Here we go this was originally a one shot called Feel My Pain. It was meant to be a teaser for future chapters and it's different from this chapter. This version in the chapter is edited to fit the storyline.The original is on my profile if any of you are interested in reading it. Might have a few grammar mistakes or oversights because I wrote it in 2015.
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Dovekit gaped at the bright, dazzling surroundings in front of her. At two moons old, the she kit placed her tiny paws on RiverClan's territory for the first time. The tall and rustling grasses, the lush and thick bushes, the quiet and cool streams, everything, seemed bigger and more beautiful seen with her own green eyes. It even was better than the mental image she formed in her head when her mother told her stories about patrols and hunting sessions! The kit relished the breeze caressing her soft, pale grey fur. She inhaled the cool, tangy scents of water and soil that assaulted her senses. Insects buzzed around Dovekit's ears as she took a few steps into the wilderness. The long grass and reeds felt rough, yet cool to her tiny paws and the early morning sun shone warmly on her pale, grey fur. Now she could patrol the territory and serve the clan for real, just like she dreamed of! This time, Wolfkit wouldn't try to hold her back with her weird liking for the Warrior Code, Silverkit wouldn't try to follow her everywhere and Branchkit wouldn't show off his "battle skills" to steal their mother's attention. Today was the most exciting day of her young life!
At first, she couldn't believe a warrior let her explore. Normally kits weren't allowed out of the camp until they were apprentices, but the warrior had told her she was a special exception. Dovekit's mind whispered a warning into her ears after she slipped away from the comforts of the nursery.
Mama said good warriors don't get in trouble.
Dovekit shook her head wildly and covered her face with her paws indignantly, as if to hide her eyes from her own conscience. Embarrassed at her own, silly behavior, Dovekit stood up and pouted before padding forward.
Shut up! Mama will be proud of me when I come back with a fish. Then she'll have to notice me more than stupid Branchkit. I'll be a better warrior than he is any day! At least Daddy notices me.
With a final thought, Dovekit let her guilt drop beneath her paws. She raced through the bushes, following her ears' lead towards the gurgling, bubbling sounds of running water. After all, why should she be afraid? The warrior said he wouldn't tell the clan or her mother and father that she was out in the territory. Plus, the warrior told Dovekit that he'd teach her how to catch a bluegill for her mother. Determination pumped through the kit's small body as her paws hit the sandy earth by the river. Memories flashed through her mind when an odd sense of familiarity arose. A burst of energy sparked from the realization. Her mother had been to this river before! This was the exact same river where Dovekit's mother had fished for her first time. Dovekit recognized the claw shaped curve of the water flow and flat, sandy banks that lined the rocks. The view matched her mother's description exactly.
I'm going to be just like her and catch a fish here for my first time too!
The pale grey kit hopped from the sandy shoal to a rock that jutted over the gently flowing water. Her reflection beamed off the surface, striking the kit's emerald green eyes.
Mama said I had Daddy's eyes; she said that I'd be strong like him someday. When she sees me later I'll be the best warrior ever!
The kit sat patiently over the water, waiting for fish to swim under the swirling, blue waves. Dovekit tried to remember the techniques her mother's apprentice had taught her when he visited with moss balls just the day prior.
What did Pebblepaw say the first thing to when hunting was? Oh yeah! It was to make sure you aren't leaning over too far.
Heeding Pebblepaw's advice, Dovekit shrunk back onto the rock. Her shadow barely touched the edge of the pointed stone. Satisfied with her posture, the little grey kit scanned over the river for fish, but only found small, shining pebbles resting in the water. Dovekit waited a bit longer, the breeze faintly tingling her fur. But, the kit quickly grew frustrated and leapt off the rock with a soft "thud" when she hit the sandy banks.
