Chapter 19

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Flamefur's POV:

"Stop it!" Flamefur cried as the shadows engulfed her head, forcing her into a vision of her greatest fears. "No!"

NoName's chuckle sounded over the roar of the fire in her vision. "You thought you could eavesdrop without punishment? Foolish thing." There was the distant scream of Metalclaw beside her as he received the same treatment.

Flamefur heard the beating of wings and two red paws landed in front of her muzzle. She let out a cry as she struggled against the hallucination, her head spinning and black seeping into her vision.

"No signs of Zeye. He's vanished." Strike reported with a sigh.

NoName growled sharply in reply. "Keep looking. The heartbeat he reappears, I want him captured. That traitorous mouse-brain must receive a punishment."

Strike mumbled a 'Yes NoName' before flying away again. Flamefur saw the red furred she cat glance down at her.

"Oh Flamefur, always so defiant." NoName's claws unsheathed on one paw and the shadows' strength around Flamefur intensified, swallowing her whole into the hallucination.

To her surprise, the vision lasted barely a few seconds before she was released from the shadow's grip. She gasped and panted, looking up to see NoName crouched low with a paw clutching at her throat. Zeye stood a tail-length from the suffocating she cat, eyes glowing a strong blue as he strangled her with his powers.

Flamefur struggled to her paws and nudged Metalclaw up, who was staring around him with wide eyes. Shadows had gathered around NoName and were quickly shooting towards Zeye, who nimbly leapt out of the way. But by dodging the shadows, his focus on strangling NoName loosened and the red she cat was freed from his grip.

Flamefur lunged for NoName, her claws barely making contact with her thick, blood red fur before Tyler threw himself from a low branch and onto her. The black and blue tom's claws dug deep into Flamefur's shoulder blades and she twisted around from under him, using a skill Metalclaw had taught her moons ago. She placed one paw on Tyler's cheek and forcefully pushed his head to the side. The move threw him off balance and gave Flamefur easy access to his neck. She pulled herself upwards and sank her teeth into Tyler's neck.

Her teeth sank deep, but only for a heartbeat before he used his size to throw her back down on her back again. Flamefur snarled and tore at his belly with her hind claws. Tyler bared his teeth and prepared to dig them into her chest but Metalclaw came to her rescue, tossing the blue and black tom off her.

Flamefur shot to her paws and began running. As she ran, she passed NoName and Zeye. The two were locked together in mental combat. NoName kept trying to attack him with her shadows and he fended her off with shimmering blue forcefields. Once Metalclaw and Flamefur was a safe distance away, Zeye let his defense down and fled the scene as well.

"That's twice you owe me your life, Flamefur." Zeye grinned as he caught up with them.

"Whatever." Flamefur rolled her eyes and kept running.

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Silvershy's POV:

Weak morning sunlight filtered into the warriors den and Silvershy covered her face with her paws. Stupid sun. She suppressed a sigh and rolled out of her nest, sitting up to clean her tangled fur.

After licking her pelt free of the knots and tangles, Silvershy emerged from the Warriors den, her paw sinking into a thin layer of snow. "Already?" She muttered to herself, looking across the clearing to see the entire camp covered in a blanket of white snow.

She sighed and glanced at the spot where Eagleflight had been. Dawnheart had carried the tom's body to be buried the other night, the ground still stained a dark red from where he had bled to death. Now that snow had fallen, the blood stain was hidden, but it was still there.

Silvershy heard squeaks and yowls from the nursery tunnel and the kits poured out with yowls of joy and excitement. "Snow!" Leafkit yowled and dived into the snow, the white powder coming up to her knees. The other kits followed her lead, charging through the snow with enthusiastic yowls and cries.

Flowerstream and Flamefur were next to emerge from the nursery, chuckling to themselves as they watched their kits play. Silvershy watched the kits with a sad smile. She could've had kits with Eagleflight. Next time I see Strike I'm going to make him pay. She vowed to herself.

"Silvershy." Autumnpool meowed from behind her as she padded from the Warriors den. "You're on morning hunting patrol with me.

Silvershy dipped her head and followed the deputy out of camp, Cloudsun and Snowshadow following.

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Warriors: Shadows Incoming ~Series 2 Book 5~Where stories live. Discover now