Lost Hope: Book 6: Future of Hope

Chapter 30

Vixen felt like she couldn't breathe.

    Not in the literal sense of course, but who could've imagined being surrounded by dead cats made up of stars, leading her out of bad dead cat land? She was having a hard time wrapping her mind around it, but she was reassure by the fact that her allies—friends?—were still by her side, matching her pace-by-pace. She couldn't quite see the Dark Forest itself, even through the translucent bodies of the StarClan cats, she only saw a blur of what might have been trees, but she felt a sense of trust that they were going the right way.

    Before it was interrupted of course.

    "Stop right there!" Vixen recognized Wolf's arrogant voice.

    The StarClan cats didn't stop. But the living ones did.

    Vixen felt her paws freeze to the ground and her comrades similarly stalled, causing a small collision amidst the crowd. Most of the starry warriors continued on without them, but the Dark Forest cats weren't interested in them. She saw Forestpaw fall first, immediately targeted as the Star Pearl holder. Vixen started toward her but was similarly tackled by an unknown adversary. "Papa's not going to be too happy when he finds out where you are," a voice hissed in her ear. It was her father's brother, Panther. Vixen had never been particularly fond of him, and she wasn't now that he's pinned her to the ground.

    "I don't care what he thinks!" she snarled. "What I do doesn't concern him."

    "Watch your mouth, young lady," Panther said, his breath hot on her ear. "Or you might lose it—"

    With a rush of adrenaline, Vixen surged upward, feeling the bigger cat's chin beneath her head. She barely felt the impact as she pushed away from his grip. He staggered back, blinking in shock, and she took the opportunity to land a swipe at his paws, unbalancing him. Panther toppled to his side and Vixen pressed a hard paw to his shoulder, digging her claws in and feeling the satisfying rush of blood.

    "Come on, Vixen!" Foxflame shouted at her. "We can outrun them!"

    Vixen yanked her claws out of Panther's side and bounded to her friend's side. The rest of the cats took off toward the fast-fading light of the StarClan warriors' pelts, with the rogues in hot pursuit. The ground rushed past Vixen's paws and she didn't even feel the sting of the dead grass on her pads. All she could think about was getting out of here. They passed the empty training clearing, dodging around shrubs and branches in hopes of losing their pursuers, but the rogues continued to match pace with them, several foxlengths behind.

    Vixen could hear the panting intakes of breaths of her companions and worried that they would run out of stamina before they reached the StarClan portal. What would they do then? They were in no shape to fight now. They came in sight of the river and Vixen had an idea.

    While her friends all took a small jump across the narrow body of water, Vixen stopped in the middle, the murky surface coming up to her. She took in a long breath of air, before turning on the chasing rogues sloshing as much water as she could at them. A well-practiced splash got them all in the faces and Vixen leaped away before they return to her senses, and put on a burst of speed to catch up with the others.

    Burrowpelt gave her a small approving nod as she joined the group and together, they started up the slope that led to the portal. Vixen could see it's shimmering outline now, a pale glow amongst the dark brambles.

    Servalpaw made it first and ducked through. Burrowpelt nudged Forestpaw in next, and then beckoned to Vixen. Her ears went flat against her head as she stepped into the swirling mass, and the landed on the other side. When she opened her eyes, she took in StarClan for the second time. But now it seemed like it's magic, or whatever you wanted to call it, had been restored. StarClan cats moved among the shimmering grass and gave her pleasant smiles that she couldn't help returning. She supposed it was a nice place to rest when you were done with the living world.

    Foxflame rolled out of the portal next and barreled straight into her with his clumsy paws. "Watch it furball!" she hissed, but she was laughing.

    "Sorry," he said a little bashfully, rising to his paws and giving his chest an embarrassed lick.

    Burrowpelt joined them shortly after and she immediately looked back at where she'd come from, watching for her mate. Vixen saw a brown paw break through; and then it disappeared, as if tugged back in.

    The rogues, Vixen thought with horror

    "Sparrowfeather?" Burrowpelt said quietly. When nothing happened, she repeated herself. "Sparrowfeather!" She marched up to the portal. And stuck her head in. When she pulled it back out, she sat back slowly on her haunches, her tail wrapping around her paws. Vixen stared at her for a confused second, before she heard a choked sob escape her and Vixen rushed up to comfort her. "What happened?" she asked. "Where's Sparrowfeather?"

    Burrowpelt turned her glassy eyes on Vixen. "He's... gone," she forced out. "The rogues caught up to us."

    I didn't distract them enough, Vixen thought. Maybe if I'd have splashed them again—

    "We can't do anything now," Servalpaw said unemotionally, his long tail lashing back and forth. "We have to get back to the real world and destroy the Star Pearl so we can stop this whole thing."

    Forestpaw gave a small, sad nod and began to follow him. Vixen gave Burrowpelt a comforting lick on the ear before joining them. She glanced back and saw the brown she-cat give the portal one last look, before setting her face and following them.