Then, Dovekit remembered the warrior. She could still see his dark, amber eyes glimmering in the low light of the rapidly growing evening. She remembered how large he was; the tom towered over her head, slightly intimidating the young kit. Then, she remembered why she listened to him in the quiet evenings. Dovekit had admired the warrior's fighting and hunting prowess and had strived to be like him: powerful in battle and a skillful hunter. The warrior had even promised to train her so that her mother would notice her over her brothers and sister. The tom had whispered into her ears that night: "You're better than them, I know you are. Your mother will look at differently when I'm done with you."
Dovekit felt pride well up in her chest when she remembered the warrior's praise. The warrior would teach her how to be a good warrior and server to her clan. He'd teach her how to hunt and fight and Dovekit's mother would surely turn a blind eye to her siblings. But Dovekit's dream faded like fog in the sunlight when she still saw no fish arrive. Dovekit hopped off stone that overhung the shoreline.
This is stupid.
The pale grey kit decided to approach the water instead. Her paws numbed when the icy waves lapped and teased at her paws. Her pads protested, numbing her legs when she took steps further into the frigid, morning waters.
No! I'm going to be a warrior today! No giving up!
Suddenly, a wave crashed over Dovekit's head, shocking the kit's lungs with the sudden lack of air! The water pulled and tugged her away from the shore and loose rocks buffeted the little kit's body. Struggling, Dovekit clung to the smooth stones that lined the floor of the river and pulled. The water tugged back, weighing down her already sodden pelt. With one more heave of effort, Dovekit managed to drag herself back onto the sandy river bank. The grey she kit spat out the still icy water.
I'll never be a warrior at this rate!
Dovekit held back tears, but a wail never left her lips when a paw nudged her flank. The warrior had arrived to help her! Dovekit looked up at the newly arriving tom with admiration. His grey and ginger splotched pelt shone in the morning sun and his tail swished behind him. He gave the small, grey kit a knowing smile, to which Dovekit grinned back. The warrior stared back at her with a glint in his dark, amber eyes eyes, but Dovekit didn't notice.
"You'll train me, right?" Dovekit squeaked at the tom, enthusiasm lining her mew. The warrior nodded; his muscles rippled beneath his fur as he padded closer to Dovekit.
"Of course. I saw you in the river. You were doing well for a first time." The warrior said warmly. Dovekit puffed out her chest at the praise.
"But you have to be in the water to catch a catfish."
Dovekit's ears dropped.
"But, I-" Dovekit protested, remembering the disaster the ensued when she attempted to swim the first time, but the warrior quickly cut her off.
"You want to be a warrior, don't you? You want to impress your mother?"
"Of course I do!"
"Then get in the water again." The warrior's mew held a trace of a growl, but Dovekit obeyed. Her desire to become a warrior overtook her initial anxiety. She padded over sand and pebbles into the water again. She stopped when the water reached the tops of her forelegs. Dovekit looked back to see the ginger and grey warrior behind her, the water barely covering his paws. He nodded to the kit. Dovekit turned her attention back towards the cold, swirling waves of the river. Dovekit steeled herself; ready to take on any warrior task.
I can do this!
"I'll be right behind you." The warrior promised.
Dovekit stepped further. Now the water seeped into her belly fur. Off in the distance, she could see a school of catfish swimming around under the water. Excited, Dovekit squealed over to the warrior, who stood above her while brandishing a wide, toothy grin.
"I see some! I see so-" Dovekit's excited squeals were masked by the water as something strong and heavy shoved her under the water! Terrified, the little kit fought back at her attacker and tried to rake her tiny claws into the attacker's fur. But a paw pinned down her forelegs, paralyzing her. Desperately, Dovekit opened her eyes under the river. In the midst of swirling waves she could see her attacker's smiling face. With horror, she realized who the cat who was drowning her was the warrior! Dovekit could see the triumph lining his grey and ginger face and in his dark, bitter eyes. The heartbreaking sense of regret and betrayal seeped into her mind as Dovekit heard the warrior's last words to her through the sloshing waves.
