Beefrost | Warrior Cats OC Story

CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN

The voice behind him made every hair on his pelt bristle until he felt tingly. He snapped around, his eyes narrowed to face the cowardly white cat. His gaze was horrified, but knowing, as if he expected this to happen. Beefrost watched as Maelstrom's expression changed several times. From shock, to understanding, to disbelief, until finally landing on rage.

"How could you!?" Maelstrom hissed, his claws shining beneath the water. His odd eyes flashed with fury, he reared up and flung his claws down, nearly catching Beefrost, but he dived out of the way. "How could you!?" Beefrost retorted, allowing himself to stand up straight, refusing to let the weak cat think he had been beaten.

"She was innocent! An innocent kit!" His claws scraped at the pebbles beneath the water, and Beefrosst knew he longed to tear them into his throat. "She wasn't innocent! She was ruining everything!" Beefrost hissed back, pointing with his tail to the white cat's daughter, lifeless, letting her fur be pushed around by the waves of the disturbed water.

"I did every cat a favor by killing her!" Beefrost snarled, and almost at once, Maelstrom let out a screech and launched himself forward, raking his claw across Beefrost's cheek. Pain seared inside of his face as he staggered back, then reared up, ready to strike, Beefrost sliced a piece of his ear off with a yowl of triumph and ducked skillfully as Maelstrom snapped his jaws shut only a claw-length away from his face.

Beefrost took this moment to shove the white cat beneath the water. I was going to save you for last, but if you insist! But instead of staying under like Haypetal and Foxpaw, he jolted upwards with a howl of outrage.

Off balanced, Beefrost toppled over, knocking into Maelstrom and sending them both sprawling in the bloody water. The two of them sat in silence, breathing hard, and still glaring at each other. "All of this because Haypetal chose me." He gave Foxpaw's body a long, sorrowful stare before turning his odd eyes back to Beefrost. There was a look Beefrost couldn't understand, but whatever it was, Maelstrom hopped up, more angry than before.

"You killed her didn't you?" He gasped, his eyes wide, accusing. Beefrost gave a snort of disdain. "Haypetal would've continued to taint the Clans with your ugly blood." He growled, and felt genuine fear at the way Maelstrom screeched so loud, Beefrost thought AlpClan could hear.

"You monster!" Maelstrom cried, his tail lashing wildly. Claws out, he leaped at Beefrost, who was ready and caught him with a flashing wet grip. Beefrost was exhausted from the previous fight, but Maelstrom had been given a second burst of energy and quickly overpowered Beefrost.

Claws flying blindly, he failed to fight off the white cat and tumbled under the surface of the water. Just as he was about to push himself up, claws tore at his back, just below his neck, the grip was firm, Maelstrom intended to keep him under. NO!  He thrashed, and managed to tear himself free from the white cat, but his fatigue sabotaged him.

Maelstrom quickly pushed him down again and tore his claws into Beefrost's neck. Wait. He pleaded silently, seeing the fury in his old friends blue and brown eyes. Don't kill me. Please don't kill me! Beefrost struggled against Maelstrom, panic bulged at the edges of his vision.

Then, it was quiet, a quiet that Beefrost has never felt before. It was unsettling. It was beautiful, but unsettling. Dark fizzed at the corners of his eyes. He felt numbness spreading all around him as he clung onto this life, hoping that Maelstrom would let him up. But he wouldn't, and Beefrost was running out of air. Memories played inside of his pulsing mind, clear enough to make him think he was there, and that this was all just a bad dream.

"Beekit! Get down from there!"
"What? What are you doing?"
"Beepaw! Cherrypaw!"
"Hunting is the most crucial task a warrior can perform."
"I promise this won't happen every time you try to swim."
"Beepaw, hunting patrol."
"I need you to gather fresh moss for Loudbird."
"Do you three promise to defend your kin and protect your Clan, even if it costs you your life?"
"Never take your eyes off of your opponent."
"Welcome to StarClan's Point!"
"That's outrageous!"
"Crowfang!"
"Great StarClan, Beepaw wake up!"
"My name is Maelstrom!"
"Then from this day forward, you shall be known as Beefrost..."
"Your vigil's over."
"Come out!"
"I've never seen Haypaw so upset."
"I'll get you! AlpClan dirt!"
"Congratulations, warrior."
"Get off our territory!"
"Quit stalking."
"Beefrost, I expect you to pass your skills onto Fallenpaw."
"Keep your tail still,"
"Use your tail for balance!"
"If you feel any worse, come see me at once"
"How's it feel to be free?"
"They're beautiful."
"How did you find this place?"
"When will we practice hunting?"
"Haypetal and Maelstrom will be welcoming their second litter soon!"
"I want to show you something."
"What were you doing outside camp so early? And where's Haypetal?"
"Today we will attack AlpClan!"
"You're in trouble."
"I killed Foxheart. He didn't win and neither will you!"

"How could you!?"

Each voice toppled over each other in a mess of sound, and yet, in the darkness, he felt strangely comforted, he felt breathless, he felt numb, he felt nothing. And soon, his last breath trickled out of him.