14
The cats ran at each other, slamming into each other in a screeching mass of fur, claws and teeth.
Illusion raked her claws down a tabby she-cat's face, snarling. The cat screeched, pulling her face away before lunging forward to sink her teeth into the side of Illusion's throat. Illusion pretended to go limp, and the cat released her, about to bite again when Illusion shot forwards, grabbing the she-cat's lower jaw and crushing.
She shrieked in pain, pulling away and fleeing. Illusion looked around, seeing Dawncloud wrestling with a grey tom cat. Another cat sprang at her from behind, sinking its claws into Dawncloud's back.
Illusion yowled, hurtling into the cat and sending her sprawling. She spun onto her back, snarling and striking Illusion across the face with a paw. Illusion reeled, stepping back as she felt blood run down the side of her face.
The she-cat leapt forwards, tipping Illusion onto her back. She hit the ground hard, letting out a gasp as the cat pounced on her. Suddenly, the cat was ripped away, and Dawncloud was slashing at her face. Staggering to her paws, Illusion bounced straight over Dawncloud, landing paw-first on the she-cat and throwing her off balance. She fell to the ground, gasping with pain, before leaping up and limping quickly away, her leg at an awkward angle.
Dawncloud glanced at Illusion, nodding silently. Together, they turned, fighting against the flood of Tribe cats.
A flash of orange caught Illusion's gaze. Rusty! She thought, breaking away from Dawncloud and racing after Rusty. She felt adrenaline pump through her veins. How could she kill him?
She followed him, away from the other cats. Where is he going?
Illusion sprang forwards, sinking her claws into Rusty's rump. He spun, snarling, his face widening in surprise as he realised who it was.
He pushed her back forcefully, claws sheathed. "Leave," he snarled. Illusion felt a growl rising in her throat, throwing herself forward to attack Rusty. He was too fast, turning and running from her.
They burst into a clearing, and Illusion felt her stomach twist in horror as she realised Rusty had led her to River.
The grey cat crouched, his eye flickering with twisted satisfaction as Rusty raced to his side, turning to Illusion. "You're here," he growled, rising. "It's been a long time. How have you been?" Illusion felt her fur rise, and her paws itched to rip his pelt off.
"Oh, I've been as fine as a cat without family can be," she forced herself to sound as polite as possible.
"Well, that's enough catching up," he growled, stepping forwards. "Let's get to your death."
Suddenly, two cats burst from behind Illusion. "Dawncloud! Splashskip!" Illusion cried, running up to them. River snarled, Rusty standing up beside him.
"Milk," he snarled. "I already told you to never see me again."
Dawncloud bristled. "You don't own me anymore, River," she said calmly. "I'm my own cat now."
He laughed mirthlessly. "Finally, you grew a backbone. Rusty, let's take care of this." The two toms advanced. Rusty lunged forward, but Splashskip was too quick for him, throwing himself against the orange cat and they rolled away, wrestling.
River snarled, leaping straight for Illusion. She braced herself for the impact, but Dawncloud sprang in front of her, sending River crashing to the ground. He shrieked in anger, gripping Dawncloud's face in his claws and throwing her against the ground.
Illusion heard a sickening crack, and Dawncloud lay still, blood leaking from her head.
River looked up, a nauseating grin plastered across his face. "You're sick," Illusion snarled, her fur bristling. River sniffed.
"Let's agree to disagree on that point," he growled, stepping forwards, claws unsheathed. He snarled, springing at her. Illusion dropped and rolled, sending River crashing onto the ground. She sank her claws into River's back, ripping out tufts of his pelt.
River spun, teeth bared and Illusion jumped from his back, landing in a defensive crouch. She quickly remembered the fox in Shadowclan's camp, and how she defeated it. She leaped, sinking her claws into River's shoulder blades and trying to wrench him off his paws.
River turned with her, surprising Illusion and pinning her to the ground. She gasped, her vision blurring as River clawed her chest. Every breath felt like a thousand burning claws sinking into her lungs from the inside.
Kicking desperately with her hind legs, she tried to claw his stomach, but to no avail. He leaned forward, hissing. "I'm going to do everything you did to me," River snarled, lifting a claw and sinking it into Illusion's eye.
She shrieked with pain, writhing underneath his paws. Her eye burned, and she kicked and clawed at him, a new energy coursing through her veins. Fear.
She managed to take him by surprise, throwing him off. Blood covered the black side of her face her blue eye glued shut. Staggering to the side she gasped, stumbling backwards. He advanced, tail flicking from side to side, a new anger in his gaze.
"Back off," she snarled, striking at River's other eye. He recoiled, hissing like a snake before advancing again. Lunging again, Illusion raked her claws deep into River's healthy eye.
He shrieked a blood-curdling scream, pressing his paws to his face. "My eyes!" he yowled, staggering to the side and collapsing, writhing on the ground.
Illusion stumbled forwards, falling and sinking her claws into River's side, using her last ebbing strength to rip River's pelt from his body, blood flooding onto the ground.
Illusion's world swam. She rested her head on her blood covered paws, trying to ignore the throbbing pulsing through her mind. She felt her energy drain onto the ground through her ripped up eye. Why bother? Illusion thought, letting herself relax. This patch of blood-soaked ground felt so comfortable. She wanted to go to sleep and never wake up, just relax on the floor forever.
Am I dying? Illusion wondered. It didn't feel as bad as she expected, more relaxing.
"Illusion?" she faintly heard Splashskip. "Oh, Starclan Illusion, we need to get you to Mothwing right no-"
And then Illusion could hear no more.