"Catch a fish." The warrior let out an audible hiss and sunk his claws into Dovekit's skin, his voice unnervingly calm. Unable to let out a cry of pain, Dovekit squirmed, but her efforts were futile. The grey kit was only met with another swipe of the claws on her flank. Instinctively, she opened her jaws to let out a wail, but was only met with the silence of the river. Air escaped her lungs and water seeped into her mouth. Dovekit tried as hard as she could to keep her eyes opened, to keep her emerald gaze on the grey and ginger tom's expression of malice for as long as possible. But nothing could stop the slow, dark tendrils of exhaustion as the kit's world melted into blackness.
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Timberclaw quietly padded into the lush area that surrounded RiverClan's camp. He decided to start off the morning with a solo hunt. Often, hunting cleared his mind and provided him with prey to bring back to Dawnflight, who remained in the nursery with his kits. Timberclaw knew she would be hungry; after all, she had four mouths to feed. He smiled fondly at the thought of his new family of only two moons.
The lanky, brown tabby slipped past a few trees and approached the banks of the river. He settled down by the claw shaped bank and his haunches hit the sandy shores with a soft "whump." Timberclaw relished the cold, wet feeling of the sandy soil under his paws. The river was a place of pleasant memories for the tom. He remembered the countless times he took Dawnflight to river to train and hunt when he was just a mentor and she was just an apprentice. The river was the place he asked her to be his mate; the place where she accepted.
Timberclaw sighed audibly to himself and moved on. Memories would have to wait. Now that he and Dawnflight had kits of their own, he could take them to the river banks so they could make their own memories. The tabby crept up to the edge of the water. His were movements smooth and careful so that his shadow or slim body shape wouldn't alert any fish that scoured the surface. Timberclaw scanned his emerald gaze over the waves of the river, searching for fish. His eyes widened as he spotted a small group of bluegill lazily swimming beneath the currents.
Perfect.
Then, as quick as a snake's strike, he lashed out his claws into the water! Timberclaw hooked his paw when he felt his claws connect with the scaly flesh of a fish. Then, he lifted his foreleg into the air, causing the fish to land on the sandy shore. With just as much speed, Timberclaw brought his claws onto the fish's gills and slashed, cleanly killing it. Satisfied with his day's first kill, Timberclaw scooped sand over the fish and waited for another to appear. Within moments of the first, another fish swam near the banks. The tabby tom dispatched the prey as fast as before and buried it with piece of prey. But the warrior stopped when he noticed a wet wad of something drifting towards him in the stream currents.
Usually, Timberclaw would have left stray objects found in the river alone. Often times, the gently rushing water swept debris from territory to territory. When Timberclaw patrolled or hunted by this side of the river, sometimes he noticed stones, branches, or even twoleg rubbish caught in the currents or stuck between rocks. But today he saw something different. It looked like a hairball that cats coughed up when they groomed themselves or shed too much.
Funny, all the warriors I know wouldn't carelessly throw a hairball into the river.
Curious, Timberclaw stepped into the water. He waded through waves, his power legs thrusting him through the water. Timberclaw hooked a claw onto the hairball. The sodden fur flexed beneath his paw and floated towards the tom. The warrior was shocked by the sheer size of the hairball. A cat can only cough up so much at once.
Gingerly, Timberclaw grabbed the hairball with his teeth. His paws continued to churn the water as he made his way back to the shore. When he arrived, Timberclaw dropped the hairball to the ground. The wet bundle made a small plopping sound when it hit the pebbles.
Something isn't right here. It's too big and heavy to be a hair ball. Even hair balls soaked in water don't make this kind of sound when they're dropped to the ground.
With a flick of the paw, Timberclaw smoothed some of the fur over. Oddly, a long strand stuck out like a tail and clung to his paw. Annoyed, the tom smacked it away with a skillful flick of the paw. But the longer he stared at the hairball the more familiar it became. Timberclaw almost hissed in annoyance.
What in StarClan's name is this?
