Deep Blue Eyes-- a warriors fanfic (completed story!)

Chapter 14

Hazelpaw watched Reedstar pad slowly across the branch.

“It was not long ago that ShadowClan stole one of our kits,” he snarled. “Snowkit.”

“If I’m correct, RiverClan stole one of our kits first. Hazelkit, who I assume is Hazelpaw now, considering she’s in the crowd right now.” Shadestar replied coldly, pointing her tail at Hazelpaw.

Hazelpaw shrunk down as glares were thrown at her.

“We had a whole reason behind that. You did not.” Reedstar replied.

“Oh really? We certainly had a reason, Reedstar. A kit for a kit.” Shadestar judged.

“We had a more important reason that came from the capture of Hazelpaw.” Reedstar commented.

“Did you? Well that’s odd, because you killed her mother and two other kits as well!” Shadestar hissed. “You’re the criminal here. Your clan killed two innocent kits!”

Hazelpaw sat up. Only two? That means either Blossomkit or Nightkit is still alive!

“One of those kits blinded a young warrior and had to be sent to the Elder’s Den young. The other one you can thank Silverstripe for.” Reedstar defended.

Hazelpaw cast a sympathetic glance at Silverstripe, who looked guilty.

“We’re lucky Nightpaw was still alive. She has a few words to say of her own.” Shadestar motioned to a black apprentice who leaped up and let the clans drown in the depths of her deep blue eyes.

Nightpaw! Nightpaw didn’t look happy. In fact, she looked like she wanted to kill someone.

“The first sight I saw when I opened my eyes was of my mother’s death.” Nightpaw began. “And I tried to defend my sister, Blossomkit. She was the sweetest kit of the litter, always caring, and desired to become a medicine cat. She had many natural talents, beautiful fur, and wonderful leaf green eyes. She would have been such a treat to not just ShadowClan, but all of the clans, for she was descended from greatness.” Nightpaw paused. “She was cruelly murdered at such a young age, and her dying wish was for her death to be avenged.”

Hazelpaw looked sadly at her sister, tears threatening to stain her face. She looked around to see that she was not the only one; many others have begun to cry.

“And now, to fulfill my sister’s dying wish.” Nightpaw’s eyes turned to blocks of steel. “All of RiverClan will die.”

It was a whirlwind of paws and claws. Hazelpaw backed into the bushes in a hurry. She bumped into a young ginger she-cat, ThunderClan by the smell of it.

“Come with me,” she hissed, and crawled under a think bramble bush. “You’re the kidnapped ShadowClan apprentice, right?”

“That’s me,” Hazelpaw replied. “How about you?”

“I’m Flowerpaw.” The she-cat introduced. “I’m guessing Nightpaw’s your sister.”

“She is. I thought she was dead.” Hazelpaw mewed emotionally.

“My sister almost died before the Gathering,” Flowerpaw whispered. “I’m going to fight. No matter how cruel RiverClan was, I owe them my sister’s life.” With a battle yowl, she leapt into the battle.

Hazelpaw sat there, torn. To fight against ShadowClan would be to fight against her kin. To fight against RiverClan would be to fight against her friends.

Hazelpaw peered through the bushes at the fight. Cats were in a flurry, and most of the other clans joined on ShadowClan’s side. Hazelpaw could see why. It seems like RiverClan was most at fault for taking me! But why did they take me in the first place?

Hazelpaw watched, torn by the number of cats bleeding or thrown to the ground. Goldenblaze, the ThunderClan medicine cat, leapt atop the Great Oak. “Stop now! It is the will of StarClan that we don’t fight!”

Most cats ignored her, although some cats stepped back. Streampaw was in the center of the fight, battling ferociously with a ShadowClan warrior.

“ShadowClan scum!” She hissed. “How dare you accuse us?”

“If I’m correct, it was RiverClan who started this!” The warrior hissed, and then toppled Streampaw onto the ground, one paw on her belly, one on her neck.

Hazelpaw screeched and leapt right in front of Streampaw. Using skillful blows she took the warrior by surprise and knocked him off of Streampaw.

“Hazelpaw!” He gasped. “What are you doing here?”

“Saving my best friend’s life!” Hazelpaw yowled.

“You shouldn’t be fighting for RiverClan! ShadowClan is your home.”

“I don’t care. Streampaw made me feel welcome when other cats didn’t. I’d risk my life for her again.” Hazelpaw spoke.

The warrior bent down and picked Hazelpaw up by the scruff. With a startled yowl she struggled, but she was stuck in the firm grasp. “Streampaw!” She gasped. “Go home! I don’t want you to get hurt!”

Hazelpaw didn’t look back to see if Streampaw obeyed her order. She was already rushing through the clearing in the jaws of the warrior.

The warrior leaped confidently onto the tree bridge and confidently ran across, not looking down at the murky waters. Hazelpaw froze in horror. She had heard a crack.

It was a sickening, terrifying crack. The whole tree bridge was bent, old and weak, and was about to split in two. Hazelpaw let out a long yowl of terror as the warrior ran faster.

It was too late. A crack had opened up in the bridge, and the warrior was about to fall through. Hazelpaw reached up and clawed his muzzle just as the trunk split, the warrior fell, and Hazelpaw was left hanging onto the end of the trunk as it began to sink into the water. Hazelpaw took one last look at the shocked clans trapped on the island as she sunk below the water.