...HolyshitI'malive? OMGWTFBBQ O.O
Woah, so, yeah. I haven't updated this in over a month. And the worst part is that I really don't have a good excuse other than school work and feverishly watching Lost (the finale was last weeeeek D8 ) *clears throat* So, I hope you didn't all think I died. xD Here I am!
Review Replies:
Chat et Chocolat: YOUR VERY LONG POST MADE ME GIGGLE. 83 And it made about no sense at all. Which I love. I love YOU. 8D I'm sowwy for all the kiwwing, I am, weally! T_T *glomps* Thankies for reading~ 83
LittleSpark: Well, what can I say? Dire's a nutcase. A complete nutcase. 83 In his mind, they have to attack and get their land back as soon as possible. xD Thankies for reading!
LegendaryHero: Merr. x3 I hope this chapter is hopefully better than the last one, then? 83 (two "hope"s in one sentence? Redundancy yay 8D) Thankies so much for reading, it means a lot that you've stuck with this story 8D *glomptackles*
rosepetal24: Merr, tankies 83 And teehee, you keep your name however you want, kiddo! *thumbs up and a creepy smile* ...Sorry 'bout that. Thanks for readin'!
Revriley: IKNOOOWWW D; I'm sorry! I knew you'd kill me for that. x.x Dudewhat, Longtail dies in Fading Echoes? Nuu~ D8 Poor guy. B-But, at least we've still got Cloudtail...? 8'3 *hesitantly lifts Cloudtail plushie* Thankies for readin'! 83
Macey-the-Invisible: xDDDDDDDDD You're review made me laugh. xDD I never knew Nightfall was so hated, teehee! And you'll find out about Brambeclaw this chappie~ 83 Syrjityiksi! Syrjityiksi! How do you pronounce that? xD *glomptackles* Thankies for reading!
Katie Ladmoore: HAI 8D I loved Graystripe and Silverstream together, their whole story was so Romeo and Juliet :'3 And I've never liked Millie much, teehee. *glompsnuggles* Thankies for reading!
Falconflight: 8'D Thankies! And yes, I knew that I'd get some hate from killing like EVERYONE (wtf?). x3 But thankies so much for reading! It means a lot 8D *glomps*
EeveeCelebi749: I knoooow~ D8 ThunderClan has NOT had a great few weeks, recently, what with Brightheart and Graystripe dying, having to give ShadowClan land, and now thiiiis? D8 And, in fact, there shall be more Tawnypelt in this chappie. x;3 Enjoy! *glomptackles* :3
Snowfrost: xD Thankies! Sorry about killing them aaaall~ D8 It had to be done! For the good of the story! ^-^'' Thanks for reading! *glomps*
Here we goooo~
Chapter 21
Alone
"Nightfall... Do you remember?" Her raspy breath was coming out quickly, and with each inhale she took came a pitiful wheeze. She was thin, painfully thin; her ribcage was clearly visible, and each vertebrae on her back protruded from her skin in a sickly manner. She was losing fur, and whatever was left had clumped together from lack of grooming. Her normally outstanding blue eyes were now half-closed and dull, quickly losing their color. Her nose was running, the tip of her tail twitching unnaturally as saliva dripped from her lower lip.
It was midday when it happened. And a beautiful day, at that; not a single cloud in the sky. It was in the middle of autumn, and the leaves of trees were bursting with magnificent colors of red, orange and yellow. There was a soft wind, a gentle rustling sound. Birds chirped loudly as chipmunks darted around in search for acorns to store for the winter. And now we all sat in the stone hollow, crowded around the cat that was losing her life from a mysterious illness that had failed to be treated soon enough. Some of the she-cats' lower lips were quivering as they turned away, shielding the eyes of their kits. A few toms were comforting their mates, though some were unable to watch themselves.
Mourn stood huddled beside me, quivering as he stared helplessly at his mother, at Schala. I remember Dire and Ross standing together; at the time, they were only a matter of moons old themselves. That's right; at that time, we had no leader. No one to give us orders. All we really were was a group of cats bound together for mutual protection. Which was honestly just as well.
I had pushed my tiny self through the crowd in order to get a good look, and was actually quite surprised to see my own mother there. I blinked my big eyes slowly, wondering why everyone was making such a big fuss. Schala was only lounging in the sun, wasn't she? But if that was the case, why did she look so... weird?
