Circle of Life: Book 1: Beginnings
A/N: AGH! I'm SOOOOOO sorry about the wait! I lost my flash drive (--cough—again—cough), so I had to write this on my CP, even though I had this chapter AND the epilogue saved on my flash drive! Again, SORRY!
Chapter 19: Last Chance
Tanglepath's leg hurt.
Bad.
He hadn't realized it until he suddenly had to lean on Silvertail's shoulder for support as his leg practically gave out under him. He glanced down to see the wound inflicted by Foxfur's teeth meeting near his paw. He closed his eyes when he saw blood, his blood mingling with his sister's silver fur.
When he looked up, Silvertail was looking at him with a worried look on her face.
"Are you okay?" she asked worriedly.
"Yeah," Tanglepath said, trying to straighten up a bit. He whimpered as his leg protested, practically screeching with pain.
"We need to get you back to camp," Silvertail said. "Come on, Tanglepath. Can you stand?"
Tanglepath tried to stand up, but once again his leg screamed with pain. He slumped back onto Silvertail's shoulder, shaking his head without speaking. She helped him to lay down on the cold ground. 'It'll be leaf-bare soon,' he thought through the pained torpor in his mind.
"It hurts," he whimpered.
"I know," Silvertail whispered. "Don't worry. I'll get Featherpaw and Lillypelt. They'll know what to do. Just stay here, okay Tanglepath? Don't try to go anywhere, all right?"
"Wait!" Tanglepath said, his eyes widening. "You're leaving?"
"I have to," Silvertail murmured. "But I'll be back, I promise. Don't worry, okay? It's gonna be okay." Then she turned, and disappeared into the undergrowth.
"Silvertail?!" Tanglepath called after her. "Silvertail?! Come back!"
But she wasn't coming back. Tanglepath was on his own.
Silvertail knew she had to run, and run fast. She couldn't stop. Not now. Not until she reached the camp, where she would find Featherpaw and Lillypelt and bring them back to save Tanglepath.
As she ran, she was dimly aware of how the moon cast strange, dappled figures on her silver pelt as it shone through the leaves of the tall trees above her, just as it did to the ground.
'This is no time for stupid patterns!' Silvertail thought. 'I have to get to Featherpaw and Lillypelt!'
It seemed like she had been running forever when she finally realized that she could recognize things. There was the tree that she and her siblings had snuck out to when they were kits. There was the clump of marigold that surprisingly grew so close to the camp. And there! There was the hole in the wall of the camp, made by a LightningClan invasion! She was so close!
She didn't realize how close, though, until she crashed head-on into Topazfur. The golden tom was standing guard.
"Oof!" Topazfur let out a gasp as Silvertail landed on top of the other warrior.
"Sorry Topazfur!" she said, her voice squeaking like a kit's.
"Get off me you giant lump of fur!" Topazfur snapped.
Silvertail clambered off as quickly as she could. "I have to get inside to see Lillypelt!" she informed him. "Let me past!"
Topazfur's golden eyes narrowed. "Why should I let you through?" he demanded. "What were you doing out here so late anyway?"
Silvertail opened her mouth to tell the truth, but stopped. If she told Topazfur that she had been going to prevent a meeting between her brother and Wishpaw of LightningClan, she could get Tanglepath into huge trouble. She would have to come up with a lie, and quick.
The story came to her so suddenly that she barely even knew it. "I was going for a walk with Tanglepath!" she blurted. "We couldn't sleep, and we didn't want to disturb the others, so we snuck out to go for a walk!"
Topazfur glared at her. "Then why didn't Rosetail tell me you had left when she got off duty?"
Silvertail swore quietly under her breath. Why did Topazfur have to pick tonight to be smart?
"I told you," she snapped. "We snuck out the back way. Now let me through!"
"Hang on a minute," Topazfur said. "Where exactly is Tanglepath?"
"He's hurt!" Silvertail said impatiently. "He's really badly injured, and I have to get Lillypelt! Now get out of the way before I make you get out of the way!"
"What in the name of SkyClan is going on?" An irritable voice came from the direction of the warriors' den. Silvertail could see Shadowleaf coming out, shaking the sleep from his smoky black pelt.
Topazfur opened his mouth to speak, but Silvertail beat him to it. "Tell this big lump of fur to get out of my way!" she said impatiently.
Shadowleaf made his way over to them. "What exactly is going on?" he demanded. "Topazfur, why won't you let Silvertail through?"
Topazfur twitched his long plumy tail irritably. "She snuck out of camp, and won't tell me what's going on!" he snapped.
"I did too!" Silvertail spat back. "I told you! Tanglepath is hurt, and I need Lillypelt to come look at him!"
Shadowleaf gasped. "Well don't just stand there!" he said. "We have to go get her! Topazfur, get out of the way!"
Topazfur stared at Shadowleaf with his mouth hanging wide open. "You're kidding me, right?"
"You heard him!" Silvertail snapped, barging past the golden tom. "Get out of the way!"
She and Shadowleaf dashed across the camp, heading directly for the medicine den. When they got inside, Featherpaw was busy sorting herbs, facing away from them. Lillypelt was snoring quietly.
Silvertail ran over to Featherpaw. "Featherpaw!" she hissed, not wanting to wake up Lillypelt.
Her white pelted sister jumped and spun around. "Silvertail!" she exclaimed. "Don't do that! You scared me!" She sighed. "What is it?"
"Tanglepath is hurt!" Silvertail said desperately. "We need to help him!"
Featherpaw gasped. "What? How?"
"LightningClan ambushed us when we were on a walk," Silvertail said. "They ignored me, and went straight for Tanglepath. But his leg is really bad! I think Foxfur's teeth went all the way through!"
"Hang on a minute," Featherpaw ordered. "I need to get some herbs."
Silvertail shifted her weight impatiently from paw to paw as Featherpaw gathered up the necessary herbs. Her sister muttered the names of them under her breath as she selected them.
"Can you hurry up?" Silvertail snapped. "We don't have all night!"
Featherpaw growled. "I know that Silvertail!" she snapped back. "Now be quiet! I need to concentrate!"
Shadowleaf came up to stand next to Silvertail. "Would it help if I carried some?" he asked.
Featherpaw turned, looking surprised that Shadowleaf was there. To be honest, Silvertail herself was surprised. Why was he still there?
Nevertheless, Featherpaw answered, "Yes, it would. Now, both of you, grab as much as you can." She bent down to pick up the herbs, and Silvertail dashed over, grabbing as much as she could. Next to her, Shadowleaf did the same.
"Nw lts g!" Featherpaw said through a mouthful of herbs.
The three of them ran as fast as they could toward the entrance, Silvertail in the lead. Topazfur was knocked to the ground for the second time as they ran toward where Silvertail had left Tanglepath.
'Oh, please don't let us be too late,' she thought, praying to all of SkyClan. 'Please.'
A/N: Oooh, cliffie… Maybe the last one of the story! The next chapter wraps everything up, and the epilogue will be put up after that!
Again, sorry for the long wait!
Off to take over the world,
Crazy Girl