Warriors: The Third Strike: Book 3: The Death Voyage

Chapter 8

[Witheredsoul's POV]

I was next to Tinystar after she had been thrown back onto the ground. I looked around the camp as chaos engulfed it. I spotted the black and white leader, Maskedstar, heading toward the nursery. My claws dug into the dirt, but I could feel Tinystar breathing heavily.

"Sweetdeath, don't you dare let anyone hurt Tinystar. If anyone lays a claw on her, you are dead meat." I hissed at the Dark Forest warrior that had been at Tinystar's side. Maplesnow had already rushed off into the battle or I would make him protect her.

"Witheredsoul, don't leave me." Tinystar's weak voice whimpered as she laid on the ground trying to regain her position of standing and being a fearless leader.

"I have to protect the kits. I saw Maskedstar heading that way, and I don't trust him." I whispered back to her, hearing the battle cries of other warriors.

SmallClan had the advantage because they caught us when we were already injured. They also had two of the three Phantoms with them at the moment. The third one would probably come back soon. We might have had more warriors, but I couldn't see us winning this easily like we almost always did with a battle.

"If he touches my kits, his nine lives wouldn't even save him." Tinystar said struggling to get back up, but I could see the flames and sparks in her eyes. When it was something she cared about, she became scary.

"I wouldn't dare let him hurt them. I wouldn't want my apprentice to be injured." I told her and rushed off to the nursery.

I had already wasted enough time trying to convince her that she would be alright. I just had to save the kits. I knew Roseeyes and Burninghope hadn't given birth yet, but that didn't mean they weren't already weaker than usual. I knew the two queens would help Angelwing fight, but against a leader I didn't expect them to win. I didn't expect myself to win against him either. I just had to keep him away for the time being.

I spotted a white shecat creeping toward me. I growled and lashed my tail. I couldn't let anyone else distract me until I got to the nursery.

"Ahhh!" A yowl, coming from the nursery, pierced the air. My ears twitched as my claws dug into the dirt. It didn't sound like a kit, but it sounded like Maplesnow!

"Mother! Father! Witheredsoul!" Another cry came from the nursery. That voice I could easily recognize without a flicker of a doubt. It was Acornkit!

I completely forgot about the white shecat stalking me and charged to the nursery. I didn't want my pelt to be ripped off by Tinystar, and I didn't want Acornkit to get hurt. If Tinystar had heard her kit, Maskedstar would be dead, but I didn't have time to look back and see if the tyrant of a leader had heard the call of her bold kit. I just wanted to help the other kits and make sure they were safe.