Chapter Sixteen

Jaypaw felt claws dig into his back and he smelled WindClan. He let out a caterwaul and fell to the ground. Hearing a cry coming from somewhere in the distance, Jaypaw noticed the voice of his sister. Her voice was the drowned out by Crowfeather's menacing growl.

"After I take you out, I'll go for those spies you call your kin." He spat out the word 'spies' as if it were a curse. Not giving up, Jaypaw tried to slash at the WindClan warrior's paws, hoping that that would make him let go—but it didn't work. Crowfeather let out a chuckle, and held him down harder.

"Get away from him!" Hollypaw shouted, and she jumped at Crowfeather. Bowling him over with him, Hollypaw rolled around on the ground. She scratched at his muzzle and blood dribbled from the wound. Growling with rage, Crowfeather leapt at her. About to run to get help from someone who could fight, Jaypaw stopped and sniffed the air. Where was Cinderpaw? She had been right next to him!

Turning his attention back to Crowfeather, he found that there wasn't much time. Hollypaw tried to grab onto his shoulders with his claws, but missed. He spun around and kicked out his hind paws, causing Hollypaw to fly back and collide with a wall of rock. She dropped to the ground, unconscious. Jaypaw tried to run to his sister's side, but Crwofeather stood in his way. His heart thudding with fear, Jaypaw made a run for it, but was then thrashed to the ground by a heavy weight.

"Get off!" Jaypaw cried, even though he was fully aware that Crowfeather would pay no attention. Crowfeather laughed and raised his unsheathed paw above Jaypaw's neck. Holding him down with the other paw, Crowfeather made sure Jaypaw couldn't move. Jaypaw felt tears come to his eyes as he realized that he was about to join StarClan. He lay limp, not bothering to fight back, and awaited his death.

Jaypaw felt a cold claw touch his neck, and then a sharp pain. Before anything else, though, Crowfeather's weight suddenly was lifted. Jaypaw got to his paws shakily, and scented the air—Cinderpaw!

"What? You can't fight your own battles?" Crowfeather hissed at Jaypaw. "You have to get she-cats to fight them for you?"Cinderpaw let out a screech and lunged for Crowfeather's leg. He tripped and fell on his side as she bit down hard. Jaypaw, determined to show Crowfeather that he could fight, pounced for his exposed belly. He scratched furiously, and then Crowfeather whacked him hard in the head. Getting back up quickly, Jaypaw kicked his chin up. Cinderpaw kept a strong hold on Crowfeather's hind leg, and didn't let go.

Crowfeather grazed his claws across Jaypaw's face, and Jaypaw flew back, stunned. Then, Crowfeather kicked out his hind paw, causing Cinderpaw to jump back in surprise. He got to his paws, with a slight limp and padded toward Cinderpaw, cornering her in the medicine cat den. All around them cats were screaming and hissing, as the battle raged on.

With an evil grin, Crowfeather took a step closer to Cinderpaw. She was already pressed up against the wall, and couldn't go any further. Jaypaw's heart tore itself apart as he heard a cry come from Cinderpaw. Tears were streaming down her fur—he knew it. He had to get help—but there wouldn't be enough time.

At that moment, Leafpool came bursting into the den, her eyes wide with alarm.

"Crowfeather!" she yowled. He flicked his head around and growled. "Please, no." There was a glint of challenge in Crowfeather's eyes, as if he dared her to step closer and try to save the little apprentice. Leafpool glanced at Cinderpaw and her eyes flood with tears.

"I must do what I must do for my Clan," Crowfeather said simply. Jaypaw knew what he meant by that, and he lunged for Cinderpaw. But Crowfeather whipped around and snapped his jaws together in a vicious bite. Jaypaw didn't back away, and stood almost nose to nose with the WindClan warrior.

"You can't see me," Crowfeather growled. "So I wouldn't expect you to run." Jaypaw, with anger now surging through him, flung out his front paw and raked Crowfeather's muzzle. Crowfeather snarled and turned back to Cinderpaw.

"I trusted you," Crowfeather told Leafpool, who stood a couple tail-lengths away. "But you betrayed me. So why should I be any different?" Cinderpaw looked as if she was going to cower against the wall, and most apprentice's would have, but she gave a jerk and semi-crouched, her eyes glittering with determintation. Crowfeather, who still had his back turned to her, was unaware of her sudden change. He yelped as she pounced on his back and knocked him to the ground.

"You're brave," Crowfeather hissed, "but not very smart!" He clawed at her underbelly with his hind feet, but she avoided his attack, as if expecting it. Taken aback, he glared at her and got to his paws. She lashed out again and went for his leg. This time, though, he was able to shield himself from her fangs and she flew back, hitting up against the wall. Crowfeather ran to her and towered above her, sending ripples of fear off her pelt and to Jaypaw's nose. I have to do something! As if reading his thoughts, Leafpool tried to jump in.

"Don't!" Cinderpaw cried, and Leafpool stopped.

"Cinderpaw…," she choked, her voice full of sympathy. Crowfeather took the opportunity and dive for Cinderpaw, catching her at just the right spot—her neck.

In a deadly grip, he sunk his fangs into her fur, and she let out a muffled howl. Leafpool began to sob uncontrollably and jumped on Crowfeather's back, wresting him to the floor. Cinderpaw was released, but Leafpool didn't seem to notice, and continued to take down Crowfeather. With guilt pulsing through every mouse-length of his body, Jaypaw rushed to Cinderpaw.

"Cinderpaw!" he screamed. He felt her gaze hot on his fur. "Cinderpaw…"

"Jaypaw…," she managed to say.

"I'm sorry," he meowed, putting his nose to her fur. "I should have done something. I—I'll never forgive myself."

"F-forgive and forget," Cinderpaw rasped. "I knew this was going to happen. There was nothing that you could do to change the fate of StarClan." Tears came to Jaypaw's eyes, and he felt something weird happening inside of him. What was he feeling?

"I love you, Cinderpaw," he said, unable to hold it back any longer. He wrapped his tail around her and let his tears sink into her fur. Completely oblivious to whatever was happening around him, he pressed himself up against Cinderpaw.

"I love you, too, J-Jaypaw," she mewed weakly. Jaypaw licked her head repeatedly, and sensed her breathing getting shallowed. His heart was telling him to go and get herbs, that maybe he could save her right now. But his mind was telling him not to, and that he couldn't explain.

He wanted to match his breathing to hers, and to see what she could see in her head right now, but her thoughts were covered by a fog.

"I will never forget you, Cinderpaw," he whispered in her ear, as her breathing got worse, and finally, she drew her last breath before joining StarClan.