The tabby warrior examined the fur closer. This time he flipped it over onto its other side. Much to Timberclaw's surprise, two more hair strands popped up like a pair of ears. They were a pair of ears. Dread started to fill Timberclaw's heart like a waterfall. Frantically, he smoothed over the fur, next revealing whiskers, a nose, paws…
Timberclaw nearly let out a yowl with grief!
A kit's body was drowned in the river! With the scent of RiverClan! Pushing more of the kit's fur around, Timberclaw found claw marks scoring the flanks and chest of the kit. Someone had deliberately drowned the kit.
The tom growled quietly at the thought. Whoever did this to an innocent kit was breaking the Warrior Code as well as committing one of the vilest crimes. Now that he had kits of his own, Timberclaw found that he had a soft side for young cats. Timberclaw swore the cat that drowned a RiverClan kit would pay dearly.
The tabby sighed and picked up the kit's body and took it over to a dry patch of dirt. The kit would need to have an honorable burial and vigil. The least he could do now was groom the poor kit's fur and take it back to camp. Timberclaw slumped down into the dirt with a quiet "fwoomp." Once again, he turned the kit's body over flat and began to groom it. But after the first lick, the tabby tom stopped dead and almost flung the kit's body away from him in horror!
This kit wasn't just any RiverClan kit, not that he didn't care about them, but his kit! His and Dawnflight's. Sitting before him was chilled and lifeless was the body of his beloved Dovekit! Dovekit, his favorite daughter; Dovekit, one of the proudest joys in Timberclaw's life; Dovekit, a sign of his love for Dawnflight. All the love he poured into his daughter drained instantly with the river, flowing away in vain.
An odd numbness seeped its way into Timberclaw's heart, making him shiver violently. The brown warrior blinked his emerald eyes; they stung. Breathes were caught in Timberclaw's throat, momentarily choking him. He coughed and sputtered back sobs that threatened to emerge when he pushed his nose into his daughter's dead pelt. The pain of her death spread quicker and more intensely than Timberclaw ever would have imagined.
For the first time in what seemed like nine lifetimes, the warrior cried. Tears blinded his vision as he sped through the forest. The tabby tom wanted to do anything to escape the pain of losing Dovekit. Timberclaw tripped over stones and bushes, too numb to feel the small cuts that made his paws bleed. Then, a large rock seemed to appear out of thin air. Timberclaw's paws slipped over its surface and failed to get a claw hold. Within seconds the tom was face down on the grassy ground with the air in his lung diminished. No longer able to hold back the sobs and cries of pain, Timberclaw let out a yowl of anger and grief. Then, he stood up to back track and retrieve Dovekit's body. But, a voice made his muscles freeze.
"Did you find her yet, Timberclaw?"
The brown tabby swerved around to see a ginger and grey shape standing a few mouse lengths away. Timberclaw blinked in an attempt to clear his vision. A snarl ripped through his throat when he discovered who the shade belonged to. Without warning, Timberclaw launched himself at the grey and ginger cat! The brown tom easily pinned down the other cat under his claws.
"You! You did this to her!" Timberclaw hissed in his victim's face. But the grey cat only smirked.
"Why would I have hurt my sister's kit?" Thunderstorm asked innocently; he almost sounded genuine. Timberclaw felt nothing but rage at the other warrior's answer.
"Why wouldn't you?" Timberclaw growled, "I'm not stupid, Thunderstorm. I've seen how much you hate her."
With another hiss, Timberclaw raked his claws down the ginger cat's belly. But, the cat showed no signs of registering the pain. Timberclaw only saw a growing grin on the cat's grey and ginger dappled face.
"Wait till the clan hears about this. A father drowned his own kit!" The grey cat laughed. But Timberclaw only sliced at the tom harder.
"I always knew you were unpredictable, Thunderstorm." Timberclaw growled between pummels. This time Thunderstorm growled back at him.
"Unpredictable? Unpredictable! I'm more than just unpredictable, Timberclaw. I'm better than you. I'm better than Dawnflight. I'll show my parents. I'll show everyone that I'm better than her, even if I have to take away everything she loves, just like she did to me!"