"Do you remember, Nightfall?" she rasped, looking into my eyes, though she looked distant, as if she were dreaming. I swallowed and squeaked, "Rememba what, Mama?"
"My promise," she murmured, pausing to give a few weak coughs. "I promised... I'd take you... To the plains, when you were old enough..." She now closed her eyes, managing a weak smile. "...Remember?"
"Y...Yeah," I mumbled, tilting my head in wary confusion. What was she going on about? Why was she telling me this now? I looked at Mourn for help; he returned my gaze with a desperate and sorrowful expression, looking as if he'd cry out at any moment. I blinked again and turned back to the gray she-cat.
"...Mourn will take you," she whispered, her breath beginning to leave her. "Mourn... Don't forget... Please..." My brother stared at her and nodded, unable to speak. His eyes were huge and glimmering with intense emotion, something that I didn't understand at the time.
And then, she was gone, leaving me standing alone and lost with no idea of what had just happened.
"Mourn?" I murmured suddenly, back in reality. It was very early morning, but the cold of night was still present as our band trudged through the woods. For the most part, there were no serious injuries, though one or two stayed back in camp to get medical attention.
He was walking beside Badger, limping slightly as he kept his head low. Clumps of dried blood were still stuck in his pelt. Badger twined her tail with his, pressing against him comfortingly as she looked at him worriedly.
"Mourn, are you sure you should have come?" I asked quietly. "You could have stayed behind and let Leafpool take care of you."
"I'm fine," he breathed unsteadily. "J-Just shook up." I watched him carefully, frowning with concern, before I asked, "Mourn, what were Schala's last words?"
He pricked his ears and stared at me, obviously not have expecting such a question. He blinked slowly and tilted his head slightly. "I don't remember. Why?" I flicked an ear and shrugged softly.
"Just wondering," I mumbled. "I can't remember, either."
"Maybe it's for the best," he said with a sigh. I nodded stiffly in reply. He looked at me curiously for a moment before turning back to Badger. I flattened my ears slightly and kept quietly walking.
At that time of day, it really was pretty. The sun was reaching higher, pale golden rays searing through the trees. The sky was flushed with pinks and deep oranges, and already I could tell that it would be a very warm day. It seemed almost odd to prepare for a fight in the midst of a beautiful morning; surely a dark night would be more appropriate? It was then that I remembered one more cat that I'd nearly forgotten about. What had happened to him? I glanced over at my brother.
"Mourn... What happened to Brambleclaw?" He glanced over at me, his amber eyes suddenly wide and shining with emotion, just as they always were. He paused before he spoke and I blinked, wondering why he was so hesitant.
"Mourn...?
"Ross killed him," he murmured. "It turns out that he saw you and him sneak out of camp behind me, Firestar and Brackenfur. He left to pursue us, leaving Squirrelflight back at camp until she got worried." The white tom paused to swallow nervously. "...He caught me and Ross bringing Firestar and Brackenfur's bodies to be buried. And Ross... he..." I closed my eyes and nodded before whispering, "Did you manage to bury their bodies?" Mourn hung his head, suddenly looking as completely ashamed as a kit who'd just been scolded.
"I.. I wanted to," he croaked. "But Ross... He... He said we didn't have time, that we had to go back to camp." I stared at him before narrowing my eyes, lifting my head and trying to find the black and white tom. But I was too far back in the crowd to see. I imagined that he was walking right alongside Dire, their matching amber eyes gleaming in unison.
"So what happened to them?" I asked, my voice no louder than a dark mutter. Mourn's whiskers twitched and he avoided my gaze, finally forcing out the words, "The stream." I felt a growl rise in my throat; they didn't deserve this.
StarClan, I have to stop doing this. Deciding who deserves what. I have no right, no say in any of this. I can mourn for them, but... there's nothing I can do. Not now. I sucked in a stream of air, letting it go with a shaky huff.
The familiar scents of ThunderClan began to give way for ShadowClan; we were close to the border, delving under a thick canopy of pine trees. And as my paws began to stick with sap, I wondered very briefly how they could deal with evergreens. I chuckled halfheartedly; what kind of stupid, random thought was that?
"Is this... ShadowClan?" A voice jostled me out of my thoughts, and I looked to my left to see Sapphire now walking beside me. I smiled gently, comforted just by the fact that she was there with me.
