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CHAPTER 17: The Battle, part 3

"We have to save Lightpelt!"

Bluewhisker had retreated into the woods with Icetail and Robinblaze. They were trying to circle back to the camp, and had briefly stopped to catch their breath.

Robinblaze lashed her tail. "We can worry about him later. Let's get back to camp and prepare in case they attack us again! And plus, we can find Fishfur!"

Anger rose inside Bluewhisker. "So Fishfur is more important than Lightpelt? Are you completely mouse-brained?" She snarled.

"I wasn't saying that! I mean, at least we actually know where Fishfur is. Lightpelt could be anywhere!"

Bluewhisker immediately regretted having been so harsh. Why did that make me so angry? She shook it off and said, "Okay, sorry I got so upset. Let's get back to camp." They continued running.

As the three she-cats sprinted through the trees, Bluewhisker thought she could smell the scent of Redstripe and his goons. She pricked her ears. Voices were coming from the same direction.

"Poisonfang, head for the camp! I'll go the other way! Everyone else, split!"

Bluewhisker bit back a yowl of panic. Poisonfang might beat us to the camp! Then we'd be screwed for sure!

There was no time to waste. "Guys, quick! Head for the alder tree over there! Hide in the bush!"

Icetail shot a confused glance at her. "Why?"

"No time to explain! Just do it, now!" Bluewhisker spat, hastily.

Robinblaze and Icetail nodded and shot off toward the alder tree. Bluewhisker followed.

After ducking under the bush with her companions, she explained. "While we were running, I heard Redstripe telling his goons to look for us. He told Poisonfang to go to our camp! We have to sneak up on him, because if we arrive at the camp and he's waiting for us, then we'll be screwed."

Icetail looked on thoughtfully. Then she spoke. "How do you know he's heading for our camp? We might be doing this for nothing."

Bluewhisker thought about this for a moment. She hadn't considered it, no. But she was almost positive that Redstripe and his gang knew where their camp was.

"Maybe we are, but it's better to be safe than sorry," she said. "And I just have a feeling they know where our camp is."

Icetail nodded. "Okay, then, let's go!" She scrambled out of the bush and hared away through the trees. Bluewhisker followed, and Robinblaze hurried out after them.

The camp was not far away, and Bluewhisker guessed that Poisonfang would already be there. Right outside the camp wall, she signaled for her two friends to halt. She peered through a narrow gap in the camp wall, calculating the best route to sneak up on Poisonfang unnoticed. Finally, she decided.

"Okay, here's the plan. Me and Icetail will go up this tree and jump down on him. Robinblaze, you head for the back of the camp, and go into your den from the rear entrance. If he tries to raid our herb store, you can attack him from there." As long as she doesn't forget her battle training, Bluewhisker added silently to herself, hoping that wouldn't happen.

Icetail moved closer to Bluewhisker, and Robinblaze started padding away toward the back of the ex-warriors' camp. "Good luck," she called over her shoulder. Icetail wished her the same, and the three cats were on their way to perform the sneak-attack.

"Wouldn't it be more sensible to find Fishfur first, so we have more claws in the battle? Poisonfang is a tough guy, and if he bites us, we're pretty much dead." Icetail said.

"If we do that, we have a much bigger chance of getting spotted, and then all three of us are dead. Even if we escape, he'll destroy the camp. So let's stop talking about it and get up this tree," Bluewhisker told her. She scrambled up the tall birch, finding easy-to-reach pawholds on branch stubs. She stopped at a bigger branch halfway up the tree that overhang the camp, stretching downward until it was just a few tail-lengths above the ground. She beckoned Icetail with her tail, and padded along the branch until she reached the end. Icetail stood right behind her, waiting for the signal to attack.

Poisonfang was pacing around the clearing, also ready to attack. But he seemed to be waiting for one of them to arrive at the camp entrance so he could ambush that cat. But little did he know, Bluewhisker and Icetail were sneak-attacking the sneak-attacker.

Bluewhisker waited until Poisonfang had his back facing them, starting to head for Lightpelt's den to check if anyone was in there. For a moment, she felt a pang of loss for Lightpelt. He was gone, captured by Redstripe's evil net. Or was it even Redstripe's? There was no time to stand around mourning. This was the perfect time to attack Poisonfang.

"NOW!" She leapt from the branch and landed squarely on Poisonfang's shoulders, digging her claws deep into his fur to keep her balance. He writhed and squirmed under her weight, and let out a ferocious snarl.

"YOU MAY HAVE OUTSMARTED ME, BITCH, BUT I'M GOING TO SLAUGHTER YOU, AND LINE MY NEST WITH YOUR FUR!"

He rolled over, slamming Bluewhisker to the ground with a sickening thud. She couldn't help feeling a jolt of panic. This is all going wrong! But then, the unmistakable glossy white pelt of Icetail flashed at the edge of her vision. Just as Poisonfang was about to sink his teeth into her neck, he let out a yelp and pulled away from Bluewhisker, hissing. Icetail had slashed his flank, leaving a deep gash in his side. Together she and Bluewhisker drove him back, towards the medicine den. As they did that, Robinblaze came scurrying out and, to Poisonfang's surprise, gave him a serious mark on his back. She might be a medicine cat, but she's a brilliant fighter, Bluewhisker thought. Now three cats were working to drive Poisonfang away, and he looked ready to give up.

Suddenly, Poisonfang lashed out as far as he could with his claws, and Robinblaze was knocked back by the brute force of his attack. Bluewhisker held back a gasp of shock. No! Was the only thought she could think. Now wounded too badly, Robinblaze got up and dragged herself across the clearing to get away from the fight.

Bluewhisker was still stunned by the sudden attack, and trying to recover her balance. Icetail had started fighting again, however her movements were growing rushed and sloppy. All three of them were still tired from the battle.

Bluewhisker shook out her pelt and rushed to help Icetail. They had to win this battle. Poisonfang was now trying to bite Icetail, his snapping jaws reaching further toward her every time. Bluewhisker hurried over and gave Poisonfang another slash on his side where the other one was. He howled in pain, but it only made him more enraged. Now he loomed over Bluewhisker, eyes filled with menace she'd never seen before.

"You little BITCH! I think it's time to show you where your friend is." He growled, voice filled with terrifying levels of hatred.

Suddenly, a gray pelt appeared behind Poisonfang. It was an all-too-familiar tom; Bluewhisker almost cried out in surprise when she saw his eyes glittering with evil.

Fishfur.

She'd never seen him this way before. It was almost like they'd never been friends, all that time living together as exiled warriors forgotten. This was a whole new Fishfur, one that wanted to kill her, one that wanted revenge for something she couldn't identify.

He stalked up to her, and pushed Poisonfang aside.

"Oh, Bluewhisker, don't you see? I'm going to destroy your little world, and all your friends. Everything you've ever known. Gone. Vanished. So you can feel my pain. It was all a trick, Bluewhisker. I was never your friend and you were never mine. I'm going to kill you, bitch."

The last thing Bluewhisker saw that day was a brief flash of claws, blood gushing from her throat, and finally, cold, black darkness.

I'm dead!