grim hollow | 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐜

chapter 11

Reality came crashing and it came crashing hard. Dawnpaw seemed frozen in place until she watched as her clanmates bled out of the trees, her heart seeming to burst from her chest until it clicked in her mind. For a few fleeting seconds, she calmed herself, focusing on every critique she had ever received before she swallowed her fear and jumped into the camp.

The silence was a matter of the past as frantic yowls mixed together with screeching cats seemed to scream into her ears alongside her own rushing blood. However Dawnpaw wasn't left to think for long as she felt a cat barreling into her, her eyes blurred by a haze of ginger fur.

The two rolled around desperately, Dawnpaw heaving for air until she was able to swipe her claws against her opponent's face only to be met with Cicadapaw. I bet you love this, she thought bitterly before she instantly hurled herself towards the apprentice, watching him intently to analyze any and every movement, and although he attempted to dodge the blow, Dawnpaw was still able to rake her claws against his chest, the feeling of warm liquid staining her white paw. It almost felt ironic how her mother would speak of her pale coat, always saying that white was a color of purity.

Dawnpaw felt anything but pure.

Cicadapaw hissed between a mixture of pain and anger, stumbling backwards until he leaped over her, instantly taking the time to get a scratch at her ear. As the pain seared through her body, Dawnpaw felt herself grow equally annoyed, flicking away the dripping blood as she twisted around to face him, the two glaring back at each other.

"Your leader is a fool to challenge Ivystar!" Cicadapaw hissed and Dawnpaw felt herself grow infuriated at his words.

"Your leader is a fool for thinking she can go against the rules our founders clearly set!" She sneered in return, which resulted in Cicadapaw hurling himself towards her. Dawnpaw felt claws dig into her and the next thing she knew, his teeth were sinking into her neck. The white molly felt herself hiss in pain however the hiss quickly turned into whimpers, her eyes squeezing shut as she blindly clawed at his face.

She could feel her fur getting stained which seemed to motivate the molly who forced herself to deal with the pain, her eyes opening with a newfound fury as she sent her claws slashing across his muzzle which resulted in him getting knocked to the side, however she didn't falter. Dawnpaw saw this as the perfect moment to strike again, and she followed in with her thoughts as she leaped onto his back, claws sinking into his shoulders until she felt him fall to the ground with her.

Dawnpaw struggled to her paws as dust clouded her vision, coughing hastily as she glanced around to see the apprentice sprinting away, a satisfied gleam shining within her crystalline gaze.

The diminutive molly took this time to glance around, everywhere she turned filled with fighting cats. She noticed Blossompaw and Meadowlark teaming up against Creamlily, then Harvestleaf and Sunstar at each other's necks before her gaze fell on Dovepaw, the dainty calico fighting against a cat much larger than her. Dawnpaw found herself hurling towards the tomcat's blind side, claws instantly ripping into his shoulder, her blazing gaze meeting Dovepaw's sage depth, the calico offering her a smirk.

The warrior yowled in pain and Dawnpaw felt a piercing pain in her already wounded ear as the warrior slashed at the injured wound, her teeth gritting in pain. She watched as Dovepaw hurled herself to him while he was focused on Dawnpaw, her claws sinking into his muzzle. Dawnpaw watched as the warrior aggressively thrashed his head to dislodge the apprentice, and after a few attempts he was successful, sending Dovepaw tumbling to the ground, blood soaking his muzzle from her attack.

Dawnpaw found herself growing annoyed, about ready to attack until another cat tumbled into her. Dawnpaw was surprised by the newcomer as she tumbled around with the other cat who seemed to amount to her in size.

The two rolled around until Dawnpaw finally got an upper hand and had the cat pinned, about ready to send a blow down their exposed stomach until her crystalline gaze met a familiar shade of blue.

"Bluepaw?" Dawnpaw murmured, the lithe she-cat beneath her pausing, no longer trying to escape. She seemed just as shocked to see Dawnpaw as Dawnpaw was to see her.

"Dawnpaw?" She murmured, her voice oddly innocent as her previously fiery blue gaze grew round and softened. Dawnpaw was about to let the she-cat go until she noticed Tigertaunt's daunting stare on her and she felt herself grow frozen, gaze frantically shifting between her father's callous gaze and Bluepaw's lively eyes.

Her mind seemed to constantly be at odds with itself and she was always having a mental argument with herself. Beneath her was a she-cat she had grown to respect and see as a friend, not to mention it was Bluepaw who had helped her, but she couldn't let Tigertaunt see her falter, not when she had finally earned his praise.

She hated this, more than anything, as she let her gaze met Bluepaw's own. Dawnpaw's eyes grew apologetic as she stared down at her, her heart seeming to break inside of her chest. I'm so sorry, Bluepaw. She thought, her claws raising as she was about to send a blow to the apprentice's cheek until Dawnpaw grew abruptly still, not even noticing Bluepaw escaping as she twisted around.

"No!"

It was Flowerbee, her eyes widened and full of a terror which sent chills down Dawnpaw's back. Only a few mouse-lengths from the warrior lay Sunstar, a wound on his neck which was gushing blood, the putrid smell of copper filling the air. His once lively eyes were completely void as Creamlily stood over his body, and Dawnpaw finally let the realization hit her.

Was Sunstar dead?

No, he was fine. He has several lives left, she thought, however Dawnpaw was caught off guard as Tigertaunt called the retreat call, watching as her bloodied clan began to withdraw. She quickly followed suit, and on her way out, Dawnpaw glanced behind her shoulder to meet Bluepaw's longing gaze, her heart aching in her chest before she disappeared into the moonlight.

~~~

The walk home was far from cheerful. No one said a word and the silence alone seemed to suffocate her. Lakelily and Frostbird helped carry Sunstar home and Dawnpaw's gaze flickered to meet Brinepaw's eyes, his expression completely desolate. He seemed so defeated.

As they padded into camp, Dawnpaw watched as cats began to surround their returning clanmates, their voices frantic however she felt the terror in their tones shift as they noticed the unmoving Sunstar.

"Sunstar!" Goldenfell hissed as he exited the warriors' den, situating himself before the leader.

"He's going to be okay, right? He has more lives, he's going to wake up, right?" Frozenlily queried frantically, however everyone grew silent as Graypetal nosed his way through the crowd, his expression uncomfortably pained.

"He went into battle knowing he was on his final life, however he only let me know," Graypetal sighed, "Sunstar is dead."

Dawnpaw felt herself grow rigid, seeming to fall out of sync with everyone else as she tuned out the screams which erupted into the camp. Sunstar was dead. No, no that wasn't right. He couldn't be dead.

However it hit her all over again as Dawnpaw gazed at Meadowlark and Goldenfell, the leader's siblings, sobbing by their brother's side. Her gaze then shifted to Brinepaw, his own blue gaze brimming with tears as he stared at his lifeless mentor.

Eventually, her crystalline gaze then met cold, lifeless copper eyes, eyes which used to hold such compassion and life. Sunstar was dead. Her leader was dead.

Dawnpaw then found herself looking up to Tigertaunt, a sudden shift clicking in her mind as her jaw dropped, something chilling immediately descending within the pale molly as she stared into her father's eyes.

As Tigertaunt stared at Sunstar, his gaze wasn't desolate. He wasn't on the verge of tears. No, it was something much more gruntled.

Tigertaunt seemed satisfied.