Riddle Answer on Chapter 11

Ripplestar's POV

  The battle would be won by LakeClan. He was sure of it.

  Ripplestar poked his head out of HighBranch Hollow. There, in the warm golden light of dawn, he saw all of his cats emerging from their dens. Not one of them were sleepy. They were all cautious, and aware. 

  He leaped onto the HighBranch. "We go, now,"he ordered. "My  patrol and Pineflower's patrol, we head out of camp to hide first. Grassflame, you and your patrol can follow behind."

  The camp began to buzz with excitement. "Dawn patrol! To me!" he heard Grassflame call, and near the warriors' den Pineflower was assembling her patrol. Ripplestar leapt down from the HighBranch and was immediately joined by Lightningblaze, Minnowpaw, Adderstrike, Sandfrost and Tigerpaw. "Good, is everyone ready?"Ripplestar yowled. Murmurs of assent came from his clan, including Dawndrop, who was holding many packets of herbs wrapped in dock leaf between her jaws. Together, they headed to the MountainClan border.

  This will be the first battle they lost since these five years, he purred at the thought. His clan, led by him, would be known throughout history.

  As they arrived at the grassy clearing marking the border between MountainClan and LakeClan, Ripplestar flicked his tail, signalling all the cats to separate and hide. "Remember,"he whispered as he slid into the shelter of the tall grass,"Don't attack until Grassflame yowls."

  Soon, Grassflame and her patrol came into view, as well as a few other cats in the MountainClan dawn patrol-Taloncry, Haretail, Russetfoot, Snowlife and Diamondfoot. Grassflame's green eyes widened as she took in five MountainClan cats, who outnumbered them. "Greetings, Taloncry," she meowed to the deputy coolly. Taloncry dipped his head. "Greetings," he responded, eyes wary and hackles raised, ready to defend.

  "Taloncry," Grassflame began,"LakeClan knows MountainClan has been stealing prey from us. What do you have to say about that?"

  "Nothing, except that we have not stolen prey from you," Taloncry glared at Grassflame. "Do you have any proof?'

  Rather than responding, Grassflame let out a shriek of rage and flung herself at Taloncry. Immediately, the other LakeClan cats in the dawn patrol leaped at the MountainClan cats, who defended by sidestepping, ducking under their bellies or meeting them head-on. Diamondfoot and Snowlife soon had Cedarpelt cornered, while Russetfoot was keeping Wildsky busy. Knowing defeat, Grassflame let out a screech. "LakeClan, to me!"

  But it was followed by an echo, from behind Ripplestar's patrol. "MountainClan, attack!" Cloudstar yowled. Around her, MountainClan cats were emerging from the grass behind Ripplestar. They had been there all along. On the other side, MountainClan cats were surrounding Pineflower's patrol in a ring, as well.

  With a united cry of fury, the MountainClan cats surged forward, and Ripplestar found himself up against a silver she-cat. Silvermist, he remembered. Hissing, she ducked under his front paw swipe aimed at her head and slammed her head into his chest, causing him to stumble backwards. He quickly recovered and leaped at her, sliding under her belly and clawing tufts of white fur out. She yowled in pain and bit down onto his ear, causing him to jerk up and fling her off. She lay unmoving on the grass.

  "How dare you!"someone screeched in his ear. "Tromping in here, accusing us of taking your prey and injuring a warrior-badly!"

  Ripplestar whirled around and saw Cloudstar, gray and white fur fluffed up and a long, bleeding scratch running from her flank to her leg. Her eyes were glinting with anger. "Just you and me," she hissed. "One on one."

  Without wasting a breath, the MountainClan leader leapt onto him, churning her paws along his already bloodied flank. He flung her off and bit down on her shoulder, but she slashed her claws along his throat, not deep enough to kill but enough to make him collapse. Cloudstar loomed over him, snarling and baring her fangs. "MountainClan has won, you idiot," she snapped. "Go on, retreat!"

  Ripplestar staggered to his feet. "You're right,"he rasped to Cloudstar. "We've lost this battle. But the war is not over! LakeClan, retreat!"

  Coral broke apart from Gorsefern, panting and bleeding from a few scratches on her flank. Next to her, Leafspring and Taloncry released Minnowpaw, while Blazebloom allowed Cedarpelt to flee. Together, the LakeClan cats limped off the battleground, with the MountainClan cats letting out yowls of victory behind them.

  "No! Pineflower!"

  A yowl from Tigerpaw made Ripplestar jerk his head up. The dark brown apprentice was crouching over his mentor, who was twitching feebly on the ground, a thick trail of blood running from a deep slash line running from her throat and splattering the dirt.

  "Pineflower?"Cedarpelt, her mate, knelt next to her. He was trembling, but he was trying to be brave for the dying calico she-cat's sake. "Pineflower, it's me."

  "Cedarpelt,"Pineflower breathed. Tears sparkled in her green eyes, which were fading to a dull sheen of pale green. 

  "You'll be fine,"Cedarpelt couldn't hold the tremor from his voice this time. As he reassured his mate, and white she-cat padded up to them, an ear tip slashed off. 

  "Mom?"Wavepaw asked, tears running down her cheeks. Pineflower slowly turned her head to look at her only daughter. "Wavepaw, I'm proud of you," she whispered. "You have a bright light shining inside you. Shine. Become a great cat I can be proud of."

  The effort of speaking caused blood to flow even faster from her neck. "Don't talk, Mom," Wavepaw urged. "You don't have to."

  A small exhale came from Pineflower's mouth. "I would have named you Waveshine," she rasped, before all remaining energy left her body.  Pineflower's muscles slackened, and her green eyes glazed over, staring at nothingness forever.

  "Mom!"Wavepaw wailed, crouching over her body and sobbing, heartbroken. "Wake up. Wake up!"

  Together, Tigerpaw, Cedarpelt and Wavepaw carried her broken body back to camp.

  As they left, Ripplestar turned around and narrowed his eyes, glaring at the MountainClan cats. The battle was lost, but the war was not won. He would have his revenge on the spy for killing one of his warriors.

  But who betrayed LakeClan?

Short compared to Chapter 9, which was 2310 words. This is 1033 words. Not too short.