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Description
Warning: This excerpt is about a battle. If you don't like reading scenes like this, skip it.

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Crimsonstar was sitting outside her den, waiting for Tigerflame and Snowfire. Tigerflame saw the tip of her tail twitching. The leader's ears were flattened against her head. Her dark blue eyes bore into Tigerflame and Snowfire as they approached. Tigerflame noticed Furyclaw and Shadowheart sitting on either side of her.

"That was fast. Did you finish the patrol?" Crimsonstar asked.

Tigerflame shook his head. "I thought better of it, Crimsonstar. Rowanstar was already angry enough. I didn't want to..."

"He had every right to be angry!" Crimsonstar interrupted. "What you and Burntpelt did today was one of the most foolish things I've seen in many moons. With the worst part of leafbare upon us, the smallest step out of line will threaten an all-out war between the Clans!"

"But, earlier...we were stealing prey..." Tigerflame stuttered.

Furyclaw sneered. "They weren't supposed to get caught, Tigerflame! Stealing prey and not getting caught is something that has happened between the Clans for generations. Roguestripe and the others have already been punished for their mistake of being caught."

"Punished?" Tigerflame's eyes widened.

Furyclaw glared. "You haven't noticed? Roguestripe, Driftsoot, Needleheart, Cinderbranch, and Foxstripe haven't left the camp since they got caught stealing prey. Their punishment ends in a few days. On the day of the full moon, actually."

Tigerflame flattened his ears. Warriors were never banned from leaving the camp! Especially not in the middle of leafbare, when prey was scarce and they needed every able set of paws just to feed the Clan! What was Crimsonstar thinking?

"A fair punishment, don't you think, Tigerflame?" Crimsonstar said, her blue eyes flashing. "It was Furyclaw who came up with the idea. And he has a punishment fit for you and Burntpelt, as well. Your actions today have put ThunderClan on alert. There is no way we can cross their borders to steal prey without them noticing."

Tigerflame's blood felt ice cold as he looked at Crimsonstar. A punishment fit for him and Burntpelt? What did that mean? He heard pawsteps behind him and turned to see Duskcloud, Pineroot, and Volemask escorting Burntpelt closer. Tigerflame turned back to face his father. Furyclaw's face was contorted into a grimace, almost as if he were grinning in pain.

"For their wrongdoings, Burntpelt and Tigerflame must be publicly punished," Crimsonstar said, her voice echoing in the camp. "After a short discussion with Furyclaw, it has been decided that Burntpelt and Tigerflame will be physically punished."

Tigerflame backed away from Crimsonstar. Physically punished?

"What?" Snowfire yelped. "You're going to hurt them?"

"Step aside, Snowfire," Crimsonstar said. "Furyclaw and I have decided that ShadowClan has been too weak recently. There is not enough prey being caught. Our queens, kits, and elders are starving because of our hunters' incompetence. It is time to show everyone what happens to those who are incompetent. Starting with Burntpelt and Tigerflame. Furyclaw, you may begin."

Burntpelt yelped as Duskcloud shoved him toward Tigerflame. Tigerflame leaped out of the way before Burntpelt could bump into him. Before he knew what was happening, Tigerflame was being bombarded by his Clanmates. Snailpool was in his face, clawing at his ears. He batted her away from him and turned, only to be tackled to the dirt by Bowfur and Driftsoot. The two brothers dug their claws into his back and shoulders and flipped him onto his back. Tigerflame kicked with his back legs, sending Bowfur flying. Driftsoot sneered as Tigerflame twisted and ran. He spotted Burntpelt being pressed into the ground by Furyclaw and Cinderbranch.

"Tigerflame! Look out!" he heard Snowfire scream.

His legs went out from under him as Volemask leaped in front of him. Tigerflame tumbled over Snowfire's brother. Volemask's silver eyes flashed dangerously as he slashed at Tigerflame. Pain scorched through Tigerflame's face as Volemask's claws connected with his flesh.

"Volemask, no!" Snowfire screamed.

Tigerflame felt blood dripping down the side of his face. He lifted a paw and rubbed at his cheek. The pain was so immense, he couldn't even open his eyes. Tigerflame screamed and blindly lashed out in front of him. His paw connected with fur, but the other cat darted out of the way before he could harm them. He felt teeth in his neck. Tigerflame slumped to the ground. Just as the cat's teeth loosened from his neck, he reared up and slammed them away from him.

