Hey Warrior Fans! So here is the official first short story for the WattyWarriors 2.0 Fan Magazine! I had real much fun doing this so please proceed :D So y'all know about Mapleshade? I partially felt bad for her . . . well, here is the short story ^^
~ @LightningStrikeTC

  Oak trees with no leaves towered over Mapleshade as she ran through the forest, outlined by the small bright crescent of the moon and the brilliant stars. The air blew through the leaf bare forest, and her paws felt chills running through her whole body as she ran through thin snow. Her heart was racing as fast as she took herself, with fear, adrenaline and power.

A dark shape hissed through the trees, making her stop with surprise. She growled to herself, unsheathing her claws. Her eyes blazed, and a cat leaped through the trees, his black pelt stood out from the white snow as his long claws unsheathed too. His eyes glowed amber and his teeth were bared. It was a ShadowClan warrior!

He looked satisfied. "Running away from the battle, eh?" he hissed, leaping at her with his paws outstretched.

Mapleshade gasped, and ran in the other direction, not looking back as he chased her through the ThunderClan forest. A haunting voice growled through her ears. What are you doing Mapleshade? it boomed. This is your chance to prove your worth to us! Mapleshade skidded to a halt, listening to her mentor's words. She was right--this is what a coward would do! Cowards run! I am not a coward! she thought in her mind, turning over to the ShadowClan warrior. His amber eyes were the first thing she had spotted.

With all her might, she raked his face right before he could even leap. The ShadowClan warrior yowled with agony, and Mapleshade leaped onto his back, pinning him down to the cold forest floor. Blood began to stain the snow as she dug her teeth and claws deep into his black pelt. Mapleshade found his neck and bit down hard there as well.

He yowled louder, struggling under her so she could loose her grip. But she only tightened her jaws harder around his neck until she felt that he had stopped moving. Mapleshade growled to herself in satisfaction, letting go of him. This is what the Dark Forest meant to her--she'd kill for them.

Mapleshade looked down to the ShadowClan warrior's amber eyes, as the life faded out quickly. She kicked snow on his face before she turned and ran away from his corpse. There was more important things she'd have to do.

She was close to the RiverClan borders. She crouched down into a bush covered in snow, hoping that no cat over the border would be able to see her. After moments she realized that there were no patrols coming, and she darted from her spot and into the territory.

She could already scent him.

A cat leaped onto her back, pinning her down. "Who are you?" a familiar voice growled.

Mapleshade kicked him off, panting. "Appledusk, it's me!" she meowed, worried for a second that he did not remember her. But as soon as she turned to see his eyes, they softened.

"Oh," he said, and his eyes widened again. "I didn't recognize you! You reek of blood and ShadowClan! Are you okay?" He padded over and sniffed her pelt.

She nodded and shoved him away from her pelt. "ThunderClan and ShadowClan were having a battle," she murmured. "But . . . I had to come, Appleausk."

His eyes looked uncertain as he searched her gaze. "Why?" he asked. "Your Clanmates are dying out there, but you abandoned them to come to see me?" He was full of disbelief.

Mapleshade wanted to be angry at him for not understanding, for not being happy that she chose him over her Clan. But he doesn't know yet . . . Mapleshade sighed. "There's a reason I was not aloud to participate in the battle," she muttered, "and a reason why I had to come."

Appledusk's mouth opened, but he closed them again. "Fine. But lets go into the forest before any cat finds us here."

Mapleshade nodded, and followed Appledusk quietly as he led her to the trees that would shield them. He settled down behind a bush where no cat would likely find them, and he looked at her, waiting for her to speak. She was hesitant for a second.

"Well, I'm having kits," she meowed, not leaving his gaze. "And I didn't know when I'd see you again so I couldn't of skipped the chance." She sighed and looked down to her paws, wondering what Appledusk, the very loyal RiverClan warrior, would say.

A purr rumbled through his throat. "Really?" he asked. "When are they due?" All the disbelief was gone. She sighed of relief, also wondering how his mood changes to easily.

