Chapter 6: Dreampride's Arrest/Fallen Tree
"Here's something new, I think I'll give it a try. Come closer you! I like to see what I get! The usual price, for just a slice of your pie.." Dawnpride was taking a break when a black tom came out of nowhere.
"No, I don't want you, no, no, let me go!" She said, backing away.
"Is a trick? I won't pay more!" He snarled.
"No, not at all!" The un-furred tabby meowed.
"You've got some nerve, you stupid she-cat! You piece of crowfood!" Dawnpride's yellow fur instantly went up, and she clawed his black muzzle, ripping the flesh.
"I'll kill you, you piece of fox-dung, try any of that! Even a she-cat who has gone to the bad won't be had by a rogue!" She snarled.
"By Starclan, you'll pay for what you've done! This rogue will make you bleed you'll see! I guarantee, I'll make you suffer! For this disturbance of the peace, for this insult to life and property!" The dark tom snapped.
"I beg you, don't report me sir! I'll do what ever you may want..." Dawnpride pleaded, her eyes wet.
"Make your excuse to the warriors!" He growled.
"Tell me quickly what's the story! Who saw what and why and where? Let him give a full description, let him answer to Eaglestrike! In this nest of she-cats and toms, let one speak who saw it all! Who laid their paws here on Nightclaw? What's the substance of this brawl?" The gray tom with blue eyes, Eaglestrike stomped forward.
"Eaglestrike, would you believe it? I was hunting for fresh-kill, when this she-cat attacked me! You can see she left her mark.." The tom, Nightclaw, motioned to where she had drew blood.
"She will answer for her actions, when you make a full complaint! You may rest assured, Nightclaw, that she will answer to Echostar." Echostar was the leader of Breezeclan.
"There's a kit who sorely needs me! Please Eaglestrike, she's barely five moons old!" Dawnpride pleaded, wet tears staining her face.
"Holy Starclan, is there no mercy? If you take me away she'll die!" The tabby cried, thinking of her beloved light brown she-kit.
"I have heard such protestations every day for twenty moons! Let's have no more explanations, save your breath and save your cries." He whipped a tear off of the tabby.
"Honest work, just reward, that's the way to please our ancestors!"
"A moment of your time, Eaglestrike. I do believe this she-cat's tale!" A black tom emerged.
"B-b-but Crowhaze!" Eaglestrike stuttered.
"You've done your duty, let it be! She needs a medicine cat's help, not a punishment." Crowhaze meowed.
"But Crowhaze!"
"Can this be?" Dawnpride disbelievingly whispered.
"Where will she end, this poor cat without a friend? I've seen your face before.. Show me some way to help you.. How have you come to grief, in such a place as this?" His aqua eyes met her green eyes.
"Crowhaze, don't mock me now, I pray! It's hard enough I've lost my pride... You let Hawkfeather send me away!" A mixture of disbelief and surprise clouded his eyes.
"Yes, you were there, and turned aside..I never did no wrong!" She mewed.
"Is it true, what I've done?" The black tom looked down.
"My kit is close to dying!"
"To an innocent soul?"
"If there's Starclan above,"
"Had I only known then!"
"They'd let me die instead!" She looked upon the night sky, which was twinkling with bright stars.
"In our ancestor's name, my task has just begun! I will see it done!" He motioned to help the tabby.
"But Crowhaze!"
"I will see it done!" He turned towards they grey tom.
"But, Crowhaze!"
"I will see it done!" He yowled.
Then a great thump happened then where the cats where. A white apprentice dashed and panted. After a few seconds she sputtered, "A tree has fallen on Blazestorm!" The group of cats hurried off to see a group of cats. When they saw Crowhaze and Eaglestrike coming, they moved to show a crying ginger tom, who was stuck under a vast tree.
"Look at that! Look at that! It's Blazestorm!" A blue-gray she-cat cried.
"Don't approach! Don't go near! At the risk of your life!" A tortoiseshell warned.
"He is caught by the tree!" A light she-cat gasped.
"Oh, the pitiful cat!" A orange tabby eyes were pained, she was his sister.
"Stay away, turn away!" A gray tom touched his tail to her shoulder.
"There is nothing to do! There is nothing to do..." Nightclaw mewed.
"Is there anyone here who will rescue the poor cat? Who will help me to carry the weight of the tree?" Crowhaze asked, his aqua gaze glancing every cat.
"Don't go near him, Crowhaze!" The light she-cat mewed.
"The tree is the weight of the sky!" The gray she-cat meowed.
"The young cat's a goner for sure!" The orange tabby wailed.
"It'll kill you as well." The tortoiseshell shook her head.
Still determined, Crowhaze slid under the tree and slowly brought it up. He failed, but tried again, so the gray tom and orange tabby could pull him out.
"C-Crowhaze, I have no words! You come from Starclan, you are a savior." The ginger tom coughed out.
When Eaglestrike saw Crowhaze lift the tree, it reminded him of a cat.. His name was Clawfall.
"Can this be true? I don't believe what I see! A cat your age," He refered to him being like a senior warrior, "To be as strong as you are... A memory stirs.. You make me think of a cat.. From years ago! A cat who broke his parole, he disappeared!" Eaglestrike saw the confused look on the black tom's face.
"Forgive me, Crowhaze, I would not dare!" He stopped himself.
"Say what you must, don't leave it there!" Crowhaze said, aqua eyes full of astonishment.
"I-I have only known one other, who can do what you have done. He's a convict from the work gang, he's been ten moons on the run! But he couldn't run forever, we have found his hideaway! He's just been re-taken and he comes to Echostar's today!" Eaglestrike meowed.
"Of course he now denies it! You'd expect that of a con! But he couldn't run forever, no, not even Clawfall!" Crowhaze's black fur rose at the name.
"You say this cat denies it all and gives no sign of understanding or remorse? You say this cat is going to trial and that's he's sure to be returned to serve his sentence?" The black tom asked.
Eaglestrike only nodded.
"Come to that, can you be sure, that I am not your rogue?" Crowhaze breathed.
"I have known the rogue for ages, tracked him down through thick and thin! He will bend, he will break! This time there is no mistake." Eaglestrike reassured the tom.
Crowhaze ordered a brown tom with light brown patches to bring Dawnpride to Mistyleaf, Breezeclan's medicine cat.
Crowhaze was soon left alone.