Chapter 29

Shadepaw swallowed nervously as Icewind bounded down the rocks, seeming like he hadn't a care in the world. She spoke to Shadow and Knight, but never took her eyes off her white pelted friend. "We should go down there, ya know, pretend everything's normal." Her voice vibrated with fear and worry wove in and out of it. The three friends took a few minutes to compose themselves before hurtling down the rocks. Knight went in first, pulling ahead of Shadow and Shadepaw easily with her long legs.

"Haha! Beat ya guys here! I win!" She yowled.

Shadepaw purred back teasingly, "No you didn't! Ice totally beat you!"

She rolled her eyes and said, "Fine."

Shadow broke in saying, "Don't be a sore loser!" and nudged her. The black she-cat smiled at both her friend and brother and murmured sorry. Then all of them turned their attention to Icewind and Blade.

He entered Blade's sleeping chamber. Shadepaw and the others could only just hear him now. "I caught you a mouse while we were hunting." He dropped it and pushed it over to the leader. Blade glanced at it, but otherwise ignored it. "You four were gone for a long time." He growled.

Icewind replied, "Sorry. But the prey was harder to find so it took longer." Blade simply glared at him before flicking his tail, indicating Icewind was dismissed. He bowed to the leader before joining his group of friends. They were all poised to flee as soon as Blade took the first bite.

When he did, the four friends raced out of the cave, tripping several times in their haste. They were halfway up the rocks when the yowling of pain started. The rest of the cats ran forward to their leader. Snake was among the first, along with Blaze. He collapsed before they were at his side. His breaths came in out in gasps. His once terrifying eyes were shadowed with pain. He curled into a ball of twitching fur, hardly recognizable. It was impossible to believe that this was the same cat who would lead a battle to destroy innocent lives out of greed.

He looked into his brother's eyes and whispered, "Bring Shade to… me" his voice broke twice, illuminating the pain.

Blaze scampered off, seeking out the gray she-cat. "Shade!" he called. The medicine cat apprentice jumped at the sound of her name. Had their plan been discovered? Timidly, she climbed back into the cave, flanked by her friends. "Blade's asking for you." Blaze said urgently. Shadepaw merely nodded and followed Blaze to where his brother laid. He nodded for her to go in, and to her surprise, he stayed outside.

"Listen Shade… I need you to… I knew you were special… from the first moment I found you. Tomorrow… I was going to ask you… to lead the attack with me… but now… now… I need you to carry on… lead… the attack… without me…" he seemed as though he had more to say, but he gasped aloud in pain and jerked once. Time seemed to stand still as he took another breath, his last breath. His eyes glazed over and his chest fell motionless. Just like that, the fiercest cat Shade ever knew was dead and she played a part in killing him.

Her mouth swung open when he told her to lead the attack. There was no other cat close enough to hear the words from the dead leader, so at least no one knew what she was obligated to. She let out a breath and left his sleeping chamber. Blaze looked up at her, inquiring about his brother. She shook her head, and Blaze eyes filled with a sadness that took her by surprise. "I'd better let everyone know. How'd he die?"

Shadepaw tensed up, knowing her answer was crucial to the safety of her and her friends. "It seems that the mouse he ate gave him poisoning. It must have had an illness or something." She was careful to give him an answer that left Blaze no reason to blame Icewind.

"I should let everyone know. This changes everything." With that, Blaze disappeared.

Shadepaw bolted out of the cave. When she reached the tumble of rocks, she didn't even pause to talk to Shadow, Knight and Icewind. Even knowing he was evil and going to try to kill her loved ones, Shadepaw felt terrible for her part in Blade's death and wanted to get as far away from him as fast as she could. When she whisked by, her friends were surprised but followed after her, running as well. Shadepaw felt like she wouldn't stop running till she was safely back in her own territory.

Shadow caught up to her shortly, Knight and Icewind still some feet back. "Shadepaw! You're ok, we'll never let anyone hurt you." He said to her. She stopped and buried her head in his shoulder, seeking comfort. He licked her ear.

"Shadow, you're the best friend I've ever had. Thank you," she whispered. Shadow twitched his ear uncomfortably, seeming to have something important to say. Shadepaw felt his change of mood and pulled away to look at him.

"I was hoping that you felt stronger for me than friendship. I do… about you. I mean… I… I think I could… love you." He was staring at the ground, obviously embarrassed. Shadepaw was dumbfounded.

"I'm sorry Shadow. I do love you, but in the way a sister would love her brother. Like how Knight loves you. I'm so sorry. I never meant to hurt you. And medicine cats can't take mates. It's against our traditions." He looked at her quizzically, and Shadepaw remembered she hadn't told him or Knight about the clans at all. "I'll explain later."

Knight and Icewind had reached them at that point, so she fell silent. Knight shot a look at Shadow, but he just shook his head. In unison and without a spoken command, the four cats headed for clan territory. They headed for home.

Blaze headed up the tumble of rocks to where Blaze always stood to address all the cats. "Everyone! I have important news!" The cats all crowded around and grew quiet. "Blade just…died. He ate a bad mouse." Yowls and caterwauls rung out from all the cats. Everyone was panicking, and most of them were sad. All of them were in a state of shock and confusion.

Everyone wanted to know who would lead them in the battle, and even if there would be one and if it would be on schedule. Blaze said, "Does anyone want to lead?" The cats just stared at him and each other, as though they didn't understand. "…ok. I guess I will then." He said after a long silence. Blaze never particularly wanted to be a leader, but they needed one and no one else looked ready to step up.

Fang asked, "Will the battle still happen?" Blare nodded.

Then Scar wanted to know if it would be on the same day. "Well, no, it won't be on time. We need to readjust our plan." The crowd murmured and whispered to each other, commenting on the new leader's decision.

"How long will it be delayed?" Raven's voice called out above the noise.

"I don't know. Hopefully not long. We will need to keep training in the meanwhile. Everyone find a partner and fight." The cats looked bewildered. Panic was displayed in their eyes, some flinching, others looking around.

"Ok. We can just take the day off. That's fine." Nothing was ever the same in that cave again. Before Blade's death, they were the fiercest, baddest cats around. Now they were just a collection of weak, scared cats. Blaze never knew just how much they depended on Blade till he was gone. It was time like this he especially didn't want to be a leader. But he didn't have a choice. He kept telling himself that. Somehow they would have to pull through this. They owed it to Blade to win his last battle.