Mapleshade purred too. "They're due in at least a quarter moon if you hadn't noticed change, mouse-brain," she laughed. "And tonight was the only chance I knew I could see you."

"Oh," said Appledusk. "I understand. But I will get to see the kits soon, right?" he added. "We'd still get to meet, but this time you'd bring them with you?"

Mapleshade's eyes dimmed. "I do not know," she said, her voice low again. Her purring stopped and her tail dropped. "ThunderClan and RiverClan has had countless battles. Surely, they'd recognize the kits father. I don't know what I'd do after that."

Appledusk let his tail rest on her spine reassuringly. "Come to RiverClan," he said, "and they'd welcome you in."

"Are you sure?"

Appledusk nodded. "Yeah I am."

Mapleshade purred again a little, feeling comfortable.

"I'll always love you, and only you, Mapleshade," he murmured, still purring on about the kits. But deep down, Mapleshade was very uncertain.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

"You had two beautiful kits, Mapleshade," said the ThunderClan's medicine cat. Mapleshade's nodded weakly and looked over to her two kits. The two of them both had the broad heads of Appledusk, and one of them had his beautiful RiverClan coat.

No . . . thought Mapleshade. She looked up to the medicine cat, who's eyes were widening with horror.

"I knew it," she whispered, her eyes on her paws. "No cat in ThunderClan looks like this!" She turned sharply to Mapleshade. "What is the meaning of this?"

Mapleshade's teeth were drawn immediately to her defense. "I don't know what you're talking about! Leave my kits in peace!" she growled, wrapping her tail around the two bundles.

"I have to go," she growled, leaving the den. Mapleshade's heart raced with nervousness as she stalked over to the Highstones. Mapleshade didn't know what was going to happen . . . she hoped that her kits and her were going to be alright.

The medicine cat was now talking to the leader, and her heart pounded fast as she watched them swiftly take glances back at Mapleshade and her kits. A few warriors were whispering to each other around her. She shrunk back in her place, not knowing what to do.

It was broad daylight, and many cats were still injured from the battle a few days ago. But now ShadowClan is forgotten due to the fact ThunderClan can now determine who is the father of her kits, the cat she is mated to.

That fact is going to ruin my life if any cat finds out! she thought. Why does Appledusk get to be the tom? Why does he get to have it so easy?Finally, after a few moments, the leader and medicine cat came stalking back, their eyes both looking stern. "These are clearly Appledusk, the RiverClan cat's, kits," she growled.

Mapleshade's leader looked down at her with interest. Mapleshade only hissed, not knowing what to say now. There was nothing she can say nor do to her defense now, with her secret out. What was she going to do . . .?

"Fine," she finally said, "these are Appledusk's kits, but it has happened before, right?" She wanted to be on their good side now, but she was far from that.

"You've done many countless and reckless things while you were in ThunderClan," snarled the leader, "I will not tolerate that in my Clan now. These kits were the final draw to your stay in ThunderClan." Mapleshade's heart stopped. "You will leave the camp now, and if I find you or these . . . monsters in my territory, any cat will have the permission to attack."

"What about my family?" she asked, motioning to her siblings and parents. "We will miss each other!"

"Leave the camp now!" he growled, barring his teeth. The kits squealed and cried loud, wanting their mother's milk, wanting the warmth of her.

"Fine!" she hissed. "I don't need any of you anyways!"

She grabbed the two kits in her jaws, hoping that they'd be okay, and charged out of camp, her heart breaking into many little pieces. She knew this was going to happen. She was never ThunderClan's favorite cat anyways . . . oh, Appledusk, what am I going to do?
Then, it hit her. She remembered Appledusk saying something about joining RiverClan . . . about letting her be one of them. Maybe this was the solution to her problems! She eagerly raced to the RiverClan territory, careful too since she held kits in her jaws.

She knew her life in ThunderClan was officially over now. There was no turning back, especially now with her kits and Appledusk to worry about. She was close to their borders now, and ducked behind a few bushes, looking out for a patrol. Her kits were silent. She was thankful for that, but was also worried of how they were doing. To be here, out in the open in the cold as a newborn is terrible.

