The Traveler

Not Going to Die Tonight

They hurled themselves forward with a sudden burst of speed. Iceshadow's eyes widened in surprise. Attack? What had she done? And did they say Windclan? These were the friendly clan cats the mountain cats had mentioned? She stumbled backwards, half dumb with surprise.

The lead cat, a tabby she-cat with heather blue eyes, leaped up the hill. Her lips ripping back in a ferocious snarl. All of Iceshadow's sense suddenly decided to return as the tabby barreled into her side, knocking her over. Her claws slid out as she scrambled to regain her footing on the uneven ground.

"Get out of our territory," yowled a dark grey cat with blue eyes as he ripped his claws down her side, tearing out fur. Iceshadow felt a screech of pain escape her lips. Then a ginger tom with white paws leaped onto her back and latched on.

'No. I'm not going down without a fight,' she thought. Her body went taught in the attempt to carry the extra weight, then she collapsed in a limp pile. The tom's grip loosened in surprise, so she took advantage of his weakness. In a single, fluid, motion she rolled onto her back, which knocked him down to the ground. She reached out and slit him open from neck to stomach. The tom let out a rattling yowl of pain then fell limp.

'Not a deep cut, but it will keep him down,' she thought with satisfaction, and a touch of relief. Pain ripped through her as the grey tom sunk his teeth into her scruff. She let out a hiss and scratched out at him, to no avail, as he dragged her down the slope and away from the ginger tom.

"Weaselfur," shouted a frantic white she cat as she ran past Iceshadow. "Hazeltail, Crowfeather, finish this. Someone has to save Weaselfur!"

"We've got this Whitetail. You take care of him," shouted the tabby, Hazeltail. Panic surged through Iceshadow at the white cats words.

'Finish this? They're going to kill me! They can't! I'm not going to die today. NO!' She heaved, tearing her white scruff from the tom's teeth. With a meow of triumph, she was back on her feet. Blood flowed freely from the newly ripped skin, staining white fur red. The tom, 'Crowfeather,' paused. His head tilted, as if to wonder about her sudden fierceness. Then his lips pulled back in a snarl. Iceshadow returned his hiss and together they reared onto their hind legs. Claws locked into fur as they grappled, clawing and ripping at each other.

Blood pounded in Iceshadow's ears as she fought. 'They're good, but this is a battle I have to win.' Her claws tore into Crowfeather's muzzle, sending blood splattering across the short moor grass.

"Huh! Where's your tail" came a shout of confusion. Something clattered behind the white and tortoiseshell cat as she fought. Hazeltail, who had been working her way behind Iceshadow while the two fought, had attempted to bite her tail.

'Fool,' Iceshadow thought, for her tail was protectively wrapped around a hind leg. Hazeltail seemed to figure this out because the confusion cleared from her eyes. Her lips drew back from her teeth as she sank them into Iceshadow's tail and leg at the same time. Iceshadow screeched. She yanked her claws away from Crowfeather, tearing open his shoulder in the process, then planted her front paws on the ground as hard as she could. Her hind paws bucked behind her, claws unsheathed. Hazeltail's head snapped back at the blow from beneath. Iceshadow's leg and tail ripped out from between the she-cat's teeth and she whirled around. Shaking her head back and forth, Hazeltail backed away, dazed. Blood dripping from the scratches beneath her chin.

"Want some more," Iceshadow hissed. The tabby just backed away slowly. Cowfeather, who had been recovering his composure after Iceshadow broke off their grappling, leaped between the two she cats and ripped his claws down Iceshadow's ears. "YEEOWW!," she screeched, swiping out blindly.

"I'm gonna shred you. You stay away from my clanmates from now on," he yowled. Blood was now pouring into Iceshadow's eyes from the fresh scratches on her eyes. She couldn't see! Everything had become red.

'I can't fight anymore! I have to get out of here now. Get Mother. Get away. I need to survive and I need to get out and never come back.' She gave a feeble but successful attempt to get Crowfeather to back off by slashing out in his direction, then turned tail and ran full pelt in the other direction. Behind her came the screeches of the two cats as they took off after her. 'I don't know where I'm going, but I just need to get away. If I can just get away from these cats, I can clear my eyes, then go find Mother before they do.' She shook her head as she ran to clear the blood from her eyes and saw trees looming above her. 'Trees! Finally. I can hide here.' Faster and faster she ran with renewed hope, only to have her heart broken at the sight of more cats emerging from the trees beyond a rushing river.

"An ambush?" It had to be. Once again blood clouded her vision. She couldn't see the newcomers anymore, so she skidded to a halt. Her paws felt stone beneath them, wet and slippery. "The river," she whispered, inching away from the rushing water. 'There's no choice. I have to fight, and I can only hope it isn't my last stand.'

She faced the oncoming Heathertail and Crowfeather, and reared. They hissed and swiped simultaneously, knocking her backwards. Iceshadow's paws hit the wet stone and slipped from beneath her. Pain exploded in her head as it hit the stone. Then she hit the water and everything went dark.