Chapter 19
That night Whispervoice had a dream where Salamanderpaw came to her. He asked why'd she betrayed Fleckednose, and if his father wasn't good enough for her. The next morning Whispervoice avoided Canyonstar.
He seemed confused, and maybe a little hurt, but he didn't let it show when he announced to the clan he wanted a patrol to explore the now abandoned twoleg place. "We found these two there needing help," He waved his tail at Jingle and Jangle, "There might be others. And while there's too much territory to check all the borders, we should keep an eye out for the cats in that rogue group."
And so that was how the next few days went. They didn't find any more cats in the twoleg place except members of the rogue group, but they were doing pretty well with prey. Fewer and fewer were turning out poisoned.
Whispervoice continued to avoid Canyonstar. She could tell he was losing his patients, but she wasn't too concerned right away.
Then came the day of the gathering. "Are we going to the island?" Ruffledtail asked. She was able to walk by now and had been hunting a bit.
"I don't see why." Canyonstar said with a shrug. "We're the only clan."
"But if there are any survivors, they'll be there." Whispervoice said, stepping forward.
"It's been a moon. I think if there were survivors we'd have found them by know."
"How would they know where to go?" Whispervoice pushed. "If there are survivors, this is the best chance we have of finding them."
Canyonstar whirled around glared. Whispervoice stood her ground, she wasn't intimidated by him. Finally Canyonstar turned back towards the leader's den. "If you want to go to the island, fine. But I won't be going, and you won't force anyone else to go. They'll have to go of their own choice."
Whispervoice took a look around camp. It was clear she'd be going alone, most of the cats told her 'no' simply be avoiding eye contact when she turned towards them. And Ruffledtail had already gone back into the warriors den.
Whispervoice dropped her head and walked out.
The sun had already nearly set so it was a dark walk to the island, but Whispervoice was used to dark. She made it without incident. Well, almost without incident. The log they'd always used to get to the island was gone. Whispervoice had to swim across.
She clambered out of the water and looked around, no one was in sight. "Hello! Is anyone here?!" Then she stepped into some sort of wet sticky liquid. Whispervoice looked down and her eyes widened, it was blood. She let out a yowl and leapt back.
"You'd think you'd never seen blood before."
Whispervoice spun towards the new voice. It was Silentsnow. "Silentsnow." Whispervoice breathed. "What's going on here?"
Silentsnow stepped closer. "Badgers." She said. "There were badgers here." Whispervoice gasped in fear and backed up. "You have to get back to Formerclan." Silentsnow told her unessiccarily. "Oh. And duck."
What? Whispervoice thought, feeling baffled. But she did manage to duck, just as Ghost leapt at her head. Of course she missed. Whispervoice stood up to her full height again. Ghost spun around. "You're alone this time!" Ghost snarled. "And you can't fight."
I have Silentsnow. Whispervoice thought. But a quick look behind Ghost showed her Silentsnow was gone. The elder probably wouldn't be much help in brute fighting anyway. Whispervoice swung her claw at Ghost's head.
Ghost dropped, and kicked out at Whispervoice's paws, knocking her off her feet. She slammed her claws on Whispervoice's neck. Whispervoice rolled away and gave a kick at Ghost. The rogue simply stepped out of the way.
Whispervoice felt the blood dripping off the back of her neck. She's going to kill me. Ghost lunged forward, aiming for Whispervoice's face. Whispervoice sprang up and dashed away. She heard Ghost growl, and then follow her.
The two swam away from the island. Whispervoice scrambled onto the bank, but there was no time for rest, she took off again. They ran across Windclan territory, Ghost chasing Whispervoice. For a while it was just the two of them. Then the badgers began to appear. They came on either end of the cats, and behind them. None of them were in front yet.
Ghost let out a panicked yowl. She was the one closest to the badgers after all. "Move it!" She screamed, shoving Whispervoice to the side.
Whispervoice slammed into a tree. A badger came over, paw raised. Whispervoice rolled to the side just as its claw ripped the bark of the tree. Whispervoice backed into another tree. There were two badgers after her now. They came at her with their teeth from opposite ends. A cat leapt down from the tree, kicking one of the badgers. The other one bit into Whispervoice, but she managed to get it to let go.
"Up the tree!" The other cat ordered.
The two climbed up into the branches. That was when Whispervoice turned towards her rescuer. "Ruffledtail." She knew she'd recognized the voice.
"I wanted to check the island too." Ruffledtail pointed out. "I wasn't about to leave you alone."
"Thanks." Whispervoice smiled. Then there was yowl of fear. Both cats turned. Ghost had tried to climb a tree too, but a Badger had caught her leg. She was yanked down, and the badgers tore her up.
(There are only 2 or 3 chapters left of this.)