Tawnystar's Secret

Chapter Thirty-Two

Chapter Thirty-Two

Tawnystar crashed into the clearing. Cats fought everywhere, and blood splattered the clearing. A wail went up, and Tawnystar turned to see Aspenfrost curled around two kits, the third one a bit away from her, laying in a pool of blood. A Dark Forest Tom named Darkfoot was attacking the queen, raking his claws down her back mercilessly. All Aspenfrost could do was lay there, protecting her last two kits. Tawnystar leapt forward, crashing into the black Tom with enough force to send him flying. He lay on the ground, winded. Tawnystar turned to Aspenfrost quickly. "Hide your kits in the nursery and protect the entrance. Make sure nothing goes in." Aspenfrost nodded, hobbling over to the nursery, her two unharmed kits trailing behind her. She looked around for another cat who needed help. She could see two bodies laying on the ground, one a dark forest Tom, the other Pinefoot, an elderly Tom. She tried not to let the grief close over her. He had trained her, along with his old apprentice Stormpaw, when Cloudheart couldn't. She soon spotted Applefire, cornered in the edge of camp, two big brown ShadowClan cats closing in on him. "Stay away from my father!" She yowled, leaping on one. She tumbled to the ground, while the other sought the chance to fight her father. She was locked in a tussle with a warrior named Heatherstep.

"You've chosen the wrong side." Heatherstep snarled, holding down Tawnystar. "I know I can't kill you nine times, so I am going to kill something so special. And let you watch him die too." She moved away to see the other ShadowClan warrior holding Applefire down. "Go on, Antpelt."

Antpelt traced his claws along her fathers stomach, stopping at his throat. Tawnystar wriggled in Heatherstep's grasp. "Let him go! Take one of my lives!"

"Not going to happen, princess." Heatherstep hissed. "Hurry up, Antpelt. There's other StarClan fools to kill."

Tawnystar could feel tears coming to her eyes as Antpelt pierced his claw into Applefire's throat. She lay still as Antpelt widened the cut. "Applefire!" She screeched. "APPLEFIRE!" She lifted her paw, slashing Heatherstep's throat open. She fell to the ground, laying still. Tawnystar could only feel fire under her pelt as she attacked Antpelt. She slashed his throat open, clawed his eyes, and dug her claws into whatever piece of flesh she could reach. Soon she let him lay in his own pool of blood, gasping in pain.

"Kill me! Don't let me die in pain!" He said, writhing in pain.

"I said for you to do the same to me, but now you've put a pain in my heart that will never go away. I won't. I want you to feel pain." She turned to her father. "Applefire, just wait until the battle is over. Nettlesplash will heal you. Just wait. Hold on."

Applefire smiled weakly. "It's fine. I'm going to StarClan. Their callin me. It's my time."

"No! NO!" Tawnystar could feel tears falling down her cheeks. "Stay with me! Your my only family!"

Applefire rested his tail on her shoulder. "You've for a new family coming. Reedstorm will be a wonderful father. I know you love him."

"But I need you! Please stay with me!"

"It's time I've gone to your mother. I've missed her for so long, I'm finally going to meet her again." Applefire coughed, blood bubbling at his lips. "I'm ready to go. But I need to let you know that Reedstorm was the deputy StarClan meant for you to choose."

Tawnystar smiled. "I'll miss you." She watched as his eyes closed and his flanks stilled. Forever.

"Tawnystar..."

Tawnystar spun around to see Reedstorm. "Reedstorm!" She flung herself at him. "I say this in front if the spirit of Applefire so that he may hear and approve of my choice. Reedstorm will be the new deputy of RiverClan."

Hailheart, Stormcloud and Sparrowleg paused battling to cheer his name. "Reedstorm!" They soon separated in the mass of cats to find more cats to battle.

Tawnystar stood up. "I need to fight this battle. This is not my battle to finish, but it's my battle to fight." She looked around for another warrior to find. She could recognize a pelt of pure white immidiately.

Whitefur!