Thunderstorm kicked his opponent's belly. Timberclaw gagged and staggered away from the grey and ginger tom. With a hard glare, Timberclaw rushed forward to hit Thunderstorm again, but was met with air when the ginger and grey tom quickly sidestepped. The brown tabby hit the forest floor, but quickly stood back up to his paws. He fell backwards when the tabby slammed into him a second time.
Timberclaw let out an annoyed hiss when Thunderstorm squirmed out of his grasp again. The ginger and grey warrior had slipped under his paws and ran through the bushes, disappearing into thin air. Timberclaw uttered another growl of frustration before he padded backwards to fetch Dovekit's body.
With great care, Timberclaw lifted up his dead daughter's body. Then slowly he began his journey home. He dreaded his clan's reaction and what Thunderstorm was going to tell his clan and Dawnflight. But most of all, the tabby dreaded his mate's pain when she'd see her daughter dead. The thought made his striped fur spike with unease.
The tabby warrior slowly dragged his paws home. Time was moving fast and the clan would get worried if he didn't return soon. With a final leap over a small stream, Timberclaw made it back into central RiverClan territory just in time to find his mate and Thunderstorm in the thick of a battle.
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Dawnflight yawned and opened her eyes to the weak morning sun. The silvery grey queen had awoke to find half of her mossy nest in RiverClan's nursery empty, due to her mate's absence. The queen didn't mind, however. Timberclaw normally awoke early to have hunting time for himself. Most days he'd bring back a piece of fresh kill for Dawnflight and their kits. But today, Timberclaw seemed to be dawdling and Dawnflight felt a simmering anxiety worm its way into her chest without him, especially with four kits to care for. For four more moons she'd need her mate's support more than ever.
The silvery grey she cat tried to quash the rising worry that grew in her mind.
I'm sure he'll be back soon. He's always back before sunhigh.
Dawnflight decided to look for Timberclaw, unable to relinquish the worry that hung over her head like a storm cloud. Before she stepped out of the nursery, Dawnflight left her kits in the care of another queen. The grey warrior was grateful for the relief. She didn't want to cloud her mind with worry about her mate and all of her kits at the same time. With one last loving gaze at her little ones, Dawnflight left the nursery and headed out into RiverClan's territory.
The first few steps out of camp were uneventful, but Dawnflight found herself enjoying the fresh air and smells that she'd left behind for her two moons of motherhood. Then suddenly, the thrills of being a warrior came rushing back to her. The sense of adventure and the determination to serve her clan sped up her paws as she hopped over streams and ditches. The silvery warrior let her paws guide her across the territory like she had in the past for countless patrols. Remembering her training, Dawnflight stopped and sniffed the air for any signs of Timberclaw. Much to her disappointment, the breeze carried nothing but the cool air of the lake and the grassy scent of the trees. Padding forward, Dawnflight instinctively padded towards the river, hoping for the chill that it brought her fur and paws. The queen's paws sunk into the sandy earth when she walked along the banks. Small waves lapped at her feet when she stopped to smell her favorite fishing spot down by the lower edge. Paw prints littered the pebbly, sandy shore by the water's edge and sand was kicked up in some places. Dawnflight didn't seem surprised to find her mate's scent among the countless others. This particular stream was one of Timberclaw's favorite places to fish. Dawnflight assumed he stopped to catch a fish and that he dragged his catch onto the sand.
Nothing out of the ordinary here, I suppose.
The grey queen followed Timberclaw's scent out of the river banks. It seemed like his paws steps went forward and then back again. Perhaps Timberclaw had to back track for multiple pieces of prey. Dawnflight didn't feel her mind expressing concern. She'd save worrying for the time when she had real proof of her mate's disappearance.
