kindlestar especially needed to know he was safe. The bond she shared with that soft, bumbly fuzzball was stronger than the bond she had ever shared with any other cat. If something happened to him... The mere thought made Kindlestar quickly shake the thought from her mind, unable to finish it, always fearing the worse outcome. No. Russetfur would be found and brought home, and then everything would resolve itself, everything would be fine, and life in the Clan would slowly go back to normal. Why, he might even help uncover the mystery of why he had been taken and why such savagery had taken place!

"Kindlestar..."

"Your job is just as-" Kindlestar began again, her yellow gaze exasperatedly on Viperfang once more. She was cut short, however, when she realized he was not looking at her, but at the Clan entrance. And then she heard it, the voice she had been hoping to hear good news from all day.

"Kin...Kindlestar... We have news. Russetfur has... Russetfur has been found," Twopelt's voice came from behind her, hesitant, his muscles tense as he braced himself for his leader's wrath.

"You found Russetfur?!" Kindlestar asked, jumping immediately to face them, her face hopeful as she looked at the bi colored eyes of the warrior tom. Her hope was quickly crushed, however, as soon as she saw the tense, sorrowful look in his eyes, and as he turned his head to gaze behind him, her eyes slowly followed, soon seeing Twopelt's patrol behind him, a defeated, weak looking Dawncloud carrying Russetfur on his back, his eyes on the ground before him as he remained speechless for the first time in his life. "No..."

"We were too late, Kindlestar. The rogues seem to have-"

"No, no, NO!" Kindlestar interrupted him, running towards the party, a look of rage clouding her eyes.

Twopelt quickly stood in her way, afraid the diminutive leader would attack the party in confused rage, and after a second's struggle as Kindlestar tried to reach her fallen friend, she collapsed, her body limp against Twopelt's as she used him for support, her brave, optimistic facade breaking down immediately as the one hope that had been keeping her strong shattered in front of her eyes.

"No... No... not Russetfur! Why Russetfur? He's a medicine cat, medicine cat's aren't supposed to die in battle! They help everyone, they don't die in battle, they don't! Russetfur... RUSSETFUR!" Kindlestar moaned and cried, all fight gone from her body as Twopelt attempted to console the broken shell of a leader, pressing his head against hers as he knew that words would not be able to remove the current pain in her heart.

"We found him in MoonClan territory... disposed of as though if he were prey gone bad," came Dawncloud's voice from behind them after many long, awkward minutes in which no one knew how to react, making all look towards him as Kindlestar pressed against Twopelt, his silent comfort slowly bringing her back to her senses.

"Dawncloud!" Twopelt reprimanded, turning angry eyes towards the massive tom.

"She has the right to know!" Dawncloud snarled. "MoonClan denied that the rogues had done anything, they said the rogues were under their control. Then how did they do this?! Do you really expect MoonClan to have not known?"

As Dawncloud spoke, Twopelt realized Kindlestar had stopped shaking, her sobs had ceased. Turning around questioningly, the dual colored tom stared at their leader, and his ears quickly flattened, fear clutching his heart as he saw hatred in her eyes as he had never seen in any cat before, her pupils nothing more than narrow slits against the bright yellow of her stare.

"Kindlestar?" Twopelt asked tentatively, his whiskers twitching apprehensively as Kindlestar turned her gaze from Dawncloud to him, his heart stopping for a beat as she responded.

"MoonClan will pay for this in blood..."

- - - - - - - -

Woo, this was a long one. Sorry for the long read, will not blame you if you did not make it this far.

Kindlestar and Dawncloud ©

Twopelt and Shortpaw ©

Pounceflight ©

Russetfur and Viperfang ©