"Yeah," I murmured. "We're in ShadowClan now. We passed the border about thirty seconds ago." The pretty silver she-cat blinked her eyes thoughtfully.
"I thought so," she replied quietly. "It smells different. More like... the night." I laughed a tiny bit, nodding in agreement.
"Yeah," I whispered again. "Guess you're right." I looked up at her when I felt her lay her tail on my back; she was gazing at me with sorrowful concern.
"You probably could have stayed behind, you know," she mumbled. "I mean... back at ThunderClan, if you didn't want to fight."
"I never said anything about not wanting to fight," I replied swiftly, trying to keep my voice hard as I focused my gaze in front of me. "If I wanted to stay behind, I would have. You know that." Sapphire frowned and tilted her head.
"I guess," she sighed. "I'm just worried about you, Nightfall."
"I'm fine," I tried to assure her, looking at her and smiling slightly. "Don't worry about me." She didn't look at all reassured, but she finally nodded.
"I'm going to go find Tin," she said. "I want to see how he's doing." I nodded in understanding. She began to trot ahead of me, but then stopped and turned around. "In case I don't see you before the fight," she meowed, "...be careful, Nightfall." I sighed and smiled softly. She acted almost like an older sister, and sometimes I wished that she was.
"I already told you, you don't need to worry about me." She, after a moment, smiled a bit back before disappearing into the group, leaving me alone.
It wasn't long until the scent of ShadowClan grew even stronger- we were closing in to their camp. The cats ahead of me began to come to a stop; Dire must have signaled for them to halt. I pushed my way through the crowd, trying to get a better view. We were all now in a small huddle, hushed whispers floating around until Dire lashed his tail. All eyes were now on him; he didn't speak a word, but we all knew what he was thinking. I had never actually seen ShadowClan's camp before, but I could catch a few glimpses if I stood as tall as I could. It was a shallow hollow, no real protection surrounding it, unlike the brambles around ThunderClan's camp, but there were several low-hanging branches that helped hide it.
Dire wordlessly signaled for us to circle the camp; I followed behind everyone else, light on my toes and praying I wouldn't do something stupid like trip and loudly curse. After a minute, we formed a complete circle, making sure that there was a fair amount of room between us and the camp. In the strengthening sunlight, I looked around and focused on each cat's face; most of them were practically jumping out of their skins in anticipation. And in that brief moment before Dire announced the attack, I had time to think and remember all of the ShadowClan cats I'd encountered. There was Oakfur, that small tom who I'd fought several times. Russetfur, the cold deputy and her trusty sidekick Rowanclaw... I unsheathed my claws. Blackstar, the cat who'd tried to invade ThunderClan, led us into his trap, and killed Brightheart... I tensed as I saw Dire raise his head and puff out his chest. And who was it that had killed Graystripe? Which one cat? Russetfur? Rowanclaw? Blackstar? ...I knew it really didn't matter, though, because whoever it was, they would probably soon be dead anyway. I flattened my ears just in time to hear Dire yell, "Attack!"
Here we go again.
Just like earlier that night, yowls followed our leader's call and we all ran forward, thus beginning our second consecutive battle. Without really thinking, I let my paws take me down the piney slope. A few ShadowClan cats were already out in the clearing; some of them were just waking up, a couple others still standing guard from the night before. Heads immediately lifted and their widening eyes met ours; I leaped through the air, landing at the bottom of the hollow with an ungraceful thud, pausing for just a moment as I watched cats from all sides dive down into battle. Yowls sounded through the early morning as the ShadowClanners began to realize just what was going on. There was no time to think anymore, because almost immediately, but not too surprisingly, I was bowled to the ground and pinned onto my side.
I wheezed in surprise and craned my neck up to see who it was; blazing amber eyes glared down at me, teeth pulled back as a small tom growled down at me. Oakfur.
Without giving me any time to speak, the tom dug his claws painfully into my shoulders, making me wince with pain.
"Just who are you?" he hissed, keeping me firmly against the hard ground. I narrowed my eyes and looked up at him, trying to ignore the new pain throbbing through my shoulders.
"I'm Nightfall," I growled unevenly back, "I-" I was cut off as he dug his claws further into my skin, and my eyes widened slightly.
