This chapter is, of course, chapter three. It's finally up! Just to let everyone know, I'm not too proud of this chapter. It deals with plot, but it moves too quickly (in my opinion). Nonetheless, enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors. It is copyrighted to HarperCollins and Erin Hunter.)
Chapter Three (Should I start naming them?
)Close behind Jaystripe now, Eaglefeather leaped over undergrowth and obstacles, ears perked. They were now following the sound of battling cats. Is SunClan being attacked? Eaglefeather wondered. But he didn’t have time to ask questions. Suddenly, as he and the senior warrior burst out onto the stiff grass of the moor, a large brown cat crashed into his side, sending him sliding to the ground. Ack! Eaglefeather snarled, rolling onto his back to face the attacker. The she-cat hissed, claws only inches from his throat now. He was about to counter, when the other warrior stepped back. He now realized that she was Owlclaw.
“Owlclaw!” Jaystripe demanded. “What’s going on?”
“S-SwiftClan…” Owlclaw stammered, bristling. “Th-they attacked us in our camp. We were completely unprepared.”
Eaglefeather scrambled to his paws. “Where are the others?” Owlclaw’s only response was an absentminded flick of her tail to the hills. The tom unsheathed his claws, bolting to join the fight. Jaystripe was right behind him. As they got nearer to the peak of the ridge, Eaglefeather could see the battle raging on below. SwiftClan cats were small and slender, but they were strong. And SwiftClan had more cats than SunClan did. Letting out a battle cry, he leaped down, surprising a white-furred apprentice, who yowled as the warrior pinned him to the ground, clawing at his shoulders.
Seeing his chance, Eaglefeather leaned his head down to bite the younger tom on the scruff of his neck, but a weight sent him rolling off. He managed to catch a glimpse of a black-and-white pelt.
“Pick on someone your own size!” The newcomer hissed, raking his claws across Eaglefeather’s muzzle. Eaglefeather cried with pain, swiping up at the SwiftClan tom with his back claws. He felt them break the skin on the other’s soft belly, and the black-and-white tom reared back, bleeding heavily. Eaglefeather guessed that he had opened up an old wound. But it didn’t really matter at the moment. He leaped to his paws, only to feel thorn-sharp teeth dig into the back of his neck. He hissed, whipping around so fast that the attacker was dislodged, and their fangs ripped away from his flesh.
He could already tell who it was by the scent; he recognized it from gatherings. He spun to face the SwiftClan deputy, Blizzardclaw. The white she-cat was standing on her toes with her back arched. Her fluffy coat was spattered with blood from already inflicted wounds.
“Oh, so you want to fight?” Eaglefeather taunted, tail lashing. “I’ll be sending you home with a missing ear!”
“You should watch your tongue, Eaglepaw.” Blizzardclaw retorted, before lunging toward his neck. But Eaglefeather was ready. He skidded to the side, raking his claws down her side. Air stung his muzzle as it passed over the wound given by the black-and-white tom, and he winced.
Blizzardclaw seemed to notice this, because the moment he did so, she swerved backwards, digging her teeth into his face. Eaglefeather was blinded for a moment, and panicked when he couldn’t feel air going into his nose or mouth. In a flash, he realized that he couldn’t breathe. But he couldn’t pull away from Blizzardclaw, for her grip was too strong.
“Blizzardclaw!” A voice made the deputy loosen her grip, and Eaglefeather pulled away, falling backwards onto his side. He gasped for breath, glancing up to see Owlclaw and Finchfoot bounding towards his opponent.
Finchfoot stopped just a tail-length away from Blizzardclaw, rearing up on his hind paws, and slashing out at the she-cat’s ears. Owlclaw, meanwhile, attempted to pull Blizzardclaw’s forelegs out from under her. Blizzardclaw screeched, ducking away from the two. She was outnumbered now, and Eaglefeather knew that she wouldn’t take on many cats at a time.
“Retreat SwiftClan!” She called, bolting away over the grass. Her Clanmates looked up. “Retreat!”
“They’re leaving!” A jubilant yowl rang out as the SwiftClan cats darted after the deputy. “We won, we won!”
“Hush, Frostpaw.” Finchfoot growled to the pale gray apprentice as she bounced into view.
“Is everyone alright?” Jaystripe piped up as she released a stone gray SwiftClan she-cat.
“A few cuts, but I’m alright.” Finchfoot lifted his chin proudly.
Owlclaw snorted. “And I suppose you call that gash on your side a minor injury.” She cuffed her littermate over the ear, claws sheathed. Then, she turned to the senior GorseClan warrior. “I’m fine as well. I think I twisted my paw though,” She added, flexing her left forepaw.
“Stonestripe? Frostpaw?” Goldenstar’s voice echoed, and soon the leader appeared. “Are you both here?”
“We are, Goldenstar,” Came the reply, spoken by a gray tabby tom, who Eaglefeather recognized as Stonestripe.
“Good…” Goldenstar’s mew was hollow. “I don’t what I’d do if we lost anymore…”
“Anymore?” Jaystripe echoed. “Where are the other cats of SunClan?”
“They’re… they’re dead…” Owlclaw’s ears flattened. “SwiftClan, as I said, attacked us in our camp. They killed warriors and apprentices… even kits and queens… and Heatherstep and Otterstreak… Vinenose…”
“We’re the only ones left,” Finchfoot added, ears twitching.
Eaglefeather’s eyes widened. SunClan was… gone? SwiftClan had killed them all? He found that hard to believe, but he didn’t think the survivors would lie. He glanced at Jaystripe with a questioning look. Jaystripe only raised an eyebrow.
“Come with us,” She meowed, lifting her head like a leader. The remaining SunClan cats looked at her in confusion, but followed as she turned, and headed back in the direction of the forest. Eaglefeather shuddered, already knowing what the older cat’s plan was- the SunClan cats were going to join GorseClan.
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“Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highstone for a Clan meeting!”
Eaglefeather shuffled nervously in his place next to Startail and Falconwing as he watched the five SunClan cats sitting at the base of the tall stone. It wasn’t long before the whole of GorseClan had gathered below Snowstar, all curious as to why the strangers were in their camp. Eaglefeather couldn’t blame them. Had he not seen the incident himself, he would’ve been curious too.
“I’m sure you have all noticed that we have a few visitors in our camp,” Snowstar began, a hint of a growl in his voice. “They have just informed me of some rather worrying news. SunClan is no more.”
Murmurs and yowls erupted from the crowd then.
“What? What do you mean ‘no more’?” Rabbitdash sounded astonished.
“Are they all dead then?” A black she-cat called Mintwhisker fretted, eyes glazing over with concern.
Goldenstar bunched his muscles, leaping up onto the Highstone, ignoring the warning growl from the GorseClan leader. “Yes. All of our Clanmates are dead. They were killed by SwiftClan, who attacked our camp, and showed no mercy… not even to the youngest of kits.”
Startail gasped beside Eaglefeather, and he noticed Falconwing flinch. But Eaglefeather himself didn’t speak. He kept his eyes fixed on Snowstar.
“Because of this,” Snowstar continued, glaring once more at Goldenstar. “I have agreed to let the last survivors of SunClan take refuge temporarily in our camp.”
Eaglefeather flattened his ears at the growls of protest that followed the leader’s statement. He himself couldn’t imagine having five enemy Clan warriors living in GorseClan’s camp. But, they didn’t have a home to return to. And it was only temporary, after all… wasn’t it?
(It almost burns me to see how terrible this is. XD Anyway, compliments and constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated.)
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