Chapter 22: FearClan

Thunder crashed, booming through Lion's soaked body as she wrestled with a tom. Her long sharp claws slicing through fragile ears and gouging into thick fur. Wild cries and yowls echoed all around as they fought, scrambling madly against one another. The thunderpath slick with rain as she kicked off the tom with all she had.

He tumbled away, bowling into another cat whose claws lashed at him wildly. Clan and Rogue were fighting blind in the storm. Lion licked her lips, watered-down blood was all she could taste and smell among the rain-scent.

Looking around she found Heather fighting Nightstar alone. The she-cats were dueling on their hind legs, having a test of strength as they fought to pull the other over. Their claws digging in deep in their shoulders as they wrestled. Hind paws scrabbling on wet black-stone.

The rain was pelting the battleground as Lion spotted her next target. A black dappled white she-cat who fought off Berry who twisted away and raced back to the mesh of fence. Lion rushed over, slamming into the she-cat as lightning flashed over them. The sky exploded with thunder, hailstones began to clatter as it arrived.

The she-cat squirmed madly beneath her, a sharp gasp of horror as her head snapped into a new direction. "Icepaw, no!"

Lion snapped her gaze to see Shadow writhing on the ground, his black fur blotting out the patch of white beneath him. Cold dread filtered through Lion. A young cat stood no chance against an enraged tom. Without thinking, she got off the she-cat and gave an order. "Save her and get her out of here."

The she-cat looked to her, shock written in her features before she bolted and bowled over Shadow. The white she-cat wasn't moving as the black dappled one fought valiantly. She fought like the white cat was her precious kit. Lion turned and took note of how they were outnumbered in the battle.

She decided to find Cedar, the new queen needed to be located and protected. That was the she-cat pact that Heather forced upon her before they came here. She pushed her way through the throng of cats, slashing and biting through the clumps of warriors and rogues that were running back to their territory.

Behind some bushes, she found Cedar bleeding heavily. She wasn't moving as an unfamiliar cat worked quickly to lessen the bleeding. A familiar dark ginger tom stepped into the open, amber eyes blazing with hostility as he stood rigid and between them.

"Stay away or we can't save her." He snarled, looking to the she-cat. "Why you want to save a rogue leader I will never know!"

"I did this to her." The she-cat growled, shoving moss and leaves into the gash at her neck to stop the bleeding. "I have to take responsibility. I can smell the milk-scent. She had kits. I don't know if they are fully weaned or not so I need to save her life for those kits."

"You need to save her." Lion mewed bitterly. "Or let her die. Who cares at this point."

"Whose the father?" the cat asked as she began to make a poultice for Cedar's gashes.

"Shadow."

The she-cat hesitated before spitting out the pulp into the wounds and placing moss over it to keep it in. Cobwebs, drenched from the rain and blood, were scattered on the grassy ground. Her paws worked feverishly, as Cedar breathing was labored from the pain and blood loss.

"Hawk, do everything you can." the tom meowed, his gaze softening in sympathy as he looked to Lion. "Retreat. I will let Hawk take supplies, but retreat and take Hawk with you. Only she can keep her alive while she fights to stay with the living."

Lion slowly backed away turning to see Shadow pelting at her, fury in his eyes. "How could you leave me to fend off that wretched she-cat!?" He demanded.

"Cedar's fatally injured." Lion told him quietly.

The tom's sharp gaze changed into absolute horror. "No, no; that can't be. That's a lie!"

"It's not. Someone is doing everything she can for her. It might not be enough to take her back, but we have to retreat to save her life. She needs to be somewhere dry to heal properly." Lion told him, energy flowing into her as she mewed.

"What will Heather say?" Shadow asked, looking back to the fight.

"It doesn't matter, Cedar is down, you're her mate, you have to make this decision for her life."

The black tabby nodded silently as he rushed away. Lion stood still as the tom behind her made leaf wraps for them to take. Her heart heavy as she felt she had failed to protect her. However, the rogues were pelting for their territory and Shadow was rushing them with Heather close behind. It was time.

"We're taking Cedar." Lion announced as she slipped back to them.

"Very well, may the stars light her path if she does not make it." the tom mewed dryly.

Hawk finished everything she could, "I will need you to fetch me everything possible to prevent infection. Can I count on you to help me make up for this grave mistake?"

"Heather will allow me to as long as I let her know it is for Cedar."

"Good."

Heather finally reached them, her honey-colored eyes wide in shock. "Who had done this to her and why are you even helping her?"

"I did it." Hawk mewed, "So I'm doing all I can to fix what I did. We don't have time to waste. We have to get her back to your territory."

"And why should we trust you, you traitor!" Shadow hissed.

Hawk was silent, her eyes dark as lightning flashed and thunder rumbled. "I am all the hope you have left Shadow. Whether you like it or not, I have to do something for the sake of the kits."

"You are coming with us." Heather decided.

"But Heather-"

"No but's Shadow. I have to do what is best for those kits as well. They outrank you and your petty heart. You want Cedar to live? Then we will take Hawk. at least she isn't close to death like this old tom!" Shadow winced as Heather gave an order. "Now get Cedar by the scruff. Lion, you get her hindquarters I'll try to get under her body."

Hawk picked up the leaf wraps while Lion gripped Cedar with careful jaws. She had to try everything to help. As much as she hated Cedar and Heather, she had to pull her weight. Who knows how unbearable the creamy brown she-cat was going to become if her friend and rumored mate were to die.

Finally, they began to march on to their territory. Worry prickling at her pelt. Was there even a chance for Cedar to survive? Was the cruel rogue leader going to finally fall apart before their very eyes? How would the kits take it? Lion could only let her thoughts buzz around like bees as she plodded after them.

There was no telling how it would play out. Worry was deep inside her. How far could this war go on and would there be any surviving cat in their bleak future?