Rogue - Part 3: Chapter 9

I don't own Warriors.

Chapter 9

The next day, the evacuation began. Gethin had been keeping tabs on the wolf pack and they had all agreed to attack that day at dusk. Tigerstorm had been absent nearly the whole time. When Froststar announced the evacuation, all had been confused. Froststar couldn't explain what she saw with Tigerstorm sitting in the audience with a front row seat. The Clan cats, however, knew that whatever it was, it had to be important if they were moving the whole Clan.

Froststar stood on Rockpile watching as the warriors escorted the queens, kits and elders downriver. Kara and Nick had spoken and Kara feared for him. Froststar tried to assure her that it would be an easy win, but she herself was unsure. There were many wolves in the pack, and they were all big. Would a large patrol of Clan cats be able to drive them off? Lives would be lost, that was certain. She feared for Gethin, Darrin, Toby and the rest of her family many of who would never have come to the Clan if it were not for her. I put them in danger… she thought, her stomach twisting itself into a knot. Is this my fault?

No. She could not believe that. It was Tigerstorm's. It had been since the beginning. He killed Ripplefur. He's the one that put that burning rage and hatred in her heart. She could never escape it now, she could barely tame the animal she had become in battle. She murdered Will, and her own brother because of [i]him.[/i] His actions caused that anger… that never-ending pain that seared her to the bone. Every time her former mate's name was spoken… that agonizing hole that had been stabbed through her heart returned. Toby and Darrin could love her forever, but they could never sew that wound completely. Tigerstorm made sure… Her son… her innocent kit… murdered and then dropped in the river… She remembered the blood swishing around her paws as she stood in the stream, overlooking her dead son as he grinning maliciously from the background… If only she would've seen that sneering look… she never would've murdered Ashclaw… She never would have been exiled… But then she never would've met her beloved Toby and her precious Darrin.

She heard someone come up beside her. A soft tongue rasped over her shoulder blade. "Come on, we have to prepare for the fight," Toby's voice murmured softly in her ear. His sweet, calming scent swirled around her. His presence alone made all the tension in her body relax. She purred quietly.

"But it is not year near dusk," she pointed out.

"Darrin and Crescentmoon want us to get there early," he meowed.

Froststar repressed a sigh. "Tell them to go on ahead. I want to make sure that everyone gets there safely, and then check the den. I'll be there before dusk, don't worry."

Froststar saw the anxiety in her mate's chocolate-brown eyes. He licked her chest softly. "Please, please be careful," he whispered. He sounded like he was half begging half praying for her safety. "If those… repulsive creatures find you alone…" he trailed off not wanting to think of what they would do.

She laid her tail softly on his cheek. "I know what is at stake… I have nine lives remember?"

"Nine lives," he snorted. "You know I don't believe in that cloud-fluff, nor do I trust it… I don't trust Gethin either. What if he turns on us?"

"Toby," she mewed quietly. "I would trust Gethin with my life and as for those nine lives… You have to trust me to know what I'm doing. I grew up here and I know this land like the back of my paw. Believe me," she said.

Toby let out an anxious sigh. "I'm staying here with you then," he declared. The last of the evacuation patrol was disappearing over a slope down. They'd soon reach the fallen tree and once there, they'd be in the clear. Froststar had insisted however that they go farther down just in case. The farther down you went, the more rapids there were. That was where they planned to lure the pack over the side and into the speeding current.

Froststar opened her mouth to protest but decided against it. After telling the attack patrol their decision, they set off to check the dens. Froststar got the dens near the ground while Toby scaled the rocks to check the high dens. Froststar nosed her way into the nursery and sniffed around. She wished that she would have given birth to Snowpaw and Stripepaw here. She was glad they had gone with the Clan so they would be out of danger. Paw had accompanied them along with Bree.