"Enough!" Crimsonstar screamed.

It was suddenly quiet in the camp. Tigerflame panted. His heart was thundering in his chest, but he could still hear Crimsonstar padding toward him. Somewhere close by, he could hear Burntpelt panting and wincing in pain.

"Burntpelt. Tigerflame. See to it that neither of you cross any of our borders for the next whole moon. If you are caught, you will be banned from leaving the camp and have guards on you at all times," Crimsonstar said. "Shadowheart, clean these two up. Furyclaw wants them ready for a hunting patrol before the sun goes down."

"Crimsonstar, neither of them should be..." Shadowheart started to say.

"Do you dare go against my orders, Shadowheart? Just because you are the medicine cat doesn't mean you can go against my direct orders!" Crimsonstar shouted.

"I understand, Crimsonstar. I will see to them at once," Shadowheart whispered.

What is going on here? Tigerflame thought to himself as he lay on the floor of ShadowClan's camp, bleeding from wounds his own Clanmates had inflicted. Crimsonstar and Furyclaw have gone mad with power! Great StarClan, please do something to stop this lunacy!

But Tigerflame received no answer from StarClan as Shadowheart helped him and Burntpelt into the medicine cat den.
- excerpt from Warriors A New Age 3: Tragedies of War

About this Picture

Characters include:

Tigerflame - ginger tom in foreground

Volemask - gray tabby tom with black stripes in foreground

Driftsoot - gray and light gray tom in foreground

Bowfur - gray tom behind Driftsoot

Sorrelpaw - black and ginger she-cat on right hand side

Burntpelt - black and brown tom in middle

Furyclaw - ginger and white tom on top of Burntpelt

Cinderbranch - brown tom with white chin on top of Burntpelt

Duskcloud - black and gray tom on left hand side

Snowfire - gray tabby she-cat in background on right side

Pineroot - silver and cream tom in upper right corner

Crimsonstar - white and ginger she-cat in upper left corner

Shadowheart - ginger she-cat in middle background

This scene wasn't exactly planned early on like the majority of large events that happen in my stories. It just sort of happened. But it was such a scary idea, to have Clanmates turn on one another like this, that I just had to add it into the story. I hope you enjoy!

Description
Warning: This excerpt is about a battle. If you don't like reading scenes like this, skip it.

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

Crimsonstar was sitting outside her den, waiting for Tigerflame and Snowfire. Tigerflame saw the tip of her tail twitching. The leader's ears were flattened against her head. Her dark blue eyes bore into Tigerflame and Snowfire as they approached. Tigerflame noticed Furyclaw and Shadowheart sitting on either side of her.

"That was fast. Did you finish the patrol?" Crimsonstar asked.

Tigerflame shook his head. "I thought better of it, Crimsonstar. Rowanstar was already angry enough. I didn't want to..."

"He had every right to be angry!" Crimsonstar interrupted. "What you and Burntpelt did today was one of the most foolish things I've seen in many moons. With the worst part of leafbare upon us, the smallest step out of line will threaten an all-out war between the Clans!"

"But, earlier...we were stealing prey..." Tigerflame stuttered.

Furyclaw sneered. "They weren't supposed to get caught, Tigerflame! Stealing prey and not getting caught is something that has happened between the Clans for generations. Roguestripe and the others have already been punished for their mistake of being caught."

"Punished?" Tigerflame's eyes widened.

Furyclaw glared. "You haven't noticed? Roguestripe, Driftsoot, Needleheart, Cinderbranch, and Foxstripe haven't left the camp since they got caught stealing prey. Their punishment ends in a few days. On the day of the full moon, actually."

Tigerflame flattened his ears. Warriors were never banned from leaving the camp! Especially not in the middle of leafbare, when prey was scarce and they needed every able set of paws just to feed the Clan! What was Crimsonstar thinking?

"A fair punishment, don't you think, Tigerflame?" Crimsonstar said, her blue eyes flashing. "It was Furyclaw who came up with the idea. And he has a punishment fit for you and Burntpelt, as well. Your actions today have put ThunderClan on alert. There is no way we can cross their borders to steal prey without them noticing."

Tigerflame's blood felt ice cold as he looked at Crimsonstar. A punishment fit for him and Burntpelt? What did that mean? He heard pawsteps behind him and turned to see Duskcloud, Pineroot, and Volemask escorting Burntpelt closer. Tigerflame turned back to face his father. Furyclaw's face was contorted into a grimace, almost as if he were grinning in pain.

