Warriors: Back to the Wild Book#3

Chapter 18

Mousepelt stared into the stream flowing through the tunnels. Her new home ominous and quiet. Too quiet. Who cares though. There was no home on on the surface now. Just the Clans, the Dark Forest, and her. As far as Mousepelt was concerned, she was nothing but a rogue who was going to die alone in darkness.

Looking down into the stream, Mousepelt saw herself look back at her. Tired blood shot eyes of blue, ragged, mangy fur, and old faint scars from her past battles. No more. She was going to spend forever here alone.

She heard the loud caterwauls of the Dark Forest cats having their meeting and cheers of agreement.

Mousepelt shook her head fiercely. She didn't want anything to do with those dead warriors anymore. There was no StarClan. Only horrible cats who died and came back to just cause pain.

Thinking of pain. The brown she-cat's belly had been aching for some time now. What did it matter anyway. The quicker she faded into the darkness the better.

Soon the sound of patterning pawsteps running out the caves. The Dark Forest cats had probably ran out to fulfil their dark needs again. Mousepelt wasn't going to follow them. She promised herself she wasn't going to be involved anymore and she meant it.

"Mousepelt!" a familiar, and growing annoying voice called through the tunnels. The sound of her pawsteps nearing made Mousepelt want to claw everything she saw. "Mousepelt!" The voice closed in and echoed around the cave Mousepelt sat in. Amberheart stood at the entrance, her breathing telling Mousepelt she had been running. "Mousepelt... You're... Still here..." the golden she-cat gasped, nearing the emotionless cat.

"Go home, Amberheart," Mousepelt spoke monotonely, "I'm nothing but a rogue now... These caves are my new home now..." She stood and began making her way away from her old friend.

"But the Clans have marked you as a traitor and ordered their warriors to kill you if they see you!" Amberheart stopped Mousepelt, running up in front of her.

"I don't care, get lost, Amberheart," Mousepelt said, shoving past the ThunderClan cat, "It's best I die anyway, that way no one can get hurt. Now go home. Make a life with Foxtail, have kits, and enjoy ThunderClan for as long as you can. With me down here, you're all safe..."

"But we're not!" Amberheart spat out.

Mousepelt stopped, her fur prickling. She turned to meet the she-cat's green gaze.

"You and I need to work together to-" Amberheart began.

"What do you mean you're not safe up there?" Mousepelt demanded.

"What?" Amberheart blinked.

"When I said 'with me down here you'll be safe,' you said you're not! What's that supposed to mean?" Mousepelt pressed.

"You... You mean you don't know? You didn't hear the meeting a few moments ago?"

"No! What do I not know?"

"The Dark Forest cats... Set off to go at war with the Clans..."

"What?" Mousepelt's eyes widened as she took a step back from the golden cat.

"It's okay, we can just go and stop it!" Amberheart assured.

"No I can't!" Mousepelt backed away, fear clawing at her heart. "They won't listen to us and I don't know how!"

"Yes you can! We both can! We just need to work together!" Amberheart reassured her, stepping closer.

Mousepelt felt her claws begin to rake the ground beneath her pads. Her whole body shook at the thought of Ravenclaw being torn to pieces. How could that happen while Mousepelt was here? He'd be dying without her by his side! The speckled she-cat dug her claws into the ground, keeping her from running out. Silversol was holding her back! And Amberheart was here!

"Amberheart, please leave!" Mousepelt cried out.

"But the Dark Forest cats! We have to stop them!" Amberheart meowed argued.

"I can't!" Mousepelt wailed.

"We have to try! We're the reason this is happening!"

"Amberheart, you're making it worse!" Mousepelt shrieked as her claws grew bigger and her teeth bared in the beginnings of a snarl.

"We need to save the Lake!"

"Go home, Amberheart!"

"I thought you wanted to be the best cat!"

"I..."

"This is our home!"

"... Said..."

"You can't just abandon it!"

"Leave!" Mousepelt spun around, raking her claws down something solid. The feeling of blood splattering Mousepelt's face. She only wanted to scare Amberheart away, not hurt her! She looked up to see claw marks on the golden she-cat's chest. The ThunderClan cat's eyes were wide and she shook at the weight of her body.

"Mousepelt..."