Spark { Warrior Cats Fanfiction ; Complete }

{eight}

This is where the story picks up a great deal. The first seven chapters were just the exposition, and if you follow a plot chart, you'll know where we go next.... It's been three days since the previous chapter.

So, here we go.

--

Sparkfur slowly opened her eyes, the warmth of sleep being drawn out of her. It was dark, just before dawn, she guessed. She felt someone moving, which she realized, was the reason she woke in the first place.

Sounds of sleeping cats surrounded her, and she flicked her ears, confused. She did not sleep in a warriors den, she slept in her own. So why was she in-- she scented the air, inhaling a sharp woody smell --the cedar den? She looked over, and knew instantly why. Ryeheart. He said he had been having nightmares the past two nights, so had curled up next to him and fallen asleep.

His sharp gold eyes spotted her still sleepy green ones in the darkness, and he blinked a good-night, even though it was almost morning. She stood up though, and padded out of the den, running her tail against his fawn colored shoulder as she passed. She'd rather not be alone in the crowded den.

"See you tonight!" She whispered aloud to him, and he nodded with a tired smile.

-

Ryeheart entered the small stone den belonging to Sparkfur. The golden tabby was sitting, talking elaborately to Frostheart, who looked overwhelmed as the golden cat explained something having to do with a cat in MarshClan who was a conspiracy theorist. She looked up at him, smiling at him.

"I've got to skip out but I'll be back later tonight," The tabby purred, and the white she cat sighed with relief. Sparkfur brushed against Ryeheart as they both squeezed out the den entrance.

"So it's nearing leaf fall...!" Ryeheart noted, glancing at her as if he were hiding something, and Sparkfur nodded.

"I'm excited; the rain will let up for a touch with leaf fall." Sparkfur smiled, glancing up at the rain-clad treetops from the previous night's downpour.

"So, I've got some really, really important news!" He said, his face a light with excitement. She pricked her ears, listening, but he gave a challenging grin. "I can't tell you until we're at the creek though!" Sparkfur could already taste the smell of watermint, the river was the border that winded down to a creek.

They went on like that, talking about things like an amazing catch they had teamed up on, and how well Ryeheart's swimming lessons were going. Sparkfur had only been showing him how to swim for the past few nights, but he was progressing in leaps in bounds.

"We're almost there! You have to tell me now!" She purred, tipping her head to the side, and he flicked his ears.

"Not until we're there all the way!" After hearing this, she broke into a run, and he dashed after her. They slid down into short incline into the secluded creek, bushes poking up sharply here and there. Pale murky water bubbled around stones and large flat rocks that formed paths across the creek, that steadily got deeper in some parts.

Sparkfur turned to him, opening her mouth to ask him to tell her when she frowned, swiveling her ears back as she heard a very distinct thump. No way it could be from a rabbit: she had spent an entire moon with Frostheart teaching her to walk properly and knew what heavy paw steps heard like. She turned sharply, fur on need and emerald eyes narrowed. No way a DrizzleClan warrior, or any warrior for that matter, would walk so heavily.

Ryeheart had picked up on her hostility immediately and crouched down as well, his eyes locking with bright yellow eyes in the shadows. Having lost their element of surprise, the intruder leaped out, followed by four other cats. Their scent reeked of stale two legs and various foreign sharp scents: rouges.

Some say in battles that it happened like slow motion. But for Sparkfur,,, it was quick. Like the lightning that lit up the skies most nights. But not tonight. She ran her claws down a cats face: he was a dark charcoal with tabby stripes just barely visible under the half-moon's light.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Ryeheart tumble back with another cat latched onto him into the deeper end of the creek, but she knew he wouldn't drown. He wouldn't give up that easy.

She was snatched out of her thoughts with a blow to the head, scratching her just beneath her eye. She ducked from another heavy blow headed toward her from a patched she-cat and pounced forward onto a grey tabby tom, unwinding herself from him just before they crashed into the stones, letting him fall to a terrible injury. She stood up quickly in time to see the patched she-cat coming at her, and Ryeheart stumbling out of the creek with water running off his body. The charcoal Tom was headed for him, blooding oozing down the side of his dark face where Sparkfur had clawed him.

She had to save Ryeheart: he was probably worn from entangling himself from the depths of the water. She slid under the calico cat and bolted toward the DrizzleClan tom, but to be snatched by her hind leg but said calico. The rogue desperately clawed out trying to land a blow on Sparkfur as she squirmed away, trying to get to Ryeheart who was fighting off the charcoal tabby and a brown patched tabby tom.

"Ryeheart!" She called out desperately as the calico patched she-cat ran her claws down the thin golden warrior's shoulder. She just managed to catch a glimpse of his golden eyes as she tore away from the patched rogue, kicking her hind legs out fiercely, causing the cat to fall into the creek.

She raced forward, she could just make out Ryeheart fighting off the brown patched tabby tom, but a light gray she-cat that Ryeheart had tumbled into the creek with earlier was now getting to her paws and back to shore. She watched her clanmate defeat the brown tabby patched tom with a harsh blow to the head, sending him winded and bloodied cat running.

But the black tabby tom was standing up with renewed strength. Sparkfur but down the pale gray she-cat's ear, blood spilling, and she earned a swing to the face, knocking her down to the ground. Her vision blurred and she blinked, dizzily, the she-cat pinning her. She could hear Ryeheart cry out in pain, but she couldn't see him. She wrestled her way out from the she-cat, sliding her claws down the rogue's muzzle, and bolted over to the dark charcoal Tom, who was biting down on Ryeheart's scruff.

She tackled him, and the tom whipped his claws at the air as she dodged. She could see the muscles under his thick pelt, and feel his heavy pawsteps through the soft forest floor. She swung her claws in his direction, hoping to hook him, but running out of energy.

There was just the charcoal tom and the pale gray she-cat still battle ready: the brown patched tabby tom had run, the gray tabby tom had fallen to the rocks, and the calico she-cat was weakly struggling out of the deep part of the creek.

Sparkfur breathed heavily, calling out Ryeheart's name to check on him as she dodged a blow from the tom, taking a kick to the shoulder from the she-cat, and then nothing. They ran. She tried to chase after them, but only made about ten fox-lengths before she had to turn back with blood dripping down her shoulder to check on Ryeheart. E hadn't joined her in the chase.

That was odd. He told her he loved to run. Maybe chasing off rogues was different? She limped to where his pale tabby fur lay, her pace slowing.

"Ryeheart...?" She whispered, her eyes dropping down to his body. Blood coated his thick feathery neck fur, and his bright, always intriguing amber eyes were now clouded and dull. Her voice cracked out, tears peeking, and she breathed out his name, "Ryeheart...!"