Chapter 20
That's what that smell was. I need to help her! How?
"I heard you yowling," Boulderfang said, running over. He quickly noticed Flurrytail. "Leave my apprentice alone, Flurrytail."
"Limppaw's in there with a badger!" I told him.
"Nice of you to show," Flurrytail said.
Boulderfang tried to walk past and Flurrytail blocked his path. "I'm not afraid to hurt you," he said.
"What about my kits?" Flurrytail asked.
"Kits?" Boulderfang asked. "You're going to have kits?"
"Yes," Flurrytail said.
"Congratulations," Boulderfang said.
"Coldclaw's, I presume," I guessed.
"Of course," Flurrytail said.
"What do I do now?" Boulderfang asked. "I can't hurt them. They've done nothing wrong!"
"I understand," I said. "But we need to save my sister!"
"Could she be able to stop both of us if we tried to make it past?" Boulderfang asked.
"She's not going to refrain from hurting us," I said.
"Tallblaze is better with ideas than me," Boulderfang said.
"Wait, isn't there a difference between badger wounds are wounds caused by a cat?" I asked.
"Yeah," Boulderfang said.
"Then she can't hurt us or some cat will figure it out," I said.
"So neither of us can use our claws!" Boulderfang said.
"You think I'm afraid of someone suspecting me?" Flurrytail said. "If you get rid of the body no cat will ever know!"
"Mouse dung," I spat.
"My plan it is," Boulderfang said.
He may be a mouse-brain, but at least he's determined to try. "Might as well," I agreed.
Boulderfang leapt at Flurrytail. She met him with her claws. I hurried over to the collapsed badger set and started digging.
"Hang on," I said to Limppaw. "I'll get you out of there."
"Goodbye, Deathpaw," Limppaw said softly.
"No! I'll save you!" I pleaded. "Everything will be okay!" I felt the pointlessness of my words. "I can't lose you."
"Too late!" Flurrytail said.
I had dug a hole and I pulled Limppaw through. Her body was limp.
"It should've been me!" I wailed.
Boulderfang walked over. "Don't say that," he said.
"Why not? If I had been able to take care of myself none of this would've happened!" I said. "I couldn't protect her! It's all my fault and I would've deserved it!"
"None of it's your fault," Boulderfang soothed. "I should've kept a closer eye on you. And it certainly wasn't you who caused this." He shot a look at his sister.
"Now you all remember what you're up against," Flurrytail said.
"I never forgot," Boulderfang said.
The badger had dug it's way out of it's set. It's black eyes glistened with fury.
"We need to get out of here," Boulderfang said.
"Not before I sink my claws into it," I growled.
"Deathpaw, are you crazy? No way you can take that thing!" Boulderfang protested.
"I probably have a better chance with this badger than Flurrytail," I said and leapt on it.
It swung around madly with the goal of flinging me off. I sunk my claws into it's back.
"Deathpaw, you mouse-brain!" Boulderfang yowled at me and attacked the badger.
I slashed it's forehead, blinding it's vision with blood. That seemed to make it even more furious. I saw Boulderfang darting in and out from under it. I scratched at it's neck and head. It finally managed to throw me off. I quickly got back on my paws and flung myself back at it. I felt it scratch my shoulder.
Eventually, after what felt like forever, the badger started running off. We followed it to the border.
"And don't come back!" I shouted after it.
"I thought you'd be happy to see me," a voice I hadn't heard in a moon joked.