Thanks for reviewing! I know it was a disappointment to have Greyson die after meeting him so recently. I know a lot of things in this story are disappointments. Hang in there, and enjoy this next chapter!
Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
She had buried his body right in front of the cave, under the soft ground he must've walked on so many times. The ground, that he and Lilac must of walked on so many times. She had sat there for many moments, doing nothing, until she drew in a sharp breath, and let out shakily. The night was fresh when she left over the hill, knowing she had to move on, but not wanting to encounter anything. It was a cruel cycle.
The hill above the cave was beginning to give way into flat ground, and the snow that had been avoided on the rocks was starting to appear again. Frozenleaf walked slowly, head low, paws freezing on the ground. With each bound to get over the snow, the more fatigued she would feel, and it was not just the repeated movement that made her feel so tired.
Thoughts flew through her head, many of which she couldn't remember asking after only seconds. But several stood out, making her head hurt and her heart beat faster.
Greyson's mother was Hailblaze's sister? That cannot be possible! She was a kittypet! But he said that she used to belong to the Clans...why would she run? Frozenleaf growled out herself. It's...it can't be true! You're delusional! You could not have heard him right!
The questions on the subject swirled in her head. She really didn't know anything about Hailblaze's past other than his mentor's name. Could it be true? She wished someone would give her answers.
But there wasn't a someone for forest-lengths.
And then there was another thought, one that ripped at her lungs, making it difficult to breathe. The question circled her life at that moment, and with all the pain that it caused her, it seemed that the question could also end her life:
Everything I want to make right...everything I would ever care about to change for, only ruins me even further. The forbidding to become a warrior, Nettlepaw, a chance at a new life...Greyson. Why must it all be taken away? Why must it all hate me, like I ever did something to fate.
Looking back on her kithood, she could no longer remember where it began. The words of her father were clear in her head- that she would be better off dead than a warrior- but she didn't know what had hurt her the most. The actual statement, or the realization that no one cared? Or was it something deeper?
She would drive herself insane wondering. She ran away to escape the madness, the guilt of her foolish deeds, but it followed her. It was always behind her...and it always won.
She lifted her front paw out of the snow and winced as she saw she had left a stain of blood in it. Her pads were cracked.
Great, she thought, now predators can follow my tracks. The last thing she needed was another fox to remind her of her failure.
I either kill or let others be killed...
She walked much longer, leaving behind prints of blood. She knew by now, the frostbite Greyson had told her about was acting up again. It was well past moonhigh. The stars were dulled by a thin layer of clouds that floated by overhead.
The stars are there, she thought, but StarClan isn't.
She knew it wasn't long after, though it felt like it had been seasons, when the silhouette of a tree faded into sight. She ran ahead, wanting to sleep for a moon. The snow was flying over her head, the blood staining the ground under her paws.
Frozenleaf reached the tree and gripped the bark with her long, hooked claws. With all the energy she had left in her, she hauled her held to the first, snow-dusted branch, a thick one that was large enough for her to lie down on without having to worry about falling off. And as soon as she was down, she was asleep.
It felt like only instants before she woke up, aroused but the noise of a growl. She raised her head, looking down to see if anyone was in the snow below her. All she saw was the white ground and her bloody paw prints leading to the trunk of the tree.
Perhaps it was in my mind, she thought, I'll just go back to sleep...
Just as her eyes closed once more, a deafening yowl pierced her ears and a large force knocked her from the branch. She crashed down with a cry and landed in the cold white snow, waiting for her. She jumped up immediately, alert, looking up and down, and side to side, until she saw it.
A golden tabby cat, sitting on the branch she had just been thrown from. His shoulder and neck fur was fluffed out, and his teeth were bared in a ferocious and threatening snarl. "Unbelievable," he hissed. His voice was incredibly low and deep, "I leave my tree for only a small portion of the day and come back to see a puny little she-cat sleeping on my branch." He unsheathed his claws. "Tsk, tsk."
Frozenleaf stared at him in horror. Thinking two things: Oh no! What have I gotten myself into? and Not another cat! I have to get out of here before I ruin everything!
She took a step back, but she bumped into something. Whirling, she saw another golden tabby, this one much larger.
"I see you've met my brother," the first tom said. "It's really your unlucky day, isn't it?"
"Who-who are you?"
"Now, now, she-cat," the cat on the tree chuckled. "Don't get your whiskers in a knot. We're only here to teach you a lesson on territory."
"What should we do with her, Arrow?" asked the second tabby.
Arrow lifted a paw. "The same thing we do to all intruders, Blade."
