Heather set down her robin on the prey pile. She glanced behind her, seeing Briar and Flash following her in the camp from their hunting trip. She twitched an ear, and headed to the apprentice's den. She sat in front of the den, watching the clan. She had a very ominous feeling in her gut, and it wouldn't leave. She watched as Feather and Daisy sat next to each other, discussing something fervently. She recalled the previous day. Flame hadn't been in her nest when Heather woke, so she assumed that she went out on the dawn patrol, but when Grass and Creek had returned, they had told her that they hadn't seen her. Flame did come back later, but by then everyone was anxious as to where she had gone. Heather sighed, flattening her ears, just to prick them up again, as Swift and Swoop ran into camp, out of breath. They were both clearly injured. She sprang up and running over, wondering what had happened. By the time she got there, a crowd had already formed. Blossom and Falcon ran over.
"What happened?!" Blossom meowed anxiously.
"Attacked…..coming…..this…." Swift panted. Before he could finish, however, two black cats jumped out from the entrance of camp. The first one slammed into Swoop. She shrieked, then was cut short when the cat sunk it's teeth into her neck. When it let go, Swoop's eyes were glazed over. She was dead. Meanwhile, the other cat had slashed its claws across Swift's neck, killing him. The clan let out a gasp, and stepped back. Heather stood frozen, her eyes locked on the two cats. Falcon let out a yowl of rage, and threw himself at the cats. They did little to defend themselves, and he had executed killing blows in a matter of moments. However, when he slashed their necks, they didn't bleed. Instead, they fell, and vanished to the shadows.
Falcon looked up. "What?"
The clan started murmuring. No one was sure what was going on. Flame, Flash, and Grass all ran up next to her.
"What's happening?" Grass meowed, a touch of fear in his voice.
Just then, two cats walked into camp. One was a large sturdy black tom with red eyes. The other was a white tom with ice-blue eyes.
Flame widened her eyes in surprise. "I know the white tom….His name's Frost."
Flash looked at her, a question in his eyes, but he was silent, deciding to save it for later.
Blossom widened her eyes, and took a step forward uncertainty. "H-Hawk? Is that you?"
Dream pushed her way to the front, followed shortly after by Feather and Daisy.
"Hawk! Where have you been?! Your mother and I have been worried sick! Not to mention your poor sister!"
The cat named Hawk tipped his head. "Flight is here?"
"Hey, wait. Isn't that the tom who was talking with Ocean?" Flash meowed quietly. Flame nodded.
Falcon glowered. "No. She is not here. And who is this?" He nodded toward Frost.
Hawk flicked his tail. "This is Frost. Flight's mate."
Dream looked at Hawk. "What happened to you?"
He snorted. "Nothing."
Dream narrowed her eyes. "Don't approach." She meowed quietly.
A screech sounded from the back of the crowd. The cat's attention shifted, and everyone looked behind them. Ocean stood with blood on her paws, at her feet the lifeless body of Dust. Sand shrieked.
Chaos broke out. Every cat was running, trying to get away safely, or take down the traitors.
Feather turned to Heather, Flash, Flame, and Grass. "Listen! You must get out of here, and find Flight! It is so important you stay alive! Please, she'll explain everything! Just g-" She was cut short by an ice spike shooting into her neck. She gagged, and fell. Behind her stood Frost, satisfaction on his face.
Flash stood frozen. Then he let out a scream of rage, and water rose up around him. He directed the water at Frost, and it hit him square in the chest. Flash then drooped, exhausted. Heather stared at him in shock.
Grass started to push him toward the entrance. Another shadow cat leaped out from the bushes. It ran straight at Grass. He widened his eyes, and, as if on instinct, slammed his paw on the ground. Earth shot up toward the shadow cat, slamming into it's belly and sending it flying up. Grass looked at the upturned earth in shock.
Flame looked at them. "We got to fight!" She ran into the fray.