When she realized that no cat will walk by any time soon, she walked cautiously but swiftly into their territory. She was hoping to run into Appledusk to help her carry the kits over the river, because even though she knew very well she could swim, she wasn't as good as a RiverClan cat. Finally, she reached RiverClan's rushing waters. She was surprised it was not frozen.

Taking a deep breath, she crossed. Here goes nothing, Mapleshade thought with anxiety pricking her fur. She hissed at the cold water, and waded in it until she reached up to her belly. She held her head as high as she could to keep the kits from the cold water, but already half of their bodies was drowned into the icy cold.

She had to go faster--her kits or her could catch a cold! Mapleshade pushed herself into the water, beginning to paddle, but with the extra weight, it was hard. Her head went underwater, and her eyes widened. She or her kits could not breath. Mapleshade accidental let them go, returning to the surface taking a deep breath. But she suddenly realized that her kits were being washed away!

Oh no! Mapleshade thought, swimming fiercely to her young. She caught one in her jaws, and grabbed the other, pulling him near. She took them both in her teeth again, and swam as hard as she could to the land. She made it . . . she was cold, wet, and so were her kits, but they made it.

"Here," Mapleshade said putting them down. As soon as she did so, she realized that they weren't moving. Oh no . . .

Mapleshade poked the two with her nose, and realized that they weren't breathing too. They were dead. Her heart sunk to the bottom of her chest, and she pressed close to her dead newborn kits. This wasn't suppose to happen! First, she lost ThunderClan, then, her family, and now her kits!

Someone was coming towards her. She looked up, hoping to see Appledusk. He stood firmly over her. His eyes were round with shock. "Mapleshade!" he gasped, his pelt bristling.

"A-Appledusk," she whimpered, shivering. "ThunderClan b-banned me. I came to RiverClan, l-like you said and tried to carry our kits over the river . . . but--"

"I clearly see what you have done, Mapleshade!" he growled, narrowing his eyes. "I taught you very well how to swim . . . a-and you've let our kits drown! Besides, you could've waited for a patrol, you could've left them somewhere safe and came to camp to tell me about it, but no, you had to let them drown!"

"I swear I tried!" she insisted. "I tried to take the kits to you because they were going to freeze!"

Appledusk snarled. "Not another word from you," he said, backing away from her. "Leave, before I call a RiverClan patrol."

Mapleshade's pelt was shaking harder with disbelief. "I thought you loved me!" she cried, before leaping into the river, away from her former mate. I've lost everything, she thought. I truly have nothing left. I will make ThunderClan and RiverClan pay. I'll make all the Clans pay for their stupid warrior code!
~.~.~.~.~.~.~
Mapleshade kept hidden under the cover of the undergrowth as two RiverClan cats walked by. A patrol of two? Lately, as the moons went by, she'd been killing off as many Clan cats as she could get her paws on to. And now she was going to get one of these two . . .

But as they came closer, she could recognize them. It was Appledusk, and another she-cat! She made sure that they couldn't see her.

"Guess what," she she-cat said, eagerly to Appledusk.

"Yes?" he responded, his tail entwined into her's.

"I'm having kits!" she excitedly meowed, nuzzling Appledusk. Something flashed into his eyes for a second, but then he purred as well.

"That's great!" he said. "I've always wanted kits, you know."

Mapleshade clawed the ground hard with her claws. She wanted to go in there and tear the she-cats head off. This wasn't fair! She gave him kits before whoever this cat is! She was his mate first! He said that he'd always love her, and only her! Whoever these kits were going to be, Mapleshade was going to find out eventually, and Appledusk's kin will not be as perfect as he thought they would. 

One day, vowed Mapleshade to herself. I will get full revenge on the kin of Appledusk. One day.
Her heart was covered in the darkness of her truth. And this will be completed cause she would have the Dark Forest on her side. There was nothing more powerful than the Dark Forest, and her desires now.