Swiftstar's Prophecy - Unofficial version

Chapter Forty-four

As if time was slowed down, the falling snow turned into small flurries. The first thing the badger did was to observe the two cats maliciously. Mudstrike crouched lower, growling and Swiftpaw narrowed her eyes. She couldn't ascertain whether or not this badger was a cub or not; if it was a cub, its mother could be wandering around TideClan territory. The black and white creature let out a snarl before charging at Mudstrike first.

Mudstrike shrieked a battle cry and leaped at the badger, his paws outstretched. He collided with the creature, his claws snagged in its black fur. It shook him about, desperate to get him off. Lifting a massive paw, it went to strike Mudstrike until Swiftpaw attacked. The calico apprentice opened her jaws to catch the paw then snapped it down unto its harsh paw pads. She tasted its foul blood but she wouldn't let go. She rooted her paws into the bank of the stream.

The badger shook off Mudstrike and Swiftpaw immediately let go of its paw. Swiftpaw dug her claws into its shoulder before yanking them out in time, the badger's paw barely missing her face by a hair. It let out a scream of pain but looked unfazed. Mudstrike spat down at the bank, shaking his brown fur, then with Swiftpaw, the two cats charged the badger. 

He ran while she leaped, Swiftpaw twisting her body in the air to land on its striped back and Mudstrike cutting the badger's chest with his claws. The apprentice rooted her claws into its back and she hoisted herself on, stabling her standing. Desperately, the badger shook its fur to try to rid Swiftpaw, but the calico let out a war cry. Mudstrike reared around to the badger's rear end and he viciously took its back leg into his sharp teeth.

We can't hold this badger down for long, nor can we land a blow to make it retreat. She thought, lifting her claw and slashing it down and raking its back neck. Mudstrike remained stubborn, clamped on the back leg. With the violent shaking and the growls from the beast, she was struggling with holding on. "No! You're not going anywhere until you surrender!" she yowled, regaining her strength. Swiftpaw buried her claws deep into its body, adamant to let go.

"Mouse-dung!" Mudstrike let go of its leg and to rid Swiftpaw, the badger reared up on its front legs, launching off the calico. The apprentice then flew and she tried to land on the thin layer of snow on the bank but instead, her flank got scratched by the small pebbles. Some water droplets fell on her as the badger thrashed around in the stream. Some mud flew in her face and she coughed and tried to blink the mud out of her eyes.

"Swiftpaw! Mudstrike!" It was the cry of Thrush-heart. Swiftpaw heard about five cats approach the scene, their paws shuffling the pebbles of the bank. It was Thrush-heart, Brackenstalk, Splashfur, Redstar, and Acornpaw. Mudstrike's cries echoed in the bank and Swiftpaw forced herself to stand, despite being blinded by mud in one eye. The approached patrol of cats soon closed in on the badger and Splashfur turned back to Swiftpaw, "You need to hurry back to camp, now. Your wounds look nasty."

She didn't realize her bloody flank, a strained claw from holding unto the badger, and her irritated eyes. But a fire burned her chest, a bloodlust to end the badger's life. I want to... but I should probably retreat and spread the news. 

Before she turned to leave, her eyes caught the sight of Acornpaw's body being slashed into the stream. Swiftpaw horrendously witnessed the chunks of his flesh flying and it made her body go cold.

"ACORNPAW!" Brackenstalk wailed in the loss of her son, watching his lifeless body submerged in the stream, turning it red. Swiftpaw gritted her teeth and was about to help them attack when Redstar flung himself at the badger. 

"Feel my fury, you ugly beast!" He swung his claws down, striking the badger's face. Swiftpaw watched in pure shock as the leader went crazy, his claws reaching and slicing into the creature mercilessly. Thrush-heart kept trying to tell Redstar to stop, as the badger was backing down, trying to leave. But Redstar wouldn't have it. 

Swiftpaw was stunned when the body of the badger fell into the stream, dead. Redstar's fur was matted in blood, his green eyes were slits and his drool dripped from his mouth. But Swiftpaw wasn't scared of him at all, even though her clanmates thought otherwise. Her heart fluttered in hope as she saw the faintest image of what used to be her father. The once passionate--no, the fearless leader was looking directly at his daughter, panting heavily. His body then gave out on him from over-exhaustion.

Brackenstalk's moaning of sorrow was the only sound made in the streambank. Then it began to snow harder.

-

The lifeless body of Acornpaw was delicately covered in snow and rosemary. He lay in the center of camp, Brackenstalk sitting beside him, her shoulders hunched over. Clovertail and Fallownose sat with her, staring at their lost one. The clan was quiet and subtle, every cat paying their respects to the brave Acornpaw. Swiftpaw was in the medicine cat clearing on a bed of moss, Brookpelt, originally Brookpaw, tending to her wounds. She could see the cats gathering around Acornpaw.

Redstar's body lay not too far from her. Baydawn was trying to feed the leader raspberry leaves and honey to try to energize and relax him but he looked at the point of no return. Mudstrike was next to Swiftpaw, herbs applied to his injuries. "If he loses a life, that means he's on his last one, I suppose," Mudstrike whispered to the calico. Swiftpaw lowered her head, not sure how she felt on the subject of her father dying. He's always been quite crazy, but when he leaves... how will I feel? I always hated him...but now I don't. He's...alright now. 

Wolfpaw entered the medicine cat clearing, his green eyes searching for Swiftpaw. He found her and rushed over. "Are you alright?" he asked her, pressing his nose against her ear. Swiftpaw nodded and slowly blinked up at her lover. "I'm alright. Few scratches here and there," she meowed to him. Mudstrike commented, "You two, I swear, always mooning over each other..."

 Brookpelt let out a small mrrow in amusement before she suddenly grew tense. All cats in the medicine cat clearing turned their heads over to Baydawn and Redstar, witnessing the limp body of their leader. Swiftpaw held in a gasp, He must be on his ninth life now...? It was unclear. Her clanmates guessed that he was near his death, but she didn't want to believe it.

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Rip Acornpaw. What was your opinion on him?

-Morgan