Not just the warriors, the queens and kits too. [RC Sunningrocks War Meeting]

Ravenpaw padded out of the apprentice den, shaking moss from her pelt. Her mentor sitting on the willow branch, looking furious. Ravenpaw settled among her Clanmates, waiting for Ivystar to speak.

Features drawn in a grave mask of concern and confusion, Splashwillow slowly made her way from her previous resting place within the shelter of the Warrior's den. Chills had crawled down her spine simply from the tone of Ivystar's yowl, so what damage could her actual words do? Shaking away several remaining scraps of moss and feathers and slipping out of the den, the calico was greeted with a storm of tension so great that she could practically feel the thunder and lightning erupting around her. Gazing up at Ivystar for a brief heartbeat, the she-cat was startled to see such a livid expression upon her kin's face- despite knowing the Leader for her entire life, she had never seen an expression quite like...this.

Sweeping a cautious towards where Lilytail and Sweetheart were sitting out of habit, Splashwillow quickly and quietly headed towards Snowpaw seemed to be frozen in place. Giving the fluffy apprentice a reassuring nuzzle, the calico Warrior tightly pressed herself against her daughter's form as she settled down close to the younger cat. There was a feeling deep within her gut that, coupled with Ivystar's enraged expression, sent a spark of worry throughout her entire form. Whatever had happened, it wasn't good.

Sandpaw got out of the apprentice's den with a startled face. Why was her mother so angry? Her fur fluffed up as she stared up at Ivystar. Whatever happened was NOT good. She held her breath, waiting for the leader to begin speaking.

"Heronkit, head back to the nursery, you're far too young to be involved in this." The leader curbed her anger at the sight of the kit. Heronkit didn't deserve to see the fervour of war, the anger and hatred that it brought out. What little innocence that the kit had, it deserved to be preserved. She gave Minnowpaw a look, urging the apprentice to make sure her will was carried out. The apprentice gently grasped the kit by the scruff and took him into the den, away from the hustle and bustle of camTh

Only when she was certain that no little ears were listening in, the warrior leader began her tirade. Usually, the leader was known for her stoicism, her curt words and concealing her hostility behind icy facades. But today, she was beyond hiding. There was a storm in her, and it was ready to tear down ThunderClan. "Blizzardstar came to me today, crossed the river brazenly into our territory to demand a share of Sunningrocks. Apparently, ThunderClan is suffering from the fire of moons ago and therefore we are to share our lands with them. They expect us to set ourselves on fire to keep them warm through Leafbare."

The last sentence she practically spat out, her fur standing on it's end as her tail lashed out, whipping snowflakes off the branches onto the earth in a thin cascade. In that moment, she felt the fury of leaders before her. The injustice they'd all suffered over the moons. "Naturally, I refused that fox-heart's demands, but now we must fight to protect what's ours! Make no mistake, Blizzardstar is like all the ThunderClan leaders before her. She preaches about the code, but when it comes down to it, she will kill us without hesitation for our prey. We must show them that we will not be cowed. That we will paint Sunningrocks red with their blood if they try us."

Finally she paused, her tail drooping down, her whiskers no longer twitching like before. "You are all too young to remember, so I understand if you think my actions are hasty or laced with much hatred. But let me tell you what happened last time ThunderClan wanted Sunningrocks. Spottedstar and Flameclaw lead the invasion against us, and Fishstar and Mistfeather valiantly drove them off. But do you know what happened next? A few moons later, Duskfall lead a surprise camp attack, slaughtering our apprentices, maiming our elders and beating our kits bloody. If we do not make them fear us, make the cost of trying to take back Sunningrocks so high that they cannot justify the cost of the fight, they will not stop.

"We cannot have any compassion towards them, because they will show us none. This is the clan that Rockthorn, Duskfall, Flameclaw and Specklefur came out of. Our ancestors in StarClan will understand, Sparrowleaf herself told me that we must do all it takes to protect ourselves. We cannot show them any mercy when the time comes, kill if you must. I will take all the blame, StarClan can blame me. I don't care, I will not watch my clan get driven out like it had under Fishstar. I will not watch our kits starve while ThunderClan feasts." Fishstar had spoken so harrowingly of that day, the feeling of helpless as her clan withered away, hiding in the reeds as ThunderClan hunted and exploited everything. Though he was her father, in this moment, she felt nothing but empathy for her leader. ThunderClan always took what it wanted whilst pretending it was morally right. They lauded themselves as the righteous whilst burning everyone underfoot. She wouldn't be another leader that bent to their will, if she had to kill everyone single of the shrub-dwelling foxhearts, she would. And she hoped that her clan would too. "Are you with me, RiverClan? Are you prepared to do what it takes to protect our kin, our way of life?"

