Warriors: Wounded Pride (Book 4)

Chapter 17

     Shredflash wanted to be happy. He couldn't be happy as long as he knew Vertexclan and Driftclan thrived while he lived in the shadows. Don't worry, Shredflash! Shred echoed in his head. Everything will be over once we rid of the clans! He said.

"I know... But do we have to do this to Deaddream? Hurting him is making me feel... Wrong." Shredflash meowed.

Wrong?! Do you see how powerful you are because of this training? Deaddream will be just as powerful! Shred echoed.

Shredflash sighed as he padded past the trees with a gull in his maw. He continued until Shred said something again.

You'll have to attack Deaddream! Shred's voice echoed.

Shredflash stopped in his tracks and dropped the gull. "I'll have to do what?"

Attack Deaddream!

Shredflash's claws unsheathed as he then clawed at the ground. "Do you think I can do that?"

I know you can!

Shredflash stared at the ground. "There's no medicine cat. How will he get better after I do it?" he asked.

I'll guide you! I'm sure there're herbs around our territory! Shred said.

It took Shredflash some time before he picked up the gull again and slowly padded back to the Galaxyclan camp. He didn't want to hurt Deaddream, but he knew it would help in making the clans fall before him. The grey-furred tom now trudged past the trees, a solemn look on his face. A few heartbeats later, he padded into the in Galaxyclan camp. The thought of him harming his own son, something he never thought he'd do, lingered in his mind. Shredflash padded over to his den to see the frightened Deaddream in the den's corner. His expression didn't change as he padded over to his son and looked down at him. "Deaddream." he meowed.

Deaddream slowly looked up at his father, tears running down his eyes. It pained Shredflash to see Deaddream like this. "Come outside the den with me." Shredflash meowed and placed the gull down, then padded past Aurora and out of the den.

*

Shredflash waited for Deaddream outside of his den. He knew the grey and silver-furred tom would come out. A heartbeat passed before Deaddream padded out of the den. His head lowered as he went over to his father. Now, Shredflash. Shred echoed. Shredflash hesitated before he unsheathed his claws and slashed at Deaddream. Deaddream shrieked in pain as his father clawed at his cheek. "Don't move, Deaddream." Shredflash meowed as he scratched, clawed, and bit at his son's pelt and all over him. Shredflash remembered his father using two of his clanmates to attack him. He soon knocked Deaddream onto his side, blood dripping from his fur and onto the grass.

"Can I please stop now?" Shredflash asked.

Deaddream looked at Shredflash with a mixture of fear and confusion in his eyes.

Not yet! I got help for you, Shredflash!

Shredflash looked up as he heard pawsteps padding towards him. His eyes widened as he saw Aurora pad towards them. Her face blank as she padded up to her son and clawed at his face. Deaddream cried and shrieked in more pain as his mother attacked him. "Shred! Stop this! He's had enough!" Shredflash yelled.

Shred gave no response as Aurora bit and clawed at Deaddream. Shredflash then ran up and knocked Aurora back. Deaddream lied there, his movement slow as blood fell to the ground. Aurora got onto her paws and padded back to the den. "Shred. We need to help Deaddream, now." Shredflash's mew was stern.

Okay! Let's go find what we need, then! Shred echoed.

*

"Why do I even try anymore?" Deaddream meowed as he stared at the grass.

An orange-furred tom pressed himself against Deaddream, trying to comfort him. "It'll get better, Deaddream..." he said.

"No, it won't! Aurora attacked me, Jack! Why did she do that? And who is Shred? Are they going to hurt me too?" Deaddream hissed.

"I... I don't know, Deaddream, but I want you to know that I'm here for you!" Jack mewed.

Deaddream looked at Jack and gave a smile. "Thanks, Jack. I'm glad you're my friend!" he mewed.

Jack smiled and nuzzled Deaddream. "Yeah! No problem!"

*

"Deaddream! Wake up!" Deaddream's eyes shot open at his name.

"Who's there?" he looked around until he saw a black-furred cat in front of him.

"Hi!" the tom said to Deaddream.

Deaddream stared at the tom. He had no eyes. "What's your name?" the silver and grey-furred tom asked.

"Shred!"

So this is the cat that Shredflash meows about...? Deaddream meowed. "Why is Shredflash hurting me? And why did Aurora hurt me?" he asked, getting up and unsheathing his claws.

"Calm down, Deaddream! Your father is doing this to strengthen you!" Shred mewed back.

"Why would he hurt me so much, then?" Deaddream shot back.

"He's training you to protect Jack from the cats that are going to attack him in the future!" Shred exclaimed.

"What?" Deaddream mewed.

Shred nodded. "Shredflash and Aurora are only hurting you so you can prevent Jack from dying!"

Deaddream stared at Shred. Shred then stepped aside to show him a light with Jack and another cat in it. The other cat had black fur and light-green eyes. "Who is that?" Deaddream asked.

"The one who will kill Jack if you don't stop them!" Shred replied.

Deaddream growled at the cat in the light. "I'll do anything to protect Jack!"

Even if that means getting hurt by Shredflash and Aurora... He thought.

*

Lionstrike paced around the Vertexclan camp. He's been thinking about something. Something that he knew would get him in trouble. The Vertexclan warrior padded around until he saw a familiar ginger-furred she-cat in front of his eyes. "Hey, Lionstrike!" she said to him.

"Hello, Sunsting," he replied.

"What are you up to?" Sunsting asked with a smile.

"Just thinking," Lionstrike meowed.

"About what?"

Lionstrike sighed, then padded closer to Sunsting. "Listen... We can't kill Skystar."

"What?! Why?!" Sunsting exclaimed.

"Keep it down!" Lionstrike replied. "Doing that will hurt us... And I'm thinking that Shred lied to us about all of this..."

"Lied?!" Sunsting mewed. "But I'm the best warrior of Vertexclan!"

"That's what he wants you to think. Just like how he made me think that I'd get Ripplewave back by doing this..." he meowed and frowned.

"Have you gotten her back...?"

"Does it look like I've gotten her back, gull-brain?" Lionstrike said.

"Am I the best warrior of Vertexclan...?" the ginger-furred she-cat mewed.

"I can't answer that, Sunsting." the tom replied and sighed.

Sunsting looked at the ground, not saying anything.

"I'll be heading back to the Warriors' den now." Lionstrike meowed to Sunsting, then turned around.

"What if Shredflash comes to kill us?" Sunsting asked, her head still down.

Lionstrike stopped in his tracks. He turned his head to Sunsting. "I won't let that happen." he meowed, then headed back to the warriors' den.