WARRIORS - The Pony Prophecy

Chapter 23

Duskpaw's POV (Twilight)

The tom laughed as Mapleshade stood defensively in front of us. "You can make this easier, you know," he told her, stepping closer to her. "Get out of my way, and there will only be one fight here tonight." Mapleshade stood her ground, continuing to glare at him. After a moment, she smiled.

"My answer..." she began, slowly walking toward him until she was only a few pawsteps away from him, "is this!" Mapleshade raised her paw as quick as lightning and slashed it across the tom's face. He stumbled back in surprise, before his expression settled into rage. He lunged at her but she quickly slipped out of the way, slashing at him again. The tortoiseshell gripped the black tom with her claws and flung him to the ground. She launched herself forward, landing on top of him and pinning him there. 

One of her forepaws pressed his head into the grass, and she leaned downward to look him in the eyes. "Leave, now," she spat, "This is your only warning, Shadow. If I see you anywhere near them again, I will rip you to shreds." 

Shadow's eyes narrowed and he smirked at her. "I don't believe you'll be getting the chance." Suddenly he vanished under Mapleshade, whose pelt was still bristling. I then realized the tom's laugh continued to echo all around us, despite him being nowhere to be seen. The others noticed too, Mapleshade included, and Breezepaw's eyes narrowed.

"He's not gone.." the blue-gray she-cat muttered. Mapleshade began looking around, her tail lashing and a growl rising in her throat. Bubblepaw and Snowpaw shared an uneasy glance, while Mosspaw, Softpetal, Dashpaw, and Darkpaw pressed closer together. Breezepaw stood close to Lightpaw, her ears flattened and claws unsheathed. Mapleshade looked in our direction, and it was right at that moment that Shadow reappeared directly behind her, leaping forward and preparing to strike. Breezepaw reacted immediately, letting out a warning yowl.

"Mapleshade, look out!!"

The tortoiseshell she-cat spun around to face the black tom, but just as she turned, his claws slashed across her throat. Her eyes widened in alarm, and she stumbled and collapsed. I stood frozen in shock, and the others all exchanged wide-eyed glances. Shadow looked back toward us and slowly stepped closer.

"NO!!" Another cat burst from the undergrowth, a black and very dark ginger she-cat with dark amber eyes that almost seemed to have a red glow in the moonlight. She lunged at Shadow from the side, knocking him into the trees and furiously slashing at him. Breezepaw, Lightpaw, and I took that opportunity to run to Mapleshade. Lightpaw nudged her gently before jumping back as Shadow and the other she-cat raced past. I watched the she-cat leap on top of him and give him a few last slashes before finally letting him run.

I looked back at Mapleshade, blinking in surprise when I realized she was slowly becoming more and more transparent. "It's because she's already a spirit," Softpetal explained as she and the others gathered around. "When a spirit dies, they fade away forever." Mapleshade looked up at us and nodded, confirming the medicine cat's words.

The black and dark ginger she-cat returned, slipping between us and crouching down beside the dying Dark Forest spirit. Mapleshade cast her a grateful look before turning her gaze back to us. "I'm sorry, I never should have involved you in all this," she meowed, "I'll tell you how to get back to Equestria. You don't need to be stuck here any longer-"

"Woah, woah, woah," Dashpaw interrupted, "we're not going anywhere!" Mapleshade flashed her a look of surprise, which doubled as we all nodded in agreement, minus Darkpaw and Mosspaw, who simply stared in confusion.

"WindClan needs me," Softpetal pointed out, "I'm their only medicine cat now."

"And Spicepaw's still missing somewhere." Bubblepaw added. Mapleshade finally sighed and nodded.

"Alright, then for now, just head back to your Clans." We nodded and slowly started padding away in the directions we came. As Snowpaw, Dashpaw, Softpetal, Darkpaw, Mosspaw, and I neared the WindClan border, I cast one last glance in the direction of Mapleshade and the other she-cat.