Frostpaw padded up behind her brothers, Brightpaw, Spotpaw, and Reedpaw, and sat quietly behind them, just as curious about what Ivystar's agitated summons was for. Her green eyes clouded with worry and her fluffy tail brushed back and forth over the camp floor with impatient anticipation as she waited for Ivystar to begin speaking. Frostpaw grew very still while she listened, her eyes growing wider at the horror of it all. The blood, the hate, the vengefulness. Tummy-twisting dread nearly made the inexperienced apprentice retch. Such descriptions of war caused her pelt to crawl with foreboding, the mere thought of so much violence going against everything the young, naive cat believed she stood for. Still, she trusted her leader. Forstpaw wouldn't dare utter a word in opposition. What did she know? Ivystar knows best. Ivystar's word is law. The she-cat thought to herself, paraphrasing the 13th rule of the warrior code.

----

Stonepaw heeded his leader's distressed call and took a seat in view of the willow branch near his parents, Batfang and Tinytip. He kept a wary eye on his father, trying not to give away his confused, unsettling feelings about Batfang's past. Whenever StarClan willed that the two toms would have a chance to have a heart-to-heart conversation over the matter, now was clearly not the time. Their leader Ivystar had more important--and from the looks of it, very serious--Clan matters to discuss. Stonepaw didn't have to wait long to discover the reason behind Ivystar's summons. He listened with astonishment clearly written on his grey face. He hadn't seen this coming. Typically not one for condoning violence, Stonepaw was uncharacteristically stirred up to a surprising urgency to fight on behalf of his Clan by Ivystar's impassioned words. His own family's drama forgotten and shoved aside for the moment, Stonepaw rose to his paws. He unsheathed his claws and dug them into the soft camp ground as his tail lashed back and forth, his mood mirroring that of his leader's. He let out a low, audible hiss until it grew into a loud growl. Finally, he vowed in a bold, angry snarl, "I'm with you, Ivystar! I'll rip those snake-hearted code-breakers into shreds for you and all of RiverClan!"

Sweetheart shuffled her paws nervously. Of course she would be more than willing to die for her Clan if need be, but deep down she was a cat who preferred peace over violence. She dared to take a few steps towards Ivystar. She knew there was a reason the leader gave her the warrior name she did, and she intended to do her best to live up to her name she was so graciously given no matter the consequences. It couldn't hurt to try... right?

"If I may make a suggestion," she mewed, trying to sound confident rather than fearful, which was what she deeply felt, "couldn't we just let ThunderClan have Sunningrocks for leaf-bare, and then we can take them back in newleaf? The snow and ice will have killed off the herbs needed to treat battle wounds, and that will leave cats more prone to whitecough and greencough. And Rockthorn and those other cats are no longer living; what are the chances they won't be reasonable?"

Dewpaw left the apprentice den and looked for Lilytail. She settled down next to her mentor and crouched to listen tensely to what Ivystar was about to say. She had never seen Ivystar truly angry before, it was unnerved her to no end. Her head turned when Heronkit was addressed, sitting up to see Minnowpaw taking the little kit away. It was a brief respite before the leader truly began.

Her ears flattened at the mention of Blizzardstar, it didn't seem so bad... at first. Why couldn't they get enough prey on their own territory? Was it truly that devastated? As she listened though, her sympathy vanished. How could a clan leader allow a brutal attack like that? Why hadn't it been stopped? Her tail twitched in anger for the apprentices killed and clanmates injured. By the end, her posture had straightened. What if it wasn't enough if Blizzardstar got sunning rocks? What if she tried to take over the rivers too? That questioned burned in her mind as her gaze turned to Stonepaw. Dewpaw nodded to her fellow apprentice, then looked at Sweetheart.

"What if they take the river too? Will they stop at just sunningrocks?" She inquired as her tail flicked nervously. "We can't let what Ivystar just said happen again..."

As Ivystar launched into her speech, Ashpaw initially visibly winced at her mother's wrath towards ThunderClan. She had never known that her mother had harbored such a strong hatred towards the other clan. As Ivystar gave her reasoning, however, Ashpaw seriously considered her words. She's right... It is Leafbare, and we need all the prey we can get ourselves.

Her green eyes opened wider in surprised horror as Ivystar explained that ThunderClan had once ravaged RiverClan's most vulnerable for the sake of prey. She shuddered with fear. We can't let this happen again. Momma is right, we need to fight to protect what is ours.

Taking a deep breath and willing herself to stay calm, she nodded her head in agreement to Stonepaw's statement and meowed in a louder voice than usual to be heard, "Yes, I am with you, Momma. I will go with you into battle to protect RiverClan if we have to."

Spotpaw looked up at Ivystar with wide eyes. Thunderclan was trying to take their land? "Riverclan stands strong! We will fight those fox-hearted mange-pelts!" He angrily yelled, eyes shining in rage. He had soaked up every word Ivystar said, giving him a reason to hate Thunderclan.

Smokepaw shivered in fear and cold at the leader's harsh voice. How could ThunderClan do that to them? She hated conflict and fights, much more since the fox attack. But, when she saw Ashpaw, she knew it was the right thing to do. She stepped forwards. "I will protect RiverClan."