Suddenly, a rustle in the nearby bushes caught the queen's eye. She whipped her head around and cocked her white tipped ears at the noise. She held her breath when the greenery revealed her brother. Dawnflight felt her ears tip backwards instinctively when he padded forward with a smug smirk on his face. Dawnflight held back the urge to let out a cry in her brother's company.
"Oh, Thunderstorm. What are you doing out here this early?" Dawnflight asked curiously. She barely ever saw her younger brother anymore. He seemed to avoid his only sister as much as he could during warrior duties. The big ginger and grey tom cocked his head.
"I just wanted to take a walk this beautiful morning," Thunderstorm started with a smooth purr, "I came to talk to you for once."
Dawnflight softened slightly, but remained still. Her brother had been nothing but hateful since they had been kits in the nursery together. The silvery she cat felt hope rise in her heart. Excitement started at the thought of finally mending the bond with her brother.
"About what?" Dawnflight asked, her dark, amber eyes blinking at her brother. Thunderstorm showed his sister a flat face.
"Did you notice Dovekit missing when you woke up?"
The question made Dawnflight think. She hadn't noticed one of her kits missing. When she awoke, she thought all of them were in her nest beside her. She only ever noticed Timberclaw's absence. Thunderstorm's lips formed a smile. Dawnflight flicked her ears in confusion. A slight flare of anxiety rose in Dawnflight's chest.
"Of course you didn't. You don't notice her anyway." Thunderstorm's calm meow held bitter undertones.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Dawnflight asked genuinely.
"You know what I mean, Dawnflight."
Thunderstorm's hard, amber gaze locked into Dawnflight's. The she cat froze. Then, Thunderstorm spoke again.
"I happen to know where she is and what happened to her."
Dawnflight lifted her brows in surprise. Surely her brother couldn't know about her kit. He never showed much interest in them anyway. He normally avoided the nursery all together during the day! Concerned, Dawnflight decided to listen to Thunderstorm.
"Alright. Tell me then." Dawnflight mewed. Thunderstorm smirked slightly, but Dawnflight didn't notice.
"When I left this morning," Thunderstorm began, "I noticed Timberclaw leaving at the same time."
"That's pretty normal," Dawnflight remarked, "he gets up early all the time."
"And with him, I saw Dovekit."
Dawnflight didn't change her expression. Her mate had taken their kits out of camp multiple times. She wasn't surprised. She cat let her brother ramble on, waiting for him to arrive at a legitimately shocking detail.
"Then I saw him take her to the river. Timberclaw made her get into the water, Dawnflight. Made her." Thunderstorm hissed with emphasis. Dawnflight seemed shocked this time. Timberclaw had shown nothing but affection towards Dovekit. He even favored her over their other kits. Dawnflight let out an indignant huff.
"But that's not all," Thunderstorm meowed, "your mate pushed her underwater and drowned her!"
With the last word, Dawnflight felt herself audibly growl. He was lying. She knew it. It was painfully obvious. Timberclaw would never hurt a kit. He'd never hurt his own kit. Thunderstorm only grinned in response, his dark, amber eyes narrowing. Dawnflight hooked her claws into the ground to keep herself from pouncing on the grey and ginger tom. But Thunderstorm kept poking for a reaction. The grey and ginger tom kept spewing words.
"Timberclaw never loved you, Dawnflight. He always hated you-!"
Thunderstorm didn't finish his sentence. Dawnflight, unable to contain her rage and sense of regret at trusting her brother, threw herself at Thunderstorm! The tom's body hit the sandy ground with a loud "thud!" Dawnflight found her claws raking hard against her brother's pelt. The queen relished in the feeling of fur being ripped from her brother's skin. He hissed in defiance.
"Timberclaw would never do that! He always loved me!" Dawnflight spat at Thunderstorm's face. Thunderstorm flinched, but Dawnflight didn't relent. The grey she cat nipped at his neck and chest. Blood welled up from the tom's wounds.
