The Barn Cat

Thirty-Nine

      Palepounce watched in horror as Ivypaw and the red tom disappeared into the cliff hole. "Ivypaw!" Palepounce's mew was horror-struck. She charged past Hawk, who was quickly getting to his paws after being thrown. She nearly tripped in when she stopped to look down into the deep hole, but the only thing she could see was two lifeless bodies so far down in the hole that they looked like new-born kits. "Ivypaw," her voice faded away, her body going limp. "He's dead," Hawk whispered, "he saved me." Palepounce shoved her head into Hawk, not wanting to see Ivypaw any longer. The two sat there for a moment, then Hawk got to his paws and got Palepounce's to hers. "Come on, let's get out of here before anything else happens. We need to see him they still need our help." Palepounce's nodded miserably, "yeah, let's go." She had just lost a cat that she had grown very close to. A cat that sacrificed himself to save a cat he didn't even like. 

     They ran back towards the camp, feeling a little bit relieved when they didn't see so many cats fighting anymore. The clan cats were winning and seemed to finally start to outnumber the evil cats. She watched Smokestream chase out the last one outside of the camp, hissing and nipping at the she-cat's heels as she trailed away. "There's only a few more inside," he panted, "but Courage said that there might be some back at our camps. The leaders all sent cats to go help just in case, but we are nearly finished here." Palepounce nodded, Hawk doing the same. Palepounce watched as one, then two, three, four, and a couple of more cats charged out of the camp. Shock and happiness filled her heart when she heard a victory yowl start to break out from inside the camp. Hawk let out a small mew, "we did it. We won." But at what costs? \

    She watched as cats came pouring out of the camp, blood everywhere and loose fur flying as they came out. "Palepounce!" Streamfrost's relieved mew broke her thoughts as he came running over. He hurriedly placed his head over hers, smearing the blood from her head scratch all over his chin. "I thought you were gone." His sad whisper nearly shattered her, "I was outside." He pulled away and stared at her eyes, "don't ever do that again. I can't lose you." Palepounce's heart felt warm, "I'm sorry. You should probably go check on Burningheart, I figured out she's who you like." Streamfrost's gaze looked confused, "Palepounce, I don't like Burningheart. I was always with her to ask for advice to talk to who I really liked, you." Palepounce's heart nearly leaped out her chest, "what?" He let out a little happy sigh, "you really are blind, Palepounce." She let out a sigh, "I really am." "Burningheart likes Hawk, by the way." What? "How come they never talk?" Palepounce asked. "She's scared to let him know, since he'll have to go home eventually." This is perfect. "He wants to stay," Palepounce mewed excitedly. 

    "Ivypaw?" Duskfeather's cry broke the happy murmurs. "Ivypaw?" Palepounce felt her breath leave her body as she started to grow heavier. Her heart felt like it wasn't pumping anymore, and every wound on her body didn't seem to hurt as much as her insides did. "Duskfeather," she left Streamfrost, padding over to the panicked black tom. His white paws reminded Palepounce of Ivypaw's white toes, their eyes the same color as well. "Ivypaw," Palepounce felt her voice crack, and she found it difficult to speak. Many eyes were on her now, and she let her head fall to stare at the ground. "He's dead." "What?" Duskfeather's panicked mew turned into a horror-stricken broken father, "no. No he's not." "I'm sorry," Palepounce whispered. "But he had just helped me kill Slayer," Courage argued, confusion and hope showing on his face. "He saved me," Hawk added guiltily, "he gave his life so I could keep mine." "He didn't even get his warrior name before he died," Duskfeather croaked, "that's all he wanted more than anything." Palepounce felt like her heart was getting ripped in half, but she had no more words to say. A sad silence filled the air, a quiet mourning spread through all the cats. 

   "Snowfrost is gone too," Loststream of Frostclan croaked out, "Foxbranch is sitting with her, mourning his mate." Sad murmurs spread throughout the camp once more. "I understand all of this pain," Silverstar's sad mew shocked Palepounce. Didn't she want nothing to do with any of this? What made her show up? What made her care? "But we all need to go home to check our camps. You heard what Slayer told Courage, there were cats there too." Quiet murmurs of agreement flowed inside the camp, and Palepounce spotted Leafstride ready to charge back to camp. Mistfoot. Worry filled her again. What if something happened to Mistfoot? What if something happened to Sunnyeyes? Palepounce got to her paws. Silverstar was right, everyone needed to head home. 

     The cats broke away quickly, going as fast as they could to get back to their clans. Palepounce was limping, but Streamfrost came to support her side. She leaned on him, noticing ahead that Hawk was doing the same for Burningheart. She thought she would feel her heart tighten at the sight of Hawk with her, but it didn't. Actually, it felt lighter. Like a weight was lifted off of her." She leaned closer into Streamfrost, she knew who she could finally be happy with. They made their way back into camp, blood was splattered on the ground. Palepounce pushed her way into the front of the group to get into camp first, worried about her mother. Fur and blood were spilled inside the camp, and Palepounce found herself holding her breath as she looked around. 

  "They're back!" 

   Acornpaw's happy, relieved mew filled the empty clearing, and the bloody apprentice came limping outside of the nursery. "What happened?" Lightningstar asked. "They attacked us," Ravenwhisker hissed. "Is everyone okay?" Lightningstar demanded. "Only a few wounds here and there, none too deep," Streamsong came padding out from the nursery as well. "No fatal wounds." "We lost a couple of cats in the battle," Lightningstar mewed sadly. Cats let out their sorrowful mews, but were also relieved that it wasn't any Mistclan warriors they lost. "It's over now," Palepounce announced, "Slayer is dead." The cats all cheered, victory yowls filling the air. Streamfrost came trotting back to her side, "let's get you checked up on." Palepounce gave him a thankful stare, leaning against him again as he led her to a small empty spot in the camp. "Streamfrost," she whispered. He focused on her, "yes?" "Do you think you could ever see us as mates?" she asked. He gave her a warm stare, "yes, I could." She let out a quiet purr, "how about now?" He rubbed his cheek along hers, "yes, Palepounce I do. I love you." "I love you too."