Lost Hope: Book 6: Future of Hope

Chapter 32

Violetshadow had killed Barkstar. She had drained the life from him and left his bloodied corpse to fall off the Fallenoak and out of the clearing. At least there it wouldn't be trampled by the rest of the fighting. A small prick of doubt echoed in the back of her mind but she ignored it as she turned back to the rest of the battle. And that's when she saw a group of cats racing towards the Gathering Hollow.

    Violetshadow squinted her eyes to make out the details of the cats, and nearly stumbled over and joined Barkstar's body when she recognized a light brown pelt. Her mother. Her mother was alive and she suddenly felt like a kit again, about to get in trouble for the chaos she had helped create. And there was Tarantulaclaw too beside her. Something in Violetshadow fluttered and something else in her retched at the same time.

    She slithered down the Fallenoak and buried herself in the shadows. She heard everything as her mother and Tarantulaclaw hurtled up onto the spot she had just been and how the battle ceased as they called everyone to attention. How Forestpaw had started her speech, and then Violetshadow saw a small speck shoot across the clearing, reflecting the light of the moon.

    The Star Pearl.

    The clearing erupted into chaos once more and Violetshadow dived forward, her claws reaching for the already lost little stone. She scanned the paws of the cats around her, hoping to catch sight of it. Then she saw a flash of light and watched as the pearl was kicked up and rolled to one side of the clearing. Violetshadow shot forward to grab it, but just before her claws closed around it, someone else scooped it up.

    "Looking for this?" Ivythorn asked, smiling down at her.

    Violetshadow growled and reached out to swipe it from the phantom she-cat's grasp, but Ivythorn was too quick for her and her paws only scraped against the air.

    "And what does kitten want with this?" Ivythorn asked, and Violetshadow almost flinched at the nickname Viperfang used to use for her.

    She decided right then she wasn't going to play games anymore.

    Violetshadow lunged for Ivythorn, momentarily catching the she-cat off guard. She was surprisingly solid and they both hit the ground hard. Ivythorn's hold on the Star Pearl was relinquished and Violetshadow scrambled toward it. But just before she reached it, a slashing pain tore down her leg and Violetshadow gasped loudly. She stumbled onto her side, pulling her wounded leg toward her. She looked up to see Ivythorn smiling down at her, her claws drenched in blood, Violetshadow's blood.

    "You may have been close to Viperfang's skill level," Ivythorn hissed. "But you are nowhere near mine."

    Violetshadow's breathing came out in ragged gasps her mind worked to figure a way out of this. Ivythorn would be expecting almost everything. She'd already thrown her alliance out the window, so she couldn't play that, but maybe she could distract her with something else.

    "You're right," Violetshadow said, forcing more strength than she felt into her voice.

    "What?" Ivythorn blinked.

    "You're right," Violetshadow repeated, feeling the ground with her tail carefully, searching for a small round object. "I am nowhere near your skill level."

    Ivythorn narrowed her eyes. "Yes, that's what I said."

    Violetshadow smiled faintly. "And that's because I'm way above it."

    Before Ivythorn could speak again, Violetshadow flipped the she-cat over and off of her with her good leg and shoved her forcefully to the side, making her land hard on the ground, a crunch sounding beneath her. Ivythorn disappeared in a small cloud of dust, revealing the cracked remains of the Star Pearl.

    Violetshadow took a self-satisfied breath before black spots blurred her vision and she crumpled on the ground next to it.