"You were never part of ThunderClan, then?" he demanded, his voice low. I flattened my ears and managed to twist an arm out of under him, lashing it at wherever it could reach. The tom hissed and recoiled as claws met the side of his face, giving me time to kick out my legs, sending him stumbling backwards. I quickly got to my paws, shaking just slightly as my new wounds pulsed painfully. The tom quickly rebalanced himself, glaring at me irately. Giving a short battle cry, he launched himself at me again; I stepped to the side and managed to avoid the blow, but he then lunged at me from behind, shoving me violently to the ground. Before he could pin me down again, however, I sunk my claws into his shoulders, tripping his back legs up with my tail, sending him falling awkwardly to the side. I got up and stood on top of him, now at the advantage. I leaned in and put a paw at his throat; the tom coughed and snarled and struggled wildly; my hold on him was weak, and I knew he'd be able to get out of it, but before he could, I quickly dealt him one last blow to the stomach.
Oakfur gasped and cringed in shock, and I backed away, letting him go. I think I'd hit him a bit harder than intended; his eyes were now bulging from his sockets as he trembled from the force of the blow. His stomach was quickly darkening with red, but he nonetheless managed, somehow, to get back to his feet. He shook with pain, clumps of fur dripping with blood. He narrowed his eyes to slits and flexed his claws, and I tensed, ready to fight. But then, he turned, quickly darting back into the crowd and leaving me standing alone, panting.
I watched him leave, breathless, before I tried to lick the wounds on my shoulders... but they were just out of reach. I clenched my teeth together and took a moment to observe the fight.
Just like in the battle with ThunderClan, we were winning by far. Although we now had fewer members, ShadowClan was a smaller Clan; everything evened out. Once again, I was surrounded by snarling, spitting cats, and I knew that this wouldn't take long. I caught sight of Badger and Mourn fighting side by side against Rowanclaw and that one tortoiseshell she-cat; my brother was trying hard to keep up, but Badger was swiftly dealing blows, dodging from side to side and avoiding practically any contact. Tin, Sapphire and two others came to join them, and I quickly looked away, not wanting to watch.
I ran through the crowd, managing to avoid random strikes from those around me. I paused to pant, looking blindly around for someone to help or fight. I spotted a tiny white tom quickly, and somewhat frantically, herding Oakfur into a den- probably the medicine den. I stepped forward, not quite watching where I was going, leading to my tripping over something at my feet. I winced as I landed and blinked, glancing below me to see a small gray body beneath me. My eyes widened in surprise and I leaped to my paws, looking down curiously.
...It was a young tom, probably only an apprentice. He had several cuts in his throat, and I knew without having to look any closer that he was already dead. I blinked slowly and silently continued on my way.
I glanced around, curious as to where Dire and Ross were- and then I saw them, confronting Blackstar near the center of the camp. (Russetfur, I noticed, however, was nowhere to be seen.) I pricked my ears and limped forward, their conversation coming into earshot. I stood a few feet away, watching the scene as I kept myself low to the ground.
"...I'm impressed," the leader was saying quietly, a tiny smirk on his face. "You've already wiped out ThunderClan?"
"Yes," Dire replied, unsheathing his claws. His narrowed, amber eyes caught the early morning light, his tail lashing wildly. Ross just stood beside him, stiff and still as he watched the ShadowClanner carefully.
Blackstar chuckled, lifting his head high so that the taller, larger tom was looking down onto them both. Even in such a desperate situation, he seemed to refuse to look weak. I couldn't decide of this made him stupid or respectable. "Who'd have thought?" he laughed, closing his eyes. "I thought I had heard some sort of commotion when I was taking a few of my warriors for a patrol. But we had simply assumed that ThunderClan had gotten themselves caught up in some conflict with WindClan, and I wasn't about to lift a claw to help." He opened his eyes just the slightest bit, his smile suddenly gone. "You may not remember this," he said slowly, and I noticed that he was talking directly at Ross, "...but we have allies. ShadowClan will not be defeated so easily."
"Allies," Ross murmured. "You mean RiverClan."
Blackstar pulled his lips back; "Yes. And they're coming, running through the trees to reach us even as we speak."
"Well, they're not here yet," Ross replied swiftly, and he and his brother began to step forward. Blackstar clenched his teeth together and stumbled backwards, flexing his claws.
