Bloodshed (Zombie Warrior Cats)

Chapter Twenty-Five

Tigerstripe's POV

I blinked open my eyes to the sun cascading over my face. Squinting, I lifted my head. The sun was just drifting up the sky then and I seemed to be the only one awake other than Smoketail, Shadowflower, Wildstar, Marshstar, and Lark. Blossomfrost was still fast asleep, lying next to me with her flank rising and falling slowly.

The birds sung in the treetops while the frost began to thaw. My fur spiked up as a chilly breeze blew through the campground. I sat up and began thoroughly cleaning my fur.

"Morning," I heard someone meow. I looked around but no one was looking at me. The group of five cats were chatting quietly together, uninterested in me.

"Er, morning." I replied, narrowing my eyes at them. The five of them looked at me. Wildstar and Smoketail looked back at Lark, seemingly because I wasn't in their Clan. Marshstar bowed his head to me, "Hello."

I looked away, my ears flat to my head, and decided to ignore the first voice.

Standing up, I realized I didn't feel as tired and weak as usual. The herbs had definitely done something good to my body. I padded quietly out of the ditch, ducking under the thorn bushes, and out onto the Thunderpath. The groaning and growling was louder from there. The Twolegs and few dogs and cats were staggering around, either dragging their limbs or their whole body. Blood was stained all over the Thunderpath.

A sudden feminine screech - none like any cat screech I had ever heard - made me duck and unsheathe my claws. At first, I thought it was my imagination like always, but as the Twolegs began to go the opposite way of our camp, I realized it was real. I watched all of the Twolegs, dogs, and cats shuffle away as fast as they could. Soon, the Thunderpath was empty. The only things that remained on it was the dead monsters.

"This is our chance!" Wildstar sneered. I looked over my shoulder at them and realized they too had heard the scream. "We can't stay here much longer, Lark. It's getting too hard to keep our voices low,"

Smoketail and Shadowflower nodded in agreement. "Not one of us even have real nests prepared." Smoketail commented. He glanced over at both Clans and shook his head.

I lashed my tail. More walking? Oh sweet SoulClan, no, I thought.

Maybe then you'll get stronger? Puny little thing, you are.

You just want to eat, don't you, you gluttonous beast?

No way, he wants Blossomfrost!

Yeah, to eat her.

My head began to pound uncontrollably. Ugh... Shut up, shut up!

I hurried off of the Thunderpath, shaking my head to clear my thoughts. "Tigerstripe, will you wake the Clan? Wildstar is going to begin waking StreamClan, too." Marshstar asked from where he sat with the group of cats. Lark watched me through his less-than attractive skull. I could smell it from where I was. I nodded and scrunched up my nose. "We're going to leave as soon as possible, so eat as soon as you can."

Padding over to Blossomfrost, I nudged her softly with my nose. She blinked open her eyes and moaned. Wow, what a jerk Marshstar is! One voice gasped. More like Tigerstripe is the jerk. Did you see the way he just woke up Blossomfrost? The other argued.

"Shut it!" I snapped. My voice echoed and everyone who was awake had turned to look at me. Blossomfrost looked at me with an unknowing look. Hot with embarrassment, I moved on. She had begun to accent the fact that when I snap, it isn't because of her, so she didn't look too confused or upset.

After waking most of the cats up, I glanced up in the trees as a squirrel began to chatter loudly. I soon realized Rowantail was no where to be found. She usually slept in the trees every moment of the day. Ever since she begun to sleep in the trees without coming down, no one was allowed to go back up in fear that more cats would do the same.