Warriors: Rise of the Shadows (Book 1)

Chapter Eleven

Sweetscent padded along with Springleap as they made their way to the island for the Gathering. Stonesky and Swallowripple where chatting up a storm like starlings as the thin group of cats trudged through the snow that caked their pelts.

"I hope Honeykit and Snowkit have thick coats." Springleap muttered, his teeth chattering. "I envy Talonstripe and Swiftscar and their fluffy pelts so much."

Sweetscent had to agree with the black and white tom. Lemonflight had a thin pelt, passing it on to Sweetscent. Sheepcloud had an average pelt and Cloverbud and Rainshadow both had thicker coats than their unfortunate sister.

"Wait," Poppystar raised her tail, stopping the march of the freezing cats. The leader sniffed the air, as did Sweetscent and her fur bristled. What was that smell?

Suddenly, Talonstripe let out a shriek of pure terror as a russet shape hurled at Owltalon. "Fox!" He yowled, flinging the younger Stonesky aside and leaping onto the vile animal's back.

Sweetscent gasped as teeth sank into her tail and she whirled around and slashed blindly at her attacker. Two more foxes had arrived, younger than the first. Claws unsheathing, the she-cat raked her claws across the vixen's chest, leaving lines of dark red.

Owltalon was writhing on the ground, snarling and snapping at the foxes' muzzle. With a running start, Sweetscent bowled the fox off her friend and pinned it to the ground, digging her claws into its chest.

Stonesky was yowling incoherent curses as he and Springleap battled with the youngest male fox. The first had run off, too beaten and battered to fight from Talonstripe's assault.

In a flash, Stonesky lunged for the fox's neck but was cut off by a swift swipe to the throat, blood welling from the fatal wound. The old tom let out a gurgled cry of pain and fell at the black paws of his killer.

"Stonesky, no!" Sweetscent shrieked and tackled the fox, determination filling her body and giving her new strength. Her opponent squirmed under her grasp as she bit at its' soft neck. Screeching in pain and fear, the fox kicked the warrior off and raced away, its companion on its tail.

Sweetscent breathed heavily as she watched the foxes flee, blood oozing from her red, black, and white pelt. Turning her head with a huff, she saw with dread as Stonesky was dead on his side and staring up at Goldentail sightlessly.

"He's dead," the former queen meowed sorrowfully, grasping his scruff between her teeth and dragging him away from the blood bath.

His brother, Swiftscar, watched with grief as his brother's body was dragged away and towards the camp. "Sweetscent, Owltalon, and Springleap go with her." The deputy ordered, jerking his muzzle after Goldentail.

Sweetscent nodded and, with Springleap and Owltalon's help, limped back to the camp after the golden she-cat and dead senior warrior.

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"Stonesky!" Whitesnow cried, seeing her mate's mauled body as they entered the camp. Sweetscent and her friends caught up with Goldentail and helped the she-cat drag the fallen tom back to camp.

Honeykit looked at her mother in confusion. "He's just sleeping, mama!" She squeaked, tiny tail flicking.

Snowkit rolled his eyes and glared at his sister. "He's dead, you mouse-brain!" He retorted, crushing any hope the small she-cat had that their father was just resting. "I'm sorry, Whitesnow." Springleap murmured, looking towards Sweetscent. "He will watch over us from StarClan."