Chapter 20: Foxes Sure Hate Apprentices in This Fic
Timberpaw sighed as he scented the air, perking his ears up. "You smell anything, Timber?" Toastfire muttered, turning towards the young apprentice. "Nope, I haven't since yesterday." The brown and grey tom sighed. Prey had been low these days, since it started snowing. Maybe the prey was hiding from the cold. Yeah, probably. The deputy took a deep breath, frosty air appearing as he did. Toastfire then directed his son along the border, keeping an eye out for prey.
A scream rang out, and the father and son duo went running. When they were close to the sound, Toastfire could see Bluelightning, the Windclan warrior he met at the gathering, hissing at a fox. The tom had severe wounds as he stood over the bloody, yet alive, body of a young black she-cat. The deputy and apprentice exchanged looks of both fear and determination, and Toastfire ran to tackle the fox. As he did, he saw Bluelightning join him and bit into the fox's neck.
Timberpaw shivered as he stood over the dying apprentice. "Are you okay, please be okay..! At least speak!" He cried, not ready to stand over another dead body. The she-cat coughed, and murmured. "I'm alive... Please help... I don't wanna die..." Her brown eyes were dull, and her breathing was heavy. Timberpaw started to panic, and he grabbed the she-cat by the scruff. He then set her on his shoulders and ran to camp, leaving his father and the stranger to fight off the fox.
Timberpaw burst into the camp, practically ruining everything around him as he burst into the Medicine Cat's den. "Mom! MOM! You gotta help her, she was attacked by a fox!" The tom quickly explained, setting down the bleeding she-cat. Normaltail took a moment to turn, but her eyes widened and she went straight to work with the herbs and cobwebs. The medicine cat quickly shooed her son out of the den so there was more room. Timberpaw looked at the den in worry and he felt sick in the stomach. The tom's blue eyes filled with tears as he pictured the multiple killings he had witnessed and he started to vomit into some nearby bushes.
The stranger and Toastfire entered the camp, the brown tabby helping the other tom walk towards the Medicine Cat's den. Timberpaw stared hazily at his father as he sat down near his son. "How are they?" Timberpaw asked immediately, trying to cough out the taste of vomit in his mouth. "Bluelightning and the kid will be okay...-"
"Bluelightning?"
"Yes, the grey-blue tom. I know him from gatherings. He mentioned that he had a daughter named Axpaw last gathering, the she-cat seems to fit the description pretty well." Axpaw... Interesting name, to say the least. Timberpaw prayed to Starclan that both of them would survive. Then, like on cue, Bluelightning stepped out, cobwebs covering his wounds, as well as on the left side of his face. The apprentice could hear a sigh of relief from the deputy. "How's the other one?" The brown tabby asked, narrowing his eyes. "Axpaw? She'll be fine." Bluelightning coughed. "Tell me what exactly happened." Toastfire questioned further. The injured warrior hesitated to speak.
"Breadclaw took over Windclan, it's a total wasteland. He's had these... Tournaments to amuse his followers. For that, he took control of the minds of foxes and used them as a final challenge. Me and my mate thought it was a horrible idea to stay and we took our two daughters and ran... We were followed."
"Where are the others?"
Bluelightning hesitated, his one yellow eye displaying clear negative emotion. "Tiredcoffee and Honeypaw were taken by the foxes, back to that hell... They're going to be in the next tournament from what I can tell." The tom shivered, and lied on the ground. Timberpaw stared wide-eyed at the warrior, and glanced at his father. "... We're going to do something about this, right?!" He asked with tears welling up in his eyes. Toastfire could only stand, the deputy shivering himself, a mindless stare locked to his paws. "Dad... Dad, are you okay? Dad, speak to me!" Timberpaw screamed, pushing the older tom around in hopes of bringing him back to reality.
No. No. Why? Why was this happening? Memories Toastfire hadn't even experienced start to play in his mind. His vision blurred, and suddenly the tabby found himself in a dark wasteland. Toastfire then started to change. The x-shaped tabby markings on his face changed into scars, and his organs felt like they were on the line of completely stopping. He could see blood on his paws, and finally, he looked up. Cats from all around him were fighting. It was like war, but the messed up thing was that there were spectators just enjoying the view, and some even cheering. Toastfire questioned where he was, but automatically knew the answer. He looked down at his reflection on a nearby puddle and almost ran away in fear. There, in the flesh and bones, was Tigerstar's reflection staring right back at him. Except one thing was different, the eyes. The tom could notice the amber spots in his blood red eyes.
"Dad!" A familiar voice called out, the warrior turned expecting to see Timberpaw. But instead, a dark tabby with blue eyes was running towards him. "DAD! COME ON!" Hawkfrost yelled, before Toastfire snapped back to reality. He wasn't Tigerstar, and his real son stood in front of him, crying. "I-I'm here... We're attacking the Windclan camp tomorrow night, get ready." He quickly said, nuzzling Timberpaw and making his way towards Goodstar to explain things.
Happy 4th of July, Americans! Have a fun, cutesy chapter! c: