Chapter 9

I laid in the nursery with the kits. My wounds had healed enough where I was finally allowed to get back to taking care of them a couple days ago. I couldn't go to sleep. I truthfully struggled to recently, even if I was tired. I knew why. I was afraid to go to sleep and deal with Lightstar. I was afraid of messing up and getting someone else hurt, someone else killed. There was no room for mistakes.

I heard a noise outside the den. The rest of the Clan couldn't be back from the Gathering so soon, could they? I looked at the three kits near me. I couldn't put them in harm's way. I got up, careful not to disturb their sleep, and crept out of the den to see what the noise was. I looked around, seeing nothing. It must've just been a tree branch or some animal.

Something jumped on me, quickly applying a pressure to my throat successfully stopping any noise out of shock, but also my breathing.

"Not a sound," a voice hissed. Of course it was recognizable as Grasstail. The pressure was released and I gasped for air. Although the tom's paw was still on my throat, it wasn't pressing on it any longer. Rather his claws were unsheathed as a silent threat. Coldclaw slipped out of the shadows. Of course he was here too.

"What do you want?" I whispered, annoyed. Better than Lightstar I suppose.

"Surely you acknowledge the fact your camp is barely guarded and it's the perfect time to take you unknowingly," Grasstail responded. "Now listen. You're going to come with us and quietly or one of the precious kits that were entrusted in your care dies. Understood?"

I froze. I couldn't lose another kit to my foolishness. This time really was my downfall. I looked around to face my attacker the best I could. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a small figure standing in the entrance to the nursery. Upon closer inspection I realized it was Tigerkit. Maybe if he could get the message...

"So I'm not allowed to go get Boulderfang? Even after I leave?" I asked, meeting Tigerkit's eye. The kit disappeared back into the nursery.

"What kind of question is that? Of course you can't," Grasstail explained, seeming concerned for my intelligence. "You're getting kidnapped, Deathfire. How mouse-brained are you? Just shut your dumb little muzzle and come on."

I was led out the dirt-place exit by the two toms and into the woods. I really hoped Tigerkit got the idea. It was my one hope of getting out of this mess. I then realized how mad Lightstar was going to be that I'm so late. Does she make exceptions if I'm getting taken against my will? Will she hurt someone? Why couldn't my kidnappers have knocked me out or something?

All of a sudden, a blur of gray fur leapt on Grasstail. Boulderfang! I moved out of the way of the two tussling toms. I felt someone ram into me, sending me flying. Oh right, Coldclaw. The tom pounced. I quickly rolled out of the way and got back on my feet. He also was back up. He ran past me. How cowardly was he? Wait, that's not the way back to SunClan. That's toward NightClan camp. The kits!

I took off running as fast as my little legs would carry me and then faster. I managed to catch up until I was not far behind him. I remembered a trick I used when racing other cats. I leapt forward, my front claws just digging into him. He hissed in pain as I climbed on top of him, digging my claws into his back. He bucked a bit, trying to throw me off him. I bit down on his ear and yanked, causing him to cry out. I kept hold of his ear while jumping off him, pulling him down.

"Come back here and fight like a warrior!" Boulderfang roared.

A cat jumped onto me and had me on my back in an instant. Claws were against my throat once more, only the silent threat keeping me down. Grasstail again. Of course. Coldclaw cursed me under his breath as he got back to his paws.

"I was about to win a real fight for probably the first time ever until you interrupted," I complained. "Can't let me have one victory, can you?"

"Shut up," Grasstail snapped. "As for you, Boulderfang, I'm pretty tired of you ruining my fun. That goes for your brother too. It's always one or the other! It ticks me off. This time I don't think you'll be stopping me however. One move and she dies. What you do is entirely your choice."

"Surely we can't let her get any farther unscathed after the pest she's been tonight," Coldclaw stated.

"We could always chop her tail off bit by bit with a blunt rock," Grasstail suggested.

"Or make her ears match," Coldclaw said, gesturing at my torn ear with his tail.

"Or see how much blunt force with a rock her legs can withstand until they snap."

"Or see how well she flies. After all, she's great with trees."

"Plan torture techniques on your own time!" Boulderfang told them. "It's distracting."

"How about they just don't plan torture techniques?" I asked.

"We do what we want and when we want," Grasstail stated. "Besides, we have the upper paw in this situation."

They were so confident they won. They knew Boulderfang couldn't do anything with me in this position and that I was weak. However, if Grasstail removed his paw from my throat, Boulderfang would attack. It was a stalemate. Eventually help would show up and they'd be forced to leave.

Coldclaw suddenly pounced on the underbrush. A cat cried out in shock. Silkshade was thrown into the clearing. Silentstorm stepped out, keeping her dignity.

Silkshade stood back up. "Hi Deathfire. Hi Boulderfang."

"Hi," Boulderfang sighed.

"What a rescue," I muttered.

"Where's Tallblaze?" Grasstail asked.

"He stayed back at camp to prepare for any wounds," Silkshade answered.

Grasstail snorted. "There's no way he'd wait behind with his precious 'sister' at stake. Tell me the truth."

"I am!" Silkshade protested. "It's very rude of you to needlessly accuse me of lying, you know."

He put his weight on my throat. "Tell me the truth," he repeated. I'm actually going to finally die this time, aren't I?

"She's not lying, Grasstail," Silentstorm stated. "Don't kill her."

"Oh, she's not being given the mercy of death," Grasstail laughed, shifting his weight off me. I was gasping for air once more. "She doesn't deserve it."

"Fox-heart," Silkshade muttered.

"What was that?" Grasstail asked, pressing down on my throat once again.

"What do you even want?" Boulderfang exclaimed.

"Are you guys still not gone?" Flurrytail asked, then sighing. Grasstail released the pressure once more.

"We had more interference than we suspected," Grasstail answered.

"One of you should have been able to take off with her!" Flurrytail said.

"Well, Grasstail was busy getting beat up by Boulderfang while Coldclaw was losing to me until Grasstail made this cowardly move," I informed her.

Flurrytail sighed again. "You both are useless. What you do is you immobilize her and then we have a fair fight."

Grasstail was suddenly knocked off of me. "I thought you said Tallblaze stayed behind!" Grasstail exclaimed.

"You all were taking forever, I got impatient," Tallblaze responded.

Silentstorm leapt at Flurrytail while Silkshade and Boulderfang ganged up on Coldclaw. I sat back and watched as there was really nothing for me to do except get in the way.

"I think it's about time we go home," Grasstail said hurriedly.

"Yeah, we should've been back at camp a while ago," Coldclaw agreed.

The two toms were allowed to retreat. Flurrytail hissed and slipped into the underbrush.

"You okay?" Boulderfang asked.

I realized I was still lying on my back. I got up. "Yeah, I'm fine. All they did was try to suffocate me a couple times, I actually did a good job overall."

"Let's head back to camp then," Silkshade said.

"Yeah, and we need to talk to you guys about something," Tallblaze told us. "But first, what happened?"

We headed back to camp as I explained all that had went down that night. I then remembered Lightstar. There was no way I could get any sleep tonight. Hopefully she had a little bit of mercy in her. I'd have to worry about that later however.

Author's Note: Flurrytail needs some better henchmen. I mean, come on. Grasstail and Coldclaw? Also petition to let Deathfire win a fight for once. Oh wait, I'm the author. Well. I suppose I'll respect my decisions. Anyway, leave a review if you'd like. I'll see you all next week.

-Rowan W.