The Eternal Warriors (Warriors FanFic)

Chapter 13

Chapter 13

I called out the dawn patrol three moons after the battle. “Leafclaw, Feathermist, Treepaw, and Streampaw, you can go out for the dawn patrol. Wingmist, take out a hunting patrol, pick any cat that wants to go.”

Leafclaw, Feathermist, and Wingmist all nodded and walked off. Since Whiteclaw died and Leafclaw and Feathermist were named warriors, I was named Deputy. Mossfluff’s kits became apprentices as well with Leafclaw and Feathermist as their mentors.

ShadowClan’s raid affected us all, but me and Spottedclaw most of all. We were the closest to Whiteclaw, but we have recovered. The Clan has helped us and we have flourished since then. Stormclaw is about to have kits and it seemed that there would be a lot. The nursery is going to be overflowing with kits soon.

“Hey Zenflower, do you want to come hunting with us?” Wingmist asked cautiously. Being a deputy and having nine lives makes many cautious around me.

“Sure, Wingmist.” I walked over to her and her patrol that she had gathered. Her, I, Mossfluff, and Fleettail.

“Then let’s head out.” Wingmist said carefully. She and Spottedclaw were the most affected by my secret.

We walked out of the camp into the forest, me walking ahead of everyone else. We got to the training hollow when I froze. There was a rabbit hole not far from here. The rabbit was far down the hole, but we could get it.

“Someone come with me, the rest of you go to another part of the forest and find other prey. We’ll meet back here at sunhigh.” Mossfluff and Fleettail walked off, Wingmist stayed with me.

I walked to the edge of the hollow and followed the scent. Wingmist started to crouch, but I shook my head. She had no need to crouch until we scented a closer prey. I found the rabbit hollow and I scratched at the entrance. The rabbit scent faded to deeper on the ground, but then Wingmist jumped on the ground when I nodded to her and the scent shot closer. I jumped on the rabbit as it came out of the hole.

It was dead within seconds as Wingmist looked at me with wonder.

I buried the rabbit and looked at Wingmist. “Let’s find other prey.” I said as I walked off. I hunted till sunhigh when we gathered at the training hollow. We all had gathered enough prey to feed the Clan for a while. We headed back to the camp.

I walked through the brambled entrance and dropped my prey. Something was wrong. A cat was sick. I jumped over my prey and shot into the elder’s den. Flufffoot was sitting next to Tallfoot’s nest as the den filled with the scent of death.

“What happened to Tallfoot?” I said as I walked forward, stunned.

“He has lived too long a life, StarClan is calling him home.” Flufffoot said sadly.

I lowered my head to Tallfoot’s head as his life flowed away. “Go well.”

Tallfoot whispered quietly, “I will see you in StarClan, Zenstar. We of the ones who remember your secret will see you again. Something is coming, Zenstar, gather your strength.”

“I will see you again Tallfoot. This isn’t our last goodbye.” I said. I looked up and saw the starry figures of Tallfoot and Firestar. They nodded to me and faded away. I would see them again. I sighed and walked out of the den. I saw Stormclaw, her kits almost here, and all the other warriors. The apprentices were in their den and Ambereye was in the medicine cat den. I knew all of this from some sense that had been awakened within me. Another gift to see cat spirits before they go back to StarClan.

Mossfluff, Fleettail, and Wingmist all looked at me weirdly. I looked down and walked to the warriors den. I curled up in my nest in the center and went to sleep. Tallfoot. He had been called back to StarClan. “I will see you again.”

 

I woke at moonhigh with all the warriors around me. The apprentices were guarding the camp. I got up and carefully walked outside. I sat in the middle of the clearing and looked up at the moon.

“You finally woke up.” I looked over at Snowstar coming out of the shadows.

“Where’s Tallfoot?” I asked.

“He was buried at moonrise. I was tempted to wake you, but you already said your goodbyes.”

“Not my final one. He has not left us for good, I will see him again.”

Snowstar smiled. “Of course.” He sat next to me. “The half-moon is beautiful, is it not?”

“It is. The medicine cats are going to leave at dawn, right?” I said, nodding.

“Yes. It’s a wonder how they don’t fight like the others.”

“They have no taste for battle, they are the ones that follow peace. It’s a wonder how they didn’t refuse to heal the battle wounds we inflict.” I said, looking up at the moon.

“You never know.” Snowstar said as he looked up at the moon as well.

I lowered my head and lied down on the ground. The stars were calling me to sleep. I closed my eyes and fell asleep. I felt Snowstar’s tail over my shoulders then everything faded to darkness.

I looked up to darkness. I stood up and felt grass under my paws. I was in the forest, but I didn’t know where. I waved my tail as I turned around in a circle. I was in a small meadow. I turned to the biggest tree in the small meadow and froze. I knew this place.

“You finally recognize this place.” I spun around to the Shadow.

I growled and crouched down. “Why are you here Jake?”

He became happy from whatever words I spoke. “We are to finish this battle. You have avoided me for too long.”

“I won’t let you win this battle.” I said tiredly; the grief of Tallfoot’s sudden death had affected me deeper than I knew.

“You think that you alone can defeat me?”

“I must.”

“Then try to stop me, and we will see who will win this final fight.” He said, crouching as well.

I bolted forward to start fighting. Jake skidded to the side and rammed into my side. I fell down and Jake jumped on top of me. He started to scratch my belly and I stood up quickly. Blood ran down my fur as I panted. I ran toward the Shadow and jumped on top of him. I scratched his back as he jumped up and threw me off. We skidded away from each other.

“Do you really think that you can beat me? The Shadow? Let me tell you something, you can never win!” He shot towards me and scratched my face.

His claws flashed across my vision, across my eyes and pain scored itself across my whole face. Jake went to my side and scratched my side over and over. The blood ran faster and faster until I collapsed. Jake had won this round. True darkness fell over my vision.

“Goodbye, Zenstar, my descendant. I was proud of your prophecy, but it seems the peaceful end will never come. Your lives will end here and you won’t ever return.”