But before any of them could lay out even one strike, Dire suddenly lifted his head, his ears pointed straight up in the air. I blinked and followed his gaze, seeing, only partly to my surprise, a new group of cats emerging from the trees, halting at the top of the slope, an oddly spotted she-cat in the lead. A few other cats were distracted and were now looking up with wonder as the she-cat, Leopardstar, stepped forward. Blackstar gazed up at her, a grin forming on his face as he smirked back at Dire and Ross.
"Look who's here?" he cooed mockingly, a new wave of arrogant determination coming over him. I studied the group wordlessly, noticing a ginger cat run forward and stand next to the RiverClan leader. It was Russetfur; she must have gone to get help. That would explain Blackstar's confidence that someone was coming to aid them. But how could she have ran there and back so quickly...? Were they already expecting us, after all?
"What is this?" demanded Leopardstar, looking down into the hollow with narrowed eyes. She had certainly caught the attention of most everyone; many rogues were now watching with curiosity, wondering who on earth this could be and how on earth they could interfere with our plan.
"Rogues," hissed Blackstar, saying the word with about as much disgust as any cat would possibly be able to muster. "They've already taken over ThunderClan, and now they're trying to do the same thing with ShadowClan." He shot a glare at Dire before looking back up to the she-cat. "And if we were to be defeated- who knows? They might even try to conquer RiverClan!" A few cats from the new crowd hissed and snarled at that, their piercing gazes meeting ours as they unsheathed their claws. I did the same, trying to assure myself that we would still win. Even though they now had the help of practically a whole Clan, our band was still bigger. Plus, I knew that some of ShadowClan's cats were already dead.
"I see," mumbled Leopardstar, closing her eyes very briefly before opening them and looking down at us, her eyes blazing in the faint light of day. "Does this group of rogues have a leader?" A few of us automatically glanced at Dire, who slowly took a few steps forward.
"Me," he said loudly and clearly, looking directly at the RiverClanner. "My name is Dire."
"Leopardstar," she replied. "And I should have you know, Dire, that my cats are as fierce and proud as any warrior can be." She shifted her weight and lashed her tail. "...We will not be beaten easily."
"Very well," the dark brown tabby replied, sitting down and wrapping his tail around his paws. He was calm, and he was confident. "I'd be honored to see the true strength of your warriors then, Leopardstar." But there was sarcasm in his voice, and I wasn't the only one who caught it.
The unusual leader narrowed her eyes to slits, her whiskers twitching with irritation. "I see that you don't take me seriously," she muttered. "Very well, then." Swiftly, without giving a moment even to breathe, she closed her eyes, lifted her head, and yowled, "RiverClan! Attack!"
Even more cats began running down the shallow slope, and I noticed immediately how RiverClan cats smelled so incredibly like water and fish. The feisty cats snarled and yowled out, now risking their lives against cats they didn't even know for the purpose of helping ShadowClan.
And then we clashed.
Even more panic and mayhem was going on around me, so much that I was getting a bit dizzy. Everywhere I looked, all I saw were pelts of all colors rushing by and the sunlight caught in slashing claws. And the next time I looked up, I saw Russetfur, standing in the midst of the crowd, currently free of any attackers. She glanced up and our eyes met; I narrowed my own, pulling my lips back as anger fueled me. I ran a few steps before jumping, yowling aggressively and shoving her to the ground. The she-cat winced, glaring up at me as she bared her teeth.
"Get off me, foxdung," she growled, lashing unsheathed claws against my chest. I hissed as pain stung me like needles, and, catching me off guard, she took another blow at my face, catching my muzzle in the cuff. She kicked her legs out before rolling to the side, quickly leaping to her paws. She didn't strike back right away, though- she instead took a few moments to pant, watching me carefully.
"W...Who was it?" I breathed, licking my muzzle and spitting out the blood. All the wounds I'd received that night were all finally catching up to me; my limbs shook, my veins pulsed- I hadn't had the chance to even see Leafpool before we came here.
"What in StarClan's name are you-"
"Graystripe," I said, shifting my weight and wincing a bit. I quickly leaned down to give a few quick licks to my chest before looking back at Russetfur. "Who was it that killed him? Which one of you?"
The ginger deputy narrowed her eyes even further, her tail suddenly lashing wildly. But the alarm in her expression was easy to read, no matter how much she tried to hide it. "That's... That's none of your concern," she growled. "Why would I tell you, anyway?"
