Brambleberry's Path

Chapter 13:

Brambleberry stood beside Pebblefoot and flicked his ear. His amber eyes glowed in the dark and his body was stiff as he stayed alert, waiting for any signs of danger. Brightface was patrolling the inside of the camp while Hawkwing and Rockwater were in the tree with a high view for better protection.

A twig snapped near Brambleberry, and he whipped around to stare into the darkness. He squinted his eyes and saw a flicker of movement. He was on his paws no later, fur bristling and claws unsheathing. There was a screech of warning behind him, and Brambleberry whippe around to see Sandclan cats attacking Pebblefoot.

With a battle cry, he launched himself onto one and ripped them off the white and brown tom. There was a yowl above him, and Brambleberry looked up to see Hawkwing leaping down from the tree and colliding with a sand colored she-cat. They were close enough for him to hear their words.

"SANDPAW!" Hawkwing spat, and the smaller she-cat growled in her face.

"It's Sandfang now! I always knew I was better than you, Hawkpaw!" Sandfang sneered. Hawkwing dug her claws into the sand colored she-cat's shoulders.

"I am Hawkwing, and you are going back to your territory, where you belong!" She hissed before clawing at the Sandclan warrior's eyes and sending her fleeing out of the camp. There was a screech of rage and both Brambleberry and Hawkwing whipped around to see Moonclaw charging at a large black tom. Amber eyes stared at Hawkwing with worry as she sprinted across camp to help her mother.

But she was too late.

Moonclaw lay lifeless on the ground, and Hawkwing flung herself at the large tom. Within seconds Brambleberry had clawed his way through the mass of Sandclan cats and had appeared at Hawkwing's side, slashing at the tom with her. The tom fled and Hawkwing stood beside Brambleberry, panting for breath.

Then she spotted the lifeless body of her mother and her brother.

With a wail she threw herself onto Moonclaw and started licking her mother's cheek furiously. When that didn't work, she started nudging her mother to try to get her to wake up. Brambleberry padded up to her and stared down at Moonclaw with sad amber eyes.

"Hawkwing." He mewed. The she-cat had turned from her mother and went to Rockwater's body. There was a large gash in his throat and his amber eyes were open and glazed over, staring up at nothing. He lay on his side and his dark grey pelt was splattered with blood. Hawkwing curled up beside him and started sobbing into his fur.

"Please wake up!" She wailed, though it was a bit muffled from Rockwater's fur. Brambleberry padded up to her and sat down beside her, shaking his head.

"Hawkwing." He called her name again. She looked up at him with watery emerald eyes. His heart clenched at seeing her cry.

"They're gone." He mewed softly. Hawkwing buried her face into Rockwater's soft fur again and sobbed harder. Brightface curled up beside her friend and buried her nose into her fur.

Brambleberry glanced away from Hawkwing and glared at the camp entrance angrily.

He would make Sandclan pay for what they did. He promised.