Warriors: Shadows in the Light - Tainted Honey [Book Three]

Chapter Seven

CHAPTER SEVEN

ROSELIGHT | WINDCLAN CAMP

When her eyes spotted her camp, the ground swallowed her up. Roselight faltered in her step, heart aching.

"Keep moving," a cat grumbled from behind her. Roselight casted a glance over her shoulder, meeting the fiery amber gaze of Buzzardtuft.

"Sorry," she gave her chest a nervous lick, picking up her pace.

The two cats guarding the camp both hollered to the stars there was an invasion. One ran away while the other ducked inside the camp.

Larkcloud. Roselight tracked the calico's movements as Larkcloud ran away. The other was Barkwing if she wasn't mistaken.

Roselight entered the camp, about to help her real Clanmates, but a cat blocked her path. Roselight's heart skipped a beat - perhaps more.

Egret's cool stare made Roselight wish the ground would truly swallow her up.

"Follow me." Egret ordered, swiftly leading her to the medicine cat den.

Roselight reluctantly trailed after her, numb.

When she was inside the den, Egret asked her to sit with her back facing the back of the den. Roselight didn't argue or disobey, so she did, watching the horror unfold in front of her. Her Clanmates were easily beaten, bleeding on the ground or fleeing.

She noticed Barkwing fighting Smokelight and winning, but one of the ThunderClan warriors were sneaking up on him, about to tip the odds into their favor. She opened her jaws to cry a warning to him, but Egret's paw slammed against her muzzle, muting her. Roselight thrashed and tried to throw her paw off, but Egret whispered a threat in her ear that made Roselight stop immediately.

Egret's paw stayed on her muzzle. Roselight's muscles twitched with protest, wanting to fight.

The sound of thundering pawsteps brought despair to Roselight.

Don't come in! Stay out! That was all she wanted to yowl. The stench of RiverClan and WindClan combined shocked her. Did they have a chance? Two Clans were here now.

"What... happened?" Beestar took the first step into camp, observing the fur flying and the blood that splattered the ground. Egret moved Roselight into the shadows.

The sound of a cry was what started the next battle.

Roselight watched with wide eyes, trying to spot her kin. She lurched forward whenever a WindClan warrior was struck down and wounded severely. Is this what Honeystar preached to his followers? No mercy?

Before she could witness anymore, a cat appeared at the entrance of the den.

Finally! Roselight knew they were a WindClan cat - they smelled of the breeze and heathers.

She started shouting incomprehensible things. Egret growled lowly, but it was already too late.

Rowanmask met her gaze, half relieved and half confused.

"Rosel-" his mew was cut off when Egret leapt forward, pinning him.

Roselight didn't know how to react. Her mind was a whirlpool of chaos, so the only right thing was to fight.

Roselight pounced onto Egret, unsheathing her claws. Egret retaliated quickly, falling back, ultimately crushing Roselight. Leaving the dark ginger feline winded, Egret and Rowanmask continued their fight.

Roselight blinked the black dots out of her vision, but when she got up, everything doubled. She shook her head, telling herself to get a grip.

She didn't stop to wonder if Rowanmask needed help. He was coping well now, though it was noticeable he had no clue what he was doing. She darted out of the den, ignoring how the world seemed to tip from one side to another. She'd regain her breath, it was fine.

Who needs healing? Roselight scanned the camp-turned-battlefield, but she stopped searching when her eyes locked with her mother's. Kestrelheart wavered, emotions swimming through her eyes. The warrior she was fighting threw a precise paw at her throat when she hesitated, leaving Roselight gaping and Kestrelheart gasping for air.

Roselight rushed over, studying the wound while listening to her mother speak.

"Are you..." Kestrelheart coughed, gasping, "here to take me to StarClan?"

"What?" Roselight's voice cracked.

"You're dead... you've come to retrieve me." Kestrelheart's words were scaring her.

"No, no. I'm alive. You'll be alive too. Stay right here-"

Kestrelheart weakly protested. "No, Roselight, I wasn't speaking to you. I saw you..." she took a moment to breathe, "before I got struck. I am speaking to Tulipfoot."

Roselight reeled back. That wasn't a good sign if she was seeing dead cats.

"Stay with me, Kestrelheart, I'll patch you up."

No answer. Roselight didn't want to look, but curiosity drove her eyes to Kestrelheart's glazed eyes. Roselight burst into a sob, collapsing by Kestrelheart's still body.

Only a few seconds passed until a paw shook her.

"Roselight?" The voice was disbelieving, sad, and urgent. "Roselight, I know Kestrelheart's dead, but you're vulnerable. You'll get killed."

"So? What difference does that make?" Roselight looked at Dawnstream's face through tears. "I've seen things and heard things and, well, life doesn't seem too worth it now."

"Of course life is worth it!" Dawnstream argued. "You get the blessing to experience raising kits and fighting battles-"

"We won't fight anymore battles after this battle." Roselight stifled a wail, standing up. She was about to say more, but a cat was coming straight at Dawnstream. "Watch out!"

Dawnstream turned quicker than Roselight thought was possible and met her foe with ferocity, meeting the first blow with her own. Roselight dashed away, trying to shove Kestrelheart's death out of her mind. She had to find Honeystar and do something.

It wasn't hard to find him; his gold-colored fur stood out in the middle of the night. He was currently battling Beestar. Roselight watched his technique for a short time, taking note of his lightning-fast blows and how agile he was.

I don't know how to fight, but I should've done this a long time ago. Roselight bunched her muscles and jumped.

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i love writing battle scenes... when i don't have to write about a sad death :(

-artemis