Crowstar's Mission {COMPLETE}

Chapter 29

There was a thick mist that surrounded Crowpaw, obscuring his vision. He struggled to see through it, but there was a sweet scent on the air, the scent of his Ivy. "Ivy!" He called out for the cat he loved most. "Ivy, where are you?"

The mist began to slowly clear and Crowpaw spotted two figures in the distance. "Ivy?" He strained his eyes and saw that one of them was in fact Ivy, his heart twisted at the sight of her. Behind her was the tortoiseshell she-cat that Crowpaw had dreamed of before. "Ivy!"

Ivy's eyes flooded with sadness and love. "I'm sorry Crowpaw." She spoke, she looked away, her body shuddering. "I wish it didn't have to be this way. I'll see you soon, I love you."

"No!" Crowpaw shouted.

"Come now, Ivy, we haven't much time." The strange she-cat spoke and began guiding Ivy away from Crowpaw.

"Don't take her from me!" Crowpaw broke into a sprint them, but he never got closer. "Ivy! Ivy come back! I need you!" Pain seared through Crowpaw's body and his legs gave out from underneath him. His body hit the cold ground, snow flying up in his face.

"Crowpaw!" Crowpaw heard the familiar voice of Flint. He looked up, meeting the tom's eyes, they burned with sadness.

Pain still consumed Crowpaw's every sense. "Ivy..." He choked out her name. Flint winced.

"Come on...we're almost home." Flint lifted his muzzle underneath Crowpaw, forcing him back on his paws, he was unable to put any pressure on his left hind left. He looked at his side, the entirety of it was covered with blood. He didn't care about himself, however, he spotted Ivy's still body on Leo's back while Omega dragged a single chicken. Everyone's eyes were filled with grief and pain. No.

Crowpaw's body gave out again, grief accompanying the real pain. This isn't real. He told himself over and over. Flint helped Crowpaw to his feet once more and began leading him home, Crowpaw struggled to see through the pain, but he could see the camp in the distance.

Rudy saw them first and ran up in excitement until she saw Crowpaw's injury. Her eyes filled with horror. "No...how did this--"

"How could you let this happen?" A roar yelled out through the trees, Crowpaw met Cooper's gaze, it was filled with anger, pain and hatred. "My daughter is dead!"

"Cooper..." Leo set Ivy's body down gently. Crowpaw pulled away from Flint, dropping to the ground and dragging himself to her.

"Get away from her!" Cooper bounded across the camp and stood protectively over Ivy's body. "You did this!" Cooper's word cut Crowpaw deeply, he stared up in horror at the cat. "Get away from her!"

"Cooper, stop!' Flint shouted. "This was Ivy's idea, not his!"

"She never would have came up with it if it wasn't for him!" Cooper was hysterical, he was showing the emotions that Crowpaw felt inside, but was too hurt to show. Crowpaw forced himself to sit up.

"Cooper please...I love her...I didn't want this--"

Suddenly, Crowpaw felt himself flying across the clearing, more pain burning across his face. Crowpaw's body hit the snowy ground, he looked up in horror at Cooper. He attacked me. Crowpaw thought.

"Cooper!" Sabra shouted. "Don't take this out on Crowpaw!"

Cooper ignored the protests of everyone around him, the fire in his eyes was directed at Crowpaw. "Get out of here! Leave! You don't belong here! You killed my daughter!" Crowpaw couldn't pull his gaze off Cooper, his entire body shook. "Leave!" Cooper trembled with rage. "I never want to see your face again! Get out of here, Crowpaw!"

Crowpaw scrambled to his paws and ignoring the cries of his friends, and the pain in his leg he broke into a sprint. He ran through the forest as fast as he could manage. His heart pounded in his chest so much that he was certain it was going to break, if it hadn't already. Crowpaw had lost everything again.

The cat he loved, gone in the blink of an eye, and the home he had lived in for moons, the home he had fought for and hunted for, gone. Crowpaw wailed as he ran, but he didn't stop. His entire body, mind and soul ached. He didn't stop running, if he did he would only think of Ivy. He couldn't erase the image of her dead body out of his mind, or the pure hatred in Cooper's eyes.

"I'm sorry!" He wailed as loud as he could into the night sky. Crowpaw's body couldn't physically handle the pain any longer. He tripped over his paws and tumbled through an empty clearing. He had run a long ways, he was far from his home--no, he was far from the loners. Crowpaw laid on the ground, heaving and panting. He felt like he was going to be sick.

Crowpaw tilted his head back and let out a wail, all of the sadness inside of chest came rushing out like a storm. "Ivy I'm sorry!" He cried. "I'm so sorry!" Crowpaw's body shook violently, he couldn't feel anything but pain. So many faces flashed in his mind. Blacksky, Silverpool, Riverlight, Ivy, Cooper, Flint, Raindrop. So many cats he had loved, so many cats he had lost.

Crowpaw stared at the sky, wailing again. Why does everyone around me have to die? Why can't it be me? Crowpaw felt that this pain deep inside of him would never go away, it was the same pain that he had felt when Blacksky had died, but now it was the cat he had fallen in love with. Crowpaw had lost it all, he felt as if he had nothing left to live for. What will I do without her? Ivy's eyes were burned into his mind. I wish it didn't have to be this way. I'll see you soon, I love you. Her words rang in his mind.

Crowpaw looked up at the stars, they seemed dull and farther away than usual. "Ivy..." He whimpered. "Ivy if you can hear me...I'm so sorry. I love you so much! I can't do this without you! I need you!"

Crowpaw dropped his head once again, his body unable to move any longer. He felt darkness slipping in once again. Crowpaw closed his eyes, giving up his fight. Why bother fighting anymore? He thought, the world around him starting to fade away. Everything I have to live for is up in the stars. Crowpaw took a deep breath. And I'm going to join them.