Warriors: Black Rain

Chapter 26

      Racing among the marsh, Scarpaw thought of every moment spent with Woodpaw. All the training they shared, the way he always treated her as just another Rainclan cat. He was skittish, desperate to please, and weaker than most, but his will was strong, and his potential great. Venomsight stripped these away from him; Venomsight was to blame for all of this.

      Her fury drove her paws forward, claws kicking up mud and dirt as she pelted through the rain, Leopardpaw and Maskpaw right at her heels. She didnt remember when she took the head of the chase, but there was no stopping her now. Venomsight had betrayed the warrior code, resulting in the deaths of her clan-mates, and he's on his way to Thornclan now, a traitor. He could be long gone by now; every muscle in Scarpaw's body was pulsing, pushing her back through their territory, along the great lake towards Thornclan's border. Woodpaw's death would not be in vain.

      "Stop!" Maskpaw hissed, "I can smell Venomsight; and Thornclan with them." The three cats skidded to a halt, spraying up mud and rain around them, crouching low behind the undergrowth in front of them. They had reached the border; They weren't too late!

      "Follow me," Scarpaw spoke in a low growl. Her fur was matted from the storm, but her green eyes blazed with her determination.

      Creeping forward, using the storm to hide their movements and scent, the three peeked through the shrubs to reveal a patrol of cats in a clearing above; she recognized Pebblestar standing tall and menacing, his deputy Eelstrike crouched low at his side, along with Venomsight, Lizardeye, the Thornclan medicine cat, and a blond she-cat she didnt recognize, laying miserably on the ground. The other cats surrounded her, heads low. It took every ounce of her strength not to burst out of her hiding space and tear them all to shreds. Leopardpaw and Maskpaw tensed up next to her, exchanging glances, but understood; rushing into this was useless. They had to assess the situation.

      Scarpaw turned her ears towards the group as a shrill yowl broke the sounds of the rain, loud and booming like thunder; Venomsight was shaking, face twisted with pain and rage, staring down at the she-cat below him. His tail was lashing behind him as he stood, turning towards Pebblestar with disgust.

      "A daughter," he hissed, "you promised me a son." He spun towards the she-cat again, "you promised!"

      The she-cat had her head turned up towards Venomsight in terror, bringing her tail closer to her body. She was shaking her head, unable to speak, as something small stirred at her belly; A kit was there!

      Pebblestar took a heavy step forward, his piercing gaze burning into Venomsight's own. "She could still be strong," his voice was like a low rumble, "she is your kit, after all. Opal has provided us with only the strongest of kits."

      Venomsight turned his eyes to Lizardeye, who was crouched low in fear; his eyes widened as Venomsight snarled, "You said Starclan prophesied a son."

      Lizardeye looked down at his paws in shame as Pebblestar waved his tail, mewing, "Starclan told him of a strong child; nothing else."

      "You lied to me," Venomsight hissed, "the deal is off. This kit is useless to me, just like you." He turned his attention back to the weak she-cat and her kit, trembling before him. "I'll kill you myself, just like Rosegaze and her litter." The kit was crying now, rain pelting down hard, and lightning crackled above, lighting up the sky. The kit's shrill cry filled Scarpaw's ears, panic running through her veins, as Venomsight raised his claws to strike. Pebblestar flicked an ear and Eelstrike launched from his spot next to his leader, claws out, towards Venomsight. The two fell to the ground before Venomsight could harm Opal, a mess of fur and claw, as Pebblestar simply watched the scene play out before him. The she-cat grabbed her kit by the scruff, trying to limp away, only to fall into the mud nearby with the crying kit still in her jaws. Eelstrike was smaller than Venomsight, but we was quick, slashing his enemy in the face causing confusion and tripping him. In a flash, Venomsight yowled his anger as Eelstrike brought his claws to his throat, spraying blood through the air and onto the ground. Pebblestar watched in sick satisfaction as Venomsight twitched and gasped, only to fall still, his fiery gaze stuck clouded at the sky above. The stench of blood filled the air.