Chapter 13
Deerpaw paced back and forth, waiting anxiously for the news of Snowflakestar's wound. Just minutes before, he was nearly killed by an assassin. The cat had got away, though. Luckily for Snowflakestar, the wound was shallow. Deerpaw didn't want to know what would happen if the wound was deep. He looked to the setting sun. Deerpaw remembered the prophecy he was told of. The 5 clawed paws would journey far and wide. There will be one last battle before peace is fully restored. Deerpaw found himself leaving through the dirtplace tunnel. The brown tom marked the bushes at the end of each border. He made sure that the other clan cats knew this was Blizzardclan territory. For some unknown reason, he found himself clawing the trees. He never did this. Deerpaw calmed himself down. This uncontrollable rage must have been kindled by the assassination of Snowflakestar.
He's not dead. Snowflakestar WON'T die! He thought to himself. He suddenly wondered whether he should go to this 'meeting'. He was supposed to speak of the prophecy. Some part of his mind told him not to go. Maybe this prophecy was meant for another cat.
I am only an apprentice! Blizzardclan needs me! What will happen if I 'journey far and wide'? Will Snowflakestar lose his will to fight while I am gone? What will happen to Blizzardclan? Thoughts whirled inside his head. He shook them off.
I am going to this meeting. Whether or not I am the chosen one, Blizzardclan needs me. Deerpaw marked a few more ferns and walked into the clearing of the Gatherings. He saw two she cats from Meadowclan. He mewed a greeting. They both turned. One was tan with black spots, the other was fox-like, with sharp green eyes and a bushy tail.
"Hello!" The fox-like one said, "Are you a part of this prophecy?"
"Yes."
Chapter 14
The golden tom was just leaving the camp. He wanted to see what this prophecy was about. He stalked through the woods, his eyesight becoming using as a rotten mouse. Lionpaw suddenly smelled a foul stench. He knew this scent all to well. This wasn't a clan scent, or even rogue. It was a fox. He saw it was eating something. He smelled, and squinted his eyes. He recognized the body of a rabbit. He snarled, "That was rightfully
our prey! You have asked for it.." The fox turned, and Lionpaw saw it was scarred. Badly. The fox suddenly lunged, clamping it's jaws over Lionpaw's scruff. Hissing and growling, Lionpaw twisting and slashed the fox, but the darkness prevented him from seeing where. The fox released it's grip and collapsed. Lionpaw quickly licked his paw clean of blood. He saw the throat was slashed. He blinked, feeling sympathy. A squeal drew him from his thoughts. He looked up, and saw 3 little fox cubs scurried out of the ferns. The fox licked all them of them, and looked at Lionpaw with sorrow in her eyes. Almost as if she begged Lionpaw to care for the cubs and put her out of pain. Lionpaw looked at the four, and realized he nearly killed a mother. His heart felt like it was cut into little pieces then pierced with a claw. He mewed sadly to the struggling mother, who was trying to suckle feed her cubs. He then placed his claws on her throat and put her out of her misery. The cubs starting crying when the milk stopped coming to them. They scampered over to their mother's head, and tried to get her up. Lionpaw thought for a long, long time. He then thought a thought a normal clan cat would think impossible. He picked up all three kits by their scruffs and carried them to camp. He walked straight to the leader's den. Slashstar was sleeping there. "Slashstar." He altered his voice so he wouldn't recognize the apprentice's voice.
"What?! Who is there?!" He looked surprised.
"I need you to do a big favor for me..."
"What is it, and who are you?!" The black tom looked at Lionpaw with amber eyes.
"I need you to care for this trio. Just do it." He nudged the fox cubs forward. The fox cubs scampered to Slashstar and looked back at Lionpaw. Slashstar was all shock no words. He then relaxed and licked each of them, and rubbed against them, giving them Crescentclan scent. Slashstar looked back up at Lionpaw,
"Why are you giving them to me? Where is their mother?"
"I saw a rogue kill their mother." He lied, "I couldn't leave them so they are yours."
Slashstar nodded, and licked their foreheads, "Thank you, who ever you are. I will raise them just like cats."
"Thank you.." He ran off towards the gathering place without looking back.
Chapter 15
Foxpaw looked at Deerpaw, "Well, since you are in this crazy prophecy, we can trust you!" She said a bit excited.
"Calm it, Foxy." Cheetahpaw huffed. She looked at Deerpaw,
"I am Cheetahpaw, this is Foxpaw." Cheetahpaw nodded in greeting.
"Nice to meet you two, I am Deerpaw of Blizzardclan. So, what should we do about this prophecy? The five clawed paws will journey far and wide. There will be one last battle before peace is fully restored." Deerpaw recited the prophecy.
"Weeellll, it seems someone knows what we are going for!'' A voice made all three cats whirl around. Deerpaw snarled when he saw Lionpaw. Lionpaw trotted into the clearing, sitting beside Foxpaw, who snorted and scooted away. Lionpaw ignored this, "So you all know about this prophecy too? I understand these two, just not...
you." Lionpaw growled the word 'you'. Deerpaw was smaller but older than this apprentice. Deerpaw narrowed his eyes, but Foxpaw leaped between them, "STOP! We won't accomplish anything by killing each other!" Deerpaw relaxed, and Lionpaw meowed, "Your right." He placed himself beside by Foxpaw, who snorted but didn't move. He continued, "So, what do you all think about this thing? I know we have to find a new territory, but where?"
"I have seen mountains on the edge of my territory. I think there is something across there." Deerpaw blinked. Just as he said it, the bushes rustled and a brown she cat emerged.
"Hello there! I am a part of the prophecy!" Her wide yellow eyes were glimmering with excitement. Foxpaw recognized Owlpaw.
"I am Owlpaw, and I am from Forestclan!"
Chapter 16
Fang watched the sun set on the mountains. Yami was watching him from his nest of moss and feathers.
"When can I venture out and explore and not hunt?" Fang turned to look at the mountain lion. Yami growled, "I will have to go, but maybe tomorrow." Fang nodded, wondering if he would be able to run away from the mountain lion and his rule over the silver tom. But something in Fang told him that proving his words true would prove impossible unless he made it out with severe injuries. He nodded a thanks to Yami and crawled through his tunnel to his den. He took a sip from his watering hole and ate a mouse. He lay down on his nest, and fell asleep.
In Fang's dream ~
Fang was in the cave. Yami was on one side and a group of animals were on the other. A Lion, Deer, Owl, Fox and Cheetah were those animals. Both sides called to him, asking him to join. Fang was about to choose when suddenly a wall of darkness surrounded him and blotted out the other animals. Fang tried to look for them, but the blackness terrified and confused him and his senses. Something lashed out at him, and scarred him. He screamed in pain, and tried to fight off the unseen foe. Suddenly a million set of claws started clawing at him, tearing his fur away and drawing so much blood Fang didn't know he had that much. He tried to lash back at them but no fur or skin caught his claws. Suddenly something slashed his throat, and the tom collapsed, and the dream faded.
End of dream ~
Fang woke up yowling. He crawled outside and looked outside the cave. The sliver moon smiled back at him. He sighed, and walked back to his cave. His bed was messed up. He tried to fix it. Once it was better he picked up a rabbit and began to eat. What did those animals mean? What was going to happen in the next few days?
