Warriorcats #1: Vengeance

Chapter Sixteen

Life moved in slow motion. The group of Stormclan cats huddled at the bottom of the gorge in dismay as their rescue mission turned into a hopeless attempt to save this poor she-cat. Tallpaw franticly swiped his paw at the she-cat, knowing nothing would help. HIs leg was just too short... And yet somehow, he managed to snag his claws into her scruff. The she-cat let out a howl of pain, but part of it was out of shock. She actually had a chance of survival. Tallpaw dug his hind paws into the ledge as he held on, jerking forward as the she-cat's weight pulled him downwards. For a moment, his paws scrabbled across the rock, finding no friction to keep him rooted. He would fall with the she-cat if he didn't have enough strength.

Grunting, Tallpaw exerted all of his power, hefting the she-cat onto the ledge a moment before his paws slipped off the ledge. His flanks heaved with exhaustion. He glanced at the she-cat, who was lay motionless beside him. She had crumpled as soon as she hit the rock, too weak to catch herself. Tallpaw didn't know what to do. He hadn't planned for things to go the way he wanted them to. Everything was silent. It was as if the whole world was surprised. This young apprentice had just managed to save a warrior from another clan. Nobody dared to open their mouths. They had nothing to say; they were too shocked.

"T-tallpaw, wait for the she-cat to recover. She'll need more strength to get down." Cloudstar's voice was shaky, his fur disheveled and shaggy along his flanks. Tallpaw noticed how tired everyone was. Despite just standing their, they had gone through the same mixture of emotions Tallpaw had. They were probably just as exhausted as he was.

"Tallpaw..." A sound came from behind him. It was thin and frail, like a newborn kit's first mewl. He turned around to face the she-cat, who had managed to lift her head slightly. She had dark hazel eyes that seemed to burn into his pelt. His ear twitched self-consciously. "That is the name I'll remember." She dipped her head respectfully, causing Tallpaw to feel a mixture of pride and sympathy. He shouldn't allow her to thank him like this. She was still in trouble.

Her wounds were infected, puss dripping from each cut. Her flanks heaved at weird intervals, as if she had trouble with each breath. "We need to get you down. You're injuries look pretty bad." He meowed, awkwardly shifting on his paws. "Do you have enough strength left in you?" The she-cat gazed into the distance, considering if she should even go on.

"Y-yes. Barely." She shakily got to her paws, which took some help from Tallpaw. He was shocked at how weak she was. She could barely manage to walk, much less climb. Tallpaw signaled to the others. "She won't be able to make it down safely. Are there any other options?" He was surprised at how strong his voice was, despite how shaky he felt. Birchfeather flicked his tail towards a spot a few fox-lengths above. "Can you climb to the top? It's a lot less farther." He glanced at SkyOtter and Cloudstar. "Don't you think?" The two cats nodded.

Tallpaw sighed. Apparently the she-cat, despite her state, knew what to do. She hobbled forward, Tallpaw supporting her with every step. Her breathing was raspy, every step seeming to put more and more weight on her shoulders. Somehow, she managed to find some pawholds and cling on. Tallpaw was close by, following her up a few mouse-lengths behind. If she fell, at least she'd have something to fall onto. For a terrifying moment, the she-cat stopped moving. She seemed to be in a daze, wavering slightly as he grip loosened. "You can do this. Don't give up now." Tallpaw's words seemed to help slightly. Hesitantly, the she-cat made her way upwards. It was a scary ascent, but soon the two cats were safely at the top.

Tallpaw found himself superbly tired now. As soon as he was on firm rock, he plopped down. The she-cat did the same. Before them was another cliff. Tallpaw was alarmed by this. Was he trapped by both sides? They could be stuck up here for days. He relaxed when he noticed a trail gently sloping downwards. It winded down at an angle not too steep for the she-cat, yet she'd still have to watch her paws.

Tallpaw hoped he didn't bother the she-cat, but he was curious about her origins. He couldn't stay still anyways, not after the previous event. "You know my name... What's yours?" The she-cat seemed surprised by the sudden noise. She had been lost in a trance, something she often did when pain finally loosened its grip on her. She suppressed a sigh, readjusting her position awkwardly. "Featherbird, my name is Featherbird." Her voice was less raspy, and her breathing was much steadier. "I come from Ashclan, but apparently... Not anymore." She glanced at the ground, pain filling her gaze. She seemed to be carrying both the weight of physical and mental pain on her shoulders. Tallpaw didn't know how to comfort her. "W-why not?" He didn't want to press her if it was a painful subject, but his curiosity outshone all precautions. The she-cat didn't chide him on it. She actually seemed relieved to let it out. "When the clans broke up, some cats didn't want join the three clans. In fact, some cats refused to believe Starclan actually sent this message. They've formed groups with notorious titles, each devoted to reclaiming the original clan's name." She shrugged, which was painful for her. She didn't seem to notice the blood dripping down her chest fur.

"They were called-"

"The Air Sweepers..." Tallpaw glanced at the she-cat expectantly. "They raided Ashclan, chased you out of your home." He shifted uncomfortably on his paws. This was probably pushing the limit on touchy subjects. Featherbird's gaze grew distant. "Why didn't you just follow your clanmates? When they ran..." He trailed off. Surely they weren't dead? By the pale shade of the she-cat's face, he almost thought they were. "They fought hard. Nobody was killed." She glanced at her wounds with disgust. "But many were injured. They had no chance. When we ran, we didn't know where to go. We made it to this gorge. Ashclan is camped near here, but Pebblestar doesn't know what to do now." Tallpaw noticed, with a pang of sympathy, that the she-cat didn't share where they were camped. Is she afraid we're allied with the Air Sweepers?

He almost laughed. "If some rogues are the only thing in our way, why can't we just attack them? Both of our clans surely is enough!" Featherbird sighed. "If only it were that easy." She sounded wistful as she spoke, as if the future was already falling apart. It made Tallpaw's heart sink. "The leader of the Air Sweepers, Mask... He's too crafty. He's got eyes as sharp as a hawk's and instinct like no other. He'll noticed we're near before we can even hope for a surprise." Tallpaw tilted his head. "Have you tried to attack them yet?" He asked. The she-cat avoided his gaze. "Well, n-no... But he's not your typical warrior, Tallpaw. He's dangerous." Tallpaw grinned. Despite what was ahead, he was almost happy. Finally things were beginning to make since. "Well, Featherbird, I'm not your typical apprentice."