"How could you say that?!" Otterleap snapped at Sweetheart, the tom's fur rising up onto it's ends. His heart raced with anger at the mere thought of ThunderClan hunting on their lands. All RiverClan cats were taught from birth that Sunningrocks was their lands, when the territories were originally formed, the first RiverClan leader was given it, yet ThunderClan, the code-breakers, tried to steal it. To him, the suggestion of giving it away, especially when it was leafbare and prey was hard to get, that was akin to treason. "These are our lands and you want us to give it away to ThunderClan? Are you even a RiverClan cat? Blizzardstar made it clear in that meeting that she was going to take Sunningrocks by force. I was there. It's time we taught those bush-dwellers what happens when they mess with RiverClan!"

-

At the edges of the gathered crowd, Minnowpaw watched with discomfort at the squabble. Irrationally, she felt like she'd brought this calamity onto them by telling Ivystar about the patrol when she spotted them. Of course she was on their side, prepared to fight to the death in the name of RiverClan. But on the other hand, Sweetheart's words remained her of the grim reality of war. It was Leafbare, and herbs would be in short supply. What if... What if they didn't make it? But she wasn't a coward, and the fear of embarrassing herself by speaking out in dissent had her yowling with the rest of the clan. "It's my duty and honour to fight for our clan. ThunderClan will fall!"

Jaystream heard her mother's words with a serious look in his eyes. She was right... he was too young to know about the previous war between Thunderclan and Riverclan. But he knew that Thunderclan tom called Rockthorn that caused the fire in all the territories. He was Thunderclan's responsibility and now they were paying the costs for their mistakes with that evil cat. But instead of dealing alone with their problems, they wanted them to give their territories. That was simply ridiculous. Every clan was already trying to survive to this leafbare and Riverclan also used the Sunningrocks as a food source.

The deputy stood up firmly by the side of the leader and his green eyes looked at her, with determination. "I'm with you, Ivystar. I'll fight against Thunderclan to defend the territory that belongs to us." He mewed firmly, not shouting but loud enough so his other clanmates would hear his words.

--------------

The silvery she-cat was trying to contain her anger while the leader started to say the news. Those squirrel-munchers... were just a bunch of fox-hearted cats! Asking for the Sunnigrocks? That was ridiculous! The Sunningroks belonged to them because they fought for that territory and Blizzardstar was now asking them to give it to them like nothing had happened? It was nonsense. Riverclan would not leave its pride for a leader so stupid like her.

Her fur bristled when Sweetheart talked about giving them the territory to Thunderclan. The warrior stood up and looked at her clanmate with fury in her eyes. "Otterleap and Ivystar are right! How could you even suggest something like that?! Sunningrocks belongs to us, we need them as a source of food too, Sweetheart! Where are even your loyalties?! We must fight against those stealers!" Her gaze turned to the leader with passion. "For my honour and our clan, I will fight to the death for our clan!"

Duckpaw turned her sharp green gaze towards Otterleap, then Silverfang. While she was only an apprentice, and she probably shouldn't meddle with quarrels between the warriors, the she-cat felt it to be necessary, "Of course Sweetheart's a RiverClan cat! Of course she's loyal! She's only trying to find a peaceful alternative instead of walking straight into bloodshed. It's leafbare, do you honestly want more casualties in a season full of deaths and downfalls? Her heart is obviously in the right place, and she's trying to be cautious in a way that will benefit RiverClan in the end. That makes her more of a Clan cat than you two will ever be."

The brown cat dismissively flicked her long tail before glancing back up at Ivystar on the willow branch. War during Leafbare was dangerous; there was snow, ice, lack of herbs, the harsh cold, and lack of prey. Now, on top of all that, there would be the teeth and claws of a rival Clan. While Duckpaw did regard Sweetheart's suggestion with approval, she knew deep down that she was just a mere apprentice. Duckpaw had no say in what the Clan did. If RiverClan was going to war, then she would defend her home to the best of her ability. She said nothing, though. Her mind was too busy yelling at her.
Why didn't you hold your tongue, you idiot? Now they're going to think that you're unloyal, too! See? This is why you should never speak your mind.

Brightpaw sat a little straighter. Well, maybe a fight would make his life more interesting. He watched the argument, and his heart leapt when he saw his mother join. Silverfang would always be right. He stepped up next to his mother. "Silverfang, Ivysrar and Otterleap are absolutely right, Sweetheart. Their fire is not our problem." said the young apprentice, using the names as he heard them. He was a very young apprentice, but knew his mother was right, and refused to hear any different.

Sweetheart's fur bristled at Otterleap's and Silverfang's words, but she relaxed again when Duckpaw jumped in. She may just be an apprentice, but she knew that this war would affect everyone, so it would be silly if apprentices couldn't have a say. She blinked gratefully at the apprentice, then turned back to the two warriors who had verbally attacked her and challenged her loyalty -- and then the one apprentice who naturally sided with his mother -- keeping her voice calm. "I understand that you three, and may others, don't like what I had to say, but isn't a little differentiation a good thing, especially in a time like this? Of course I want what's best for RiverClan, but what if going into war will be the exact opposite? We all say we will win, but we have to be realistic: we just might lose. I'm not saying we will, but let's say we do. What then?"