The nursery smelled of borage and warm milk along with the pure scents of the nursing queens. She sighed as memories flooded over her. Foxkit's birth and his first step… his squeals of delight when he tasted his first mouse… Froststar couldn't bear to think about it any longer. She turned and bounded out of the nursery toward Noonshine's den. She looked around quickly. The different smells of herbs made her forget her nostalgia. She turned to leave when she heard a cough. She froze.

She turned again and Eclipse was rising from one of the nests in the back. "What did I miss?" he rasped. His eyes were bloodshot and his fur was matted and messy. Froststar hadn't been up close to him since the battle, but she didn't know he have gotten this decrepit. His nose was running and his tail drooped like he was an elder that should have died long ago.

Froststar hissed in annoyance. "Toby!" she yowled. She turned to Eclipse. "Don't try anything funny. A wolf pack is on its way here to kill the Clan and help Tigerstorm take over and you'll be the only thing they get to kill if you even try to attack!"

Eclipse snorted. "It's my time to die. I want to go. Living here is horrible. It's not even an existence. I hid in Noonshine's den. She thought I returned to the elders. No one cares enough to look for me."

Froststar glared. There was a thunder of paws and Toby appeared at the entrance. "What—" he stopped as he saw Eclipse. "You!" he growled. "Why didn't you go with the others?!"

"Because I hate this life," Eclipse mewed.

Toby and Eclipse argued while Froststar padded to the exit again. The sun was setting. She whipped around. "The sun's setting! It's nearly dusk! We have to get to the others!" she hissed.

The two bickering toms froze. "The wolves…" Toby breathed.

"Hurry!" Froststar yowled. "We have to take the old bone-bag with us but we can still make it out of camp!"

The three cats pelted for the exit of the camp. The howling of wolves made them stop in their tracks. The large gray wolf, Rune, was at the camp entrance and nosing his way in. Froststar felt her blood turn to ice. She whipped around and ushered the two cats back down into the camp. She looked around frantically for somewhere to hide. She then remembered. "The Whispering Cave," she whispered and took off toward the river.

She heard the wolves howl as they began to claw at the bramble barrier they'd set up at the entrance. They reached the hole that led to the Whispering Cave. She shoved Eclipse down with her shoulder. She made Toby go next and glanced up. The sun was setting now and a slight mist was rising from the river water. A cold breeze ruffled her fur as the remaining snow piles glittered around her in the brilliance of the setting sun. She pushed her way into the hole seeing Rune break through the barrier.

Underground in the cave, it was colder than above. Stalagmites protruded from the water while stalactites hung from the ceiling. The stalactites dripped from the never-ending moisture in the cave. Water swished around the slippery crystal floor as the magnificence of the stone behind them glittered. Moss was all around them, clinging to the stalagmites and the walls.

The sounds of thundering paws above made all of them freeze. Toby pressed closer to Froststar and she buried her face in his shoulder blade. She let out a breath causing a cloud to form. There were the sounds of sniffing and scratching as a black paw reached into the cave. "No one's here!" a voice called. Froststar remembered the voice as belonging to Balder.

Rune let out a snarl of annoyance from above. He must've been near the wolf who'd reached into the cave. "There must be someone?! Where else could they have gone?! Did Tigerstorm trick us?!"

"I don't think he did," the voice nearest to the entrance barked. "The freshest scent ends here."

There were some muffled sounds. Froststar guessed that Rune had pushed the black-pawed wolf out of the way. Rune's scarred muzzle poked its way into the den and inhaled. Froststar realized she was trembling. She pressed closer to Toby who pulled her even closer with his tail.

Rune pulled out. "Dig them out," he growled.

Froststar gasped quietly. Toby rested his head on hers. "Whatever happens," he whispered very quietly in her ear. "I will always love you."

She felt tears overflow from her eyes. "I will always love you too… no matter what."

Suddenly, there was a yowl from outside. "Hey!" Gethin's voice yowled. "Come and get me you drooling mouse-brains!" he yowled.

A/N: Review?