"For their wrongdoings, Burntpelt and Tigerflame must be publicly punished," Crimsonstar said, her voice echoing in the camp. "After a short discussion with Furyclaw, it has been decided that Burntpelt and Tigerflame will be physically punished."

Tigerflame backed away from Crimsonstar. Physically punished?

"What?" Snowfire yelped. "You're going to hurt them?"

"Step aside, Snowfire," Crimsonstar said. "Furyclaw and I have decided that ShadowClan has been too weak recently. There is not enough prey being caught. Our queens, kits, and elders are starving because of our hunters' incompetence. It is time to show everyone what happens to those who are incompetent. Starting with Burntpelt and Tigerflame. Furyclaw, you may begin."

Burntpelt yelped as Duskcloud shoved him toward Tigerflame. Tigerflame leaped out of the way before Burntpelt could bump into him. Before he knew what was happening, Tigerflame was being bombarded by his Clanmates. Snailpool was in his face, clawing at his ears. He batted her away from him and turned, only to be tackled to the dirt by Bowfur and Driftsoot. The two brothers dug their claws into his back and shoulders and flipped him onto his back. Tigerflame kicked with his back legs, sending Bowfur flying. Driftsoot sneered as Tigerflame twisted and ran. He spotted Burntpelt being pressed into the ground by Furyclaw and Cinderbranch.

"Tigerflame! Look out!" he heard Snowfire scream.

His legs went out from under him as Volemask leaped in front of him. Tigerflame tumbled over Snowfire's brother. Volemask's silver eyes flashed dangerously as he slashed at Tigerflame. Pain scorched through Tigerflame's face as Volemask's claws connected with his flesh.

"Volemask, no!" Snowfire screamed.

Tigerflame felt blood dripping down the side of his face. He lifted a paw and rubbed at his cheek. The pain was so immense, he couldn't even open his eyes. Tigerflame screamed and blindly lashed out in front of him. His paw connected with fur, but the other cat darted out of the way before he could harm them. He felt teeth in his neck. Tigerflame slumped to the ground. Just as the cat's teeth loosened from his neck, he reared up and slammed them away from him.

"Enough!" Crimsonstar screamed.

It was suddenly quiet in the camp. Tigerflame panted. His heart was thundering in his chest, but he could still hear Crimsonstar padding toward him. Somewhere close by, he could hear Burntpelt panting and wincing in pain.

"Burntpelt. Tigerflame. See to it that neither of you cross any of our borders for the next whole moon. If you are caught, you will be banned from leaving the camp and have guards on you at all times," Crimsonstar said. "Shadowheart, clean these two up. Furyclaw wants them ready for a hunting patrol before the sun goes down."

"Crimsonstar, neither of them should be..." Shadowheart started to say.

"Do you dare go against my orders, Shadowheart? Just because you are the medicine cat doesn't mean you can go against my direct orders!" Crimsonstar shouted.

"I understand, Crimsonstar. I will see to them at once," Shadowheart whispered.

What is going on here? Tigerflame thought to himself as he lay on the floor of ShadowClan's camp, bleeding from wounds his own Clanmates had inflicted. Crimsonstar and Furyclaw have gone mad with power! Great StarClan, please do something to stop this lunacy!

But Tigerflame received no answer from StarClan as Shadowheart helped him and Burntpelt into the medicine cat den.
- excerpt from Warriors A New Age 3: Tragedies of War

About this Picture

Characters include:

Tigerflame - ginger tom in foreground

Volemask - gray tabby tom with black stripes in foreground

Driftsoot - gray and light gray tom in foreground

Bowfur - gray tom behind Driftsoot

Sorrelpaw - black and ginger she-cat on right hand side

Burntpelt - black and brown tom in middle

Furyclaw - ginger and white tom on top of Burntpelt

Cinderbranch - brown tom with white chin on top of Burntpelt

Duskcloud - black and gray tom on left hand side

Snowfire - gray tabby she-cat in background on right side

Pineroot - silver and cream tom in upper right corner

Crimsonstar - white and ginger she-cat in upper left corner

Shadowheart - ginger she-cat in middle background

This scene wasn't exactly planned early on like the majority of large events that happen in my stories. It just sort of happened. But it was such a scary idea, to have Clanmates turn on one another like this, that I just had to add it into the story. I hope you enjoy!