Book 2: City of Ice and Fire (a warriors cats and shadowhunters crossover)

Chapter 39: Battle on the Frozen River

****Arrowheart's POV****

He leapt at Sour Cream, slamming into the rogue's side. Claws struck through meaty flesh. Blood shot out in a hot spurt. In the corner of his vision Sparkpaw was running away, sprinting back into the security of the woods. Sour Cream let out a pained cry as Arrowheart pushed them onto the ground, paws digging into creamy fur.

"Ow! How dare you!" Sour Cream writhed under him. "Sourdough help!"

But Sourdough was already busy with his own problems. Goldenclaw was wrestling with him on the ground. There was a flash of sharp claws raking the air. Goldenclaw had blood seeping from a scratch on his chest. It made the fluffy fur there stain to auburn.

"How about you help yourself!" Sourdough shouted back. One of his ears was bleeding and his right shoulder looked worse for wear. Arrowheart gave his brother a nod of approval. In one swift motion he careened a paw down hard on Sour Cream's face —right between her eyes on her forehead. The strike reverberated throughout him, bone aching. The cream cat's eyes rolled into the back of their head as they slipped into the world of unconsciousness.

"Goldenclaw, you done yet?"

"Just about, he's not giving up." Goldenclaw growled. Sourdough noticed Sour Cream's still form, his eyes widening in rage.

"How dare you hurt my sister!" The rogue cried out. Teeth embedded in Goldenclaw's leg. Arrowheart could feel the spike of pain his parabatai was going through. The tabby struggled to yank away from the pincer-like grip as Sourdough clawed at vulnerable belly fur.

"Let go of him!"

Arrowheart swooped in like an enraged falcon, biting down on neck fur. Sourdough let go of Goldenclaw with a hiss of pain. The brown and cream tom was trying to bite at him now, blood pooling from a non-lethal wound in his neck, right where the Circle rune was on him. The red line of an angry rune was replaced by a circlet imprint of Arrowheart's teeth. One knock to the head and Sourdough was down for the count.

"Thanks." Goldenclaw panted.

Arrowheart nosed at Sourdough's body before stepping back. Even though the tom was a rogue, he had no desire to kill him. So he had used the moved Blossomstar had taught him all those moons ago. It was just perfect to knock someone out without any lasting damage. He surveyed his parabatai worriedly. There was blood on his paws —presumably from Sourdough — and also a stickiness to his chest and stomach.

"You okay parabatai?"

Goldenclaw lifted his bitten front leg, testing out the injury by flexing. He winced slightly. "I'm okay, just a little bit winded. Sourdough put up quite a fight. You seemed to have it much easier on your end."

"Heh. I just know how to knock cats out. I'm surprised Dustcloud didn't teach you the same thing," Arrowheart said.

"Well, we can't all have leaders as our mentor now can we?"

"I suppose not. Can you still fight?"

Goldenclaw grit his teeth, tail lashing behind him. "I'll be just fine. Let's get moving."

"Oh, look what we have here. Some stupid warriors." A new voice entered the playing field. Arrowheart turned seconds before Goldenclaw was able to as a dark red blur shot past onto his parabatai. Ratchet was boring down on Goldenclaw's fluffy back. His claws were embedded in his pelt.

"Ack!" Goldenclaw cried out.

Wire was right behind Ratchet's approach, leaping to attack Arrowheart. He let out a snarl, his own claws going out. "Oh no you don't."

Wire was like a snake in the grass, her lithe form hard to pin down. But she was forgetting something. Or perhaps she didn't know. Arrowheart was no pushover and he wasn't about to go down without a fight. He met Wire blow for blow, fur getting sent flying. At one point they were rolling in the grass together, the next they were up on their paws lunging again. Blood roared in his ears, red liquid spewing everywhere.

"Stay away!" He yowled.

Arrowheart slashed right at the she-cat's eyes. Wire yowled as she dove away from the blinding blow. But that was exactly what he was hoping for. He used his body weight to slam her to the ground, hind leg slicing at her thin tail.

"No! Let go!" Wire cried in pain. Arrowheart would've showed mercy here if this was a Clan cat. Since she's not however . . . He pressed her twisted face into the ground, claws digging into flesh to leave small crescent marks.

"If you know what's good for you you'll stay down."

"Stupid clan cat, how dare you order me! Who do you think you are?!"

"My name is Arrowheart, and I've had enough of you."

Knocking out the gray cat did him no pleasure, but he did feel slightly pleased when he hauled Ratchet off Goldenclaw. The same attack was given to the dark ginger tabby as he was thrown up against a tree before getting a hefty blow to the face.

"I guess I need to say this again: are you okay?"

Goldenclaw was panting, blood flowing from a wound in his shoulder much thicker than before. Letting out a breath, he let his stele appear at paw. He drew over the iratze rune the golden tom wore, watching the wounds begin to close up. Runes from your parabatai were much more effective than any other. But he'll need herbs for infection later. And even more iratzes.

"I'm fine. Let's get going."

Together the two brothers made their way further down the river to where the stepping stones lay in waiting. Several fern fronds poked out of the water's edge, waving in the air like little fingers. But those weren't the most startling sight. Frostfang stood poised on the middle stone. The rest of the Circle sat on the other side of the river. And that wasn't all.

Watertail was laying on the stone, stomach round with kits. She was panting, weakly struggling. A stick —the Mortal Stick— was right over her throat, just waiting to be launched down.

"Goldenclaw, Arrowheart. It's about time you showed up."

******

A/N: Happy Easter guys!