"Flame NO!" Heather shouted, running after her. A cat fell in front of her. She stopped short, horror on her face. Ocean's lifeless face stared at her, teeth blood stained. Heather felt like collapsing, and shutting out this living hell. Instead, she swallowed her fear, and pushed onward.
"Help! Someone, help!" A voice cried out. Heather pricked her ears, turning toward the cry. Seed was crouched, terrified in front of Hawk. Heather started running toward her, when a flash of orange fur moved in front of her. Hawk slashed at the throat of Alder, landing a direct hit. She widened her eyes, and stumbled.
Seed looked at her sister in horror. She then suddenly gasped, and went limp. An ice spike protruded from her middle. Frost smirked, then turned his attention to Heather. She looked up at him, trembling.
"Oh, isn't this upsetting? A little kit, watching her clan die around her." Frost meowed, advancing. "Well, I'll grant you mercy, this one time." He raised his paw to make a killing swipe, when he was knocked to the ground by a grey and white she-cat.
"LEAVE HER ALONE!" She screeched, swiping at his face.
Hawk looked a little shocked. "F-Flight?" However, the shock turned to anger quickly. "I thought I told you to stay out of this fight!"
Flight looked up and glared at him. "I do not, and will not, listen to you. Ever." She glanced behind her. "Heather, go Flame and meet your siblings at the entrance. Now."
Heather backed up, and took off. A shadow cat sprang from the fighting cats, and ran toward her. It pounced on her. She looked up at it's face, determination spreading through her. She let out a yowl, and pushed up, throwing it off. She stood, and unsheathed her claws. Acting on impulse, she swiped at the air, then slammed her paw into the ground. A wall of wind pushed out from where she had swiped. It slammed into the cat, dispersing it. It also dispersed the ones it hit into. She suddenly drooped, tired. She looked up, and saw Flame running toward her.
"Flame, we….we got to go….I-I'm sorry…" Heather panted.
Flame looked back at her clan, then back to Heather. She reluctantly nodded. "Yeah, yeah we do." She began helping her to the entrance.
Flight was already there. She ran over to them. She picked up Heather by the scruff, and ran to the entrance. Flame had turned, frozen in place. Flight put down Heather. "Flame! Come on, we got to-" She stopped, seeing what had captivated Flame's attention.
Hawk stood in front of Falcon and Blossom. "Hello, mother, father. So sorry about earlier."
Falcon was furious. "HAWK! WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT ABOUT!"
Hawk smiled. "Oh, daddy. You don't know when to shut up."
Falcon looked taken aback. "Hawk. You need to leave."
Hawk laughed. "Yeah, no. It's you who is leaving."
Falcon narrowed his eyes. "Over my dead body."
Hawk shrugged. "If you insist." With that he leaped at Falcon, hitting him square in the back. Falcon tried to push him off, but failed. Hawk lashed his tail, and locked his jaws around Falcon's neck. Falcon writhed for a few moments, then fell limp. Hawk released his teeth, licking his lips. He then turned to Blossom.
"Hawk….What have you done?" Blossom meowed, looking up at him.
Hawk chuckled, shaking his head. He then sprang at her. She dodged out of the way, then turned to him.
"You don't have to do this…"
He flattened his ears, and sprang at her again.
Again, she dodged. "Hawk, please. Baby….."
"SHUT UP!" He screeched, running toward her. This time, she didn't dodge quickly enough. He rammed into her, hitting her onto her back. She looked up at him sadly. Hawk's right eye lit up, and he mercilessly slashed at her belly. She closed her eyes, accepting her fate.
Tears fell onto Heather's head. She looked up, her own eyes wet, to see Flight silently crying. Flight reached out to Flame with her paw, and pushed her toward her. Flame let herself be pushed for a moment, then turned and fled. Just before Flight turned her head to go after her, Heather caught the eye of Reed and Wolf, staring at her, terror in their eyes. Then, Flight turned her head, and they left the camp.