A/N: Sorry for the wait, I was busy with other stuff. But other than that, Chapter 4 has finally arrived :D
Springflower: Heh, in my defense, it was a good cliffhanger to leave off of on. ):D
Captain Scar: Thank you :D Hope you enjoy this next chapter!~
Spiritflash: Hehe, I'm so evil XD
Jaywing: Of course I'm going to continue, enjoy this next one. It might even fulfill your wish :D
Now, with that out of the way, onto the story~
~Frost
Chapter 4:
Speckwind's POV:
As Speckwind raced across the misty clearing, she could hear pawsteps pounding the ground behind her. Hmm, it must be Pebblestone and the others following me, Speckwind thought as she stopped for a moment to look around.
In the distance, she could hear the barks of dogs and the screeches and yowls that obviously belonged to DuskClan cats. I have to help them! the thought flashed in Speckwind's mind as she took off running once more.
After a while of running, the white StormClan she-cat finally stopped and started swiveling her ears from side to side, hopefully to distinguish where DuskClan was currently at.
Speckwind glanced over her shoulder and noticed that her Clanmates weren't behind her as she had heard earlier. Narrowing her eyes slightly, she turned back around, this time opening her jaws to scent the air.
This time, the barks and yowls were getting closer and it appeared as if they were moving towards Speckwind's location. Speckwind tilted her head slightly, her tail flicking restlessly behind her.
As she looked around the area more closely, a rustle in some nearby bushes caught Speckwind's attention. Flickering her ear, she stayed silent and started to head toward the bush. Once she got nearer, she could hear some gasping and quick inhalings of air.
Moving slowly yet warily now, Speckwind headed straight for the bush and whatever was behind it. Once she padded in, she could see that wisps of mist were swirling around the thick canopy of trees, the clouds hanging above, low as the crackling of thunder could be heard.
In front of Speckwind, a cat was lying limply on her side, her flanks heaving with each intake of breath she took in. The white StormClan she-cat gasped in shock and rushed over to the DuskClan cat's side. "Shellstep! What happened?!"
The DuskClan cat raised her head slightly, locking her amber gaze with Speckwind's gentle brown eyes. "Don't worry, Speckwind. I'll be in StarClan soon with Riverstride," Shellstep spoke hoarsely.
"No, you can't die!" Speckwind cried, pressing her nose into the dying cat's shoulder. "Do not fret, Speckwind, for this is simply a part of life," Shellstep simply answered, resting her head on the damp grass once more.
"But..." Speckwind tried to object, but was cut off by Shellstep. "I said do not fret, Speckwind, soon I will be reunited with Riverstride. I know this is hard, but it's a part of life that we must learn to move on from."
Speckwind stayed silent, only gazing at the DuskClan cat sadly. Finally, the StormClan cat spoke, "May you reach StarClan swiftly, Shellstep."
Shellstep nodded slightly before she drew a long shuddering breath, her eyes still locked onto Speckwind's. The white she-cat watched as Shellstep took her last breath before her amber eyes closed and her flanks grew still, no longer heaving with breath.
Sadly and silently, Speckwind picked up Shellstep's limp body and padded over to an area that had trees growing close to one another. Setting the dead DuskClan cat down gently, Speckwind looked for a spot to bury the loyal warrior.
Glimpsing a small space in the cluster of trees, Speckwind grabbed Shellstep by the scruff and began to carry her toward the burial spot. Setting Shellstep down once more, Speckwind started to dig a hole just deep enough to hold Shellstep.
Once Speckwind had thought that the hole was deep enough, she headed back to where the former DuskClan cat was lying. Securing a strong grip on Shellstep's scruff, Speckwind began to half-carry and half-drag her towards the hole and climbed down.
Sighing, the white StormClan cat pressed her nose into her former friend's ever-growing cold shoulder fur for the last time before she started to climb back out. Once she was out, Speckwind began to fill the hole in with the hard earth that she had dug up before.
Casting a quick glance over her shoulder, Speckwind turned away from the mound and started to head in another direction, dimly wondering if her Clanmates were safe or not. May StarClan be with them, wherever they are.
Ratberry's POV:
Smirking with satisfaction, the rogue she-cat gazed down at the motionless StormClan warrior, her dark-brown eyes betraying nothing. Hmph, he could have at least put up more of a fight. After all, these Clan cats are supposed to be warriors, not kits struggling to stay on their little paws, Ratberry thought derisively with a twitch of her tail.
Ratberry glanced around at the mossy clearing, her paws kneading the damp earth impatiently, her claws still red with the StormClan cat's blood. With a small huff, the rogue flicked her cold gaze back to the tom lying before her. Hm, soon his little Clan friends will come running if they don't see him after a while. Then again, it would be better off if I get going if I'm going to reach the hills by dusk.
With that last thought, Ratberry moved to grab Pebblestone's scruff with some slight adjusting here and there. Once she had a firm grip on the warrior's scruff, Ratberry looked around once more before she plunged into the dense undergrowth, the mist parting as she broke through them, Pebblestone still lying limp in her strong jaws.
With the mist swirling thickly around her, Ratberry couldn't even see. Without her sharp eyesight that she prided on, she was practically blind. Stumbling a few times, she trekked through the thick undergrowth until she finally stopped for a breather.
In the distance behind her, Ratberry could hear the yowls of other cats. Perhaps it's the quarreling Clan cats with those mousebrain dogs, mused Ratberry. Though it could be the Clanmates of this one, she added silently with a prod of her paw on Pebblestone's flank.
Raising her head to scent the air more clearly, the white she-cat glanced around warily before turning her gaze back to the motionless tom whose flanks were rising up and down with each breath he took.
Frowning, she kept her cold and calculating gaze on the StormClan warrior before she wordlessly picked up his scruff once more and resumed walking.
Once she realized that she was almost at the edge of DuskClan territory, Ratberry lashed her tail slowly before she set the grey tom down and moved to scent the air.
Perking her ears up, Ratberry caught sight of a rustling bush and a scent drifted lazily towards her. Hissing under her breath, she whirled around and grabbed the StormClan tom by his scruff and carried him towards a nearby bush that should conceal him well.
Once Ratberry had covered Pebblestone's body with ferns, she glanced back over her shoulder before she darted to a tree and started climbing, her jagged claws digging into the bark.
Swiftly leaping to a branch, Ratberry crouched, waitiing tensely for the cats to intoduce themselves. Soon enough, they did.
With faint interest, Ratberry noticed that they were DuskClan cats, scarred and bloody, but strong and proud. Shouldn't they be fighting the dogs, intead of wandering around? Ratberry though derisivly as she watched them silently.
The leader of the patrol, a white tom with dark amber eyes, called something over his shoulder at the cats behind him. With nods from the assembled cats, the patrol headed in the direction where Ratberry had traveled.
Once the patrol were out of Ratberry's sight, she leapt down silently and padded over to where she had hid Pebblestone.
Padding through the thick bush, her cold dark-brown gaze swept over the place where she assumed the StormClan warrior laid.
The rogue she-cat lashed her tail slowly as she realized that the tomcat was missing. Narrowing her eyes and unsheathing her claws, Ratberry noticed some claw marks near her.
Hissing in frustration, the white she-cat examined the marks more closely. Hm, from the looks and the depth of the claw marks, he must have regained consciousness and dragged himself away.
The she-cat looked up, her gaze cold and calculating as ever. "Pebblestone's alive," Ratberry muttered mutinously.
A/N: Yay, our little Pebblestone is alive! :D Now, for Chapter 5, whose POV do you want to read? Doesn't matter which Clan they're from, as long as I can write them XD Review~
~Frost