He launched himself from the tree, yowling. Frozenleaf squealed and dove to the side. Both cats faced her now, backs arched and teeth bared. Arrow spat at her. "Keep still she-cat, this'll be over before you know it."
He lunged again, this time managing to pin Frozenleaf to the snow. Blade came around and drew his claws over her face. "Some more scars to add to your...collection."
"What?" Frozenleaf asked.
"Don't play dumb with us," Arrow hissed, "It's clear you've been in a fight with a fox before. Why don't you show it?"
They each threw a series of blows to her face and her shoulders. Each of them sent a trickle of blood down to the snow, staining it scarlet around her. Frozenleaf cried out in pain as each strike was delivered. But I can't...fight...back...It will hurt...me forever.
Suddenly, agony struck her body, the same freezing, icy, sudden pain that had come across her so many times before. She shrieked, startling back both of her attacking enemies. Piece by piece, everything around her fell from white to black and a new hue engulfed her. It was the color of blood. She tasted it rushing up in her throat. She cried out again.
"Don't fight it," a voice whispered. "Use it."
Frozenleaf stopped her screaming, she spat onto the snow beside her and slowly, everything around her fell back into place. Arrow and Blade stood before her, still surprised at her sudden outburst. She got to her paws, and faced them, copying their savage position as they had before, with fur raised, lips peeled back and claws out.
"Come at me," she whispered.
Arrow's look of anger returned and he leaped. Frozenleaf dodged him, and then evaded Blade as he rushed at her. With a grunt, she lashed out her paws and battered at both of them, scratching up their flanks and shoving them away. Blade was the first to retaliate, and he escaped her next blow and barreled into her, claws tearing into her flesh. Frozenleaf jerked her shouldefree getting out of his strong grasp and jumping up. She lunged for his foreleg, which was exposed, and took it in her teeth while using her hind claws to dig into the soft flesh of his belly.
Arrow yanked her away from his brother, and held her by the scruff. Just as he shook her, she attacked him, diving at his chest and hitting the ground on all fours. She backed up, keeping sight of both toms as they struggled to their paws.
"You're right," she hissed. "I did fight a fox." She twisted and kicked a leg out into Arrow's stomach, "What do you think of me now?"
Blade snarled and ran at her, Frozenleaf, sprang directly over him, and instantly after she landed, crashed into him from behind, pressing his face into the snow.
She sensed that Arrow was behind her- the slight crunch of the snow gave him away. She waited for him to come closer, pretending she was unaware of him. The tom had finally leaped and she whipped around, just in time for him to land on top of her, but she had been prepared. Her legs were locked into place, and falling to the ground with Arrow, she twisted easily out of the jumble, and left the two of them sprawled out in the snow.
"Pretty kitty puts up quite a fight," Blade croaked. "What if we just go back into our tree and you just carry on. We never did anything."
Frozenleaf growled, "What do you think I am, stupid? I'm not going back out in the snow to freeze to death. Don't think you can get yourselves out of this situation. You messed with the wrong she-cat."
Arrow looked at her. "Blade might be done," he snarled. "But I never lose a fight."
He sprang to his paw and lunged, paws outstretched. Quick as an adder, she held up a leg to soften his blow. She still felt his claws sink into her neck fur, but they didn't go deep enough before she stumbled back.
"Neither do I," she hissed, and she went for his neck. As her teeth connected with his flesh, he let out a yowl of agony, one to drown out all other sounds, and crumpled to the ground. Frozenleaf watched as the blood expanded out from his neck into the snow.
Blade gasped. "Brother!" he exclaimed, a mix of denial, shock and fear in his voice. His gaze snapped up to meet Frozenleaf's and he growled, "You, you are a sick, cruel cat. You'll pay for-"
His words were cut off when she slashed her claws over his belly, ripping it open. Death came instantly.
Frozenleaf put her paw down and watched as the two dead cats lay motionless in the snow. She barely recognized the bite fluff it had been moments earlier. Now it was crimson red, and enough to snap her out of her trance.
No, she thought, fear welling up inside, There's no way I could have done this. I-I promised I wouldn't! I thought - I can't kill! What is wrong with me?
She stumbled back, eyes still locked on the bodies. She couldn't tear them away, as much as she wanted to. The edges of her vision went blurry, in a faint white haze. The land swung back and forth until all was enveloped in complete darkness.
Poor Frozenleaf. Who's ready to find out what's going on? That's in the next chapter. If you want it, then you're going to have to review. :)
~Destiny
