eternal: hyacinth || warrior cats

chapter 9

viperpaw

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BACK AT THE LEADERS' BATTLE, it was clear that Ivorystar was winning with ease. "I'm sorry I have to do this," the ShadowClan leader meowed, before throwing Rainstar harshly against a tree.

At the area Sandstrike had basically put them in time-out in, guarding over the two carefully, Viperpaw had almost a front row seat to this scene. He watched as the RiverClan leader's blood puddled around her, drenching her gray fur in crimson, her breathing shallowing and eventually, leaving her body.

Viperpaw shivered with horror.

She was dead.

"Rainstar!" Splashfoot's worried meow came loud and clear as the deputy sprinted to his leader. "Rainstar, are you okay?"

But there was no need to worry; moments later, Rainstar gasped, and her body shook as air returned to her lungs, almost like she was reborn. Ivorystar had only taken a life.

Splashfoot quickly helped her up, and Viperpaw noticed that though Rainstar's wounds from the fight disappeared, her hind leg was still lame.

Splashfoot threw himself in front of his leader. "Rainstar, wait-"

However, Rainstar just wasn't listening. With a roar, she dodged around Splashfoot and jumped on Ivorystar again, rage firing in her eyes as she sent blow after blow at the ShadowClan leader.

Ivorystar responded, swiping her claws at Rainstar mercilessly. "This land will never be yours!" she spat. "It will always remain under ShadowClan's control!"

Rainstar backed away, panting heavily, voice cold. "We both know it's not ShadowClan's land that I want."

Ivorystar stiffened, before a small smirk spread onto her face. "Try all you might, but you'll never find them." She scanned the clearing, eyes finally landing on Sandstrike and the two apprentices.

As she did, something peculiar happened.

Ivorystar's eyes widened as though she'd seen a ghost, her eyes full of pure horror at the sight of Snakepaw and Viperpaw.

Dodging Rainstar's claws, she slipped away into the crowd of cats. "Coward!" Rainstar yowled after her. "Come back and fight!"

The RiverClan leader's taunts were ignored.

Ivorystar did a large loop, circling around the entirety of the fight before bounding over to Sandstrike. "What are they doing here?" she hissed, flicking her tail at the two apprentices.

Viperpaw had never seen her so angry before.

"I don't know, Ivorystar, I told them to stay in camp," Sandstrike answered, giving the apprentices a glare, "but they snuck out."

"Great StarClan," Ivorystar whispered, before her voice turned sharp once more. "Get them back to camp, and hurry. Don't let Rainstar or Splashfoot see them."

Sandstrike's eyes flickered with confusion. "Ivorystar, what-?"

"Now, please," Ivorystar snapped, before leaping back into the fight.

"C'mon," Sandstrike swept his tail around Snakepaw and Viperpaw, starting to lead them back to camp. "Let's go."

Viperpaw was trembling with nerves as he followed Sandstrike back to camp. Just the sight of the battle was enough to shake him, and added on with what happened at the end with Ivorystar...

Viperpaw padded through the dark night, tail-tip twitching anxiously. What was Ivorystar talking about? Are we going to get into trouble? Sandstrike looks mad...