"You might as well," I murmured. "You may have RiverClan's help, now, but look around you and tell me who you think is winning." Russetfur flinched the tiniest bit, flattening her ears and hesitantly looking around. I had to admit, at the time there were so many cats it was nearly impossible to tell left from right- but I had faith that we were going to come out on top.
"You'll never... You'll never win," she hissed quietly, her fur fluffed up.
"Just tell me who killed him," I snarled, taking a small step forward. "It won't even make a difference anymore!" Russetfur shrank back a bit, her lips pulled back defensively.
"...Who are you?" she whispered horsely, her green eyes glowing.
I looked at her, wondering if I'd actually managed to intimidate her. But right as I opened my mouth to answer, the cat suddenly snarled viciously and lunged for me, bowling me to the ground and pinning me onto my side, her claws digging into me as she lowered her head, putting her lips to my ear.
"ShadowClan will never be pushed aside," she snarled threateningly. "It will always stand strong, no matter what." Before I could say a word, she stepped back, lifted a paw and readied a blow to my stomach. While her grip was loosened, I quickly rolled to the side, receiving a small wound on my shoulder in the process but avoiding the possibility of a fatal injury to the stomach. I quickly stammered to my paws, panting as I lifted my head.
The ginger ShadowClanner glared at me, facing me as she ran forward. But then, another yowl was heard, and a silver she-cat shot forward, placing herself in front of me as she sliced her claws out at the unsuspecting Russetfur's face.
"Sapphire," I gasped, watching as she struck again at the deputy's throat before leaping back beside me. I grinned, relieved that she was alright other than a few small scrapes.
"Just try to lay another claw on her," my friend growled, her claws unsheathed. "You'll have to fight both of us."
"Don't get in my way!" Russetfur snarled back, taking a step forward. Sapphire copied her movements, baring her teeth, hackles raised. The ginger cat narrowed her eyes, glancing back and forth between her and myself before stepping back, realizing that, as much as she wished she could have,she wouldn't be able to fight us both. She instead spat at Sapphire's feet before turning and darting off into the crowd.
I let out a sigh of relief, letting myself sit down, giving myself a moment to breathe.
"Nightfall," Sapphire meowed, turning and quickly looking over me. "You're... You're bleeding in several places."
"It's fine," I rasped, grinning. "They're just scratches. Nothing serious."
"No," murmured Sapphire. "Look at you. You've been fighting this whole time- you're exhausted, aren't you?"
"Sapphire-"
"Yes, you are!" she concluded, giving a tiny, worried nod. "You should rest, at least for a few minutes. I could help you to an empty den-"
"Sapphire," I cut in. "I'm going to be fine... Alright?" I blinked and smiled softly. "And I can walk on my own, thank you."
The she-cat was frowning with concern, her ears flattened; she almost looked like a little kitten again, wanting her mother. She sighed and said, "Alright, if you say so. But please, after this is over, get some rest and sleep in."
"Don't worry," I purred hoarsely, getting to my paws. I gently cuffed her ear and grinned. "I will. But when I do, don't come waking me up and telling me I have to go hunting or something."
Sapphire grinned and nudged me gently, pressing her cheek to mine. "Be careful, okay?"
I chuckled and nodded. "Okay."
She gave me one last worried look before turning and romping off, back into the crowd. I sighed and glanced around, getting ready to go back into the fight.
And then, I saw her- a cat, a tortoiseshell, climbing up the slope. She was wounded, but nothing serious- sort of like me, I suppose. She was heading into the woods, towards... ThunderClan. She was, without a doubt, not a rogue- she was a Clan cat. My mouth hanging open slightly in wonder, I narrowed my eyes and stalked up the slope after her, immediately breaking into a sort of fatigued run. I tried to ignore my body's longing for me to stop, rest, and lick my wounds as I spotted the she-cat in the distance ahead, dashing through the forest. I bit my lip and hurried on after her, determined to catch up and demand to know what she was doing. Was she really going towards ThunderClan? Or perhaps she was going towards WindClan to warn them? I barely even considered the possibility that this cat might fight me if I tried to stop her.
Soon, the scent of ThunderClan arose, and I took note as I passed over the border. The trees and smells around me were much more familiar compared to those of ThunderClan. My run finally began to die out, and at one point I leaned against an old oak tree, pausing to pant as I struggled to stay on my feet. I coughed a few times before lifting my head, my eyes widening at what I saw.