"You! You wouldn't know if he didn't love you at all! You've always been loved. You've never known the pain I've had all my life!" Timberclaw nearly yowled. Then, he forced his back paws upward and leapt off of his sister's belly. Dawnflight staggered back with a gag, but didn't falter. The silvery queen just stared coldly at Thunderstorm. Hurt flashed briefly in between the eyes of the two cats. Dawnflight cringed.
"I gave you a chance. I gave you a chance to start over and let go. I wanted to have a happy life with you!" Dawnflight mewed, tears starting to form in her dark, amber eyes. Thunderstorm just bristled.
"How could I let go of what you did to me for my whole life?!" Thunderstorm snarled at her, but his feet stood firmly planted in the ground.
"You took everything from me!" Thunderstorm leapt at his sister who hissed as she felt claws scrape across her muzzle and eyes. Dawnflight yowled when Thunderstorm sliced at her unprotected, left eye. Eyelids twitching, Dawnflight retaliated. She caught Thunderstorm's paw in her jaws and clamped her fangs down. Blood leaked into the she cat's mouth and she heard a pained hiss from her brother. Then, Dawnflight pulled her head back, flinging Thunderstorm with her. The grey and ginger warrior yowled and fell to the ground head first. Dawnflight noticed Thunderstorm's temporary weak spot and lunged at the tom. Thunderstorm struggled to rise from the ground but fell once more when Dawnflight slammed her body into him. Dawnflight's paw aimed straight for Thunderstorm's neck and met no resistance. Unsheathing her claws, the silvery queen slashed and clawed her brother's throat, slowly ripping away skin and fur. Thunderstorm hissed and thrashed beneath her. Soon he began to gain the upper hand. Thunderstorm pushed with all of his strength upwards and over, hoping to free himself of his sister's grip. But Dawnflight clung hard to Thunderstorm. The more he pushed and thrashed the tighter and more frequently she sliced at his flanks. But the tom's strength proved successful and with one final push he sent Dawnflight crashing into sandy river bank.
Dawnflight shook herself and looked up at her brother. He carried a grim smile that seemed to grow the longer she stared. Thunderstorm's eyes betrayed no pain, but a half crazed glint that almost made her shudder. The grey and ginger tom licked the blood off of his claws and widened his grin.
"Soon I'll taste more of your sweet blood, Dawnflight." Thunderstorm half growled half hissed at his sister. Much to Dawnflight's horror, the grey tom bit down on her neck and lifted her into the air. Dawnflight struggled, but failed to free herself from Thunderstorm's grasp. The grey and ginger warrior, with Dawnflight between his jaws, slammed her into the hard earth. Dawnflight yowled in pain. But a sudden relief appeared when Thunderstorm dropped her and staggered backwards. Dawnflight looked up to see a brown tabby slashing at Thunderstorm's muzzle, then his shoulders. Timberclaw had come to Dawnflight's rescue!
Thunderstorm's eyes blazed at his new opponent.
"Stay out of this!" He snarled. Timberclaw, ignoring him, advanced on the grey and ginger tom, aiming for a powerful bite to Thunderstorm's flanks. But Thunderstorm swatted him aside with a powerful swipe and then rushed at Dawnflight again.
Grabbing his sister, Thunderstorm dragged her to the water's edge and forced her into the current. But Dawnflight held on. She clawed her brother's flanks and bit into his neck along the wound she previously scored. As she fell into the water, Dawnflight dragged her brother with her with a semi-triumphant yowl.
Timberclaw rushed at the pair of cats with outstretched paws, hoping to catch Dawnflight before she hit the water, but was too late. The two cats had already tumbled into the swirling river. Neither of them bobbed their heads up.
Frantically, Timberclaw scanned the water. But not sign of either of the cats appeared. Without thinking, the tabby tom launched himself into the water with splash! His powerful limbs churned the water, keeping him afloat. Still no trace of Dawnflight or Thunderstorm. Then, holding his breath, Timberclaw plunged under the currents. His vision gave way to the dark waves as he sank deeper and deeper in the once familiar river.