There she was- the tortoiseshell she-cat. She had stopped running and was now bent over, trying to catch her breath. My whiskers twitching, I got to my paws and ran towards her, but before I could leap at her or make any sort of move, she suddenly spun around and leaped to the side, her lips pulled back, her fur fluffing out. I skidded to a halt and eyed her; she had a bad cut on the side of her neck, still bleeding, along with a few others, a particularly notable one right below her left eye.
"Who are you?" the she-cat snarled, trying to show aggression, but her voice cracked with wariness and fatigue. I took another step forward, studying the wound on her neck. It didn't look good, and I cringed a bit at the sight.
"What are you doing out here?" I asked, my eyes narrowed. "That injury on your neck... It hurts, doesn't it?" The she-cat pulled her lips back; I studied her face, realizing that it was the one that looked like Brambleclaw. "Why are you going towards ThunderClan?"
"That's none of your business," the cat retorted. "Why would I tell you, anyway?" I flattened my ears slightly and replied, "Because I'm in better condition to fight than you are."
The she-cat stared at me, flicking her tail with irritation.
"Why'd you come after me?" the she-cat demanded, her claws digging into the ground.
"Because maybe you're going to warn WindClan about us. About my band."
"Is that what you think?"
"No," I said swiftly. "I think that you're going to see Brambeclaw."
The cat's eyes widened and she stared at me, open-mouthed. I guess I was right.
"What do you... What do you know about him?" she whispered.
"I know that he's a good cat," I answered. "It was clear that Firestar thought so, too. He often asked him to lead border patrols, to lead hunting parties. Maybe he would have chosen him for deputy one day."
The tortoiseshell stared at me, her fur still pricked up uneasily as she watched me carefully. There was silence until I asked, "Were you planning on warning WindClan of the attack, as well?"
"...T-That's none of your business!" she snarled, though her hesitation gave me the idea that she was.
"Sorry," I muttered, wrapping my tails around my short legs. "What's... What's your name?"
She narrowed her eyes and studied me for a long time before finally muttering, "Tawnypelt."
"Tawnypelt," I mumbled back. "And Brambleclaw was your... cousin? Brother?"
"Brother," she answered, sighing and looking up at the sky. I followed her gaze for a moment; the sun was rising rapidly, and things were getting brighter. Birds were chirping louder, the insects and critters of the day finally beginning to make movement.
Then, Tawnypelt lowered her head, her eyes suddenly widening as she growled, "What do you mean, Brambleclaw 'was' my brother?" I blinked and looked at her, my mistake only then dawning on me. I tried to speak, but I couldn't find the words.
The she-cat took a few small steps back, her eyes huge, her mouth open wide. "Don't tell me," she breathed. "He... Brambleclaw is dead, isn't he!"
"Wh... No, no," I tried to insist, leaping to my feet. "He-"
"You killed him," she hissed, her eyes blazing with fury. "You killed him, didn't you? You and your stupid band."
"Tawnypelt," I meowed desperately, stepping closer. "I-"
"Get away from me!" she snarled, and giving me no time to do anything else, she suddenly turn and ran off, just like a rabbit running from its predator. I watched wordlessly until she vanished from sight, into the trees and undergrowth. I stood alone and clenched my teeth together, closing my eyes and murmuring, "You won't find him at camp."
After standing alone for several moments, I shook my head softly and turned around, nearly jumping out of my skin when I saw what was there.
Russetfur was right there, standing only several foxlengths across from me. She was panting heavily, blood dripping from several wounds. Her ears were pressed flat against her skull as she pulled back her lips, her eyes nothing more than dark slits.
And after a moment, I narrowed my own eyes, flexing my claws. This was the cat that had killed Graystripe- I was sure of that now. The cat that had followed me out here with an obviously violent intention.
"Russetfur!" I yelled, running towards her. She copied my movements, snarling loudly.
We met, and we began our last fight together.
Oh, jeeze. I really don't like that ending. It's so awkward D;x Eh, hopefully it'll be good enough~ D; I'm really not sure what to think about this chapter as a whole, either. It's kind of... I don't even know. D; But, more action and drama is definitely on its way. I've got much planned~ x8D *rubs hands together*
Reviewers geeeet... a Tawnypelt plushie! ...Because I don't believe I've given one out, yet. 83 I love CC~!
TTFN, ta ta for now!
Pearly